Bleach (c) Tite Kubo

Black and Blue

Next Course of Action

"Isshin Shiba's son, you say."

Shunsui Kyoraku's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. He's stunned. So much so his hands cease fidgeting with his sakkat for half a second.

Once more, he's finds himself as a guest in the Thirteenth Division Captain's office. As before, Ukitake employed a series of barriers once Kyoraku had arrived to discuss the latest updates regarding their exiled former colleagues privately.

This time, Kyoraku does tease him about the excess and Ukitake responds with a good-natured jest of his own. And Kyoraku is pleased to see his friend in such a much better mood than last time they had this discussion.

At Nanao's insistence, Kyoraku brought a stack of paperwork with him which he laid out on the coffee table. Fortunately, most of it just required his final review and signature to approve. Dear Nanao is efficient in that way and Kyoraku is always grateful for her diligence.

Ukitake sits across from him, sipping some green tea looking thoroughly too pleased with himself. Unlike Kyoraku, his paperwork was completed hours ago, and now Ukitake's not-so-subtly rubbing it in. (He did offer to help but Kyoraku politely declined.)

Kyoraku would tease him about being such a hard worker, but right now he's distracted by this new fascinating tidbit.

Astonishing.

Yet somehow, Kyoraku finds himself wholly unsurprised.

In fact, he could see it plain as day now someone pointed it out to him. (He must be losing his edge if he couldn't put two and two together sooner.)

The timeline only makes too much sense when one puzzles it out.

Former Captain Isshin Shiba's reiatsu signature disappeared into the living world a little over twenty years ago. The old Central 46, the one Aizen manipulated then slaughtered, were all too happy to declare the last head of the Shiba Clan missing presumed killed in action.

They were extraordinarily eager to wash their hands of the Shiba clan in general, but that, Kyoraku suspects, was Aizen's hand at play, intent on dragging the Shiba name through the mud. Either out of personal enmity or simply to destabilize the Gotei 13 further to advance his goals.

Probably a bit of both.

It wasn't the former Tenth Captain's style to abandon everything he worked for without cause, nor the men he commanded for coming upto a century, especially when he'd been fighting so diligently to exonerate the Shiba's good name (and on the verge of success too until he'd disappeared.). Which leads Kyoraku to conclude that something must have happened during that last mission to prevent Captain Shiba's return to the Soul Society.

Kyoraku wouldn't be shocked to learn if Aizen had a hand in that unfortunate bit of business as well.

That whole mission could've easily been a ruse to conceal an assassination attempt. The same scheme worked well enough to silence Kaien for a time, and it was wrapped up in such a neat and tidy package no one suspected a thing. That is, until the former Lieutenant miraculously sprang back to life and made that connection for them.

There's still lingering doubt about him; Kaien's resurgence, Kyoraku means. With Aizen involved, how could there not be? But it diminishes by the day. While Ukitake hides it decently enough, Kyoraku knows his best friend far too well. He sees through that polite professional demeanor to the delight - the sheer glee - underneath. Moreover, its impossible not to notice that extra spring in his step lately.

It's been such a long time since Kyoraku has seen Ukitake this happy, even if it's spoilt by frustration at how helpless he must feel with so many glaring obstacles in the way of bringing his erstwhile Lieutenant home, but that's merely a matter of time.

Perhaps Captain Shiba was attacked back then; and while not killed outright, his Saketsu or Hakusui were irreparably damaged sealing his reiatsu away forever. Sufficiently depowered and unable to call for assistance even if he wanted to, perhaps Isshin's attackers merely left it at that; allowing the man to stew in an enforced exile.

Trapped as he was, Isshin likely decided to cut his losses and worked to build a new life for himself.

Idly, Kyoraku muses Ichigo must get his colour from his mother and wonders what kind of lady made Isshin Shiba gladly leap from his place among their proud bachelor ranks. Doubtless one with infinity patience or just as bad as he was.

Come to think of it, Kyoraku suspects Captain Unohana might harbor her own suspicions regarding Ichigo's heritage.

When Ichigo and his friends were transported to the Fourth division to recover from their ordeal on Sokyoku Hill, Kyoraku was paying a visit for some minor assistance (he might have drunk too heavily the night after Aizen's defection, something Nanao chided him for, albeit with less heat than usual). There, he found Captain Unohana barring Captain Kurotsuchi's attempts to access the young human's room, doubtlessly aiming to extract new research samples while the boy was unconscious.

Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu had stood to one side, pointedly facing away from the scientist while trying very hard not to look simultaneously frightened and relieved.

Kyoraku had to tip his hat to Isane Kotetsu, standing her ground against such an offsetting fellow as Mayuri Kurotsuchi for as long as she did. Evidently, she'd been forced to play gatekeeper until her Captain arrived to relieve her.

Captain Unohana not only barred Kurotsuchi's passage completely, she forced Kurotsuchi to relinquish every scrap of remotely scientific equipment he'd brought with him (and she meant everything).

Without losing her ubiquitous serene expression, Unohana destroyed it all, ignoring Kurotsuchi's vehement protestations. She then told Kurotsuchi in no uncertain terms he was prohibited from even entering the Fourth Division's barracks until well after the humans had returned to their world.

"Explains quite a great deal, doesn't it?" There's no denying the curl of Ukitake's lips as he takes another draft of his tea.

It snaps Kyoraku from his reminiscence and he ponders on it for a moment.

They'd believed the identical morals as coincidence, the paralleling physical habits and other certain mannerisms - the term "reincarnation" was whispered by the more superstitious kind - but that wasn't the case.

Kaien and Ichigo were blood kin, first cousins exhibiting familial traits.

"Only too much. I daresay just about everything." Kyoraku agrees, a slight smile spreads across his lips. "As an ordinary human, albeit one with uncommonly high reiryoku; infiltrating the Soul Society with a borrowed power and a group of teenagers is nothing short of madness no matter how gifted they all were. Following that, obtaining a unique Shikai, let alone a Bankai with leeched powers would be..." Kyoraku shakes his head. "By definition, a Zanpakutou is an expression of one's own soul. Those powers wouldn't have belonged to him, so it would've been impossible."

Ukitake hums in agreement, setting his empty cup down and pouring himself another from a ceramic pot, "Indeed. Even if Ichigo somehow managed to release his Zanpakutou while using the powers he borrowed from Rukia, his Shikai would've been Sode no Shirayuki and his Bankai would've have presented a similar if not identical form to Rukia's. That is, assuming she'd ever choose to obtain one. Obviously, that's not the case."

Kyoraku notes his friend's choice of words there.

Bankai was a state of power very few outside the Captain classes could achieve, even now only two of the current serving Lieutenants have managed to obtain that pinnacle of Zanpakutou mastery. The fact that Ukitake sincere faith in his subordinate's potential to reach those peaks rather warms the heart.

Kyoraku puts that thought aside.

"But when cast in the light of a Shinigami's son; son of a former Captain no less? It's quite possible Rukia's powers inadvertently awakened the latent abilities inherited from his father, and when Captain Kuchiki destroyed that borrowed power, he naturally came into his own." Kyoraku finishes, flipping through his work to keep his hands busy. "And a Shiba clan scion to boot? That alone explains his unusually dense reiryoku as a human. But I can't put my finger on precisely what elemental affinity his reiatsu has taken."

Ukitake frowns and ponders the question. He speaks after a moment. "Shadows, I would say. His Bankai, powers and reiatsu are black. The feeling of his reiatsu invokes a twilight on the cusp of becoming night."

When Kyoraku raises an eyebrow at this, Ukitake offers a smile. "I suppose it would make sense. Engetsu was a fire-based Zanpakutou, and a burning flame inevitably casts shadows wherever it goes."

Kyoraku chuckles. "That's a rather poetic way to think about it."

"I'd thought you'd appreciate that." Ukitake offers. "Ignoring Yoruichi and Kisuke's involvement for the moment, knowing that Ichigo is a Shiba by birth, suddenly his invasion can only be described as completely expected." Ukitake chuckles ruefully and his head sways from side to side. "And it feels insulting on a fundamental level to believe he would've done anything less while a friend was in peril. Kaien wouldn't have stood idly by either. Even if it meant taking on the whole of Soul Society by himself."

"Cut from the same cloth, both of them. And it definitely marries up to the Shiba's particular brand of insanity. Maybe, then, it's good fortune Kaien wasn't here to participate in those events. The two of them working together; we never would've known what hit us." Kyoraku jokes with a quiet huff of laughter. "Though when weighed against the Shiba's usual... standards, shall we say? The entire affair feels a little underwhelming in hindsight."

Ukitake sends him a bemused look across the table, "Halting the released Sokyoku in its tracks then destroying the execution stand with a single Zanpakutou wasn't bombastic enough for you?"

Kyoraku waves a dismissive hand, "Oh, don't get me wrong. Ichigo certainly lived up to the name towards the end of the whole drama, but... everything before that? Such a mediocre performance; and not even a single firework to show for it either. The rest of the Shiba clan would've wept."

The two captains share a light laugh at the jest.

"Isshin Shiba." Kyoraku lets the name roll on his tongue, "Of course, he'd have to go to another world to find a woman patient enough to put up with his usual antics, or insane enough to join in... and I imagine we're just going to keep that little tidbit to ourselves, yes?"

Ukitake puts a finger to his lips in thought. "Yes. Isshin wasn't the kind of man to abandon his post. Whatever happened must have been more important than the Tenth. Or it trapped him there. Even if he could've returned, truthfully I can't fault him for not wanting to coming back. He inherited a poisoned chalice when the Shiba Clan were cast out."

Kyoraku is silent, completely unsurprised his friend drew the same conclusions he had.

Ukitake leans back in his chair, sipping his tea in an attempt to hide his melancholy, "I have to imagine whatever life he leads now, its one he's satisfied with. That being said, its not that unreasonable to assume the other Captains might harbour their own suspicions on the matter of Ichigo's origins. If nothing else, he garners a certain level of curiosity."

"Mmm." Kyoraku hums quietly to himself, "Captain Unohana might suspect something about Ichigo's heritage, I think. She's always had a keen eye this sort of thing but if she knows anything concrete she's kept it to herself."

"Captain Unohana is a healer." Ukitake offers mildly, "What occurs between a healer and their patient is strictly their business alone. I imagine she wouldn't make a comment on the matter either way, not unless pressed. And we both know she can seldom be pressed on anything."

"That's very true." Kyoraku agrees.

Ukitake gives a smirk, an amusing memory seemingly playing out in his mind, "You know, its actually somewhat funny in hindsight. When I first saw Ichigo on the bridge to the Penitence Cell I had the immediate impression of Kaien, the resemblance was that striking. Byakuya dismissed any possibility of any relationship whatsoever... I can only imagine the astounded look on his face if he ever learns how wrong that statement was."

They share another chuckle, but its not long before Ukitake's expression turns grave again. "For now however, I think its best we keep this quiet. There's too many complexities at play, and if we don't handle the situation carefully we could end up destroying any chance of a reconciliation before it even occurs. Something we both dearly wish to avoid."

"On that, we agree." Kyoraku leans forward and rests his chin on his folded hands, "So now I must bring down this jolly mood and ask the driving question; have you managed to find anything so far? Something we can use that might persuade the old man into altering his position?"

Ukitake's gaze lowers to the tea, studying his own reflection in it. "We've found precious little in the Third, Fifth or Ninth's Barracks, but I never expected to find much of substance there in the first place."

"Aizen, Ichimaru and Tousen were nothing short of meticulous to maintain their ruse for so long. They would never have kept anything incriminating or inflammatory in plain sight." Kyoraku muses, his eyes lowering.

"Unfortunately, I won't be at liberty to investigate into that matter for much longer. The Captain-Commander has granted me access to the Daireishokairō and placed the Thirteenth in charge of combing through whatever materials Aizen may have researched during his time hiding there." Ukitake explains, looking mildly dejected at the notion.

Duty was important and they needed to know what Aizen was up to in there, but it doesn't take a mind-reader to guess what task Ukitake would prefer handling first.

"And given the nature of that library, I'm sure you'd find accounts of their 'hearing' recorded in meticulous detail but next to nothing in terms of actual investigation or other countermanding evidence to help the Visoreds appeal." Kyoraku concludes, feeling the guilt of inaction weigh on him more than ever.

A week after that night, when the hollowfied officers were discovered in the Twelfth Division's barracks, Central 46 convened a hearing. Urahara insisted vehemently that Aizen was the preparator of the entire affair, that he was trying to treat his wounded fellow officers and reverse their conditions.

Central 46 had ordered Kyoraku and several other officers to appear at that farce of a trial. There, he was forced to testify that, yes, he had seen Aizen at the barracks that fateful night. But when Kyoraku tried to act as a character witness for Urahara, Tsukabishi and the other hollowfied officers as per proper protocol, Central 46 had completely shut him down and dismissed him.

They went so far as to threaten imprisonment in Muken should Kyoraku speak out of turn and threw him out before he even knew what was what.

After the 'ruling', Kyoraku tried to appeal with Old Man Yamamoto after the ten officers escaped to the World of the Living (Yoruichi Shihoin was discovered helping them shortly thereafter and she was added to the wanted list too, meaning nearly half the Gotei's command staff vanished in a single night).

Yamamoto's response was a stern reiteration of Central 46's decision and an executive order for the Omnitsukido to hunt them all down like a pack of rabid animals.

That... effectively shut Kyoraku down just as swiftly. The Old man couldn't be swayed. A cover story was spun, accepted as law, and Aizen came out smelling like roses.

Kyoraku had been forced to accept the decision, even as the guilt of it privately gnarled away at him for the past hundred years.

"I don't suppose you have any working leads I could take over while you're in those archives?" Kyoraku offers, swallowing down the grief that memory brought to the forefront of his mind.

"Right now, I've enlisted Kukaku Shiba's aid in puzzling out whatever Kaien may have hidden away. He left some notes behind. I'm hoping that whatever he's hidden there might be a crucial piece of evidence to help bring them all back." Ukitake answers, exhaling a heavy breath. "Whatever it was, it was clearly enough for Aizen to arrange his and Miyako's murders. So it must've been compromising to say the least."

Kyoraku watches a sorrowful shadow pass over his best friend's face and sighs. It aches being blinded for so long to the treachery that lingered under their very roof.

"And how did Ms Kukaku Shiba take that news? I assume you informed her." Kyoraku expects there was some collateral damage of the explosive variety.

Ukitake suddenly looks overcome by fatigue. "About as well as you could expect. She was decidedly not pleased at the situation and she's made me swear to bring her brother back."

"Which you have every intention of doing." Kyoraku adds.

"But more importantly, she's currently picking through those journals. If she can decipher anything at all, she's insistent that Kaien be the one to present the evidence to the Captain-Commander. I might have to dissuade her from that course of action, but we both know how stubborn that young lady can be." Ukitake exhales a long breath, "At this point in time, the best we can do right now is hope and pray."

He places his cup down on a coaster and folds his hands together. "It'd be so much easier if I could just..." Ukitake's hands lift and his fingers curl and flex. He huffs out an uncharacteristically frustrated breath, letting his statement hang.

Kyoraku sympathizes. Every day, its an effort of will to keep his mind focused on his duties and not simply say to hell with it all and charge into the Living World. But the Gotei 13 has enough problems to deal with without two more captains going AWOL.

Kyoraku strokes his stubbled chin in thought, "Even if we can't find any evidence in the immediate, I'm wondering if it might be worth approaching Old Man Yama about this anyway."

Ukitake makes to protest but Kyoraku raises a hand to pre-empt him, "I already know what you're about to say but hear me out; we're short three captains. We're short at least one Lieutenant, two if we count poor Hinamori. Division Five is in shambles and leaderless right now. While the Tenth has been pulling double duty to fill in their responsibilities, Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto are currently slated for assignment in the World of the Living. In turn, both Divisions would be left floundering. As for the Kido Corp? We both know their leadership has seen better days."

"Its hard to argue with that assessment." Ukitake declares grimly.

"Currently, there are Eleven Captain-class Shinigami out there who likely loathe Aizen more than they may resent us right now. Twelve if you count Kaien, Thirteen if we add Isshin into the mix. And Aizen's made it perfectly clear he's gearing up for a war of massive scale. To my mind, the most logical - no, the most pragmatic thing to do would be to rally as many allies as possible. In this scenario, wouldn't the enemy of my enemy be my friend?"

"That's an extremely reckless idea." Ukitake chastises him quietly. "But... its hard to refute the point. A mutual hatred of Aizen and a unified front against him might just be enough to motivate a settlement. At least until the current crisis has abated."

"I'd argue it's the only pragmatic option we have available. And I think the Old Man might see that too." Kyoraku counters with a shrug, he offer a hand out. "Knowing what we know now, that incident a century ago is cast in a new light. It's suddenly much more open to interpretation given what we've learned of Aizen's true zanpakutou abilities."

Kyoraku folds his hands together, "If Old Man Yama can be convinced to suspend the execution orders for a time, it'll give us the chance to let the Visoreds testify and share their side of the story. Something they were all denied a century ago. Which I imagine would marry up to what we already guessed, Aizen was responsible for that entire tragedy."

"But they'd still be labelled criminals." Ukitake counters harshly, "The Captain-Commander could issue a general pardon to that effect, but in terms of legalities, 'pardon' paints them as the ones who still committed the crime. We both know the reality is they were the victims forced into illegal experimentation in the first place, then framed by the true culprit when they served their purpose. It's hardly the justice they deserve. Which is why I want Kaien's evidence first."

"They're not mutually exclusive actions." Kyoraku points out smoothly, "I know you want to have everything lined up and prepared to wipe the slate clean, but that may not be the most effective use of our time. If a pardon gets them backinto the fold, an exoneration can follow in short order. Especially since Central 46 and Old Man Yama know how badly they screwed up a century ago by believing a traitor over loyal serving officers. Even if they're too proud to admit it in so many words."

Kyoraku leans forwards, a cunning look in his eye. "Not to mention, our dear Kaien was always extraordinarily popular before he died. In death, he became a martyr; a symbol of what a Shinigami should aspire to be. One could argue he's the symbol of a model Shinigami, and one that's still propped up to this day. Having him - having them all come back and help reconsolidate the shattered remnants of the Gotei 13 would be a sorely needed morale boost to the common line soldiers."

Ukitake is silent, considering the point.

Its not that Kyoraku's tone takes a turn for the conspiratorial, "And if the general population heard that Kaien Shiba was alive, and the Visoreds were the people he died trying to exonerate? Well, the power of public opinion is quite the powerful tool when applied in the right circumstance. Wouldn't you agree?"

Ukitake pinches the bridge of his nose, "It might be a harder sell than you think."

"You're not usually so defeatist, Jushiro." Kyoraku teases lightly, he offers a slight smile to reassure his friend.

"I'm not trying to be. I'm... simply trying to account for all the angles. There's a lot that must be taken into consideration." Ukitake confesses, he pauses for a moment to gather his thoughts. "I had the same notion myself but we both know exactly how stubborn Yamamoto can be once his mind is made. That's why I want concrete proof before broaching the subject matter with him."

"You didn't want to give him the option to say 'no'." Kyoraku surmises and Ukitake gives a single nod to confirm. "That's a fair stance to take but Old Man's already in an unfavorable position. He doesn't exactly have the option to refuse help wherever we can get it. Look at how he regards Kisuke Urahara. Despite being exiled, Yama's still perfectly willing to use the Urahara's resources and intellect when it suits him. There's no reason to believe he wouldn't be willing to extend that same consideration to the others as well, given what we now know."

Ukitake doesn't respond. Kyoraku shrugs, "At the very least, asking him outright would let us know if he's amenable to the idea of Shinji's group coming back."

"And if he's not?" Ukitake challenges.

Kyoraku sighs quietly, "Then... I suppose we'll have to be prepared for a nasty scolding."

They both hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Author's note:

Thanks for your patience, all.

I'd like to give a shoutout to an artist I've come across on twitter. Display name Patrick Nguyen, who made this lovely art based on the first chapter of Black and Blue, of Ichigo's first encounter with Kaien. You'll be able to find it here on twitter: LumzaLum_Art/status/1535359780428165122

Edited: 24/4/2023 - Cleaned up the chapter's grammatical errors and spruced up the language a little.

Regards,
Aurora313