Chapter 51: Peace be Damned

*Hold on folks because it's downhill from here.

The Serene Dancer, I'm glad you hate Aizen even more and feel bad for Nami and Isao. It shows that I'm doing something right with this story. I figured since Aizen's shikai controlled all the senses it could also control the sense that senses reiatsu. So he could make it seem like the Quincies did it. And what happens to Kagayaki in this chapter is just the start of her fate.

Please review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, just the OCs.*


"Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be achieved through understanding. " ~Ralph Waldo Emerson


Dawn broke on a misleadingly peaceful day. The sky was a picturesque blue and the sun warmly cast its light. To anyone else it looked like the day would be calm and perfect.

But not for the captains of the Gotei 13.

It was a day for war.

Nami Kenpachi strode to the meeting hall with strong sure steps. Anyone looking at her could clearly see that she was on a war path and, those that valued their lives, quickly got out of said path. Today she would get her revenge on the white clothed bastards that took Yuya away from her.

They would die and not just the ones that took his life but all of them.

Arriving at the hall she slotted herself in her usual spot in the line-up. She didn't acknowledge or even look at Kagayaki as she walked past Nami to stand in her own spot. If this war had been started in any other way then Nami might have been inclined to agree and help Kagayaki keep war from happening altogether.

But it started this way and Nami was going to end it along with the lives of every Quincy she saw.

She wasn't about to sacrifice her chance at revenge by talking about making peace with them like Kagayaki wanted. The two women had always held different view points on different matters but it had never affected them of their friendship like this before. Kagayaki felt saddened and hurt by Nami's actions even if she did understand her reasons behind them.

The Gotei was about maintaining balance and Kagayaki believed that maintaining peace fell in there too. This isn't right. There must be a better way, she thought fretfully.

Yamamoto slammed his staff, silencing all conversations and drawing attention to him.

"This shall be a solemn and infamous day for us all," he began. "The Quincy can no longer be reasoned with peacefully. Their hunting methods are threatening the balance of souls and they have killed members of our own with no provocation. The only effective action we can take, that we must take, is war."

Peacefully? Since when did you ever try talking to them peacefully, Father? Did you do so and not tell me? Kagayaki wondered. It would be odd if he had. Her father told her almost everything that happened. He even trusted her enough to tell her how her mother had really died...

"...Captains Kuchiki and Kagayaki Yamamoto you two shall take your troops to the south of China and—"

"No."

It was firm and sharp and it came from Kagayaki.

Everyone started and looked at her in stunned silence even the Head Captain. The one person who followed Yamamoto's orders to the letter was saying no to him? Aside from the Quincies wanting war had Hell also frozen over?

"I beg your pardon? What did you say?" The Head Captain growled. "Are you refusing a direct order? This is war you cannot—"

"Yes, I am refusing your order. I said no. I refuse to have any part of this," she said in a tone that brokered no argument.

The old man's red eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. It killed Kagayaki to do this, to defy her father. She loved him and she knew how much he loved and favored her. But she wasn't about to sacrifice thousands of innocent human lives to appease him.

"You all have your orders, you're dismissed," he kept his eyes on Kagayaki as he said this.

The captains filed out silently. Nami didn't spare a glance at her (former?) friend as she hustled past. Takehiko tried to linger and watch but Taiki moved him along. Oh how he wished he could see his precious sister get reprimanded by their father. It would be the first time in Takehiko's memory that she was being punished. Kagayaki had always been the favored child, the golden one who could do no wrong.

Well, she had certainly done wrong now. Protesting their father's order was as wrong as one could get. He hoped she would be executed for it.

The door seemed to thunder ominously as the last person who walked out closed it behind them. Silence hung between father and daughter like a thick pall.

"I do not know what has gotten into you but you will cease this rebellious behavior and follow your orders," He said it as both her father and commanding officer.

Kagayaki had been taught how to be strong both on and off the battlefield. She looked at her father, "Not unless you rescind the order to exterminate the Quincies. This all seems so wrong. Do we know with absolute certain that it was the Quincies?"

"I saw the bodies. I saw the wounds, I felt the Quincy reiatsu, and I trust the eye-witness account of your Tenth Seat. This should have been done long ago before anyone had to lose their lives—"

"But people are going to lose their lives for certain now!" Kagayaki interrupted. "Father, please listen to me! Genocide is not the answer! It goes against everything we stand for! We're supposed to protect them, not kill them!"

"Silence yourself! This is to preserve the balance. That takes precedence over a few humans," he said with controlled authority.

"But they're a part of the balance! Destroying them will be defeating the purpose of preserving it. And what do you define as a 'few humans', Father? You're talking about killing hundreds perhaps thousands!" She continued to bellow. "If the other two Head Captains were able to come to an agreement with the Quincies in their respective territories, then why can't we?"

He just couldn't get her to see the necessity of this action. Despite her belief he wasn't all that pleased about going to war with a bunch of spiritually aware humans.

"You will follow your orders and—"

"No, I won't. I know what is right and I know what is wrong, Father. You taught me that. I will not take part in this bloody sham. This isn't a war... this is a massacre and you know it," her green eyes flashed challengingly.

He knew he had no choice. She may be his daughter but she was also a soldier, and a soldier who refused to follow orders must be punished.

"Is this some sort of late-blooming act of rebellion of yours? Or are you actually admitting to committing treason by not following your orders?" he growled in a manner that would make most men freeze in terror or run.

But she defiantly stood her ground and stared him down, "If you want to label following my conscience as treason, then fine."

If he acted now he could save her from a far worse fate that Central 46 would give her. At worst they would sentence her to be executed via the Sōkyoku. Her soul would be vaporized and taken out of the cycle of reincarnation, forever being lost to him. At best she would be stripped of her powers and banished to the Living World. He refused to risk taking either chance so he made a decision, one that he hoped would allow him to keep his daughter when all of this was over.

"I will give you one last chance to follow orders. If you again choose not to I will be forced to act," he stated gravely.

Kagayaki didn't flinch, "I stand by what I said. I will not take part in this malevolent war. Do what you will."

In hindsight it may have been more effective for Kagayaki to bow down now and try to help the Quincies in a subtle successful way instead of outright challenging her father. But right at that moment she wasn't thinking what was best for ahead. She wasn't thinking at all but feeling.

She felt anger at her father jumping into war so quickly with little provocation. She felt helpless in trying to sway him to take a different course of action. She felt dismayed at the (very) possible loss of her friendship with Nami.

"Very well," Yamamoto said gravely. "Captain Kagayaki Yamamoto you are hereby stripped of your rank and shall be placed in the Maggots Nest until such a time that you are seen fit enough to follow orders and be a proper captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

Ten black clad members of the Onmitsukido appeared suddenly and silently. They were crouched all around them and Kagayaki wasn't fool enough to think she could beat them all and escape. There would be no point. It was best for all if she went quietly.

She held up her hand, "I'll go quietly and with no fight if you allow me one small concession. Please."

Yamamoto stared at her hard for a few seconds. Finally he waved his hand in an unspoken dismissal to the silent soldiers. They departed just as quickly and quietly as they came.

"What concession is it that you are asking me to allow?" His voice was a curious sounding growl.

"That I pick my successor. I have someone in mind and I would… like to tell him personally," Kagayaki's voice had softened at the last part.

When she was a child Yamamoto could never bring himself to deny her anything or at least for long. It had been centuries since she had been a little girl but now that was all he could see. He didn't see an adult woman or a captain, but his little girl politely asking for something.

He closed his ancient eyes. He had to stop looking at her like that. She wasn't a child and he couldn't agree to special requests just because she was his daughter. Still…

"Who did you have in mind?"


Shinji Hirako had only heard rumors about the Maggots Nest. He never thought in his wildest dreams (or perhaps nightmares would be more accurate) that he would actually go there.

It wasn't because he was being arrested instead his captain was and she requested to see him before she was locked away. He found that he couldn't think or feel anything other than mounting fear and anxiety. He fought to keep his emotions in check and from appearing on his face or body.

The young lieutenant knew why she was being sent here. She refused the direct order to go to war with the Quincies. Shinji didn't know much about them other than they were spiritually aware humans who could hunt Hollows.

And apparently Soul Reapers too, as Lieutenant Fujiwara and his team proved.

All of them except that nerdy twerp Aizen. I guess the Quincies found him too much trouble to kill, he thought.

He now found himself in a shaded secluded area with an iron door just a few feet ahead. His captain stood there in a white robe with her haori draped over her arm. She looked so different and strange garbed in a simple white robe. He was too used to seeing her either in her black uniform or a colorful, fancy kimono. The simple outfit made her look washed out and a little frail.

The Head Captain was standing beside her. The old man might not look like much but Shinji could feel some of the awesome power he harbored, faintly radiating off of him. He tried not to gulp and hoped he wasn't noticeably sweating.

"Shinji," his captain's soft voice snapped his attention to her. She stepped up to him and gracefully drew out her haori and draped it over his shoulders.

He touched the robe and looked up at her with horror at what this meant. "You can't… I mean… I can't… Captain…"

She held up a slim hand, "I'm not the captain Shinji, you are. I can't run a Division while incarcerated. I'm appointing you as the Fifth Division's new captain."

"But… But I don't even have Bankai," he protested. It was a lie but he prayed she didn't know that.

She smiled, it was nostalgic and melancholic, "I know you have Bankai. Sakanade had bragged about it to Kitsune and I could feel the change in your reiatsu. It feels stronger and more defined. Shinji, I know you have what it takes. You will do well."

"But…" He stammered. This couldn't be happening. There was no way his clean-cut captain was being thrown in jail and he was being named her replacement. He wasn't ready for this, Bankai or not.

Kagayaki placed her hands gently on his shoulders leaned forward. Her words were as faint as her breath on his ear, "Help them in any way you can. They don't deserve this."

The guards pulled her away from him and she went with no resistance. The lieutenant, now captain, watched as the guards escorted her through the steel door. She cast one last look at him over her shoulder, peaceful and resigned.


"I can't believe this is happening."

"It's happening, Juu. We all hoped it wouldn't but it is."

Lieutenants Kyoraku and Ukitake were walking together in the Eighth Division. They had received word less than an hour ago that the Gotei was going to war with the Quincies. The two young men knew tensions had been percolating between the two sides but they had naively hoped it wouldn't erupt into war.

"Lieutenant Kyoraku!" The pair turned to see two young ladies run up to them, the Third and Fourth Seats of the Eighth.

The Third Seat was an attractive lady with long blonde hair loosely tied back. She had soft ash gray eyes and a gentle demeanor. A bit of a contrast to the Fourth Seat. She had black hair in a short braid over one shoulder. Her sharp teal eyes were hidden behind simple red glasses.

"Haruka, Lisa, how nice to see you lovely ladies," Kyoraku flittered.

Haruka blushed and Lisa just rolled her eyes. The latter was the one to speak, "Is it true that we're at war now? We got the message but we didn't think…"

"We didn't believe it was true," Haruka finished quietly.

Ukitake looked to the ground. He hated the idea of killing in a war. Even more, he hated the idea of someone as sweet and caring as Haruka having to kill. Hollows were one thing, actual Humans were another.

Kyoraku looked at them with uncharacteristic graveness, "Yes, it's true. They killed Lieutenant Fujiwara and most of his team. Personally I think this is an excuse for the Head Captain to finally kill the Quincies."

"Shunsui," Ukitake whispered warningly.

His friend looked at him innocently, "What? Don't tell me you didn't think the same thing."

He sighed, "Yes but… this isn't really the time. I need to get back to the Thirteenth. Yadomaru, Amano, please be safe."

"And you as well Lieutenant Ukitake," Haruka replied sincerely.

He blushed and disappeared with a swift use of shunpo. Lisa rolled her eyes and shook her head at the obvious display of puppy love between those two. Kyoraku scratched the back of his neck. If we live through this I'm going to get them to admit their feelings for each other. There is nothing sadder than two people who love each other won't admit the love they have for each other.


(Living World, Japan)

She waited until night had fallen. It was long, painfully slow hours until the sun had set and the moon had risen in its place. The darkness would hide the bodies and blood that would be left in their wake with only the moon to act as witness to the shrouded slaughter.

They arrived at the largest Quincy settlement in Japan. Nami had ordered them not to attack until she gave the order. She and a small team descended upon the town first, she found the town hall where their council of leaders would be gathered at this time of night.

Nami wasn't one for using spies to help in her battles but she was willing to put aside that dislike.

She violently kicked the door down and sauntered in gasps and cries of outrage coming from them.

One pompous old geezer had the audacity to stand up and challenge her, "How dare you come in here, Soul Reaper! What is the meaning of this? !"

"Sit your fat ass down!" Nami barks and the man wisely obeys. "You have killed a group of our own with no provocation and you are a threat to the balance of souls. Therefore, by order of the Gotei 13 you, the Quincy race, are to be exterminated."

Her men flew past her and descended upon the hapless individuals like vultures going after freshly dead carcasses.

Nami didn't join them. She stood and watched, her eyes and cracked heart devoid of all emotion. The female Kenpachi wanted to save her strength for when they hit China. There she would likely find the true culprits who killed Yuya and she would return their crime in kind.


*As you can see things are slowly worsening. If you forgot, Haruka Amano is Naomi's mother.

Please review. I'll post again March 6th.*