Shattered Realms
By Eduard Kassel and MJLCoyoteStarrk
Chapter 6: Hero's Requiem
"How long has she been in here?" Ichigo asked as he looked at the small space that was Tatsuki's office.
"She's been here since she was promoted to Lieutenant of course! Some of the Squads do these kinds of hazing things," Rangiku answered from her perch on the table in the hallway. She was somehow able to avoid knocking the vase over despite how much of the table she was sprawled out on.
"Are you just going to lay there or are you actually going to help?" Captain Izuru Kira muttered. "And why am I here anyways?"
The men stood inside the storage closet turned office. They weren't quite side-by-side due to the small space. Ichigo looked at the desk and wondered how they had been able to fit the damn thing in here and how they would get it out.
"Aw, don't be like that, Izuru," Rangiku whined. "I thought you wanted to help us."
"Why would I? I barely even know the girl. And address me as 'Captain Kira'. Honestly, how you ever became a Lieutenant is beyond me," Kira said.
"Well you need to get out more. And who has more experience with heavy objects than you? Now, be a man and move a lady's furniture," Rangiku insisted as she took a swig from her sake bottle.
Ichigo shook his head. He looked at the cramped quarters that Tatsuki had, for some reason he could never really understand, actually tolerated.
Hell, forget tolerated, she seems to have prospered in it, he thought. I wonder what she'll do when she comes back and finds out she's actually been using a closet as an office for decades.
"You know," Rangiku said, "a lot of people will be awfully upset. We were placing bets on how long she would stay in here before she found out that this wasn't even supposed to be her office. A few bet that she would never figure it out."
"Well, you can start a new pool," Ichigo said, rolling his eyes. "You can start placing bets on how long it takes for Tatsuki to find her new office."
"Let's just get this over with. Kurosaki, take that side," Kira moaned as he gestured to the desk.
They both moved forward a step and stopped when they realized they had a problem. The narrow space to each side of the desk, while wide enough to move around in, wouldn't really give them enough room to really move the desk. Ichigo moved behind the desk and pushed Tatsuki's chair away while Izuru got in front. They were able to pick it up and get it to a slight angle. They moved the desk closer to the door before they realized they had another problem.
"Stop. Stop. Stop. Shit, it's not going to fit," Ichigo moaned when he saw how wide the door was versus how wide the desk was.
"We'll have to swing it," Kira said as he looked over his shoulder.
Rangiku grinned like the Cheshire Cat as she watched them labor to move the desk lengthwise. She realized the truth of the situation long before they did.
"DAMN IT!" Ichigo yelled when he noticed it. "It's still too wide."
"Well…how did it even get in here?"
"Maybe they assembled it in here. I don't know. Let's…let's try a different angle," Ichigo said as he looked at the desk legs.
"COME ON, YOU CAN DO IT!" Rangiku cheered. "YOU'RE MEN! THIS IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE! NOW SHOW THAT FURNITURE WHO'S BOSS!"
"Why don't you jump in and help?" Ichigo asked.
"What are you talking about? I am helping. You won't find a hotter cheerleader to help keep you pumped." She smiled at them.
"Don't bother. It's pointless. OK, let's try tilting it. Maybe we can ease it through," Izuru said.
The two lifted up the desk and tilted it to the side. Drawers fell out and their contents scattered across the floor. The two men exchanged looks while Rangiku nearly choked on her sake for having to suppress a peal of laughter.
"Uh…maybe we should have emptied the desk first," Kira muttered.
"Yeah," Ichigo moaned as he looked at the items.
"Well don't just stand there," Rangiku said as she pointed at them and then at the floor. "Clean it up."
"Don't make me sick Kiyone on you, Matsumoto," Ichigo warned as he stooped to pick-up as much of the debris he could from the floor.
He grabbed a mostly empty drawer and dumped the paper and pens into it, leaving the wrappers for the cleaning detail. He noticed that one drawer was still in place because it had been locked.
That must be where she keeps her important papers and her candy, Ichigo thought, smiling. He knew that Tatsuki had a sweet tooth, but she never went too overboard with her snacking.
"Hmm…interesting," Kira muttered as he inspected part of the floor.
Ichigo and Rangiku straightened at the sound of a latch being unfastened and a trap door being pushed aside. Rangiku draped herself across the desk top to get a better look. Her…assets hung over the edge. All three looked down into the secret crawl space through the trap door and at Tatsuki's secret treasure trove.
"That…is a lot of sweets," Izuru said.
"I knew that she had a sweet tooth, but this…"
"Looks like someone needs a better handle on their vices," Rangiku chided as she emptied her sake bottle. Izuru and Ichigo looked at her, scowling. She saw their faces. "What?"
"Never mind," Ichigo moaned and looked at Izuru. "So…what do we do with this? If Yachiru gets a hold of it…"
"I know," Izuru said, shuddering at the mere thought of Yachiru on a sugar rush.
"Isn't it obvious? WE HAVE A PARTY! The kids will make short of it and I can…. Ooh! Are those Twinkies?" she cheered as she weighed the loot with her eyes.
Hueco Mundo
Tatsuki stopped in her tracks. Reiatsu flared around her in nearly visible purple sparks.
"Uh…what's wrong?" Ikkaku asked as the others stopped behind her.
"Rangiku," she growled. "I just had the sudden urge to smother her in her own chest."
"That would be an anatomical impossibility," Nemu said monotonously.
Squad 2 Lieutenant's Barracks
Rangiku took another Twinkie from the opened box at the top of the pile she was carrying. Ichigo, who was carrying Tatsuki's office chair, looked over at Izuru who was being forced to carry a large box filled with what must have been about a ton of various candies and snacks they had found in Tatsuki's secret cache. Ichigo sighed as Rangiku finished the Twinkie and was about to take another from the box, smiling at the taste of the completely artificial treat.
"You do realize that what you're doing is frowned upon by society, right?" Ichigo asked.
"What are you talking about?" Rangiku asked, giving her cutest, most innocent, puppy-dog look that tended to cause Captain Hitsugaya to throw up his hands in surrender. The effect was spoiled by her subsequently eating the entire Twinkie in one bite.
"Well, you do realize that those snacks don't belong to you, right?"
"Huh?"
"I think that what Captain Kurosaki is trying to say is that this is technically stealing. No, actually this is pretty much just stealing," Izuru said.
"Aw, don't be ridiculous. That girl needs to cut back before her butt balloons. So, we're doing her a favor. Also this is payment for moving her stuff."
"But you didn't help," Izuru pointed out as he and Rangiku walked out of the office.
Ichigo knew that it wouldn't do any good to try to argue with Rangiku. He sighed as he walked into Tatsuki's actual office. It was a lot more spacious than the closet she had been using. It looked freshly dusted as well. They hadn't done that.
I guess Sui-Feng kept it ready to be inhabited.
He remembered that Squad 5 had done something similar to him when he first became an officer. But instead of a broom cupboard, they put his office in a toilet stall. He couldn't help but chuckle at the memory of seeing the desk in front of the toilet and a small bookcase in one corner of the stall complete with a fake office plant.
Kiyone had caught the expression on his face with her camera. Even after all of these years copies of that photo were still floating around.
He set the chair down behind the desk and straightened the IN-OUT boxes that were on either ends of the desk. He looked at the spacious office trying to think of what kind of things to get to brighten up the place. He had a feeling that Tatsuki wouldn't like anything with cats on it.
He turned around to walk out of the office and nearly jumped out of his skin. Captain Sui-Feng was standing right in front of the desk, looking at him.
"Damn it, Sui-Feng, how long have you been standing there?"
"I would appreciate it if you refer to me as Captain Sui-Feng, Captain Kurosaki. We may be peers, but I'm a bit strict when it comes to proper etiquette. I see that you decided to surprise Lieutenant Arisawa by putting her things where they properly belong."
"I'm surprised that you didn't tell her sooner."
Sui-Feng shrugged. He hated that high collar of hers that she used to cover her lower face. He found that it gave her an even better poker face.
"I decided it was best not to. I wouldn't want her to maim more than half of Squad 2. Plus, once she adjusted, she became far more efficient than I expected. Although…" She turned her gaze to the door. "…I don't think she would appreciate it if she found out that her friends found one of her hidden caches and plundered it without her permission."
"Yeah, well…wait…did you say, 'one of her hidden caches'? How many does she have?"
"It's hard to say. I've only found two of her caches and I suspect she has more. I haven't really performed a detailed search as it doesn't impact her performance."
"You're exaggerating. There's no way that Tatsuki is that obsessed with sweets."
Sui-Feng looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
"How do you know, Captain Kurosaki?"
"Come on. I know Tatsuki well enough to know that she wouldn't horde enough sweets to feed a battalion of Yachirus."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Of course I'm sure. I've known her since we were kids back in the World of the Living."
"I see. And…how many times have you interacted with her here, in the Soul Society?"
Ichigo was about to open his mouth to answer and stopped. The realization struck him. He had not interacted with Tatsuki as much as before because…
…because of what happened, he thought.
"I've known her since we were kids," he said, able to maintain some level of confidence. "She's one of the closest friends I've ever had or ever will have. We made a promise to each other to always be friends."
Sui-Feng felt something flinch inside her. Unease grew in her at those words. She could sense their sincerity. She had known that Ichigo had some bond of friendship with Tatsuki while they lived. But she had no idea that it was that strong. Envy swelled in her at this unwelcome revelation.
"That may be, but I've been her mentor ever since she got out of the Academy more than 150 years ago. And the bond of mentor and pupil is much more powerful."
Ichigo looked at her in surprise. The raised collar hid her lower face from him, but he somehow knew that she was smirking at him. His anger flared at first, but as the fact behind her words sank in it faded. He felt an icy chill flow through his blood.
"What are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying that you're nothing more than a childhood friend who only reconnected with her as an adult. From what I've seen you only interact with her slightly more than the Captains and Lieutenants you have befriended in your time in the Soul Society. What does that say about you?"
"If you're suggesting that I don't care…" Ichigo nearly snarled.
"I never said that. I know that you care for Tatsuki's well-being. But you weren't the one who helped her along the way. I did. I'm the mother who guided her into becoming the person she is today. I'm the one who helped her to replace the scared little school girl caught out of her depth with the fierce warrior she is today. What did you do, despite being given opportunities to help her in her development? You did nothing. You did nothing even while she lived and not after Aizen snuffed out her mortal life. As I understand it, you simply dropped her off at the Academy and ran off to your next escapade.
"What kind of friend would do that? Do you think that Tatsuki still sees you as being as being a reliable friend, especially one at the caliber you claim to be?"
Ichigo felt her words hit him like a barrage of bricks. He was ready to deny it, but he realized that it was nothing but the naked truth. He had been a mess after the War, and there had still been so much going on. He thought that Tatsuki was safe in the Academy and focused on the aftermath and keeping the Gotei and Arrancar from starting up another war.
How many times had he ever seen her or at least made any kind of contact with her before she disappeared into Squad 2's reclusive training programs for even more decades? The answer was damning.
He remembered his visit to Orihime in Denver and felt nausea fall on him.
Oh gods…did I drive Tatsuki away as well? Did I really isolate my closest friend to where she no longer sees me in the same light she did before? Whenever I talked with her she seemed the same, but…but what if I was only deceiving myself? I mean, I did fail Orihime and…and…I…I'm responsible for what happened that day.
Sui-Feng felt a pang of guilt when she saw Ichigo's face. She could tell that something was bothering him. But she saw him as a threat to keep her newly defined bond with Tatsuki from growing stronger. Tatsuki was the only person in her lonely life with whom she felt she could be completely honest since Yoruichi left the Soul Society.
And she was afraid that Ichigo would take her away from her. The orange-haired Captain had many connections. He was open in ways she could never hope to be with people. It wasn't fair for him to have Tatsuki as well. If he took her away then she would be all alone again.
"I know that I've been a shitty friend," Ichigo finally said. "But I know that Tatsuki…Tatsuki will never really hate me."
"I know that as well," Sui-Feng said, noting the uncertainty in his voice. "But you need to realize that the Tatsuki you know is different from the Tatsuki I know. And I know her better than you because I'm her mentor and I helped to shape her into the woman she is today. That makes my bond with her stronger than yours."
Ichigo didn't answer. Instead he walked towards the door. Sui-Feng saw the way his shoulders slumped and how his eyes could not meet hers. She did nothing to stop him. When he was gone, she sighed and looked at Tatsuki's empty desk.
Did I go too far?
She wished she had her "Porcupine" there to ask. But instead, she could only ask herself.
Squad 5 Barracks
Ichigo stood on the long balcony that overlooked the Southern Training Yard. The members of his squad were engaged in Kido combat drills. The wind picked up and he felt the haori move in the current. It seemed to have become heavier these days. And with Sui-Feng's words weighing down on him as well, he felt as though he was at the bottom of a deep sea, being crushed under the weight of all that water.
He shook his head, trying to free himself of that tremendous burden. All of this strange introspection reminded him of the old days when he had first gained his Shinigami powers and all of the troubles it brought.
The men and women below him were, for the most part, younger than him. He wondered when that had happened. It didn't seem that long ago that he was a reason-defying rookie, eager to rush into combat and to show off his own skills. Yet, time had passed since then and he felt much older than he should be.
I'll have to ask Toshiro about how he handled this sensation, he thought.
He shook his head and focused on a boy with long brown hair trying to practice Kido. It seemed as though the only thing his Kido was doing was exploding on him. He couldn't recall the guy's name, but he was definitely like Renji when it came to Kido. But he remembered that the kid had good skills when it came to using a Zanpakuto. Ichigo was starting to consider sending him to Squad 11 for a time like Renji had been to strengthen those skills.
Still, it was clear that the kid's morale was not doing well under all of this persistent failure. The guy was kicking at the hard-packed dirt as he left the ring to the next pair of sparring partners.
Well, I guess it's time for that patented Kurosaki touch to get him to relax, he thought.
Ichigo leapt over the railing and plummeted to the dirt below. He landed as though it was no big deal to jump the 30 feet and a cloud of dust rose around his feet. Several of the nearest men looked surprised at his entrance. Most of them were knocked to the ground for being so readily distracted.
"Well, I must say that wasn't exactly an honorable thing to do," Ichigo said as he looked over the scene. "I mean, knocking out an opponent when they're distracted."
"We apologize, Captain Kurosaki," the victors shouted as they bowed.
"Eh, don't worry about it. You shouldn't be narrow-minded in battle as I've told you several times. But honorable battle is what sets us apart from Hollows and other bad guys.
"Still, there is a lesson here and that is…when you're in a fight focus on the fight.
"That is unless you have civilians you also have to protect." He paused at that last. He didn't know why he had said it. He shook his head. "But that's a different matter…
"Anyways, just go ahead and get them some water," he said and pointed at the still-dazed rookies on the ground, "and carry on."
They rushed to obey his commands as he walked on. The others were more attentive to their activities as he walked between the rings. It wasn't unusual for a Captain to observe the training exercises to ensure that everything was running according to their orders. And those who had long since gotten used to his presence were not likely to get flustered and make mistakes. He figured that once they got used to him being there, watching their every move, then they would not be as likely to get distracted in an actual battle.
He saw that most of those in the Training Yard were mostly newer recruits. He could easily pick out the veterans from other units who were assisting some of the seated officers here since they were not always glancing at him from the corner of their eyes.
The price of being a hero, he thought in disgust. Still, it does have its perks.
Ichigo heard a drum being beaten from somewhere nearby and the drills stopped.
Ah, break time, he thought.
The order broke down relatively quickly. Most of the recruits trailed off with their buddies, congratulating each other or launching taunts at each other. But it was bonding. He didn't repress his smile at the easy camaraderie. In fact, he encouraged it since they would have to rely on each other in a battle and that sense of camaraderie strengthened their ability to trust in each other. Others were held back to talk to the Seated Officers on various areas where they needed to improve and setting appointments for practice sessions.
"Ah, Captain Kurosaki, we did not expect you here today," his Third Seat, Minazuki, said as he walked up to him.
"Yeah, I got back from Squad 2 a bit early and decided to stop by. I guess Kiyone is still smoldering over the paperwork," he said as he looked over the balding man.
Minazuki seemed to get the message. Ichigo was going somewhere. So, he stepped aside and fell into pace beside him.
"I trust everything is to your satisfaction?"
"Yeah, they all seem to be doing well. At least the newer recruits aren't tripping over their feet whenever I'm here anymore and that's good. I wanted to talk to that long-haired guy. You know, the one who keeps blowing himself up."
"Ah, do you mean Shiba, Sir?"
"Shiba? I know Ganju doesn't have kids. When did Kukaku get married?" Ichigo asked, startled.
Minazuki cleared his throat and seemed to be thinking of what to say.
"Well…she isn't married, Sir. But the boy is hers."
"I see."
So, he's bastard-born. That explains some things.
Ichigo knew that the Shiba Clan had been restored as nobility, but Kukaku had elected to let Ganju take the de-facto role as Clan Head. It was mostly because she preferred to live in the Rukongai instead of becoming a noble princess again. That seemed to fit her.
But she was still a noble. And a noble's bastard children were a topic that was not something to be discussed. It was especially true if the bastard-born children could end up as heirs. That was certainly the case here with Ganju still being childless.
"Well, that explains why he isn't in the Eleventh," Ichigo sighed.
Kukaku would never let any Shiba, legitimate or illegitimate, to join a Squad that spurned her beloved Kido.
Poor Ganju, Ichigo thought, not only does he have to put up with all of the ceremonial bullshit of nobility, but he's still on his sister's leash.
They reached the wooden bench that the young Shiba was sitting on, intently studying a scroll with a grim look on his face.
"Hey Shiba," Ichigo said as he walked up to the young man.
The closer he got, the more Ichigo saw that he took after his mother. He was more of a pretty boy, like Kaien must have been based on Rukia's descriptions, and had none of Ganju's cave man look. For some reason Ichigo found that surprising. He expected a woman like Kukaku to at least break the kid's nose at least once with all of her experimentations with explosives.
The kid looked up from his scroll and dropped it when he saw he was being addressed by his Captain. Ichigo could practically feel his Third Seat's desire to face-palm at the informal greeting.
Why does everyone keep fighting my attempts to make things less formal around here?
"I saw that you were having some trouble with Kido. Don't let it get you down. It's a great skill to have, but…" Ichigo began. He had given this kind of speech before and was used to having to give it at least three times a month.
"But you're terrible at Kido and went on to become a Captain!" the young man shouted.
This time Minazuki did perform a face-palm. Ichigo only blinked. He hadn't been expecting this.
"Uh…I guess…"
"I say the same thing to mother. The Gotei has two Captains who barely know their way around a single Kido incantation. So it can't be all that vital! But does she listen? No. She just smacks me around and calls me an idiot. She's always telling me that you're 'an idiot genius with more talent than anyone has any right to with all the skill of a blind bear.'
"HA! That's a laugh for her to say. I mean she actually had a part in your story and she doesn't even appreciate it. I tracked down some of the old guard to get firsthand accounts of the Ryoka Invasion. There weren't that many good stories though. I guess most of the good ones are already well-known.
"I have a rare account of the events written by Captain Ukitake shortly before the Winter War. But he spent way too much time talking about the repercussions of the Fake Assassination! He barely even mentioned you or any of the other Ryoka…"
On-and-on it went. Ichigo felt as though once the young Kaien got going on something he became like a dam just about to burst. The deluge of praises and complaints at how few good stories there were about Ichigo's exploits just kept coming.
I guess it's been a while since I've encountered a…a fan boy. Now that I think about it, people like him are one reason why I had to delegate these kinds of things to others.
He looked at Minazuki for assistance, but it seemed the poor guy was in shock at the lack of protocol.
"Uh…sure…whatever…anyways, I was worried it might be…" Ichigo began, trying to take advantage of a lull in the kid's monologue. Then young Kaien picked up steam again.
Apparently a lack of confidence doesn't seem to be an issue here. Well, I guess the Shiba eccentricity will live on after all.
"I'm not worried about letting something as silly as not being able to do Kido get me down, Sir. I'm just worried about what Mother's reaction is going to be if I can't demonstrate an improvement the next time I'm on Leave and get summoned to her. Honestly, how important can it be when you were able to kill Aizen without it?"
Ichigo felt a twinge at that. He knew he should have expected it. Everyone's praises of him always came back to that. Everything came back to the Second Aizen War and to that day when he learned that victory and defeat were often times the exact same thing for the same person. When he learned that in the end, even if they were destroyed, the monsters always won.
"I'm not saying that I'm as good as you of course. But one should model after success. I mean all the others had Kido and look what happened to them." He began to list those who either died or were seriously wounded as though dismissing them. All the while he praised Ichigo, oblivious to Ichigo's shock turn into rage.
"Captain?" Minazuki asked when he saw Ichigo's shoulder's trembling.
"I mean really, it's just a matter of fact that you…you were the best fighter in the Second Aizen War. Look at Orihime Inoue. She was absolutely worthless, despite her power. If it wasn't for you, she would have…"
That did it.
Ichigo unleashed a strong pulse of Reiatsu that knocked into the kid like a freight train. He fell backwards, gasping for air. Ichigo grabbed him by the throat and lifted him into the air. Rage fueled his Reiatsu, strengthening it. His Inner Hollow seemed to laugh with glee.
"CAPTAIN!" Minazuki shouted from where he laid on the ground since the burst of Reiatsu had knocked him to the ground as well.
Ichigo paid no heed. He was too focused on this young brat who didn't know what happened that day so long ago. He had dared to dismiss the others in order to make his idol look good.
"Shut the fuck up, Maggot," Ichigo snarled. "Who do you think you are to pass judgment on those who fought against Aizen's Wrath? Do you think you can dismiss them as being inconsequential because they achieved less? BECAUSE THEY DIED?"
He brought the boy's face close to his own.
"YOU KNOW NOTHING!" he shouted.
The young Kaien Shiba looked frightened and was on the verge of tears.
"Every death was a loss for the Soul Society. Each sacrifice left their scars. Maggots like you cannot see them or even hope to understand them.
"I take the praises of fools as an insult. I don't revel in my shortcomings. I'm not 'Aizen's Bane'. I'm the man who failed to defeat him before he could destroy so many lives. And those lives were not restored with his death. And those of us who did survive..." He thought of Orihime and how she had made her eyes resemble Ulquiorra's, down to the very emptiness that filled his old nemesis. "Those of us who did survive never fully healed.
"I may be a fool like your wise mother thinks, but I'm smart enough to see how foolish I've been."
He tightened his grip slightly, digging his nails into the boy's throat.
"I want to rip out your fucking throat for slandering those who sacrificed themselves so little pieces of shit like you can stand here today. But I consider the Shiba Clan to be my friends," Ichigo said, lowering his voice, his anger satisfied. He lowered Kaien to where he could touch the ground and unleashed his hold. He looked at his hand, as though unable to comprehend how it had come to be wrapped around the boy's throat as the boy gagged.
"C-C-Captain…I…I…" the boy coughed as he got to his knees to bow.
"Shut up," Ichigo commanded. The softness of his voice sent a chill down the boy's spine.
The boy did as commanded and bowed so low that his forehead touched the ground. Ichigo sneered at the gesture of submission.
Coward, he thought in disgust.
"I will not deal with fools like you in my Squad. I'm ordering for you to be reassigned to another Division, effective immediately."
There was an intake of breath by the nearby members of Squad 5 who had gathered to watch Ichigo chew-out this young recruit. He didn't even realize that he had an audience. He saw Kaien look up. His eyes were wide with horror and his face was pale.
Reassignment was not the same as a discharge, but it was a black mark on anyone's record. And for a member of a Noble Clan, bastard or legitimate, to be reassigned…. That made it even more serious because it could be interpreted as a Commanding Officer's unfavorable view on that Clan.
"Minazuki, see to it that the paperwork gets done. I'm going back to the office," Ichigo said.
He vanished into a flash-step. The other Squad members looked at each other uncertainly. Minazuki glared at Kaien and then focused on the others.
"BREAK'S OVER!" he barked.
That got them moving. He returned his attention to the boy still on the ground, sobbing.
"Get up, boy. You heard the Captain. There's no place in the Fifth for fool bastards like you." He made sure to emphasize the word "bastard" to remind him exactly what he was.
He kicked the boy in the side of his calf and as the boy got to his feet, he gave him another kick.
Squad 5 Lieutenant's Office
Kiyone felt Ichigo coming before the door opened. As usual, her desk in the anteroom to his office was covered with papers. Her poor bonsai tree was nearly buried in it.
She stood up from her chair when he flung the door open. She planted her hands on her hips.
"WELL IT'S ABOUT TIME…" she shouted, intending to chew him out for blowing off the paper work again.
She met his eyes and her attempt to shout out his name became a choke.
He looked to her desk and grabbed the two large stacks of paper with sticky notes on the top pages with drawings of strawberries on them. He didn't say a word. Instead, he carried them in his arms and walked into his office. He slammed the door shut behind him.
Kiyone was barely able to breathe again. She collapsed back into her chair, gasping. She pulled a drawer out rather weakly and she got out a blue glass bottle from inside. She popped the cork with her thumb and drank the contents.
She was able to choke it down and managed to stumble to her feet. She staggered to the hallway door and opened it. She performed a weak flash-step that was enough to get her to the courtyard. She fell to her knees and panted.
"Gods," she whispered. "What was…was he trying to…to do? Gods damn…damn him," she gasped wiping away a tear as she took the deepest breaths she could manage.
Nanao had told her about her encounter with the old Captain-Commander. She hadn't quite believed what she told her until she felt Ichigo's Reiatsu unbound on her.
Did the damn fool even notice? Gods, he could have killed somebody. SEVEN HELLS…HE COULD HAVE KILLED ME!
She could sense that tremendous power calming down as she focused on it. She knew she got lucky. If it hadn't been for her sister, Isane, giving her some of her "Power Booster" she knew that she wouldn't have been able to escape that suffocating power.
"What the Hell happened, Ichigo?" she asked aloud as her breathing returned to normal. "What set you off like that?"
Hanging Dog
The streets of Hanging Dog were crowded with vendors and the civilians were buying what little they could afford. Ichigo felt a twinge of remorse as he made his way through the streets where Renji and Rukia used to live. He felt that in many ways they would have recognized it, but other things had changed.
And most of those changes he would not label as being for the better.
He had agreed to go on patrol, hoping that getting away from the Seireitei would help to calm him down. The incident involving young Kaien Shiba had upset him and he needed to find a way to clear his head. He had thought that going on patrol would help him. But as he looked at one of the recruiting posters that hung on the walls, he began to think he had made a mistake.
The poster showed Renji, or at least a glorified version of his long-dead friend, standing on top of a mountain peak with the sun behind him and a crimson hawk perched on his shoulder. His Zanpakuto in its Shikai form was pointed out ahead to a desert landscape with a crescent moon hanging over it.
"STAND FIRM AGAINST THE FOE! JOIN THE ZABIMARU SQUADS!" the poster proclaimed.
The Zabimaru Squad had made Hanging Dog their main recruiting center for the Rukongai Districts. He could not understand what Rikichi was thinking. Well…he could but it was still stupid. Most of the people who lived in Hanging Dog couldn't even perform the simplest Kido. Yet Rikichi had decided to make this part of the Rukongai into the Zabimaru Squads' official headquarters aside from their main headquarters in the Squad 6 Barracks. It was obvious that the allure of his hero's home district was too much to resist.
He really has gone insane, Ichigo thought as he scanned the posters that seemed to cover the area.
"I see that Captain Rikichi and his Zabimaru Squads have done a good job in cleaning up this place," Nakamura said. "Wouldn't you agree, Captain Kurosaki?"
The Vanguard Captain had joined Ichigo for this patrol at the Captain-Commander's request. Ichigo supposed that it was meant to show that the Gotei could still work together despite the internal factionalism. Kiyone followed behind them looking rather awkward at the situation. Nakamura had decided against bringing his Lieutenant, preferring that he remained in the Seireitei to take command in case an unexpected situation arose.
This guy takes everything too seriously. And the sad part is that he is easily one of the saner Vanguard leaders, Ichigo thought.
"I suppose," Ichigo answered.
"It's good to see that the masses know their place."
Ichigo looked as the people bowed in respect as they passed. He only shook his head at the meek or grudging submission to their supposed superiority.
"LOOK AT YOU!" someone shouted.
"Tch…such insolence," Nakamura grumbled.
"Are you really bowing to those who don't deserve it?" the shouter continued.
"Captain," Kiyone whispered moving closer to Ichigo.
"Don't worry. I won't lose my cool," Ichigo said as he smiled at her over his shoulder.
"Do you really think that kneeling and scraping to them will help you achieve the prosperity they've promised? How long has it been since our beloved Gotei did anything to help us in our plight? Sure they mobilize when Hollows attack, but they only do that to keep their beloved Seireitei safe. They don't care about us. In all of their long history, there was only ONE who tried to bring JUSTICE on our behalf."
Ichigo saw the man who was speaking. He was extremely thin. His clothes were in about the same tattered condition as everybody else's. However, the way that he held himself told Ichigo that this man had been in the Gotei. But from the way he was leaning heavily on a rough walking stick, Ichigo thought that he must have been forced to leave because of an injury severe enough to keep him from doing his duties. The man stood on a trash heap leaning against a wall to get some elevation over the crowd.
Before Byakuya became Captain-Commander, he would have been put into the Maggot's Nest. But Byakuya did away with that condemnation for those who were no longer able to serve in the Gotei for whatever reason. Sadly that was still the only way to leave the Gotei aside from the Royal Guard thanks to Central 46 and the noble clans' insistence.
"Tch…another one," Nakamura whispered.
"What are you…?"
"AIZEN was the ONLY ONE who tried to do anything on our behalf! He understood the system was corrupt, rotted to the core! I am a victim of the old system, as are you all!"
Ichigo froze.
Did…did he say…did he say "AIZEN"?
"Captain, don't…" Kiyone pleaded.
"Have any of the Gotei tried to make our lives better? Have the new laws that the new Captain-Commander put into place done anything to clean our streets or make them safe for our children or to ensure that those who served faithfully in the Gotei will not go hungry? Has the great Ichigo Kurosaki made good on his promises to make sure that we are not harassed by the Gotei forces who even now take away our homes, our businesses, our families, and our pride?"
Ichigo could feel rage building in him. Nakamura looked at him from the corner of his eyes.
"This kind of talk has been on the rise," Nakamura whispered. "There are those who are saying that…"
"AIZEN SHOULD HAVE WON!" the man roared. "He was the only one of the Gotei who fought against the corruption in Central 46. When he killed the members of that corrupt organization, he declared that the time had come for the inequality and…"
"SHUT UP!" Ichigo roared, unable to restrain his anger. "Aizen was not the messiah you're making him out to be. He would have only used you…"
"Ah, here he is," the man smirked at the Captain. "Here's the boy who serves as Central 46's pet puppet. Of course he would believe the lies that Central 46 spreads about Lord Aizen. He even imagined many of the crimes that…"
The man was silenced as Ichigo's fist slammed into his face. Blood and teeth flew from the man's mouth as he reeled back.
"CAPTAIN!" Kiyone screamed in horror and shock. "What are you…?"
Ichigo didn't listen. Instead he grabbed the man again and banged his head into the wall. His teeth were bared in a snarl and his fingers tightened around the man's throat.
"You fuck," he snarled. "How dare you suggest that butcher was some kind of hero? YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"
Ichigo slammed the man's face into the wall. There was a crunching sound as his nose was broken. The man cried out in pain and Ichigo flung him to the ground. The crowd backed away from the scene, afraid of the young Captain.
"You fucker, you stone-brained son of a whore, Aizen was a murderer and a butcher. You didn't see him destroy everything you held dear. You didn't have to hear the screams. You didn't have to hear his laughter as everything you knew ended. YOU FUCK!" Ichigo shouted and stomped on the man's chest.
There was a louder cracking noise as his ribs broke beneath the force. The man howled in pain. Blood flowed from his mouth. Ichigo brought his foot up again, intending to bring it down on the man's throat.
Kiyone threw her whole weight to push her Captain before he could do anything. He barely kept his footing and he turned to face his Lieutenant. Rage filled his fevered mind. However, he was met with a slap to the face.
"Snap out of it, Captain. Do you really want to do this?" she pleaded.
Ichigo looked at her and then to the man who was trying to get to his feet. His eyes widened in horror as he realized what he did.
He thought about Sui-Feng's words. He thought about his encounter with young Kaien Shiba. He thought about the price paid to defeat Aizen. It was as though his long road to become the Hero had only led him to this moment. Those who praised him did not understand him. And those who loathed him did not know him.
Beware when you fight monsters, lest you become one yourself, Ichigo thought as he looked at the blood.
"Oh…oh gods," he moaned. "Did I…?"
"Yeah, you did," Kiyone whispered. "I don't think Rukia would like seeing you like that."
"He…he was…"
"He was venting," Kiyone whispered as she put a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't the first time that a veteran from the Gotei has been cheated out of their pay. People who feel abandoned and betrayed will always say things they don't really mean."
"I…I…" Ichigo began.
"What's going on here?"
Ichigo turned and saw Rikichi's Ninth Seat along with members of the Zabimaru Squads coming out of one of the taverns. He looked at the crimson hawks and the silver baboon with serpent tails on their uniforms. Ichigo felt disgust rise in him at the sight of these mockeries to Renji's memory.
"Ah, Officer Kaiza," Nakamura said. "Captain Kurosaki was just teaching this filth a lesson for insulting the Gotei."
"Is that so?" the heavily-muscled Officer asked. His cold blue eyes looked at the gasping man on the ground. "What was he saying?"
"He was proclaiming treason," Nakamura continued. "He proclaimed that The Traitor was in the right and that most of his crimes were conjecture or even slander."
"Is that so?" Kaiza asked, his smile widened and his eyes became even colder. "We can't have that; now can we? We'll take over from here Sirs. There is no need for you to dirty your hands with this trash."
Nakamura nodded and looked at Ichigo motioning Ichigo to step aside with his chin. Ichigo walked over to the Captain as they moved away from the crowd gathering around the helpless man and the Zabimarus.
"You did well. Despite your unreasoning leniency in many areas, it's good to see that you have the right idea in other areas. This kind of talk has been on the rise lately among certain circles and it's been allowed to do so because certain colleagues have been soft on them." He glared at Kiyone who lowered her head.
"You should not have interfered, Lieutenant Kotetsu. Your Captain was doing his duty and defending the honor of the Gotei. The masses need to be kept in line and to do that we must treat all malcontents with a firm hand. After all, 'Fear is Power.'
"It is unfortunate that the Gotei has not been able to keep its full obligations to the discharged. But that does not excuse them for betraying every principal of the Gotei. Their status as veterans makes their actions all the more reprehensible compared to the ignorant Pluses. By endorsing Aizen they spit upon on all of their former comrades, including you, Lieutenant Kotetsu, and all of those who fell during Aizen's Wrath."
Kiyone didn't say anything to Nakamura's words. She looked at her Captain and saw that he was looking at the blood on his hands.
"Out…out damn spot," he whispered.
"Watch and learn how one deals with dissent and betrayal in their own backyard," Nakamura said.
Two of the Zabimarus dragged the man to his feet. One held his mouth open with a thick-gloved hand. Another of the Zabimarus approached with a pair of tongs and a knife. The man glared in defiance, but the Zabimarus only laughed. The Zabimaru pinched the man's tongue with the tongs and pulled it out as far as it would extend. In one swift motion, he cut off the tongue.
"THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL WHO DARE SPEAK TREASON AGAINST THE SOUL SOCIETY!" the Zabimaru proclaimed as he held the muscle up for all to see.
The people who were watching this display only remained silent. Ichigo saw that they were trembling in fear. But there were those who trembled, but he did not see fear in their eyes. Those eyes, while averted, were filled with hatred at this display. He looked to where Kaiza had commandeered a length of rope and was now draping it over a thick beam. The Zabimarus were now stripping their victim of his clothes.
Ichigo let out an involuntary hiss as he saw a Gotei tattoo on the man's chest. It was the snowdrop of Squad 13 in a maroon diamond.
Oh gods…what if Rukia knew this man?
The sight of the tattoo did not cause any of the Zabimarus to stop for a moment.
"Fucking traitor," one of them hissed and used his knife to cut the patch of skin with the tattoo off. The man coughed blood in what may have been a cry. But it was hard to tell with the mess he had so quickly become.
"Come, Captain Kurosaki," Nakamura said. "There's no need for us to remain here. We still have a patrol to complete."
Ichigo couldn't move or answer. Instead, he watched as the rope was tied around the man's wrists. He saw two of the Zabimarus collecting belts of leather or rope to use as makeshift whips. He turned away and did not watch as the man was hoisted above the ground. He looked at a young man in the crowd who glared at him, eyes full of hatred. Ichigo couldn't stand that look and turned his eyes away.
Those who sing my praises don't understand me. And those who hate me don't know me, Ichigo thought sadly.
He couldn't intervene without going against Byakuya's will. And confronting Nakamura in front of everyone here would do no good. The Captain's words had supported his own actions. He knew that blaming his Inner Hollow would only be lying to himself for the creature had not taken control. It had all been him. He had willingly nearly beaten a helpless man to death.
I can make amends, he thought. I can intervene. To Hell with Byakuya's orders, I can stop this.
Then that cry for help rose from the depths of his memories, accompanied by that hateful grin.
He clenched his fists at the memory. Did he really want to pay the price for helping a man who spoke in favor of Aizen for whatever reason? He was caught between his wish to do the right thing and his hatred of Aizen and anyone supporting him. He had never thought that the two could ever come to odds against each other. When had it become so complicated?
I only did what I thought was right, he thought as he walked away. Behind him he could hear the sounds of flesh being beaten with rope and leather. He looked at the blood on his hands again and remembered how bloody Aizen's hands were that day. Am I even more evil than Aizen now?
Captain-Commander's Office
"So, Captain Kurosaki over-reacted again," Byakuya said as he read the report.
"He was lucky that his Lieutenant intervened. Otherwise he could be facing more serious charges," Toshiro said.
"He wouldn't. The Law does not extend freedom of speech to treason. The former Soul Reaper broke the Law and we cannot condemn Kurosaki for upholding it or Nakamura for standing by and doing nothing. He'll still be disciplined for this, even if only for exceeding his bounds by excessive punishment. He should not have treated that man the way he did."
"I know he went against Gotei standards, but I can't say that I blame him Sir. The man was essentially endorsing Aizen's actions. Would you have been able to stand by if you went through the things that Captain Kurosaki did?"
Byakuya looked at Toshiro and put the report down on his desk.
"I would have found it rather difficult. But I would keep the present situation in mind. By lashing out like that he has essentially widened the gap between the Seireitei and the Rukongai. There will be more talk that Aizen was in the right and Ichigo's action will be seen as evidence of abuse of power in the Gotei. And the Zabimarus…" He grimaced. "Those involved in the lynching should have been severely punished. And they would have been if Central 46 hadn't gotten involved.
"The Zabimarus are, unfortunately, not under my direct command. As such, Central 46 can limit my ability to control them. And Rikichi will do everything he can to keep Kaiza from receiving his proper punishment. And that includes whining to Central 46."
"I was wondering about that," Toshiro said. "It seems that The Vanguard, or at least the Zabimarus, have received a lot of support from Central 46 lately."
"Of course they would," Byakuya said and sighed. He sat back in his chair and rubbed his forehead. "They undermine my authority. Central 46 loves them for that if nothing else. Captain Hitsugaya, how did things end up like this?"
Toshiro had never seen Byakuya look so tired. It was as though the weight of Duty and being Captain-Commander was finally taking its toll on the otherwise stern Captain.
"I…don't know. But it seems as though nothing's been the same since Captain-Commander Yamamoto died," he replied.
Byakuya nodded. He knew all-too-well that he did not measure up to the legacy handed down to him. He knew that the old Captain-Commander would not have allowed things to come to this point. But his death had been more devastating than he could have imagined.
At first he was glad that Yamamoto had at least died peacefully, as he knew the old man had wanted. He knew that the weight of certain decisions burdened the old man towards the end. But every decision he had made were made with the best interest of the Soul Society in mind and that included one of the last ones.
Byakuya had a feeling that decision was what helped bring about the rift between the Gotei and Central 46. But it had to be done. Otherwise Central 46 would have opened up a Pandora's Box of devastating consequences against the Soul Society. For all of his detractors' wailing, that had been Yamamoto's career: unleashing atrocities in order to keep even greater tragedies at bay.
And I played a part in it, he thought bitterly. I must carry that burden, but I must bear it alone. And he knew that I could bear it. Otherwise he wouldn't have asked me to help him carry it out.
"Sir, are you alright?"
Byakuya looked up and saw that Toshiro was looking at him with concern. His drift into the memory must have been clearer than he had thought.
"I was just thinking." He picked up the report and nodded. "We'll send the proper compensation to the man's family. I want the ring-leaders of that lynch mob brought in to stand trial, regardless of Central 46's decision. Captain Nakamura and Captain Kurosaki will be put on suspension until further notice. We'll tell anyone who asks that they're on Medical Leave and I want the proper paperwork to be sent to Captain Unohana for her signature. I'll have some of my personal guards keep an eye on them. Now, if that is all…"
"Actually, Sir, I…I do have one thing more. But…you know…I'm sure it can wait."
Byakuya looked up at Toshiro. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the young Captain. He noticed that Toshiro was fidgeting at his Zanpakuto and running one hand through his hair. He only did that when he had something very serious to discuss. Even the young Captain's eyes were moving about in a manner that was unnatural to his somber disposition. That made Byakuya uneasy.
The last thing I need is for something more serious than what happened earlier to have occurred, he thought.
"Something tells me that you may want to discuss whatever it is, now."
"Well, you see Sir, I…I was wondering if…if I…If I…"
"If this is about me assisting you with getting Lieutenant Matsumoto out of your home then I must remind you that your 'Matsumoto problem' is none of my concern."
"Actually Sir, it's…it's to do with Seventh Seat Izumi Kuchiki."
Byakuya was taken aback by that, but he maintained his calm demeanor.
"What do you have to discuss with me about Seventh Seat Kuchiki?"
"It's more to do with her being a member of your clan. Well, we…we got to talking about it and…and I…" Toshiro took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He looked at the Captain-Commander straight in the eyes. He hoped that Byakuya wouldn't kill him for what he was about to say. "I would like your blessing to start courting her."
Byakuya looked at Toshiro with an expertly schooled expression. He then focused his attention to the office door. He frowned slightly and turned his attention back to Toshiro.
"I'll say this loudly enough so that both of you can hear it," he said calmly. Toshiro swallowed hard and the door creaked under a weight. The silence dragged on for what seemed like an eternity before Byakuya sighed. "I'll think about it."
"WHAT'S THERE TO THINK ABOUT?" Izumi shouted from the other side of the door. "IT'S A SIMPLE REQUEST! Lord Byakuya," she finished in an annoyed tone.
Byakuya closed his eyes, already feeling another headache coming on.
At least Hitsugaya had the decency to ask first, he thought.
He remembered how he found out that Rukia and Ichigo were in a relationship. He had honestly thought that an intruder had entered his house and was hurting Rukia. He had unleashed Senbonzakura's fully fury when he realized what all of the noise he heard was. Of course, he told an extremely pissed-off Rukia that he had unleashed his Zanpakuto when he still thought it was a burglar.
After more than 150 years, Ichigo was still paying off the bill.
Squad 4 Barracks
Rikichi hated visiting the Squad 4 Barracks. Most assumed that it was because he had the same mind as Squad 11 in that he abhorred their general weakness and their Captain's brazen "Dove" stance on most issues. Those were part of it, but the main reason was one of the few secrets he kept well. The reason he hated coming here was something far worse in his mind. The moment he stepped into this territory, he felt less like a Captain of the Gotei and Commander of the Zabimarus and more like the weakling who had spent too many times on a patient's mat here.
The nurses clad in their pink or pale blue uniforms as well as the healers dressed in black made way for him and bowed. He was pleased at their anxiety. He knew that they could feel his anxiety in the Reiatsu he was purposefully leaking. It wasn't enough for official censure but it was enough to remind them that he could squash them like the pathetic insects they were.
It was bad enough that his fellow Captains looked down on him. He tolerated it only because they were his fellow Captains. But he would not tolerate lesser Soul Reapers to look down on him.
At last he reached the desk where the "Silver Mouse" was waiting, fretful as ever. Despite the serene wall hangings throughout her open office that showed scenes of her precious cranes, the Fourth's Lieutenant was still worried as she sorted through the papers. To make things worse, she was oblivious to his presence.
"Lieutenant Amano," he barked as he stepped up to her desk. Isane Amano practically jumped out of her chair.
"Oh…Captain Rikichi," Isane said as she started picking up some of the papers she had scattered on the floor in her shock. "I'm sorry. Things have been very busy around here and we needed to help that poor man who was attacked earlier in Hanging Dog."
"I assume you're talking about the traitor," Rikichi nearly snarled.
"I…I don't know about that. I only…I only know that he was someone who needed immediate treatment."
You should have let that animal die, Rikichi thought. If it were up to me, you would never have treated him.
"Anyways, Captain Unohana is waiting for you in her office. I'll just let her know you're…"
"There will be no need for that." He frowned at the door to the Captain's office. "I have a feeling that she already knows I'm here."
Isane was about to protest, but Rikichi did not have the patience to hear the protests of an Officer who was willing to degrade herself by marrying a mere Plus. Instead he went to the door and opened it. He saw that Unohana was already at the low table, pouring tea from the kettle into one of the ornate tea cups.
"Good afternoon, Captain Rikichi," Unohana said placidly. "Please, join me for some tea."
"I'm sorry Captain, I tried to get him to wait for me to announce him, but he…"
"That's quite alright, Isane. I'm sure that Captain Rikichi did not mean any disrespect by it. Isn't that right?" she asked, giving Rikichi her other smile.
Rikichi swallowed hard and nodded. He loathed this woman. She was one of the very few who was always able to put him on his guard. And whenever she gave that smile…. He always found himself afraid that she was preparing to bite his head off.
Damn it, pull yourself together. You're not that pathetic little weakling anymore. You're better than allowing this disgrace of a Captain to make you afraid. You're head of the Zabimaru Squads. So act like it.
Rikichi regained his composure.
"I apologize if I made Lieutenant Amano think I was insulting her."
"Oh…that's…that's alright," Isane said. "Uh…can I get you anything, Captain?"
"I think that we will be fine. Thank you, Isane."
Isane bowed and walked out of the office. She closed the door behind her.
Rikichi's brow furrowed.
"Are you sure it is proper for a Captain to treat their subordinate with such familiarity?"
"I believe that Captain Sui-Feng has lectured you on the matter enough times already," Unohana said. "So, I will not repeat her lecture. Please, have a seat."
She gestured to the cushion across from her. He scowled a little at that, but decided not to argue. He sat down and picked up the cup of tea.
"I'm sure that you didn't invite me here just for tea."
Unohana took a sip from her own cup and looked at Rikichi. Her eyes were stern. A chill went down Rikichi's spine, but he made sure not to show any discomfort.
"That's right. I wanted to discuss the matter of today's incident in Hanging Dog with you."
"I see. In that case, you should know that I had nothing to do with it. The men responsible have already been dealt with. But they were young and they were overly-zealous. What that man said was worse than anything they could have done. If that man had died then it would have been justified. He was speaking treason."
"I believe that he was the one who felt betrayed. This isn't the first time that Central 46 made promises to our veterans only to turn their backs on them when they needed help. It only makes sense that people would say such things. But what your young…recruits did was inexcusable. They have only made the situation worse because they have added credence to many of their views."
"It's nothing that a major crack-down can't fix. Captain Unohana, you think that the masses can be governed solely by love. However, by showing love to the masses, you are showing weakness. The best tool to use to keep the masses in line is awe. Inspire them with a display of might and give them a reason to fear you. That is why the Zabimarus have been able to make districts like Hanging Dog and Zaraki safe. We show the masses that we are a force to be reckoned with."
Unohana looked at him.
"How many incidents like the one that took place this afternoon have occurred that we don't know about?"
Rikichi smiled and sipped at his tea.
"I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that one. But what does it matter? These incidents will go a long way to cure the poison that Aizen left behind and that certain parties have allowed to fester."
Unohana looked at Rikichi. She saw that he was serious. He honestly believed that what he was doing was helping the Gotei and the Soul Society. But he didn't understand that what he was doing could have serious repercussions. And that was what made him dangerous.
"Did you know, Captain Rikichi, that healing is the most difficult school of Kido?"
"Yes. That's why the Fourth was established. It was their purpose to specialize in it just as Squad 12 was with research and development."
"Have you ever wondered why?"
"I'm sorry but I…I don't understand what you mean."
The smile that Unohana gave him wasn't frightening. But Rikichi found that he almost preferred her other smile compared to what he saw.
"I suppose you wouldn't understand.
"Healing Kido is the most difficult to use because they are meant to mend. It is much easier to destroy and to bind than it is to mend something that is broken."
"Is that so? I'm surprised at you Captain Unohana. You act as though your Squad is not full of the chafe of the Gotei. Your Squad is nothing more than a collection of weaklings and cowards who were not deemed fit to serve on the front lines with honor.
"If you had not shackled yourself here you would have been named Captain-Commander."
"I know. I have apologized to Captain-Commander Kuchiki for that. I worry that the mantle will weigh him down like it did Yamamoto. Leadership is a heavy burden," she sighed before sipping her tea.
"For the weak, duty may be a burden. But I relish in the role of leadership. I have never felt more alive than I do whenever I am with my Squad or leading the Zabimarus and witnessing my will become reality." He smiled at her.
Unohana restrained a deeper sigh at his unknowing confession. He could revel in his power because it wasn't a burden to him. She believed that he truly did not grasp the potential consequences of his authority. She could not bring herself to believe that he did understand the consequences and simply didn't care.
"Is there anything else Captain? I really don't have the time to waste with tea these days."
"Just one more thing," Unohana said. "There is an old proverb that I would advise that you keep in mind. 'Those who know how to mend best know how to un-mend best.'"
This time, she allowed her smile to show a bit of her teeth. It was just a moment, but it was enough to make him nearly drop the porcelain cup.
He could feel her Reiatsu. It was all around him and crawling on him. He hadn't even noticed its weight. He realized that the hand he was trying to drift nonchalantly to the hilt of his Zanpakuto was sluggish. Unohana glanced to the offending hand and her smile slowly vanished into a neutral expression.
The Reiatsu rolled back from him to return to its mistress who seemed to do this with very little effort.
"I would advise that you remember that I will be very interested if I hear more incidents occur," she said cheerily, her eyes closed.
He left his tea cup half full as he got up.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," he said coldly. His fingernails dug into his palms. "Good day, Captain Unohana."
He turned and walked out of her office. He slammed the door shut behind him. Isane looked up from her desk, surprised but not afraid. He was tempted to snarl at her. He wanted to make her afraid of him.
Fear is Power, he thought bitterly. Fear is Power.
And Captain Retsu Unohana had made him afraid.
As he made his way back to his own barracks he thought about that look of sorrow and sympathy in that disgraceful Captain's eyes. Those eyes troubled him more than the smile that showed the elder Captain's teeth. He felt his hatred of the woman grow. He had felt as helpless and scared as he had been when he was still taking care of Squad 6's Hell Butterflies. And he hated her for that.
Memorial Hill
A cloud of dust rose around the ornately crafted glass as Ichigo set the vase down before the monument to the lost on top of Memorial Hill. He fiddled with the assortment of bright flowers, vainly wanting them to be perfect. Their favorite blossoms were well-represented, except for his. Ichigo had never known what kind of flowers he preferred.
If he had ever asked, the Old Goat would have probably waved off the question and deem it to be too unmanly to be worthy of a response. Ichigo pulled out the pack of Gold Medallions he had purchased years ago and pulled one out. He took out the little-used dragon lighter he had received as a gift for his promotion from Rukia and lit the cigarette. He took a single drag on it and coughed at the foul tasting smoke. He set the lit cigarette in front of the flowers as though it was an incense stick.
He stood up and ran a hand over three of the many names carved into the cold stone, each on top of the other. Those names were his scars. They were the scars that he had been so focused on that he ignored the scars that his friends had, especially Orihime. His heroics had brought her nothing but suffering and he had not taken responsibility to try to help her recover because he had been so focused on his own grief and believed that he had to endure it alone. In trying to keep his friends from harm, he had ended up causing harm to them. He felt the tears on his face as he traced the names with his fingertips.
"I failed you. I wish there was another way I could say it, but I can't. All I can do is pray that someone out there gave you what you deserved and what I couldn't. And hold this memory close to my heart, so that I never forget the cost," he whispered, praying to the departed and those who were still alive.
"You know, for a second you looked kinda cool smoking like that," a voice said sarcastically.
Ichigo hissed in a breath and turned to see who had intruded. He was surprised, even though he knew he should have expected it, to see Izumi Kuchiki walking up to him. He glanced around and saw that Byakuya's personal squad of clan guardsmen were taking up positions to ensure some kind of privacy.
"I don't think even Captain Kira comes here every year, and he's the most depressing of you Captains."
When she got closer, Ichigo stepped aside to allow her to inspect the names. She looked at them and then at the flowers and cigarette.
"I can understand the flowers, but why the cancer-stick?" she asked.
Ichigo paused thinking about it before answering.
"My dad did it when he visited my mother's grave. He said that she thought it made him look cool," he said somberly.
He saw that the look of irritation she had been wearing slip away to reveal the softness in her eyes for a moment. She turned to look at him.
"You take after him."
"Why are you here, Izumi?"
The softness vanished. Her eyes were hard again, but with anger this time. She traced the scar that ran down the left side of her face from hairline to just below the dark lavender eye.
"I have as much right as you to come here, Ichigo."
"As I recall, you weren't even adopted into the Kuchiki clan before the last name was carved onto this stone," he reminded her coolly.
She scowled at him and then looked back at the names.
"Yeah, even though it was a close thing. I was discovered and sponsored not long after the Second Aizen War wrapped up, wasn't I? I guess I owe Rukia and Byakuya a lot, don't I?"
He didn't bother to answer as he looked back at the monument.
She stomped on the cigarette and glared at him. He only glanced at her sadly.
"You know why I hate this thing? To others, it's just a reminder of a couple of wars, or at least Aizen and all he was. But to me, it's a symbol of how much of a self-righteous coward you are, Ichigo Kurosaki," she spat as she ground the cigarette into the dust.
"I did what I had to do. I hoped that you would come to see that. But you can hate me if you like, Izumi Kuchiki," he answered tonelessly.
"You…idiot," Izumi growled and kicked him in the shin. Ichigo only looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. She growled as she drew back her leg. "You never change. You always have your eyes on the dead. First it was your mother. Then it's them. Will it be Rukia now? Damn you, Ichigo. What gives you the right?" She grabbed a handful of his haori. "Answer me. What gives you the right?"
Ichigo shook his head. Izumi didn't resist as he brushed her hands away from him. His eyes met her own.
"I do what I have to, Izumi. I do what I have to in order protect those dear to me."
"Does that mean that you have to lose the living to the dead as well? But I was a bigger fool for letting you do it. Why do I even bother? Hmm…well…aren't you going to answer me? Why should I even bother anymore? Answer me, you fucking coward."
Ichigo looked into her mismatched eyes.
"It's the only thing I have ever asked of you, Izumi. And it will be the last. You have your life. Make the most of it," he told her as he turned his back on her.
"Don't try and play yourself as the self-sacrificing hero Kurosaki. If you're not a coward, then say my name. No one's listening. SO SAY MY NAME GODS DAMN YOU!" she shouted at his retreating back.
He stopped and glanced over his shoulder at her. Her eyes widened hopefully
"Later…Officer Kuchiki."
Without another word, Ichigo walked the path down the hill.
The dark-haired girl watched him go. She wiped away an invisible tear with the back of her hand. She wanted to curse at him. She wanted to hit him. But most of all, she just wanted to cry. She turned around to the Memorial. Her eyes landed on one of the names Ichigo had been looking at. Her jaw tightened. Without raising her Reiatsu, she lashed out, punching the name. Her knuckles scraped on the stony surface. She pulled her fist back, leaving drops of blood on the stone. She glared at the sight and only reached out to wipe the blood away when a trickle of blood nearly reached the name below it.
"You're only supposed to leave flowers for the dead," she whispered.
She knelt to the ground and righted the crushed cigarette as best she could. It was a fairly vain effort. She straightened and sighed as she took another look at the stone monument devoted to the dead. She turned away from it.
I will not live my life in the past, she thought. I will not be like Ichigo. I will not allow my life to be governed by the dead. I will live my life the way I chose to.
She walked away from the Memorial, braid swinging behind her.
I will not become a ghost.
Mexico
The sound of guitar music filled the common room of the Taberna de la Rosa. The atmosphere was subdued as men nursed their drinks or ate their meals. The bartender stood behind the counter, cleaning a glass with a damp cloth. Her hair hung down in twin tails about her shoulders. Her dark eyes shifted to keep a wary watch on the patrons.
The door swung open. A gentle gust of the night wind blew in. Ophelia watched as a man dressed in a casual gray suit walked in. Her eyes widened with surprise and she nearly dropped the glass when she recognized him. It was Señor Sado's visitor from before.
She looked to the corner table where Sado sat, playing his guitar. He stopped playing when he noticed the man. He raised one hand as he leaned the guitar against the wall. Ichigo raised his own hand in return and made his way to the table. With the music's spell broken, the patrons began to mutter amongst themselves again. The new song of tinkling glass and silverware on plates filled the room.
Ophelia noted how the men she knew to be mundane were noticing the man. Señor Sado had told her of the fake bodies that the dead used to walk among the living. But she had not truly believed it until now.
She frowned when she realized that there was something different about him. At first she couldn't quite put her finger on it and then it came to her.
His Spirit Levels are lower than before. Could it be that the false flesh is concealing most of that power? Or could it be…could it be that most of that power wasn't even his? That thought set her instincts off in a way she didn't much care for. Either way, the last time his Spirit was…
His Spirit would be too much to even devour, her Inner Devil whispered to her.
Oh be quiet, she thought back at it. Suppressing that Inner Devil had become easy for her to do thanks to the years of practice she and others like her had with Señor Sado.
She looked up again and saw that her teacher was looking at her with two fingers raised. She put the glass she had been cleaning on the back-counter and grabbed two bottles of beer from the refrigerator. She allowed a small amount of Reiatsu to pulse from her thumbs, enough to help pop the caps with ease.
As she made her way to the table, she allowed a small bit of Reiatsu to flow into her ears, heightening her sense of hearing. This was a small trick she learned by herself to help her eavesdrop on conversations. She didn't feel right keeping it a secret from her teacher, but she felt that it wasn't doing any real harm and was not worth mentioning.
"...me on medical leave. I guess it's so they don't have to actually make an inquiry. But…after what happened…an inquiry may be what I need," Ichigo said. His hands were folded on the table in front of him.
"The World of the Living has enough problems without the Soul Society's spilling over. And you're the best man to keep that from happening. All that you have to do is ask," Chad answered as he took the bottle Ophelia offered him. Ichigo let her place his on the table. She gave a slight nod and started to walk away.
"I know, but…"
"You need to get your mind off things. But I know there's only one way you can do that.
"Ophelia, tomorrow I would like you to show Ichigo what you can do."
Ophelia stopped in her tracks. Ichigo noticed that a hand was reflexively reaching for her hair for some reason. She stopped the wayward hand and lowered it. She turned to look at Ichigo from the corner of one brown eye.
"I'll only do it if he spars with me. I don't do demos."
"That's what I had in mind," Chad replied. Ophelia sighed.
"Fine, but if he decides not to spar with me…"
"He will."
"Then I don't have a problem," Ophelia said as she turned to walk back behind the bar. Chad sighed and gave a small shake of his head.
"How is this going to help me relax?"
"Ichigo, the only way you can relax is if you're being active. Trust me, sparring with her will help you unwind. Also, I think you may find Ophelia to be rather…interesting."
"Whatever you say," Ichigo whispered and took a swig of his beer. "But…I don't know. I wish…sometimes I wish we were back in the old days, when I didn't feel this tremendous weight on my shoulders."
"I know what you mean. But living in the past is the worst thing you can do."
Ichigo sighed. He looked at his old friend and Chad saw that the confidence they once held had long since been replaced with sorrow and shame.
This must be what happens to all of the old heroes when their times have long passed, he thought. They die by being consumed by their own myth. And songs of glory become nothing more than a requiem.
"I know," Ichigo whispered. He drank from the bottle again. Chad noticed that Ichigo could not look at him in the eye. "I know."
End of Chapter 6
A.N.: Thank you for reading and please review.