"Did you receive information about what's currently happening or just the basic knowledge of this world?"

Yushima is the first to speak. "This... 'system' let us know about the timeline and also about the consequences of choosing your flaw, but nothing about what's happening at the moment."

"I presume Hollows have appeared, though," Aizen intercepted with a smile. "Choosing a scientist in a world without shinigami to help you out as soon as you knew about the Hollows was a wise choice."

Souma nods, flustered, even if he's sure Aizen is as false as they come. "Thank you. At the moment, P-Rick informs me when the Hollow appears and I go there to exterminate them. Though he mostly tells me about it when it's already causing destruction, as that's when he discovers them through the security cameras."

Humming, Aizen tilts his head lightly. "Yes, I've got to admit that the technology of this time, and this universe in specific, is more advanced than what I expected it to be."

"Also, there's the magic here. Sorcerers that can use the dimensional energies as fuel. Simply Amazing. Imagine studying their souls," Yukishima sighs wistfully, showing off the crazy in him.

"Happy to know you're not regretting signing the contract. Now, I don't know how to get you instruments to work with or a lab, but that doesn't I will allow to do too unethical things," he says, a faint frown forming on his lips. "Also, about the equipment, maybe I can get some if I talk with SHIELD. Though I don't know what kind of stuff you need or if you even need the stuff made by the living."

"Also, don't forget how shitty your relationship with SHIELD is, fruitcake."

"You've got a rough relationship with them, I get."

"Does that mean you need the technology?"

"It would help, but are you sure you can do this, then?" Aizen says, sounding concerned, which is honestly weird as he knows his true face.

"It's nothing that serious. They were the ones in the wrong, so I think it's time for me and SHIELD to work things up. It was part of my plan, to eventually patch things up, though I wanted to know what did you need before I talked with them."

Aizen and Yushima glance at each other before Yushima shrugs. "We don't really need much of Earth's technology. What we need is a machine to collect reishi, which can be built with the current technology. That way, we can construct whatever we want."

"Okay, okay. Just tell me what you want and I will ask for it."

They both share another glance, which is starting to annoy him.

"Yeah, fruitcake. I don't know if your fucking brain cells have already got a child to add up to your thinking, but it's better if they tell me about what they want and I'll do a cross-reference to check for what looks most similar, okay?"

His eyebrow twitches. He throws his hands out. "Fine! Do what you want."

No faith in him, none.

.

.

From what P-Rick said, it may take the entire night for them to decide what they need. In the meantime, he meditates. Or at least, tries to.

"I am smart," he grumbles, which is true, just not at genius-level like the ones still talking on another corner behind him.

He hears an echoing chuckle. It takes a second to realize it comes from his zanpakuto. 'Are you laughing at me? Do you think me not smart, too?'

'Everyone's smart in their own ways,' a faint voice answers him. 'I'm not very smart at anything that's not fighting myself.'

'Oh. Me too. Also, cooking, of course.'

'Yes, I know,' their garbled speech says with a laugh. 'Come. Let's talk better.'

'How do—?'

He doesn't get to ask his question. One moment, he's sitting inside that warehouse and the next, he's in what looks like a meadow full of red flowers. There's what looks like a small fisherman's shack far away, next to a pond, with a gigantic tree casting a shadow upon the small house.

It looks peaceful.

He kneels down to observe the flower and when he touches one, a brief memory comes to him. In there, her mother is using the same perfume she always puts on whenever she goes out. The bottle is long and transparent, a picture of the same flower she holds between her fingers is the only picture in the bottle.

He blinks and the memory is gone, leaving only the fragrance caressing his nose.

"Poppy's the flower name," the same voice says. He now recognizes it to be male. He looks up and sees him.

Brown hair with some kind of white, sharp crown on top of his head, he stands under the tree with a smile, wearing a dark brown jacket that doesn't even cover his chest with a pair of light blue jeans covered by a leopard print cloth around his waist. However, what's most notable, in his opinion, are the awesome boots he wears.

"You look familiar," Souma says because it's true. He looks terribly familiar, like a character from an anime he had probably seen in passing. "Who are you?"

"My name is ----." At seeing his startled expression, his zanpakuto smiles softly—sadly. "So you can't hear my name yet? Hm. Well, we've got to work on that, don't we?"

"Are you Mashiro's zanpakuto?"

"No. I'm your zanpakuto."

He frowns, tilting his head before he gives his open palm a light punch. "Right. The system didn't give me Mashiro's zanpakuto. They gave me an asauchi."

His zanpakuto nods. "You've infused your soul in the asauchi. That means I'm yours."

He pulls out his ear with a sheepish grin, honestly happy at finally having something that's his own, even if it's just a part of his soul.

Maybe especially because it's a part of his soul.

His zanpakuto approaches him, and he has to look up to see him. They must have a head difference, which makes him feel like his 5'6 (173 cm) is smaller than normally is.

"So, how can I get to know your name?"

The taller male smirks and says. "We train."

"Oh. You're finally teaching me how to use the sword?"

The zanpakuto chuckles. "Who talked about using the sword?"

Before he can question him, he has to evade a punch. "Hey!"

Then comes another blow. This time he uses his elbow, though. He blocks it and tries to kick him. Trying being the keyword here. They continue fighting for a couple of minutes until he realizes something. Souma's fighting style is based around Mashiro's, which includes mostly kicks, but his zanpakuto hasn't used one so far.

"Hey, how come you are using punches and not kicks?"

His zanpakuto smiles innocently, which contrasts with his next words. "You don't deserve my kicks. Not yet, at least."

That gets him slightly angry.

"Oh, you will see. I'll make you kick me," he says before stopping as he repeats in his mind what he has just said. "I mean, I'll make you use—"

Another punch. "Stop talking. Fight."

He shuts up.

And so they fight.