The last chapter of the arc. Have fun! Byakuya won't!
One Hundred Years Ago
Sitting in perfect seiza, the absolute picture of grace and elegance, Byakuya Kuchiki felt…
"Captain Kuchiki."
He felt…
"Captain Kuchiki!"
Startled out of his trance, Byakuya bolted up, a cold sweat breaking out across his neck.
He felt completely in over his head, here.
"I apologize, Captain Commander," he said with a deep bow.
With a grimace he registered the sound of someone giggling. He didn't even need to turn to know it was Captain Shihōin. He instead took the time to force an air of calm, drawing the appropriate scrolls from within his robe. He cleared his throat.
"I will begin my report," he said as evenly as possible.
He read through the documents mechanically, professionally, and though he attempted to channel the former Captain Kuchiki, he had a feeling he wasn't terribly successful. He sat down.
(Who was he kidding? He had no idea how successful he was. The entire speech went by in a blur, one that he didn't remember the second he sat back down. He felt completely out of his depth.)
Captain Shihōin sent him a cheeky grin from her place near the front of the room. She wasn't helping.
As each Captain had their turn, and each report was given, Byakuya couldn't help but think that the entire meeting dragged on horribly. It certainly felt longer than it ever had back in the day when he was simply a Lieutenant.
(He was forced to remind himself that "back in the day" was three days ago. His nerves frayed further.)
By the time the last Captain stood up to give their speech the feeling in his toes were long gone.
Well, he had to correct, it wasn't a Captain that stood up, then. Lieutenant Kaien Shiba stood in Captain Ukitake's place, an easy smile on his face.
"I'm sure you're all looking to leave soon," he said with a crooked grin. "So, I'll try and make this quick."
Byakuya nearly scoffed at his casual demeanor. Of course, no one else seemed to mind or even notice, as always. It almost made him angry.
Still…
The Lieutenant stood there, papers in hand, and with some easy words and a few jokes peppered here and there he somehow commanded the room, he even had the attention of Captain Kiganjō who took that time to finally awake from his meeting-long nap. The Lieutenant demanded respect with little more than a smile.
(Byakuya could imaging his grandfather turning in his grave at the mere thought that their clan heir was jealous of a Shiba.)
Barely a few minutes later and they were all left to their duties, scheduled to return the same time next week, as always. He hoped next time he would do better.
"Hey, Byakuya!"
The young Captain stiffened, turning. He stiffened further when Lieutenant Shiba clapped him on the shoulder, looking at the hand with pure disdain.
"I believe you mean Captain Kuchiki, Lieutenant," Byakuya said flatly. "As we no longer share a rank, I would ask that you address me with the due respect."
Shiba let out a bark of laughter, hand squeezing. "This ain't the manor, buddy. You're allowed to lighten up, you know?"
Byakuya stared at him, and then at the hand still on his shoulder. The Lieutenant released him, eyes rolling before starting back on his way.
"Take it from someone who's been doing the unofficial 'Captain thing' for a while. Don't take everything so serious. You'll save yourself a lot of headache." With a loose salute and a wink, he left.
Byakuya watched the man's back as he retreated before closing his eyes, if only to hide how hard he was rolling them right now. He headed off to his own Division.
It was the type of advice that Byakuya would normally ignore. In fact, it was so anti-Kuchiki that he nearly did out of sheer reflex, but…
The man had a point, he must admit. Not only had he been "at this" for longer than Byakuya had, he'd been in the Gotei Thirteen for longer than Byakuya, as well.
(And he'd heard the rumors. Shiba was supposed to be the new Captain, not him, but for some reason, he didn't get the position. [Supposedly] he had turned it down, something that Byakuya didn't understand in the slightest.)
(A third Captain in the Shiba's main family would have made them legendary. Put that with the Kuchiki's own waning influence and numbers, and they would have been the most powerful family in the Seireitei.)
(But such things were not to be said aloud. It was Byakuya's job to one day return the clan to its former glory, after all.)
Byakuya didn't resolve to take the advice right then and there, but he at the very least kept it in mind.
…
Byakuya scrutinized the text in front of him, eyes burning. He'd been at his desk since dawn, he was pretty sure. With a heavy frown he looked through the window. It was easily past noon.
With a sigh he pushed away from the desk, a hand immediately going to his temples. A part of him wanted to simply power through and finish all the work in one go. Another part wanted to burn the pile and dance on the ashes.
He heard a knock at the door. "Come in," he half-groaned.
His Third Seat walked in, a sheepish look on his face. One look down to his arms and Byakuya instantly knew why. He covered his eyes, just knowing that if he saw it again, he would burn it.
"Just put it with the others."
"Sorry, sir," Nakamura squeaked out. "I took a share of it myself, but there's just so much, it seems. I could take a portion of this to Fourth Seat Ito if you'd like. She said she was happy to help."
"No, thank you. That will be all, Nakamura," he said with a wave of his hand. The young man bowed once more before scurrying away.
Byakuya looked down at the paperwork pile, once again the same size that it was this morning. He let out his fifth, possibly sixth, sigh of the day. It was just his luck that the Division he was given was without a Lieutenant.
(Curse his uncle for eloping with the man. Byakuya couldn't even seek out his relative for advice without causing a clan-wide incident.)
He'd consider promoting Nakamura to the seat, but the boy didn't even have a Shikai and was honestly far too meek for such a position. He still had a whole list of candidates that he needed to sort through, both from his Division as well as others and oh dear gods his headache was back.
Standing up fully, Byakuya left the office, slamming the door behind him in a way that was very un-Kuchiki-like. He needed some fresh air. He considered perusing through the Division's gardens, but quickly decided against it. Just about every break he'd taken this last week had been spent there. He wasn't too keen to see it again.
Besides, the sakura blossoms were in bloom, and if he had to face on more reminder of that annoyance, he was pretty sure he would choke someone with them.
So, instead he went outside of the Division, walking with a facsimile of purpose. When he wandered to the edge of the Academy gardens, the camellia (thank the gods) blossoms in bloom, he sat heavily on a stone bench, ignoring the awed stares of students as they passed by on their lunch break. He tried to clear his mind.
He had… mixed success.
Barely a few minutes passed before he was standing up, a carefully hidden grimace on his face as he turned back to where he came. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of black.
Lieutenant Kaien Shiba looked to be in a hurry, and Byakuya could imagine why. He was a long way from the Thirteenth Division and from the looks of things seemed to be leaving the Fifth.
What was he doing there?
Internally Byakuya knew that such things weren't his business. He had plenty to worry about in his own Division, and there were plenty of legitimate reasons for Lieutenant Shiba to be here. Still…
Something about the man's posture, about his expression, about how his Reiatsu signature was carefully tucked away, it put a sour taste in Byakuya's mouth. Hiding his own signature, he moved to follow.
Were it not for the training he had received from Shihōin he probably would have been discovered about a minute in. He considered himself lucky that he managed to make it all the way to the Thirteenth with no one the wiser.
The man he was tagging carried a stack of what seemed to be paperwork, with one scroll tucked into his belt for good measure. Byakuya waited for him to simply turn into either his or his Captain's office.
He passed them both, heading into the gardens. The scowl on his face growing, Byakuya followed.
They weaved through the grounds, making it right to the edge of the training area before Shiba stopped at the door of a single locked shed. The outside looked dirty, dilapidated, like no one else had used it in quite a few years. Shiba unlocked it, disappearing into the darkness inside.
Back against a tree, Byakuya looked on with narrowed eyes. What in the heavens was this man doing? Call him paranoid, but to Byakuya all of this looked horribly suspicious. He considered heading back to the Fifth, if only to confirm with Captain Aizen that whatever business was going on here was legitimate because…
Well, Byakuya really couldn't believe it. If anyone else told him that Lieutenant Shiba was up to something he'd laugh at them. The Shiba didn't have a conspiring bone in his body, but he supposed appearances could be deceiving.
No, he was getting ahead of himself, here. There was no evidence that Shiba was doing anything bad, just a bunch of circumstantial nonsense. He elected to wait outside and allow the man to explain himself once he left the shed.
He waited…
And waited…
And waited…
In the end it was hunger that dragged him away, that and the fact that the paperwork on his desk was likely growing with every passing minute he was gone.
He left feeling frustrated, tired, and most of all deeply unsettled.
…
Byakuya ended up postponing his quest for a Lieutenant. He, of course, didn't postpone the paperwork getting done because it would undoubtedly shame the Kuchiki name somehow. He instead got used to forcing a good half of it on his Third and Fourth seats, all while continuing his investigation.
Lessons from Shiōin that he used to whine and moan over were suddenly coming in handy as he went on to trail Lieutenant Shiba throughout the first month of his tenure as Captain.
Every Wednesday, right at the start of his lunch break, Lieutenant Kaien Shiba took the oddest possible route from the Thirteenth Division, one that changed a little every time. Sometimes he skirted around the borders of the Seireitei. Other times he'd cut through other Divisions first, despite how out of the way they may be. Mostly, he just ended up taking an esoteric route through the Academy.
No matter what, he always ended up in the same location, the Fifth. He disappeared into their offices for nearly half an hour and returned to the Thirteen. He entered the old shed, stayed there for varying amounts of time and then left.
He did it with such consistency that most of his coworkers seem to have stopped noticing it was strange long ago. Some assumed he was doing duties for the Captain; others assumed he was doing something much more illicit with a mistress, his Third Seat wife none the wiser. If Captain Ukitake had caught on to this behavior, he had yet to say anything about it.
Byakuya at one point realized that he had the power to stop all of this, of course. He could simply ask the man himself, question him in such a way that he couldn't refuse. He learned much more from Shihōin than stealth techniques, after all.
But… no, something about that left a sour taste in his mouth. Despite all of his (stalking) investigation, he didn't have any real proof that something was genuinely wrong, here. All any accusations would be seen as was the word of a freshy minted Captain against the word of a well trusted Lieutenant, aka: a rich brat throwing around his rank.
So, he continued his "investigation" because for some reason, Byakuya didn't know how to let sleeping dogs lie.
On the fifth or sixth Wednesday he decided to test his limits. He followed the man at what was probably a much closer distance than could be considered "safe."
Kaien Shiba had taken one of his more usual routes, cutting through the Fourth and coming back the same way he came. It was direct, but somehow, something seemed… off.
Perhaps it was the way he was running, rushing to get back to the Thirteenth much more than usual, or perhaps it was the signature Shiba scowl, strained into something harsher angrier, but… Byakuya didn't like it, not one bit.
From his distance, Byakuya could see the stack of papers in his hands. Often, they were obscured by a folder or wrapped in a proper scroll, but this time, the man must have really been in a rush because it was all exposed to open air, the top paper nearly visible.
(Nearly. Of course, it wouldn't be that easy, Byakuya internally groaned.)
It was then that Byakuya decided a bit of risk taking would be well worth it in the end. He trailed the man from the treetops, moving silently as Shiba weaved mindlessly through his Division's gardens. Byakuya waited for his chance.
"Kaien!" a voice called.
The man ground to a halt, an exasperated look on his face, and Byakuya could imagine why. The Lieutenant was currently facing his rather cross wife.
"I've been looking everywhere for you," the woman scolded. "The Captain asked to see you nearly an hour ago, and I'm sorry, but I can't cover for you this time!"
"I know, I know," the man groaned, "it's just… this really…" He trailed off, face to face with something that Byakuya did not see. A conflicted expression flashed across his face, and with pursed lips Shiba bent down, placing a kiss on the woman's forehead.
Byakuya felt suddenly like he was intruding. He felt like it might be best for him to leave, in fact, but… he couldn't turn back, now, not when he was so close. He leaned in further.
"Give me five minutes," the man pleaded. "I'll be there, I promise!"
He went into a low bow, his hold on the papers loosening just enough that one of them fluttered from his grasp and onto the base of the tree. He rushed away before he even had the chance to notice.
Byakuya held his breath.
"You better," the woman muttered. Then, her face fell. "Oh, Kaien… What have you gotten yourself into, now?"
She walked away, and only once she was long gone, her Reiatsu signature barely a flicker in Byakuya's mind did he jump down from his hiding spot. The paper was in his hands in less than a second. His heart pounding, he looked.
At first, he wasn't sure what he was looking at. It was a picture, he was sure, but of what? It seemed to be strapped to a lab table, its skin stripped open to reveal its grainy innards. Next to the picture were lines and lines of notes written, though the words made little sense to him. Below it all was a large diagram of what looked to be a humanoid body, several notes scrawled next to it.
It took him a few moments to realize that he was staring at the corpse of a Hollow. (It took him another moment to remember that Hollows didn't leave corpses.) He squeezed his eyes shut suddenly feeling ill. Taking a shaky breath, he took a final peak, trying his best to avoid the picture of the creature.
The words made no more sense to him upon a second reading, but he was sure that some of the characters (because he was fairly certain it wasn't even all Japanese he was looking at) next to the corpse matched those in the humanoid diagram and he didn't need to understand it to know that what he was looking at was seven levels of wrong–
"Woah there, kid… W-what ya got there?" Shiba stuttered out. His normal drawl had somehow lost all its charm. The man was looking at him, a nervous sweat breaking out on his forehead, hands outstretched and open.
Byakuya's eyes narrowed and in a split second he went back into a fighting stance. "Scatter, Senbonzakura!"
Petals surrounded his senior in an instant, trapping the man and scratching at the sleeves of his kimono, threatening. He gulped once, but otherwise stayed stock still. It seemed he knew what was good for him.
"Lieutenant Shiba, I am taking you in on suspicion of…" well, he wasn't really sure what to call what he had just looked at, "on suspicion of conspiracy," he settled on. "You will come with me quietly and you will reveal everything you have hidden away in that shed of yours."
"Wait!" the man pleaded. "This is all just some misunderstanding, I–"
"Please," Byakuya scoffed. "I understand perfectly. I had known you were up to something, but to think it was so depraved…" His petals' grip tightened further, drawing blood from shallow cuts in the Shiba's arms.
"I-I," he looked desperate. Good. "I'll show you everything!" he yelled. "Just don't bring it to the other Captains. Byakuya, come on, you know me. I would never–"
His words cut off in a hiss of pain as Byakuya's grip tightened just a centimeter further before easing once more.
"You will take me there," Byakuya said simply, "then I will make my decision."
The man's shoulders slumped, relief visible, though his teeth were still clenched. With a not so gentle nudge forward Byakuya urged him in the direction of the shed. From behind Byakuya could see his shoulders tensing.
"Damn," the man attempted to laugh it off. "I shoulda known someone was following me, huh?"
Byakuya stayed silent, simply urging him forward.
"Yoruichi would be proud, you know?" he said over his shoulder. "I didn't even know you were there. I bet if you'd held out and been her heir like she wanted–"
"Do you Shiba ever shut up?" Byakuya snapped.
Shiba let out a strained laugh. "Now that's the Byakuya I know."
"Captain Kuchiki!" With that exclamation Byakuya shoved him the rest of the way forward. "Now open this door!" he commanded.
Shiba winced, at least partially because of the increased pressure from Byakuya's Shikai. "Yeah, yeah, I'm getting to it. You know it would be a lot easier if you released my arms, right?"
Byakuya's glare grew colder. Shiba rolled his eyes. The Lieutenant muttered the spell, then, just soft enough that Byakuya couldn't quite make it out, and before his eyes the lock reformed, falling away. The door swung open.
What covered the walls, well, in Byakuya's opinion, didn't help Shiba's case. More papers of the same ilk were pasted on the walls, a single box shoved in the corner, likely filled with the same. How long had the Lieutenant been up to this? His anger growing, Byakuya tightened his grip.
"Ow, OW!" Shiba yelped. "Geeze, you sure like using that thing! If you'd just let me explain–!"
"I believe I've seen enough."
"Where did I get any of this, huh?!" Shiba snapped. All the humor in his voice was gone.
"From the Fifth," Byakuya said flatly. "I was quite thorough in my investigation, I assure you. What does that have to do with–?"
"Do you see a lab here? Maybe some corpses hidden in the back by the shovels? All of this was smuggled from the Fifth."
Byakuya's grip loosened, unsure. "And? What are you getting at Lieutenant? Your time is nearly up."
"Ever since Captain Urahara opened up those labs something fishy's been going on over there. Captain Aizen is up to something and just because the rest of you can't see–"
"Captain Aizen?" Byakuya interrupted, fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose. "Of all the people you could attempt to lay blame on… I'm taking you to the Captain Commander, that is final."
"He was there!" Shiba cried. "When my sister in law died, he was there, poking around, and when I tried to say there was foul play, he was the first one to go against me!"
Byakuya grimaced. "You can't really expect me to believe…" Byakuya shook his head. "Masaki Shiba's death was a tragic acci–"
"IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT!" Reiryoku burst from the man, sending all of Byakuya's petals flying. The shards stuck into the surrounding wood, and Byakuya found himself too shocked to call them back.
Shiba stood there, heaving, panting, hardly even recognizing what he had done.
"It wasn't… an accident," he got out. "I know what a normal Hollow attack looks like. That wasn't it." He trudged over to the wall, tearing off a page and shoving it into Byakuya's chest. "Here! I may not be able to understand it all, but I know enough. Aizen had notes on that Hollow, notes that he'd only be able to get if he had it when it was still alive. Look for yourself."
Still wary, Byakuya pealed the page from his chest and looked.
The notes were hastily written, blots of ink staining the page at odd places. Still, they were legible and detailed, a copied diagram of a Hollow with the ability to create a "human-shaped" lure. It was sick. It was unnatural. With a heavy weight settling in his chest Byakuya considered all that was before him.
He looked to the man staring him down, fire in his eyes as he dared the Captain to doubt him.
Did Byakuya believe that Kaien Shiba was capable of treachery? Perhaps, in the way that few can truly be trusted. Did Byakuya believe that Kaien Shiba would kill his own sister in law for the sake of an experiment?
No, he didn't.
He lowered the page, feeling himself grow pale. "This…" he muttered. This was bad. "You're sure it's… Captain Aizen?" the words seemed foreign coming from his own mouth.
"I'm more than sure. I just don't know who else is involved. Captain Urahara, maybe even Captain Hirako… That's why this needs to stay between us, at least until I find some real proof."
"What, all this isn't enough?" Byakuya asked, shaking the paper in his hands.
Shiba let out a deep sigh. "Copies of notes won't get me anywhere. I couldn't keep the real things for more than a day without having Ichimaru breathing down my neck, and I've never actually found the labs. It'd be my word against his, and I'm sure you could imagine how that'd go."
Byakuya frowned, felling somewhat guilty. He didn't have to imagine it.
"But maybe with a Captain on my side…" Shiba looked to Byakuya hopefully.
Byakuya gulped. "Captain Aizen has been in that seat for hundreds of years. Even with my word…" Shiba's face fell. "But whatever he's doing can't be allowed to continue. I'll help you find the proof you need."
The Lieutenant's face brightened into a grin. "I knew you had a soft spot in there, somewhere."
…
It's strange to Byakuya, to be on the other side of his weekly "stalking."
It was quickly decided that the two of them going to the Fifth together to gather information would grab too much attention, so the two ended up devising a system of sorts. One goes in, gets the information, and meets the other at a designated spot outside the Division. It provided some extra security to the duo. If something went horribly wrong, the other could act accordingly.
They always walked back together, two colleagues simply chatting during their lunch break. None were the wiser (and if anything, it helped them, as many of the nastier rumors surrounding Shiba quieted soon after their outings begun).
Byakuya found most of this acceptable. They gained some decent notes on Aizen's plans. They figured quickly that Urahara had something to do with it all, or at the very least his research did, they just aren't sure what.
(He wished they were sure. These notes were nigh impossible to comprehend. The young scientist's help would be invaluable, here.)
The only part he found unacceptable was the fact that Lieutenant Shiba just won't stop talking!
"…You should have seen the little guy. He had this intense look on his face, and I swear he was more polite that you on your first day. The second we got him settled Miyako burst out laughing!"
Byakuya soldiered on, tightening his grip on the scrolls.
"I mean, it didn't take too long for that to get beaten out of him. The Thirteenth is no place for serious business, as I always say. It does take me back, though. Why, I remember when she and I first came here before we were even married–"
Byakuya ground suddenly to a halt, eyes narrowing. Something was not right, here.
"…What is it?" Shiba asked, laid-back tone gone.
The Captain didn't answer. He shoved his scrolls in Shiba's direction, and in a flicker he disappeared. Above, a grunt of pain sounded, and when he reappeared, it was with a young Lieutenant in tow, arm twisted behind the man's back.
"What were you doing trailing us?" Byakuya asked coldly.
Ichimaru smirked, lips straining from discomfort. "'Trailing?' Can't a guy take a break on a roof in peace?" Byakuya's grip tightened.
"Woah, woah, woah," Shiba tried, hands up. "There's no need for that." Byakuya looked at him questioningly. "I'm sure the kid didn't mean anything by it." He followed that statement with a pointed stare.
With a silent sigh, Byakuya let go. There was no need to drag more suspicion on them than necessary. Shiba took on an easy grin.
"Sorry about that, kid," he said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Byakuya here can get a little… twitchy, the old Kuchiki paranoia and all. Hey, why don't we treat ya to tea to make up for it?"
"Tea?" he asked, feigning innocence, "and with two senior officers?" Ichimaru grinned. "I don't see how I could refuse."
Byakuya frowned.
"Great!" Shiba cheered. "We'll lead the way. Captain Ukitake has the best tea, wouldn't you believe it."
They continued on their way, the Fifth Division Lieutenant trailing them. Barely a few steps in and Byakuya dragged Shiba ahead by the arm going just out of earshot.
"I knew you were a fool, but this is a new low for you," Byakuya hissed. "Ichimaru can't be trusted."
"You think I don't know that?" Shiba snapped back. "He's Aizen's boy, which mean's he's gotta know something, and we're gonna get it out of–"
"What are we talking about?" A silver head popped suddenly between them. Shiba jumped. Byakuya had to repress a flinch. All the while the Lieutenant looked up at them curiously, a sly smile on his face.
"That is none of your–" Byakuya was cut off.
"It's about Aizen!" Shiba blurted out. Byakuya stared at him, dumbfounded. "We were just wondering if Captain Aizen would be okay with you coming with us."
Ichimaru went to Shiba's side, keeping pace with him. "It's not like he has much of a say. It is my day off, after all."
"Day off huh?" Shiba tried to sound casual, and did a good job of it, too. "That must be nice. Why, I can't remember the last time I've had one of those…"
Byakuya let the two's conversation drift to the background. It didn't interest him, after all, not as much as carefully watching Ichimaru.
When he had found him on that rooftop he had just been lying there, looking down with that inscrutable gaze of his. Byakuya didn't trust the man, not even before knowing what his Captain was up to.
Ichimaru was known as a child prodigy in the Gotei Thirteen, having made Lieutenant at an incredibly young age. He had retained his talent throughout his career making himself known as an admirable foe.
All that being said, very few liked him, much less trusted him.
There were rumors from when he was in the academy that he was somewhat of a sadist, and many that attended with him would avoid him at all costs. Even those that didn't know him previously at all found themselves unnerved by the man for one reason or another. Without any official incidents, though, they were just rumors.)
When Captain Aizen had taken him in, many thought it was a sign for the better. They thought the kind Captain was trying to turn over a new leaf for the boy. Knowing what they did now, Byakuya feared that may not have been the case.
So, he watched the two as they spoke amicably with each other, looking on with suspicion.
Eventually they reached a small office at the edge of the Thirteenth Division gardens. With a smile, Shiba invited them in, but before they could enter, he was stopped.
"There you are!" a voice bit out. With an angered scowl and an arm full of paperwork, Ichigo Shiba stomped over to his uncle adding to his ever-growing pile with an angered shove. "I've been looking for you all goddamn day!"
"Hello to you, too, Ichigo," he said, arms straining. The boy glared at him.
"Don't give me any of that. I found out what you've been doing to poor Auntie Miyako. You're doing this paperwork yourself. No handing it off to her, or so help me–!"
"Okay! Okay!" he cried. "But I, uh, kinda have guests here, so I'll need at least an hour before–"
"I am not afraid to tell Captain Ukitake on you," he said in a low voice. Then, he turned to Byakuya, glare gone. He gave a customary bow. "Good afternoon Captain Kuchiki, Lieutenant Ichimaru. I hope this one hasn't been too much of a bother."
"No, not at all," Ichimaru said pleasantly. "Actually, he was just about to treat us to tea."
"Speaking of which," Shiba said. "Ichigo, if you would…"
The officer glared at him once more before turning. "Give me ten minutes," he bit out.
Shiba let out a laugh, hearty yet somehow nervous, guiding his two guests to the table. Byakuya sat, as always in a perfect seiza, Shiba (surprisingly) following. It was Ichimaru that sat down cross legged, smiling at the Captain cheekily. Byakuya tried to ignore him.
"So…" the silver haired Lieutenant drew out, his fingers drumming on the table. "What did you two want to talk about?"
"Oh, we just wanted to chat," Shiba said easily. "I mean, after what Byakuya did, I felt so bad, and you might be the only other Lieutenant I've never talked to. So, please, tell all!"
"I'm afraid there's not much to tell," Ichimaru said with a small smile. "The Fifth isn't that interesting. Aizen is a surprisingly dull man, really."
"Pssh," Shiba sounded. "You've been a Lieutenant for almost as long as me! I'm sure you've got at least one story."
"I guess… There was this one interesting newbie. She was such a meek little thing. I was surprised she had even made it this far…"
Byakuya only half listened to the story, continuing his careful watching of the Lieutenant. Oddly enough, the man didn't make a single move towards the papers they had stolen. He just told some boring story about a blushing new recruit. It almost lulled Byakuya into thinking that Ichimaru really didn't know what was going on, here.
Almost.
Around the end of his story the young Shiba came by with a prepared tea set, an aromatic smell wafting from it. He set it down in a way that Byakuya could only describe as passive aggressive, filling the cups before bowing once and leaving in a huff.
Byakuya took one polite sip, noting that, yes, the tea was quite good. He glanced over to see Ichimaru sipping his cup appreciatively, a sedate smile on his face.
The Captain decided to take the direct root, then. "Would you say that you know everything that goes on in your Division?" he asked.
Ichimaru's eyes widened a bit from his squinty gaze. "No, probably not. Captain Aizen can be surprisingly secretive. That power his Zanpakuto has is no coincidence, you know."
"Yeah…" Shiba hummed. "He can make mirages using the mist from his Shikai, right?"
"Yep! And you know what they say about your Zanpakuto reflecting your personality." He took one long appreciative sip.
Byakuya's lips pursed. "I can't say I've ever been interested in those sorts of theories," he muttered.
"Really?" Ichimaru asked openly. "I've always been fascinated by such things. I suppose that's why Aizen chose me as his Lieutenant. He's always been preoccupied with…" he cast a glance at Shiba's papers, "theories."
Byakuya froze. Shiba set down his cup a little too loudly.
"Oh!" Ichimaru exclaimed. "Did I say too much?" He took another sip of his tea, finishing off the cup before standing up. "Well, that's alright, I suppose. I really should be going. I had some other plans for the day, I'm afraid."
Shiba coughed into his hand before recovering. "That's alright," he said, strained. "I'll see you out." He opened the door for the young man, but right before Ichimaru crossed the threshold he turned back.
"I'd love to do this again," he said kindly. "Your nephew makes a mean cup of tea. It'd be a shame if something were to happen to him because someone was sticking their nose where it didn't belong."
The man left after that, Shiba standing silently by the door, still holding it open. With some hesitance Byakuya moved towards him.
The Lieutenant had gripped the door so hard it had cracked. Hand steady, he released it, a chunk falling to the floor.
"Hey… Byakuya?"
Byakuya didn't have the heart to correct him, then.
"I'm taking out those bastards if it's the last thing I do."
…
Seeing Shiba for the rest of the week, he's his old jovial self. He was showing up to meetings, being the darling of the upper ranks, and doing his work with the same amount of gusto that he usually does.
When their meeting day arrived, he was right outside of Byakuya's office about half an hour ahead of schedule.
"We need to talk," he urged, barging in. He closed the door behind him, drew the curtains on the window, and dumped a small stack of papers onto Byakuya's already full desk.
Byakuya set down his pen, drawing up one of the papers, brow furrowed. "What is this?" He was looking at a diagram of sorts, the notes next to it even messier than usual.
"This," Shiba pressed his finger into it harshly, "is the missing piece to the puzzle, my friend. I reviewed the notes a bit and found one word reoccurring through the lot of it, 'Hogyoku.'"
"You found out what that word stood for?"
"It doesn't stand for anything! It was never code. I took a look at the Central Forty-Six library, and when I searched for the word, I found these."
Byakuya dragged them closer, flipping through, scrutinizing. The lack of horrific imagery made it a much tamer experience. A few pages in, though, he realized something.
"These are Captain Urahara's," he said. "He made this… thing. So, he really is in league with Aizen."
"That's what I thought, too! But then I asked the librarian if there were any further materials, you now, the restricted kind, but he said they were already checked out by Captain Aizen. Now, why would Captain Aizen have to officially check out the research materials if he was friends with the guy? He could just ask him for his!"
"You do have a point there…" Byakuya quietly admitted. He tried to skim through the research materials, and though not in code, he found the language to be far too technical for him to understand. "But, why would Aizen even want this thing?"
"I'm… not really sure. I'd need the other notes to know that, but what I have figured is that this thing is basically just a ball of concentrated power, and considering what he's been doing with Hollows, I'm willing to bet Aizen could find a use or two with something like that."
"So… what?" Byakuya asked flatly. "Do we march up to Captain Urahara, tell him everything?"
"I'm still trying to work that part out," Shiba said, "but, yeah, I'm thinking we take this info to him. Library records are a start of proof, at least, and if his Hogyoku can do what I'm thinking this is gonna crack our case wide open. Just give me a couple of days to sort everything out."
"I'll give you until tomorrow," Byakuya decided sternly. "For now… allow me to read over these. I'll speak with Captain Urahara myself."
Shiba grinned, wide and sincere. "Okay, then. I'm counting on you."
A snake smiled from between the curtains.
…
Byakuya prepared himself for the morning's meetings, Shiba's borrowed papers tucked away in his haori. He'll go through the meeting as planned, be the picture of perfect decorum, and speak privately with Urahara at the end, telling all and hopefully putting an end to Aizen's nefarious experiments.
Leaving his office, he felt determined, it a bit nervous. If their hypothesis was incorrect and Captain Urahara was in league with Aizen then, needless to say, this would turn out quite ugly. With that in mind he stepped out from his office and into the Soul Society's streets.
He was stopped before he even left his Division.
Five Souls flickered into view around him, three at his back, two at his front, all in the Second Division's anonymous black uniforms. A sixth comes to him, right at his back, a Zanpakuto just barely pressed to his neck.
"Sorry about this, Byakuya," Shihōin said quietly. With a jab of her hand his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He went limp. Everything went black.
He found himself gasping awake, on his knees in the center of the meeting room. His peers surrounded him, all accompanied by their Lieutenants. They each looked down at him with a wide variety of emotions. Some seemed unsure, others disgusted, and others still, apathetic.
The Captain Commander looked down on him with a look he couldn't decipher at all.
Captain Aizen looked, to all, to have an expression of abject pity, something that had Byakuya's blood turning cold. It was then he realized that there was exactly one person missing from this meeting.
Kaien
"Captain Shihōin!" one of the masked officers exclaimed. "We found this in Captain Kuchiki's pocket." He handed off the library papers, Byakuya looking on and feeling utterly shocked.
She took the papers, brow furrowed, eyes scanning it. "Kisuke, you may want to see this," she said, hand beckoning.
Captain Urahara came forward, leaning over her shoulder to take a look. He needed only a second before his eyes widened and then darkened.
"This still doesn't prove it," the man said firmly. "There's still no way he could have gotten his hands on one by himself. Making mine took years."
"Kisuke," the Captain Commander's voice rang out, "is it possible?"
The scientist let out a deep sigh. "Yes, it's possible. That doesn't mean he did it."
"Then there only seems to be one way to settle this," Ichimaru said pleasantly. "We search his place, see if he had any means to do so. Then we'll know if he killed the Lieutenant or not."
"I'm way ahead of you on that one," Shihōin said lowly. "My squad is already–"
"What?" Byakuya hissed out. The Lieutenant's words finally hit him. "I'm sorry, but what's going on, here? You arrest me out of nowhere and for… for…" He gulped. He knew what it was for, now. Ichimaru looked down at him with a too-wide smile.
"I wouldn't act so innocent," Captain Aizen said solemnly. "I had suspected you were up to something, but after looking at the Library records, I was convinced. Admit it. You sent the Hollow that killed poor Lieutenant Shiba and his wife last night."
Byakuya looked up at the man in horror, grasping for words but finding none.
"Enough with this useless fucking talk," Captain Shiba growled, standing to his full height. "Yoruichi said she sent the search. All that's left to do now is wait," he strode over to the prone Byakuya, "and he better pray to the gods that we don't find anything."
Byakuya resisted the urge to flinch, his mind running as fast as it could. This… He was… This couldn't be happening.
"I didn't do it," was the first thing he thought to say. "Check the library's records. Captain Aizen is in possession of materials regarding the Hogyoku, not me."
Captain Shiba froze, scowl darkening. The Captain Commander frowned. "Kuchiki," Yamamoto said gravely, "I checked those records myself this morning per Captain's Aizen's request. You were the one that took them, and I must say, you are doing yourself no favors by lying about it, now."
Whatever Byakuya was going to say next choked in his throat. How was his name on the records? Shiba had seemed so sure… He turned to Captain Aizen to see the man meeting his gaze steadily.
The elder Captain broke it, striding over to the Captain Commander.
"Such a shame this is," Aizen lamented, shaking his head, "and after all the trouble I went through recommending you to this position over the late Lieutenant… I believe we can save further theories for the trial, should things come to that. For now–"
He was interrupted by a Second Division officer bursting through the front doors, panting.
"What did you find?" Shihōin asked.
"I-it's like nothing I've ever seen!" she panted out. "Captain, you need to see this!"
Shihōin nodded at the officer, face betraying nothing. Yoruichi looked down at Byakuya, betrayal clear on her face. She raised her hand, and once again his vision went dark.
He woke to a Second Division cell, wrists bound in Sekkiseki stone cuffs behind his back. He was sat securely on a hard wooden chair, a narrow window the only light to the room.
Suddenly a small hand cuffed him on the back of the head, sending him bowing. A slight officer came around him, then, carrying a box under one arm. She set it down with a heavy thud on the table before him.
He recognized her instantly as Yoruichi's new Lieutenant, her most recent "student" as the woman had called her. Suì-Fēng looked down at him with disdain.
"You're one sick fuck, aren't you?" she asked with narrowed eyes. She popped open the box, pulling out a sheet from inside. It was one of Shiba's notes. "You know, one of the newer officers puked when he read this. I mean, I know they were just Hollows, but damn. You'll be lucky if they don't execute you for what you did."
"This is a mistake," he slurred out. "Let me speak with your Captain. I'm sure this can all be sorted–" She slammed her fist on the table, cutting him off.
"Excuse me, prisoner," she bit out. "You don't ask things of me, got it? And I can assure you that Lady Shihōin has no desire to see you, not after what you did. All you're going to do is sit here and look pretty until your trial next week, got it?"
He looked down, saying nothing. In a flash she was in front of him, hand fisted in the back of his long hair, pulling his head back harshly.
"I need and answer!" she yelled in his face.
"…I understand," he said quietly. She let him go, giving him one last glare before reaching for a folder at the front of the box.
"Now, for your benefit, I will be going through all your charges."
…
"From the evidence gathered we can surmise that the defendant created a Hogyoku of his own, conducting unauthorized experiments on dozens of Hollows. Then, in an effort to test one of his experiments he set it loose upon the Thirteenth Division, resulting in the deaths of Lieutenant Kaien Shiba, Third Seat Miyako Shiba, as well as the hospitalization of eight officers."
"That still leaves where the Hogyoku would be now. One was never found at his residence, or at any of his discovered hideouts."
"That matters little in the face of such overwhelming evidence. It is likely he had either hidden it or disposed of it, and wasting time trying to find it would be just that, a waste of time."
"It really is too bad, though. To have the Kuchiki heir fall to such lows, the shame your family must feel."
Byakuya stood before a panel of judges, stripped of his uniform, his title, and as of yesterday, his name. There was no longer a Kuchiki heir for the family to feel shame over, it seemed.
He let the words of Central Forty-Six wash over him, hearing, but not truly processing any of it. It seemed the conclusion was inevitable, anyway.
Byakuya didn't know what Aizen did to twist everyone's minds. (He still barely registered that Lieutenant Shiba was dead.) All he knew was that apparently all the documents found were in Byakuya's own handwriting, he had three confirmed hideouts, and one confirmed lab.
All he knew was that it was all Aizen's fault.
A part of him wanted revenge. Another part knew it was doubtful he would live to receive it.
"…After much deliberation, we find the defendant guilty of all charges, and we recommend the sentencing of banishment. He is to have his powers stripped by sundown and to be expelled from the Soul Society."
"What?!" Captain Shiba yelled. "That bastard should be burning for this! You can't honestly tell me that's his punishment!"
"You would remember your place, Captain. Our word is law. Case dismissed."
The only thing Byakuya remembered of the trial, with utter clarity, was the look that Ichigo Shiba had given him, staring down from the balcony seats. He looked at him like he was a monster.
He didn't see Aizen look at him, cold, ruthless, yet satisfied.
The spectating officers filed out slowly. The Central Forty-Six members all stood in unison before leaving as a procession. Byakuya was dragged out roughly and without warning.
…
Byakuya was dropped in the middle of the wilderness, one seal drawn on each wrist, completely powerless, stuck in a gigai that felt like it didn't fit. His senses felt shot to hell, the Second Division officers sent to look after him barely registering in his mind.
He stood up, only to stumble. He was hungry. He was thirsty. With some difficulty he fell back to his old Academy training, hoping that it would be enough.
For a few days he sat, eating what he could, just waiting for death. (He wasn't a fool. They wouldn't have sent this many Second Divisioners after him if they weren't planning on giving him a much more permanent punishment very soon. It seemed Captain Shiba would get his wish.)
The only thing that kept him from ending it himself was this little niggling in his mind, this tiny voice that told him this wasn't his end.
Aizen was still alive in the Soul Society; Byakuya was still alive, and as long as those two things were true, Byakuya would make sure that one day Aizen would burn.
That thought fueling him he used his nightly fire to burn the away the seals at his wrists. He looked to the city to the east, large and yet growing, and in the night, he disappeared into it, thanking (one last time) Yoruichi for the training she had given him.
That's it for now folks! I hope you had some fun with this one because I sure did. This one was probably even more fun for me than the Soul Society Arc, honestly, and it turned out even better than I could have imagined. After this I have the Hueco Mundo Arc and a (probably very short) Winter War arc to wrap things up.
Expect some more things to change. Expect some things you already know and love, and expect it all JULY 19, the week after Anime Expo for all you nerds attending. I have more irl things to settle between then and now including running a booth at a smaller anime convention in my hometown as well as figuring out the logistics of moving again. In between all that I'll be writing my little heart out with hopes of getting both arcs done back to back (no promises).
I'll see you then!
