The Echoes of the Heart
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or its characters or profit from this fanfiction.
Chapter Two: The Echoes of Betrayal
Muguruma Kensei's Point of View
By: Lady Mochizuki

1:37 PM~The Interdivision Exchange Program~First Division

I'm staring at the piece of paper Kyōraku Shunsui soutaicho placed in front of me on his desk. I could feel my left eyebrow twitching as I read which division I'd be working with during The Interdivision Exchange Program. I looked over at the man sitting on the couch with a frown of displeasure,

Why am I being forced to work with him?" I asked, slowly rolling my eyes while Kenpachi leered at me.

"I believe your divisions can learn something from one another, and therefore you both will be working with each other," Kyōraku explains while using a dismissive tone as Kenpachi snorts from his place on the couch while I'm pinching the bridge of my nose,

*I'd rather deal with my two fukutaichos and Benihime,* I thought.

"You realize my division uses a mix of kidō, swordplay, and physical work while his division just charges in without even thinking, which is why his division has the highest death or injury rating of the Gotei 13."

You're throwing us together because of The Ninth's fifth seat Urahara Benihime." I said in an accusing tone.

I knew I shouldn't have mentioned Beni in front of the soutaicho, who adores Beni like a daughter, because The Old Man glares, and his hand goes straight for the handle of his zanpakuto, telling me to run. Kenpachi shook his head in disbelief as he walked out, leaving me with a furious soutaicho. As The Old Man bellowed my name furiously, I ran out of the office.

I ran to my division like a bat out of Hell. I sighed when I spied on Kenpachi, watching Benihime as she spars with Renji.

"Why did you request to work with my squad?

Kenpachi snorted in reply, his eye never leaving the two shinigami sparring.

I understood why Beni now trains with her godmother in The World of the Living or trains with The Soutaicho and several others. Beni is bound and determined to surpass her fathers.

I also think Kenpachi is jealous of Benihime, as Ikkaku and Yumichika are. Benihime is friends with their boyfriends. Stupid reason.

"All right, tomorrow morning at dawn, be ready on our training grounds and don't be late, or I'll sic Fox and her brother and son on you and your boys." I grumped.

Kenpachi roared with laughter; my right eyebrow twitched more as I sighed dismissively, walking away.

The following day, just before dawn, I saw Beni outside, all already sparring with Kenpachi, neither of them holding back. I came out to watch and saw that I was the last to arrive.

I watched my division cheering on Benihime while the Eleventh cheered on Kenpachi. I was impressed by Benihime because the young woman wouldn't back down from The Berserker taicho. I saw a wicked little smirk on Beni's face, which told me she enjoyed this battle immensely while Kenpachi laughed like a maniac.

I called a halt. Beni smirks at Kenpachi, who roars with laughter. "You did well, Benihime, but leave yourself wide open."

I saw Kyōraku soutaicho, Kuchki-taicho, Ukitake taicho, and Rukia-fukutaicho join us this morning. I could see Rukia and Shunsui beam with pride at their goddaughter, soon after that display of raw power versus finesse.

I wanted to see how those boys would stand against my squad hand to hand. I wished to fight Kenpachi hand to hand so I paired everyone off.

I watched as Ikkaku dodged Shuhei. He would have landed a direct kick to his midsection. Beni could hold her own against Yumichika, so Benihime and Yumichika were evenly matched.

So the training session came to an end for the day. I was very impressed by Benihime, who could take a hit and deliver one and stand toe to toe against one of the biggest badasses of the Gotei 13.

My division more or less was shut down for the night until I noticed the lights of Beni's office were on, and Shūhei and Mashiro had told me Benihime would do her paperwork late into the night. Still, I didn't believe either of my fukutaicho until the night when Shunsui came and dragged his goddaughter home.

I also heard her boyfriend, or as my squad called him, a weasel-faced loser, had been complaining I drive Benihime too hard, and he wants Beni to come home. I don't push the young woman hard— Benihime chooses to work hard, which earned my respect and the respect of those around her.

I entered the office and dismissed Benihime, to which she grudgingly went home. I had to shake my head at her retreating because Beni reminded me of Byakuya. I met up with Shinji, and we went to the meeting together.

11:42 PM~First Division~Taicho Meeting Hall

We've been standing here for two hours listening to the windbag sprout information we didn't know. I noticed my fellow taichos, even some of the fukutaichos, were sleeping on their feet. I wonder if anyone ever thought of putting a table and chairs here for all of us to sit.

I could feel Shūhei and Mashiro fidgeting, and I knew my fukutaichos were dying to say something about the windbag not getting to the point. Still, they refrained from saying anything.

Suddenly we heard the Yōko pack screaming in a fury, matching the screams of Kuronue and the angry howls of Koji. We could overhear every animal in Soul Society echoing the wrath of the Yōko pack. I knew something had happened to the Ninth's Fox.

We heard snarls and yelps of pain, which meant Kuronue and Koji had bitten the guards because the doors to the hall were flung open, and Beni came running in as Kyōraku-soutaicho bellowed,

"What is the meaning of this, Benihime?"

Beni ignored her godfather as she flung herself in her stepfather's arms. The hall soon was filled with heart-wrenching sobs filled the room. Even the most hardened taicho in the room pitied the young lady. I watched as Ukitake-taicho rocked the sobbing girl.

At that moment, Hatori Kenji and Kino Ayame came running in, and we realized what Benihime had walked in on tonight. I could feel several fukutaicho's reiastu spikes, including mine. I watched as Ukitake-taicho pushed his stepdaughter into the arms of Rukia while he slowly drew his zanpakutō as he advanced on the two fools. I hadn't noticed Sui-Feng and Byakuya had moved as well.

"Otōsan and Uncle Byakuya, don't kill those idiots because it won't bode well with any of you in the Mosquito Nest killing these idiots. Please let them go."

I watched as Beni hugged both her stepfather and her uncle, and she moved toward the two who broke her heart without saying a word Benihime backhanded Ayame and punched Kenji in the face as she growled,

"I suggest you both stay away from me, or I'll let my stepfather, my brothers, and my son kick your asses."

I had to blink because Abarai Renji was beside Beni. I watched as Renji bonked on the top of her head and not lightly either, and I must add, as Renji began to scold her,

"You little idiot, you hit them in front of everyone. If the soutaicho decides to punish you, there isn't anything your stepfather, godmother, or taicho could do to stop him."

Benihime burst into tears again as Renji hugged her close. Shuhei, several other fukutaichos, and several taichos surrounded the two in a tight net. I moved forward and took my place in that tight net as I could hear Renji's soft reassurance as Fox cried.

I could feel Kenpachi twitching, and I understood his feelings regarding his lover. I wanted to rip the two apart for breaking Beni's heart.

I noticed it went quiet. I turned and saw the look of horror etched across Benihime's face as Beni realized where she was and what she had interrupted as she pulled away from Renji.

I watched as Beni peeked at Kyōraku soutaicho, who had an unreadable expression on his face as he asked,

"Babydoll, what happened to make you so upset?"

Benihime looked up at her godfather with tears as she hid behind Renji and Shuhei. To my surprise, the soutaicho came forward entered the protective circle, and hugged his goddaughter tight as he whispered,

"Tell me, my Babydoll."

Beni blushed as she nodded.

"Kensei-taicho sent me home after a long day, so I stopped on the way home to grab something for dinner, and then I stopped to pick up Kenji's favorite snack."

Kyōraku soutaicho made an encouraging sound for Benihime to continue. I could tell the other taichos were listening as well. I noticed Rose's look as he eyed the bleeding Kenji.

"I came home to find Kuronue and Koji in the yard, which isn't unusual for my brother and my son to be waiting for me to come home or show up at the Ninth because I hadn't returned home. But what I did find unusual was the cottage was dark because Kenji usually leaves the fireplace burning just in case I come home." Benihime murmured.

"My Babydoll, I know what happened and why you came here," soutaicho said, "Now I want you to go home and rest. "

I watched as Beni looked over at her stepfather, who handed her the keys to his home, and I watched as Beni bowed and ran off with her brother and her son following.

The meeting resumed as I thought of a way to help Beni, but I felt Kenpachi would not like it. But I can't have Ayame and Benihime in the same squad or Ayame working under Beni.

So after the meeting, I went to speak with both Kyōraku-soutaicho and Ukitake-taicho about it. The two older men agreed, and the soutaicho wrote the order transfer himself.

With help from her friends, the Sixth and Ninth moved Beni out of Kenji's place and relocated her with her stepfather for the next few days. Still, to my utter surprise, Kenpachi volunteered to let Benihime move in with him and Renji until one of the old dojos turned into a living space for Benihime, her brother, and her son. Still, Beni would've declined the offer, but Hisagi hadn't bonked her on the head, and Beni agreed grudgingly.

But according to the soutaicho's order, the transfer doesn't start until six months from now.

Three months passed, and Beni took a three-month vacation to The World of the Living, which I approved.

I'm going to miss Fox when she leaves on her new adventure.

To Be Continued!