"We will now begin the Captains' meeting!" declared Yamamoto-sotaicho. "It has been only several weeks since the end of the Winter War, and the recovery of Seireitei is still underway." The captains nodded in agreement. "Currently we have three vacant captain seats. I am happy to say that one of the positions will be filled in today. We have found a new captain for the Third Division, who is an old acquaintance of ours." The last part of this announcement caught the attention of the captains there. They looked at each other for a moment, wondering who he might have been referring to. "The new captain may, now, enter." As if on que, the giant doors of the room creaked open to reveal a woman, who looked to be about the same age as the ryoka, dressed in the haori of the Third Division. She was in between the height of Unohana-taichou and Soifon-taichou. Her hair was black, reaching past shoulders and loosely tied at the end. Around her neck were a plain black collar and a necklace that was tucked into her shirt. The expression on her face was mutual, but her dark emerald eyes seemed to be full of mischief. She walked with dignity to the empty spot between them and took her place between Soifon-taichou and Unohana-taichou. "Please welcome Asuna-taichou. Some of you may have already met her before, if not you can make her acquaintance after the meeting." Some of the captains' mouths seemed to twitch as if to trying not to smile. The new captain, however did not seem to notice.
"On to other business: unfortunately, however, a new problem has arisen," said Yamamoto, gathering his captains' attention back to him. "A while back, we found out the exact number of Arrancar created. We have just received information that some Arrancar have survived." This announcement surprised everyone, but they kept silent and waited for their commander to continue. "They have, somehow, survived the War and have hidden themselves in Karakura. These are Arrancar that were below than that of the Espada. However, judging from their reiatsu, they are growing in strength. We don't know how many Arrancar; so far only two Arrancar reiatsu have been distinguished. I am sending Hitsugaya-taichou along with Asuna-taichou to take care of these Arrancar." He then turned his head to Toshiro. "You are allowed to bring two subordinates." He then spoke to the rest of the captains. "Any questions?" There were none. "Then this meeting is finished."
Even as the doors opened, letting in the sunlight, no one had made a move when something unusual happened. "Finally!" exclaimed a voice. The captains turned their attention to the new captain just in time to see her throw her hands behind her head, lean backwards, and fall flat on her back with a small thump. "I have forgotten how stiff these meetings are."The captains just sighed at her actions, some shaking their heads and others almost smirking, as if this was a normal routine. Toshiro seemed to be the only one perplexed by her behavior.
The first to speak was Soifon-taichou. "You haven't changed a bit, despite the fact it has been several decades."
"I have lived as long as Yama-jii and haven't changed. I see no reason to start now," she replied. She turned her head to look at Soifon and smiled. "You, on the other hand, have changed, Little Bee-kun." This reply earned her a swift kick to the side. "Still as violent to me as always, though," she groaned. The captains' mouths twitched again.
"You know I hate it when you call me that," said Soifon, harshly, crossing her arms, but there seemed to a slight smirk on her face too. It was true that she had changed. Thanks to Unohana, after Soifon's arm was recovered, she had reconnected it, but it took some time for the muscle and tissue to come back. During that time, Soifon had cut her braids and had the hoops changed into earrings that now hung from her ears.
"Ahh, but you don't seem to mind when a certain ca-," began Asuna; however she stopped when Soifon made to kick her again.
Luckily, Unohana came to Asuna's defense. "Soifon-taichou, please refrain from hurting Asuna too seriously," she said with that smile of hers. To Asuna's good fortune, Soifon backed down.
"Thank you, Retsu-kun," said Asuna breathing a sigh of relief.
"Don't mention it," replied Unohana, "I just do not feel like healing you if you somehow obtain any injuries today."
Asuna stiffened at the reply. She turned her head to look at Unohana so slowly that her neck seemed to creak. "That's cold Retsu." The captains chuckled lightly at this.
The banter went on for several minutes, before the captains decided to leave. Toshiro was shocked at what had happened. He had not expected the new captain to behave in such a way. As he began walking toward his division, he heard his name being called. He turned around to find Asuna waving at him. Behind her were Byakuya, Soifon, Unohana, Shunsui, and Ukitake behind her. "Oy, Toshiro-kun! Come have lunch with us!" she yelled. Toshiro had a feeling that he didn't have a choice in the matter.
Asuna led them to her a garden that was behind her new office. Prepared for them was a picnic under one of the trees. All the captains present sat down as one opened the lunch boxes, while Asuna passed out plates and chopsticks. After a few minutes, the captains were serving themselves with tamoyagi and other pieces of the Japanese bento that had been prepared for them.
"So, why exactly did you get us all out here?" asked Soifon before putting another piece of sushi on her mouth, directing the question toward Asuna.
Asuna smiled. "You know I always drag you guys out here to have a meal with me every time I come back to the Gotei 13."
"But usually it is just us three," said Joshirou, gesturing to himself, Unohana and Shunsui. "Why bring the other three?"
"Well, I wanted to test Byakuya's and Soifon's skills after lunch," she admitted nonchalantly. Then, she turned to Toshiro, who had said nothing, and said, "And I believe that our young captain here has some questions for me."
Toshiro was slightly surprised when the conversation was turned to him. "I admit that I do have some questions about you," he said.
"Well, shoot," replied Asuna leaning back into a more relaxed position.
"Why do you seem to be familiar with all the captains and yet I have never met or even heard of you? How did you become a captain without taking the Captain's test? If you had then we all wouldn't have been surprised by your arrival." he asked, directly to Asuna, but was surprised when it was the others who seemed to answer.
"I assume you are aware that a century ago that the Gotei 13 had lost numerous captains and their lieutenants," said Byakuya. Toshiro nodded in response. "She was a captain for each of those divisions," continued Byakuya.
"Wait a minute! Did you just say for 'each' Division?" exclaimed Toshiro, looking wildly at Asuna.
"Yep," replied Asuna right back. "Yama-jii put me in charge of the Division that he thought I was most needed, until they could find an appropriate captain for it. However during my captaincy for that Division I was also in charge of keeping an eye on the other divisions as well. After an appropriate captain was found for the Division, I would relinquish my captaincy to them, and then I would move to another Division. However Byakuya is wrong. I was not a captain for each Division at the time. The Second, Eleventh, and Twelfth Division, I was not the captain of," explained Asuna.
"But I thought that a captain can never resign from the Gotei 13," said Toshiro.
"Yes, that is true," said Unohana. "A captain can only be replaced if they die, are banished or if they are promoted to the Zero Division or, in the other words, the Royal Guard."
"The best way of the three," sighed Shunsui, taking a drink of sake. Asuna scoffed.
Toshiro turned back to Asuna when she scoffed. "You don't seem to like the Zero Division," he stated.
Asuna looked at him. "It is a little complicated. Anyway, unfortunately due to certain circumstances I am unable to keep any sort of position among the Gotei 13. So, to compensate, Yamamoto came up with this system in case something like this happened."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Shunsui answered. "Asuna is a 'one-of-the-kind-shinigami', just like Ichigo Kurosaki. While Ichigo is -was- a Substitute Shinigami, Asuna is a rurouni shinigami. She has a tendency to 'drift' among the divisions. For a decade or two, she would be known as Asuna-taichou of some random division, and then she would the third seat of some other division."
"When I first met her, she was a leader of one of the squads in the Second Division," said Soifon, turning Toshiro's attention to her. "After the banishment of those captains, Asuna took over the Seventh Division, before later being replaced by Kaname," included Soifon.
"Fine, but that doesn't explain her familiarity with all the captains to a point that she has the permission to add 'kun'," countered Toshiro.
Suddenly, they heard someone call Asuna's name. They turned to find Kira, the lieutenant for the third Division, walking towards them. He stopped a few feet and said, "Asuna-taichou, Yamamoto-sotaicho has asked that you come see him immediately."
Asuna sighed. "All right, go back to your duties Kira-kun. I'll go right now." Kira bowed, turned and left. Asuna turned her attention back to her fellow captains. "Everyone, please finish your meal without me. Soifon, Byakuya, we'll have our little spar later all right." She got up and began walking in the direction of the First Division barracks.
"Excuse me," cried Unohana, "Asuna-senpai; I need to speak with you about that matter earlier, after the meeting?"
Asuna stopped and looked back at her. "Of course," she answered. She then continued her walk.
After her departure, Toshiro turned back to his senior captains. They smiled knowing that he wanted his question answered. "Hmm… Asuna is somewhat a teacher and a friend to us," answered Unohana, almost in an admiring tone. "She has, sort of, helped us gain the positions we have now, some indirectly, others in a more direct manner. For some of us captains, she has helped in more personal ways."
"Oh? How so?" asked Toshiro.
"What do you mean?" asked Unohana, patiently.
"How has she helped you gain the positions you have now?"
This time it was Soifon who answered. "Yoruichi was our teacher," explained Soifon, gesturing to both herself and Byakuya. Toshiro had already known vaguely about it. "After Yoruichi left, Asuna took her place as our mentor. She taught and trained us until we surpassed her."
Toshiro looked at Soifon, then at Byakuya. "She taught the both of you?"
"Yes, on top of being the captain of her division and keeping an eye on the other divisions," said Byakuya. "But a little known fact is that she had also mentored Yoruichi. Asuna is only a few degrees slower than Yoruichi, Soifon, and me, but if she really had to she could be slightly faster than us for a short amount of time."
"She was also one of the first mentors in the shinigami academy. She vanished after only one year though," included Joshirou. He gestured to Unohana as he continued. "We first met her, when we entered the Gotei 13. At the time she was the first captain of the Fourth Division. She was Unohana's mentor. After we had learned and mastered our Bankai, she was a witness when we took the captains test. She stepped down from her position and gave it to Unohana."
"Wait a minute," interjected Toshiro. "If she was one of the teachers of the Shinigami Academy, then she would be as old as Yamamoto."
"Nah, I think she's older than Yama-jii," said Shunsui. "She always said so."
"It is hard to believe though. I mean the way she acted back at the Captain's meeting was immature."
To this it was Byakuya who responded. "If you are concerned about how the Third Division will be with her as a captain, don't worry; actually, she is the best person to be the captain of the Third Division, seeing as they had two captains gone already. She has all the characteristics of a captain." "She just doesn't have the capacity to show it at all times," he joked. All the captains laughed at this, and Toshiro smiled agreeing.
"If all your questions have been Toshiro-kun, I believe that it is time to return to our Divisions." With that said they stood up, piling up dishes as they did so. However they left them stacked in piles.
"Shouldn't we take them inside or something?" asked Toshiro.
Surprisingly they answered in unison: "You'll regret it," leaving Toshiro wondering, regret what?
Asuna stood before the doors that led to office of the sotaicho. She sighed, closing her hand around the doorknob, turning it, and opening it. Yamamoto's office was huge and yet it only had one desk which he currently sat at. To his right was a doorway that led to a balcony with a view of Seireitei, which was open to let in the sunlight. She smiled when she saw him sitting at his desk doing paperwork. "I see you're busy as always, Yamamoto," she greeted as she walked toward him.
Yamamoto smiled. "You have settled in, yes?" he asked, not looking up.
She sat down in a chair in front of the desk. "It's good to be back," she said.
Yamamoto smiled. "Thank you for coming," he said, still looking at his paperwork.
"You know I would help out whenever you needed me in a heartbeat," was the reply. "Besides, I owe you, you know…sort of," she added to herself with a hint of sarcasm.
At this Yamamoto stopped and looked up at her with seriousness in his eyes. "No… you do not owe me for that," he said. "And will you stop bringing it up?"
Asuna gave a wry chuckle. "Sorry," she muttered. "So what did you want to see me for?"
He put down his paperwork and clasped his hands together. "Are you sure about going on a mission so soon? That little technique of yours isn't exactly easy on the reiatsu."
"Don't worry about me. I'm fine. You just prepare Central 46 with my little surprise."
"They are not going to like it."
"They can't do anything about it."
"Are you sure you are all right?
"Who the hell do you think I am?"
"A very stubborn person." They both smiled.