"It is time," spoke Unohana with a grave voice and closed eyes, "we must choose what is to be done with this. It cannot go on like this. Even though we've had Ichigo," she paused, a pregnant pause indeed, which was filled by grunts from all corners of the room, Unohana continued, "we cannot rely on him any longer. He is afterall, a human."
Unohana's eyes lifted to the awaiting eyes in the room as she took a breath to say what was to come next. She knew it would be met with objections but, 'What must be done, must be done,' she thought resolutely. If people thought Byakuya was the coldest of the taichous, they hadn't met Unohana during her resolute days. Only few knew and so the head of the 13th squad only nodded.
"Kuchiki Byakuya and Abarai Renji must be sent to the World of The Living so that they can find a solution to this time shift. Only they will be able to move between time without being much affected even in their gigais."
"Ridiculous!" shot Kenpachi Zaraki. "If Abarai can go, then any of my men are more than qualified for the job!" Zaraki san's voice boomed in the air.
'Ahms' were uttered by many. Everyone knew that the blood-thirsty squad had only lost two battles so far and it was fair that they lose. No one wanted to go on logger-heads with this squad for they were well-aware of their skills.
So, it was only natural that many squad captains stared at the Healer-Head in disbelief and with a questioning glance. But one look from Unohana, and the room fell silent once more.
"The reason why I recommend Abarai and Kuchiki Byakuya for this task is not because of their strength specifically but because they are more accustomed to the World of the Living along with the fact that shrewd decisions need to be made when the time comes. And we all can agree that Byakuya sama is more than capable of taking those decisions among the rest of us. We have all witnessed his abilities during Rukia-san's time," she paused, all but recalling very well the havoc it had caused.
Again, 'humphs' were heard throughout the room.
Unohana knew very well persuading the crowd with Byakuya's sense of keen decisions would be easier than talking people out of Kenpachi's fighting prowess. Afterall, even she acknowledged his skills though not for fear, but that she would love to oneday, drive her zanpaktou through that body to know how he'd feel. A wretched expression of pain would definitely make her innately happy. Afterall, she is the 'Original Kenpachi'.
"So," Yamamoto Taichou of Gotei 13 spoke while getting up from his seat, "the decision has been made." Unohana backed into her place once again as she saw the Head speak.
'No need for me to speak now,' she thought, her thoughts back to being calm. She had convinced him and that was enough.
Byakuya and Renji on cue came forth as Yamamoto sama spoke.
Yes, they were to go to the World of the Living, in their gigais. Not that a certain someone was happy about it. Neither was a certain someone dying internally with the news.
'Why him of all people?' They both thought simultaneously.
Another head, unknown to them, was reading their faces.
'A blank face also speaks several words,' he thought, 'as does an expressive one.' He chuckled lightly.
"Something amusing, Shunsui sama?" enquired Soi Fon.
"Nothing, nothing," he whispered under his breath. 'Nothing indeed.'
