Chapter 17 - The Lies We Believe

~ Day 5 - Dawn - Squad 11 ~

Yuumichika knew he was asleep, and yet, he found himself on his feet walking anyway. The room was shrouded in darkness, and it felt bigger than the meagre amount of floorspace he could see. Glints of light snapped across his vision, in many varying shades of blues, greens and purples. There were hints of metallics, as Yuumichika looked closer. Specks of light glittered from a million shards of coloured glass pinned purposefully around the space. As they dangled and swayed, the rattling and tinkling created a sense of sound too random and whimsical to be truly called music. Silk cushions lay across the floor, soft and luxurious. Upon a dais of marble, framed by golden bars and a giant mirror, lay a figure Yuumichika knew all too well. Preening his long, vibrant feathers, he resisted the urge to groan.

'It's too early for this,' he thought to himself.

"Master," said the figure, "It is good to see you."

Staring straight ahead, Yuumichika found himself staring into a pair of beautiful, azure eyes. "Ruri'iro Kujaku, what an unexpected surprise."

The spirit of his zanpakutō lowered his gaze momentarily as a hint of a blush spread across his cheeks, which made him look even more enticing. "Forgive me, Master. It has been far too long, but it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge your actions of late." The figure paused, and looked his wielder in the eye. "I am very proud of you."

Yuumichika stood stunned into silence. He couldn't remember the last time his zanpakutō had greeted him so politely, or spoken to him with such respect. Warily eyeing the spirit with a hint of concern and confusion, he chose not to reply.

Warmth and love shone in the eyes of the spirit. "I have dreamt of the day where you would reveal me in all my glory to those whom you respect." The spirit broke eye contact for a moment, before returning it in full. "I had thought your friend, Ikkaku, would be your first choice, but nevertheless, I am honoured you chose Captain Zaraki."

Again, Yuumichika didn't know how to respond. As the spirit sat, he positively glowed with joy, and his feathers shone with a vitality Yuumichika hadn't seen in years.

"You must also give my thanks to your friend, Shūhei," said the spirit, as Yuumichika felt a hint of trepidation seize him for a moment. "While I will always revere the courage it took for you to stand before your Captain and reveal our power, it was his faith and encouragement that prompted you to take this momentous first step. I realise that telling your oldest friend will require further faith on your part, but after that, it will only become easier."

Shutting his eyes, Yuumichika struggled not to shake his head. It hadn't even dawned on him that the sword spirit would expect him to share his powers with the world now that Captain Zaraki was aware, but in hindsight, he knew he should have. Frowning, Yuumichika was unsettled to realise that there was no easy way to break the news to his zanpakutō.

"Ruri'iro Kujaku," began Yuumichika, slowly with an expression of careful deliberation in his words, "I'm not going to tell anyone else, least of all, Ikkaku."

Air seemed to suck itself right out of the chest of the preening spirit, who looked right into his apologetic eyes. The love in his eyes froze, as the words sank in.

"You told your Captain that you intended to tell the other members of your Squad in your own time." There was a dangerous edge to the spirit's words, and Yuumichika sighed.

"Telling the Captain was my way of protecting my position in Squad Eleven. I satisfied the terms of the Captain's orders, while eliminating the possibility of being forced out for insubordination if you ever were revealed. I had no intention of giving you any expectations that anything would actually change," said Yuumichika.

The spirit's eyes flashed with anger and betrayal. "You lied to your Captain, but more egregiously, you lied to me!"

Strands of his silky, black hair swung in front of his eyes as Yuumichika lowered his head with a deep nod. "Not intentionally."

"Then, what were your intentions?" The spirit smiled in a cruel, vicious way. "Was it merely a weak attempt to manipulate us? Was there truth to what Ikkaku said; was this nothing more than your way of obtaining the Third Seat position for yourself the moment it became available?"

Yuumichika's brow furrowed, as white, hot anger surged to the surface. "I meant what I said to the Captain; I want to tell others about you in my own time. I don't know when that time will come, and that's the truth. I wasn't trying to lie to anyone or manipulate them. I didn't seek out the badge, and you know it; you always twist my words!"

The spirit raised his chin disdainfully, but acknowledged his wielder. "So, you are simply protecting your lie, I see. Then, let us speak the truth, Partner." Ruri'iro Kujaku folded his fingers under his chin, as he gazed down upon his Master. "What does it mean to be a shinigami?"

Yuumichika blinked with sudden remembrance, as he recalled asking Ikkaku the very same question only yesterday. He had a feeling, however, that the answer the spirit wanted was not the same one he had given Ikkaku.

"A shinigami is a guardian of the souls he protects, as deadly and practised as the monsters that seek to consume those souls. Then, the more pertinent question is, what separates a shinigami from the souls he protects?" asked Ruri'iro Kujaku, causing Yuumichika to consider the question.

"I don't know," said Yuumichika.

"Yes, you do," said the spirit, with a hint of disgust. "If there were no soul reapers, souls would not find their way to the Soul Society, and souls consumed by hollows would never be released to rejoin the cycle of rebirth. Creatures that prey on souls would never be destroyed and the Soul Society could not exist. The only way for a shinigami to perform this momentous task is with the aid, and power, of a zanpakutō.

"The bond between a soul reaper and his zanpakutō, two beings born of the same soul, cannot be understated. One is but a mirror of the other, sharing the same personalities, traits and goals. To truly succeed, and actually become a soul reaper is to master a zanpakutō, and to master a zanpakutō, is to truly master oneself. To reject a zanpakutō, is to reject oneself, and that will only lead to failure," said Ruri'iro Kujaku.

The spirit rose regally from his seat, and glided to stand before Yuumichika. Placing a delicate hand above his heart, the spirit continued. "Every time you call me by that filthy name, despite my own anger, I feel sadness emanating from you. You are not immune to the pain you cause us both! It is the physical manifestation of your rejection of yourself." Gentle pressure blossomed under the fingertips of the zanpakutō spirit, and for a moment, Yuumichika did feel a trace of pain in his chest. Staring into those beautiful, azure eyes, he found he couldn't deny the sadness in his gaze, or deny the truthfulness of his words.

"The reason you reject me, and concurrently reject yourself, is beyond my ability to understand. What I have deduced is, it all stems from the same source—," said Ruri'iro Kujaku, "—Ikkaku Madarame."

Yuumichika's eyes rolled, as he released another sigh. "I'm not interested in another sanctimonious lecture about how much you hate Ikkaku. You'll just have to accept that you'll never understand my relationship with him," came his exasperated reply.

The spirit of the zanpakutō smirked. "That is where you are mistaken, Partner; I understand more than you realise." The spirit inched his upper body forward without taking a step, deeper into his personal space than Yuumichika was comfortable with, and the soul reaper found himself leaning backwards, as he refused to allow the spirit to gain any ground. "Ikkaku Madarame has a very dim view of the Soul Society and the goals of the Goteijūsantai. From the purpose of its existence, he sees this place as nothing more than a pit of weak souls, unworthy of his aid or protection. He views the Seireitei as a disgusting mirage of opulence, but remains blind to the fact that those who reside in the Seireitei write its laws. He doesn't see the Goteijūsantai as the pinnacle of this world, but as a mere gathering place for an army with strings attached. He is using his position, or rather he was, to continue his unruly street brawling under the guise of being a soul reaper; after all, the strongest fighters can be found here."

Ruri'iro Kujaku sneered, but with a flare of his nostrils, Yuumichika clenched his fists. "You know nothing about Ikkaku. He came from nothing, he climbed heights that are impossible for most, and he found a purpose in Squad Eleven. He uses every day, and every single moment to get stronger, and he drives himself so hard, sometimes his own body can't keep up. That is just a testament to his strength of will, to achieve his dreams and to never lose his purpose and reason for living. That's all any of us wants," said Yuumichika.

The spirit tilted his head a little, with a tiny narrowing of his eyes. "Is that the reason you are so afraid of him? You allow him to stand between us, because you believe he is your purpose?" He broke the eye contact between them. "If he can achieve his dreams, despite the obstacles thrown his way, you believe you can do the same? That cannot be your purpose, to simply witness him achieve his dreams," came his distant, but disdainful musings. Ruri'iro Kujaku returned his prying gaze directly back to his master. "Surely, you have your own?"

"What?" said Yuumichika. His eyes widened with fear at the sheer perceptiveness of his zanpakutō.

"Dreams," repeated the spirit, "You must have something you want to achieve?"

"My dream is to find a place where I belong, where my life has meaning and purpose. I want to be part of something that matters. I think I have fulfilled that dream," said Yuumichika.

With raised eyebrows, Ruri'iro Kujaku took a step back. His incredulous expression shifted into one of dismay, and disappointment. "I'm sorry to say, Partner, but you have not."

He turned his back on his master. As his footsteps echoed, Yuumichika growled and stamped a foot forward. "I have! Just because you don't think it's a worthy goal, doesn't mean I have to. Ikkaku is my brother, and his strength and tenacity push me forward every day. I had nothing before I met him, and everything I have now is because of him."

As if staring down at a commoner, Ruri'iro Kujaku held his imperious gaze upon his master as he sat regally. "I must disagree, Master. You are blinded by your close personal relationship to see what he has done to you."

"What do you know?" asked Yuumichika. "If I think my dream has been achieved, then it has."

"A dream achieved upon a foundation of lies is a lie in itself, as empty and hollow as the life you lead," said the zanpakutō spirit simply.

"How dare you?" said Yuumichika.

The spirit held his gaze, as if the fire in Yuumichika's eyes didn't affect him. "Master, the truth is, Ikkaku will never put you first—," he said, as Yuumichika held his breath, "—ever. His only wish is to fight and die serving under Captain Zaraki; you don't factor into his dreams at all, and you knew that from the beginning."

Yuumichika's lips parted, as shame began to shroud his expression. "His conviction was so powerful, in order to find a place at his side to continue to draw from it, you had to become a twisted version of yourself that he could accept. You hid your grace, and finesse. You allow his opinions to be louder than yours, most prominently, his opinion of anything related to kidō. He is the reason the melee rule exists and is enforced at Squad Eleven, and therefore the reason you can't accept yourself, and why you're reduced to lying to the world. It is also the reason you wear that hideous colour. How can you not see it as clearly as I can?"

With fists curled into balls, pressing indentations of nails into his palms, Yuumichika glared back. "You know nothing. Ikkaku is not the one to blame; I made those decisions for myself."

"Fear is a powerful source of motivation, but I believe it is misplaced," said Ruri'iro Kujaku. "Shūhei has seen our true shikai, and spoken to you about it, and hasn't rejected you. Your Captain saw the real you for the first time, and he promoted you! Why can't you see that Ikkaku holds no power over you?"

Yuumichika swallowed. "I'm not sure why Captain Zaraki made that decision, but Shūhei doesn't know it's actually my shikai; he thinks it's a special ability."

As he spoke the words, he saw the anger intensify in the eyes of Ruri'iro Kujaku. "You fool! Do you not understand the significance of what he said to you last night?" Seeing Yuumichika's gaze flicker as he tried to recall specifically what the spirit meant, Ruri'iro Kujaku continued. "He asked if you would consider becoming a Lieutenant."

Yuumichika frowned with genuine confusion. "Yes?"

"He showed you that he was on the verge of manifesting his bankai, moments after asking how you'd feel about becoming a Lieutenant. How many Squads require a Lieutenant?" asked the spirit.

"Only one," said Yuumichika.

"And yet," drawled the spirit, "I don't see Captain Ukitake sacrificing his time to groom you into becoming his."

Yuumichika's eyes widened and he gasped. "You think Shūhei wants to become a Captain?"

Ruri'iro Kujaku gave a slow tilt of his chin. "Yes, and clearly has plans to make you, his Lieutenant."

Yuumichika stood stunned by this admission. "Yeah, right. Are you so vain that you're that convinced he would choose me over someone from his own Squad, someone he trusts, that can actually do the job? It's madness to think I'd even be a consideration, given I'm barely qualified as a Third Seat. You're reading too much into it." He rolled his eyes at Ruri'iro Kujaku.

The spirit of his zanpakutō rolled his eyes upwards with a sigh of annoyance. "The night he accompanied Squad Eleven in that battle, he saw a man go against the tide. You heard it from his own lips, he looked and did more than see; I think he saw the real you. You correctly gauged the enemy for what it was, while your Squad was overwhelmed. You are powerful, graceful, smart and beautiful; you are not like them. Ikkaku would have you defer to him, and squander your days cleaning, and doing the paperwork, while Shūhei wishes only to see you realise your full potential under his tutelage. Even he is telling you that you deserve far better than what Squad Eleven has afforded you.

"What will he think of your lies when he realises that the only way for you to possess a kidō-based ability is for your zanpakutō to be kidō-based itself? Do you honestly believe he's not intelligent enough to connect the information he holds? Even if your training was already at its end, he knows enough at this very moment to unravel your every secret, should he so choose."

Fear crept into Yuumichika's eyes as he stared at the spirit of his zanpakutō. Every muscle bunched and screamed his refusal to admit the truth in every word he spoke. "He wouldn't do that; he has no reason to. You're wrong." He bit the words out, but they felt hollow to his own ears.

"Am I?" asked the spirit softly. "You only show true fear when I mention Ikkaku, though it is actually Captain Zaraki that holds your fate in his hands. Your Captain will only be swayed by actions, and your performance in training his men is directly influenced by Shūhei. That's quite ironic, don't you think?"

Yuumichika shuddered at the amusement, creeping into the chilling voice of his zanpakutō. Power radiated from the spirit, and Yuumichika felt compelled to look him directly in the eye. "Master, your time to spin your web of lies is at an end. You have a very brief margin to correct the damage your lies have caused. Shūhei will not accept or tolerate a student nor Lieutenant whose power is limited by a willingness to reject their gifts. Your Captain will only allow you to implement Shūhei's training if he can see progress. Mark my words, if you make one mistake, he will wrest your new badge from you, and you will be left with nowhere to run. If you are to succeed, you must accept yourself for who you are."

As the spirit paused and the silence became deafening, Yuumichika fought not to flinch under his gaze.

"End this deceit, or I will do it for you."

As he uttered his final word, the power faded around Ruri'iro Kujaku. The beautiful colours dulled, and the spirit wilted upon his darkened throne of silk.

~ Squad 9 Training Grounds ~

Shūhei stood quietly near the top of the hill of the training grounds at Squad Nine. As the multitude of thoughts ran through his mind, his eyes stared unseeing at the grass by his feet. As he contemplated Yuumichika's future, Shūhei understood clearly after their conversation, that no amount of words would ever change how Yuumichika valued himself. He needed indisputable proof, and that required action. Nibbling on the inside of his lip, Shūhei knew if he were to acquire this proof, he would need to pull off quite an underhanded method of training. Despite his moral dilemma, the Lieutenant was already set on his course of action, and the only question that remained was whether or not Yuumichika would forgive him in the end.

Somewhere behind him the gentle sound of displaced air broke Shūhei from his thoughts. Yuumichika knelt with one foot on the ground, and his head bent in respect.

"You're five minutes late," said Shūhei. "I expect better from a Third Seat."

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant Hisagi," said Yuumichika. "I was—," he began as he caught Hisagi's sharp gaze. Dropping his eyes to the ground, his fist tightened. "It won't happen again, Sir."

"A Lieutenant is always up before his men, and the same goes for any proper Seated Officer." Shūhei glanced at Yuumichika, who withdrew his gaze. "We're all busy, or tired, but the Squad has to come first, understand?"

Yuumichika rose to his feet. "Yes, Sir."

With a nod, Shūhei turned and began to walk deeper into the grounds, and wondered why Yuumichika was reluctant to meet his gaze, or why he still looked like he had stayed up all night. He stopped when he came to a thick forest.

"Your fundamentals are solid, and you're well versed in manipulating your reiryoku. I don't have time to go through each individual form of zanjutsu, or every hakuda technique, at the usual pace. Instead, I'm going to begin combining the pillars of training from now on," said Shūhei. Yuumichika frowned, and the Lieutenant could see his nervousness building. "Today, we're combining the Way of Aggression with pursuit and evasion. I'm building from our reikaku training, but this time, we'll be in mid-air. I will end the lesson early if you touch the ground. Take your place on the Northern side, and seek me out."

With eyes widened in alarm, Yuumichika could only nod as Shūhei leapt over the canopy and out of his line of sight.

Glittering panels of folded reiatsu formed beneath his feet, as Yuumichika cautiously stepped through the densely packed trees along the northern edge.

'I'm an easy target.' Yuumichika closed his eyes, backed against a tree trunk, and exhaled slowly. 'He'll take advantage of that and come in fast.'

His brow furrowed as he employed his reiryoku. He allowed it to spill slowly from every pore above his shoulders in an attempt to discover Hisagi's location, but carefully so he didn't disrupt the reiatsu forming at his feet. As his reiatsu swirled around his head, Yuumichika detected nothing.

He drew his sword, and grasped the pommel with both palms. The Way of Aggression was riddled with double-handed techniques, making it one of the most brutal and deadly forms of zanjutsu. Any technique Shūhei chose could very well kill him if he couldn't counter it in time. Raising the blade above his head, with the tip pointing behind him, Yuumichika bent his knees. Now was not the time to defend, but to charge forward.

A sliver of sea green skirted across his peripheral vision, and Yuumichika's fingers trembled around the pommel. Reiryoku surged through his legs, as he swung his blade tip towards Hisagi. His eyes flew open, allowing him to see Shūhei's rapid charge coming from below his left side.

'Assei,' thought Yuumichika.

The tremendously powerful swing met Shūhei's in the centre of his blade, as the Lieutenant moved to block his charge at the last second. Both combatants used the purchase of the other's position to push off and land with plenty of space between them. Tiles formed flawlessly beneath his feet, and Yuumichika was thankful for the fact that he could see his opponent.

Hisagi grinned, and began spinning. Kicking off with a powerful burst of reiatsu, he shot towards Yuumichika. With every spin, his sword flashed with circular slashes in his direction, building momentum with every pivot.

'Shit!' thought Yuumichika. 'He really means it; he's using Bōsekishi?' Knowing it would bisect him on impact, the Third Seat kicked off with another blast of reiatsu, and as he rose, he flipped and kicked off using another tile formed of reiatsu in mid-air. Bringing his blade down as hard as he could, he hoped it would be enough to block Hisagi's spinning death technique.

'Dantōdai!' thought Yuumichika.

Their blades met. Air rushed past his face in such an almighty swell that it stopped Yuumichika from falling. He pushed his reiryoku into his arms and locked his blade with Hisagi, forcing the Lieutenant to dig his heels in. Sparks flew as the zanpakutō's ground together, and Yuumichika gritted his teeth.

The grinder, also known as Kensakuban, was another technique, where if two shinigami found themselves locked in this way, one could overpower the other. As Hisagi pushed, Kazeshini's sharp edge inched closer to the guard of Yuumichika's zanpakutō. The wind started to die down, and Yuumichika growled at the effort he had to expend just to hold Shūhei back, but now he had to form another tile just to hold his own position. Closing his eyes, he exerted his reiatsu, and was relieved to feel the tile solidify under his curled feet. In that second, Shūhei's blade tip moved another inch closer to his body, and with a push, Yuumichika flew backwards. Shūhei grasped his zanpakutō with his second hand, and swung it as hard as he could.

'Damn it.'

Yuumichika's fingers trembled as he touched them to his left shoulder. He could feel the blood soaking through his shihakushō, and as pain shot through his entire arm, he knew two things. It was cut to the bone, and he wouldn't be able to use any double-handed techniques the form of zanjutsu favoured.

'Shishako is a lethal technique,' thought Yuumichika. 'It should have taken my arm off. Why is he holding back?'

Before he could figure it out, the cold, sharp bite of metal sliced at his thigh, and Yuumichika released a scream of agony. The blade edge scraped his femur, and as he forced his eyes to open, he saw Shūhei preparing for a second charge.

He vanished with a surge of shunpō.

Shūhei vaulted quickly in the direction Yuumichika had fled in. Kazeshini's bloodlust sang throughout his body, but he ignored it. Instead, he widened his search for the Third Seat. With his injuries, he wouldn't have gotten very far. Closing his eyes, his reiatsu travelled through the leaves, and around the old trunks. Seamlessly through the darkness, he jogged through the air, until he saw shimmers of azure reiatsu.

With a surge of reiryoku through his thighs, Shūhei kicked off from his tile and raised his sword arm up diagonally. He swung it down towards his left leg, splitting the branch Yuumichika was hidden behind. Leaf shards erupted around them, and through them, Shūhei was just able to make out wide eyes, and parted lips.

"Too slow, Yuumichika," he said.

Knowing the injury was a factor on top of having to exert reiatsu to form tiles and employ shunpō, Shūhei aimed his blade carefully. With the tip of his blade now above his left shoulder, he swung it towards his right thigh. Yuumichika barely managed to block with the tip of his zanpakutō as he fell back to regain a better position.

The Lieutenant advanced. The beauty of Kūshaku was the power of the diagonal strikes that came relentlessly in quick succession of the previous one. Again and again, his blade swung down, targeting anything in range, but Yuumichika was more nimble than he was.

As his blade swung down for the seventh time, Yuumichika stopped running, catching the tip of the katana across the face. As Shūhei watched the Third Seat close his eyes, leaning back to avoid a deeper cut, his hair flew away from his skin. By the time Kazashini was at a safe distance, Yuumichika corrected his position, and opened his eyes.

With eyes shimmering with azure reiatsu, he turned his cold gaze at Shūhei.

"Shikaiten," said Yuumichika with frigid anger in his voice.

Reiatsu erupted through the forest, blowing branches apart with sheer force, and Shūhei felt fear straighten his back.

Yuumichika burst forward in a vicious charge fuelled by his vast reserves of reiatsu. He spun his body with his zanpakutō pointing straight up above his head, and as his body sped towards Hisagi's like a lance, the tip was centred directly at him. At this speed, there was nothing the Lieutenant could do, except release his own reiatsu in an attempt to slow Yuumichika down.

With a veneer of anger and determination, Yuumichika drove his blade cleanly into his shoulder where the collarbone met the first rib. The sound of ripping fabric was drowned out by the brief cry that left Shūhei's lips. A normal opponent would have taken the opportunity to twist the blade, and cut down towards his heart, but as the tip scraped the shoulder blade, Yuumichika withdrew his sword, and sheathed it.

Glaring at Shūhei, who stood grasping his bleeding shoulder, Yuumichika jerked his head to flick the hair out of his eyes. It was also a move worthy of a dismissive Kuchiki. Without a final glance in his direction, Yuumichika allowed his reiatsu tiles to vanish, sending him plummeting to the ground.

Shūhei watched his progress, and swore softly to himself. While his plans for the Third Seat were still firmly on track, he hadn't meant to piss Yuumichika off quite so spectacularly. If his plan worked though, he wouldn't apologise.

"Why did you use Shikaiten?" asked Shūhei.

Yuumichika stood quietly before him, and while his glare was gone, his eyes were still angry. Blood dripped from his fingertips, and one of his socks was completely red. A tiny trickle of red traversed the scratch under his left eye.

"I know what you're thinking," said Yuumichika. "It's better served against many opponents, or large enemies where any target will do. I wanted to take away your ability to move your sword arm without removing it, so I used Death Rotation. It's the most precise technique I could think of."

Shūhei nodded. "It was quite effective, if not a little unorthodox; I haven't seen anyone use it like that before." An awkward silence fell between them, and Yuumichika turned his head enough to catch the Lieutenant's eye. "You're practised with the Way of Aggression, but in conjunction with using reikaku and tiles, your attention and focus were too scattered. The pursuit and evasion were almost negligible. That was the point of the exercise. I needed to test your focus, while pushing you to the limits of your endurance. It's a mandatory skill for a Third Seat."

"I'll do much better next time," said Yuumichika as his eyes narrowed, "Lieutenant Hisagi, Sir."

Shūhei frowned at his tone, but nodded his dismissal to the Third Seat.

~ Squad 13 – Offices ~

Sentarō wiped the sleep from his eyes as he walked through the Captain's Lounge. Nothing seemed out of place, and he was sure the Captain would appreciate a quiet place to work when he returned. On his way out the door, his eyes fell on the rubbish bin next to the desk, filled with crumpled pieces of paper.

'Damn it, Kiyone,' he thought, 'I thought you said you finished the lounge. This isn't exactly good attention to detail. How do you always manage to piss me off, and before breakfast, no less?'

He strode over to the bin, and pulled at the strings tying the bag to the rim. As he yanked it out, a piece of paper fell out of the bag and tumbled across the floor. Free from the confines of the bin, the piece of paper unfurled. Sentarō paused before tying the knot in the bag, and picked up the sheet of paper. He flattened it gingerly, and his eyes widened.

'This is the original training schedule, before we amended it. Why is it in the bin when it should be in the records?' he thought.

It didn't take him long to file the original schedule, or to grab the bin bag. As he travelled through the corridors of the barracks, shinigami on their way to breakfast bowed and greeted him. As dignified as one could be while walking with a bin bag, he nodded to each soul reaper as he passed.

"I hope she leads training again; I've never seen techniques like that," said a man to his friend as he walked past the Third Seat.

The other man grinned. "Definitely! Who knew Rukia could pull off those moves? She's not even Seated!"

Sentarō frowned. What were they talking about? He threw open the door that led outside, and finally reached the collection point. Members of Squad Four would take care of the rest. He continued in the direction of the main Squad buildings.

"I thought the Way of Precision was going to be boring, but she definitely made a believer out of me," said a young girl. The reapers around her giggled and smiled, and Sentarō's frown deepened. "Hey, Yukio, what do you think will happen to that cadet that disobeyed her?"

One of the few men in the group brought a finger to his chin in thought. "Honestly? I don't think anything will happen. If he had been insubordinate to one of the Third Seats, he would be reprimanded, certainly, but not by Kuchiki's word. She barely outranks him, even if she did lead the training." He shrugged, and discussion exploded in the form of several replies all at once, sparked by his controversial answer.

Sentarō balled his fists at his sides, and growled. Had Kiyone lied to him, and gone ahead with her hair-brained idea to have the young Kuchiki lead the zanjutsu training? He needed answers, and whether Kiyone liked it or not, he was going to get them. He stalked off in the direction of the Seated offices.

"Kiyone," said a familiar male voice from one of the nearby offices, "Are you in here?"

Kiyone sat stock still at the desk. Before her on the polished surface, lay two files, and she arranged them compulsively. The file on the left contained the battle, and medical reports, detailing the encounter between the enemy and five members of their Squad. The second contained a request written by Rukia Kuchiki to have Tsutomu Kaneko disciplined for disobeying orders that would have created a life-threatening situation for other Squad members.

To say she was delighted, was an understatement. Not only were two members of the Squad hospitalised due to her actions, but Rukia had exceeded her expectations by creating the situation regarding Kaneko in the first place.

'I thought I could have gotten you swept up by another Squad for excelling, or removed in disgrace if you'd failed, but this?' Kiyone inhaled dreamily. 'You've given me everything I need to have you charged with a criminal offence! What will Captain Ukitake think?'

A giggle rose up in her throat, and she fought to suppress it. Sentarō was seconds away, and she needed to appear fearful and embarrassed. Her eyes were already red and puffy, as she had spent some time in her room thinking of sad things while rubbing them vigorously. That was the easy part. Fooling Sentarō and everyone else would be the true test.

"Kiyone?"

A ripple of nervousness ran up along her back, and she bowed her head just as her fellow Third Seat barged into the room.

"There you are; I've been looking for you for ages!" said Sentarō. Kiyone didn't move or acknowledge him, but she knew he was bristling with anger. "I'm talking to you! Why the hell are the Cadets out there talking about training being led by Rukia Kuchiki?"

At the mention of her name, Kiyone released a choked sob, and cupped her face in her gloved hand. As moisture welled up in her eyes, she heard Sentarō make a sound of surprise and shock.

"Hey, Kiyone," said Sentarō, in a voice much softer than before. "What—?" As he approached, she turned slightly, playing up how upset she was. "Talk to me, Kiyone."

She sniffed and wiped her eyes. Finally, she turned and allowed Sentarō to get a good look at her tear-filled eyes, and red-rubbed rims. "This is all my fault," she said in a soft voice, cracked with emotion.

Sentarō knelt enough to come down to her eye-line, and wore an expression torn between shock, worry and confusion. "What do you mean? Did you ask Kuchiki to lead the zanjutsu training yesterday?"

She shot him a mild glare. "Of course not; she's not a Seated Officer, and to do so would call my command into question. I'm aware that I'm the one that brought her up as a consideration, but that was in a fit of panic after we discovered the scheduling change. I planned to lead the training."

He frowned, and darted his eyes back to hers. "Then, what happened? How is it that she ended up leading it instead?"

Kiyone dropped her gaze, and as she did, her eyes glazed over a little due to the tears. "After we spoke, I had a half hour to finish cleaning the lounge. I did the best I could, and got it done, but it wasn't perfect. That's when I rushed out to lead the training, but I was a few minutes late."

As she blushed with embarrassment at this admission, Sentarō recalled the bin bag, and realised she must have forgotten it in her haste.

"When I arrived, not only was the Squad already formed, but they'd moved to the posts. The schedule didn't call for that, just the standard training grounds," said Kiyone, and Sentarō frowned again.

That was true; there was nothing in the schedule about training at the posts, and the implications were troubling.

"So, when you got there, the Squad was at the wrong location, and training was already underway?" asked Sentarō.

Kiyone nodded. "Rukia Kuchiki was supervising everyone as they performed Onibi. I was so shocked at what I was seeing, all I could do was stand there. I didn't know what to think, or what to do."

Sentarō paused as the shock she was describing whirled through him. Scarcely afraid to ask, he caught her eye. "What happened next?"

Kiyone gave a hint of a sigh. "She called for a fifteen-minute break."

"Why didn't you come back to me, then? We could have gone out together and got control of the situation," said Sentarō.

Kiyone tilted her head at him with a frown. "And say what? Hey, Sentarō, could you possibly stop working on summarising those highly important files that the Captain needs, to come help me regain my command from the Unseated shinigami that usurped it from me? As if I'm not already enough of a joke?"

She scoffed, and Sentarō's expression dropped showing just how appalled he was. As sarcastic as her words were, to hear them out loud put it into stark relief. He covered his eyes with his hand and exhaled heavily, and swore quietly to himself.

"I should have come back and told you what was going on, I know that," said Kiyone. "I just didn't know how. I knew if I went out and confronted her in front of the Squad, it would only make matters worse. It would be unprofessional, and send out a message to the entire Squad that I'm incompetent, and that I don't deserve the command I have." She sniffed, and swallowed thickly. "It doesn't even matter; by doing what she did, I'll be lucky to be a member of this Squad after this gets out, never mind a Third Seat."

Sentarō sank heavily into the adjacent chair and rubbed her arm in support. "Look, I know I'm pretty rash in how I speak to you, and that I often give you a hard time, but I think you're a competent Third Seat. Nothing will happen to your position, based on what Kuchiki chose to do."

Kiyone smiled. "That's sweet of you to say, despite how I give as good as I get most days, but there's more to the situation than just her leading the training." Sentarō frowned as she reached for the file on the right. "This is a request from Kuchiki. After she gave an order that the Squad not use reiatsu to perform Haretsu, unless they were advanced enough to do so, a rookie by the name of Tsutomu Kaneko, tried to use reiatsu, despite her instructions."

Sentarō's mouth fell open as his eyebrows rose. "What was she thinking by allowing them to use reiatsu at all? Someone could have been killed!"

Kiyone gave a soft nod, acknowledging a similar outrage. "Thankfully, she did correct the issue by removing him, and denying the Squad permission to use reiatsu to perform the technique from that point on. They performed Senshi without reiatsu, despite it being dangerous because it was a double-handed technique, but she went on to demonstrate Unmeinonejire and Yuiitsu. That still defies reason. What right did she have to give anyone an order, or deny her own audacity to request a Cadet be disciplined for the situation she created? What made her think it was acceptable to allow those techniques to be attempted or demonstrated without the guidance of a Seated Officer? It's madness!"

Sentarō nodded, and his expression mirrored Kiyone's anger. She reached for the second file, and Sentarō eyed it warily, wondering what else she could possibly say. Flipping it open, Kiyone scanned it for a moment.

"This is a battle report from the Lieutenant of Squad Nine. He was alerted to an unfolding situation in the Seireitei where Rukia led four of our rookies into an engagement with the enemy."

Sentarō's eyes widened dramatically. "What?" He stood up so fast, Kiyone lost eye contact with the man. "Those strange creatures?"

Knowing he wouldn't see it if she gave a non-verbal response, she replied softly. "Yes."

"That idiot!" said Sentarō. "They could have been killed!"

"Katsumi Sano, one of our rookies, had the foresight to get help from the stationed shinigami of Squad Two, instead of tearing off after Kuchiki. I'm surprised Kaoru Hayashi followed her, but the boys, Masahiro Takagi and Miyamoto Kōji, make sense. Boys are morons at that age." Sentarō would have laughed at that if the situation wasn't so serious. "It's thanks to Sano's actions that Lieutenant Hisagi arrived with Captain Kurotsuchi to take control of the situation."

"Who the hell does she think she is, putting rookies in that kind of danger?" said Sentarō in a low, furious tone. "Where is she now?"

Kiyone gestured to the pink pages at the back of the file. "She, and Hayashi, are both under the care of Captain Unohana. One incurred burns from kidō-fire cast too close to the body, and both had severe lacerations, and yes, before you ask, these reports were distributed to every Squad in the Goteijūsantai last night."

Sentarō's face fell in further dismay. "What the hell was going through her head?" he asked softly to himself.

Matching his quiet tone, she replied. "Who knows? Maybe someone dared her to show off a technique while they were waiting for me, and things spiralled out of control? Maybe she chose to do it to impress a boy? Maybe she was on a power trip from having led the Refresher Course? As for the engagement, perhaps she was just eager to find out what all the hype was about that landed Captain Kuchiki and Lieutenant Abarai in hospital, without any understanding of what that meant?" Kiyone sniffed and wiped her eyes one more time, and this time instead of tears filling her eyes, Sentarō saw nothing but fury. "All I do know is, her reasoning isn't the point; had I not been late, none of this could have taken place, not concerning the training at least. No matter what the Captain decides in her regard, my career is over."

"I'll be the judge of that."

The Third Seats whirled around in their chairs to see their Captain standing in the doorway, and their eyes widened in surprise. Both jumped up and bowed to their Captain.

"Captain Ukitake, Sir," said Sentarō, "Good morning."

The Captain's eyes revealed just how livid he was with what he'd heard. "When I arrived, I would have agreed with you, Kotsubaki-Sanseki, but after hearing your conversation, I'm inclined to withdraw that opinion."

Kiyone took that opportunity to bow to her Captain on her knees, with her elbows bent. "Please forgive me, Captain Ukitake! This entire situation is my fault, and I will accept any punishment you deem fit."

Having learned his lesson about lashing out on others in anger, the Captain's eyes softened a little, and his mouth curled in a hint of a smile. "How can I possibly justify doling out a punishment to a Third Seat with a stellar record? I'll need clarification on everything I missed yesterday, and I have to read the reports. Only then will I be able to determine our next steps."

The Third Seats gave their Captain a sharp nod.

"Kotsubaki-Sanseki, breakfast should be finishing up soon. Can you please form the Squad and go ahead with the first item on today's schedule; I'll join you as soon as I'm able," asked Ukitake Taichou.

The man gave a sound of affirmation, and stamped his heel, before leaving the room. The Captain turned to Kiyone, who was now genuinely trembling with fear now that she was alone with her Captain.

"Can you get us some green tea, please, Kotetsu-Sanseki? When you return, we can discuss the situation in proper detail." asked Captain Ukitake kindly, causing Kiyone to raise her eyes in surprise. Unable to get her throat to work properly, she nodded and practically fled the room.

As his eyes fell on the two files on the polished table, the Captain took a seat and opened one.

'Exactly what kind of mess have I returned to?' As his eyes fell on the first paragraph, a name stood out to him. 'Rukia, what have you done?'

~ Seireitei – Central 46 Chambers ~

Shunsui tilted his straw hat down to cover his eyes. He walked calmly, but with purpose, and yet, his walk didn't appear rushed to the people that spared him a passing glance. Shunsui knew his presence would be unusual, as Captains were a rare sight here, but it wasn't something that would cause a stir. His haori and floral kimono was enough to set him apart from the people that worked here, but he had no intention of letting any of them see the fear in his eyes as he traversed the underground hallways.

Following the signs, he turned the corridor with a nod to a pair of legal aides, presumably rushing off towards a nearby desk, judging by the stacks of files they were carrying. If the sight of him actually managed to surprise them, his pace and knowledge of the building's layout allowed him to bypass any unnecessary scrutiny.

Down another hallway, Shunsui was relieved that the foot traffic had finally thinned out. Tension bled from his shoulders, and he regained a touch of his usual swagger. Nearing the end, a right turn brought him to a brick arch he'd only seen once before. This was the restricted archive of Central Forty-Six. Chancing his luck, he approached a middle-aged woman at the front desk. When she looked up, he lifted his hat enough to throw her a flirtatious smile.

"Good morning, my name is Shunsui Kyouraku; I'm the Captain of the Eighth Division of the Goteijūsantai," he said.

The woman stared at him, and he got the instant impression that she was quite unimpressed by his rank. "Of the Kyouraku family?" He nodded. She continued to search him with her eyes. "What business do you have in the archives?" she said finally.

He placed a thin letter in front of her. "I have a letter from Soūtaichou Yamamoto requesting permission for myself, and Captain Ukitake, to access all records pertaining to a former Judge, Seiya Chiba?"

An expression of distaste crossed her face, making her even more unattractive. "All records? Of a former Judge?" She pushed his letter away, and fixed him with a look of disapproval and raised eyebrowed. "Absolutely not! The Soūtaichou has no authority in Central Forty-Six."

Shunsui tried not to grimace at the tone of finality in her voice. "I'm afraid it is a matter of some urgency, Ma'am. Seiya Chiba, regrettably, was found dead in his home yesterday morning. He was tortured, before he was murdered. Myself, and Captain Ukitake, have been tasked with finding the person responsible. I would appreciate any help you can lend me in this matter."

She stood stunned. Blood drained from her face, before she regained control of herself, and fixed the Captain with a furious glare. "How dare you come here and bring up that subject! Noblemen are not tortured and murdered in their homes! The only recorded murder of any nobility was perpetrated by a member of your organisation!"

Shunsui held his hands up in an attempt to derail the woman's tirade. With their access to vital records, on the line, he needed her cooperation. He abandoned his jovial mask, and looked her firmly in the eye, showing her just how serious a Captain of his calibre could be.

"I assure you, this is not a laughing matter, nor an attempt to pour salt into old wounds. A nobleman is dead, and his killer is still at large. We believe it is a person who sat in judgement while Seiya Chiba was an active Judge, but we can't be certain until we access those records. I need a name and description, so we can put an end to this. If we can't, then more esteemed members of nobility will die," said Shunsui.

She shook her head, as if doing so would negate his chilling premonition, but Shunsui's hard gaze was unrelenting. She donned a mask of neutrality, and folded her hands neatly.

"I'm afraid I can't help you, Captain Kyouraku. One questionable death is not reason enough to assume your suspicions are founded. I will not grant Captains access to our records," she said.

Shunsui threw her a final glance of supreme disappointment before he readjusted his hat and turned away from her. "In that case, I sincerely hope our fears in this matter are unfounded, and that you won't have to see me again. Have a good day, Ma'am."

As he walked away, he didn't see her eyes fill with fear or doubt.

~ Squad 1 – Soūtaichou's Office ~

Lieutenant Kira stood quietly outside the office of the Soūtaichou. Chewing his lip, he struggled not to fidget. Adrenaline coursed through his whole body, and the urge to pace was unbearable. He balled his fists tight against his thighs as he waited. Blonde hair fell over his eyes, hiding his deeply thoughtful expression, that appeared to be a frown. He closed his eyes, not in frustration, but in prayer.

'I promised myself I would protect them. I never want to hear Rangiku's scream of agony again, or Momo's struggles to breathe. I'll never make Shūhei, Renji, or Tetsuzaemon face a threat like that alone again. I'll always have their backs, and even better, I'll do it with my whole Squad behind me,' he thought.

"Kira Fukutaichou?" said a voice.

Kira looked up, momentarily confused. Lieutenant Sasakibe smiled and gestured a hand towards the open door of the office.

"The Soūtaichou is ready to speak with you now," said Sasakibe, and Kira nodded and followed him across the threshold.

The office was massive, and had a veranda the length of the room, allowing the Captain Commander an expansive view of the Seireitei below. The wooden floors were spotless, and a single chair stood vacant on one side of the elegant desk. On the other side, the formidable Captain sat with his usual grave expression, while his Lieutenant stood unobtrusively behind him. Kira approached the desk, bowed, and took a seat. His eyes fell on a single file between them, and he knew it was the same proposal he had given Sasakibe at the Lieutenant's Meeting.

"I have read your proposal, Lieutenant Kira," said Yamamotou. "While your concept merits consideration, what sets it apart from the services currently offered by the other Divisions?"

'Straight to the point,' thought Izuru, with an imperceptible frown.

"I've led missions in the Districts, and in the Living World. I've participated in a war, and I've trained Squad members in advanced techniques across all the fighting disciplines. In each of these instances I've encountered situations were medical care was urgently required, but was always a considerable distance away. I've seen countless soul reapers maimed or dead because of the time it took for them to get to help.

"While Captain Unohana has assisted on the battlefield, it doesn't fall under her normal prevue to respond in the field; urgent care only takes place at the Sōgō Kyūgo Tsumesho. On the other hand, the combat Divisions aren't trained to extract the wounded, nor are they capable of utilising kaidō. I want the Third Division to be the bridge between Captain Unohana's expertise and the Divisions," said Kira. "We would be capable of providing urgent first aid to injured shinigami, and able to respond to any enemy that threatened them while we transported them to Captain Unohana."

The Head Captain stroked his beard. "You've given this some serious thought, but have you considered the logistics involved in such a dramatic decision? The Third Division would need to be restructured, and it's duties and responsibilities outlined in detail. The training your men would need to undergo to become as adept at using kaidō as the Seated Officers under Captain Unohana's command, is substantial. You would also need strong fighters, capable of apply deadly force in any capacity, not unlike the Seated Officers under Captain Zaraki and Captain Kuchiki. It seems, you have not accounted for the long-term ramifications, Kira Fukutaichou."

Kira furrowed his eyebrows together, and exhaled silently. "I apologise profusely, Soūtaichou-sama. It was unconscionable of me not to present you with such a complete proposal. I will revise it immediately," said Kira with a bow. "I have also received an offer from the Lieutenant of Squad Four to help retrain my men to use kaidō."

The Soūtaichou opened his eyes, and frowned. "You are missing the point, Kira Fukutaichou."

Izuru raised his head. Behind him, Sasakibe appeared troubled.

"Occupational changes, such as this one, define a Division going forward. While you have argued the advantages of your proposal with aplomb, the reality is, it will take years for this to become beneficial to the Goteijūsantai. The Third Division will be required to adopt similar gruelling training regimes as the Ōnmitsukidō. Due to the level of skill required, you would no longer be able to recruit Academy graduates, but rely on veteran transfers from other Squads. The level of dedication and loyalty required from the men is essential, and I do not believe a Lieutenant is capable of commanding that kind of respect."

Kira felt his racing heart stop dead in his chest. He sucked in a breath, and lowered his gaze. The Captain Commander stood, and Kira mirrored his actions robotically.

"It is for that reason, that I must reject your proposal to alter the Occupation of the Third Division," said Yamamotou, and he brought his concealed zanpakutō down on the wooden floor with a soft bang. "Dismissed."

Kira bowed deeply, and left the room without a word, closing the door softly behind him.

On autopilot, his feet carried him aimlessly forward, and his blank gaze took in none of the beauty of the First Division's buildings. In his mind, his many, frantic thoughts disappeared, leaving him with a single question. How could he protect his friends now?