Rose let out a small groan as he sat up. Looking around the room he could see he was in a makeshift tent hospital, and he was not alone. Sitting nearby, sleeping, was his fukutaichou Kira Izuru. In the room there were two other beds, both occupied. One was Kensei, bandaged just as heavily as he was,looking up at the ceiling like he wanted to kill something. The other was Kensei's second, Hisagi Shuhei. Sleeping with their head on Shuhei's bed was the other co-fukutaichou of the ninth, Kuna Mashiro. Rose smiled softly. He had no idea what happened after he was taken down by the 'Super Star' Quincy, but he did know that Izuru managed to survive, as did the rest of them.
"Your awake." Kensei said in a rough voice. To Rose, it sounded like he hadn't used his voice in a while, so they must have been out for a decent amount of time.
"How long was I unconscious?" Rose asked.
"About a week since the war ended." Izuru answered, now looking fully alert. Rose nodded. He looked over Izuru for a moment, making sure to assess how much damage the boy had suffered. He looked well, some bandages around his arm that Rose was mildly sure had been missing before the finale war had even begun.
"What happened?" he asked. Izuru sighed, as if he didn't want to give the report, but from both Taichou's expectant looks, he knew he had to.
"The Quincy army was completely obliterated. The only Quincy's that remain are the Ishida Family, that assisted our side by infiltrating the enemy and helping destroy them from the inside. The casualties in total from the war include Yamamoto, Sasakibe, Unohana, Komamura, Kusajishi, Kurotsuchi Nemu, and Ukitake. For now Kotetsu Isane, Iba, and Kuchiki Rukia are acting taichous of their divisions. Currently the seiretei is in ruins. Many Shinigami have been killed or are still in critical condition, the final count has been unable to be made at this time." the blonde said. He could see the heavy looks that came on Rose and Kensei's faces. They had indeed suffered quite a few heavy blows.
"And you and the kid?" Kensei asked. Izuru knew he wanted to know what happened to him and Shuhei specifically. He signed, not sure how they would react to hearing this.
"Hisagi had managed to survive the encounter with the Quincy Mask and was taken for emergency medical treatment. He was re dispatched the next day with Abaria, Kuchiki Rukia, Kuchiki Byakuya, Madarame, and Ayasegawa. He took down a quincy on his own before joining with Kuchiki Byakuya to take down the Quincy Pepe. However the man took control of Hisagi and forced him to fight Kuchiki. Kuchiki tried to immobilize him, but he was unsuccessful. Hisagi was defeated by the arrival of Kurotsuchi Mayuri. He was again taken for emergency medical treatment and left again with a group of Shinigami but was shot by the Leader of the Schutzstaffel Lille Barro. He's still recovering from that. I was saved by Kurotsuchi Mayuri and returned to the battle at the end to help clean up the remaining mess." Izuru said. Kensei scowled.
"So after all that training the punk never used his banaki, even once?!" he yelled. Kensei was furious, but Rose was sure it was more to the fact that Shuhei got hurt as much as he did instead of actually not using his banaki. It was no secret Shuhei hated his shikai, there was no way he would just go out and use his new banaki. It takes nearly a decade of training to properly use it anyway, so the kid probably didn't want to chance using it.
"I feel like your leaving something else out Izuru. What happened to me and Kensei?" Rose asked. Izuru paled, showing that was something he really didn't want to talk about.
"You were both killed before you could be treated after fighting Mask. The Quincy Giselle Gewelle turned you both into zombies. Kurotsuchi Mayuri used the opportunity to turn you both into his zombies and had you defeat her. After that he took the two of you with his zombie arrancars to Kuchiki Byakuya. Muguruma was the one who took down Hisagi. After that Muguruma took down Pepe and you were both saved." Izuru said. Kensei turned red.
"I'm going to kill that bastard." he hissed. Rose felt a little wave of disgust as well, being used by Mayuri like that. However he must have had it easier since he didn't beat his own second officer into the ground. Rose sighed.
"I'm just glad your all alright." he said. He was talking about all four of the other occupants in the room, but he did focus on Izuru. If he didn't have the young man around he would be lost as an officer. Chikane was a good second, and he is sure her son would make a good taichou one day, but something about Izuru made him a more desirable partner. Kensei meanwhile just sighed.
"When those two recover, we're training." he hissed. Rose and Izuru decided not tell him that there might not be a need for that.
xxx
Iba Tetsuzeamon sat at the grave for Tosen Kaname's friend. It felt really odd for him to be here. When this nameless woman died she was buried here by Tosen. The man would come and see her constantly, as if he needed to see her for strength. Sajin had befriended him and came with him on many occasions. Then after Tosen betrayed them and left, it was a place Sajin and Shuhei frequently came to, as if the nameless woman would give them advice on how to handle it. After Tosen's death, they buried his zanpakuto here, making the grave both the woman's and Tosen's. Since then both Sajin and Shuhei frequently came to see him. Iba never once came. He felt like he was intruding on Sajin's friendship with both Shuhei and Tosen if he did. Now however was a very different story.
Sajin was not dead, but he was gone. He was now just a wolf, wondering around in the rukongai. Iba had wanted to keep him around, but knew he could never in good conscious turn the man he looked up to and admired into a 'pet'. So he was set free. Sajin had no reasoning, no memories. He was a beast now. Yet this grave would now hold the body of the nameless woman, the soul of Tosen, and the memory of Sajin. He figured he'd have to inform Shuhei, not a task that he wanted.
Now he was acting taichou, yet he faced the prospect with great fear. Now he fully understood how Shuhei, Momo, and Izuru felt two years ago. He could never live up to the man whose shoes he was trying to feel. It just would never seem right. It's been a week, yet it still did not feel real. Ichigo and his friends were still around, recuperating from the battle. Many of the others were still in critical condition. Kenpachi had yet to wake up; Rose, Kensei, Shuhei, and Mayuri were still bedridden. Izuru was barley on his feet. The divisions were not even at half of their capabilities, and so much needed to be done.
Iba knew he would have to get stronger so he could properly lead his men. At the state he was in now, he was too weak to do it. So he would train hard, achieve bankai, and show his men that this was not the end. It was what Sajin did after all.
xxx
Marechiyo smiled as he watched his little sister play in what was left of the yard. She looked so full of energy it was almost hard to believe that just a week before she was on death's door. "How is she?" he turned to see Soi Fon standing behind him.
"She's well Taichou. Did you get a chance to speak to Lady Shihoin?" he asked. He didn't care much for Yoruichi, but didn't want to make Soi Fon mad today. He just wanted things to be peaceful for now. She nodded as she sat down beside him.
"Yes, she's finally awake again. I think Urahara may not be so lucky this time though. She's very mad at him." Soi Fon said with a huge smile. She loved it very much when either Kisuke or Shinji were in the hot seat, especially with Yoruichi. Marechiyo gave her a nervous nod. "How are the rest of your family?" she asked. Marechiyo looked back towards the house.
"They survived." he said. Soi Fon had a soft spot for his father, since he was once her superior. The rest of the family were almost completely unharmed. Soi Fon nodded. She had actually been just as worried as Marechiyo was. Her five brothers were dead, she wouldn't stand by and watch someone else loose a sibling when it could be prevented. The two just sat in silence for a while, not really knowing where to go next. Soi Fon then stood up.
"There is a lot of work to be doing." she said, and turned to leave. Marechiyo stood up as well and Soi Fon turned an angry look onto him. "I didn't say you should come. Stay with your family." she said. However Marechiyo smiled.
"Taichou, this is very unlike you. You are always the one who is saying work comes first. My family is fine, the division is what needs us. I promised to follow you, and that's what I'm going to do." he said. Soi Fon smiled, apparently she approved. She then turned and kept walking.
"If that's the case, then stay behind me." she ordered. He nodded.
"Yes ma'am." he agreed.
xxx
Ichigo looked around the room they were in. Renji was sprawled out sleeping, snoring loudly in the night. Uryu was on his side, as if he was trying to make himself as small as possible. Chad just laid on his back, not even making a sound. Orihime was curled up on herself, as if she was shielding herself from nightmares. Rukia was sitting beside him, watching their friends just as carefully.
"They finally fell asleep." he said in relief. She nodded. None of them had wanted to sleep much the past week, instead trying to help the others as much as they could. Many times the Shinigami would send them away, but they wouldn't leave so easily. Orihime had been working relentlessly in the makeshift hospital, healing as many people as she could. Uryu had been helping her, using the first aid knowledge he had. Renji had been trying to help Byakuya with their division, but the man just kept sending him to help Rukia with hers. Then Sado was going around helping clear rubble trying to save as many people as they could. For Orihime and Sado, they wanted to be as useful as they could. For Uryu, he was trying to make up what he felt that he owed. It took Hanataro threatening to sedate them for them to even agree to go get rest every night.
Of course Ichigo was doing everything he could to help as well. Even the zero division were helping. Hikafune made massive meals and Kirinji set up huge hot springs. The other three were not so good at healing people, but they did find other ways to help. Even the Kido Corps were assisting. Ichigo was sure with everyone working hard like this, they were sure to get the Seiretei up and running as soon as possible. Yet they would still need help. Uryu and the others were only humans. They had their own lives to get back to.
"I made a decision." Ichigo suddenly said, causing Rukia to turn a startled look to him. What was he talking about?