Welcome to The Long Forgotten King.
This is my rewrite of my little story A Long Forgotten King. The issue was I left the story for so long that whilst I had no issues with writer's block I couldn't find time to write and by the time I'd come back around to the chapter I'd changed style because I have read more and I wouldn't be the same person that started it back in 2015.
To the lovely people that read the first version welcome back and I meant the farewell message at the end, I loved writing for all of you.
Again, I Still Dont Own Bleachz Tite Kubo Does
Anyway, on with Chapter one.
Squad 12, Research and Development department
Squad 12 was very much the information hub of the Soul Society, all of the knowledge of who passed where and into which part of the realm gargantas were opened, whenever people came back through the Senkaimon and it also picked up, albeit belatedly, when they came to kill Fukutaicho Sasikibe, and during the first onslaught by the Quincy which killed the Soutaicho, Genryūsai Yamamoto.
They hadn't been able to sense them till they were too late, and in and amongst the chaos of the aftermath of the Quincy's first wave, Akon, Third seat of the 12th division wasn't allowing his men to slack off, they had to know at the exact moment that the Quincy launched their second, and most likely final, wave.
"What are the sensors in the Seireitei picking up now Kuna?" He asked the unseated female attendant, the division had spared no expense, largely because even the great Mayuri Kurotsuchi didn't flatter himself to believe that the Quincy would be detected the third time when the first two had been massive calamities on the divisions part.
"At the moment sir they're not highlighting much, just the latent energy of the fight between the former head captain and Yhwach." She responded
Yamamoto's Bankai had been as powerful as everyone had expected and then some, if the old fool had just decided to bite the bullet and allow the Ryoka, Orihime Inoue, to restore his missing arm he may have walked away from the fight breathing instead of allowing the survival of the entire afterlife to rest of the shoulders of the former Taicho of squad 8 and new Soutaicho of the Gotei 13, Shunsui Kyoraku.
Kyoraku was as good a captain as any, he was an incredible fighter and a brilliant leader, but all this was under the stipulation that he decided he fancied being that at the time. Often he was unreliable and foolish, chasing pretty girls or flirting with his Fukutaicho, Nanao Ise.
"Well keep your eyes peeled, they won't fancy appearing far out into the Rukongai, they'll want to waltz in again, we can't allow ourselves to be taken by surprise once more." The guillotine their heads were locked in and the blade hanging over them wouldn't allow it.
If the Quincy appeared once more, unannounced and yet again unanswered until too late then they were dead, as would be the rest of the afterlife.
However should they fail to alert the Taicho's and strong enough warriors quick enough, yet they still save the afterlife from the Quincy threat, the ire and frustrations of the Taicho would be taken out on them. And if there was one thing that Akon was not allowing to happen, it was allowing his Taicho, who, whilst having served him dutifully and loyally since his ascension to Head of the research and development department, would still love to vent his own frustrations on anyone he could get his hands on.
If he had a choice of the demises. Akon would prefer Quincy's wipe him off of the face of the afterlife.
Not allowed any time to ponder his preferred method of death, the screens all came to life in front of them blaring with the same live feed.
"My my, Akon-kun, looks like you're in a spot of bother there."
Ex-director Kisuke Urahara, former captain of Squad 12 and founder of the department of research and development. The man was a genius, unarguably the brightest mind of soul society, his current head included, but more important than any of that. Akon couldn't bear him.
"Goodbye Urahara." and with that akon turned all of the screens off in a flash, the monitors all resetting to show the charts of fluctuations in Quincy spiritual energy.
"Now that wasn't very nice now was it my old squad member?" a voice suddenly spoke in Akon's ear.
He turned to his left to see the very man he had just turned off of the screen standing there, fan wafting across his face, semi-hiding the grin he was sporting.
"Someone please tell the Taicho that Kisuke Urahara is interfering with his sensor room."
With this Kuna nodded and ran to fetch Kurotsuchi Taicho, or more likely for the meek little girl she would be telling Kurotsuchi Fukutaicho instead as nobody really delivered the director any bad news and was seen from again, this naturally made people rather sceptical of joining the twelfth, but it kept out those who weren't dedicated to the research.
"You've decided to let yourself in Urahara so what is it you want?" Akon asked sternly "We all know you're more than capable of doing as much as we're all doing by yourself if your ego is to be believed so why are you in here instead of out there looking to protect the Soul Society?"
The fan started wafting with renewed vigour.
"Well Akon isn't it possible I'm here for a social visit? See all my old colleagues from my Gotei days, is that so hard to believe?" The unwiltering gaze of the third seat told him all he needed to know. "Well if you must know this isn't exactly a check-up call. I am however curious as to those readings you have there."
Akon looked at the screens charting fluctuations in spiritual pressure. Noting nothing really of any relevance to the former department head.
"Urahara, unless we're all missing the Quincy's presence and you magically can, I don't see why I have to suffer your continued presence."
Akon's steady voice, tinged with the feeling of growing annoyance would have sent most members of the Research and Development scurrying for the exits, Urahara was nothing if not an exclusion to the rules someone applies to Most people.
"I never said I was looking for Quincy data now did I Akon? What I am looking for is massive spikes in energy in places where there should have been no combat." Urahara said waving his fan nonchalantly at Akon as he flicked through the data with oiled and rehearsed precision. "No, what I am doing however, is checking to make sure a good friend of mine isn't about to do something that you and I would call, reckless."
"And who would that be?" Akon quizzes, arms crossing in frustration, yet consideration for where the genius was going with this.
"Our resident Kenpachi's that would be who." Urahara spoke again, flicking through more graphs and charts.
"Bu-"
"And before you start on that whole plural debacle I'll stop you right there, if you don't know now you don't need to know Akon, it's for the best I'm afraid."
"And wh-"
"Because judging by this graph I've figured out where they are and how long they've been going, I'd say that Miss Inoue is going to be needed quite quickly." Kisuke said as he placed down the piece of paper with the information that he clearly held valuable.
Akon got a look at the spiritual readings, they weren't anything to look at, not anything that a seated officer of any calibre couldn't handle.
As if reading his mind, Kisuke Urahara pointed at the top right of the sheet, there spelled out in blackest Kanji was the reason that the graph looked like nothing.
MUKEN
That sort of energy seeping out of Muken was impossible, the amount of raw spiritual power would have to be enormous in scale, maybe Aizen acting as an existing pilot hole for the energy to seep out but still this was impossible.
"Unless" Urahara started "We fancy being down the Taicho of Squad four I guess I should head off with dearest Orihime." And with that he was gone.
Akon held the paper still, looking at the impossible data.
'Two kenpachi's? Unohana? What does he mean?' Akon questioned
"Where are you Urahara?! Get out of my Lab" The Captain, Mayuri Kurotsuchi screamed as he barrelled into the room.
All Akon could do was curse and admire the genius and calmness of Kisuke Urahara.
Inside Muken
As Zaraki's sword finally spoke to him, allowing him to access the full power of his Zanpakuto he turned the tide on his battle, if one could call it that, with his first true enemy.
Retsu Unohana was Yachiru Unohana. The woman who first let him taste the glory of a fight he had no right to be in. The first time that someone had tossed him round like a toy, and he had loved it. The fight had left him wanting more, yet who could truly hold a candle to the first kenpachi? There was nobody that's all out bloodlust and desire for death could quell his need for a fighter of her level again.
His self limiting tactics once he'd cleared out everyone on his way to earn the title of the eleventh Kenpachi had left him weak. Yet he didn't know it. It took the reason for his weakness coming back and beating the ever-living hell out of him to get him back to where he should be. He knew she'd brought him to the edge of death countless times and then brought him back again. He wouldn't grant her the glorious death that he so wanted, she didn't deserve that.
But was she even the same person anymore?
This woman was a healer, someone who helped the weak not cut them down in disgust. She wasn't the same person as then, and he guessed, even with the training he'd gotten in, nor was he the same bloodthirsty brat that fought her then.
He swung his Shikai, he didn't even know Nozorashi had slipped into its form, and swung at his longest nightmare, beating her into submission would do it for him.
But at the moment where she should have reinforced her guard she let Minazuki fall and her head tilt back, allowing Kenpachi's blow to hit her full on.
Blood spewed from the huge wound he'd inflicted on her chest, a large gash right down from her throat to the pit of her stomach. As she fell limp, Zaraki grabbed his old adversary, holding her in her final moments.
"You've finally earned the title of Kenpachi, Zaraki. It's a shame I'll never see what you'll do with all you have now." Unohana spoke weakly, her voice and breathing growing laboured every moment that her pain went on. "But this means that there is one less sin that has been committed left."
"No! You can't die like this, I'm strong enough to fight yes but you're needed by everyone Yachiru!" Kenpachi bellowed at the woman he held in his arms. "I won't let you die, and you can't and aren't getting out of your sin that easy."
Zaraki, Unohana in arms, broke through the doors of Muken that stood in his way, then resealing themself after he had blown way past the exit.
"Kenpachi Zaraki put me down" Unohana managed to get out in-between coughing. "Please allow me this"
"No" the man panted as he continued to flash to the fourth division barracks. "You're the only one who I consider an equal, Ichigo may be at an altogether different level, but you Unohana are the one who is the only person that can make me as strong as I can be and I don't know what that means but the feeling in my gut says you're needed here."
As he got near to the entrance he was intercepted by Kisuke Urahara flashing alongside him.
"Oh my she has taken a few nicks hasn't she?" He asked, no humour in his voice as the pair still sped across Seireitei. "Orihime Inoue is expecting your arrival"
As the pair arrived at the fourth division, a welcoming party of Orihime Inoue, the Ryoka healer who could reverse most any wound, Isane Kotetsu, Unohana's faithful Fukutaicho and protege, and Soutaicho of the Gotei 13 Shunsui Kyoraku.
As they came to a stop the healers both rushed down to begin immediately administering first aid. Orihime reversed the wounding and blood loss whilst Isane restored her mentor's depleted Reiryoku.
"You left me that horrible letter and now I've got to watch you die in front of me?! Not happening Unohana-Senpai!" Fukutaicho Kotetsu spoke as she pumped as much spiritual energy into her mentor as she could whilst Orihime's gifts pumped blood back around Unohana's veins.
With a start, Retsu Unohana sprang up to a sitting position, breath heavy, like a diver re-emerging from the water, laboured breaths allowing her lungs to sing with the Reiryoku rich air of the soul society.
"It would seem we nearly lost you there Retsu. Or is it Yachiru again now?" Shunsui Kyoraku spoke as he reached the bottom of the steps.
"Head captain forgive me" she began. "I wasn't allowed the death I told you I sought and have been brought here by the true Kenpachi. I need only ask that you do me the service of allowing me to pay for my sin and allow for me to be allowed to pass on from this world."
'CRACK'
The sound of knuckles and the sight of Unohana's head flying back as Isane Kotetsu slogged her hero square in the face.
"No you don't get to decide that" the irate lieutenant started "Captain Kyoraku you can't allow for someone as needed as Retsu Unohana to be allowed to die at a time like this."
Kyoraku tipped his straw hat at the silver haired woman.
"Well miss Kotetsu, as the acting head of the fourth division what's your take on the way we resolve this issue?" The head captain asked.
"I propose that she does indeed be allowed to atone for her sin." Isane spoke "But she should do so by being made to suffer the worst punishment possible for a Kenpachi"
"And what might that be" asked the current Kenpachi himself, curious at what the normally quiet girl had to say.
"That she be forced to heal the sick and wounded"
There was silence, then a small chuckle, which grew louder and louder 'til it became a sick, twisted, manic laugh. Kenpachi Zaraki was howling at the implication and the sheer balls of the woman.
"God she's got you good there Yachiru, she's grown a backbone and gone straight for the throat." He said, still failing to suppress his evident glee at both the survival of his rival/mentor and the humiliation of a person honoured with the title of the greatest swordswoman of the Seireitei.
"Hmm" Kyoraku thought pensively, hand stroking his bearded chin. "I guess it be a befitting punishment that She should be made to heal the sick and the inferm to make up for the amount she slayed in her wake all those years ago." A small smile could be seen behind his straw hat.
"It's settled, Yachiru Unohana, as punishment for your crimes and due to the Seireitei being in a state of martial law I proclaim that you are to serve your days henceforth as the captain of squad 4. It shall be your duty to care for the sick, attend to injured, heal those who appear before you. And I think a good hundred years or so would be befitting of someone who's done what you have ne?"
Zaraki stepped forward once more.
"Actually Kyoraku, I'm all for the punishment you've handed down, but right now we need Yachiru more than we need Retsu, wouldn't you agree?"
The head captain looked to the sky and his pensive gaze could be seen once more. It was a perfectly valid point, that the old Unohana would have lived for the killing of the Quincy hord, and right now, someone of that ability was greatly needed with the falling of Genryūsai Yamamoto.
"I guess you're right Zaraki, are you okay with that Retsu?"
The now reappointed captain of the fourth division looked up from her penitent position, eyes fixed on the head captain, eyes that looked to rediscover their purpose, as if they were slowly realising the role she had to pay needn't have ended before the final act of this thousand year blood war.
"I would be glad to help Shunsui," she said, determination in her voice. "But first I'll help tend to the wounded. From what I imagine, the first attack must have truly left its mark on our troops." With this she made to leave to tend to the injured in the fourth division before Isane stepped in front of her Taicho. Face still contorted in anger
"How could you just leave me a letter? How could you!? You're like my mother and just to get a letter saying all you'd fine wrong and you'd get yourself killed by Kenpachi Zaraki in order to make up for it is not what any mother should do." Tears were falling from the silver haired lieutenants face as she failed to keep her emotions in check.
"Isane my dear" Unohana began "A letter is more notice than most people get when their loved ones die" she placed her hand on the lieutenant's shoulder, giving it a reassuring hum of positive reiryoku to try raise the tall woman's emotions from the depths.
"I have seen death and I have wrought it, I've taken life and I've had people's lives taken from me. The knowledge that I was going to my depth and hoping he best for you should have let you know I was always thinking of you even at the end." She herself was letting a teardrop down her face, nothing yet compared to the veritable waterfall of Isane Kotetsu, but still emotion. "Like you said, I'm like your mother and I love you like a daughter." As she finished she brought her lieutenant into an embrace, both clinging to the other, reassuring each other that they would not be leaving one another's company for a considerable time yet.
"Whilst this is all touching" the newly appointed True Kenpachi interrupted "I'm fairly sure that we have three days until Yhwach's meant to destroy us all if the tales are to be believed."
"Kenpachi-san is right" Orihime continued "we need to find a way to beat these guys"
Kyoraku removed his hat as he turned to look at Urahara.
"You've usually always got a plan Kisuke, but right now I'd really like to know that you're three steps ahead of the enemy again"
The bucket hat wearing shopkeeper stayed silent, fan not drawn, weapon still. Emotionless.
"That's just it Soutaicho, this time I'm not really able to get this far ahead of the opponent." He removed his hat and began scratching the back of his head. "From all my research The Quincy king appears to have the ability of foresight"
"Like Elrond?!" Orihime interrupted, shocked then embarrassed with herself.
"Yes Orihime" Urahara smiled "Just like Elrond"
"Who's Elrond ?" Asked the Kenpachi
"He's a fictional character Zaraki Taicho, and I ask that you remember that Miss Inoue" The Soutaicho looked at the former Ryoka with a sly smile.
"As I was saying" restarted Urahara "I can't outmanoeuvre him because he'll know what I'm doing and as a result change his plan to counter me without me knowing he's already countered what I'm doing, even a seemingly random act isn't random as he's already seen what comes next"
The group was stunned silent. An impossible enemy indeed.
They couldn't anticipate when they'd show up. Nor could they use their Bankai when in battle with their opponents, add to that the king of the Quincy was an omniscient being then there was very little that those gathered saw possible.
"So you don't have a plan Urahara-san?" Asked Orihime downtrodden at the news that they were fighting a losing war.
"I never said I don't have a plan, I merely said I wasn't three steps ahead." The fan was well and truly, whipped back out. "You see the Quincy king is an old legend 900 years he gets his leg, 90 years his high school yearbook photos, of course I'm merely paraphrasing-"
"And butchering history I fought in Urahara" interjected Unohana.
"You get the idea, his coming is foretold in legend, so we merely have to look to some of our old legends." He finished
"Kisuke Urahara if you're suggesting what I think you are then I swear upon my sword I'll have you locked up and the key thrown away." Kyoraku spoke sternly, anger making itself known to the normally relaxed man.
"What's going on" spoke a new arrival.
Taicho of the thirteenth division, Jushiro Ukitake, had made his way over to see what the chaotic reiatsu that had erupted from Kenpachi Zaraki as he left the cells under the first Division barracks.
"Urahara is speaking of old tales and legends that ought to have been cast out and forgotten long ago" Kyoraku informed his oldest friend.
"That all depends on which tales he speaks of Shunsui" Unohana interjected, "I believe I know his answer but I'd like to hear it from his mouth before you run him through."
"I don't know whether to thank you or be scared of you Retsu-chan, but yes I'm referring to the tale of the 13 Soutaicho" his fan snapped shut as he finished.
Kyoraku bridged the gap between him and Urahara quicker than anyone could react, Katen kyokotsu's shorter blade at the scientist's throat, using enough force to draw but a single drop of blood from his neck.
"You've done a lot for us over the years Kisuke Urahara, but if you were to be dragged in front of the central 46 they'd throw you in with Aizen right now for suggesting that." His level, calm voice was a betrayal of how the new Soutaicho evidently felt.
Kyoraku was a man of honour when it came to respecting the work of his Sensei, and to bring up a tale of corruption which blighted the soul and removed the happiness from his teachers life Kyoraku wouldn't stand for it.
He'd often pondered, in his more philosophical moments, what Genryūsai Yamamoto would have been like if his own master hadn't betrayed everything he knew.
"I, much like Mr Urahara agree that this would be the case Kyoraku Soutaicho." Orihime Inoue spoke, timidly but with her usual determination to finish what she was saying. "But you're in charge right now, not those horrible people who rule corruptly."
Unohana gave the woman a warm smile.
"My dear that is not the point, the issue is the 13 Soutaicho were banished from the soul society before Yhwach's time."
"Forgive me captain but why did we have 13 Soutaicho?" Her own lieutenant asked.
"That is simple, Isane-chan" Ukitake said "Every division had both a Taicho and Soutaicho, the Taicho was in charge of the running of the squad in regards to what they were responsible for, and the Soutaicho were In charge of doing what that division did best, for example the Taicho of squad 4 would be in charge of making sure everyone was okay and planning rota's and such whilst also not being required to be a medical expert. The Soutaicho of the fourth would be responsible for healing itself, like the most extreme cases or if high ranking officers that had suffered high Reiryoku drops and needed someone with energy to burn."
"But" Isane began "why would former captain Urahara be dragged to Muken for suggesting we turn to that legend in particular?"
There was a pause between the shinigami old guard. Looks were exchanged, sizing up who was going to break first.
"The legend goes" the head captain started, lowering his sword "that the thirteen original Soutaicho were of a level comparable to the gods of hell itself. They could be brutal and they could be benevolent."
"The story today is that Genryūsai Yamamoto and Unohana were founding captains of the Gotei 13, and that's still true." Ukitake continued "but the part where Yama-jii is Soutaicho and that he founded the Gotei himself has only been added to erase the 13 from history."
"You see girls, these thirteen soul reapers, warriors of great strength were the soul king's personal guard and we're his closest confidants. However they commited what is seen as the original sin" Unohana finished
"But what is this sin?" Zaraki questioned, speaking out finally.
"Just some simple trivial things Zaraki-san, I mean, all they did was kill the soul king."
So, that's the first redone chapter.
RR let me know how it felt to read. I want to do these semi-regularly at the moment just whenever I can write, do write.
Frederico De Sciglio out.