This chapter is set during The New Captain Shusuke Amagai arc

Chapter 24: The New Captain

Byakuya's POV

"Well hello there Princess!"

I resist the urge to show any disdain on my face as the familiar voice of the 11th Division's captain rang in my eardrums. I was about to walk into the room for the Captains' Meeting when his voice broke me out of my thoughts, his spiritual energy as wild as ever as he stood ahead of me.

"What? No hello?" Zaraki asks as he turns to me with a sadistic smile on his face.

"For you, no." I tell him, stoically blunt as I walked past him and into the room. Captain Commander was already in his usual spot at the back of the room, and all the other captains were already here for the meeting. Well, all except for one . . .

"Where is Captain Kurotsuchi?" Captain Unohana was the first to ask as I took my next to her. "Didn't he get the message? He's usually one of the first ones here."

"I'm sure he got it Captain Unohana," says Ukitake as he let a small smile form on his face. "Knowing him, he's probably still busy with one of his experiments down in his lab."

"Hmm, can't we start without him? Just this once?" asks Kyoraku as he turned to the Head Captain, who just gave him a silent stare in response." Okay, I guess we're waiting for Kurotsuchi after all."

"You're waiting for me? Oh you are too kind!" says Kurotsuchi as he finally walks into the room.

"What took you so long Kurotsuchi?" asks Soi Fon as she faced the mad scientist with a hard glare.

"An experiment . . . Obviously," he told her with a shake of his head as he took his spot next to Hitsugaya, who looked completely bored with everyone in this room. He wasn't the only one. The look on his face would probably be the same one on mine if I allowed myself to show such emotion. "So Head Captain, why have you called us for this meeting in the first place?"

"I'm glad someone finally asked . . ." he tells us in that gruff voice of his as he looked around the room, making eye contact with every single one of us with his old, unwavering eyes. "I've called you all here to introduce you to the newest captain that will be joining our ranks."

"A new captain, Head Captain?" asks Komomura in shock as he turns to the older shinigami.

"Indeed Captain Komamura," answers the Head Captain, just as we feel two spiritual pressures hit our senses. The first one I easily recognized as Minata's, but the second one was entirely new to me. "Come on in. You are right on time."

The sliding doors open up to reveal Mina standing beside a male shinigami. Nothing about the slightly disheveled man was striking to me, except for the fact that he was wearing a captain's haori.

"Thank you Third Seat Fukudome, that'll be all."

"Yes Head Captain . . ." she tells him with a nod of her head before shunpoing away. Seeing Minata has just become the highlight of my day so far, and now that she was gone, I was back to just focusing on this meeting, and the person at the center of it. Despite his unkempt appearance, he must be skilled enough to have warrant a promotion to captaincy.

"Everyone, I would like for you all to meet Shusuke Amagai. He will be the new Captain of the 3rd Division."

"3rd Division huh?" asks Soi Fon, who looks completely unimpressed. "Who did you beat in your captain's exam?"

"It was Captain Zaraki actually." says the new captain as all eyes went to the pointy haired battle lover.

"Seriously? He passed against you Kenpachi?" asks Kyoraku as he adjusted his sunhat.

"Yeah, who knew huh?" mutters the brute, who looked like he didn't like that the attention was all on him. It almost made me smirk . . . Almost. I have to admit, which is something I barely do, this Patrol Corps product really knows how to put up a good fight."

"The Patrol Corps?" asks Komamura in slight disbelief as he stared at the new captain. "That's unprecedented."

"Indeed it is . . ." agrees the Captain Commander as he shook his head in agreement. "I hope you all make Captain Amagai feel welcome. Meeting adjourned."

Apparently, that was it as Captain Commander shunpoed from sight, leaving the rest of us to contend with the new recruit ourselves. As some of the captains walked over to Amagai to welcome him and to introduce themselves, I silently walked out the room to leave them to their conversation. In truth, I had no reason to bother with the new captain. . .

. . . But for some reason, I have a feeling the new captain isn't what he appears to be.

We head back to the main arc in the next chapter, Please review!