CHAPTER 3:

A New Captain

A set of white shoes silently stepped through a disheveled looking Senkeimon gate in the rural Southern Rukongai sky. Followed closely by two others, a large and white cloaked horned figure stood with the other two smaller white figures, just below the clouds, looking down upon a small farm town, its inhabitants entirely unaware as to what was about to happen to them.

"Heh he he he he…"

The first and largest of the three cackled and snarled to the others, while the other two smiled devilish grins at one another from behind their master.

"As one falls…another rises to succeed them..."

"…That is the way of the Gotei...and because we not only stand sure in the face of this fact, but also embrace the inevitable shuffle, do we truly show our solidarity and wisdom, as without it, we could never advance in our abilities to protect and serve all Souls..."

The Captain Commander's strong and sure words resounded loudly in the dimly lit, long and high ceiling-ed Captain's meeting room and in the ears of all gathered therein. The eleven Captains each "stood" (the 12th Div. Cpt. sitting in her wheelchair) in two rows facing each other, their heads up, while their Lt.'s or 3rd Seat's each stood a few steps behind each of them, their heads tilted downward. Other than the new 8th Cpt.'s vacancy, only the pregnant 5th Div. Cpt., Akito Usa, and 4th Div. Lt., Hitomi Sosen, were not present, as the former's needs were being seen to by the latter in the 4th Div. Barracks. The 5th Div. Lt., Jo Masatane, stood in his Captain's empty spot, though a step back from the two "Captain's" lines. The 8th Div. 3rd Seat, Ryouichi Kono, stood looking uncomfortable in the back line behind the 8th Cpt.'s empty spot. He hardly could look in anyone's eyes when he had come in earlier, a few minutes ahead of the new Captain. He had never been in this room, let alone been invited in as an officer of the highest order.

The Captain Commander, Captain of the 1st Div., Hirokatsu Goto, sat up tall in a high backed wooden chair at the head of the two lines of Captains. His closed umbrella gently rested vertically against his right leg. His Lt., the Lt. Commander of the Gotei, Nozomi Takeuchi, stood slightly behind his chair to his left, her head tilted down and her long straight blonde hair draping over her diagonal white sash.

"...Today we recognize this in earnest as we promote a new Captain of the 8th Division. Over the last two days the candidate has taken and passed multiple proficiency tests administered by myself and two other Captains...and after much thought and consideration, I have come to the conclusion that the candidate is indeed acceptable for the promotion to Captain of the Gotei."

Hirokatsu then reached for and tapped his umbrella on the floor two times.

"TAP...TAP"

The large double-doors to the room, directly down the center aisle of Captains and opposite the Captain Commander's seat, opened rather abruptly, letting in a shower of sparkling sunlight to accompany the loud creak of the door hinges. The 3rd Seat of the 1st Div., Eiji Ito's silhouette was seen pushing both the doors open and then quickly retreating out of sight. Left in the doorway was the outline of a woman in a haori jacket, her chest length black hair whipping in the breeze.

"Officers of the Gotei!"

"I present you the new Captain of the 8th Division: Amaya Ota."

Hirokatsu's voice was raised slightly as his hand rose to welcome her in. His old eyes were barely only open but a little pride could be seen peeking out from behind his long graying eyebrows and mustache as the attention of the other officers' gaze was looking towards the new Captain.

The silhouetted form of Amaya Ota came through the doorway, the dim candle lights illuminating her as she walked forward. Her head and eyes looked forward as she emerged from the shadows and she walked in with as much pride as she could muster in this overwhelmingly humble moment. Her hair draped neatly across her brow and tucked in behind her ears on each side of her youthful and pretty face.

The eyes of each person present looked on to the new Captain with curiosity as she came down the aisle. Stepping almost as if she were on a tightrope, she finally took her assigned place in the Captain's row, between the older dark skinned 6th Div. Captain and the handsome 10th Div. Captain and staring up across the aisle she saw the large 7th Div. Captain.

The 2nd Div. Cpt., Cho Iwaza, was the only one who looked on in some disdain. Her well-known dislike towards all the noble families was as ever-present as ever in her furrowed brow. The colorful and elaborately painted 9th Div. Cpt., Sukeroku Omata, also seemed to show some distaste, however it seemed more a disapproval of her fashion choices, as he looked her up and down. The other Captains either hid their thoughts and feelings through closed or slitted eyes, as did the 10th Cpt. Kyo Saemonsaburou and 3rd Cpt. Jun Shimabukuro, or showed open exuberance through warm smiles like that of the 7th, 4th and 6th Div. Cpt.'s Taro Banzuke, Mamoru Mushanokouji, and Gonnosuke Kan. The bouncing giddiness of the diminutive 12th Div. Cpt., Aya Omata, as usual, stood out from the crowd and matched the excitement of the happy-faced little 7th Div. Lt., Megumi Mochimai, who tugged fiercely on the robes of her enormous Sumo Captain.

As she rolled forward a little and poked her head out from the line to look down the row towards the new Captain, the 12th Div. Cpt., Aya Omata, blurted out pointing at Amaya Ota with her forefinger.

"I love it!...Her name's almost the same as mine!"

She then pointed at herself with her thumb at her chest.

"...I hope no one gets us confused!"

Her wide smile green pigtails bounced around as she spoke.

The 12th Div. Lt., Rinshan Tachibana, shook his head in embarrassment at his Captain's inability to stay professional for more than five minutes.

Amaya leaned forward just a bit and peered down the line at the young 12th Div. Captain sitting in her wheelchair. She smiled with a slight blush and bowed her head as she did not want to seem unkind on her first day, no matter the impetus.

"HA!"

The 11th Div. Cpt., Taka Motochika, couldn't help but chuckle as she poked the 13th Div. Cpt., Izumi Samiru, who was next to her, in the ribs with her elbow. Izumi scowled in response, squinting her eyes and wincing a bit from behind the long dark hair that hung over her face. The 11th Div. Cpt.'s playful jabs were never as light as she thought they were.

"UGhh!...Yer no fun Izzy-chan..."

Taka said rather mockingly, folding her hands and furrowing her forehead as she looked down the aisle towards the Captain Commander, while the large 11th Div. Lt., Namigoro Tsuyoushi, grunted and grinned clacking his hoof against the floor as his bull's tail whipped around. Maintaining his professional stance, the 13th Div. Lt., Chosokabe Enomoto, glared at the minotaur Namigoro. The Cpt. Commander then tapped his umbrella once again on the floor, and the focus returned to him as he spoke.

"Captain Amaya Ota, if you have anything prepared to say...you may do so now."

Hirokatsu then nodded to her respectfully, motioning for her to begin.

Amaya froze in place. She didn't know she was going to have to say anything. Perhaps that was why she was given all that time to prepare.

"Ugh...I'm an idiot!...Why else would i be given all that time to myself...ugh.."

She screamed inside her head to herself. Then, realizing she had no choice but to say SOMETHING, she inched forward, taking a few small steps into the center aisle, turning to look first at the Cpt. Commander, then to all the others present.

Bowing her head politely she swallowed a bit and took a breath in. On the outside, she seemed calm enough, but on the inside, her heart was racing, and her mind was going even faster, trying to think of something poignant to say. First impressions were of the utmost importance, and she didn't want to screw this up.

The 3rd Div. Cpt.'s eyes opened rather abruptly from their somber closed position as she positioned herself in the center of the two Captain rows, his unshaven face looked down the aisle towards her as his large white wings tucked in behind him, a few stray white feathers lay at his feet. Then his gaze shifted quickly to look at the Cpt. Commander, whose eyes and face were hidden from view under his long eyebrows and mustache.

Amaya opened her mouth, hoping something wise would come out as she fought with all her might to keep from blushing. She clasped her hands together and was just about to speak when the large double doors burst open with a loud crash!

"WAAAMMM!"

Instinctively, almost all of the Captain's and Lt.'s hands reached for their sword hilts, preparing for the worst. Those that did not move for their weapon stood in shock or puzzlement. This included the new 8th Div. Cpt., Amaya, who looked befuddled towards the door. Only the grimacing 3rd Div. Cpt. and the Cpt. Commander stood unwavering in the commotion. Hirokatsu raised his hand to stop his Lt., Nozomi, who had stepped forward and just in front of his chair, reaching for her sword, in protection of her Captain.

Flying through the doorway first was the flailing body of the 1st Div. 3rd Seat, Eiji, who was toppling head over heel in his unsuccessful attempt to stop the intruder by standing in the way. Following the tumbling 3rd Seat, was another Shinigami who dashed through the door running at top speed, screeching to a halt just in front of where the new 8th Captain stood. Surprised, Amaya looked down in confusion, since bursting into a Captains meeting could land even those with the most prestige and clout a long stay in the 7th Div.'s holding cells.

She looked down to see a young male Shinigami whose robes were tattered and ripped. Blood covered and dripped down his left chest and and down his leg from a deep wound somewhere under his torn black robes. Dirt and deep bruises covered most of the rest of his face and body. A large welt over his right eye was forming quickly, and in only minutes he would undoubtedly not be able to see out of it. His zanpaktuo was sheathed, though the wrapping around its hilt was fraying greatly leaving almost nothing while the tsuba cross guard and sheath were bent severely and looked to be charred and even a little melted.

As the man came to a halt, he immediately sank to his knees in exhaustion, fell forward, and bowed his head, touching his forehead to the floor right at the feet of the 8th Div. Cpt. who had no idea what to do in this situation She didn't know this Shinigami and had no idea what was going on, or why he chose to stop in front of her.

She opened her mouth, still trying so hard to not lose her composure in front of her new peers, she raised her eyebrows and was about to speak to the young Shinigami, when the rarely heard raised voice of the 6th Div. Cpt., Gonnosuke Kan, was heard booming off the walls of the room.

"19th Seat, Saito-san! What is the meaning of this?"

The Shinigami, his head still resting on the floor, sweat and blood pooling and mixing near the spot, responded back quickly, yet his voice was garbled and straining.

"Captain...Captains...I am so sorry...I...I had no choice...There were no warnings….no alarms…the...The communications equipment wouldn't work...they all just ...e..Even the Hell Butterflies sir...I've never seen them like that...they wouldn't even..."

Interrupting him again, Gonnosuke, his Captain, raised his voice again while stepping forward out of his spot into the aisle. The especially concerned eyes of the 3rd and 12th Div. Cpt.'s looked on while the colorful 9th Div.'s Cpt. rolled his eyes at the scene while his beautiful Lt. stared daggers into the back of his head as she listened.

"Spit it out Officer!"

The Shinigami raised his head instantly, his dirtied and bloodied face straining to speak clearly. He then blurted out with surprising volume and conviction to his tone.

"ARRANCAR HAVE INVADED THE RUKONGAI!"