This story takes place right after Sousuke Aizen left soul society on the day Rukia Kuchiki excecuted. Nagisa Kira was the third seat of third division, and little sister of Izuru Kira.
A Decision Below The Full Moon
I started this morning with an unusual awful feeling. After washing my face, I sat down on tatami as I wore my shinigami robe. Doing my orange hire tied down, I was ready to met my liutenant.
"Good morning, Nagisa," said Izuru smiling like nothing happened though I knew he felt the same unusual awful feeling I felt this morning.
"Good morning, Izuru-nii," I said back. Yes, Izuru-nii was my older brother. After I got down on ground, I followed him to the main base of the third division. There, we held a meeting between every shinigami from third division every Monday morning to ensure we had the spirit on the beginning of the weekend. Though I was sure that it will be different starting this week.
A little walk to main base was awkward. We both got silent along the road. I guess it was because our captain left some days earlier.
"Without, Captain Ichimaru, will it be the same on this morning?" I kept asking myself but I didn't do it. I knew Izuru-nii asked the same thing too, so that we got silent this morning. And I knew he's overwhelmed by the task of being liutenant so I didn't want to make it harder.
"Good morning." Every shinigami stood up and replied. I stood up on the corner front-left of the row, the third seat position.
"It's Monday already, and we gathered here to gain our spirit back on the beginning of the week..." Izuru-nii said the line our captain always said every Monday morning. But somehow it felt different to have heard it from his mouth. And I bet that everyone felt it too since the atmosphere was so silently awkward.
"After Captain Aizen Sousuke left, we had some of our third division base broken. Even without Captain Ichimaru, let us fix...not only our base building but also our morale. We could show them that, even without Captain Ichimaru we could handle things on our own." I could sense a doubt on Izuru's speech, and somehow it resonated with the doubt we had in our heart. Izuru's speech was short but it resembled what our heart had been questioning. Could we manage to survive?
Applause came from every side. Neither because it was so brave nor Izuru was so charismatic, but it was because it resembled our questions. Everybody was giving applause as a symbol of unity to survive being-left-by-your-captain.
A letter came to me shortly after I trained some shinigamis this afternoon. As the third seat officer, Captain Ichimaru ordered me to lead the training regularly so that we wouldn't get our skills degraded.
I thanked the mail man, which I recognized as thirteen divison officer. The letter was about Captain Ukitake iniviting me over to thirteen squad barrack for a dinner. I didn't know what it was meant to be, since I didn't know Captain Ukitake very well.
"What's in it?" asked Kimonji, the fifth seated.
"Ah, Kimonji-san, you surprised me. I don't know exactly but Captain Ukitake invite me over for a dinner," I replied.
"I don't know you get along with Captain Ukitake really well..." Kimonji replied.
"The truth is...I don't know him really well. It's not like I have many conversation with him. As our barrack separated far away, we don't encounter a lot. So...I have no idea what it was for..."
Kimonji pat my shoulder harshly then he smiled. "Maybe this is a fortune for you to get a great man from a nobel family. You know, although Ukitake-taicho is rather senior among captains, he never get married before."
"It's not like that!" I shouted at Kimonji as my face turned red. Kimonji laughed freely and left me while my face still turned red.
"Ah, it's you, Nagisa-chan..." greeted Ukitake-taicho on thirteenth squad veranda. He wore his usual shihakuso and captain's robe. On his hand, he held a teacup and smiled to me. In the veranda, there were a small table with another tea cup, a tea mug, and a plate full of sweeten red bean. "Come and have a seat."
I sat on the zabuton right in front of Ukitake-taicho nervously. Not only I hardly encountered, Kimonji's joke about having a man from a noble family just made it worse. I took a breath and tried to make it more stable.
"You look so nice tonight, Nagisa-chan," said Ukitake-taicho while smilling. And it made me even more nervous.
"A..Arigatou..." I really should be more relaxed a bit.
"I heard your action challenging ryoka on the day Rukia excecuted..." Ukitake-taicho sipping tea from his tea cup. "It's one bravery I want to appreciate you," said Ukitake-taicho.
I shook my head. "No, it's not a big deal. All I did was obeying Ichimaru-taicho's order," I replied.
"Ah...Nagisa-chan, I talked to much, didn't I? Let's loosen up a bit. Do you like tea?"
I looked at the table. For God's sake I wasn't that type of person who likes tea. Back then on Kira main house, Suzuka hardly served us tea so I didn't know much about tea either. Looking at my confused face, Ukitake-taicho smiled and said, "It's a green tea, Nagisa-chan. Not only healthy, but also calming. I used to it drank it on the summer night like this,"
To pay for Ukitako-taicho kindness to me by inviting me over, I poured a tea on my teacup. After sipping some drop on my throat, I realized that it surprisingly tastes...not bad. The warm of every drop of it filled my throat to my chest and Ukitake-taicho was right. The green tea calmed me a little bit.
"How was it, Nagisa-chan?" asked Ukitake-taicho. "Was it good?"
I nodded frequently and continued to drink the tea on my cup.
He smilled and said, "Don't hesitate to pick the sweet red bean, Nagisa-chan."
Afterwards, the conversation went smoothly. He asked me what I did on third division barracks, how I trained my comrades, and how it felt to be in the same squad as my brother. Talking to Ukitake-taicho didn't like having a conversation with some oldies. I didn't know but he was more like...a father to me. He also told me how it felt like to be in thirteenth division, to be on of the eldest captains of Gotei 13. Afterall, it was fun to have such a night.
"Are you enjoying the night, Nagisa-chan?" asked Ukitake-taicho.
I nodded.
"The reason I wanted to meet you tonight is...that I want you to be my liutenant." I almost choked my red bean when he said so. I looked at Ukitake-taicho as if I wanted to make sure I didn't misheard. But I thought I didn't... Ukitake-taicho's eye pointed at me with determination, like he didn't have any doubt.
"Why...why me?" I tried to build myself. "I was just placed in the third seat. Besides, I had never been in thirteenth division before," I said.
Ukitake-taicho smiled and said gently, "Do you know what it means to be in thirteenth division, Nagisa-chan?"
I shook my head.
"Thirteenth squad was here in order to organize shinigami to patrol on Rukongai and human world. Officers—both foot officer and seated officer—serve Gotei 13 as the patrol men to perform soul burial and killing hollow. In short, we protect the Rukongai and human world from bad souls," Ukitake-taicho replied. He sipped his tea a while before continuing his words. "Your bravery the following days moved me. After Kaien's death I never had a thought of having his replacement. But, when I heard what you did, I re-thought my decision. Maybe you could lead this squad with the bravery and the justice you uphold."
I got nothing to reply. Ukitake-taicho's offering was so sudden that I couldn't think anything to say.
"You don't necessary to answer my offer right now. I know that it's so sudden. You can have time to decide whether you accept it or decline it. But, please...consider my offer... I'm waiting for your decision in 7 days."
After a brief moment of silent, I went home. After saying goodbye to Ukitake-taicho, I took a walk to third squad barracks. After a while, I met Izuru-nii.
"How was it with Ukitake-taicho? Did you accept his offer?" asked Izuru-nii.
"Izuru-nii! You already know?" I shouted at my Onii-chan surprised.
"Yeah, Ukitake-taicho came by the other day, telling me that he wanted to ask you to be his liutenant. That day I couldn't say anything but give you my blessing if you want to," Izuru-nii replied.
"I haven't given my answer yet..."
"Then, please let me know your decision." Izuru-nii pat my shoulder and walked in front me. "Come on, let's have a walk to our barracks. We haven't had time just two of us since I got promoted to be a liutenant, have we?" Izuru-nii smiled.
I sat on third squad veranda as I looking at the moon up there. Every time I saw a silver full moon, it reminded me of Ichimaru-taicho. The silver shining up there resembled Ichimaru-taicho's hair very much. The cold I got whenever I saw night skies like taicho's coldness. And I remembered on free time, Ichimaru-taicho and Izuru-nii often accompanied me to see the full moon. To remember his presence just made it clear that he's not with us anymore.
Ukitake-taicho said that my bravery moved him? Really? I cursed myself this whole days for raising my zanpakutou toward ryoka by order of...a traitor., the thought kept haunting me. At a time like this, when there wasn't a lot of sound, the emptiness of losing someone I looked up so much filled the atmosphere.
Sometimes I thougt...if I accept Ukitake-taicho offer, I shouldn't be in this place anymore. Maybe being liutenant could distract me from reminding Ichimaru-taicho over and over again. And since thirteenth squad worked for Rukongai and human world, it's more possible to encountered Ichimaru-taicho...
I shook my head. I shouldn't accept Ukitake-taicho's offering due to artificial reasons like that.
But...
After being lead by three different captains, Unohana-taicho, Zaraki-taicho, and Ichimaru-taicho, I realized that Ichimaru-taicho was the only captain for me. And it would be very hard to replace him so sudden.
Then, I got overwhelmed by the thought all night.
"Ano...Ukitake-taicho..." 7 days had passed. Now I faced Ukitake-taicho on the third squad barracks main room to give him my decision. "Could you tell me again...the reason you want me to be your liutenant?"
Ukitake-taicho smiled and said gently, "Because of the justice you uphold, Nagisa-chan..."
My entire body was shaking as I was gonna give Ukitake-taicho my decision. I bend my body and said, "Sorry, Ukitake-taicho..."
Both Ukitake-taicho and Izuru-nii waited for my line.
"I'm sorry if I ever made mistake as your fellow liutenant. But, I'll do my best!"
Ukitake-taicho smiled at me and pat my head..so gently that I couldn't resist. "Then, we'll work harder this weekend. Because your room in thirteenth squad barracks will have its host next week."