Unwavering
Warning: Does contain a few spoilers.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach... well, I own the detergent... is that what you meant? Ah geez, I know it's overused, but I couldn't help myself.
Summary: There were no illusions, no strings attached. Captain Unohana will always be loyal to Captain-Commander Yamamoto, simple as that.
When I met Captain Yamamoto more than 500 years ago, it was after I had slain a small village. He had made a 'tsk' sound, launching one of his great fireballs towards me. However, no matter how formidable he was, the battle was not fun. He fought with mostly kidou rather than hand-to-hand combat, making me barely able to touch him. That was weak. He told me, with his hand outstretched after I had collapsed, to come with him. He told me he was going to make an army of shinigami, a 'Gotei 13'. He told me that, in exchange, I could fight the strongest hollows in all of Hueco Mundo.
With nothing to do, I followed. I needed a new opponent, anyway.
Over the years, Captain Yamamoto stayed back on the sidelines. He preferred to watch. Weak, I had thought. Captain Yamamoto was weak. I shouted that across the barracks once when one of my bouts of anger got the best of me.
"Captain Unohana," he said sagely, as he flash-stepped in front of me, "At the moment, if I fight, I could probably beat the enemy, and the other members of the Gotei will never be given a chance to prove their strength and improve." It had thrown me off, but Captain Yamamoto was like that. Spouting all that 'we're in this together' philosophical shit. It made him look weak, but as much as I didn't want to admit it, he was not weak (although using kidou still grated on my nerves).
As much as I didn't want to say it, he was a satisfactory captain.
Later, I grew tired of fighting. I left the Gotei 13 without even a goodbye. It was Tenjirou Kirinji, a healer in the Royal Guard, who I searched for. For fifty years, I studied under his tutelage.
Then I came back.
I was surprised at the little to none hostility. I did leave my whole team after all.
Captain Yamamoto looked at me with that knowing look that I had once detested for so many years.
"You have changed," is all he said. I knew what he had meant. I had looked in the mirror only today. My hair had changed styles. My skin had become smoother. And yet, there was more to just a change in my appearance. My eyes had begun to sparkle. My mouth had become gentle. I had become kind.
"Captain Yamamoto," I started softly, "I am sorry."
He frowned and then held out a haori, saying, "The fourth division is waiting for you in the hospital, Captain Unohana."
Yes, Captain Yamamoto was a good captain. He understood his subordinates.
Finally, he died. A few weeks later, I died too. I was peaceful. I finished my purpose of unlocking Kenpachi's full power and I could die with my captain too.
Captain Yamamoto, when we are reborn, will I meet you again?
"Mr Matsumoto." Gen Matsumoto turned from his position to face his worker.
"Yes Yuuki?"
"Your new secretary is here." Gen wondered how his new secretary would take to him. He was but a successful businessman in his forties, fairly average looking, if it was not for his two scars above his right eye when he was mauled by a dog at a young age. It had already scared off five potential secretaries, according to his tally.
"Bring her in then." The woman was pretty, a few years younger than him. Her long braid trailing down her back made her face fully in view. It was a gentle face, but her eyes told him that she knew hardship.
"Hello," she said softly, "My name is Reiko Hana, I'll be taking over as secretary from now on."
Captain Yamamoto, when we die in the World of the Living, will I find you once more?
"You can heal." Reiko Hana looked up to see a man looming over her as she finished healing a broken bone of an elderly man in her quaint village in Soul Society.
"Yes," she whispered, "My reiatsu seems to have a thing for healing."
"I see."
She regarded him silently before speaking, "Who are you?"
"Gen Matsumoto, lone shinigami."
"You do not work for any shinigami work forces?"
"It's only me and my clients.
"Would you like to join me? It would be an honour to have a personal medic on hand," he asked.
She waited for him to continue.
"This village is a poor village. Your conditions are probably not great, but with me I'll do the best to provide for you."
She smiled slightly, "My ties to this village are not strong. I'll gladly come with you Captain Matsumoto."
Yes, I must thank you. You were a good captain every time. Captain Yamamoto, I will always gladly serve as your subordinate.
Again…
And again…
And again…
Author's note: Not a very long story, but I wanted to type this out. I could have used Yamamoto's lieutenant, but I did not have enough knowledge to write about him and I always like the YamaHana colleagues, the respect and trust they have for each other. I don't think she did leave her duties to study medicine, but there isn't enough information to confirm she didn't. This story was written under the assumption that you lose your memories when entering Soul Society, as well as the theory that when shinigami die, their souls are reborn in a human, with no memories of their past life. When they die, they will end up in Soul Society, retaining their name, functions, but no other memory, and if they want to, they'll enlist in a shinigami academy or become self-taught (if you're clever enough, like Zaraki I think?), and then the cycle begins again once they die.
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Komorebi-chan