Sunlight streams in through the window of the office, offering a beautiful view of the Division and the Seireitei. This view is lost on the hard working occupant of the office, however. The young man yawns a bit and shakes his head before continuing with the reports in front of him. Only a few hours of sleep and he had awoken well before sunrise to continue. There sounds a knock at his door and he looks up. "Yes, come in, please," calls Daisuke.
The door opens and in steps none other the Lieutenant Hinamori. "Good morning, Captain Arata," speaks Momo. "I thought I was the only one who got up at this time. Um...you haven't been working all night, have you?"
"No, Lieutenant, I got some sleep." He looks down at the papers. "I was just finishing the combat reports, actually. According to this our Fourth, Third and Seventh Seated Officer's all died in defense of the Soul Society during the Winter War."
"Yes. That is true."
"And our Fifth and Ninth Seats were killed yesterday." Again Momo nods and Daisuke sighs. "We've suffered more casualties and wounded then any of the other Divisions...just barely. I thought we numbered around one hundred yesterday, but it's looking more like seventy. That said, we were only beaten by the First and Eleventh Divisions in terms of kills. That's really impressive."
"Captain?"
"Alright, I'm going to promote all our Seated Officers a rank for their fearless service." Momo blinks in surprise. "I'm also going to be promoting Tia Harribel to Third Seat, effective immediately."
"Are you...sure?"
"Yes. I watched her fend off Arrancar almost effortlessly during yesterdays skirmish. Someone like her will be good to have as a Seated Officer." He pauses for a moment and selects a different paper from the desk. "The Fourth Division has suffered some casualties and wounded as well, so I'm going to send a small squad to help out the relief effort in the Rukon. I'll lead them myself, and leave you here in charge while I'm gone, Lieutenant." Momo nods in understanding and Daisuke looks up when he hears her stomach growl.
Her face turns bright red and he laughs a bit. "Have you had breakfast yet?"
"No, Captain."
"Good, neither have I." Daisuke closes the report in front of him and stands. "What do you say you and I go have ourselves some breakfast before we get to work, Lieutenant?"
"I...yes, Captain." He picks up Tenshi from beside the desk and returns her to his hip before leaving the room with Momo. The two head to the Division mess for breakfast and soon settle in at a table. "Captain?" ventures Momo.
"Yes?" asks Daisuke, looking up from his meal.
"I...may I speak to you frankly?"
"Of course. I think it's easier for everyone if people say what the mean."
"Very well. I don't believe that Tia Harribel needs to be Third Seat." He smiles a bit, not the least bit surprised by her words.
"I knew you were going to say that, Lieutenant, and I understand where you're coming from." Daisuke sighs a bit. "I believe that promotions should be earned not granted. So, when I decided to promote everyone I took a look at the combat records of everyone currently serving in the Fifth Division. There are only two people who I believe could make Third Seat. That would be you and Tia."
"Captain-"
"Please...let me finish. That isn't to say that she'll stay there permanently. I only want to see if she can handle it, Lieutenant. Give her two weeks to prove herself. If we aren't both satisfied by her performance then you can pick her replacement. Is that acceptable?" Momo nods in understanding. "Thank you, Lieutenant. Now! Let's dig in!"
"About the squad we're sending to the Rukon- erm." Daisuke meets eyes with her, a piece of fish sticking out from between his lips.
"Mm-hmm?" He sucks it in, chews, swallows and then smiles. "Yes?"
"Considering that your arm is still in bandages wouldn't it be best if I led them?" He turns his head up in thought for a moment before smiling.
"That's a good idea, actually. I'll send Tia with you that way you can evaluate her up close, Lieutenant."
"Very well."
"Also, I'd like to know when the Division trains."
"Trains?"
"Yes. Physical training, Zanjutsu training even studying and meditating if that's what you do." Momo shakes her head in response. "You don't know?"
"No. Each member trains at his or her own discretion, Captain. That is how it's been since..." Daisuke nods in understanding, not needing further exploitation. Obviously, that would have to change but he is only prepared to take things one step at a time. First things first, getting everyone in the Division to accept the presence of an Arrancar, a high ranking Arrancar, at that...
The Shark Queen stands in silence, examining the titles of the books lining the shelves. She would admit he had guts to spring it on her the way he did...but that was the way he did things. "So...Third Seat?" asks Tia, finally glancing over at the smirking young man. "I see you've got a sense of humor."
"Yep," replies Daisuke. "But it may only be temporary if you don't manage to impress Lieutenant Hinamori. Speaking of the Lieutenant, I'm sending the both of you as well as a small squad to the Rukon to help them search for wounded and dead. You're going to working closely with them, so try to get along. You're Third Seat, which means that your actions reflect upon the Fifth Division the same as the Lieutenant's or my own."
"Don't be so dramatic. It doesn't suit you, Daisuke."
"Just promise me that you won't hurt anyone and you'll try to get along."
"Fine...I promise I'll try to get along with them." A grin appears on his face in response and he nods.
"Thank you. If there is a problem you or Lieutenant Hinamori will have to deal with it."
"Where will you be during all this?"
"Head Captain Yamamoto has called a meeting so I'm going to go there and then I'm going to visit Jushiro after the meeting has finished. Also, it turns out that the Fifth Division doesn't have a regular training schedule. It's left to each member, so I'm going to try to figure out a way to get them all back into shape...I may need your help with that." Tia nods in understanding.
"I'll give it some thought."
"Thank you." Daisuke stands with a sigh and tucks his Zanpakuto into his obi. "I should get going. Wouldn't exactly make a great first impression on everyone if I was late, would it?"
"I didn't know you were so concerned with appearances."
"You should know I'm not." He steps around his desk and walks towards the door. "In fact, if it wouldn't reflect badly on Shunsui and Captain Hitsugaya as a result I probably wouldn't be attending the meeting, Tia."
"So, you don't care what others think of you...but you don't want to damage the reputation of others. You Shinigami are really strange, Daisuke." Tia shakes her head in response and the young man laughs.
"Welcome to the Seireitei. Oh! It's only going to get colder tonight, so make sure you wear something warm. If you still don't have a cloak you can borrow mine. Be careful, Tia." With that, Daisuke leaves the room and starts towards the meeting hall, in the First Division. Truthfully, he's rather nervous about going to the meeting, even if he does stand at an equal rank with those attending.
Once he's stepped out of the Fifth Division, he's racing across the Seireitei with Flash-Step and it takes him only a few minutes to reach the doors to the meeting hall. "Daisuke!" calls a voice to his left, surprising him. He looks over at the approach of Shunsui, the man offering a wave in greeting. "I see you're right on time, as usual." He nods in response, feeling a bit more at ease in the presence of the experienced Captain. The two enter the building, walking towards the meeting hall. "So, how are things at the Fifth Division?"
"Alright," replies Daisuke. "At least for now. I promoted Tia to Third Seat, so we'll see how the Division handles that."
"Third Seat, huh?"
"Yes. I reviewed the combat reports from the Winter War and the skirmish yesterday and the only other person suited to the position was Lieutenant Hinamori."
"How do you think the Division will handle that?"
"Well, Lieutenant Hinamori voiced her concern and so I compromised with her. Tia will have two weeks to show Lieutenant Hinamori and myself that she can handle the position before we make her a Seated Officer. If she can't, we'll find someone who can."
"Sounds risky."
"Well, I've sent a small squad with Lieutenant Hinamori and Tia to help the Fourth Division with the relief effort in the Rukon. That'll give them a chance to work closely together and hopefully learn to get along."
"Are you sure that'll work?" questions Shunsui.
"Changes like this can't happen over night. It'll take some time...but if we don't at least try then we'll never know. So I think this is as good start as any, don't you?" Shunsui smiles in response and nods.
"I do. You're tackling this issue head on the same way you take on your work...I knew you'd make a good Captain." Daisuke nods and Shunsui glances over. "So, how are things between you and Miss Harribel? Did you take my advice?"
"I...asked her to dinner. Just the two of us."
"There you go. Now, let me give you some more advice on-"
"My, you two are getting along well," speaks a gentle voice from behind the two. Both shiver a bit in response and glance back at Captain Unohana.
"G-Good morning, Captain Unohana," speaks Daisuke, standing up a bit straighter in her presence. Regardless of the bit of fear he feels he can't stop a small smirk appearing on his face. "As light on your feet as ever, I see."
"Of course. That's how I catch others misbehaving, Daisuke Arata."
"I'll be sure to stay on my toes, then." The two share a small laugh as they continue towards the meeting hall...
Hell. Tia had thought that she had experienced Hell when she was forced to abandon her Fracción to certain death and fight her way out of Los Noches. She could recall that with a great deal of clarity...and more then occasionally relived it in dreams. But that was wrong. Hell, was being forced into contact with men from the Fifth Division. Men who stumble and stammer their way through every conversation with her, looking everywhere on her body but her eyes...and not being able to teach them the error of their ways.
But more irritating then the members of her own Division were the members of the Eleventh. Men who boasted about how many Hollows they had killed in her presence in an attempt to either intimidate or impress her...she couldn't decide which would be more unlikely. In her entire life, including her time wandering Hueco Mundo as a Vasto Lorde no man had ever intimidated her.
The Shark Queen knew that at any time she could take them apart and end their staring but she finds that idea loses it's appeal when thoughts of Daisuke enter her mind. She did tell him she would try to get along. Then again, if they continued to stare she might have to go back on that promise. 'He wouldn't be too upset if I broke a bone or two,' Tia tells herself. 'They've got it coming, after all.'
"Harribel," speaks Momo, drawing her attention. "You and I are going to head deeper into the Rukon to search for wounded and dead." Tia nods and follows the small Lieutenant without another word. A strong wind sweeps across the Rukon, bringing with it a wave of fresh, powdery snow.
'Hmph. Guess Daisuke was right.' The Shark Queen pulls the hem of the cloak tighter around her neck. Daisuke's scent holds tight to the neck and she can smell it through the collar of her jacket.
"I'm sure you were told about your promotion."
"Daisuke mentioned it."
"Don't you mean Captain Arata?"
"Yes. I was told about my promotion." She's silent for a moment. "Of course, he also mentioned that you were rather opposed to the idea of having an Arrancar sitting as your Third Seat. I suppose your fear is understandable."
"It's not fear, it's concern. Our war with the Captain Aizen is still fresh in everyone's memory and I'm told the fighting here in the Soul Society was fierce. Not many members of our Division would be even remotely willing to listen to or take orders from an Arrancar."
"Then maybe they should make an effort to be more like Daisuke."
"You're close to him."
"He's fought and killed Arrancar but doesn't allow it to change his opinion. Since I arrived here in the Soul Society Daisuke has been the only one who's made ANY attempt at friendship." Momo stops in the middle of the path and Tia does so as well.
"You're...right. I haven't made any attempt to get to know you, Tia. And because of that I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot." Momo turns to face the Shark Queen and then slightly bows. "I'm Momo Hinamori. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Tia Harribel." Momo leans up and offers Tia a smile.
"Let's go." The two begin walking once again...
The Fourth Division is crowded with people, both coming and going. Many of whom bow to the two Captain's wading through the scene. Shunsui follows in the path of Daisuke, allowing the young man to do the hard work of fighting through the crowd. "There's no need be impatient, you know," speaks Shunsui. "Unohana is keeping an eye on Jushiro so he's in very capable hands, Daisuke."
"Doesn't mean I don't want to check on him," replies Daisuke. A smirk appears on his face as he glances over his shoulder at the experienced Captain. "Anyway, you're one to talk.
Tapping your foot like that all through the meeting. You're more impatient then I am, Shunsui." The man smiles under his grass-hat and then offers a shrug of his shoulders.
"Maybe I am." The two move through the crowd of people towards the room they can sense Jushiro's Spiritual Pressure in. They stop in front of the door and Daisuke knocks before opening it and stepping inside. Their friend lays on a bed across the room and they assume he's asleep until his eyes slowly open and he looks over. "Afternoon, Jushiro." They approach the man, a weak smile appearing on his face.
"I see...you made Captain, Daisuke," observes Jushiro.
"Yeah," replies Daisuke. "Shunsui and Hitsugaya kind of pushed me into it an...well, it's hard to tell the Head Captain 'no'...you know? Captain of the Fifth Division now." He starts to lean up and both gently help him to lean up.
"Thank you both for coming to see me." After a moment he takes a breath. "Was there a meeting?"
"There was, actually," Shunsui tells him, smiling a bit. "It was a lot more interesting then any we've been to in a while. Too bad you missed it, right, Daisuke?" The young man smiles broadly and then nods in agreement.
"What happened?"
"Oh, the look on Mayuri's face when I walked in there wearing a haori," Daisuke speaks aloud. A deep sigh accompanies the smile on his face. "I wish I could relieve that moment over."
"Don't forget the part when he challenged the Head Captain's decision," adds Shunsui. "It's been a while since I've seen old man Yama that angry."
"And I thought Mayuri's face was white before!" laughs Daisuke. Both of them share a laugh at the Captain's expense and Jushiro shakes his head in response. "What is it, Jushiro?"
"Nothing," Jushiro tells him. "I'm just surprised you didn't hit him, that's all." A sweat-drop appears at Daisuke's temple as he looks away. "Don't tell me..."
"Well...he was ranting and raving. And we really needed him to shut-up before the Head Captain got too angry so I might have..." He mumbles the rest and Jushiro arches a brow in response. "...well, I always was good with hakuda."
"He knocked him unconscious this time," Shunsui tells him. Jushiro shakes his head in response, despite the smile appearing on his face. "Oh, now don't be like that. Zaraki certainly thought it was funny. He even called the next round, didn't he, Daisuke?"
"Kuh! Don't remind me, Shunsui. The last thing I wanna do it set back my recovery going toe-to-toe with that man...of course, fighting Zaraki I'm not going to be setting back my recovery I'm gonna be healing new wounds."
"He's not going to go away until you do. You know that, right?"
"I've spent the past ten years hiding my Spiritual Pressure from others, Shunsui. I think I can hide it again until Zaraki cools off." A grin appears on his face. "Worse comes to worse, I'll just hide behind Unohana. She's the scariest person I know."
"Who's the scariest person?" asks a voice from behind. A shiver crawls up their collective spines and both Shunsui and Daisuke stand up straighter before looking back at Captain Unohana.
"I should be getting back to the Eighth Division," Shunsui speaks aloud nearly immediately. The experienced Captain leaves the room a moment later, beating a hasty retreat and giving Daisuke an apologetic smile in response.
"I should really get some rest," Jushiro tells them, laying back down and turning onto his side away from them.
"...Thanks, you two," mutters Daisuke. "Uh, I...uh...wow! Look at the time! I should really be going, Captain. Excuse me." He steps around her and she catches him by the back of his haori.
"What's the hurry?" asks Unohana gently, causing him to sweat profusely. "Since you're already here I think now would be a good time to see how your wounds are coming along, don't you? And while I'm doing that you can tell me about this scary person." Jushiro swallows as the two leave the room.
'Sorry, Daisuke,' Jushiro thinks to himself. He feels bad throwing the young man into the proverbial lion's den...but there isn't any way that he's about to step in between the two of them. 'I'll make sure to carry on your memory...'
Tia watches in silence as the wag rolls off back towards the Seireitei in the distance. The skirmish had definitely cost the Shinigami a lot and even more innocents were sacrificed to keep the place safe...all in all, it completely disgusts the Shark Queen. So many lives needlessly sacrificed with little to show for it. "Tia!" calls a voice now familiar. She glances over at the approach of none other then Daisuke.
"Is your meeting finally over, Daisuke?" asks Tia, irritation seeping out.
"What's got you in such a bad mood?" He stops a few feet from her looks around for faces he might recognize from the Fifth Division. "Actually, I have a better question. Where in the hell is the rest squad I sent with you here? Lieutenant Hinamori!"
"Lieutenant Hinamori took them back to the barracks."
"Already? It's not even getting close to sundown."
"They all searched for quite a few hours before it started snowing harder. She said that the men and women had been worked hard enough for the day and they should return to continue healing their wounds." Daisuke sighs a bit in irritation before nodding firmly.
"Fine. You and I will continue searching, then."
"Anything is better then just standing around here some more, Daisuke."
"Good. When we get back I'll have a few words with Lieutenant Hinamori."
"Is that really a good idea?"
"You and I were searching in snow fall far heavier then this, Tia."
"Not everyone can perform as well as you do under pressure and strain."
"I owe that to my mentor who drilled that lesson into my head and I never backed down no matter what kind injuries I suffered."
"Regardless, you can't do this. Right now, their Lieutenant is the only one who has been their for them since that traitor Aizen. If they see you discipline her for doing something they believe was in their best interest then you risk making an enemy out of all of them."
"Mm...what do you propose?"
"Let it be for now...or capitalize on it. Make them think it was your intention for them to return, maybe even thank Hinamori for bring them back and it'll go a long way towards earning their loyalty." Daisuke blinks in surprise and then smirks a little. "What?"
"Nothing. But...you're kinda devious. I'm glad that you're on my side, Tia."
"That sounds like a compliment."
"Heh. You never know. Anyway, as long as you're being so helpful have you come up with an idea of getting them back into fighting shape? We can't suffer so many wounded and killed every time we go to battle."
"You said the Fifth was ranked third in terms of kills over all, correct?" He nods in the affirmative. "Then obviously, that's not the problem. They clearly know how to fight a war. So...let's give them the skills to survive one. Put them on a training regimen and improve their conditioning." Daisuke nods again and then smiles.
"I really am glad you're on my side."
"Someone has to be. Let's go. I'm getting tired of just standing around." The two begin walking towards the outer Rukon districts. "So...how did the meeting go?"
"It was...interesting. Head Captain Yamamoto has decided on the best course of action in dealing with the remaining Arrancar." Tia glances over at him and he smiles. "Present company excluded, of course."
"Do tell."
"Simple. We're going to send a team to Los Noches and exterminate them. We're going to need your help to get there...which means that I'm going to be going along as your
Captain."
"Do I have any choice in the matter?"
"No. Not particularly. Central Forty Six has recovered and along with Yamamoto have pretty much decided that you're going to open a Garganta for our forces...but they thought instead of ordering you outright they might send me, your Captain and friend to convince you to do. So, will you do it, Tia?" The Shark Queen snorts.
"You're asking me to revisit a place that has some fairly dark memories for me, Daisuke."
"If there were an easier way then using an ability you have naturally, then I would have spoken up on your behalf. But this is the quickest way to do it for all involved. These Arrancar are leading the Hollows, the Menos, everything Hueco Mundo has against us. We have to...no, we must to deal with them before more innocents get caught in the cross-fire of this war and pay the price for our indecisiveness."
"...Did you practice that speech on the way here?"
"A little bit. Did you like it?"
"It was alright."
"Really? Thank you. So what do you say?" Tia sighs a bit.
"I say...I don't trust your Head Captain or Central Forty Six as far as I could throw any of them. But if it has to be done then I'll do it. But I'm not doing it for them. I'm going to do it so I can return and pay my respects to my Fracción, Daisuke."
"Fair enough, Tia..."