The next day an emergency meeting of the Court Captains was called, the subject of which should be obvious if you've been paying attention.

Nobody was really surprised to find out that Aizen had left spies behind; a conspiracy of the sheer scale that he orchestrated simply had to involve a great number of agents. The real surprise came from the fact that it was one so high in the ranks that had betrayed us, especially since the detention unit had recently finished investigating all the officers in the Fifth Division and had discovered not even a hint of corruption.

Never a group of Shinigami to take failure lying down however, they had turned to interrogating Yasu with such zeal that by the noon meeting time he'd already provided a long list of co-conspirators, who were promptly arrested, and fully explained his own involvement in the coup. I shuddered to think what kind of atrocities they would have to inflict on a man who was willing to kill himself to get any useful information from him.

I learned from the briefing that my initial guess had been correct; Yasu was using Fifth Division resources to relay messages to Aizen in Hueco Mundo. Information would come to him from spies planted all across the Seireitei which he would then put together on a Hell Butterfly that he would then release into a Garganta once every month, but last night he'd been trying to send an emergency message before he was caught. It would be another three weeks before his capture would be noticed by his allies in Hueco Mundo.

In short, I was somewhat responsible for the arrests of more than two dozen traitors to the Soul Society. I would have felt more proud of myself if it wasn't for the fact that it was a complete accident.

The rest of that day passed easily enough; I visited with Jiro, screwed around the barracks, got in some sword practice with Kohta, and, of course, spent a vast majority of my time filling out and filing the endless amounts of paperwork that sat on my desk. In fact, it was during this monotonous chore that I got an unexpected visitor.

My door slid open abruptly, but I didn't even bother to look up. I just waved my off hand and muttered "Just leave it on my desk next to the others." I assumed it was another secretary leaving a stack of papers for me to stamp.

A throaty "ahem" made me look up, a look of mild annoyance on my face.

Standing in front of me was the voluminously robed and hard scowled figure of Soifon, Captain of the Second Division and the Special Forces.

I resisted the sudden urge to stand at attention in the presence of an officer, managing to let only a faint flicker of alarm cross my face. I shook that off and offered what I hoped was a friendly smile and said "Captain Soifon, what a nice surprise! Please have a seat." I gestured to the empty spot across from me. She silently hopped up into it, folding her legs and arms as she did so. "Can I offer you anything? Tea? Coffee? Maybe some water?" I was presenting the friendliest demeanor I could muster, trying to build a rapport as best I could.

"No thank you." Her tone was even, and just a little threatening. "I'm not here on a social visit, Captain Yushago. I'm here on business."

"Of course, of course, please go on." I smiled at her, appearing attentive.

"I read the medical report on Yasu Hitabasi, and his injuries interested me."

"…That's a rather macabre sentiment Captain."

She glared at me for a moment before continuing. "The medics treating him said that his injuries were proving resistant to healing Kido, in fact they seem to be actively sapping his Reiatsu. I only know one weapon that can inflict injuries like that. Tell me, how did you dispatch your traitor officer?"

I paused and thought for a moment. I considered lying to her and saying I used some obscure spell or that it was the power of my Zanpakutou. I dismissed both ideas as soon as they came though; I couldn't reliably back either of them up, and I had no reason to lie at that point either. I snapped out my arm, drawing my knife and held it up. "I did it with this. My Zanpakutou was unavailable and I couldn't beat him with Kido, so I was forced into it."

"I see. I must ask you to return that to me."

I was caught off guard "E-excuse me?"

She snarled slightly and continued, impatience evident in her voice. "That knife is a Null Soul blade, a priceless Fon Family relic that has been missing for quite some time. I don't care how you got it, where you found it, or why you have it, but I want it back, no questions asked."

I rose an eyebrow "You think you're doing me a favor, don't you?"

"Thievery is a capital offense for anyone Captain, and I'll happily keep this quiet if you give me the blade right now."

For the benefit of the uninitiated, a Null Soul Blade is a weapon that has no spiritual presence, similar to Deathstone, but in a far more discreet and dangerous manner. Effectively, a Null Soul Blade completely ignores Reiatsu based defenses, no matter their potency, and leaves behind spiritual damages that make it difficult to heal them with Kido. A child carrying this knife would be able to kill the strongest Shinigami in all of Soul Society easily. A useful tool for assassins, I wasn't surprised Captain Soifon would want it back in her hands, but I still wasn't going to give it to her.

I glowered "Did you know that I served with your uncle, Captain Soifon? He was a Special Forces unit leader by the name of Quan Fon. You knew him?"

She looked a little wary, but answered "I've only heard of him in stories and records, we never met."

"Well, he loaned this knife to me during an operation to kill a motley of Adjuchas. I saved his life on that mission and he gave me this knife in thanks."

"It wasn't his to give freely Captain Yushago, that knife belonged to the Fon House, not to my Uncle."

I continued as if I hadn't heard her, pretending to suddenly be very interested in something on my desk. "He made me the offer while he was in the medical pavilion, getting his leg treated. I of course turned him down, but he insisted. He told me 'Kaiaki, you know me well, don't embarrass me by not letting me repay a debt. I'm in the Special Forces! We pay off our debts as soon as we can, because tomorrow we may be dead!' Quan always went off on tangents like that, a very funny man now that I think about it."

I glanced up at her to gauge her reaction. The subtle tilt of her head, flush of her face, and look in her eye all suggested a degree of pent up anger and frustration. I'd pegged her just right; Captain Soifon was not the type of person who could stand being ignored, even a little bit. She was used to having her words obeyed without question and people that didn't were crushed or dismissed. I don't hold it against her, but it was still a fact that I could use to my advantage.

I waited just a second for her mouth to open to speak before I continued, cutting her off and pretending to not notice. "I'm sorry Captain Soifon, but I can't give it back to you, doing so would betray the trust of a friend." Now I was trying to turn the tables, make her seem like the bad guy in this conversation.

She piped up at last, anger making her voice tremble ever so slightly "Yushago, that blade alone is worth a significant fraction of the Fon House's overall wealth, I'm not leaving without it."

I leaned back, closing my eyes and waving my hand side to side "No, no, that simply cannot do. Perhaps if you contacted Quan and had him come and ask this of me, he retired some years ago, right?"

My flippant dismissal of her demands as well as the suggestion that she trouble an honored and revered member of her family with something as trivial as this finally got to her. Soifon darted forward and slammed her fist onto my desk, splintering wood with a sharp crack. She snarled at me "Who do you think you are, telling me what I should do, talking down to me. You should show more respect!"

I conjured up a startled but not frightened face and gave her a sympathetic smile, "Calm down Captain Soifon, calm down. You should take it easy, there's no need to get so worked up. There's no reason we can't settle this in a calm, mature manner. Now then, how do you propose we settle this?"

"You shall surrender the Null Soul Blade to me!" She snapped.

"I'm aware that is what you want, but perhaps we can reach a compromise that makes everyone happy. Perhaps you could compensate me for the loss of my knife?"

That was the last straw. Her eyes flared and her hands curled into white knuckled fists. Suggesting that she pay me for something that rightfully belonged to her was something beyond reproach and consideration, that and the fact that I had said 'my' knife, an implication that set her blood boiling.

I'd expected her to storm off in frustration or maybe even strike me for my impertinence. That had been my goal all along; Force her away from her main point to where she didn't even know why she was in my office in the first place. So far it'd been easy; People like Captain Soifon are so hard lined and unyielding in their beliefs that you just have to nudge them in the right direction to set them off. One of the hardest parts about manipulating somebody is figuring out what rules they play by, but once you figure that they become putty in your hands.

But… she surprised me. The anger I'd been expecting vanished, and she calmly leaned back in her seat. "Very well then, Captain Yushago, if you are unwilling to surrender what rightfully belongs to me, then I shall take it back."

I furrowed my brow, still surprised by her sudden change of demeanor. "I hope you're not intending to steal it from me."

"No, such a petty act befits a glorified pickpocket such as you. I am better than that." That irked me, but I hid the feeling under a shroud of indifference. "People like me fight for what we have, and that is what I shall do."

I cocked an eyebrow. "You're going to fight me?"

"Yes, Captain Yushago. I challenge you to an Honor Duel regarding the custody of a wayward Fon Family possession. Do you accept?"

I grimaced, cursing my ego. Soifon was well within her rights to challenge me to a duel over the blade; whenever Seireitei law conflicted with itself, the matter could be settled with a duel between the affected parties. Since Soul Society had a preposterously long history, there was a great many laws that were minted without consideration of how it worked with old law, so this was more common than most people are aware of. I could turn her challenge down of course, but then the burden of proof would be shifted onto me and I'd have to show that I rightfully owned the knife over her, and I wasn't really sure if I did. The other option, however, was getting in a swordfight with one of the deadliest women in the whole world.

I'd almost decided to simply hand the blade over to her and call it a day when I remembered a simple fact; I was a Captain, I had a reputation to build and men who were supposed to look up to me. If I decided to be a chickenshit and duck out I'd never have the respect of those under me.

I sighed, and nodded. "Very well then Captain Soifon, I accept. I choose tomorrow morning at sunrise."

If she was taken aback by my acceptance, she didn't show it. "And as is my responsibility I choose the forests of the 2nd Division's barracks as the grounds for our duel."

"Your terms are acceptable Captain Soifon, I'll see you tomorrow." She stood up and Flashed away without a word, kicking up a flurry of wind that rustled the papers on my desk.

I cradled my head in my hands and let out a whooshing lungful of air, pondering exactly what I'd gotten myself into.


The next day, I decided to walk the mile and a half to the 2nd Division barracks, to give me time to strategize and to wake myself up. Mitsuko and Kohta accompanied me, Jiro staying behind due to his injuries. They'd been surprised when I told them, just as anyone would, but both were sure of my victory. I wished I shared that optimism.

Many years ago when I was still in the 2nd Division, I'd seen Soifon fight against a group of deserter Shinigami. No, saw isn't really the right word for it. I was present when she fought against a group of deserter Shinigami; I never saw a damn thing. One moment she was simply drawing her sword and the next men were lying on the ground. It was horrifying and beautiful all at the same time.

That'd happened more than eighty years ago at that point, and I didn't relish the idea of dueling her when she had the better part of a century's worth of training under her belt on top of all that skill. I wasn't really expecting to win; all I was hoping for was to not embarrass myself.

A surprisingly large number of onlookers had gathered to watch the spectacle, considering the arrangement for the duel had been made less than twelve hours ago. I suppose everyone in Seireitei was eager to see what the new Captain could do.

I spotted Kyōraku, Ukitake, and their direct subordinates in attendance. The two Captains offered me friendly smiles and waves, which I returned half heartedly. Nanao seemed to make a point of ignoring my presence, as only seemed right and proper.

I stood in front of the proctor, a female Shinigami of utterly forgettable appearance. Captain Soifon stood facing me, her own enormous Lieutenant looming over her. I locked gaze with Soifon's smoldering eyes, barely hearing the proctor ask "Captain Yushago, do you find the battleground to be satisfactory?"

Without taking my eyes off of Soifon I numbly said "Yes."

"You have brought the disputed item?"

I held out my hand and Kohta gingerly laid the wrapped knife in my palm. I flipped in around and drove it point first into the proctor's podium.

The proctor inspected it and said "Captain Soifon, is this the item in question?"

Soifon likewise did not break eye contact and lulled "It is."

"Then have you both reasonably exhausted all other methods of negotiation, leaving you with this final recourse?"

We replied at the same time "Yes."

"Then, by the powers granted to me by the Central 46 Chambers, the ruling body of all Soul Society, I officially sanction this duel. This is to be a contest unto surrender or one combatant being rendered incapable of battle. Killing your opponent will be declared the loser of the duel and shall be immediatle prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. For the sake of the surrounding area you will both be limited to the Shikai release state and no Kido spells higher than level fifty will be allowed. Is that understood?"

We both nodded, still locked in a staring contest. Behind me, Mitsuko fidgeted slightly.

"Then both warriors please proceed to your designated marks!"

Soifon and I slowly made our way to the circled out starting positions. Once there the Proctor called out, "Fighters ready!" I drew my sword and Soifon dropped into her stance. "Begin!"