Chapter 14:The New Soul Society
"Are you all set, Captain?" Fifth Squad's lieutenant, Aizen Sousuke, asked as he waited outside of the captain's room.
"Yep, c'mon in!" Hirako Shinji called.
"As you wish," Aizen said as he slid open the door. Captain Hirako Shinji sat in front of a mirror as he listened to some music. As Aizen came in, Shinji turned around and looked at him critically.
"What's this? Yer wearin' yer normal clothes!" he grumbled, "We're goin' to a festival! I toldja ta get dolled up, Sousuke!"
"But, Captain," Aizen protested with a small smile on his face, "You're wearing normal clothes as well."
"I'm allowed ta dress like this 'cause I'm a captain!"
"I can't be the only one there wearing non-regulation clothes," Aizen said as he walked further into Shinji's room, "Besides, it's a memorial, not a festival."
"It'll be like a festival since we'll still be celebratin', ya know?" Shinji said with a shrug.
"No, it won't."
"Whatta nit-picker," Shinji muttered, turning away.
There was a small pause before Aizen spoke up again with a question.
"By the way, Captain, what's this music you have playing?" he asked, pointing to where the music player was.
"It's a new type 'a music from the real world!" Shinji explained with a grin, "Pretty nice, ain't it?"
"I'm not sure," Aizen replied after a brief hesitation.
"Then why'd ya bring it up?"
The door slid open again, revealing a female Shinigami with red hair standing in the doorway. "You're gonna be late if you dilly-dally, Shinji, Sousuke!" she informed the two men.
"Good morning, Kamikaze-san," Aizen replied.
Kamikaze Yui was still the Third Seat of the Fifth Squad. Over the past century, her hair had grown much longer. She kept it tied in a loose ponytail, which was slung over her left shoulder so it hung in front of her chest. Her zanpakuto was still strapped to her back and she developed a liking to keeping the sleeves of her Shinigami uniform rolled up to her elbows. However, she had also come to despise fighting, and hadn't been seen releasing her zanpakuto since the war with the group of human-beasts called the Minuit. Now, she always had a gentle and kind smile on her face, and she and Juushirou were the most popular couple in Seireitei.
"Please, Sousuke, just call me Yui," she reminded him with a small wave of her hand.
"If you insist...Yui-san."
"Right." Shinji clapped his hands together. "Thanks for the warnin', Yui. Sousuke and I'll get goin' now. Yer in charge 'til we get back."
"Got it," Yui answered as Shinji and Aizen left for the barracks of the First Division.
"Hello!" Shinji shouted at the great double doors, "Captain Hirako Shinji from the Fifth Squad over here! Could someone open the door?"
After a moment of silence, Shinji let out an exasperated sigh. "Sheesh, I hate it when we gotta go to the First Squad's barracks. It makes me nervous. That's why I never come here!"
"You certainly don't look like you're nervous," Aizen objected, "Please don't have a temper tantrum just because you're annoyed at having to come to the memorial."
"Shaddap!" Shinji snapped as the doors creaked open, "Ya can't even see my face from over there, Sousuke."
"The door's opened," Aizen pointed out, "Please go on in."
"Yeah, y...GAH!" Shinji grunted as a foot was shoved straight into his face. He went sailing past Aizen, slamming into the wall a couple yards away, as his attacker, Sarugaki Hiyori, landed on the ground triumphantly.
"'Sup, Dickhead Shinji!" she said loudly with a smirk on her face, "Your face was especially flat and easy for me ta stomp on today!"
Shinji got up, holding a hand to his bleeding nose. "Damn you, Hiyori!"
"What, I ain't gonna apologize!" Hiyori declared stubbornly.
"I haven't even said anything yet!"
A grin split Hiyori's face. "That means I really don't have to apologize!" Right after she finished speaking, the captain of the Seventh Division, Aikawa Love, appeared and cuffed her head. Aizen blinked in surprise.
"Say you're sorry, stupid!" Love snapped, "Man, you're such a...!"
"What's yer problem, Love?" Hiyori shouted, rubbing the sore spot on her head, "Ya think it's okay to go 'round smacking some other squad's lieutenant upside the head?"
"The Captain's not around, so someone has to keep an eye on you," Love retorted.
"Quit making it sound like I'm a kid!" Hiyori protested. She pointed at Shinji, "There ain't no reason for me to apologize to him! Just look at 'im! He pisses me off!" Shinji was currently making a very obscene face at the short, blonde lieutenant.
"Fine. Whatever." Love took hold of Hiyori's head and started to drag her back inside the First Squad's barracks.
"Lemme go!" As Hiyori struggled to get out of love's grip, Shinji ran forward a couple paces, continuing to taunt Hiyori by making the face.
Aizen, who had been watching the entire scene, chose now to say, "Captain, please stop instigating. Make sure to never make that face in front of our men."
"Is everyone here?"
"Pretty much."
"But the Eleventh Squad ain't here."
"He's playing hooky again."
"What?" Shinji grumbled, "I dunno who the 10th Kenpachi is, but he seems pretty dang laid back." He rubbed the back of his head. "Wonder how the hell a pig like him ever became a captain..."
"Captain!" Aizen protested.
"It couldn't be helped," Love said, "The Kenpachi has been the 11th Squad's captain for generations. That's how it's set up. If you want to place blame somewhere, blame the last Kenpachi who lost to him."
"Good point!" Shinji yawned, stretching his arms, "He was so boring, I yawned myself to tears!"
"What's this? I don't like it when I hear people speak ill of others behind their backs!" The arrival of a new person made the two captains, Aizen, and Hiyori turn their heads.
"Oh..." Shinji said as Kyouraku Shunsui, Ukitake Juushirou, and Yadomaru Lisa approached them.
"You're here pretty early today, aren't you, Shunsui-san?" Love noted.
"What are you talking about? I'm always the first one here," Shunsui replied.
Lisa stepped forward. "I grabbed his butt to wake him up today," she deadpanned.
Shunsui slumped forward. "Don't speak like that in front of the other captains," he admonished. Juushirou cast his glance to the squad tags that hung on the wall.
"I don't see Hikifune around," he remarked, "I guess she isn't coming here anymore."
Shunsui nodded. "It looks like she's already joined up with her new group."
"What a disappointment," Juushirou said as the seven of them walked down the hall, "It's not like we're in an emergency situation. She should have taken it a bit slower."
"You said it," Shunsui agreed.
"But ya know, we've been switchin' out captains one after another," Shinji said, "Rose just became the captain of the 3rd Squad two years ago. And now it's the 12th Squad. Are we gonna be okay?"
"Relax," Shunsui coaxed, "Everything has to change sooner or later. This is just one of those times. Come to think of it, Ukitake, Yama-ji, and I are the only ones who've been captains for over 100 years, right?"
"You forgot someone!" Juushirou reminded his friend, "Captain Unohana, remember?"
"Oh, that's right!" Shunsui exclaimed as they turned a corner, "She'd be livid if I forgot about her. Scary stuff."
"What's so scary?" Unohana's question made both Juushirou and Shunsui freeze in their tracks. Speak of the devil, they both thought.
"Uh...No, nothing!" Shunsui stammered, "We were just saying that the weather's so nice today that it's almost scary, right?" He gaze Juushirou a meaningful look.
"Y-Yeah," Juushirou quickly agreed. The two of them laughed nervously as Unohana approached them.
"My captain's such a dork," Lisa muttered.
"The 3rd Squad's captain died, and the 12th Squad's captain was promoted," Unohana said, "Even the 10th Squad's captain fell in the line of duty. Even so, we should be glad that things are peaceful."
"Promoted?" Aizen repeated, surprise evident in his voice.
"Hey, Sousuke!" Shinji started.
"My apologies! I overheard your conversation..." Aizen bowed.
"No, it's fine, Sousuke-kun. What is it?" Shunsui asked.
Aizen straightened up. "We lieutenants haven't been told anything about this. Is it true that the 12th Squad's Captain Hikifune got promoted and didn't retire?"
"That's right," Shunsui confirmed.
"A position higher than captain could only mean she's become part of the Central 46, right? But I've never heard of a captain getting promoted to Room 46 before..."
"It's not Room 46," Shunsui corrected, "She entered the Royal Guard, the Zero Squad."
Aizen's eyes widened to the size of yo-yos. "The Royal Guard?" he repeated disbelievingly.
"What's all this?" Someone interrupted their conversation, "Can I get through, please?"
The lieutenants turned around to see two captains behind them. "Our apologies," Aizen said.
Kuchiki Ginrei and Shihouin Yoruichi passed without a word, although Yoruichi gave the other captains a respectful nod as she walked by. Shinji watched Yoruichi as she walked away.
"Those two..." he muttered to himself.
A few days later, rumors of a new captain for the 12th Squad had spread around around Seireitei. When a captains' meeting was called, the rumors were only confirmed.
Muguruma Kensei, captain of the 9th Squad walked into the meeting room. "Apparently, we have a new captain. The old fart said to line up and wait for him," he told the other captains and lieutenants that were in the room.
Everyone got into their positions and waited. After a moment, the doors creaked open again to reveal a man with pale blonde hair standing there stupidly. As the other captains stared, Urahara Kisuke nervously rubbed the back of his head and said, "Uh, oh! Don't tell me I'm the last one to get here?"
"It looks like a real flake joined us," Shinji muttered to himself.
Indeed. Aizen studied the new captain warily.
"You're one to talk," Rose murmured to Shinji.
"Um, mind if I come in?" Kisuke asked, forgetting for a moment that he was a captain and therefore, should be going in.
"Quit screwing around!" Yoruichi ordered sharply, putting her hands on her hips, "You're a captain now! Come in with a little dignity, Kisuke."
"S-Sure..." Kisuke stuttered.
"That's right. Hurry up and get in!" Yamamoto had arrived behind Kisuke. The Soutaicho gave the 12th Squad's captain a sharp jab in the back with his cane, making Kisuke step into the room. Once Yamamoto entered the room himself, he stamped his cane into the floor.
"We shall now begin the welcoming ceremony for our newest member," he declared, "I believe that some of you have already heard about this, but seven days ago, Captain Hikifune Kirio from the 12th Squad was ordered to relinquish her post here so that she could be promoted. As such, the same day she was promoted we began searching for a new captain, and sent out notifications to each of you relaying as much. The following day, Captain Shihouin Yoruichi from the 2nd Squad nominated her 3rd Seat for the position, and I had him brought to me. Yesterday I, Yamamoto Genryuusai, along with three other captains, held the Captain Qualification Exam to see if he was worthy of this position. We determined that both his knowledge and personality were acceptable. As such, former 3rd Seat of the 2nd Squad, Urahara Kisuke, is now the new captain for the 12th Squad."