A/N: Although this was originally intended to be a short interlude, it got a little overzealous and wound up being a chapter. Sooo... I'm taking Kubo-sama's approach in sticking it in a random semi-appropriate place and calling it a half-chapter.
It's a rundown of the early-morning Captain's meeting in which votes are taken for Renji, Shuuhei, and Ichigo's captaincy. Also explains why Kurotsuchi was removed, why Urahara was reinstated, and other miscellaneous loose ends.
Normal flow of the story will resume next week with chapter ten, in which the new Captains address their squads and Byakuya and Renji have their meeting.
*Riko: Japanese woman's name meaning 'jasmine child.'
RED DUTY, BLACK HONOR
Chapter 9.5: Interlude: The Captain's Meeting
"Kurosaki Ichigo!"
Being awakened by having your name yelled in your ear is not the best way to greet the morning.
It's far less pleasant when you have a raging hangover and have gotten about five hours of sleep, and less pleasant still when it's someone you don't know from Adam - or rather, Eve - doing the yelling.
All things considered, Ichigo's "Gaaah!" and immediate reaction of attempting to punch the yelling person in the face were quite understandable.
Attempting. Not succeeding, for two reasons. The first was that Ichigo, being hung over and sleep deprived, was not moving as fast as one would normally expect. The second, was that the yeller - in this case, a servant of the Kuchiki household, who was used to awakening Rukia in the mornings - was entirely accustomed to her charges lashing out with fists, feet, and other handy appendages in often-failed attempts to do her bodily harm.
She hadn't kept her job for over four centuries by being stupid, or slow.
"Kurosaki Ichigo," she repeated, as the bleary-eyed Substitute rolled over, rubbing the heel of his hand against one eye and trying to glare at her out of the other, "your presence is requested and required at a Captain's meeting on the First Division training grounds beginning in one half-hour. You are to arrive awake and presentable."
"Byakuya sent you, didn't he?" Ichigo growled after a long moment, dragging the sheets around him as he sat up.
"Kuchiki-sama did grant me the task of awakening you. He also requested I provide you with this," a small, narrow-necked glass bottle was placed on the nightstand, "and this," A fresh shihakusho landed neatly on the bed next to Ichigo's hip, "as well as offer you any services you may request or require, keeping in mind there is a half-hour time limit to all activities.
It took Ichigo's sleep-muddled mind a long moment to process that, but when he finally did, he turned a crimson that Renji's hair would have been jealous of.
Riko smiled to herself. It was simply too easy, with these young ones.
Face flaming, Ichigo pulled the sheets a little more tightly around his waist. "What's in the bottle?" he asked, hoping for a neutral topic.
"A hangover remedy from the Fourth Division. It is highly effective, but you are best advised to drink it quickly. And do not let it touch your tongue."
He'd already had the bottle halfway to his mouth by the time the last sentence escaped her; shooting her a wary look over the rim, he set the bottle to his lips and threw back the contents like an experienced drinker.
It didn't help; nothing could really prevent you from tasting the stuff, and it was just as nasty as it was effective. Ichigo gagged, coughed a few times, and finally wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, grimacing. "Did you say that came from the Fourth, or the Twelfth?"
"It is a potion purely of Unohana-taichou's devising , I assure you."
"That's a relief." Setting the bottle back down with a clunk, he gathered the clean shihakusho she'd brought him to his chest. "I'll go and wash now..."
Riko tilted her head to one side, waiting. Byakuya-sama had said this boy proved most entertaining when riled... "By all means, Kurosaki-san. Will you be requiring any assistance?"
"Gah! No, I won't need assistance! I'm perfectly capable of washing myself, thank you!"
"Then please, do not allow me to delay you."
Unconsciously, Ichigo bunched the sheets even closer around his waist. It was hardly his fault; he'd only brought a few pairs of boxers, which for some reason kept disappearing, and he could never get used to sleeping in yukata like most of the higher-bred Shinigami did....
Which was why he was currently turning fifty shades of embarrassed, wearing nothing but his bedsheets. Casting a last, desperate glance at his yukata - hanging oh-so-unhelpfully on a peg on the back of his door, behind the lady Byakuya had sent to torture him, Ichigo closed his eyes, counted to ten, and prayed for a nice, non-humiliating solution for this little conundrum.
"Look, lady -"
"Riko."
"What?"
"My name is Riko, Kurosaki-san."
"Great, Riko, that's wonderful, but I don't need any more help, so if you could... leave?"
"I'm afraid that's quite impossible, Kurosaki-san. Byakuya-sama has ordered me to remain with you and escort you to the Captain's meeting, which begins in twenty-six minutes."
Byakuya-sama was going to get Ichigo's foot up his ass for this if it was the last thing Ichigo did.
"In that case, could you hand me my yukata? And then... turn around while I put it on?"
"Of course, Kurosaki-san."
**Ten minutes later, after Ichigo's bathed**
"I must say, Kurosaki-san is marvelously well-developed for such a young man."
"..."
"I am going to kill you," Ichigo hissed at Byakuya, as the pair descended the rough-hewn wooden steps to the wide, packed-dirt field that served as the First Division's secondary training ground.
"Was Riko-san not to your satisfaction?" Byakuya inquired, eyes focused straight ahead and face carefully blank.
"She followed me into the bath!! On your orders, you pervert!"
"I most certainly did not order her to follow you into the bath. You must be mistaken."
"I am not mistaken! Every time I asked her to leave, she would just tell me, 'Byakuya-sama has ordered me to remain with you'! So yes, you did!"
"I did not give her express orders to follow you throughout your entire morning routine, only to ensure that you were ready within the alloted half-hour frame."
"Bullshit."
"Riko-san has always possessed a will of her own," Byakuya offered, with a gesture that might have been a shrug in a man of lesser breeding.
"A servant with a will of their own? I didn't think that was allowed," Ichigo gritted back.
"Riko-san has served the Kuchiki house since before my birth; certain irregularities are permitted."
"Oi, Yama-jii," Kyouraku called lazily, a few minutes later. "Now that we're all here, would you care to tell us why Ichigo's along for the ride?"
Standing in front of his Captains - they were forming a single line, now, along the rough rock wall that delineated the edge of the practice grounds - Yamamoto Genryuusei glared at his former student through one slitted eye.
"We are here," the Head-Captain announced in booming tones, "to cast judgement on the worthiness of the individuals suggested to you for promotion to Captain three days prior. Of the three candidates suggested, both Abarai Renji and Hisagi Shuuhei have proven themselves sufficiently skilled in all areas of Shinigami study to warrant promotion." The murmurs broke out immediately, as he had expected they would. "Late last night, I received testimony. Hisagi Shuuhei has - "
A sharp whistle cut off Yamamoto in mid-sentence. Amidst a resurgence of startled whispers, all attendees spun to face the staircase and the two figures descending it.
Unapologetically clad in his green shopkeeper's wear and black haori, complete with irritating hat, Urahara Kisuke cheerfully waved his fan at the assembled captains. "Good morning, everyone! Am I late?"
"About a century too late, you worthless piece of - ow! Watch where you're sticking that sword of yours, you gibbering ape!"
Zaraki merely snorted in disgust and ignored Kurotsuchi as thoroughly as humanly possible.
"You are late, Kisuke, as usual. You have testimony to present?"
"I do indeed~!" the former Captain sang back, all but bounding his way down the last few steps and crossing the packed dirt to stand beside Yamamoto. Yoroichi, trailing languidly behind him in her human form, strolled down to the line of Captains and casually fell in line to Soifon's left, leaving the diminutive Black Ops commander blushing crimson.
"I am very pleased to announce," Urahara began, his voice ringing with old echos of authority and power, "that Hisagi Shuuhei has indeed achieved Bankai. I can present to you video proof," he added, producing a disk from somewhere on his person, "to this effect, as well as offer testimony from myself and Yoroichi, as well as the other residents of the Shoten.
"You will be pleased to know that Hisagi-san achieved his Bankai, in the end, using a three-day process which I myself developed, and which, to date, only two other people have been able to use successfully. He achieved Bankai in this manner within fifty-one hours, faster than even Kurosaki-kun," he added, nodding towards the young man.
That raised several eyebrows, including Ichigo's own, and earned a few nods along the line.
"Accepting that Hisagi Shuuhei has achieved Bankai, we will proceed with voting. For Abarai Renji, current Vice-Captain of Squad Six, to be promoted to Captain of Squad Five?"
With wartime rules still in effect, the promotion of a new Captain required proof of ability - a nonissue in Renji's case, given that half of the Seireitei had personally witnessed his Bankai at one point or another - as well as a majority vote of Captains in support of the promotion. Six voices to speak for Renji would give him command of the Fifth.
Byakuya took one step forward, out of the line of Captains. "As he who submitted this officer for consideration, I support his promotion."
"I support," said Ukitake and Kyouraku in unison, stepping forward. Laughing, the pair exchanged sheepish grins.
"I support," Zaraki boomed, stepping forward to join them.
"I support," Unohana said softly, joining the other four.
There was barely a half-second before both Hitsugaya and Komamura stepped forward, joining five other captains of the Seireitei in support of a single Rukongai street rat.
"I support him too!" Urahara chirped, fluttering his fan at the forward line and cheerfully ignoring Byakuya and Hitsugaya's glares.
"Hell, yes!" Yoroichi shouted from the far end of the line. She might have said more, but was silenced by the muffled thud of Ryuujin Jakka's tip striking dirt.
"Seven votes in favor. Majority rules," barked Yamamoto, as those in favor stepped back into the original line. "Abarai Renji is now Captain of Squad Five. For Hisagi Shuuhei to be promoted to Captain of Squad Nine?"
Komamura Sajin stepped forward. "As he who submitted this officer for consideration, I support his promotion."
Once again in unison, Ukitake and Kyouraku stepped forward. "We support."
Unohana and Hitsugaya somehow wound up coming forward in the same moment, and Zaraki joined them only a beat later. When several of the Captains in the forward line glanced at him in confusion, Zaraki gave a vague shrug in response.
"Yumichika said fightin' him was the most fun he'd had in years. Not gonna argue."
"Again, seven votes in favor. Majority rules. Hisagi Shuuhei is now Captain of Squad Nine."
"About time!" added Urahara, earning himself an annoyed glance from Yamamoto.
"And now," Yamamoto began, turning cynical eyes on the youngest member of the assembled group, "we must administer a proficiency test to one Kurosaki Ichigo."
Pinned in place by that dark gaze, Ichigo gaped at him for a moment, wide-eyed, before recovering his wits enough to speak. "Proficiency - what? Nobody said anything about a test!"
"You were informed, were you not, that you were being considered for the rank of Captain within the Gotei squads?" barked Yamamoto.
"I was, but -"
"And it did not occur to you at any point that you would be tried for competence before being granted this most sacred of positions?"
"Ah -"
"This is why we have been subjecting Lieutenant Kira to your pitiful lack of expertise in the Shinigami arts for the past month, Kurosaki Ichigo! It is to make you worthy of holding the position of Captain!"
"I understand."
"What was that?"
"I said, I understand, Head-Captain Yamamoto, sir!"
Several of the older Captains stifled grins at this; Yamamoto himself opened both eyes to their fullest to stare at the young Substitute in something very like disbelief.
"Apparently, Lieutenant Kira has been drilling you in more than just kidou," the old man muttered finally, then; "Kurosaki Ichigo, to demonstrate your proficiency in kidou, you will meet in single combat one Captain from our ranks and battle them stalemate or defeat using only kidou. Your Zanpakutou will be removed from you during the course of this battle."
Ichigo's alarm reflected only too clearly on his face at the last statement.
"Is that a problem, Kurosaki Ichigo?" growled Yamamoto.
"Aah..." Grimacing, Ichigo rubbed the back of his head as he struggled with the wording of his explanation. "Sir, my Zanpakutou is how I limit the strength of my kidou. Without him being immediately present, I am afraid of injuring whichever Captain I am pitted against."
"You, injure us? That's rather a arrogant assumption, don't you think?" Hitsugaya snorted.
"If that is your belief, Captain Hitsugaya, then you may have the pleasure of being his opponent."
Not - quite - smirking, the diminutive Captain carefully slipped Hyorinmaru's sheath from his back, wrapping the sea-green silk sash around the scabbard before stepping out of line to hand the long blade to Ukitake with a brief bow. "It would be my honor if you would keep him for me."
"It would be my honor to do so," Ukitake smiled, carefully taking the Zanpakutou in his hands.
"Someone's jealous~...." came a sing-songed stage whisper from the other end of the line. Yoroichi was leaning forward, peering down the row of Captains at her childhood friend. Huffing with disdain, Byakuya raised his chin another fraction of an inch and did his best to ignore her.
"Kuchiki Byakuya," boomed Yamamoto, fixing his gaze on the Kuchiki scion, "you disagree with the opponents for this match?"
"It is not my place to -"
"I'll take them both."
Every person in the line, Byakuya included, turned a disbelieving stare towards Ichigo. The young Substitute, having already handed Zangetsu off to Urahara, raised his head in unmistakable challenge towards the noble.
"I owe you for this morning, Byakuya. So come on. I'll take you and Toushirou both."
"That's Captain Hitsugaya!"
Byakuya permitted himself no more than a single raised eyebrow, but very calmly unwound the windflower silk scarf from around his neck, folding the lengthy fabric with practiced ease before unfastening Senbonzakura's sheath from his sash, and finally presenting both to Unohana with a short bow.
She mirrored his bow in accepting them, then quietly stepped back against the rough wall of earth, joining the other Captains in waiting for the battle to begin.
"All right," Ichigo said softly, staring across the hard-packed ground at the two young Captains. "Who moves first?"
"As challenger, that is your privilege," Hitsugaya responded calmly, shifting his weight.
"Ah," Ichigo murmured. "Good."
And that was the only warning they had before he lashed out with a simple Hadou one, Shou -Thrust. It was the most basic of techniques, but both Captains leapt to dodge it.
The trailing edge of the kidou - no more than a fraction of it's power - clipped Hitsugaya on the shoulder and sent him spinning, thirty feet away into the dirt. Byakuya's attention, torn for a split-second as he realized once again just how strong Ichigo was, nearly proved to be his undoing when a Hadou four, Byakurai, lanced over his shoulder. He ducked it with a Flashstep, but when the blue-white lighting had faded, there was a singed mark on his haori and a few black hairs fluttering to the ground.
"So it begins." Raising his hands, Byakuya threw a simple binding kidou, Hainawa, in Ichigo's direction. Much to his surprise, the boy didn't manage to dodge it completely; the crawling rope snaked around his wrist to entangle his left hand. Clenching the other end of the glowing kidou-cord in his own left hand, Byakuya raised his right, fully intending to pay Ichigo back for the Byakurai of a moment before.
Shaking his head, Ichigo leapt forward, his Shunpo blurring him even in Byakuya's vision, although it did nothing to shake off the restraint around his wrist.
It wasn't until Byakuya saw Ichigo's lips moving that he realized he'd been had.
The Tsuzuri Raiden spell - Bound Lightening - jolted through his body full-force, conducted by the Hainawa he himself had put on Ichigo. The binding spell disintegrated into nothingness in the wake of the electrical charge, but Byakuya staggered, panting, and dropped to one knee as Ichigo whirled away, just in time to deflect a Soukatsui blast from a very irritated Hitsugaya.
He deflected it, not with a shield spell, but with an identical Soukatsui - the resulting backlash from the exploding spells knocked everyone in the vicinity backwards. Byakuya shielded his face with his sleeve until the grit-laden wind subsided; when he lowered his arm, he was only mildly surprised to see Ichigo standing a few feet in front of him, blocking the worst of the effects.
What greatly surprised him was the yellow glow of the Enkosen shield that Ichigo was casting, protecting them both from the blue-white blasts of Hitsugaya's second attack.
Still flawlessly maintaining his shield, Ichigo half-turned to glance over his shoulder at the noble. "You all right?"
Byakuya blinked at him, remembering the first time he'd really, truly seen this infuriating Ryouka boy; holding back the phoenix-form of the Soukyouku with no visible effort in order to save one single, worthless girl.
His strength had been terrifying then, and he'd only grown more powerful since, through wars and anguish that he never should have been involved in. How much pain and suffering they had all endured, and yet this one foolish boy never lost his hope, or his will to fight...
"Byakuya! Are you all right?!"
The worry in the boy's voice snapped him back to awareness. "Fine," he answered tersely. "Just... shocked."
Ichigo stared at him for the space of a heartbeat, eyes wide with disbelief.
Byakuya's lip quirked, just a little.
Ichigo burst into laughter, dispersed the shield he'd been maintaining, and threw two spells, one after the other, into Hitsugaya's oncoming attack. The Shakkahou shattered the blue-white lightning orbs, leaving the path clear for his second spell. The paralyzing Geki spell burst through the smoke of the two previous spells, striking Hitsugaya head-on.
"Hitsugaya has been neutralized. Kuchiki!"
"I am unable to continue," Byakuya called back, hesitating only a moment before he accepted the hand Ichigo extended to him. "Kurosaki is the victor."
Voting for Ichigo's Captaincy was postponed for a few minutes while Unohana came forward to treat Byakuya's burned hand and Hitsugaya's left shoulder, which had been dislocated in Ichigo's initial attack.
There was no longer a question of his competence; even though they'd both grossly underestimated him, he'd taken out two Captains with only a handful of moves. Should they ever fight again, the battle would be longer and more challenging, on both sides. But for now, it was enough.
"Yamamoto-Soutaichou, I want to speak to you."
Dark eyes opened to narrow slits, boring into the young upstart who dared make demands of the most powerful man in the Soul Society. "Don't let your victory make you overconfident, little boy."
Ichigo scowled in response, leveling a glare at the ancient man. "In private."
One heavy eyebrow lifted.
Ichigo glared on, unafraid and unwilling to be deterred.
"Very well," sighed Yamamoto. "I will indulge you, child. Do not presume that you have any rights because of it."
A fast Flashstep took them out of the hearing range of the other captains, and Ichigo got right to the point.
"I'll become Captain on one condition."
Yamamoto nearly choked. "Condition?! It is not for you to set conditions, boy! You are here because of invitation, not privilege!"
"Yeah, right," Ichigo snorted. "I may be young, but I'm not stupid. You don't want me here, I know that. I'm a human, and a Visored, and I'm not 'one of you.' If you had any other alternatives, you'd have found them already. You're desperate. You need my help."
As much as Yamamoto might have like to object to that, it was impossible. The Seireitei was desperate, and Ichigo was a shining star, a hero of the War. The fact that he was, at best, a hybrid - though a hybrid of what was still in question - was ignored in the face of his popularity and appeal. The recovery would go much quicker with him in their ranks; the unseated and low-ranked officers flocked to him out of admiration, while the more seasoned Shinigami simply tendered him well-deserved respect.
It was easier, sometimes, to bow to the will of the masses. "What is your demand, child?"
"I want Kurotsuchi Mayuri removed from his office."
It was hardly what Yamamoto had been expecting; then again, it had been crass of him to expect that the boy would demand any of the usual favors. He had all the power he would ever need, women would flock to him, and if he did not have money and luxuries, they would come to him easily enough.
"Explain."
"Kurotsuchi's a monster. You know that; that's why he was imprisoned in the first place. What I don't understand is why he was ever allowed to take Captain's rank, let alone hold it. The man has no soul, he's a sociopath! I know how he treats his own men, what he does to his own daughter. Uryuu told me what he did to the rest of the Quincy, and yet you just let him keep experimenting! I won't stand for it," the boy added, his voice dropping to a growl. "You may be able to turn a blind eye to what he does, but I've been in his laboratory. I saw what he did to -"
"Enough!" The word was a near-shout, ringing in the air between them. Ichigo fell silent, but his anger and reiatsu pulsed around them in an oppressive haze.
Biting down a heavy sigh, Yamamoto gave the only response he could. "Your argument is well-founded. What do you suggest?"
That clearly took the boy aback; he'd obviously been expecting an argument. After a moment to marshall his thoughts, however, he plunged right back in.
"If there is a way to strip him of his powers, do it. And as much as I wish you could throw him back down whatever rat-hole he crawled out of, I know he's too valuable a scientist. But he loses his rank, all his privileges. He's not allowed any experiments with live subjects, and all of his work needs to be monitored, closely."
"And who do you suggest replace him as Captain of the Twelfth?"
"Reinstate Urahara," came the immediate reply. "He was the Captain before Kurotsuchi - he only lost his rank because of Aizen. You've already granted him a full pardon and return citizenship like everyone else. There's no reason why he shouldn't be reinstated to his old rank as well."
"I will think on this," Yamamoto acknowledged, after a few torturous moments of silence. "For now, we return to the other Captains. They will be ready to vote on your position."
"And who among you supports this boy, Kurosaki Ichigo, to become Captain of Squad Three?"
Hitsugaya and Byakuya had come forward before the last words had fallen from Yamamoto's lips. "I support," they chorused, voices resolute.
Kyouraku and Ukitake were less than half a step behind, with Unohana and Komamura directly on their heels. "We support."
"I support."
"I support."
"Hell, yes," laughed Zaraki. "Be good to get someone as tough as me in the ranks."
"For what it's worth," drawled Urahara, bowing slightly as he presented Ichigo back his Zanpakutou, "I support."
"And me," sang Yoroichi, stepping to the side of the line of Captains. Lingering near the bank, Soifon hesitated for a moment, before dropping her head and stepping forward. "Where Yoroichi-sama's vote goes, so does my own."
Left alone at the cliff, Kurotsuchi gave a whine of dismay. "But I wanted to dissect him!" When the only response he received was appalled glares, he shook his head in disgust. "Oh, fine. Make him a Captain, I'll just dissect him later."
"Majority rules. Congratulations, Kurosaki Ichigo. You are now Captain of Squad Three."
"Thank you," Ichigo replied with a short bow. "It will be my honor and duty to serve the Soul Society and Seireitei to the best of my abilities."
"Be sure that you do. Kurotsuchi, Urahara, a word. The rest of you, we will reconvene in two hours in the main meeting hall. Dismissed!"
"Kurosaki."
"Hm?" Halfway up the rough stairs, Ichigo paused and glanced back. Byakuya and Hitsugaya were only a few steps behind him.
"Come with us," Hitsugaya ordered brusquely, stepping past Ichigo and continuing upward.
"Come with you.... where?"
"To the Tenth Division." Somehow, without changing one iota of his facial expression or breaking the monotone of his voice, Kuchiki Byakuya managed to begin radiating... deviousness. "You're going to help us break the news to Renji and Hisagi."
A/N: "You've already granted him a full pardon and return citizenship like everyone else." - yes, the Visoreds were pardoned and offered their places back after the War. As Kensei stated in Ch. 5, most of them refused.
All of the Kidou used here were cross-checked on Bleach Wikia for accuracy. If any errors remain, it's their fault and not mine, XD.
And that explains that. Any questions not answered here (and not pertaining to major upcoming plot points), please, feel free to PM or email me, I'm always happy to talk about my stories.