Reign Over Me
Chapter 21: Tea with Retsu
Deputy Chief Physician Isane Kotetsu did not fear her superior. She was simply very respectful of the woman. There was not an order that Retsu Unohana would give that Isane would not follow. It was not for fear of being reprimanded. It was that Unohana had been nothing but kind. Such kindness was almost too good to be true. Isane would do anything for her superior. That was why Isane was at the 4th Tower and Hospital after hours, sleeping on top of a stack of her boss' paperwork. She was just the type of subordinate who did things of that nature.
"Isane, why are you still here?" Unohana's voice came from Isane's office door.
Isane sat up off her desk, picking up her pen and looking down at the unfinished paperwork. She tried to discreetly wipe the drool from her lip with her sleeve. Unohana smiled and entered the office. Isane looked up at her.
"I have paperwork to finish, chief. It's very important that I finish it toni..." Isane paused as a small hand touched hers. She looked up at Unohana.
"Isane, it is late. If you do not leave, I will be forced to ORDER you to leave. You would not want that, would you?" Unohana asked. Isane shook her head fervently. "Then go on home. I'm sure Kiyone is waiting up for you." Unohana turned and left the office.
Isane sighed and stood. She always told her younger sister not to wait up for her. Still, the talkative girl always did. She would find Kiyone asleep at the kitchen table when she came home on late nights. Isane grabbed her jacket and headed out.
"Good night, Chief Uno..." She paused as she passed Unohana's office. Her superior was standing by the large window in her office, staring out it. "Chief Unohana?" Isane stepped inside. Unohana did not move. "Chief Uno..."
"Isane, hurry home. I will see you bright and early." Unohana turned and gave her a smile. Isane stared at her for a moment before nodding.
"Yes, chief. Good night."
"Good night, Isane."
As Isane hurried out of the 4th Tower, she felt an odd pressure surround her. She knocked into the side of the building, struggling to stay on her feet. Then she saw feet in front of her. She looked up and saw Aizen standing before her. He was alone and looking down at her with the same smile he always wore. He reached down for her.
"Deputy Chief Kotetsu, are you all right?" he asked. Isane stared apprehensively at his hand before taking it. He helped her to her feet.
"Yes. Thank you, my lord," she said, finally able to regain her breath.
"Is Retsu still in?" Aizen asked.
Isane had a feeling that he already knew the answer to that question. Why was he asking her? However, she steeled herself and nodded.
"She is. Chief Unohana is in her office. That is where I left her," Isane said. Aizen nodded.
"Thank you, deputy chief. Be safe on your walk home," he said as he passed her.
"Thank you..." Isane watched as he passed her. She suddenly had the urge to run as fast as possible to her apartment.
Unohana was sipping fresh tea when Aizen arrived at the door to her office. She calmly sat her tea down when he did not enter immediately. She stared at the door, an eyebrow raised. Finally, she picked her tea back up and took a sip.
"How long are you going to stand out there, Sosuke? I do not have all night. It is very late," Unohana said in a tired, nonchalant voice. Aizen came around to face her. She gave him a very lazy eye before gesturing to the tea. "I made your favorite."
"Thank you, Retsu. I do so appreciate it." Aizen took a seat across from her. "You know why I'm here." He said it like a statement but she replied as if it were a question.
"Of course. How could I not?" Unohana sat her teacup down. "I am a hindrance."
"You are no such thing, Retsu. If you would just cooperate with me, life would be so much better for you. You would not even have to work here," Aizen said. "You are above healing the wounded and sick."
"Flattery will get you nowhere with me, Sosuke. You should have learned that after all these years. Besides, if I do not run the Fourth, who will? No one has that healing touch like I do." Unohana picked up one of her cookies. "And I am an encumbrance to whatever it is that you are doing. Do you know how I know this?"
"Indulge me, Retsu."
"Simple, Sosuke. You would not be here if I wasn't. You know I am the only person who can see through you. I pose a problem to you and your plans. A person like me who can willingly reject you is dangerous. Why? Because I can take people along with me," Unohana said. She bit into her cookie and looked at Aizen.
Aizen considered the woman before him. Retsu Unohana was the only person resistant to Kyoka Suigetsu. He did not know how or why, either. All he knew was that his power had no effect on her whatsoever. It helped that Unohana was powerful in her own right. There was one other person that Aizen had a suspicion that Kyoka Suigetsu did not work on: Shinji Hirako. He did not have proof like he did for Unohana but he had the sneaking suspicion that there was far more to Shinji than what he seemed.
"You have gone awfully quiet, Sosuke. Why?" Unohana asked in her soft voice.
It almost sickened Aizen how she spoke to him sometimes. He wished she would yell or sound spiteful. She never sounded sarcastic or anything. She said everything in the softest and kindest of voices. Her facial expression sometimes changed but she always sounded...
... kind, he thought.
"No reason, Retsu," Aizen said.
"So, tell me what you are going to do, Sosuke. I am quite interested in knowing. Surely you, the great Lord Aizen, do not fear me. I am but a woman," Unohana said.
"They say of all the creatures in all of creation that the human female is the most deceptive and cunning of them all." Aizen sat his tea down. "A woman of your intellect, caliber, and prestige is a woman I should never underestimate, Retsu. I'm sure you understand that. However, you may prove to be of some use to me one day."
"How odd. I could have sworn that the serpent," Unohana looked at Aizen and smiled, "was the most cunning and deceptive." Aizen smirked and stood. He was starting to get that heavy feeling that many got when being in Unohana's presence. He could see in her eyes that she was doing it intentionally. He approached her slowly to avoid falling under her power. Unohana looked up at him as he stopped in front of her.
"If I'm not mistaken, both took part in man's fall from grace. That would make both equally as cunning and deceptive." Aizen leaned down to her. Unohana turned her head as he placed a kiss on her cheek. He drew back away from her and she looked at him, her eyes spouting hellfire at him. "Even while angry you still can't twist that beautiful face into a frown."
"It takes fewer muscles to smile," Unohana said as she flashed him a small grin. Aizen smirked and turned to leave, picking up a cookie on his way.
"Oh, Retsu," he turned when he arrived at the door, "thanks for the tea."
Unohana sat quietly for a moment. She fought the urge to take the teacup that Aizen had been using and throw it against the wall. Instead, she rose from her seat, picked up the teacup, and deposited it in the trash. She dusted off her hands and smiled.
I feel better already, she thought.
Aizen walked down the street, eating Unohana's cookie. He felt significantly better after being in her presence. Something about that woman's aura was... abnormal. How did she manage to do that to everyone around her? It was no wonder she incited fear in practically everyone. Aizen came to a stop next to an alley.
"Do you think I should just leave her alone for now," Aizen turned his head to the left, "Gin?"
The head of the 3rd Authority stepped out of the shadows. He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly while scratching his head.
"Chief Four is a myst'ry ta me, mah lord. As a matter of fact, all women besides Ran are. Dunno why ya so worried 'bout Chief Four anyway. She's such a sweet lady. Wha' 'arm could she possibly do?" Gin asked. Aizen laughed as he started to walk again. Gin smiled and followed after him. "Don' tell me ya scared of Chief Four, too, mah lord. Then ya'd be jus' like the rest of us mere mortals," he said. Aizen shook his head.
"It is not Retsu I fear, Gin. I fear her wrath in and of itself. There is a saying for women like Retsu."
"Wha's that?"
"Heaven hath no rage like a love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned," Aizen answered. He heard Gin chuckle behind him.
"What did ya do ta Chief Four, mah lord? Sweet lady like that couldn' hurt a fly," Gin said.
"Gin, never underestimate the power of a woman; an angry one at that."
AN: Short, yes I know. But, it was only supposed to be the conversation between Aizen and Unohana. So, I'll make it up to you all in the next chapter. :)