Right. This is set during the filler arc with the Kasumi-Ooji Family (is that spelt right?). I wasnt too sure about it, but my wonderfully sweet and helpful brother told me off for saying it was bad. You can see where I am in the picking order of my family, eh? Hope you enjoy! ^-^
Yamamoto, Captain Commander of the Gotei 13 stood on his balcony, his head turned towards the horizon. Below him he could see shinigami wandering the streets of Seiretei on whatever business they might have, be it jobs for their squad, or something of a social nature. In the distance he could see the distinctive pink blob which marked out Kyouraku, and felt a mild surprise that he was out and about so early in the morning; closer he saw a gaggle of shinigami, mostly of Vice Captain level, making their leisurely way towards a bar. Finally his eyes settled on a slightly more dejected figure, making their lonely way back towards their squad, and he once again thought over the suggestion he had received a few minutes earlier.
All the squads working and training together, eh?
Of course that was what he had originally intended for the squads when they had been set up, but as with all things as old as they were, the original intention had been lost along the way. It made it difficult that the Captains came from such different backgrounds. When the system had first began, most of the Captains had studied together, and a certain level of camaraderie had developed, allowing the squads to co-operate, but today the differences in personalities, ages and experiences of the Captains made for a fractious group, even under his harsh eye.
Of course there were some squads which worked well together. The Eighth and the Thirteenth had a good relationship, often operating together, but that was only to be expected, the two Captains having been friends since their days in the academy more than a thousand years ago.
Squads Seven and Nine too, had always worked well together, and to an extent had continued to do so even after the betrayal of Tousen. In addition to this there were many squads who, although not having any particular relationship with another, were willing, if pushed, to co-operate if there was no element of competition. However, there were some truly wild cards.
It was expected that Squad Two would be a solitary squad, being involved mainly with subterfuge, but others such as Eleven and Twelve were an almost constant cause of concern, seeming to be a law unto themselves, especially Zaraki, who only seemed to obey orders if they suited him at the time.
He had learned the hard way that even those he believed to be most loyal to him would disobey him if they believed his judgement to be wrong. He shouldn't have been surprised for it was how he had taught them, to follow their hearts and do what they believed to be right.
Even with all this he knew that before squads could work together they had to work well in themselves. Most squads achieved this and although each may have its own unique way of operating, sometimes maintaining a distance between leader and subordinates, sometimes as more of a family than a group of warriors, they rarely broke apart from the inside.
Even Ukitake's squad, which broke almost every rule taught in the academy about how squads should operate with its Captain's constant refusal – No; refusal was the wrong word, he would just smile amiably and assure those present that when he found a suitable candidate he would promote them – to find a Vice Captain functioned properly, sometimes far better than those fully equipped. But then the white haired captain always managed to be the exception to most rules.
It was testament to the strength of the squads that even through the loss of three Captains and the chaotic invasion of Soul Society they had managed to hold themselves together, if only barely in some cases, but he had been truly shocked by the betrayal of Aizen, who he had always seen as one of the more level headed and reliable captains. It was just one of an ever increasing amount of judgment errors of his part.
He was getting old, and he knew it. As the divisions between the squads became greater he was struggling more and more to hold them together, and as proud as he was of every one of his Captains he knew that without a common cause, a common enemy to battle they would quickly fall apart. Even the Hollows were beginning not to be enough of a cause to unite the squads.
He was beginning, for the first time in the many centuries he had been Commander of the Gotei 13, to think about whom he would give the position over to, either in the event of his death or when he, inevitably, made an error of judgment so great it could not be passed off. Many of the Captains were too young and inexperienced to take the role, even if they did posses the leadership abilities to take it on, and in some cases an inability to see past ones own experiences and beliefs to the feelings of the majority was a further set back.
There were three candidates who he knew could manage the huge responsibility which came with the role, and he knew that all three of them, if offered the position, would refuse. Unohana was a healer by nature, and although she might find the challenge of healing the Gotei 13 as a whole appealing, she would soon pine for her squad and the task of keeping individual shinigami in one piece, which was where her true calling lay.
Kyouraku, while able, would refuse on the basis that he wasn't cut out for serious leadership. Perhaps he could be cajoled into taking the position, but he would be restricted in a way the laid back man had never liked, and Yamamoto knew that the responsibility which came with the position would stifle him and be a constant cause of grief for the peaceful man, who disliked conflict greatly.
Ukitake likewise, was able, if not more than Kyouraku, being more disposed to hard work and having a more serious nature than his friend, but he would refuse because of his poor health. He would no doubt argue that someone like him, who could be unpredictably struck ill at any point should not be in charge of running the whole of Seiretei and like Kyouraku and Unohana, Yamamoto knew that the mans heart truly lay with his squad.
The requirement to take responsibility for every shinigami in Soul Society was something which he would never forgive himself for if he was to force it on someone who was not willing. So, for the foreseeable future, everything would remain as it had done since it had begun.
Still, he couldn't help but feel a longing to implement the young new Captains suggestions, an unshakable desire to see everyone working together without the inevitable squabbles which followed such forced co-operation.
Perhaps it was time to show the squads just how far they had become divided, and how much of a difference unity could make.
Reviews are very much appreciated! My brother needs to know if his judgement is good. :p