Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.


Faith Will Appear

Shigekuni sighed. He was too old for this. That was why he was trying to get Shunsui involved. Shunsui had the stamina and energy for a national campaign. Once the boy announced that he was joining the campaign, he could hand the reins over. But that announcement probably wouldn't come for another few days. But it would come. The look on Shunsui's face tonight had told him that.

However, that didn't get tonight's issues dealt with. If there was going to be a campaign for Shunsui to join, some changes needed to be made. He turned his attention back to the conversation going on.

"What's next?" Urahara was asking.

"The thing about saying his name," Maki Ichinose replied.

"I understand." Urahara looked bored.

"If I could just reframe the point Maki was making," Makoto Kibune said.

"I understood the point Maki was making. I was sitting right next to him when he made it. I'm asking what's next."

"Sir," Ichinose began, "by saying your opponent's name you are basically giving him free advertising."

Kibune continued, "Maki thinks you should call him 'my opponent' or 'the other guy'."

"You don't think it's going to make people think I can't remember his name?" Urahara raised his eyebrows.

"No."

"I think it's going to make me look absent minded. Even if it didn't, it's still a stupid idea. What's next?" Urahara smiled and stood up. "Nothing? Good."

Urahara walked out. Shigekuni sighed. Now came the fun part. He looked at the four remaining men in the room.

"What's next?"

Ichinose sighed. "We have to talk about what happened tonight."

"I think tonight went pretty well. I would have liked to see more of those seats filled though."

"That's not what I'm talking about."

"What are you talking about?" He didn't feel like beating around the bush tonight.

"He's talking about the governor's response tonight." Toushiro Hitsugaya spoke up, drawing everyone's attention. "I'm just guessing. I'm pretty drunk."

Ichinose rolled his eyes. "I am talking about the governor's answer tonight. But it's not just tonight. Every day there's some…look, Toushiro, we can talk about this with you in the room or if you're more comfortable--"

Shigekuni cut him off. "I don't have time to make people comfortable. If a change needs to be made, then it needs to be made. Ichinose, Kibune, Omaeda, you're fired."

"What?" Ichinose looked stunned.

"What?" Hitsugaya looked like he thought he was hallucinating.

"No kidding. I want Toushiro. The rest of you, thanks very much."

Everyone just stared at him. The message didn't seem to be getting through.

"Look at my face. We're done."

The three he had named stalked out of the room. Shigekuni turned to Hitsugaya.

"Don't screw up."

He headed outside. It wasn't hard to spot Urahara standing underneath a streetlight. Shigekuni made his way over.

"Did you just fire Maki Ichinose?"

"Yes."

"You fired him."

"Yes, and Omaeda and Kibune."

Urahara shrugged. "Did you keep anyone?"

"I kept Toushiro Hitsugaya."

"You kept Toushiro Hitsugaya." Urahara rolled his eyes. "And you fired everyone else. Toushiro Hitsugaya is the one I don't know, and he's the one you kept."

Shigekuni caught sight of the governor's driver and waved him over. "Take him home, will you?"

Urahara was not finished. "Those were the only people I know."

"They were worthless. It's time to bring in what we need."

"They were the only people I know."

"Have a good night." Shigekuni headed for his car.

Urahara's voice stopped him. "Why are you doing this? You're a player. You're bigger in the party than I am. Granz would make you national chairman. Yamamoto! Tell me this isn't one of the twelve steps."

He turned around to face the man. "Yes, that's what it is. Right after admitting we're powerless over alcohol and that a higher power can restore us to sanity, that's where you come in."

Urahara just stared at him. Shigekuni sighed. He deserved a real answer.

"Because I'm tired of it year after year after year having to chose between the lesser of who cares? Of trying to get myself excited about a candidate who can speak in complete sentences. Of setting the bar so low, I can hardly look at it. They say a good man can't get elected President. I don't believe that, do you?"

The man looked rather stunned. His voice was quiet. "And you think I'm that man."

"Yes."

"Does it matter that I'm not as sure?"

Shigekuni laughed and shook his head. "No. Act as if you have faith, and faith shall be given unto you. In other words, fake it until you make it. You did good tonight."

Urahara smiled slightly. "Yeah."

They went their separate ways, Shigekuni leaving with a smile.