"This meeting is called to order." Genryuusai-soutaichou said, seating himself at the head of the hall, captains' coat draped across his shoulders. He faced the other Taichou's lined up in two rows before him. Even numbered captains stood to his right while the uneven numbered captains stood to his left; obvious gaps in the uneven number line showed where the traitorous captains Ichimaru Gin, Tousen Kaname and Aizen Sosuke once stood. He sighed and spoke. "We're here to discuss the seat vacancies of 3rd, 5th and 9th. Have you any suggestions?"
To the surprise of the others, Byakuya spoke up.
"Abarai Renji-fukutaichou." He did not open his eyes nor look up.
Genryuusai grunted.
"And your reasoning?"
"He has achieved Bankai." Genryuusai nodded, and then shifted his attention to the other taichous.
"Have any of you any objections? Anyone second him?"
Mayuri Kurotsuchi-taichou scoffed.
"He may have mastered the final release of his zanpak-to, but that does not automatically make him taichou material. He is hot tempered and his loyalty is shaky." He looked at the other taichous. "He assisted the ryoka invasion, remember? I would not trust him in such a powerful position."
Zaraki shot him a look that basically called Mayuri 'shit face'.
"Che, what do you know about loyalty? You'd turn us all into lab rats if you could get away wid' it. And powerful position? Could say the same o' ya couldn' we?" Mayuri glared at him with his freakish yellow eyes, lipless mouth snarling. Unohana's gentle eyes looked from the captain-general to the arguing men.
"We are not here to discuss our inner disputes; we are here to determine who will become our fellow taichous. If you two would," She smiled at them, "Be silent."
Both men stilled, before looking away from one another. None dare try Unohana.
Genryuusai mentally shuddered at the thought of an angry Unohana and cleared his throat, waiting for more opinions.
"I second Byakuya's choice." Said Ukitake nodding at his former student. "Renji would be ideal as a taichou. He's affable, confident and his power is nothing to scoff at. And regarding any of the duties he would be coming into, his fukutaichou would be able to assist him until he can stand on his own feet." Unohana and Komamura nodded in agreement. Komamura looked at the captain-general.
"I concur. I vote with Byakuya."
"As do I." Unohana said.
"I vote with Byakuya." Spoke up the second captain, Soi Fon.
"Ditto." Said Zaraki.
"If Jyuu-chan will vouch for him, so will I." Kyouraku stated lazily beneath the rim of his straw hat, his smile crooked with inner mirth.
Genryuusai nodded to them, banging his staff on the wooden floor.
"Very well. Seven captains have cast their support for him, as the rules of the shinigami state, he is now accepted as a taichou. The only question left is which division he will take." A few of the captains looked at each other. It was Shunsui who answered.
"He is friends with Hinamori Momo correct? Perhaps it would be best for him to be with a familiar face. And not to mention the fact that she was the one most betrayed by the traitor Aizen, someone who doesn't judge her based on that would help with healing her emotional wounds."
"Hmm," the captain general pondered it before asking the others, "a reasonable course of action. Any objections?" He waited but no one spoke up. With a grunt he said, "Then it is decided. Abarai-fukutaichou will be taichou of the Fifth Division. Byakuya-taichou, you will need to find a replacement fukutaichou." Byakuya remained unmovable when he answered.
"Hai."
"A hell butterfly has been sent to Abarai, he will be here shortly so that he may join your ranks. Now, we must discuss the other vacancies of third and ninth."
"Madarame Ikkaku."
Heads turned in great surprise to look at Zaraki who was picking at his ear.
"Madarame?" Soi Fon said, bemused. "He is a third seat. He doesn't have the strength to be a captain."
"Che, o' course he does. He's got Bankai." A few pairs of eyes widened in shock. "He makes it out like some big secret but he can't hide it worth a shit; he's got some half baked idear o' loyalty t' me. Plain stupid if ya' ask me." He looked at the old man. "Send 'im a hell butterfly telling him I want him here. No excuses."
"Well, anyone agree with him?"
Soi Fon spoke.
"If he indeed has Bankai, I would like to see it for myself. If he has mastered the final form, I will support him." The other captains nodded in concurrence.
"Very well. If there are no objections he will be taichou; which division will be his?"
Komamura spoke this time.
"He will need a reliable second. One, perhaps, that can handle paperwork." The captains silently reflected on the very real possibility that Ikkaku would skip out on paperwork on a regular basis and nodded to themselves. "Mayhap, third would be best. Izuru is fragile in some ways but has a strong sense of loyalty. He would be reliable in getting the work done. Perhaps, like Abarai to Hinamori, Madarame would be good for Izuru."
"Alright." Genryuusai looked around the room and no one objected. "Then it is decided. Pending the verification of his Bankai's existence, Madarame Ikkaku is taichou of third division."
He dispatched another butterfly before addressing them again. His expression became a little graver and the tension level rose a little more.
"Now, in regards to the last spot open, Ukitake-taichou brought someone to my attention days ago which prompted this meeting to come so soon after the war. The individual in question is something of a quandary for me as they came out of the Rukongai just the day before Ukitake-taichou brought them to me. They have had no formal or informal training at all. The person just said that they would be a captain and would challenge for a place if they had to." He let out a burst of air, like a disgruntled dog before continuing, "Ukitake brought them before me and they made a, very, convincing case." He thumped his cane twice against the floor and the doors began to swing open. "They are here now, the final candidate for taichou."
All of them looked to the doors that were swinging wide, to see the new arrival.
The first thing they noticed was the hair. Pink. Cherry blossom pink. Second were the eyes. Bright solid green, the color of new leaves. A woman in a sleeveless shihakusho walked into the meeting hall, back strait, head held high. She was dainty, damn petite at five-nothing, barely an inch taller than Soi Fon who was the shortest captain which was a bone of contention with the 2nd's captain. The new arrival stopped just before the rows of captains began. She gave a short bow.
"Genryuusai-soutaichou," the old man nodded back to her.
"Identify yourself."
"Hai; Haruno Sakura, Koki no Yabi " Speculation broke out among the captains ranks as they digested the odd title after her name. Oddly enough, Byakuya looked up and kept his gaze on her.
"Hn, and do you know why you were called here today?"
"In general I do." She shrugged at the captains around her, expression stoic. "I gotta 'prove' myself to them." The tone of her voice was proud and arrogant, which, considering how young she sounded and looked made her seem almost petulant. "So, what do I have to do?" Genryuusai stood and his fukutaichou came to his side.
"You will give a demonstration at the Execution Hill and then we will decide what to do with you."