"Long ago in a life far, far away..."

Sometimes it was really hard to find some time to relax. She had been working overtime in her new office to make up for the public shaming dealt by Hazuki a couple days ago, but even that hardly put a dent in people’s opinion outside of her own Seated Officers. Even they seemed a bit reluctant to follow her commands, as if unsure she could actually back up any claims she made.

Honestly, it all just gave her a massive headache.

It was early into the night. The sun had set only a couple hours ago, and most Shinigami had long since went home to have dinner, or spend time with friends/loved ones. A few particularly driven Recruits were sparing outside of the main building, perhaps the Captain would give them a stray glance and smile upon their hard work.

No such thing happened.

As she slid the door shut behind her, a small box of paperwork neatly tucked under her arm, her eyes only focused on the ground. Most Captains would shove off the boring papers to their second in command, but Miyuki found herself doing the vast majority of it. Not because she liked it -- in fact, she hated it more and more each hour -- and not because she thought Kionchi unable to do it all. She wasn’t really too sure why it had just naturally fallen into her lap. Perhaps it was another way of proving her work while also getting a better understanding of her division and the people within.

Her feet padded loudly down the wooden floor as she made her way to the exit, hellbent on making it home without any interruptions. Thankfully, there wasn’t really anyone to jump in the way, unless the two aforementioned Recruits were feeling particularly bold. So, she reached to the exit door swiftly, eager to throw it open and then make a dash for home, but something felt off for a split second.

The door was replaced with a face of a man she had never seen before.

She blinked once… Twice… And then jerked her head around, nearly bolting up from the surprisingly comfortable chair. Everything had changed in a mere fraction of a second, but somehow it had felt natural. Shocking, sure, but nothing felt wrong. It was warm and inviting -- the soft glow of the fireplace adding a particularly homey feel to the beautifully decorated area.

Before her confusion could even settle, the man was leaning forward, smooth words falling from his lips as he was pouring her a glass of water.

Her body relaxed back against the chair, though she eyed him suspiciously. The water went completely untouched. Instead, she just watched him with an expression screaming “what the fuck just happened and how do I leave?”, eyes flicking between his own and his hands. Had it not been for that cautionary stare, she wouldn’t have even noticed how the jug of water just ceased to exist.

Like, literally just ‘poofed’ from reality without so much as a noise.

Her heart thundered loud enough to drown out a lot of his words -- though they somehow seemed to just ‘appear’ in her head, ensuring their meaning wasn’t lost on her panicked state.

“Truth?”

This was the second time she had said the name, though it didn’t feel any less heavy on her mind. Like something more than a mere name. Something more… Powerful. It rumbled in her mind, hinting at just the sort of mess she had gotten into.

Tova… Truth… Both people Takua had mentioned not too long ago in his rather confusing relay of her past life. Hajime had later clarified some of what he had said, but even still Miyuki found her head spinning with questions and uncertainties.

The man before her was the one she had been so obsessed with in her later life that it drew her into a broken state of insanity. The man who simultaneously killed and spared her soul for reason even Hajime didn’t seem to understand.

This was the face of the man who was her hero and antagonist.

The corner of her vision twirled a bit with nausea, which only served to sour her expression even more.

“Why did you bring me here? What do you want?” She blurted without much thought, eyebrows pulling down in defensive anger. “Why did you save me? Is this some sort of game for you? Do you think you own me just because you nearly killed me and then decided to make me into some sort of… Project.”

Stress from everything came out all at once, ignited by the rather rude dinner plans so suddenly forced on her. She had paperwork to do. Phone calls to make. Dinner to eat. She was a busy woman and, well, to be honest, this smug looking fellow wasn’t someone she was quite ready to deal with just yet.

He had been the one to pull the strings and keep her alive. The one that had ultimately caused her downfall and still found it in him to give her this… She supposed it was a second chance. He was something higher than what she could possibly understand. Something powerful enough to stop her while her soul had been so powerful and then just casually pull her soul from Hell.

It all sounded like something out of a book.

“And I’d like a bowl of stew. Beef, steak, vegetable, I don’t really care.” She paused only to grab the glass and raise it to her lips, gulping down the water.

It tasted amazing.

[933. 18]

“It’s good, isn’t it?” He answered her reaction, not her words, with a smile.

By the time he sat his own glass down the formerly empty table sat in front of them, half covered with food. In front of Miyuki sat a full meal ranging from a beef stew, still steaming in the porcelain bowl in front of her, pre-sliced bread fresh from the oven, a small cup of buttery spread for it, and even a small side-salad. All of it seemed very Western, something that sat just fine with Truth. As much as he enjoyed Knowledge’s primarily Eastern-style cooking, food like this felt more at home for him.

It looked like Miyuki agreed, given her wide-eyed stare that reflected the banquet in front of her.

“I’m not the best cook among my people,” Truth explained with a wave of his hand. “But I am the fastest. A friend of mine, you haven’t met him, would say that not taking my time is what separates my skills from his own. I’m not so sure about that, myself, but I’ll let you be the judge. Try some, I’ll do the talking.”

The empty glass that sat at Truth’s right suddenly filled with a thin, amber liquid. It could have been tea or it could have been some variety of alcohol. Whichever was the case, Truth seemed to enjoy it immensely as he took a sip and sat it back down on the white table cloth. The glass was just as full as when he picked it up.

“So if you think about this enough, Miyuki, I think you can answer your own question,” Truth answered, both hands curled together on the table in front of him, as polite as could be. “Why would I bring you here, over a meal, if you were just a project? We wouldn’t be having this conversation, you wouldn’t know me at all; I’d have made sure of that.”

He paused, let that idea sink in. He could make a meal appear out of thin air. He could whisk a person out of their life and have them appear in a room with doors, all with no recollection of any of it ever happening.

That said everything that needed to be said about his capabilities.

“I brought you here to tell you everything,” he answered her most important question first. “After that, you’re free to go. If you don’t care to hear what I have to say, you’re free to go. Or you can stay, enjoy your food, and I can put some of the questions you have to rest. Your call.”

She wanted to act cool and nonchalant, but when the table suddenly bloomed with colors, smells, and delicious looking food, she couldn’t help but go wide eyed. Making a jug of water disappear was one thing -- something she could believe was normal given the crazy feats she’d seen other people do -- but this? It made her dizzy for a second.

“Did you even cook this?” She had to ask. Had to make sure she wasn’t going crazy and just forgot the hour or so it probably took for him to make this all. “I mean… I didn’t see you move. It just appeared!”

Despite her confusion, she grabbed a piece of bread, slowly buttering it before taking a bite.

Her free hand snapped to her lips as she coughed a few times. Holy fucking shit balls it tasted amazing. She had tasted good food -- she liked to think she herself was a rather decent chef -- but this? It tasted otherworldly. So good it almost made her keel over. So good she couldn’t stop herself from shoving another, larger bite into her mouth before she had even finished swallowing the first one.

If she ever tasted the cooking of this other guy Truth had mentioned, she’d probably die on the spot.

At the very least, the food had calmed and her eased her into the situation. Sure there were endless questions popping up in her head, but, well, to be honest, she was incredibly food motivated. If anything could calm her down, it was a nice, hot meal and friendly company.

She couldn’t deny that he made good points. It was clear enough from what Takua had implied and how this evening started that Truth had powers beyond what she could imagine. He could have easily made sure she never even heard his name, let alone know that he had been keeping tabs on her. He could have made reality bend in ways she couldn’t imagine just to fit his whims.

What were beings like him called? Gods? Sovereigns? For some reason that second one felt familiar. Perhaps a throwback to her past in some regards. At any rate, she didn’t want to think more on it.

She sat quietly and sipped her soup, doing her best to eat at a reasonable pace instead of scarfing it down like she had with the bread, and listened to the man speak in his silken voice.

“I guess I can stick around,” she mumbled in the most tsundere voice possible, her cheeks even puffing up just a bit before she took another sip of the soup. “But only because this food is to die for. Before you go on, though… I have a really big question that’s been eating at me since I talked to Takua.” A serious enough question that she put down her spoon and looked Truth dead in the eyes.

“Why didn’t you kill me?”

[485. 9]
[27]

Did he even cook this? Truth smirked at the question—the details of the answer were complicated. A little of yes, a little of no, but one hundred percent an opportunity to show off a little. Besides, it would help her understand the kind of being he was that turned her into who she was now.

Or, more accurately, built the container she had begun to fill up with her new life experiences.

“Yes, I did,” he answered with a nod at first. “But at the same time? No, I didn’t. I can create anything as long as I can hold all of the details of it within my mind. All I have to do is command it, and it is—it becomes Truth.”

At first he just watched with a smug stare of satisfaction as Miyuki dug into her food. Even the simplest things—such as the bread rolls—left her in wide-eyed awe and appreciation. As easy as it was for him, as simple as it was to bend reality to generate something to his exacting specifications, he took pride in it. It required skill, but it required a different skill, one he took pride in nonetheless.

One that, apparently, Miyuki appreciated it. Amaya no doubt would have too, if her life would have gone like that. A moment’s melancholy flashed through his heart as he thought about it, but got washed away by the next wave of amazement that rolled over her face. She really, truly loved what she was tasting and experiencing right there.

Enough that it put her back on topic. Truth smiled again and nodded when she asked her first question, the most obvious one.

“I thought you might ask that first,” he answered, an understatement. “And the answer is both complicated and simple. To give you the simple version first? I couldn’t stand to watch you die and go to hell, I refused to let that happen.”

Although Truth just shrugged it off, he knew how it sounded. He didn’t want to give her the wrong idea, of course, but there was definitely genuine concern and care there that he couldn’t and didn’t want to bother to hide. He gestured towards the meal in front of her.

“The long version? You’d have never had something like that in Hell,” he continued, a bit less happy about the words coming out of his mouth. “Which is where your soul would have gone. So as you died, I plucked your soul away from the Cycle and the prying insistence of the Hell Guardians’ chains, and recreated it much the same way the Cycle resets a soul. It wasn’t as perfect, even I’m still in constant practice, but it was still enough that Hell no longer saw fit to claim you.”

At first, it seemed like Truth had said his piece. But he just needed to give Miyuki a moment to absorb the information. The smile had left him, but he wasn’t sad or angry either. It was just a matter of business now—she deserved to know.

Who wouldn’t?

“After that,” his tone picked back up. “I placed you in a human shell to mature and recover from the process as a new soul, a new person entirely, until you grew enough to escape that cradle. I didn’t interfere after that. I wanted you to live your life organically, without further invasion. I know it was difficult—I kept an eye on you, even if I didn’t touch—but I also knew that you’d make it. And you have.

“You have a lot to be proud of, Miyuki Wakahisa.”

It seemed hard to believe that the answer was as simple as he cared for her. After everything she had done -- after proving time and time again what sort of threat she was to not only those around her, but the entire existence of the worlds, he still found it in him to find forgiveness and give her a second chance? Even to the girl who was more forgiving than anyone else around her, she found herself pulling her eyebrows together at the mere thought of it.

Could it really all be that simple?

She sipped her soup while she thought it over, carefully processing as much as she could without losing the conversation. Even as he closed up the conversation, Miyuki just dunked her bread in the soup and took another bite. At the very least, she was going to drag this out long enough to finish this meal -- it would be criminal to do otherwise.

“If you didn’t want to interfere, then why are you here now?” She spoke after finishing her bite. “I haven’t really done anything worth noting other than getting humiliated in front of everyone. I don’t think that’s really cause for you to pull me away and treat me to dinner.”

She wasn’t strong, smart, nor had she completed any great task given to her that otherwise changed the worlds, so why now? The question seemed like the obvious turn, especially given how he had left things for her with those parting words.

“I haven’t made it anywhere or done anything,” she let her frustration come out with a heavy huff. “I’ve just been running in circles and beating my head over people that are too stubborn to listen. If anything, I’m going backwards.”

[290. 5]
[33]

Oh, yes. Truth had been expecting something like that, given what he had learned from keeping tabs on her. Recent “events” had really challenged Miyuki’s self-esteem, perhaps to a dangerous degree. She was down on herself and, from what Truth understood, probably pretty close to running off and hiding away somewhere on Earth to get away from it. While definitely her prerogative, all it’d do is delay the inevitable, important life she could have by a few hundred years until things dragged her back into the fold.

He really didn’t want to wait a couple hundred years and, deep down, didn’t think Miyuki did either.

“Isn’t that the interesting part, though?” Truth asked rhetorically. “You, a pacifist, walked into a military junta and stole the second highest position in the land. You’re now one of six of the most powerful people in all of Soul Society. I might have been a Hollow back in my youth, but everyone knows how big of a deal a Captain is.”

While he didn’t exactly need to eat, with a friend like Knowledge around you learned to appreciate food—or else. He took the time to dig into his own meal as he spoke, idly waving his fork-holding hand around as he did so. While Knowledge might have originally been from the East, Truth was not and intended to stick to civilized utensils.

“That’s not just a platitude, Miyuki, look at the facts,” he continued with his explanation. “You did all of that. And now you know that you did it after a great transformation that has limited your life experience to, what, less than a year? It was about time you understood, in full, where you were coming from. Dinner just seemed like the best way to make that happen.”

He paused.

“Unless you don’t like the cooking,” he immediately slipped that in there. “In which case, I can get rid of it all.”

Truth gave her a sly, knowing little smile before he continued with his own meal. Whether he made it or not, he could still enjoy it. Something he had worried about before becoming a “Royal”, a Transcendental, was whether or not he’d be able to appreciate the simpler things in life, like a meal. He quickly learned that he could appreciate it all more. He wasn’t some alien now.

“Now, I don’t really know you,” Truth admitted. “And that’s a fact. I’ve kept tabs on you, sure, and I knew you in your past life, sure. But that last one has no real bearing on who you are today, trust me. The differences are striking. But one thing I do think I’ve learned, if you’ll forgive the assumption, is that you tend to dig your heels in. One might use the word ‘stubborn’, and you take it from endearing to the very border of frustrating. While that might get you into some fights, I think it’s something that’s going to help you a lot.”

That’s when Truth put his utensils down and cupped his hands on the table. He looked right at Miyuki, more serious than he had been this entire time.

“Something you need to understand,” he spoke flatly. “Is that Transcendentals do not interfere unless something is threatening the well-being of humanity. You should do exactly what it is you want to do, no matter how radical the changes are. Live your life honestly, fully, while avoiding genocide, and I guarantee you that you’ll be happy with the results, and with who you become. You can do much, much more than you think you can. Of the two people most familiar with your story, you and I, you’re the only one that doesn’t believe that.”

Well, when he put it like that, it was hard to say her life wasn’t impressive. Had really only been just under a year since she started making these strides? Under a year and she had Bankai and a Captain’s position. Truly she put the word “prodigy” to shame. Even if she had her fair share of failures, in the face of all that she had done, she really was on top.

Maybe she was just looking too far ahead and losing herself in the dream. It was nice to think that way, but the moment was fleeting. If she lost sight of what she was aiming for, more people would be suffering for longer than they should be.

It wasn’t over until the fat lady sang.

“I’m not stubborn,” she rolled her eyes a bit playfully. “I just don’t accept those who have their heads so far up their asses they can’t see what the greater good is. I’m more than willing to make compromises as long as it doesn’t sacrifice the great things I’m trying to bring out.”

Wow, Hajime chuckled, the sarcasm rich and creamy in her voice. Look at that arrogance. Are you sure Hazuki hasn’t rubbed off on you at all?

Shut up, Hajime! Kanou was quick to take Miyuki’s side -- the strange trend lately, it seemed. She’s nothing like that stuck up prissy bitch. We’re here to do good, whereas Hazuki just wants to shit all over everyone.

Language, dear! Hajime laughed. For some reason, she seemed to be in lighter spirits than normal. Probably because she was basically sitting across the table from the one person she had always wanted. She probably wanted to put on a good face for him.

Now, now children, Miyuki chided in a mock motherly voice. Play nice or Truth might come in and scold you. I wouldn’t be surprised if he could hear us. She used the excuse of stuffing her face a bit more to cover the awkward silence that came with the mini conversation in her head.

Would she ever get used to having people nag her in her head? Probably not. As far as she could tell, it took most Shinigami centuries to learn that sort of balance. She was up a creek without a paddle for a while, it seemed.

“But,” Miyuki cleared her throat and shoved the empty bowl forward gently. Had she really finished already? That food was just so good, she apparently couldn’t control herself! “I’d rather not dwell on that. I’d like to use this rare opportunity to get some questions answered I couldn’t otherwise.” She grinned at him.

Please don’t ask him about my embarrassing teenage years, Hajime groaned playfully. I promise that hairstyle was cool back then!

Nothing is -- or was -- cool about you, Hajime, Kanou giggled.

“Takua did a good job of telling me about where I came from and everything that happened, but there’s been something itching at the back of my mind,” she began in a more serious tone, hand reaching over to grab another piece of bread. “Just what was so great about this alter Tova, huh? I don’t understand how Amaya could have gotten so transfixed with him to the point that her soul literally cracked. Mind shedding some light on that?”

She happily took a bite of her second slice of bread.

[561. 10]
[43]

Those very first words out of her mouth got a good laugh out of Truth. For her, it was all so simple! She saw what she wanted to do, knew it was the right thing, and anyone else who disagreed with her was just plain wrong. There was no mystery why her and Shun Minamoto had clicked. In method, they were only a few steps separated. The gulf between them was in their final destinations. While his might take him to great places, Miyuki’s was riddled with pot holes and points of failure.

Deep down, deep down, Truth could still see those parts of Amaya in her. The influence was weak, subtle, but definitely present. If he were to redo the same thing he had tried before, he had no doubt that he could get the process perfect. But this result had its own merits and he saw no reason to not allow her to continue with her life unabated.

“Yes, Miyuki,” Truth teased. “That’s what we in the business call, ‘stubborn’. I’m not disagreeing with you, of course—your heart is in a good place. Some of the other Transcendentals might call me sentimental, but I think it’s good to see.”

As he spoke, Miyuki finished her meal and pushed the dishes forward. With a quick snap of his fingers, Miyuki lunged into more conversation and the table was completely cleared once more—Truth had his fill. This time, it was Truth’s turn to groan at the wolfish smile on her lips and shake his head.

“Just like you,” he laughed. “Before you get any crazy ideas, I’m married. It just wouldn’t work between us, sorry.”

Of course, he knew that wasn’t what she was going to ask. But he knew she’d appreciate the jab, maybe a little too much. When she continued, though, he felt his jolly attitude start to evaporate. He expected it, and he had a plan for it, but he was hoping that she wouldn’t want to see him of all people.

“Oh yes, my counterpart,” Truth nodded along as he remembered it all. “A very long story about him, but he had a way with people. Immense power, absolute confidence, you wanted to follow him. When you did, you were well-rewarded. This included the women in his life. Your previous self, the person you once were who no longer exists, had attachment issues. Your self-esteem is far higher than hers, she would never envision changes to the Soul Society like you do.”

Maybe, though, just maybe this could be something good for her. After all, with Truth around, she’d be at zero real risk. And this would give her insight into someone, and something, that could show her mistakes that she would be best to avoid.

Ultimately, it had to be her choice, no matter any reservations on his end. No matter what, the result would be Miyuki’s own doing. Unless he wanted to make a liar of himself, he at least had to show her the cards on the table.

“And you’re right, this is a rare opportunity,” Truth continued, leading into something. “So rare that I could take you to him, if you’d like to meet my counterpart and ask your questions directly. He’s responsible for much of the Soul Society as it is now, after all.”

Miyuki couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Truth’s little comment. Like he had already said, she wasn’t Amaya. There was no attraction to him beyond the fact that he was literally a higher being and with that came an air of… Well… Perfection. She’d be lying if she said he didn’t have the face and body of an angel, but that didn’t mean she would be all over him.

Well… Maybe if he offered she could be persuaded, but that wasn’t going to happen.

Thankfully, the conversation didn’t dwell on the awkward for long and soon Truth leaned forward with a clever glimmer in his eyes. What was he planning? She tilted her head a bit as he spoke, not really registering the words at first. Speak to his counterpart direct--

Her eyes got just a hair wider as it hit her. Truth was going to send her to wherever this guy was so she could talk with him. Meet the guy who made her who she was today. The guy who had screwed everything up for Hajime -- Amaya. The guy who ruined and killed countless lives.

The mere thought of him made her blood boil. How could she not face him after everything? The thought seemed ludicrous.

Don’t do it, Miyuki, Hajime broke into her thoughts with a suddenly serious tone. It’s not worth it -- you have no idea what you’re dealing with. This guy is the devil himself and will warp your mind to his liking in the bat of an eye.

I think your opinion is a little jaded given the circumstances of your mental health back then, Miyuki scoffed at her spirit.

If there was ever a time that I absolutely begged you to listen to me, it would be now, her voice bordered on panic. Please. Do. Not. Do. This.

Stop being a worrywart, princess, Kanou cooed in her demeaning voice. You’re just scared of facing the past, like always.

Gonna have to side with Kanou on this one, Miyuki smiled internally at the white haired woman. When it comes to the past stuff I can’t trust you as far as I can throw you, Hajime.

The bits of Amaya that remained went silent, though her fear ripped out and contaminated Miyuki’s otherwise good mood.

“Obviously I’m not going to say no,” Miyuki finally answered aloud with a confident grin. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet someone who was such a huge figure in my life before. Not only that, he’s largely the reason the world is so fucked up right now. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a few words to say to him.”

Her grin only blossomed all the more as she kept talking, the excitement burning inside of her like a campfire. She had never been more ready for something in her entire life.

“Beam me up, Truth.”

[484. 9]
[52]

Not only did she want to do it, she was eager. For her, this was a chance to face the greatest boogeyman in recent history and then defeat him with her words and ideas. What better validation could she ask for than to achieve something like that? Truth understood why she was doing, but wondered just what she’d really learn when she was there with him.

In fact, he was morbidly curious.

As much as he wanted to go and watch, he shouldn’t exist in the same universe as another version of his soul for too terribly long. He knew that. He could only keep an eye on his counterpart from a distance, watch him for any use of his abilities, or violence. He could keep Miyuki safe that way, thanks to his Concept and his abilities.

It made him secure enough to have suggested the idea in the first place.

“Oh, I’m sure you do,” Truth laughed again and shook his head. “Then if that’s what you want, I’ll make it happen. As far as I can see right now, he’s returned to his castle in Las Noches. You can probably find him in the throne room, and I’ll drop you somewhere within the Inner Desert of Las Noches. You’ll want to move quickly, though—I can’t imagine how powerful his Espada have become.”

The table between them vanished and, when Truth stood up in the room, so did his chair. There was no need for any of this, not anymore. When they were done, Miyuki wouldn’t be coming back here. In fact, this place wouldn’t exist at all, not for much longer.

“I’ll be able to protect you physically,” Truth explained as he gestured for her to join him standing. “And to protect you from his mind-changing abilities. You’ll be perfectly safe, but otherwise I won’t be there to see you, listen, or provide any sort of advice or information. You’ll be on your own, free to handle this however you’d like.

Not that he needed to wait long for a confirmation from Miyuki. In a way, her bravery was inspirational for someone as young as her. Was it true courage, he wondered, or maybe just naivety? And then, of course, the big question returned to his mind: Just who would he be bringing back? This could change everything, or nothing, and leave this Miyuki as nothing more than an ever-distant memory.

These were the watershed moments that changed people’s lives.

“Good luck over there,” Truth wished her well with a smile. “Just think it, and I’ll bring you home.”


A quick snap of his fingers sounded off and the Shihakushō-clad Miyuki blinked her eyes, opening them to a world of sand with bright, blue sky overhead. In the distance stood a spire, a tall castle that reached all the way to the sky. She knew where she had to go for, and she knew who to look for.

It was hard not to—his presence saturated the entire place, like being buried under ten oceans. Other than that, it seemed rather empty. Even from this distance, only Captain-class souls could likely live here with any level of comfort, given how close they were to that thing over there.

She stood with him, the chair fading away behind her as she did. Part of her wanted to gawk at the fact that everything was just disappearing around her, but there were bigger fish to fry at this point. Not to mention she was all but giddy with excitement and Truth’s own amusement certainly only poked the fire.

“Go for the tower and avoid anyone with a number plastered on their body,” Miyuki repeated simply with a nod. “Got it. And thank you for watching my back -- I can only imagine how quickly he could shred me if he wanted to.”

Wouldn’t that be a comical end to her story? Thankfully, she had someone twice as strong on her side and didn’t have a single doubt in Truth’s ability to whisk her away at a moment’s notice. She was as safe as she had ever been in her entire life, ironically.

And, without any flare, she was suddenly in an entirely different universe.

Before the sun or the sand caught her attention, the suffocation did. She couldn’t help but stumble and catch her breath as the weight of the Reiatsu pushed down on her very soul, daring her to step closer and closer test the limits of her strength. There was no mistaking who it was, but this power was unimaginable. Anything else around her was drowned in the sea of torment.

Blinking away the saturated sunlight and steeling her courage, Miyuki looked towards the tower and began walking straight for it. She was a sitting duck and didn’t have all day to catch her breath. She could only hope that the tower was as large as it looked and she’d be given time to adjust to the feeling that was slowly consuming her.

Guided only by what she considered intuition and perhaps vague muscle memory, she made her way through the tower with relative ease, her spiritual signature hugging close to her form as to not alert any passing Arrancar or Espada. After all, she wasn’t here to fight but they sure as hell didn’t know that.

...Were there even Shinigami in this world? She struggled to imagine a universe in which this monster could exist alongside any sort of enemy. Surely the Transcendentals stopped him from the complete genocide, but would it be a stretch to assume the vast majority were gone? Maybe she temporarily belonged to a dying breed.

The thought sent shivers down her spine.

She decided to push her wonderings away and just focus on where she was going, occasionally stopping to get her bearings or to wait for a passing Arrancar to go away. By the time she got to where she was going, she could comfortably say she wasn’t at least struggling to process the Reiatsu pushing down on her, but it certainly wasn’t comfortable.

Both Hajime and Kanou were eerily silent the entire walk to the throne room.

Without much hesitation she pushed open the door and stepped inside as if she owned the place.

Just like Truth had said, that man sat perched upon his throne, green eyes snapping to her. It was terrifying how much he looked like Truth, but at the same time didn’t. It was subtle, but she could see the offness -- that look in his eyes.

For a moment they just looked at each other -- at least, that’s what it felt like to Miyuki. It wasn’t until she exhaled a half hearted chuckle and looked him over.

“So you’re the Tova I heard so much about,” she said nonchalantly, her voice echoing off the walls.

[598. 10]
[62]

The familiar smell of another world—specifically, a visitor from—reached Tova before his spiritual senses picked up the woman. She had been deposited just outside his central castle and, even from this distance, he could identify the phenomenon. For years now he had been trying, desperately, to get back to that place. It was a world far richer, far more alive, than this one would be again for centuries. But he had been bound to this world so tightly that all of his attempts failed.

Even this woman’s arrival sent a pain through his chest. His entire soul recoiled at even the chance to walk across the boundary of universes again.

As she got closer and closer, fearlessly charging in towards the mass of spiritual pressure that could have snuffed her out with the slightest of effort. Of course, he wasn’t going to do that. In fact, he used his pressure to clear the way for her, daring anyone to defy the clear will her exerted. He didn’t need any of his twenty Espada to get wind of this and show up to torment the illegal, halfheart Shinigami. Of the eleven in the castle at the moment, anyone of them could have broken her like a twig.

The anticipation burned in him as he sat in his chair and stared forward at the story-tall, stone doors that separated the throne room from the rest of the central Las Noches castle. He wanted to see who this person was, this visitor from the world that had kicked him out, more than anything since he had gotten back. It was, by far, the most interesting thing to happen in a very, very long time.

When those doors finally creaked open, slowly, and revealed the silhouette of the woman to him. She, like he did, wore the standard uniform of her people: The Shihakushō, back before he required all of the women to wear a version with a severely shortened skirt. Tova himself all but laid in his throne, wearing the white outfit of Las Noches, complete with the over-the-shoulder tails and coattails of his particular design. More important, though, was that with her long, dark hair and deep, blue eyes, she proved to be far more beautiful than he had hoped.

By the time she took another step in, he was grinning ear to ear.

“Finally,” he answered with actual applause from his throne. “Truth sends me something worth my time! A far better woman than his wife who, I must admit, was stunningly deficient in certain ways. Now, tell me, woman! Just how is your world doing these days? I imagine that Kiriko has achieved great things after all of these years!”

His laughter boomed across the room, demanding attention with such flare and excitement, even Miyuki herself like she was just but a student when it came to charisma. This was the counterpart to someone who had been so mellow and reserved? She couldn’t imagine a world in which Truth was so… Comical.

Though, she wasn’t really here for small talk. As much as she would love to spend days on end picking his mind, she did have people to lead. A story to begin, so to speak.

“Oh, I think she transcended like Truth,” Miyuki shrugged casually, wholly uninterested in whatever that little display with Shun had been. Well, now that she had been exposed to those higher beings, so knew, but it wasn’t really important. “I don’t know what she goes by now, though. Anyways, I’m here for something more important than that.”

Miyuki grinned, as if trying to match his excitement. Walking forward to close to awkward gap between them, she carried herself like a queen in the face of a prince. Was it arrogance because she knew Truth would save her, or was this just how she was? It was hard to tell even for her.

“My name is Miyuki Wakahisa,” she began once the distance between them was closed. “I’m the…” She paused to search for the right word, her eyes drifting away before snapping back to Tova. “I’m the better, improved Amaya Kidachi. She became the queen shortly after you left and then nearly got herself killed. Long story short, I was ripped from the cycle and here I am as a Shinigami. Strange world, huh?”

Was she seriously taking such a casual tone with someone like this man? The guy who had slaughtered entire races just by existing? What had gotten into her? Whatever it was, it was nice, she decided quickly. It felt… Good to be so empowered. Maybe it was the infectious taint of the man in front of her, or maybe something about the entire situation had flipped a switch in her.

Hajime and Kanou continued to remain silent, their forms not even vaguely present in the darkest corners of her mind. It was strange -- it made her feel alone. No one to nag her about what she was doing wrong. No one to jab at her and tell her to do stupid things. Just her and this man before her.

“I’m here to talk with you and clear up some things,” she finally finished, shoulders shrugging nonchalantly. “You look like you could use a bit of spice in your life after all. I bet you have every soul bowing to your feet by now.”

It was really hard to not sound disgusted. But she kept her smile as friendly as she could be.

“Absolute power gets pretty stale after a while, I’m sure.”

[473. 8]
[71]

“Kiriko, transcended?” Tova answered from his throne with a predatory grin. “Yes, I would have expected nothing less! My Kiriko, you see, she wasn’t a Kiriko at all. A young man, as a matter of fact! Your version was far superior, I had no doubt she would achieve great things if she took my advice.”

The King seemed absolutely giddy as he laid on his throne and set his arms down on the two stone rests on either side. This went beyond boredom—which he certainly was not, at the moment—confidence or even simple comfort. This whole castle, maybe this whole world, had become an extension of himself and his world.

This extreme satisfaction at the news of Kiriko only grew and grew. The excitement bubbled up in his dark green eyes when Miyuki introduced herself and explained her disconnected past. Fascination and amusement mixed behind his gaze and, in moments, he started to laugh heartily and clap even louder, putting is previous chuckling to shame.

“Outstanding!” He declared and suddenly sat upright, giving Miyuki his full attention. “Amaya! I expected her to become Queen, of course, after my departure. But to get struck down only for the ever-sentimental Truth to save her? I couldn’t have asked for better! Which means, then, that our little man over there made every aspect of you!”

For the first time, his gaze sincerely focused on Miyuki and not just her general direction. She had become a matter of genuine interest and not just a passing distraction, and the way he seemed to analyze her and take her apart with his eyes seemed to speak volumes about it. He even tilted his head for a moment, but he never lost his grin.

“Absolutely incredible,” he repeated his compliments. “After all of this time, I was convinced Truth was only into women who were as flat as boards! The massive breasts he’s given you seem to suggest otherwise. It looks like he upgraded all aspects of you, in fact.”

When Miyuki changed the subject from her past self, to the questions she wanted to ask, Tova’s bubbling-over excitement seemed to simmer down into something more mature. He looked even more self-assured and ready than a moment before, and got himself comfortable and composed once again.

“Oh, please, Miyuki, by all means,” Tova openly invited her. “I’ll ask some in return, I’ve been eager to hear of the fate of a number of people. But, as for absolute power…”

Now it was even more obvious how much fun he was having. He feigned thinking about it, as if it was a difficult thing, but the way his grin stretched even more gave away that he had found ways to entertain himself yet again.

“As much more interesting as I find your world over this one, I must admit: It has perks as well. Allow me,” he started. Then he lifted his chin and faced the incredibly high ceiling of the throne room. His chest swelled as he took a deep breath and filled his lungs to capacity.

“Octava!” His shouted, inhumanly loud, into the castle. The walls themselves shuddered from the artificially amplified volume that ran through the stone itself and out into the Inner Desert that surrounded the central castle.

Once more, his attention fell back onto Miyuki, his eyes leveled in confidence, “Give it a moment.”

A few more seconds of silence pervaded the throne room before anything at all happened. When it did, it sounded off as the throne room doors burst open. At first, it looked like a swirl of air had simply let itself in, but after a second look the velocity-blurred visage of a man came into view, already kneeled a few meters from the throne and far farther into the room than where Myiuki stood.

“Rainier Rucio,” the dark-haired man introduced himself, though sounded none too happy about it. “Octava Espada. What do you need, my King?”

“Phenomenal, Rainier,” Tova answered with an approving tone. “You’re just the man I needed for a demonstration.”

“A demonstration?” Rainier asked.

He shouldn’t have.

The light started from within the man’s chest, bright green. It grew and grew over the course of a single second until individual beams pierced through the man’s skin from within. He was screaming by the time the next second ticked by and his skin started to boil off, his eyes turning red with the blood that filled them from the exploded capillaries, and right at the click of the third second, he exploded. A bright, orange cloud of burning-hot smoke filled the space between Miyuki and Tova, complete with the scent of vaporized blood from the sheer heat. There wasn’t a single drop anywhere on the throne room, except for the burn marks where the man had kneeled.

“Now, you might be wondering,” Tova answered in a smug, matter-of-fact tone. “Can killing these powerful Espada so easily really, truly satisfy me? And the answer is: Of course not! But this guy, Miyuki, has been incredibly pissy and uppity since I plowed his girlfriend like a spring field! Whining, bitching, moaning—I’ve been waiting to do that for a year.”

By the time Tova finished that first spiel, the smoke between him and Miyuki had all but cleared. Tova still laid in his throne, hands together and fingers steepled, even happier than he had been just a moment together. This man was celebrating.

“So the answer to your question: I find a lot of ways to add spice to my life, but more is always welcome.” He concluded.

“Now, what did you want to know?”

She felt her gag reflex kick in when he finally locked his attention on her. He was what she could only assume was the embodiment of devilishly charming. He oozed charm and confidence that inspired her in a way she couldn’t quite explain, but at the same everything about him disgusted her on a very fundamental level. The way he was just so careless about everything. That lackadaisical half snarl, half grin that stitched his face together. It just screamed danger bells in her head.

But she just smiled and bat her eyelashes.

“I don’t think he really had a part in creating my body,” she answered honestly, surprised at how easily she was keeping her cool. “He shoved me in a gigai that was far less pretty while I was adjusting to the changes. As far as I’m aware, this is the true representation of my soul.”

Not that she imagined he really cared for the details. Still, she didn’t much care for the hungry stare he gave her. She let her shoulders fall forward a bit more so that the loose fabric would hide most of her breasts. Could he be anymore blunt? If it wasn’t for all of his power, Miyuki doubted he would ever actually get laid.

But then something hit his eyes. A twisted giggle hiding beneath excitement that, admittedly, looked all too familiar. How many times had she given people that sinister look before going off on a whim? It was downright disturbing to see the parallels.

Though she did her best to hold still, she couldn’t stop the quick flinch that came with his sudden shout. Really? Yelling? Couldn’t he just summon them telepathically or something? She rolled her shoulders to relax them, eyes looking away when he looked back to her.

As expected, the man quickly showed up, loyal as any servant would. Of course, it didn’t take a genius to see he was clearly not pleased with the situation. Was anyone really? Miyuki could only imagine the horrible world that was run by this mad king. She was surprised there hadn’t been rebellions.

With enough people and determination, anything was possible, right?

Her thoughts were torn from her by the screaming and sounds of burning flesh. Before she could so much as even begin to summon a Bakudou, the former Espada was nothing but a foul stench in the room, a red stain being his only memory.

Jaw set and shoulders tense, she could only stare where that man had once been. Whatever Tova was saying didn’t really register -- she heard it and how fucking disgusting it was, but it didn’t stick.

That man had a life. A woman he loved. People he surely fought for. Friends. What were his goals? Dreams? Nothing about him was even considered in that brief moment. Someone who had clearly proven to be nothing but loyal was killed just for…

For what? Miyuki didn’t even get the point of it. Nothing about the “demonstration” enlightened her to anything she didn’t already know. If anything, it just served to break the easy facade she had been keeping up in hopes of keeping things productive.

It was men like this mad king that reminded her that so many people were broken beyond repair.

“You killed someone because they were a minor annoyance?” Her words were almost as tense as her stare as she looked back in the general direction of Tova. She couldn’t bare to meet his stare. “Not even just a random person -- a man who had sworn his life to you. For what? Kicks? Giggles? That accomplished nothing and now he’s dead and you’re an Espada short.”

She half expected Hajime to chime in and remind her who she was talking to, but no such guidance came. Part of her wondered if they were even around to watch.

“You must be woefully understaffed and loathed if you just blow up innocent people for fun,” she continued, not even caring that this was clearly what he wanted. “Thank fucking god you’re trapped here for the rest of your miserable life. If only Truth was man enough to actually finish the job and kill you. So many more people would have been saved. Something could have became of this world.”

Her voice, at some point had dropped to a whisper, barely reaching out to touch the king as she spoke. She wasn’t really talking to him anyway. She was just thinking aloud. Expressing her true disgust for someone like him.

Slowly, she found it in her to meet his stare, her own distant but unwavering. Though without the bite to back up her bark, in a lot of ways she mirrored a more… Placid version of the person she hated. The thought made her mentally cringe before softening the expression and shaking her head.

“I wanted to see what sort of person could drive me to such madness I would break my own soul,” she spoke up, finding her strength once more. “I don’t know if I’m glad or disappointed that you’re just as awful and cliched as the stories tell.”

[854. 13]
[84]

Everything analyzed, calculated, and executed with unyielding precision. This lifestyle permeated everything about Tova’s existence and that didn’t change just because of this extra-dimensional visitor. Nothing Tova did was without purpose. So when Miyuki recoiled to the sight, he just smiled. When she went off on him in a generic tirade against his actions—just how many times had he heard these lines?—he just listened. He gave every last word his full attention and seemed quite content with her reaction by the end.

“Oh my god,” he answered, his tone nearly giddy. “They just don’t make them as cute, fluffy, adorable, and self-righteous as you anymore. That’s part of what I’ve missed about your world, Miyuki. The innocence of people like you!”

On that note, Tova swung himself to his feet. When he stood to his full height, he stretched out and groaned. He had been sleeping in that chair for an hour or so before Miyuki arrived, his body was still a little stiff from it. It felt good to move around again.

But he didn’t approach her. He just pocketed his hands and stood there, craning his neck from side to side to pop out the kinks.

“But, it seems, that naivety and innocence comes with the general stupidity I’ve come to expect from the women over there,” he answered, flatter, his eyes plain and narrowed as he stared at her with a smug little grin. “For instance, Miyuki! You clearly missed my story: This man was decidedly disloyal and I merely put up with it for a year! Why, you ask? Because I knew that, once he was gone, he was gone! I wanted to save it for an occasion, the entertainment of killing that pathetic excuse of a man, and your arrival was reason enough to celebrate! Now, funny you bring up my Espada.”

Tova leaned forward, and down a little bit, squinting down the length of the throne room at her. He seemed to size you up, yet again, but for different value this time than how attractive she was or the size of her bust.

“Now, judging by your haori, and your spiritual pressure, along with the work I did for the Seireitei over there,” he dragged out his words, deep in thought, until his eyes finally lit up when he drew some conclusions. “I imagine that you’re the weakest Captain in the entire Gotei! Now, this is where it gets interesting. My Espada, you see? If my estimation is correct, they’re all around the level of your Captain Commander who is—correct me if I’m wrong—still far, far weaker than I am. Some weaker, but some stronger! Rainier was one of those people, you can tell me yourself where he fell in relationship to your Commander.”

Not that he had any intention of waiting for an answer. Instead, he pointed right at Miyuki.

“Normally, you’d have a point!” He added as that grin spread from ear to ear again. “Throwing away beings at that level? Preposterous, it’s just dumb! You pointed that out yourself. But there’s something you don’t know, Miyuki: I have twenty of them!”

Another round of laughter, this time of absolute confidence. Tova knew that there was no way that Miyuki’s world had changed in general power that drastically. In fact, he knew she was probably so self-absorbed and worried about her ego that she probably looked into not only the current levels of power present among the Captains, but the reports about the old ones. She wanted to know where she stood, especially in relation to other women.

Typical.

“Twenty Espada! Ten for Soul Society, all of them Vaizards,” Tova explained, quite pleased with himself. “And ten for Las Noches, all Arrancar! And each and every one, around the level of your Captain Commander! Now, Miyuki, why would I allow myself to kill and maim them for my amusement if they’re so great? Because they’re plentiful! I made them all who they are and I can make more whenever I want!”

Again, Tova broke into laughter, but this was much quieter and more controlled. He took a deep breath to end it prematurely and slowly let it go as he watched Miyuki stand there.

He cleared his throat and continued, “Here’s an example. Rainier, you remember him? Imagine his level of power in relation to your Commander. Now, meet his Ex.”

Just like before, Tova lifted his gaze to the ceiling and let loose and another bellow, “Qunito!”

This one took slightly longer to arrive, but instead marched in through the wide-opened throne room doors behind Miyuki. She had shoulder-length, off-white hair and even lighter, bluer eyes than Miyuki herself. Not to mention that, much to Tova’s satisfaction, had slightly firmer and more impressive curves—at least in the opinion of the smug King.

“Yes, Tova?” She addressed him by his first name instead. “What can I do for you?”

“Anastasia! First, I have bad news: I’ve killed Rainier. Is that a problem?” Tova asked.

She just giggled and waved it off, “Of course not. I’ve been over him for a year. But who’s our cute guest?”

Tova looked right past Anastasia, who had walked past Miyuki to get a bit closer to the King, and gave her an eerily friendly smile. Then, he turned back to Anastasia.

“Her name’s Miyuki, we were having a discussion. I was wondering: Would you uncap your spiritual pressure for us? For comparison.” Tova explained, as casual as could be about it.

Anastasia didn’t even bother to answer for him. Without another word, a force weighed down on the room that threatened to buckle the castle. It truly was greater than Tokiyo’s own, but Tova had no way to be sure. He kept his eyes firmly on Miyuki instead and watched her for any tell.

Whatever reaction she had given him was, clearly, enough to satisfy the King.

“Thank you,” he answered and took her by the hand, kissing her suddenly. Anastasia put her hand on the back of his head for a moment as she returned it, but broke away and started to walk off right afterwards.

“Have fun, you two,” she giggled as she went past the dark-haired Shinigami.

“I hope she takes your advice!” Tova answered and gave Miyuki another look, eyes even brighter than before. He licked is lips a moment later and crossed his arms as the sounds of Anastasia’s footsteps echoed through the hall and off into the distance.

“Is that evidence enough, Miyuki?” Tova asked, knowing full well the answer. “You see, as much as you might loathe it, my life works. I command two worlds with a force that dwarfs even yours! All of this from a man that you, along with exactly thirty-eight others, have called cliché! But what’s better? Think about it, Miyuki: Have people in your world become much more powerful suddenly? Stagnant men brought to glory? But, maybe, you don’t even have to look that far!”

Another round of chuckling. Tova had something in mind, something sharp, but he hadn’t drawn it yet. This was just the preamble, preamble that he was clearly loving.

“After all, Amaya only became who she was because of me,” Tova clarified. “Which means that you only exist because of me. But that’s not even the most important part, no: You, with your confidence, your self-certainty, the way you judge me trash the way I judge others on my whims? I see a version of me with blue eyes and impressive rack stranding across the throne room! And do you think, maybe, just maybe…

“That some of those traits, the ones you love about yourself the most, are left-over from yours truly?”

*****

Self righteous? She echoed the words in her mind, expression sharpening all the more as he just grinned at her like an idiot. Nothing about what she had said was self righteous -- it was true. Just because she was passing judgement on him didn’t mean her decision was wrong or misplaced. Nothing about this man was redeemable by anyone’s standards.

If she could, she would kill him where he stood. She’d grin as she choked the life out of something so purely evil and then bring salvation to a world clouded in darkness. In a lot of ways, she was already doing that with her own world.

Who’s the say she needed to stop with just one dimension?

Thoughts aside, she simply stood and listened as he went on with his little show, making quite the dramatic expressions and poses as he went about the speech. So what if she was the weakest in terms of raw power? So what what if he had amassed a powerful army? Sharp swords and taunts only got you so far unless you lived in a backwards ass world like this one.

But damn if she didn’t feel herself shrink a little.

Her eyes flicked to the white haired woman who was oh so pleased to approach the king. She must have been just as demented as him to find anything worth giggling over when she met that heartless stare. And given her reaction to her lost boyfriend? Miyuki wasn’t surprised in the least when she just coddled up to the king.

Filthy whore. She probably cared about her king in so far as his dick went into her vagina. Not that she really expected much from this world at this point, but did no one have a brain here? Or were they just brainwashed? The Captain struggled to wrap her mind around a world in which people would willinging -- and happily -- follow such a crazed psychopath.

Not that she had much time to think about it. Again, she felt the weight of a truly impressive force bear down on her soul and take away her breath. But she wouldn’t let it show. Her chin remained high and, despite a more tense body, she didn’t even so much as flinch. But her soul screamed for her to relax and break under the weight. Screamed at her in a way that reminded her a bit too much of the overwhelming force that Hazuki had imprinted on her soul.

As if she needed even more nasty thoughts in her mind. By the time the young looking Espada finished her show, the scar on Miyuki’s chest burned with agony, reminding her of the passion that was driving her all the closer to what she wanted. Reminding her that every now and then corners needed to be cut for the greater good.

After all, no matter how much she hated it, the reason she was here was to learn -- to gain knowledge that would help her in the long run.

By the time the woman finished her little show, Miyuki could only exhale a shaky breath and let her shoulders fall forward once again. She felt like she had just run across the world three times over and then swam to the bottom of the ocean. Everything in her screamed for her to just sit down.

But she stood as tall as she could and held the king’s stare. He wouldn’t win this one no matter how hard he tried.

But then he just kept talking -- words slicing into her in a way she didn’t think was possible. They cut into her and broke the confidence slowly, but surely until she was doing nothing more than frowning at him, lost for words.

“I’m nothing like you,” she answered reflexively, her voice perhaps a bit too loud. The near shout echoed off the walls for a moment before she tamed her anger. “You can see whatever you want in me, but as far as I’m concerned you’re a deranged lunatic who’s only gotten this life because he’s powerful.”

She clung to the weak jabs like a lifeboat -- it was all she had in the face of his certainty. Was this really the man Amaya had fallen for? Why!? What was appealing about this in any way? He was so arrogant to think he “commanded” everything he could see.

Well… Arrogance didn’t count if it was true, did it? As much as she hated to admit it, where was the lie? It was nowhere. As far as she knew, he wasn’t even so much as bending the truth to make it sound better. He was just stating the facts of his being. And her response had been about as elaborate as “no, you.”

At least she could take comfort in knowing she wasn’t nearly as quick witted as him, as much as she hated to even think the words.

“I’m everything you’re not,” she finally found the words and her confidence. “I’m going to bring peace and progression to my world. I’m going to bring everyone together and ensure everyone has their chance. It’ll be a world where there’s no more senseless violence. No more wars, invasions, incursions, massacres…” Her voice trailed for a moment.

All of those things were caused by him, weren’t they? Even the invasion was, in a backwards way, tied to him. How disgusting. The source of all of her problems was right in front of her and he had the audacity to say she was just like him?

“I’m going to make people happy whereas you just make them tremble in fear.”

Her small courage was all she could cling to, but she’d be damn if she didn’t at least sound convincing.

[957. 19]
[103]

“I’m nothing like you!” Tova mockingly echoed Miyuki’s words right as she said them. When the timing turned out perfect, he laughed at her. “No, sorry, go on!”

After that little display, he didn’t interrupt her again. He’d heard it all before. Deranged lunatic, bringing suffering and death everywhere he went. He heard it all. And yet here he stood. But he didn’t blame Miyuki for this, oh no. She had only just gotten here! She had no idea what kind of world he had really built.

Just like before, he let her get it out of his system. Like him, she really seemed to adore hearing herself talk. Grand speeches about what’s right and what’s wrong, how things can be better, how she’ll bring peace and end suffering! It was all so warm and inviting, he almost shed a tear trying to hold back his laughter. But he managed, through herculean effort, to keep himself composed through Miyuki’s little rant. He kept his arms crossed and just smiled and nodded, smiled and nodded, until she huffed out her latest complaint.

“You’re precious. Do you feel better?” Tova asked and then, for the first time, started to walk over to Miyuki. The throne room was huge, with a giant table of twenty total seats between the door and the throne itself. Tova started from the far end and began to work his way down to her. “Let me let you in on something, okay? That world of yours?”

Tova looked around himself, and even spun about in time with his walking while he approached her. He gestured to the entire throne room, the entire castle, the entire world that surrounded him and the other dimensions that were part of this universe. All of it.

“Doesn’t seem so different than mine, does it?” He immediately pointed out. “After the initial conflict, we’ve had no war for a century! Because, guess what, Miyuki? The year is 2124 here! We’re over a hundred years past your world, based on what you’ve told me! A century of peace where the biggest rebellions have resulted in a loss of life counting, oh, the two or three that dared ruin it? And you think I achieved all of this because I was born strong? Oh, no, no.”

He shook his head and repeated tsk, tsk, tsk a few times as he crossed the halfway point of the room. The closer he got, the more he admired her. She had tried to hide herself from him, but short of wearing a garbage bag, there was plenty to admire. She might not think that Truth had anything to do with that, but Tova would bet his world that she was wrong about that.

“I got strong by kicking ass and then I used it to kick even more!” He chuckled quietly when he laid down the reality of the situation. “And I built on that, growing more and more powerful, until I was able to bring both Hueco Mundo and Soul Society in line. And isn’t that what you just said you want? You can make your own world even better than mine by becoming me, doing what I did, and then just not being a monster like I am! But, you know what?”

Now he was right up in front of her. He could have reached out and shoved her if he wanted. But he just stood there, smiled at her, and leaned forward to leer more directly into her eyes. He didn’t want her to look away and escape this.

She had to see it, admit it, and then he’d be happy.

“The worst thing I’ve ever done is send some people back into the Cycle,” he told her straight to her face. “And in return, I have a peaceful utopia that you can only dream of right now. And I got there by enduring all of the wars, massacres, invasions, all at once, and then they were over. I was in charge. And I think you felt it when you got here, didn’t you? When you saw me?”

“That what you really want, Miyuki, is me, and my life, because you’d love to be in these shoes, giving you this speech, with your perfect world all around you for the eyes of your visitor to see.”

Right then, Tova took a breath after that next spiel and straightened his posture back out, hands still in his pockets. He never raised his voice to her, never really insulted her outside of his general behavior, and just laid it out.

And loved it, every second. He loved what he had done, though he wished he hadn’t done it all at once. Unlike Miyuki, a peaceful utopia with no major conflict was not his intended goal.

“I think you’d appreciate if he, or she, maybe, were as good looking as you are,” he chuckled a little. “That’s certainly been a plus for me since you walked in. So, think about it, Miyuki: Is what I’ve done so bad? Do the ends not justify the means? Even now, I’m not some filthy Quincy who destroys souls. These people are all reincarnated. Rainier, even, is reincarnated—and he was trying to start a war! Even more delicious than that? As Anastasia demonstrated…well, take my word for it when I say that most are like her: thrilled with the way things are here.

“And why shouldn’t they be? Me, my life, these worlds are all exactly what you want yours to be.”