HALCYON DAYS
Volume Five: Drowned in the Rain

Chapter Two

The Bushishinzui Budōkan rumbled with the murmurs of thousands of spectators debating amongst themselves about the conclusion to Hisagi and Kira's bout.

Inside the Tsunayashiro loge, Tokinada was munching on a ripe peach. Juice drizzled down his chin with each obscene bite.

"So, from what I gather, that Hisagi fellow declined to fight seriously because he was fearful of a promotion." the Tenrai-chō surmised. "How pathetic. Izuru, however? Good lad. His traitor captain may have been a disgrace, but at least he instilled some ambition into his subordinates. Tōsen, on the other hand – "

"Many in the Gotei 13 view it differently, Your Highness," Komamura interjected, unable to let the insult go. "The chain of command is sacrosanct among us, and winning a captain's seat as a tourney prize will smack of stolen valor for most Shinigami. I do not judge Lieutenant Kira's reasons, but Hisagi hasn't last any honor today."

Tokinada craned his head back to glower at the wolf. He took another chomp of peach and blew a raspberry, spraying flecks onto Komamura's hayori.

"I tolerate your presence so that you may provide me with trivia tidbits, dog. Your opinion, however, isn't worth shit."

Komamura bowed his head in submission. "Pardon me, Your Highness."

"Tokinada-san, I have a question." Yūshirō leaned over from the arm of Tokinada's throne and tugged at his fellow Tenrai-chō's robe. "Why are you so mean to Captain Komamura?"

Tokinada shot him a smile of absolute delight.

"Because he deserves it, my dear boy."

"But why?"

Tokinada, sensing an opportunity, bit off a greedy hunk of peach and chewed it slowly, stoking Yūshirō's anticipation while prolonging Komamura's dread. He finished with an exaggerated swallow.

"Tell me, Yūshirō, how much do you know about the Zanpakutō Rebellion?"

"I've heard of that before!" the Shihōin Tenrai-chō's eyes lit up with recognition. "It was the uprising that caused the Rōnin Period, right?"

"Correct," Tokinada nodded. "It was a grand betrayal, perpetrated by fiends just as depraved as Aizen Sōsuke. You see, today's Gotei 13 is not the first iteration of the Seireitei's protectors. Far from it. Genryūsai's configuration of our military force is quite new in the grand scheme of things.

"The original Gotei served the Shisonka for eons, until about 1,500 years ago, when a whole generation of ungrateful Shinigami attempted to overthrow us. They actually believed that the might of their swords superseded our divine birthright, and so they plotted against the Soul King's favorite children. These usurpers even began to arm the Rukon, if you can believe such heresy. Our forefathers would have all been butchered had the plot succeeded."

Yūshirō's eyes widened with horror. "What stopped them?"

"Their conspiracy was exposed when they made the mistake of trying to wrangle a Kuchiki officer to their side," Tokinada recalled. "You see, they mistook the Kuchiki Clan's record of military service as solidarity with their cause. But the officer they approached rightfully chose family over the ambitions of traitors. When the Shisonka learned of the Gotei's plans, the rebellion was stomped out with ease."

"How?" Yūshirō craned himself ever closer.

Tokinada cast a smirk up at Sajin while he answered, his voice a flinty purr.

"They were firmly reminded of the Soul King's power. The names of the conspirators were sent up to the heavens, and Our Father saw fit to punish each and every one of them with a rather creative curse. More than half that entire generation of the Gotei found themselves transformed into hideous beasts, their connection to their Zanpakutō completely severed. This disfiguration permanently cast them out: if they ever stepped foot onto the Seireitei's soil again, whatever was left of their faculties would quickly evaporate and they'd be rendered into feral, mindless animals.

"And so they fled to Malo Manu, the realm where Yōkai dwell, to live out their wretched existences in exile. To really make it hurt, the Soul King's curse even extended their lifespans so that they may fumble about in shame for many millennia until they eventually succumb to their transformation into filthy dogs.

"The purge left a hole in our defenses that Genryūsai eventually filled, and we never heard from the traitors again... until two of these vermin had the absolute gaul to return, tails between their legs, and beg for forgiveness. My family was unspeakably generous enough to grant them a reprieve, and these two heathens were gifted with reconnection to Zanpakutō and the privilege of walking amongst us again. However, no matter how much they may prostrate themselves, we must never forget what they are."

Tokinada looked to the stricken Yūshirō while gesturing up at Komamura.

"So you see, Yūshirō, Sajin bears the face of our greatest enemies. His disfigurement is not something to be pitied, but scorned."

Komamura was on the verge of tears, his jaw set tight while he chanced a glance down at Yūshirō. The young Tenrai-chō looked up at him with an expression of profound confusion, then suspicion, until finally... hatred.


Suí-Fēng entered the Shihōin loge. Much to her unpleasant surprise, only Hitsugaya and Kenpachi were awaiting her.

"Where's Yūshirō?" she asked, preemptively alarmed.

"The little snot scampered away," Kenpachi answered while helping himself to a spread of snacks fit for royalty.

Suí-Fēng shot him a glare that could vaporize ice.

"The Tenrai-chō decided he'd rather watch the tournament from the Tsunayashiro box," Hitsugaya elaborated bashfully. "He's being watched by his bodyguard along with all of Tenrai-chō Tokinada's men, plus Captain Komamura. He's safe as can be."

Suí-Fēng, relaxing into merely a disapproving scowl, strode imperiously past them and leaned against the balcony to survey the arena below.

"Well, even so, it's improper for a Tenrai-chō to leave his post," she muttered.

"Say, Suí-Fēng, your Reiatsu's gotten bigger than before, just like Hitsugaya," Kenpachi remarked through a mouthful of rice cake, eyeing her aura like it was a prime cut steak. "I guess both of you actually improved from that Reikinbaku-ito junk. It didn't do anything for me. What a ripoff."

"Perhaps it's because you've already reached your limit, Captain Zaraki?" Suí-Fēng shot him a mocking smirk from over her shoulder. "After all, it stands to reason that a blunt instrument can't be sharpened."

The curtains of the loge entrance billowed, drawing all their attention. Kenpachi, immediately recognizing the visitor's spiritual signature, cracked a smile.

"The coast is clear if you want some grub, Yachiru."

Hitsugaya and Suí-Fēng both blanched when Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi burst through the curtains and scurried in. She grabbed one of the silver platters and began heaping on treats.

"It smells so good, Ken-chan!" she giggled, paying special attention to a pot of steamed dumplings.

"She can't be in here!" Suí-Fēng hissed. "Any officers below the rank of captain aren't allowed in a Tenrai-chō's loge!"

"Well, seeing that the little squirt is hanging out elsewhere, I guess this ain't really his box for the time being," Kenpachi rejoined.

Suí-Fēng, pink in the face, watched Yachiru stack up a small mountain's worth of gourmet cuisine. "Don't get any ideas about sitting on Yūshirō's throne, Kusajishi."

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Yachiru leapt up and landed daintily onto the balcony rail, her legs swinging over the ledge while she began gobbling her bounty.

Suí-Fēng glowered at the diminutive lieutenant with disdain. "Remind me again why you aren't even competing in this tournament? There's no good reason why you can't fight, and yet you've left your division's honor on the shoulders of a Third Seat."

"I didn't feel like it," Yachiru said chirpily before popping another dumpling into her mouth. "Doing stuff like this is more Baldie's thing, anyway."

Suí-Fēng squinted at her suspiciously. By stuff, do you mean literally anything expected of a second-in-command?

"Why're you giving Yachiru guff?" Kenpachi grumbled. "At least Madarame actually won his first match. Your lieutenant got his ass handed to him."

"Ōmaeda's a fool," Suí-Fēng nodded. "A fat and lazy fool. But he will never shape up unless he's confronted by the consequences of his laziness. You should teach your own lieutenant the same lesson, Zaraki."

Yachiru had so many dumpling stuffed into her mouth that her cheeks were swollen like a chipmunk. She shot a wounded look at Suí-Fēng. "Arf youmf calling muh a fatty foopha?"

"Everyone, be quiet," Hitsugaya shushed. "The next match is starting."

They all turned their eyes to the arena. Renji had stepped onto the stage.