Chapter 02: Preludes
Byakuya Kuchiki, Division 06, Captain
The Rokubantai quarters are a quiet place. But the morning has a special kind of quiet to it, which is devoid of any intent to whisper in hushed tones, or conspiratorial dialogues. There is no undercurrent of communication, as the squad sleeps, and I am glad that this is so. Being used to the calm of the day, I adored the calm of the dawn even more, precisely because of this quality. My seiza would remain uninterrupted, as it does normally. This morning, however proved to be different.
Three figures appeared in the gardens, with their knees bent and faces down.
"3rd Seat Murakami, reporting. Taicho, I hope this is not too inconvenient, but the sentinel mission has been terminated. The findings were urgent, hence we deemed it prudent to convey it to you as soon as possible."
3rd seat Murakami. I felt he was an acceptable addition to the squad, and had a clean record as far as his tasks in my squad were concerned. Fourth seat Saya and fifth seat Ryunnosuke seemed to work well in tandem, and since that cemented squad functionality, it was a logical choice to group them. I was told that this third seat had something of a murky past at the academy, but his application showed promise. And he still delivered. That was all that mattered.
"I appreciate it. Continue."
"Last night, at approximately 0200 hrs, we spotted a group of five Gillian and one Adjuchas near the southern perimeter of the 77th district. Upon engagement, it became clear that it was some form of distraction, as 5th seat Ryunnosuke discovered. Tracking them down revealed two humanoid forms escaping into Inuzuri, but unfortunately, we could not give chase. Speculations would dictate..."
"Hollow, Shinigami, visored, Arrancar, human." I mused.
"Precisely. All indicate some level of proficiency. Inuzuri needs to be investigated urgently."
Perhaps the chain of command was more restrictive than I previously thought. Subordinates like these needed more information.
"You three, have fulfilled your duties. It would admittedly have been better if we had more information, but this is satisfactory. Rest up, and we will meet in the evening to discuss fitter plans. I shall obtain information from the captain commander concerning your clearances on the matter."
The third seat had the ghost of a smile on his lips.
"Well then. You are dismissed."
The three stepped away, and disappeared. My seiza continued, and I closed my eyes, even as Senbonzakura's realm began to effortlessly manifest, my blank mindscape slowly being filled by his persona.
A cherry blossom tree stood at the center of a well maintained garden, a multitude of petals orbiting its branches. The garden had little rivulets and streams running throughout it, as each drop percolated into the fresh grass. Plants did not grow here, though, apart from the grassy mat. Here, swords grew vertically out of the ground, each coated with a delicate pink sheen, all in the shape of Senbonzakura's unreleased form. The entire garden was dotted with these, as I walked over to the tree. A figure in samurai armor stood underneath the tree, watching him approach.
"Ah, Byakuya."
"Senbonzakura. It has been a while, has it not?"
"We are one, so in essence, perhaps it hasn't?"
My bond with my Zanpakuto was perhaps one of the few things I cherished in this world. Absolute, unwavering loyalty, a staunch sense of pride only overshadowed by a sense of duty was all that characterized him, and these were values which I greatly appreciated in my partner.
"That is true."
"You seem disturbed. I am aware that the plum tree will soon begin withering…"
"It will. And with it, the gyre keeps turning, the cycle repeats."
Senbonzakura sat down, his arms crossed across his chest. He seemed pensive.
"I'm afraid…there are certain disturbances in the cycle."
I was told that I was prone to frowning easily. My eyes seemed to be narrowed, at any rate.
"And you mean…?"
"I wish I could answer you in clearer terms, Byakuya. We Zanpakuto can only be so foreboding due to the nature of the planes we exist on, and sense disturbances in that plane. Whenever one of us acts, we cannot help but feel the ramifications of that action on that plane. It is a characteristic tingling, and if I do indeed get closer to its source, I can verify my suspicions. As things stand, it's distant- and alien. Some things have changed…take, for example, your subordinate."
"Abarai? He-"
"No, I am referring to your third seat."
"Ah. And what about him?"
"Well, let us conclude that a new spirit has made itself known. This one being particularly powerful."
This was news. If 3rd Seat Murakami had a known Shikai, he had not used it. His rise up the ranks was due to sheer ability and monitored statistics, which did not necessarily incorporate for Zanpakuto techniques, and with good reason. Zanpakutos had no concrete ways of being gauged accurately. Senbonzakura believed it was powerful, which led me to believe him, for he did not make such comments lightly. Power was pride, especially to a blade like mine.
"I will be sure to inquire about it."
He nodded. "It may be especially troublesome, considering the nature of this Zanpakuto. We are but mirrors, but sometimes, we are prone to glazing too. Just keep that in mind."
"I will keep that in mind."
"Well, then, Byakuya…" Senbonzakura bowed low. "As always, it's a pleasure."
"The pleasure is all mine." I returned evenly, as the world began to dissolve. My eyes then opened.
The time, as I glanced towards the ancient clock near the porch, was 8 a.m. I knew that training would be in full swing, and I wasn't wrong. The division quarters echoed with the sounds of bokken hitting bokken, the faint hums of flash steps, and yelps followed by relentless, unrefined curses. Abarai was quite the...spirited chap. I slid the shoji doors leading to the yard, and found the division members in full swing, practising in their allotted spaces. Discipline was something he had instilled well. Abarai, however, wasn't anywhere to be seen. The recently promoted 6th seat was handling training.
"6th Seat Kitano."
The sixth seat abruptly turned and bowed low. "Welcome, taicho."
"At ease."
The sixth seat was a woman in her youth, still- the equivalent of 20 human years, perhaps. Kurosaki and his sensibilities had gotten to me, I realised, inwardly gritting my teeth. While I was not necessarily privy to commenting, I must interject that this was a woman of exceptional good looks; her stormy eyes, coupled with her fragile frame as the advent of womanhood gave her an appearance which resembled regality. Many Shinigami in the sixth, male and female, were following her commands almost hypnotically, for her voice was clear and rang like a weighty chime, none too high and none too low. The zanjutsu group was frozen in time. Her tryst with the sixth began yesterday, but her role filling was seamless. I noted this with some pride.
"Hai." She spoke, cutting through my reverie. Perhaps I was getting older by the day, to be involved in rumination? Or was it simply a case of my mind not being honed enough? Either reason was troubling.
"Where is Lieutenant Abarai?"
Her eyes shifted to the inner dojo. "The Lieutenant insisted I take temporary command while he engages and trains with the third seat. I am still a bit unfamiliar with names, taicho, and I have not met the third seat yet."
"Third seat Murakami. I see. I will pay them a visit- please continue your training."
She blinked and turned.
"Squad! Begin with the stance! Repeat exercise!"
The Shinigami flared to life, as they began their routine. I moved to the dojo.
"The power of your seated officers can be extremely variable, but of course, there is a paradigm which is followed here in the militaristic structure of soul society. Usually, the lieutenant and the captain class Shinigami operate on a separate, elevated power level. Even between the lieutenant and his captain, there is a difference so great that the captain in certain cases is able to dispatch his subordinates with relative ease, and generally using their Shikai release is enough for them to curtail them. Hence, soul society's capability of containing rebellions can be notoriously effective; usually a captain class Shinigami can dispatch quite a few average Shinigami without exerting him/herself. However, this is also a fundamental flaw- external agents can exploit this power difference and completely negate the numerical advantages soul society might have otherwise possessed. It takes but a few powerful agents to disrupt the rhythm of peace which soul society has difficulty acquiring, as the winter war has no doubt, proved."
My third seat, it seemed, was well versed with the finer points of warfare. What he was bestowing it upon Abarai for, I did not know. While not exactly articulate with his words, Abarai possessed that hands on understanding which common soldiers lacked. The two of them locked swords and flew back.
"I get your point, man, I do. But don't you think that pushing yourself to train hard with me after a mission is kind of extreme? That reason seems too non-personal to me, you know? I mean you may want to get stong-uff!"
Abarai was now on the defensive, as Murakami assailed him with a devastating assortment of strikes, most of which showed swordsmanship of a honed variety. Abarai wasn't exactly a pushover, but one could tell that he needed to take the third seat seriously. I stepped in, and immediately all fighting ceased, as both of them stopped and bowed.
"Taicho."
"Murakami. I recall telling you to take rest."
"Hai taicho. Extremely sorry for my impudence, but I just felt the need to train, I will go and rest immediately."
He sheathed his Zanpakuto, and bowed to Abarai, deferentially.
"And your theories on soul societies' presumed and realized weaknesses. I suggest you don't spout them out loud anywhere. One would almost think you have turned, hm?"
He paled visibly.
"That was not my intention sir, I merely believe that even a seated officer needs to be extremely effective on the battlefield and take command if need be, that's it."
"While a noble sentiment, you also know why seated officers are promoted, rather than just kept there once an exceptional rise in ability is noted. Aizen's power was hidden from us despite his earlier seated status. Now we monitor things more effectively. Wouldn't want hidden Shikai to simply appear and unpleasantly be used against us, now would we?"
I believe he knew what I was referring to, and he simply nodded.
"Indeed taicho, we wouldn't."
He began walking, and soon Abarai and I were alone in the dojo. Abarai was about to apologize, but I cut through.
"So, what do you think? About the third seat?"
"I don't really know what to make of him sir. He talks quite...convincingly, but not to many people. The fourth and fifth seats hang out- I mean, em, give him company quite often, but I've never seen them engaged in conversation throughout."
"What of his strength?"
"He's no pushover, sir, I would definitely need my Shikai to engage and defeat him, perhaps. Even then, he has never released his Shikai, so I can't predict anything. And then there's all that training..."
I frowned. "What training?"
"He sneaks out often, sometimes before dawn, sometimes after meals and whatnot to practice, you know? He also meditates in the room often too, there's reason enough for me to think he knows the name of his sword, or he is trying damn hard."
"Hmm. I cannot exactly tell him to stop, but we need to keep a check on his strength. If he does show too much of it, giving him higher command in one of the other divisions like the 5th will be an acceptable move on our part."
"Um, I guess you know best taicho."
"Yes, Abarai, I think I do." I added nonchalantly. Abarai didn't know that I would do it intentionally, to get the somewhat crude pleasure of watching his face contort at my blasé replies.
Today's tasks were to report to the head captain about the disturbances in Rukongai. There was also a captains meeting scheduled, to track the Onmitsukido's progress in Zaraki; captain Soifon had led a squad of 20 when one local informant notified them of some suspicious individuals who looked like they didn't belong, and we're conducting rituals of an unknown nature in the district. The informant also claimed that residents were going amiss since the advent of these suspicious people. Or person, he was not sure. I suspected that yesterday's ordeal was somewhat connected to these incidents, but that was only speculation.
As I made my way out of the division, I could not help but think. What were we even doing here? Was it absurd to think that our lives were nothing but a series of combat oriented scenarios, duty after duty, and then brief interludes of rest? The Nobility. I could say I had purpose as I was a Shinigami too- but what claim did the nobility stake? Not many, or I would boldly wager that none of them had ever met the king, whose nobility they functioned as. Their laws, our laws, loosely functioned on the vague edicts being followed since the beginning of inception, and still held true because the very existence of soul society hinged on the notions of a core set of ethos. Who knew about anything else, rather than the fringes of their own reality? And so we persevered. I put my pride, as a Shinigami and as a noble, before everything else because that was simply what pride had become- a fragment of my own existence. I had included Hisana, and Rukia in my essence, and they were indeed extensions or fundamental blocks of my very pride. Maybe that's why I lived on, relentlessly.
My head seemed particularly full of idiosyncrasies today. I really needed to get to the meeting, as I shrugged my head. Duty did trump everything, implicitly. Even my pride.