Kris: Heyy all! So I decided to start a new multi-chap focusing on Aizen and the Espada. I originally wasn't going to post this until the New Year, but there's been a shift in my thinking in regards to this years Christmas story. Sadly, I wont have time to write the entire thing before Christmas, so I'll just do a oneshot for it instead and use the ideas I intended for this year next year. As for this story, I have had the entire thing planned out and first chapter written for quite some time now. I am very excited to finally be sharing it. So here it is~

Chapter One: The Final Straw

It was the little things that started it. The teasing in the hallways. The face pulling. The comments over Facebook.

It was the little things that grew. Teasing turned to blatant insulting. Face pulling turned to death-threats. Comments over Facebook turned to all-out cyber wars, but that wasn't all.

Aizen watched observantly from his throne, examining how his children interacted with one another. It was like watching a class of over-tired preschoolers without supervision. The arguments! The unnecessary name-calling! Aizen simply couldn't understand how a group of people could interact in such a ghastly manner. There had been several occasions in which he, Gin or Tousen had had to step in and break up fights, physical and verbal. It was infuriating! Admittedly, Aizen had to agree with a number of the Espada's conflicts, but why couldn't they just cast their differences aside and get along? Gin was no help within that field, in that he was often the one openly pointing out those differences and weaknesses, thus triggering the fights. And now, in amongst all the conflicts, bitchiness, nastiness, maltreatment and name-calling, Aizen was beginning to wonder what should be done.

Until there came the straw that finally broke the camel's back.

It was a (seemingly) peaceful afternoon in late May, around tea time, and Yammy was minding his own business, whistling and strolling around Las Noches at his own leisure. He was considering going and bugging Aizen for tea, and was too brainless to notice Aaroniero sneakily dash past him, and fasten a 'Bala Me' sign to his back. Yammy continued on down the hallway, still completely oblivious to the sign, until he crossed paths with Grimmjow, who happily complied with the sign's requirements.

Sure enough, this action caused Yammy to become full of rage and release his resureccion, rocketing his power from 10th to rank 0 in a matter of seconds.

Now as all good little Arrancar know, Espada whose resureccion exceeds that of 4th rank are not permitted to release beneath the dome of Las Noches, or shit will go down. So needless to say, Yammy's ever-growing monstrosity of a resureccion soon triggered the collapse of many a building, and finally the Las Noches dome itself.

When the dust finally settled, various Arrancar began extracting themselves from the rubble. Aizen was fuming. This was not acceptable. Szayel slipping nodoes into Ulquiorra's tea was one thing. Zommari sneaking into Nnoitra's bedroom late at night and giving him a ridiculous new Lady-Gaga style haircut was another. Even Grimmjow ceroing down all the walls of the showers while they were in use was more acceptable than THIS. THIS was something completely different all together. Aizen was beside himself. Had his dear Espada's relations really gotten this bad? So bad they had actually collapsed the walls of their beloved home? Aizen put his anger aside. This was too serious to get in a huff about. Realizing that not only Las Noches, but also the Espada's friendships needed to be repaired, Aizen came to a conclusion.

I hoped it would never come to this, he thought as he stood. But it looks like there is no other option…

Starrk observed as the Exequias, along with a number of lesser arrancar began clearing the rubble of what was once Las Noches aside, in hopes to repair what was once there. Aizen had disappeared shortly after the dome's collapse, and Starrk neither knew, nor particularly cared where he'd wandered off to. His best guess was that he had gone into a state of shock and was now brooding over the loss of his pride, his glory, his palace, his Las Noches. Truth be told, Starrk nearly felt sorry for the guy. The Primera Espada looked down to the young girl sitting beside him, her deep pink eyes a mix of astonishment and disbelief, as she gazed at the scene before them. After a few moments, she looked up at her partner.

"What are we going to do now, Starrk?"

"I don't know, Lilynette," answered Starrk, as he watched Nnoitra and Szayel squabble childishly amongst some of the ruins. "I don't know."

After what seemed like hours, but was actually minutes, Tousen finally emerged from the rubble, bearing what appeared to be a brochure and a grin. A very creepy grin at that.

"Come," was all he said as he walked by. He seemed to be gathering the Espada, Gin and several of the fraccion as he passed.

"Where are we going?" Lilynette demanded, but met no response.

Tousen seemed too focused on something else to be paying attention to the whines and complains of those around him. He was a man on a mission, and he would not rest until it was accomplished. Eventually, they reached the upper half of a sand hill, where there appeared to be some sort of train station. There was much confusion amongst the arrancar.

"Since when was there a train station here?" demanded Nnoitra.

Again there was no response from Tousen, who lead them over to a docked train, shockingly labelled 'The Happy Express'.

As Tousen approached, the doors of the train seemed to eerily slide open on their own accord, and a vaporous mist wafted out. The Espada all instinctively took a step back. What the heck was going on?

Tousen however, was not unnerved or off put in the slightest. He turned to his party.

"All aboard!" he said, smiling.
The arrancar had no choice but to obey. Tousen's smiles were an uncommon, but scary rarity.

The doors creaked closed, just as the final stragglers made their ways in. Now, they stood and waited in the uncanny darkness of the train's innermost compartment. Nobody moved a muscle. Until…

"Ow!" Grimmjow's distinctive voice echoed in the blackness. "Who was that? Watch where you put your arm!"

"How was I supposed to know you were there? Not my fault you were in the way…"

"Uuugh! Luppi! What were you waving your arms around for anyway? Arrgh! You're doing it again! Stop touching me!"

"Huh? I'm not touching you now…"

"Then who the heck is?"

"WATCH THE FEET!" a new voice chimed in.

There was much shuffling, pushing and shoving.

"Ouch!"

"Hey stop that!"

"MY NAILS!"

"Ahh! My pancreas!"

This continued on for a number of minutes, before Tousen decided it was enough. "SILENCE!" he attempted to yell, but it only came out as a muffled whine beneath the quarrelling Arrancar.

Eventually, a light switch was located and activated. The Arrancar ceased their brawling at once. Quickly, they untangled themselves from their various awkward positions. (Gin being in the centre of it all, as he was the one who started it) As Grimmjow removed his foot from Nnoitra's hollow hole, they took in their surroundings. What they saw shocked and alarmed them. The train wasn't called 'The Happy Express' for nothing. The walls and doors were adorned with bright, obnoxious colours and paintings, as well as quotes on teamwork and cooperation splashed the complex. In many of the Arrancar's minds, it was like walking into a nightmare. To make matters worse, the doors to the train had been sealed shut, allowing none to back out. No sooner had they taken all this in however, a voice from the trains intercom system graced their ears.

"Greetings, my Espada and fraccion".

"It's Aizen!" whined Tousen, as though it were a surprise to him.

"Of course it's me!" retorted Aizen. "Wasn't I the one who instructed you to lead the others here, Kaname?"

Tousen whined something about going on holidays.

"What do you want from us Aizen?" questioned Halibell.

"Yeah!" pressed Ggio. "Why are we here?"
"Because," replied Aizen. "I have given you all various chances, but you just keep at each other's necks. That display just now should rest my case."

Some of the Arrancar murmured and shuffled their feet.

Having got the effect he wanted, Aizen continued. "Its time you all learnt a lesson. So I am taking you far away, where you will learn to behave yourselves. That's right. Teamwork boot-camp."

There was an array of groans from the Arrancar.

"And what if we don't accept?" asked Barrigan.

"You have passed the point of backing out," responded Aizen. "Upon entering this train, a powerful kido was applied you all. It is activating as we speak. You will soon be fixed in gigais and thus have your powers sealed. In other words, you are now just like humans."

"But why would you go this far?" demanded Ulquiorra, as those around him looked down, surprised and alarmed by their artificializing bodies.

"It's all for the better," replied Aizen. "By the time this is over, I am sure you will become a single unit in cooperation. I hope to see you become children I can truly be proud of. And don't fret. We will have plenty of fun on this camp as well, and hopefully get to know each other better."

"Camp?" stuttered Mila-Rose. "But we haven't packed anything! What about our clothes?"

Aizen could be heard as he chuckled from the front control room.

"Never fear!" Aizen's now cheerful voice echoed throughout the train's PA system. "Where we're going, you won't need clothes!"

The Espada instantly dreaded what they'd gotten themselves into. Except Barrigan, who gave an interested grunt.

"Now my Espada, please find a compartment to sit in. It is a ten-hour train ride, so rest well. Although I wouldn't advise visiting compartment number nine, I hear it already has a resident…Tousen will be around with the food trolley at 6:30 PM. Enjoy the trip, and please try to be civil with each other."

As the train started, the Arrancar made their ways into the trains different compartments. The train began chugging, slowly at first, but picked up in speed. The Arrancar watched out the window as the ruins of Las Noches became smaller and smaller, before distance rendered the wreck invisible. If there was one thing Starrk knew, it was that they were well past the point of no return.

Kris: So there's the first chapter! I'm not entirely sure when I'll be able to get the next one up, seeing as I'm very busy with school (just started yr 12). But seeing as the summer holidays are coming up sooner than later, I can assure you it will be up sometime soon. As I said before, this is an idea I've had for quite a while xD So I'd love some feedback! Please leave a review. I won't bite. Much ~ ;)