HALCYON DAYS
Volume One: Reap What You Soul
Chapter Three

Yamamoto entered the darkened chamber known as the Tōtoikaikan, its towering cedar doors closing shut behind him.

尊い会館 Tōtoikaikan (Sacred Hall)

All light in the hall was snuffed out, followed by an extended period of pitch black until four torches arraying the chamber lit up simultaneously and cast a flickering shade of orange onto the Captain-Commander. He gazed up at four pillars sprouted above the horns of fire, a silhouette perched atop each column.

While the Gotei 13 exercised Soul Society's might and Central 46 its law, the Shisonka stood above both organizations. They were the four supreme families: direct descendants of the first Shinigami.

子孫化 Shisonka (Supreme Offspring)

Often described as the Soul King's favorite children, these clans had molded the Seireitei since its founding; the very concepts of a Central 46 and the Gotei were their invention. Yamamoto's Gotei 13 had stood for only a thousand years; the Shisonka had existed for many millennia beforehand.

There was the Ise Clan, whose dynastic values were "Gentility and Virtue." Their prerogative was cultivating Soul Society's politesse and judicial system, often for their own benefit. It was an Ise family head who had supervised the formation of the first Central 46. The family, with all their layabout children and sycophantic servants, resided in the lavish manor called Kedakaigaku.

Next was the Kuchiki Clan, who were the most closely bonded with the Gotei in all its incarnations over millennia. The wealthiest of the Shisonka families, their seed reserves had planted every shrub and tree in the Seireitei. With the values of "Honor and Prosperity," they were charged with beautifying the Seireitei and bolstering its defense. In fact, it was a Kuchiki ancestor who had overseen the construction of the Seireheki that shielded them all from invasion. They were fewer in number than the Ise, largely because of their perilous tradition of military service, and they resided in the manor called Megumarerushi.

Then there was the Shihōin Clan, a secretive lot known for the values of "Discipline and Ingenuity." An unofficial addition to that creed was "Subterfuge." For thousands of years they were the spymasters of Soul Society, preferring to use a quiet dagger rather than a sword to undermine their competitors. They were also responsible for some of the greatest technological innovations in the Seireitei. The Shinigami Research and Development Institute was their creation, and there were long-persisting rumors that they had stockpiled marvelous inventions in secret at their manor, Shinhensoku.

Finally, there was the Tsunayashiro Clan, which had been reduced to a party of merely one person in recent years. Following the creed of "Cunning and Wisdom," the Tsunayashiro were tasked with preserving Soul Society's historical memory – and blotting out whatever portions the Shisonka would prefer to be forgotten. The Daireitoshokan had been built thanks to their patronage, and stocked with the materials that had once been guarded at their ancestral manor, Seidahatsume.

Most of the Shisonka lived their lives in pampered luxury and exercised very little influence on matters beyond what occurred in their mansions. However, the four dynasties each appointed a family member to jointly govern the rest of the Seireitei: the Tenrai-chō.

天来酋 Tenrai-chō (Divine Chieftain)

The four Tenrai-chō took on the roles of both lords and high priests. They were regarded as emissaries of the Soul King, and their decisions were treated accordingly. However, their grip over Soul Society's governance had softened over the past three thousand years, to the point where they would only directly intervene during times of great crisis. However, they were not above making mischief for the Gotei 13.

Yamamoto gazed up at the four imperious shadows and waited patiently for one of them to speak.

"Well, have you nothing to say, Genryūsai?" an orotund voice asked from atop of the pillar inscribed with Ise Clan's sigil. "We have been waiting around on these uncomfortable hunks of marble for longer than is advisable for our postures, so please cease your sulking down there and speak up."

Yama cocked his bushy brow, charmed as ever by Tenrai-chō Kōbucha Ise's tart tongue.

"If your seats are uncomfortable, Tenrai-chō Ise, then I can arrange for you to be fitted with even bigger cushions," he retorted.

"Do not be glib, Genryūsai!" Kōbucha cried. "Glibness is a luxury only I can afford. Are you resentful because we've summoned you here for a scolding? Well then stand there and be sour to the point of puckering, because a scolding is absolutely in order! This is an unmitigated disaster. The biggest fiasco to befall the Gotei 13 in a century!"

"We did not summon the Captain-Commander for a scolding," a brittle voice sighed from a pillar bearing the Kuchiki Clan's sigil. "Please, Kōbucha, can we keep this meeting constructive?"

"Before we proceed with anything 'constructive,' let us take a full accounting of what has occurred under Genryūsai's watchful eye," Kōbucha clarified. "The entirety of Central 46 was slaughtered and erroneous edicts were sent out and followed for days, all while a band of Ryoka humans got the better of our supposedly mighty Gotei 13. We learned that three seated captains have been working in conspiracy against the Soul Society for decades, and they escaped with the help of the Hollow horde. Do I have that in full?"

"The Sōkyoku was destroyed as well," a droll, reedy voice added from the pillar inscribed with the Tsunayashiro Clan marking.

"Ah, yes – the Sōkyoku!" Kōbucha shouted with exasperation. "We are lucky that the Soul King has not rained down fire from the heavens as punishment for your ineptitude, Genryūsai!"

"Aizen Sōsuke deceived us all," Yamamoto replied, unfazed by his scolding. "I take full responsibility for the failure to detect his traitorous intent, but the power of his Zanpakutō made us unable to rely on our very own eyes. I will bring him to justice for his crimes, with my own hands if need be. You know I mean what I say."

"Is that it?" the Tsunayashiro shadow asked, unimpressed.

Yamamoto squinted up at Tokinada Tsunayashiro, unsure of what the lord was getting at.

"Have I not made myself clear, Tenrai-chō Tsunayashiro?"

"I was hoping you would have a more spirited excuse for why we should not strip you of your title, Shigekuni," Tokinada hissed from his perch. "This is the third time in a century that you have failed to protect the Seireitei from calamity –"

"This isn't a tribunal!" the Kuchiki Tenrai-chō interrupted, his wizened voice cracking. "I will not consent to any challenge against Captain-Commander Yamamoto's leadership."

"Color me surprised," Tokinada teased, his mocking smile shrouded in darkness.

"Enough!" Yamamoto said. "This gathering will be a waste of everyone's time if we become mired in reprisals."

"Fine,'" Kōbucha harrumphed, crossing her arms. "Let us move onto 'constructive' dialogue, then. First order of business: we have made our selections to refill Central 46."

"Good."

"And I have rescinded all lands and wealth associated with the Aizen Clan," Kōbucha added.

Yamamoto merely nodded in response, unimpressed. Stripping the Aizen Clan of all noble status was merely symbolic since Sōsuke was already the last remaining member of the bloodline.

Procreation was not a given in Soul Society. All of the human souls who passed from the Material World into the Rukongai were sterile; they could only gain the ability to bear children by being granted noble status by one of the Shisonka Clans, sometimes as a reward for great valor or most often because they made for a useful political chess piece. The Soul King's invisible hand would then extend down from the heavens to bequeath that soul the gift of procreation. They could then build their own bloodline while serving as a vassal to their Shisonka benefactor. While all souls who served in the Gotei were called Shinigami, there remained a class distinction: some still believed that true Shinigami were born while those who had arrived through the Cycle of Souls were merely Rukon given swords.

Centuries beforehand, the Ise Clan granted a high-ranking Gotei officer named Rusaboro Aizen a noble title for his distinguished service. Tragically, Rusaboro later had an apparent mental breakdown and murdered his wife, Rurichiyo, and then killed himself by setting their manor on fire. They were survived by their only son, Sōsuke Aizen.

"A question, Shigekuni: have you considered whether or not this is just another Rukongai rebellion in the guise of a Gotei insurrection?" Tokinada interjected. "Ichimaru Gin and Tōsen Kaname were both Rukon trash before they joined your ranks. Perhaps a purge in the outer districts is in order?"

Yamamoto cocked his head, struggling not to roll his eyes at the Tenrai-chō. Tokinada was so routinely bloodthirsty that suggesting a mass execution had become a cliché for him.

"Aizen Sōsuke is noble born; there isn't any evidence that his machinations originated from the Rukongai," the Captain-Commander answered. "We have no intention to punish anyone other than the three Shinigami who broke their oaths."

"What about Kuchiki Rukia and this Ryoka... Kurosaki Ichigo, was it?" Tokinada pressed.

"What about them, Tenrai-chō Tsunayashiro?" Yamamoto replied.

"I was surprised to learn that the little Kuchiki was reinstated, and that Kurosaki Ichigo and his band of invaders were released back into the World of the Living," Tokinada recalled with an acidic drip in his enunciation. "Kuchiki Rukia committed a grave crime by giving that human boy her Reiryoku. I am confused as to why she has gone unpunished... and why he was allowed to leave Soul Society alive."

"Kuchiki Rukia was condemned because of illegal orders sent out by Aizen Sōsuke!" Yamamoto bristled. "Kurosaki Ichigo spared Soul Society the shame of executing one of our own at the behest of a traitor."

"So it doesn't trouble you, knowing that there is a human welp with the power of a Shinigami prowling around?" Tokinada sneered. "You should understand why that does not sit well with me, Shigekuni. No good comes of it. Do you have nothing to add, Ginrei?"

Tokinada turned and peered at the silhouette of his fellow Tenrai-chō, Ginrei Kuchiki. The old man was silent for an extended period of time, carefully formulating his answer.

"This whole business has been a difficult ordeal for my family," Ginrei admitted. "I am gratified that Byakuya was able to set aside his personal feelings and uphold his duty as a Shinigami, but... he now vouches for this human boy, and I trust his judgment."

Tokinada frowned, realizing that he was alone in his objection. With a dismissive wave of his hand, he declined to press the matter any further.

"Do not mistake our benevolence on the matter of Kuchiki Rukia as satisfaction with what happened on Sōkyoku Hill, Genryūsai," Kōbucha interjected ruefully. "Based on last week's events, the Gotei 13 has grown indolent and sluggish. All of your forces, be they captain or grunt, must undergo extensive training immediately!"

"I agree, Tenrai-chō Ise," Yamamoto nodded. "We have not faced a threat of this scale in centuries. Our blades will be sharp and our..."

Yamamoto trailed off when he realized that the silhouette perched on the Shihōin Clan pillar was bouncing up and down in anticipation with the force of a spring.

"What is it, Tenrai-chō Shihōin?" Yamamoto asked, befuddled.

"Tell him, tell him, tell him, tell him, tell him, tell him, please!" a youthful voice squeaked from atop the column.

"Ah yes, there was one more matter to discuss," Tokinada chuckled. "Young Yūshirō here had a most splendid idea: the Gotei 13 will stage a new Jūsankentaikai this season."

十三刃大会 Jūsankentaikai (Thirteen Blades Tournament)

What?! Yamamoto blanched. The tournament was a centennial event, and the most recent one was held only 76 years beforehand.

"Now is not the time to hold a glorified pageant!" Yamamoto protested, his voice rising. "We must focus our efforts on –"

"You will focus your efforts on whatever we deem of value to the Seireitei," Tokinada interrupted. "If Kōbucha has not already made it clear: morale is low and the peoples' trust in you has been rattled. We have agreed that reassuring Soul Society of the Gotei's power will be vital to the war effort."

"That's right," Kōbucha nodded. "We cannot beat back the Hollow horde with unrest in the streets or, the Soul King forbid, a rebellion in the Rukongai. In one week, the Seireitei will host the Tenth Jūsankentaikai. We will not accept anything less than an impressive performance from your lieutenants."

Yamamoto's grip around his cane tightened in fury. In one week?!

"Do you actually agree with this, Tenrai-chō Kuchiki?" he implored Ginrei.

"... It was an unanimous decision," Ginrei replied meekly.

"Well, there we have it," Tokinada concluded. "Besides, it will be a fitting way to celebrate Yūshirō's upcoming sixtieth birthday."

Yamamoto bit his tongue, infuriated that his soldiers would be forced to divert resources and time into putting on a show for a spoiled brat.

Tenrai-chō Yūshirō Shihōin leaned forward from his seat, his round face finally illuminated by the torch's amber light. His golden eyes were glinting with glee.

"C'mon, Captain-Commander!" the young Tenrai-chō squealed. "It'll be so much fun!"

Yamamoto gazed up at the youngster with strained patience. Yūshirō looked so much like his older sister, Yoruichi. She had always been irascible, too, but worldly enough to understand priorities. Given how his family had sheltered him his whole life, it was perhaps unsurprising that the young Tenrai-chō would treat wartime like a game.

"I must insist you reconsider," Yamamoto said while clearing his throat. "Staging a tournament now would be a complete –"

"There is nothing left to discuss, Genryūsai," Kōbucha cut him off. "We have already dispatched a summons to each of the Gotei divisions. They should be arriving right now, as we speak. The Tenth Jūsankentaikai will take place in one week. Go tend to your soldiers and make sure that they do not embarrass the Seireitei again. This time, there will be an audience of thousands."


Tenth Division Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto, surrounded by dozens of her subordinates, looked on in confusion while a squadron of specialized emissaries from the Onmitsukidō's Inner Court Troop unfurled an eight-foot golden parchment inscribed with silver writing.

"Lieutenant Matsumoto Rangiku, you are hereby commanded to participate in the Tenth Jūsankentaikai in seven days time!" the head messenger announced. "If you are unable or unwilling to compete, the officer ranked directly beneath you shall fight in your stead, and so on and so forth. Your division must be represented in the tournament; failure to have a champion is forbidden. Good Day!"

The masked emissaries efficiently rolled up the giant scroll and vanished in a whirr of Shunpo. Rangiku stood still, looking disappointed for a moment before shooting an irate glare at the grunt who had summoned her.

"When you told me that a group of men were here to see me, I was expecting suitors. Next time time specify that they're messengers, you tease!'"


Byakuya Kuchiki was returning to the Sixth Division, his measured gait betraying that he still hadn't fully recovered from his injuries on Sōkyoku Hill. From afar, he could see a small group of masked messengers addressing Renji Abarai and a dozen soldiers at the entrance of their barracks. The Inner Court Troop emissaries were wearing fabric bands as colorful as a peacock's plumage around their arms.

They're from Ise Clan, Byakuya observed, noting the particular accents of sepia and teal that distinguished these couriers.

The messengers finished their announcement and disbursed in a flash, leaving a visibly gobsmacked Renji scratching his head. Byakuya continued making his way over at a deliberate pace before arriving right beside his lieutenant.

"What did they want?" he asked, staring forward and not even deigning to make eye contact.

"There's gonna be a Jūsankentaikai… in one week," Renji mumbled. "The Shisonka want me to compete."

Byakuya was placid for a beat, digesting the announcement.

"I see," he said softly. "This will be a great opportunity for you. Try not to squander it."

With that, Byakuya made his way into the barracks. Renji watched after him, unsure of just how supportive his advice really was.