Author's note: There may have been a little confusion about Kaede's powers - particularly about what she did when she was first unsealed vs. her Zanpakuto's abilities. So real quick:
What she used when she was first unsealed (as well as what she did in the Catastrophe) is what I consider her "raw" power: the most pure form, unrestrained and unrefined. We'll be learning more about that power later on as Kaede learns more about herself.
Her Zanpakuto's Shikai, the "Threefold Truths," is just a specific manifestation of that power that's been refined and condensed into particular applications.
So if they seem like different abilities…yes and no. We'll be learning more about that as the story goes on, but for now, let me point something out: In chapter 16, Kaede doesn't actually use her Zanpakuto until she says its name. Anything she did before that…well, we'll learn more about that later ;)
Back to the story…and back to the past!
Back Then
Her lungs burned. Every muscle in Kaede's body cried out in protest as she swung her blade again and again, the clang of metal on metal ringing out into the empty desert around them. A few beads of sweat dotted Sousuke's brow, but he kept up the assault, and she, the defense, trying to gain the upper hand once again. She cast a Hado spell that pushed him back, giving her the benefit of distance, though he'd managed to shield himself in time to avoid injury from it. He responded with a spell of his own that would have crushed her had she not instinctively defended with First Truth. There was no thought in her actions, not exactly; everything was instinct now, a constant back-and-forth that allowed no time for planning or second guesses.
A familiar roar resounded across the sands, making them both pause for the first time in hours. Sousuke leaped back as the Hollows arrived and started tending to a deep cut she'd left in his shoulder. Kaede turned to face the Hollows alone.
The Hollows weren't anything special, just regular, run-of-the-mill corrupted souls drawn by their hunger. She and Sousuke together formed a potential feast of Shinigami reiatsu too tempting for them to ignore, and they were too stupid to recognize that they were far out of their league. Kaede focused her senses as they drew closer, zeroing in on their masks - but then she waited. She could easily reach them with First Truth; one slash, and they'd be dust, purified of their corruption.
But that wasn't her intention.
The Hollows bore down on her, four in total. She could feel their driving hunger radiating through her senses, feel it so deeply that it made her own mouth water. Once they were close enough to attack, she dropped her sword and instead called for the raw, primal power within her.
She felt something stir - but then the first Hollow attacked, and her reflexes kicked in, breaking her focus so she could avoid its powerful jaws. No - she couldn't give into instinct this time. When it attacked again, snapping at her like a hyena, she stayed put, letting it latch onto her arm. Sharp teeth cut through fabric and skin, blood burst from torn veins, and still she stayed put, trying to see past the pain and use this visceral connection. Her free hand grasped a horn-like protrusion at the crown of its mask.
Got y-
New pain exploded from her other shoulder, then from her leg as two other Hollows dove in for a bite. She let them, let the building desperation of her primal instincts fuel and shape her power until it was ready to explode. The fourth Hollow leaped into the air, its maw stretching impossibly wide as it came for her head.
Reiatsu burst from her body. In the split second it took, she felt the whole process: solid matter dissolved into dust, then to something even more ephemeral, like energy bonded together. Kaede fumbled for that bond, tried to grasp hold of it - but it kept slipping through her senses, the process too fast for her to keep up. The energy dissipated before she could try to do anything more with it.
The Hollows were gone - and so was another opportunity.
"Damn it," she swore, her voice little more than a breathy rasp. She fell to her knees, her legs refusing to hold her up any longer.
"Can you continue?" Sousuke asked calmly. He approached her slowly, the only hint of his own exhaustion in how carefully measured his steps were.
Could she? Her body screamed at her to give in and say no, she needed rest and this wasn't a life or death situation. Her mind stubbornly insisted that yes, she could keep going, she had to keep going until she gained complete control over the raw power she'd tapped into when Sousuke first unsealed her. That was the whole point of this exercise: she was supposed to be exhausted beyond belief, supposed to be pushed to and past her limits.
But the rational part of her mind said that no, any further attempts right now would be futile and a waste of time and energy. They'd been at this for…how long? Five days, by Sousuke's last count? Constant sparring broken up by Hollow attacks…he used those attacks as a chance to recover, but she had no such luxury. Five days, maybe more, of trying to push past her Shinigami training and tap into that primordial force she knew was there.
"No," she groaned, scowling in annoyance. "My grip is slipping faster. I don't think it'd make a difference if we kept going."
"Probably for the best," Sousuke stated. "We're running low on time."
He handed her a canteen which she gratefully sipped from, forcing herself not to gulp down the entire contents in one swig. As she drank, Sousuke knelt beside her and examined her wounded shoulder.
"Interesting," he muttered, his fingertips brushing her lightly. "I could have sworn those bites broke your skin…"
"They didn't?"
"No, they certainly did," he amended, his touch hovering around a bruise. "But they've already closed up completely. Are you in any pain?"
"A bit," Kaede admitted, rolling her shoulder and wincing at a sharp pang. "Mostly I just feel kind of heavy and sluggish. Fatigued."
"And you're sure you can't pull anything more in?"
"What do you think I was trying to do that whole time?" she snapped, then sighed. "Sorry. Just hungry and tired. But I did try. I've been trying. I can feel all the energy released, I can even touch it, but…It's not like before. And before you ask, yes, I've tried talking to Mono no Aware about this, and it's not exactly forthcoming," she added with a glare at her Zanpakuto.
"A Zanpakuto is meant to answer its master's call," Sousuke said. "You can't treat it like an equal, because it is not. It's a tool."
"Did Kyoka Suigetsu ever give you problems?"
His lips turned up at the corners. "Kyoka Suigetsu knows who its master is."
"Enlightening," Kaede said dryly. She sighed and hauled her sword into her lap, shifting into a seated lotus position. "I'll try asking them again, but I'm not holding my breath for a straight answer."
She tried to set aside her frustration and drop into the meditative state of jinzen, but impatience gnawed at her. Mono no Aware was responsive enough to her call, but when it came to communication or sharing power…there was much left to be desired.
The First Truth had been easy. That first time she'd called her Zanpakuto's name, she'd been so awash in a heady state of wonder and heightened awareness that "All is Void" just…made sense. Since then, she'd been able to refine that ability and discover several interesting applications for it, which was all well and good…but that sense of pure knowing had yet to return to her. The only thing she knew for certain was that there was more to her Shikai than a single "truth." It wasn't even something she could claim to know as intrinsically as she'd known the name of her Zanpakuto; Mono no Aware themself had told her there was more.
The Threefold Truth…
Eventually, the world of Hueco Mundo fell away around Kaede. A pale blossom tickled her nose, carrying a faint, familiar fragrance. She sat not on stark white sand, but on soft green grass in the shade of a weeping sakura tree. And there, kneeling across from her in ever-shifting robes, was the strange, placid spirit of her Zanpakuto.
"Welcome back, Kaede," it greeted, its painted lips unmoving as ever. "It has been some time."
The greeting never changed. It could be three days or three months between jinzen sessions, and Mono no Aware would always open with the same phrase. Usually it was comforting, a bit of routine Kaede could rely on, but she was too tired and grumpy to appreciate it this time.
"How did I do it before?" she asked bluntly. "And don't you dare ask what I mean, because I know you know what I mean."
"That is true," the spirit conceded. "You wish to know how your power works, how you can make it do what you wish."
Kaede's eyes slid shut in momentary relief. At least Mono no Aware seemed to be feeling more straightforward today. "Yes. So? Any insights to share? Because I'm running dry here. And please don't say something like 'the answer is within you,' because I've been looking, and I can't find anything."
The spirit was silent for a moment. "Do you know what it is you are trying to do?"
Her head dropped as exasperation weighed her down. So much for being straightforward. "Of course I do! I've been trying to do it for three years now!"
"And what is it you are attempting to do?"
Kaede gestured around her, not even sure what she was trying to emphasize. "I - this! That thing I did when I first saw you, or something like it, except…"
"Controlled?"
The single, pointed word silenced Kaede for a moment as she was reminded of her first conversation with the spirit. How does one control the breath in their lungs, or the blood in their veins?
"I…I'm trying to understand it," she said.
"Why?"
"Because I don't understand how any of this works," Kaede admitted. "I still don't know how I changed that bit of desert into trees back then, or how I…how the Catastrophe happened. If I can't answer that, it could happen again."
The gentle breeze suddenly turned cold, biting through the fabric of her clothes.
"Do not lie, Kaede."
Kaede's eyes widened. Mono no Aware's strange voice reverberated in her bones with frigid disapproval, yet its eerie face remained completely unmoved. "What - I'm not!"
"Why do you wish to understand what happened in the past?"
The breeze had picked up, becoming a fierce, swirling wind. "So it doesn't happen again!"
"And?"
The words lingered on the tip of her tongue before she finally let them out. "So I can use that power," she admitted.
The wind quieted, and the quickly shifting shadows over Mono no Aware's static face settled again. "That is a truth. What you seek is 'control,' but what you lack is 'intent.' Without intention, there is no direction, only drifting on the wind."
This, Kaede reflected, was what Sousuke didn't understand about her Zanpakuto: Mono no Aware wasn't something she could exert control over. After all, how could she control something she didn't understand - something that understood far more than she could ever hope to?
A faint hum of amusement vibrated through the air. "It is curious, this notion of 'control,' and how you link it with 'understanding.'"
To Kaede's ears, their words seemed tinged with a sort of sadness. "Look…I don't need pity. I need - I want answers. Yes, I want to be able to use my power to its fullest. It's mine, and I want to be able to do something good with it."
"To make up for what it did without your intent directing it?"
For all that Mono no Aware tended toward vague and philosophical dialogue, there were times that they could be devastatingly blunt. Kaede felt the truth of what they said down to her bones. "…yes. And maybe even tip the scales the other way, a bit."
"There are no scales," the spirit commented. "There is no reason or meaning."
Kaede's stomach clenched hard. Since her initial training period had ended, she'd been part of the Stealth Corps' fifth unit, the "Inner Court Troop" - essentially, covert messengers. They were the strands that kept the complex web of the Stealth Corps together, delivering communiques between branches and operatives, as well as to the greater Gotei 13 and Central 46 when needed. Kaede mostly operated within the Seireitei, but occasionally, she ran a message out into the Rukongai.
Once, she'd taken a message to an outer district in the Southern sector. After the delivery, she'd taken a small detour to the last three districts - the ones that she'd destroyed in the Catastrophe.
She hadn't been sure what she'd find there. Much of it was as she expected: these were impoverished areas, the buildings ramshackle though not nearly as old as in other places. After all, everything in these districts had to be built from scratch just a couple centuries ago.
She hadn't expected to find a memorial.
It was a simple thing, a large stone that had once been polished, though already it showed signs of weathering. Into its once-smooth surface were etched thousands of names.
Thousands of people, "missing" because of what she'd done.
"There has to be some meaning," Kaede whispered, remembering that memorial. "It…it didn't just happen."
"Nothing 'just happens,'" agreed the spirit. "All things exist conditionally. All things are empty of individual meaning in that way."
"You just contradicted yourself," Kaede said. "And that's not really the point here. Look…is there any insight you can give me?"
"What is your reason for wanting more power?"
There was no judgment in the spirit's voice, barely even curiosity, yet Kaede immediately felt herself become defensive. "Because I need it. We need it if we're going to change things for the better."
"We?"
"You know what I mean," Kaede sighed, closing her eyes in annoyance.
"Do you?"
Kaede rubbed her forehead. Was it possible to get a headache inside one's own inner world? "This isn't going anywhere, is it?"
"That depends on the path you wish to take."
She was too tired for this, and her frustration threatened to lock down her mind entirely, but stubbornness kept her rooted in place. "What about the Second Truth?"
"What about it?"
"Can I at least learn that?" Kaede begged.
"Why do you want it?"
Why? She didn't even know what the "Second Truth" was, let alone how it might help. But something was better than nothing, right?
Anxiety ate at her as she considered emerging from jinzen relatively empty-handed, again. Sousuke never said it outright, but she could feel the faint, veiled disapproval every time she seemed to stagnate.
Kaede shook her head at herself. She was just imagining things. Still…she wanted to come out of here with something.
"So I can progress," she finally answered. It wasn't a lie, she thought.
"You wish this for yourself?"
The word caught in her throat for a brief second before she forced it out. "Yes."
The spirit was silent, and Kaede had the distinct impression that not only could it see straight through her ambiguity, but it knew exactly what the truth was. It was just waiting for her to admit it.
Kaede licked her lips, her mouth a bit dry as she finally confessed: "I don't want to be left behind."
She was afraid - afraid that this was her peak, that she wouldn't have anything more to offer despite knowing in her bones that wasn't true. And she was afraid that if she didn't show more progress, if she couldn't contribute to their future…Sousuke might grow tired of her. She wanted to stand at his side, desperately wanted to see that future come to fruition, to the point that she wasn't sure what the future would look like otherwise.
Mono no Aware moved then, such a rare sight that Kaede could only watch, transfixed, as a delicate hand of opalescent skin reached up and plucked a blossom from a swinging branch.
"Why does this place not change?" they asked.
Kaede blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Sakura blossoms are not meant to persist for so long," the spirit explained, contemplating the five-petaled flower in its fingers. "They are meant to wither and die."
As the spirit spoke, the blossom turned a pale, sickly yellow, its soft petals crinkling and falling away. With some alarm, Kaede looked up to see if that death would spread - but it did not. Relief washed over her. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what it would mean for her inner world to start dying.
"Nothing lasts forever," the spirit intoned, as though in response to Kaede's thoughts. "All must be allowed to pass on and make way for new growth. Such is the way of all things. So why do you resist that so?"
Because this place…it represented the most euphoric moments of her existence thus far. Whenever Kaede came here, she was reminded of that first hanami she spent with Sousuke, the thrill of their first kiss, the beauty and contentment she'd felt. It also reminded her of the day he unsealed her and she was whole for the first time in her life. This sakura grove let her relive those moments.
Didn't it?
No, she realized. She hadn't felt those things in a very long time. It wasn't that she'd been miserable since they happened; many things had occurred since then, good and bad, thrilling and dull, fulfilling and soul-sucking. She couldn't hold onto those moments forever, couldn't return to them once they'd passed, no matter how much she wanted to do so.
The hanami was a festival to celebrate a beautiful but fleeting phenomenon. If the cherry blossoms were always in bloom, there would be no need to celebrate their arrival and cherish their brief stay.
Kaede wasn't sure what this had to do with her power, and she wasn't sure she was ready to go back to that overwhelming cosmos her inner world had originally presented to her.
"When you are ready to accept the Second Truth," the spirit spoke, voice echoing in her mind as that inner began to fade away, "then it will become known to you."
Kaede emerged from jinzen with a heavy heart. Intention and impermanence…Mono no Aware had given her much to think about, but she wished the Zanpakuto could've given her more to physically work with.
"Well?" asked Sousuke.
"Nothing yet," she admitted softly. Sousuke turned away from her. "Are you angry?"
"Why would I be?"
"Because it's another delay," Kaede offered. "A dead end…"
"Of course not," he said, his back still turned. "It can take many years to master one's Zanpakuto. Most Shinigami don't get past Shikai."
Most - but she wasn't supposed to be like "most." "Apparently, I'm lacking in 'intent.'"
"And are you? Perhaps you are having second thoughts about what must be done?"
"I'm not," she insisted.
"Even about the visitor we have coming over tomorrow?"
Kaede fell silent. She knew what he was referring to: her next checkup was coming soon, the first since he unsealed her. Unohana, Urahara, and the Central 46 members in attendance were already under Kyoka Suigetsu's thrall, but one person was not: Tessai.
At her hesitation, Sousuke finally turned around to consider her with a neutral expression. "Are you having doubts about what must be done?"
Kaede crossed her arms and averted her eyes. She wanted to insist that no, she didn't feel any particular way about putting Tessai under Kanzen Saimin. For her to remain unsealed, it had to be done. It wasn't the first time she'd helped lure people into coming under Kyoka Suigetsu's power; she'd already led much of Division Two's fifth unit into Sousuke's path. The more people he had under hypnosis, the easier it was for them to work and plan.
But…a part of her did feel guilty, the part that remembered how Tessai used to make her laugh by molding his mustache in funny shapes, or when he'd bring her new books to read. He'd always been as gentle with her as he could be, always apologizing when a procedure or test was painful…always seemed like he genuinely cared for her wellbeing.
Of course, she'd thought the same about Urahara, and look how that turned out. Besides, it didn't matter whether Tessai cared for her or not; if he realized she was unsealed, he'd be obligated to report it, and that was something she couldn't allow to happen.
"Nothing I can't deal with," she finally answered, uncrossing her arms. "And nothing that would stop me."
While Sousuke opened the Garganta for them, Kaede took one last look around the barren landscape of Hueco Mundo, knowing it might be many months before they could return. Strange, how a place so devoid of life and color had come to be her refuge. Sometimes she almost wished that she and Sousuke could stay here, where they didn't have to hide or deceive anyone, where they needn't overthrow an entire system just for a bit of freedom, where they wouldn't be subject to any other rule but their own. It was a pipe dream, but every now and then, she liked to indulge in it a little.
Someday.
The first time Kaede saw their house, she'd been overcome with a feeling she couldn't name. This little building situated just off the Division 5 grounds, set apart from other dwellings by maple trees…this was theirs. Hers and Sousuke's. A small corner of the worlds in which they'd build their futures.
It had been pretty bare when they first moved in, a canvas of wood, paper, and tatami mats that begged to be transformed. Although Sousuke had warned her from the start that they wouldn't be here forever, Kaede couldn't help but want to make it a home. A home - something she'd never really had before, a place of comfort and familiarity where she didn't have to be the "Child of the Catastrophe" or a Stealth Corps operative or even a Shinigami.
A small part of her was excited to show it off to Tessai when he came on their invitation. The day of his visit, she fussed around the main room, straightening the low table and cushions, wiping down the wood beams in the walls until they gleamed, picking up a rare bit of debris from the otherwise pristine tatami mats.
"No need to be so nervous," Sousuke told her from his place near the entrance. The sliding screens had been parted to allow the afternoon light and fresh air inside; he sat on the narrow veranda, Kyoka Suigetsu unsheathed in his lap, calmly running a cleaning cloth down its blade.
"I know," she answered, even as she adjusted the tea set on the table.
"It's not the first time we've had a visitor."
"I know." Hiyori had been by a couple of times, though not nearly as often as Kaede would have liked. Their schedules never seemed to match up properly; most of her off-time was spent instead with Sousuke.
She stopped moving for a second, senses perked toward the short stone path that led from the main road to their house. "He's coming."
Kaede had only ever seen Tessai in his Kido Corps garb - a rich, indigo robe with a turned-up collar and gold piping that covered a traditional shihakusho - so seeing him walk up in more casual clothing was a bit disconcerting. As he came up the stone path, Kaede felt a subtle shift in the air - something even her senses wouldn't have picked up on if she hadn't been paying attention.
Sousuke had released Kyouka Suigetsu.
Sousuke was the first to greet Tessai, looking up from cleaning his Zanpakuto as though mildly startled to see their guest. "Ah - Tsukabishi-taicho, welcome! My apologies, I'm afraid I lost track of time."
"Not to worry," Tessai answered good-naturedly. "It is I who should apologize for taking so long to answer your call."
"We're grateful you did," Kaede said, joining Sousuke as he stood and bowed. "I know it's not really proper for lower ranked Shinigami to call on a captain of any branch…"
Tessai's stern face warmed and softened. "Nonsense. I'm honored to receive your invitation and come to your home."
"Please, come in," Sousuke said, stepping aside with a small bow. "It isn't much, but I hope you find our home agreeable."
"It's lovely," Tessai commented, slipping off his shoes. "That painting in particular is quite striking." He nodded to a wall hanging just inside the entryway that depicted a vibrant maple tree, its fiery leaves a stark contrast to the surrounding night sky.
"That's my wife's work," Sousuke stated with a humble smile and a bit of pride in his voice. "Truthfully, I can take no credit for our decor. She's made it her personal project to turn our house into a work of art!"
Kaede felt her cheeks go warm even though she knew this was all part of the act - the doting husband, infatuated with his wife. Sousuke rarely commented on her artwork when it was just the two of them, though he didn't object to it, either.
She busied herself with preparing tea while Sousuke made small talk with the Kido captain. He was effortlessly charming, a perfect mix of dutiful humility and genuine curiosity when it came to inquiring after Tessai's work. He buttered the older man up with expressions of admiration until Tessai puffed up like a proud rooster.
Kaede's hands were perfectly steady as she poured their tea, though her stomach was in knots. Kanzen Saimin may have been initiated, but in a few moments, the real test of its efficacy would take place.
When the moment came, Sousuke looked to her with a soft expression. "Actually…Tsukabishi-taicho, I'm afraid we have a confession to make. I asked you here partly because Kaede speaks so highly of you and how you've always treated her with kindness; however, she was nervous about contacting you for this. See…well, I think it best if she tells you herself."
Kaede swallowed, not needing to fake the nervous edge in her voice. "I know I have a checkup next month, but…well…I didn't want to wait until then to bring this up, and I don't want it to negatively affect my standing in the Stealth Corps. I…was wondering if something might be wrong with the seals."
Tessai's face turned stern, a slight frown forming behind his mustache. "How so?"
"Just…I've been feeling something unfamiliar," she stated, the lie rolling from her mouth with more ease than she'd have liked to admit. "Especially during jinzen, when I try to connect with my Zanpakuto. It's like…I can feel something just out of reach trying to get to me, calling to me."
"We were wondering," Sousuke interjected, "if perhaps she's hearing her Zanpakuto trying to reach out to her - or if it's something else she needs to be careful about."
Tessai hummed thoughtfully. "Well, it's hard to say without examining the seals themselves-"
"Would you?" Kaede asked. "Just take a look? I know Unohana-taicho isn't here to regulate my reiatsu, but maybe there's still something you could do? If it's something I can work to fix before the checkup - I'll do anything, I just don't want to risk this being a problem."
"Perhaps I could assist," Sousuke added. He laid a hand over Kaede's. "I want to help in any way that I can."
Kaede held her breath while Tessai contemplated. There was no outright refusal, so that was a good sign. She'd learned to trust Sousuke's Kanzen Saimin over the years when it came to sneaking around Soul Society and gaining access to places that were normally off-limits, but this felt very different. They needed the hypnosis to convince the creators of her old Kido seals that those seals were still in place; Tessai's analysis today would be their litmus test for how things would go in the checkups.
She tried not to think about what would have to happen if the hypnosis failed.
At last, Tessai spoke. "Is there a more private place to do this?"
"Yes, of course," Sousuke answered immediately, relief tinting his voice. "And I realize the Kido bindings are confidential, but I'd like to be present for this."
"I'd like that, too," Kaede said softly, squeezing his hand.
"I see no reason why not," Tessai conceded. "Lead the way."
They didn't need to go far - just behind the opaque screened wall that separated the larger main room from their sleeping area. Tessai respectfully turned around while Kaede loosened the top of her kimono, bringing her arms out of the sleeves. She held the fabric up to cover her breasts with one hand, her other resting in Sousuke's as Tessai began his examination. They'd drawn the marks of the old seals on her skin as a cover; now the real test of the hypnosis began.
Tessai made no noise as he examined the fake seals, though Kaede was familiar enough with the process to know when to flinch or squeeze Sousuke's hand in a show of discomfort. It was just a cursory exam, nowhere near as invasive and painful as a full workup, but there were always a few twinges and shocks in the process.
After several tense moments, Tessai spoke again. "I see nothing wrong with the seals themselves, and your reiatsu is quite stable. It may be that you are hearing your Zanpakuto calling to you, though if I'm honest, Urahara-san would be the better judge of that than I. Perhaps you should call on him before the checkup."
Kaede let out a long breath, glad she didn't have to hide her relief. Tessai would assume it was due to his pronouncement. "No, I trust your judgment, Tessai-san - thank you!"
Sousuke squeezed her hand reassuringly, a relieved smile on his own face. "I presume you'll let Urahara-san know for us in any case, Tessai-taicho, and that if he believes there's something else going on, he'll find us. It seems to be his way."
"That it is," Tessai sighed. He excused himself to allow Kaede to dress herself.
Tessai left as evening set in, politely declining an offer to stay for dinner. Once he was out of Kaede's sensory range, she felt her nervous tension exit her body, leaving her feeling almost empty.
It was done.
"You were perfect," Sousuke said, coming to her side. "And now we needn't worry about repercussions. Today, we laid the foundations for your rise; soon you'll be able to use your Zanpakuto out in the open because of it. That would not have been possible a few years ago." He turned her chin so she was looking up at him, his lips turned up in that sly smile she loved so much. "Now…let us enjoy the rest of this reprieve, shall we?"
He pulled her inside their house, sliding the door closed before meeting her lips with his own. Kaede sighed into his kiss, winding a hand into his wavy hair, trying to lose herself in physical sensation and let it fill the emptiness.
He was right, as always. A few years ago, when she'd graduated from the Academy, it had been pretty clear that Central 46 didn't want her to have a Zanpakuto at all. Now she had a few years of loyal, obedient service under belt, and the word of the Kido Corps captain attesting not only to her stability, but her accountability. Gradually, they were showing Central 46 that there was nothing to fear and everything to gain from giving her more freedoms - freedoms she could then use to eventually bring them down.
She shouldn't feel guilty about lying to Tessai, she told herself. It was no different from lying to Urahara, or Unohana, or anyone else who'd had a hand in keeping her power away from her. Someday, they'd see that what she and Sousuke were doing was for the best. They were going to build a better world.
And if they didn't see things that way…well, she just hoped it didn't come to that.
Her checkup went perfectly. With Sousuke in the observation room controlling what everyone perceived, all Kaede had to do was put on a bit of an act of going through a full workup - something that required little imagination on her part. She'd had to endure these appointments for over a century, always thinking that she deserved the pain and intrusiveness, that she was better off having almost no access to her own spirit energy. Every "full workup" had been a lashing for sins she hadn't intended to commit, wouldn't have wanted to commit if she'd had a choice.
Now that she knew her own power, every proverbial lash only served to harden her heart against the ones holding the whip.
It wasn't long after that checkup that Kaede was moved to a different unit. The Stealth Corps had five total, each run by the top five seats of the division. First was the "Executive Militia," which saw the most combat; Yoruichi herself oversaw that one. Since the Stealth Corps had merged with the Gotei's second division, entry into that particular unit favored warriors with shikai, though shunpo and hakuda were still emphasized above all.
Second was the "Patrol Corps," which handled covert intel-gathering. It was overseen by the division lieutenant and was staffed almost entirely by undercover operatives scattered throughout the Seireitei and Rukongai. They were the eyes and ears of the Seireitei, often required to mask their reiatsu so they could pass for normal Souls.
Third was Urahara's realm, the "Detention Unit," responsible for apprehension and detention of criminals - and, of course, of people who had yet to commit crimes but were deemed potentially dangerous.
Now that she'd been declared "stable," Kaede was moved to the fourth unit - the "Protective Detail." From guard duty at key buildings to personal security, the fourth unit was tasked with the safety of the highest ranking individuals in the Seireitei, usually from the shadows. Her assignments would be tightly controlled, and she doubted she'd be entrusted with anyone too high up; this was just an illusion of progress meant to keep her complacent.
Of course, such a posting meant she would learn those figures' routines, habits, and proclivities; who they interacted with, who they liked and despised; and on occasion, who wanted them dead and why. She'd be privy to secrets that couldn't be found in any record, invaluable information that would never be written down.
And she'd be able to draw more and more members of the Seireitei's elite into Sousuke's path, exposing them to Kyoka Suigetsu's influence.
Then, after a few more years, they finally saw a bit of payoff in their reach.
Kaede crouched silently in a tree, her weight barely disturbing the branch. Her partner signaled to her from their own post: How many?
Kaede's hand flashed the number: Twelve.
Ten.
It was hard not to roll her eyes. Her partner always questioned and criticized her; sometimes she wondered why Yoruichi paired them up so often. Twelve. Two more east.
No arguments this time, thankfully; it seemed her partner was finally starting to trust her sensory abilities. Kaede waited for her to decide how to divide the targets; though they were partners for this drill, the other woman was technically her senior in the corps. She had a good notion which direction the other person would go for, though.
I'll take West.
Just as she thought. Kaede turned her attention east, where six of their targets were hidden - four more obviously located, plus two doing a remarkable job at hiding their reiatsu. She'd only noticed them because they were too good at hiding: they'd been like black spots on her internal radar where there should have been pure, ambient reishi. No doubt her partner was hoping her count was off, giving them a chance to show off a larger "kill" count.
The tree branch remained undisturbed when she leaped from it, using shunpo to reach her first target. They had no time to react before she'd taken them down, making sure they'd make no noise to alert the others. Within seconds she'd gotten to the other five; it took longer to drag their bodies out into the open than it had to bring them down.
"Took you long enough," she taunted her partner when the petite shinigami showed up with her own bodies.
Her partner, Soi Fon, yanked down her face mask, revealing her seemingly ever-present scowl. She took one look over Kaede's count and that scowl deepened. "Don't let it go to your head. Efficiency is one thing, but sloppiness is another, and Yoruichi-sama won't abide it."
"I'm well aware of the difference between 'efficient' and sloppy,'" Kaede replied mildly. "As aware as I'm sure you are at the difference between being someone's 'senior' and their 'superior.'"
Soi Fon's eyes went wide before narrowing to angry slits. "What did you just say to me?"
"Hm?" She gave the other woman an innocent look. "Sorry, did I offend you?"
"Don't tell me that's not what you intended!"
"Okay, I won't," Kaede said with a shrug. "Really though, Soi Fon-san, you shouldn't take little comments like that so personally, especially in our line of work."
"She's not wrong, you know," came a familiar voice. Yoruichi appeared between them, arms crossed, but with a satisfied grin on her face.
Soi Fon's entire demeanor immediately shifted, spine straightening, scowl evaporating. Kaede bit back an amused smirk. Soi Fon was so predictable: normally, she was about as welcoming as a hornet, but once their beloved captain showed up, she showed only simpering respect for their queen bee.
Curious that Yoruichi was here at all for a simple training drill though, Kaede thought. Their captain usually couldn't be bothered for things like this.
"Yoruichi-sama!" Soi Fon exclaimed. "I - I was just trying to point out to Sorano-san that speed isn't everything, and that we must be thorough-"
"Which she certainly was," Yoruichi interjected. "I'd say you two set a new record for this one. Not counting mine, of course! And nice catch on those other two, Kaede! I think you're the first one to notice them in this drill."
"Thank you, Taicho," she replied. From the corner of her eye, she saw Soi Fon's expression sour a bit, the smaller Shinigami already starting to wilt without her idol's attention. "Soi Fon called the shots for us. I just did the count."
She could have said something to rub salt in Soi Fon's perceived wound, sure - but there was something weirdly satisfying about the shock and confusion on her face when she did the opposite.
"By the way," Kaede continued. "Yoruichi-taicho…is there a reason for the other two spectators?"
Yoruichi grinned and glanced over her shoulder. "See? You all satisfied with my picks here or what?"
From the trees, two well-dressed older men emerged, discarding heaving cloaks that Kaede recognized as the latest reiatsu-concealing designs the Stealth Corps was using. They weren't perfect at hiding or masking energy, but they muddled most Shinigami's senses enough to be useful. Only the most attuned sensors could "see" past them, usually.
The two men…Kaede felt her insides go stiff. Going by how they were dressed, not in shihakusho but in elegant, rich silks, these two were nobles.
"I told you I'd only pick the best of my stock," Yoruichi was telling the two, her own noble status letting her get away with her casual tone toward them. "These two are the best."
"Two women?" said one of the men, looking down his nose at them with a sniff. "Is that entirely appropriate for guarding a man?"
"Hey, you asked for the most discreet and skilled bodyguards I have," Yoruichi replied. "Well, these are them. Both are top of the class in drills and tactical operations, and that one-" She nodded to Kaede. "-could rival a bloodhound with her sensing skills. Trust me, no one is sneaking up on your boy without her noticing. You couldn't get better unless I took this job myself."
Kaede could see Soi Fon struggling to remain neutral-faced after being both praised by their beloved captain and overlooked for any specific accolades.
The noblemen looked them over again with an air of snobbish resignation. "Just make sure they're up to the entire task."
Kaede waited until the noblemen were escorted away before asking: "What was that about?"
"We have a new assignment," Soi Fon retorted. "Obviously."
"No shit. I meant what the assignment is about."
"Don't use language like that around Yoruichi-sama! It's highly disrespectful!"
"Please," Yoruichi scoffed. "Who do you think she learned it from?"
Soi Fon scowled. Kaede could swear her skin took on a slight green tinge, as it always did when she was reminded of the fact that Kaede had known Yoruichi personally long before she had.
"Now," Yoruichi continued, her face turning more serious. "I need you two getting along for this one. This guy's a real piece of work - slippery as an eel and at least twice as slimy."
"Are we protecting him," Kaede ventured, "or protecting people from him?"
"Honestly? A bit of both," Yoruichi answered, crossing her arms with a slight scowl. "Most of all, you're protecting his clan from further scandal."
"Which clan, Yoruichi-sama?" asked Soi Fon, beating Kaede to the question.
"One of the most powerful in the Seireitei, as it so happens," said Yoruichi. "None other than the Tsunayashiro clan."
Kaede kept outwardly impassive, but inside, excitement flared to life. The Tsunayashiro clan was one of the top five noble families in the Seireitei; she was a little surprised they were okay with her protecting one of their own.
"Don't they have their own security?" Kaede asked, ignoring Soi Fon's disapproving scowl at her questioning orders in any way. "Why do they want the Stealth Corps-"
"I apologize, Yoruichi-sama," Soi Fon interrupted, shooting a sharp glare Kaede's way. "I've told Sorano-san time and again that it's not our place to question."
"No, it's fine," Yoruichi dismissed. "I've been asking myself the same thing…anyway. The target's name is Tsunayashiro Tokinada. He was just officially charged with killing two Shinigami - one of them was his own wife, Kakyo. He's a potential target for assassination and a flight risk, but most of all, the clan wants to avoid further embarrassment by him."
"Understood, Yoruichi-sama," Soi Fon said with her head bowed. "We'll make sure any threats are dealt with discretely."
"I know you will," the captain said. "I need you two to have each others' backs on this one, you hear? There's something strange going on, and I don't want two of my best sacrificing themselves over some spoiled brat."
They were given a day to rest and prepare. Protocol kept them confined to the grounds of Division Two - it was paramount to the integrity of the Stealth Corps to prevent any information leaks about who they were protecting and why. There were plenty of parties within the Seireitei who'd seek to take advantage of any perceived weaknesses among the elite.
Which, to be fair, was exactly what she and Sousuke intended to do.
As soon as she was able, Kaede slipped away from Division Two's barracks, making sure she wasn't followed. She buzzed with excitement, barely able to hold back a grin when she silently slid in through an open screen to the lantern-lit study of her house. Sousuke was still awake, sitting at his desk, calmly dragging a ink-laden brush across parchment. Kaede paused a moment to admire the sure strokes and the look of relaxed focus on his face.
"You have a promising assignment, I take it?" he asked, not bothering to look up.
"You're going to love this," she said in a hushed voice. She leaned against his back, running her hands down his chest as she whispered the name in his ear. "Tsunayashiro Tokinada."
The brush lifted from the page.
This was something they'd been waiting for. The Tsunayashiro clan was tasked with surveillance and record-keeping for all of Soul Society; they had eyes everywhere and accounts of everything that had transpired throughout history, including - it was said - things that Central 46 would rather see disappear.
If she and Sousuke could get a foothold in that clan, they'd have control over Soul Society's all-seeing eyes and access to its deepest secrets.
There it was: that slow, scheming smile, that shine in his eyes. She loved seeing Sousuke excited about anything, especially when she had something to do with it. It was a rush like nothing else, knowing that she could make him feel something genuine when normally he felt little at all.
"I see," he said, his nonchalant tone belying the intrigue in his eyes. He set down his brush and, in one fluid motion, pulled her to the floor, covering her body with his own and descending onto her neck with hot, open-mouth kisses.
Kaede grinned and arched up against him. "I take it you're happy about that?"
"Mmm…very," he breathed against her skin. "You've done beautifully, love. I'll make the next arrangements."
He kissed her deeply then, his hands traveling hungrily over her cloaked body.
"Sousuke," Kaede whispered as he started back in on her neck. "I have to get back-"
"Not yet," he stated in her ear. "If anyone saw you come here-"
"There isn't anyone-"
"But if there were," he emphasized, and she could hear a bit of mischief in his tone, "all they will see is a married couple enjoying each other's company."
He whispered into her ear, telling her his plan as he undid the ties on her hakama trousers. He kept going even as he pressed into her, his sentences becoming halting and breathy. It was part of the thrill for him, and she was all too happy to be caught up in the current of his excitement. The nobles of the Seireitei may get away with countless obscene crimes, but they were going to change all that, were already planning that change right under those hypocrites' noses.
By the time they both came, the foundations had been laid. Kaede returned to the barracks of Division Two with a satisfied smile on her face, not caring if anyone noticed.
And someone, it turned out, had.
"It's against protocol," came Soi Fon's grating voice as soon as Kaede stepped foot onto the grounds, "to leave the division before a mission."
Kaede rolled her eyes. Soi Fon was good at hiding herself, but Kaede was so familiar with her reiatsu that it wouldn't have mattered how well-concealed she was. Most likely, Soi Fon had just seen her leaving or coming back and, as always, jumped to conclusions. Not that she was wrong, at least this time.
"Please," she drawled. "I'm hardly the first Stealth Corps member to sneak out for something like this before a long mission."
"I should report you to Yoruichi-sama," Soi Fon spat.
"Go ahead," Kaede challenged in a bored tone. "I'm sure Yoruichi-taicho would be very interested to hear that her prim and proper protege secretly has a thing for voyeurism."
Even in the dark, she could see Soi Fon's face turn bright red. "I - I do not! And I didn't-"
"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Kaede insisted. "Curiosity is only natural. Do you want to know how it works? I could explain the mechanics to you, if you'd like."
"I -"
"Although," she continued, putting a finger to her chin, "something tells me that sex with a man might not totally interest you. Nothing wrong with that, either."
Soi Fon looked so much like a steaming tea kettle that Kaede suddenly had a pang of longing for Hiyori.
"Look," she said in a softer, kinder tone, wanting to put Soi Fon at ease - or at least, throw her off enough to leave her alone. "It wasn't anything nefarious, okay? I just wanted to see my husband before starting a potentially dangerous assignment. If you're worried about my focus for the mission, don't be. I'm totally here." Her lips quirked up at the corners. "Nothing like a good pounding to let off some steam. Honestly, it'd do you some good to try it. Good night."
Turning her back on the seething senior Shinigami, Kaede's smile dropped. It was fun to poke at Soi Fon like that, but the other woman's suspicion was a tad worrisome. Kaede was used to people assuming the worst of her, and she knew that Soi Fon's dislike was mostly born of jealousy. But Soi Fon happened to be right, if for all the wrong reasons: Kaede was untrustworthy, at least to anyone as fanatically loyal to Soul Society as her senior partner.
They're the untrustworthy ones, Kaede reminded herself when she felt a faint, familiar pang of guilt. They never trusted me, even when I did everything they wanted.
Soi Fon didn't deserve her shame. She hadn't liked Kaede from the moment they met, maybe even before that. She had no tangible reason to distrust Kaede, and before tonight, Kaede had done nothing to earn her ire - except, perhaps, the crime of having their captain's good opinion.
Soon, it wouldn't be as much of a worry. Even if Soi Fon continued this habit of watching her every move, after this next mission, she'd only see what Kaede and Sousuke wanted her to see. It wouldn't change Soi Fon's opinion of her, but that didn't matter; Kaede could deal with that. She always had.
So! In case it wasn't clear, there were two timeskips in this chapter: We started off a few years after the events of Chapter 16, and then jumped again a few years.
Lots going on here too - this was a tricky chapter to write, there's SO much to set up! Let's see…there's the experimenting in Hueco Mundo and the chat with Mono no Aware. It seems that whatever Kaede did in the Catastrophe and when she was first unsealed isn't so easily called upon…
Then there's the start of a very gray period of Kaede's life: Kaede betraying Tessai by knowingly luring him into the path of Kyoka Suigetsu (something she's apparently done with plenty of other people already).
And that mission to protect a Tsunayashiro…we've heard that family name before, but now we get to meet one of its members. Anyone who's read the "Can't Fear Your Own World" novels will understand the significance of Tsunayashiro Tokinada showing up…but for those who haven't, well, you'll see what you need to see with him in the next chapter or so. A noble Shinigami who murdered his own wife and is apparently getting away with it…why does that sound familiar?
Next Time: Discoveries. We meet the detestable Tokinada, and the mission goes anything but smoothly…meanwhile, another mission begins behind the scenes, and a shocking discovery about Soul Society is made…
Let me know what you think! And as always…
Stay Tuned!