Akechi Goro rubbed the sweat from his brow, shaking his shaggy brown hair. He wasn't sure exactly how long he'd been dead – they didn't exactly have calendars in the middle of the Rukongai – but enough time had passed for winter's clouds to blow away in favour of the harsh light of summer. A wicker basket rested in the crook of his arm, filled with mushrooms and a few other roots the boy thought looked vaguely editable. In hindsight, the former detective wished he'd pretended to be a survival nut to his fanbase instead of a fake food critic. His ability to create cute photos of sicky-sweet cakes was turning out to be a really useless skill here.

Then again, Goro couldn't exactly blame his past self – when the time came for him to finally face judgment, the brunet had been convinced he was bound for hell. Goro didn't think he'd end up here of all places. The Rukongai. He'd heard enough about it to know it very well could have been the eternal punishment he deserved, and yet, so far, his time there had ended up being… fine. When the former detective came too after Kurusu had banished him to the afterlife, Goro was greeted by a canopy of trees. The brunet hadn't even bothered getting up to his feet, instead simply staring at the sun-dappled leaves, attempting to process, well… everything.

It was then that some excitable girl – far too close to his age for comfort – had stumbled upon him. Sitting down by his side, completely oblivious that he was teenage hitman and fake detective Akechi Goro, she'd given him some clearly rehearsed 'welcome-to-the-afterlife' spiel. The black-haired girl's eyes lit up as she yammered on about how nice her village was and how Goro would fit in like a fish in water. She was clearly delusional. Why on earth would she assume Goro would even deign to take a single step into her impoverished hellhole? Still, when she pulled him to his feet, tugging on his arm, the brunet didn't bother resisting. After all, why bother? It wasn't like he had anything better to do. Goro was dead. His vengeance had failed. Shido would either fall to his rival's hand or destroy all of reality in a few hours.

As expected, the village that would end up becoming his place of shelter - not a home, never a home - was a dump. Suzui – the girl – had been oblivious to his disgruntlement and had dragged Goro around to show him places he didn't care about and introduce him to people he'd have never given the time of day in the World of the Living. They'd greeted him with a chuckle, and ever the chameleon, he'd given them the Detective Prince's smile in turn.

From then on, he'd settled into a routine. A familiar social dance, even if the stage was so much less relevant. Goro would wake up bright and early, pretend he'd cared about his elderly neighbour's sore back, then help the men fetch firewood while the women gathered water. The brunet would participate as necessary, and recluse himself when his smile finally began to make his cheeks ache – a vital respite none of the villagers seemed to begrudge him for.

There was only one way in which Goro failed to integrate himself into his new life, and that was his hunger. The first time the detective's stomach had growled a few surprised brows rose, but it seemed that he wasn't the only Reiryoku-possessing soul who'd landed in this corner of the Rukongai before. While some of the villagers had tried to help him, ultimately, the need for food was as foreign to Rukongai residents as electricity.

That led the former detective back to his current conundrum. Goro could hunt – if only because of his shunpo – but vegetables were entirely out of his ballpark. Buying the cheapest brand of instant ramen was the pinnacle of his food-gathering knowledge, and therefore over the past few months, he'd been doing a lot of improvising. Namely, he'd been plucking everything that looked vaguely edible, showing it to his neighbour with the bad back, and hoping it wasn't poisonous.

(She'd laughed at him a lot by now.)

Deciding that he'd gathered enough roots by now to have an actual meal even if the mushrooms he fetched turned out to be nightcaps, Goro wove back through the increasingly familiar woodlands to the village.

Little did he know that his current status quo was about to come to an end.

The brunet had just crossed over the town's outskirts, exchanging a polite yet meaningless bow with a couple of men, when it happened. The familiar crackle of shunpo echoed across the woodland, and two blots of Reiatsu materialised on the village's borders.

While Goro turned in the direction of the newcomers instantly, he wasn't the only one to notice the sudden presence of spiritual pressure. After all, one didn't need much Reiatsu to sense a disruption to the normal stability of the Rukongai. A few old women widened their eyes, exchanging a panicked glance before looking towards Goro.

The teenager forced an amiable smile. "Don't worry – they're Shinigami, not Hollows."

In an instant, the tension filling the village vanished. Instead, a few curious people bundled into the streets. Suzui peered towards the horizon, standing on her tiptoes as her foster family joined them. Goro had heard rumours that the Kandas' son had left to join the academy, though it was clear it wasn't him when the family's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

In sharp contrast, the second the former detective saw who the two Shinigami were, he froze. The man was unfamiliar – a tall youth with spikey orange hair and an oversized Zanpakutō which screamed 'poor control' as opposed to 'powerful'. The woman, however, he'd recognise anywhere. While it had been many a month since he'd last set eyes upon Kuchiki Rukia, she was practically unchanged. A strand of black hair fell between her violet eyes, and the way she held herself was as imperious as ever as she approached him. Unlike the last time they'd truly met, the petite woman's Reiatsu flowed strongly, and Goro noted the armband wrapped around her bicep, though didn't let his eyes linger on it.

Interesting. Goro didn't outwardly show his alarm, but the former detective was on full alert. It seemed Kuchiki wasn't just some low-ranked Shinigami sent to Shibuya as some form of cosmic punishment. She clearly held some prestige in the Gotei 13, and that certainly wasn't a good sign for him.

"Kuchiki-san." He gave her a reserved nod, assessing how long it would take him to grab his Zanpakutō from his hut. "It's been a while."

She gave him a polite bow in turn. At the very least, it seemed she didn't intend to resort to violence immediately. "Kurusu, actually – the Kuchiki's are either dead or awful, so I decided I'd rather honour someone who actually cares for me... Not that I'd expect you to understand that sentiment."

"Wow, that's a hell of a thing to say ten seconds into the conversation." The orange-haired Shinigami to her side snarked.

Kuchiki – or Kurusu now, he supposed – rolled her eyes. "Akechi fed several dozen people to Hollows. He can deal with a bit of bluntness."

Goro barely managed to resist twitching his eye as the youth muttered 'what the fuck' under his breath. Attempting to restore a bit of normalcy to this already excruciating interaction, he eyed the boy. "So, who is your companion, Kurusu-san?"

Initially, it seemed to be the right be the right thing to say. Kurusu beamed and jabbed a thumb at her fellow Shinigami. "This is Kurosaki Ichigo – he's my boytoy!"

It was the wrong thing to say.

Don't let her see she's rattled you. Don't let her see she's rattled you. He chanted internally. Either Kurusu had no idea what she was saying, and his rival was playing an awful joke on both of them, or she damn well knew what she was doing and was fucking with him for her infernal entertainment. Goro refused to humour either of the capricious bastards.

Kurosaki, however, missed the memo and went beet red. "What the fuck? You can't just say shit like that!"

Kurusu opened her mouth, but Goro quickly interjected. God knows he'd already lost enough brain cells today. "I'm sorry, but can we bring this immature farce to an end? We both know this isn't a social visit, Kurusu."

This time, he let his eyes linger on her Lieutenant's badge, and Kurusu quickly sobered up in turn. "Very well. I am here to formally invite you to join the Gotei 13. While you might have misused your powers in the past, only a fool would deny your strength, and Shido's war has devastated our ranks. Join us, and it won't just be me wearing a badge like this."

Ah, so that was why she was here – this was a recruitment drive. They must be desperate, indeed. Still, in hindsight, it wasn't exactly surprising, and Goro felt his lips curl. While he knew it was dangerous to drop his mask in a place like this, he was done pretending he was some meek little boy. Like he was a perfectly compliant little puppet, content to let some egotistical master pull his strings. And that's exactly what the Gotei 13 would be.

"What if I say no?" He sneered. "Pray tell me, what will the Gotei 13 do then? Send your little assassins after me? Slit my throat in the middle of the night and burn this shitheap of a village to the ground? Imprison me in your jails for more years than the human mind can even fathom? Or maybe you'll strip me of my powers, banish me to the human world, and let a Hollow do the dirty work for you." The teenager trembled with fury. "Don't make me fucking laugh, Kurusu. You might pretend like you're some bastion of justice, but the Gotei 13 is just the police force with a fancy new name."

He was expecting her to either sigh with disappointment, reach for her blade, or snap with anger. Instead, Kurusu had the gall to burst out laughing. As tears spurted from her eyes and she bent over, clutching her stomach, Goro paused, entirely wrong-footed. In the background, Kurosaki shrugged, seemingly finding his companion's behaviour equally as baffling.

"Oh Akechi, Akechi, Akechi, have you truly learnt nothing?" Kurusu waggled her finger once her laughing fit finally came to an end. "In the grand scheme of things, you're just simply not as important as you think you are. Perhaps in the past, your fears would have been founded, but the Gotei 13 is under new management these days. This is an offer, not an ultimatum. It would be convenient if you said yes, but there are plenty of other talented Shinigami out there. We'll just promote one of them instead."

"Please don't volunteer me." Kurosaki groaned. "I don't wanna have to deal with the paperwork."

"I won't – not until you outgrow your foolish behaviour, at the very least." Kurusu wrinkled her nose, ignoring the look of offence on the boy's face as she turned back to the brunet. "I take it this means you're declining my proposition?"

"Naturally." Goro crossed his arms, turning up his nose.

"Very well. Come, Ichigo – let's go." Turning on her heel, the Shinigami walked away. She made it several metres before she glanced back over her shoulder. "I wish you well, Akechi-san. Perhaps a slow, quiet life where you will not be judged by the annals of history will grant you the peace you need."

Tongue catching in his throat, Goro gritted his teeth as she walked away, her words hitting him like a slap to the face. The second he heard them, the former detective knew he couldn't stay here a second longer. Peace. What an absolutely nauseating idea. It was almost as sickening as the thought of being forgotten. Anger bubbled inside him - Goro knew she was baiting him, and yet, as Kurusu slowly disappeared from sight, his stomach lurched anyway.

"Wait!" He cried, glowering at the dirt as Kurusu paused in her tracks. "Fine, I'll come with you, alright? I'm not going to follow the Gotei 13 blindly though. The second I think you're playing me for a fool, I'm out of there."

Kurusu's eyes shined like a cat's who'd caught their prey. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Come, let us go – we should be able to reach the Seireitei by nightfall if we shunpo."

Moving away from the Shinigami and over to his hut, Goro ignored the curious whispers of the townsfolk as he put down his basket and grabbed the only thing he truly cared about here – his blade. Given his outburst to Kurusu, he thought the villagers would give him a wide berth during his departure. Instead, when he left the building, he saw Suzui waiting for him.

She didn't give him a hug, but it was clear she'd contemplated it. "Stay safe, okay?"

"It's about time." Goro's elderly neighbour chuckled as she sat on the armchair on her porch, something fond glittering in her eyes. "It was always clear you were destined for something more than this."

He hesitated awkwardly, before giving both women a stiff bow. "Thank you for your hospitality. It's unlikely you'll ever see me again."

With that, he turned away and reunited with the two Shinigami waiting for him.

Even though Goro was a bit rusty, he kept up with their pace with ease. For a moment, he struggled with the itch to push himself further, to truly enjoy the wind whipping against his skin, but managed to resist temptation. Once he got to the Seireitei, the former detective was certain he'd get plenty of opportunity for things like that. Besides, it wasn't like he knew where the city was – outpacing his guides would be foolish.

Thankfully, neither Shinigami bothered engaging him in trivial chatter, much to his relief, but as they continued their run, Goro found his mind drifting.

"Say, Kurusu-san?" He asked, glancing to the side. "You mentioned something about the Gotei 13 being under new management."

"Ah, yes." The woman frowned, brows furrowing pensively. "While we triumphed over Shido in the end, it wasn't without casualties…"

…..

The last time Rukia stepped foot on the Sōkyoku Hill before today was when Aizen had revealed his treachery. While the barren stretch of dirt still made her shudder, the Lieutenant kept her misgivings to herself. After all, no matter how uncomfortable she felt, her emotions were trivial compared to those of some of her companions.

Captain Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni had passed away two days ago – just over a week after the battle for Karakura came to its grisly end – and today, his body would be burned and his ashes scattered to the wind.

Every surviving Captain and Lieutenant were lined up in two rows in front of the funeral pyre that had been erected on the hill, like a twisted mirror of a Captains' Assembly. At the head of the procession – his normally ever-present straw hat abandoned and for once looking all of his years – stood Kyōraku Shunsui. In his final days, Yamamoto had passed his mantle to his protégé, and now, the former 8th Division Captain was performing his first duty as the second-ever Captain Commander.

"It's time." Kyōraku sighed as the priest finished reading the funerary rights, nodding to each of the white-robed torch bearers.

With that, they stepped forward, and the Sōkyoku Hill was illuminated in light. While she could only see the new Captain Commander's back, the way his shoulders shuddered told Rukia all she needed to know. The Lieutenant didn't have time to focus on his grief, however, as Ukitake's Reiatsu lurched to her side.

Glancing up at her Captain, Rukia's heart tore in two. He looked even more devastated than he had on the day of Kaien's funeral. Oblivious to his Lieutenant's gaze, Ukitake took a deep breath in and attempted to school his features into something more passive, putting a tight lid on his Reiatsu. The display only made Rukia feel even more wretched.

"… You don't need to put up a front, Captain." She drew closer to his side. "I know what the late Captain Commander meant to you – your grief is only natural."

He smiled, but the expression was so, so sad. "Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of indulging my emotions right now." The flimsy grin failed, morphing into a deep sigh. "Look at us – it's a miracle myself, Hitsugaya-kun and Captain Soifon were even healthy enough to come today. I don't think I've seen Unohana-senpai look this tired in her life."

Glancing over to the 4th Division Captain, Rukia frowned. The normally immaculate woman did look exceptionally haggard as Isane fretted to her side.

Ukitake shook his head, continuing. "That's not even counting the people who'll never step foot on this hill again… The traitors, Kurotsuchi, Lieutenant Hinamori, Captain Komamura, Byakuya-kun, and of course…" His voice trailed off, worn eyes locked on the burning pyre. "We're living in a very precarious time, Kurusu-chan. The entire Gotei 13 has been rattled by these events, and our Divisions are looking at us for strength. If we Captains cannot keep up a brave face, then who on earth can?"

Her heart clenched at the mention of her late brother. "That may be so, but you cannot carry the world's burdens on your shoulders. Nobody can." Rukia's mind flicked back to Akira and the secrecy that almost crushed him. "I understand your point, but you need to remember that you're human too. Go, spend the evening with Captain Commander Kyōraku. I can hold down the fort at the 13th."

A flicker of shock flashed across Ukitake's features, but before he could respond, someone beat him to the punch.

"Your Lieutenant is right, Jūshirō. There's no point acting like everything isn't a mess – our subordinates aren't that dumb." None other than the new Captain Commander himself approached the duo. While the skin beneath them was dark, when Kyōraku looked at her, his eyes were twinkling. "I see you've promoted a wise one."

Rukia flushed at the praise, giving the officer a deep bow. "C-Captain Commander!"

"No need to be so formal." He waved a hand dismissively. "Despite everything, I'm still me."

A rueful snort escaped Ukitake. "Yes, that's patently obvious. Fine, fine." He shook his head. "Let's get a drink tonight – truthfully, I could do with some sake."

"I never thought I'd hear the day." Kyōraku grinned, some of the weariness leaving his poise even if it hadn't vanished from his face. "Sorry to cut the chatter short, but unfortunately, I'm here on business." To Rukia's surprise, the Captain Commander turned to her. "Circumstances require me to quickly pop into the World of the Living – would you like me to pass anything on to your Phantom friends?"

Brows rising, Rukia shook her head. "That's fine – there's nothing I need to say to them right now that requires an in-person visit."

The Captain Commander didn't hang around for long after that, but as the heat from the pyre began abating, Rukia couldn't get what he'd said out of her mind. It was rare - no, unheard of - for someone of Kyōraku's station to go to the World of the Living. Rukia was rather certain Yamamoto's descent to Karakura was the first time the elderly man had left the Soul Society in over a millennia. At the same time, she had a hunch she knew exactly why the new Captain Commander had been drawn to the other realm.

…..

Goro rubbed his chin, leaping over a tussock of grass as he performed some quick calculations. "I see… if my maths is correct, that means nearly half of the Gotei 13's commanding body was wiped out."

It was certainly a far larger number than what he was expecting. An uncomfortable sensation ran through the former detective, but thankfully, he didn't need to voice his question as Kurusu had enough wit to follow the direction of his thoughts.

"Only two of those deaths are directly linked to Shido's actions – most of them are the result of Aizen's machinations, and most likely would have happened regardless of what Shido did." The Lieutenant then rubbed her chin. "Except for Kurotsuchi, of course. Uryū shot him in the head."

Goro stared at her flatly. Well, at least the Shinigami didn't seem to have any inherent moral problem with murder. God knows he wasn't going to accept proselytisation from any member of the Gotei 13. Still, judging by the way Kurosaki's face scrunched up, he did, and Goro simply didn't want to deal with that right now.

"I'm surprised your new Captain Commander deigned to even enter the World of the Living." The former detective commented idly, quickly changing topics. The Gotei 13's sense of elitism was infamous, after all.

Kurusu chuckled, eyes gleaming. "Hah! The World of the Living was only the start of it…"

…..

Rukia straightened her shoulders, careful to hide the queasiness churning in her stomach. She mustn't have done a very good job, as on the other side of the Captains' Assembly Hall, Renji gave her a sympathetic grin. Huffing, she turned away, cheeks red. Ugh. While Akira's healing of her heart had done many things, unfortunately, getting rid of her stage fright wasn't one of them.

While Lieutenants normally handled their business separately from the Captains, sometimes, there were exceptions to this rule. One of those exceptions was Captain Promotion Ceremonies, which was why the leadership of the Gotei 13 had gathered in the Assembly Hall today.

Almost the second everyone finished lining up into two neat rows, the doors to the hall swung open. At the beginning of the procession was the new Captain Commander himself, Lieutenant Sasakibe at his side. The normal flamboyant kimono he wore over his haori was gone – it seemed even the lackadaisical Kyōraku intended on treating today with the full seriousness it deserved. Her focus was quickly snaffled by the people that followed them, however.

It seemed Kyōraku's visit to the World of the Living had been a fruitful one. Seeing Urahara Kisuke garbed in the robes of a Captain was a strange sight. While Rukia logically knew he'd been one in the past, she still struggled with the urge to rub her eyes. Admittedly, it was probably wasn't the white haori that had caught her off-guard, but the lack of his infernal hat. In contrast to the former shopkeeper's casual posture, at his side, Yoruichi held herself with confidence. The Lieutenant's eyes lingered on the woman – while it was obvious Urahara was resuming his position as the leader of the 12th, Rukia had no idea which Division Yoruichi had accepted the Captaincy for, given Soifon was comfortably in control of the 2nd.

Rukia didn't get the chance to peer at the back of her haori, either, as she was distracted by a third figure at the back of the procession. Much to her embarrassment, she couldn't resist performing a double-take this time. While she'd only seen glimpses of the woman before this day, the resemblance to Futaba was patently obvious – at the end of the group was Isshiki Wakaba. Tilting her head, Rukia examined the psientist curiously. Like her other companions, she was wearing white over her Shihakushō, though it was a lab coat as opposed to a haori. I suppose that explains that. Even if Isshiki-san lacks Reiatsu, she was smart enough to discover its existence while still alive. Urahara is no fool – he'd never let a woman like that go to waste.

"Everyone." Sasakibe intoned, expression severe, as he finally reached the front of the room. "The Captain appointment ceremony will now begin."

Kyōraku gave the gathered Shinigami a polite nod before continuing. "In light of the losses the Gotei 13 has faced, I have invited two former Captains back into our ranks. Both have passed the Captain's Proficiency Test in the past, witnessed by three Captains each. From this day forth, Urahara Kisuke will resume his role as Captain of the 12th, while Shihōin Yoruichi has volunteered to take command of the 5th."

Rukia bowed at the new Captains, a motion mirrored by most of the non-Zaraki members of the Gotei 13. The 5th was a sensible choice for the veteran Captain – while plenty of other Divisions had lost their leader, it was the only one that had lost its Lieutenant too.

The announcements hadn't finished yet, however. "I believe you have all noticed that Urahara-san and Yoruichi-san aren't our only guests here today." Kyōraku glanced over towards Isshiki. "While Urahara-san has reaccepted his position as Captain of the 12th, he has asked that his mantle of the President of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute be passed to Isshiki Wakaba instead, a researcher he met in the World of the Living."

"The pleasure is mine." Isshiki gave the assembled Shinigami a polite bow. "While our paths won't necessarily cross that much, I look forward to collaborating with the Gotei 13 in the future."

Rukia's brows rose. While she knew that Isshiki was more than qualified, the Lieutenant was savvy enough to realise that most of her colleagues wouldn't be so accepting. A not-insignificant proportion of Shinigami loathed the fact that people from the Rukongai walked amongst their ranks, a fact Rukia knew from experience. Promoting a woman with less Reiryoku than your average citizen to a role as prestigious as that was going to cause a stir.

To the diminutive Lieutnant's lack of surprise, she was quickly proved correct. In contrast to Urahara and Yoruichi, who had been accepted without fuss, surprised whispers filled the room at the Captain Commander's latest announcement.

"Are you serious?" Soifon scoffed, the first to voice her objection. "I've met Academy students with more Reiatsu. Actually, I take that back – the students don't deserve to be insulted like that."

"I must admit I have reservations about this too." Iba frowned. It was hard to garner the acting Captain of the 7th Division's expression behind his glasses, but Rukia had a hunch he was eying Isshiki warily. "I'm sure you're a lovely lady, Isshiki-san, but… the Shinigami Research and Development Institute… well, it's for Shinigami."

"That's enough of that." Urahara's Reiatsu trembled, and the coldness in the Captain's voice silenced the room. "In a mere forty years of life, Wakaba has nearly eclipsed me of all people as in inventor. Imagine what she would be capable of if given the time and resources?"

"I don't need you to fight my battles, Kisuke." Isshiki glared, a note of warning entering her voice before she turned back to Iba. "Let me ask you something, Lieutenant-san. What killed your Captain – the Espada, or the technology Shido stole from me?"

A deathly silence filled the room, only broken when Renji whistled appreciatively. Rukia groaned, face burning as she cradled her head in her hands.

"Ahaha… point taken, Wakaba." Urahara rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, looking more like the man Rukia knew than he had since he stepped foot into the hall.

Kyōraku ended the brewing argument before it truly began with a sweep of his wrist. "That's enough, everyone. If Yama-jii saw us behaving like this, he would have lined us all up and smacked the back of our heads. Our duty as the Gotei 13 is to protect the Soul Society and the balance of the worlds. If we need to leave certain traditions in the past in order to do that, we will."

"I believe we're getting sidetracked." Sasakibe cleared his throat. "The promotion of Captain Urahara and Captain Shihōin aren't the only items on today's agenda."

"Thank you, Sasakibe-san." Kyōraku gave his new Lieutenant a polite nod before turning back to the crowd. "While two of the empty Captain positions have been filled, four still remain. If anyone knows anyone appropriate for those roles, I'm all ears."

A contemplative silence fell over the hall. To Rukia's surprise, the first to break it was Lieutenant Hisagi. The tattooed man tentatively raised a hand, expression awkward despite his rugged appearance. "Uh, sorry if I'm being presumptuous, but…" His eyes lingered on Urahara for a few seconds. "What about the Hollowfied Shinigami Captain Urahara tried to save? There were some Captains among their ranks, right?"

The stubbled blond winced. "Ah, yes – the Visoreds. They're a no-go, unfortunately. They didn't take the news that they couldn't join the fight for Karakura very well – they're very much not in the mood for dealing with the Gotei 13 right now."

Soifon – seemingly determined to be surly in a different way now that her complaints about Isshiki had been shut down – crossed her arms. "I don't know why you bothered to begin with. We already have to deal with Shiba's child – isn't one ticking time bomb bad enough?"

"I'm sure the Captain Commander wouldn't have asked them if he believed them to be a threat." Unohana pointed out mildly, shutting the other female Captain down in her tracks.

"As I said before, we need to change with the times." Kyōraku sighed. "The Gotei 13 didn't defeat Aizen – a group of human children did. The passage of time has made us grow arrogant, and if we don't want to get swept away by the tide of the future, we need to adapt."

The 2nd Division Captain frowned but didn't put up a fight. Instead, her eyes flittered over to Rukia's. "What about Kuchiki Ginrei? Is he in good enough health to temporarily take on a Captaincy until a better candidate is found?"

The Lieutenant bit her lip. Despite the flutter of nerves that ran through her, when she replied, her voice was confident. "I sincerely doubt it. The sickness ailing him has progressed steadily over the years – it'd be suicide for him to rejoin the Gotei 13 while simultaneously serving as the Kuchiki Clan's de facto head."

For a moment, Rukia was worried she'd face the brunt of Soifon's infamous temper, but the Captain accepted her words with a nod. The Lieutenant's shoulders slumped, and internally, she prayed that nobody else called on her – that incident was taxing enough.

Renji took the spotlight off her, thankfully. "I… know a dude who's technically got Bankai, but… damn, there's no nice way of saying this, but he is not Captain material. I think he'd just flat-out defect if he got shoved into the role."

"Ah, I believe I know who you're talking about." Iba rubbed his chin. "Yeah – no, absolutely not. I'd promote Yachiru to Captain over him."

"Ooh, yay!" The pink-haired girl cried from the top of Zaraki's shoulders.

The Kenpachi rolled his eyes. "That wasn't a compliment, ya damned brat."

"Aww…"

Oddly enough, it was Isshiki of all people who re-railed the conversation. "Apologies if I'm missing some context, but why not just promote some of the current Lieutenants? They already have experience with leadership, after all. Plus, their roles will be easier to replace too."

To Rukia's side, Ukitake shifted, rubbing his chin. "Hmm… I think once we've dealt with his Hollow problem, Kurosaki-kun might make a decent Lieutenant. His Reiryoku levels are enormous, and he's well educated."

Renji rubbed the back of his head, attention focused on the white-haired man. "While we're on that topic, I've thought about what you said. I think I will ask Niijima Isao to be my Lieutenant – he's formal enough to appeal to my squad, while being flexible enough to not drive me mad."

"We're getting ahead of ourselves." Hitsugaya interrupted the men. "The reason we can't just promote the Lieutenants is because they don't have Bankai. I'm willing to be adaptable, but not that adaptable."

From the other end of the room, Urahara cleared his throat. "Actually, if I may…"

Rukia's eyes widened, realising what he was going to say before he even started speaking. "Of course! You can use that device you created to help Ann achieve Bankai!"

The scientist's eyes twinkled. "You're right on the money, Kurusu-chan. For those uninvolved with either myself or the Phantoms, one of my inventions can forcibly manifest a Zanpakutō spirit – it's how both myself and Takamaki-chan obtained our Bankais. It's not without its risks, however – I'll only offer its use to Shinigami who've materialised their Zanpakutō spirit at least once."

"Well, that's me out!" Lieutenant Matsumoto shrugged, not looking particularly upset at all.

In stark contrast, Iba volunteered almost immediately. "I'll do it. I'm not far off Bankai, and I'd like to make Captain Komamura proud."

After a moment's hesitation, Hisagi swallowed before nodding. "Kazeshini and I butt heads a lot, but I can reliably materialise him."

Rukia's heart skipped a beat. Both men were Lieutenants of Captain-deprived Divisions, and popular amongst their men to boot - having them replace their predecessors would give their Divisions a huge boost in morale. Out of the remaining Divisions that had a Lieutenant but no Captain, Ise sadly wouldn't be able to take over Kyōraku's mantle due to her lack of Shikai, but she wasn't the only remaining Lieutenant who was currently performing Captain duties as well. It was clear many of the other Captains and Lieutenants had the same realisation Rukia had, and simultaneously, over a dozen eyes landed on Kira Izuru.

The blond stared at everyone flatly, before slowly and silently shaking his head.

Her shoulders deflated. Damn.

While nearly everyone else was looking at Kira as if he held the fate of the world in the palm of his hands, two of the room's occupants were having their own silent conversation. Namely, Unohana smiled at her Lieutenant, and poor Kotetsu slumped over in defeat.

"Um…" The lanky woman ventured tentatively. "Itegumo and I have been talking lately, and, uh, they're willing to give me their name. I was sort of waiting until I was in the right headspace though..."

If it hadn't been for decades of tutelage under the harsh Kuchikis, Rukia would have scrunched up her nose. Kotetsu of all people almost had Bankai? Seriously? She'd never deny the woman's incredible talent for healing, but her demeanour was just so… Hanatarō-ish. Meanwhile, at the 4th Division representatives' side, Renji's face scrunched up in thought – he was clearly trying to decipher what in god's green earth Kotetsu meant by 'the right headspace'.

As the room's attention shifted over to her, Kotetsu flushed, waving her hands around rapidly. "Though, uh, I really don't think I'm cut out for the whole C-Captain thing, especially out of the 4th!"

It would have been the height of cruelty for Rukia to say it to her face, but… truthfully, the skittish Lieutenant had a point. Nearly eighty per cent of her confidence came from being at the truly terrifying Unohana's side – out in the wider Gotei 13, poor Kotetsu would be eaten alive.

"If I may, I have another idea, though the logistics of it might make it impractical." Isshiki ventured. "I'm… loosely acquainted with a certain soul who passed away recently. He's a spiritual prodigy, and highly intelligent to boot – he certainly has the capacity for Bankai, even if he doesn't have one yet. Admittedly, his personality leaves a lot to be desired, but…"

Rukia scrunched her eyebrows, wondering who on earth Isshiki was talking about. The answer then hit her with all of the shock value of a frying pan to the face.

"You… you think we should recruit Akechi Goro?!"

…..

"Are you seriously saying Isshiki Wakaba recommended me for Lieutenant?" Goro wrinkled his nose. "We've only interacted once, and I spent most of that time killing her."

While Kurosaki looked perturbed at that revelation, Kurusu just shrugged. "Apparently, you did a good job at it."

The urge to argue bubbled within him – it hardly counted as a good murder considering he was barely even sentient at the time – but Goro managed to hold his tongue. He wasn't going to lower himself to her level. He wasn't.

Instead, he glanced at her calmly. "So, which of these Divisions does your oh-so-mighty Captain Commander want to curse with my presence?"

…..

Most of the Gotei 13 didn't have a fucking clue who Rukia was talking about, but those who did certainly reacted.

"Hold on…" Renji furrowed his brow. "Isn't he that serial killer guy?"

"Technically speaking, he's more of a hitman." Rukia couldn't resist correcting him. "Plus, Akira told me he has a sad backstory."

Interest entered Soifon's eyes. "A hitman, you say…?"

"Don't get too excited." Yoruichi shook her head affectionately. "He's part Hollow, and he's an absolute menace."

At that, the 2nd Division Captain visibly wilted. She looked so disappointed it was almost adorable, honestly.

"Akechi… he was Shido's lackey, right?" Hitsugaya frowned, brow pensive. "Are you really sure giving a power like Bankai to a man like that is a good idea?"

"Perhaps a trial period is in order?" Ukitake rubbed his chin. "We make him a Lieutenant for now, and if Akechi-kun fits into the Gotei 13, we can revisit the idea of him receiving Bankai training later."

The Captain's idea was well received. A series of affirming nods filled the hall, and one of them belonged to Rukia. While Akechi had made some truly despicable choices in the past – even thinking about the Kobayakawa incident made her skin crawl – he'd never been some one-note villain. To deny him all culpability for his actions would be doing everyone a disservice, but if it hadn't been for Shido's poisonous influence, the brunet would have simply been your typical everyday asshole. The fact that Akechi hadn't been banished straight to Hell was proof enough that he wasn't beyond redemption.

"… The real question is where should we put him?" Yoruichi scratched her cheek. "Given Akechi's attitude and raw strength, he's gonna be way too much for a novice Captain to handle. While I'd happily take him on myself, I don't think the 5th would appreciate having yet another manipulative brown-haired man in a position of power."

Rukia winced, and she certainly wasn't the only one. Yes – placing Akechi in Aizen's former Division would be a disaster.

"If I may?" Unohana ventured, and upon receiving a nod from Kyōraku, continued. "It would require either Lieutenant Kira or Lieutenant Ise to temporarily change Divisions, but… I would be happy to serve as Akechi-san's Captain until he is ready to take command of a Division himself."

A palpable feeling of shock exploded in the room. Even the normally unflappable Captain Commander was caught off-guard. "Oh?"

"… Perhaps happy is overstating it, but it's a logical choice." Unohana shrugged. "Once Isane gains Bankai, there will be two Captain-class Shinigami in the 4th, and my skillset is more… versatile. I'm confident Akechi-san won't cause me any issues."

"Yeah, no shit." Zaraki muttered, voicing everyone's thoughts.

Rukia grimaced – the former detective had no idea what was waiting in store for him.

As the conversation unfolded, Kotetsu turned an increasingly unique shade of green, and at long last, her Captain took sympathy on her. Unohana gently brushed her fingers against the woman's Shihakushō. "This will just be a temporary arrangement – once Akechi-san's suitability has been verified, I intend on returning to my actual Division."

Kyōraku bit his lip, conflict dancing in his eyes, but he eventually acquiesced to the healer's suggestion. "… Very well. I'll temporarily reassign you to the 8th – I have certain plans for my darling Nanao-chan."

…..

Taking a break from her tale, Rukia swigged down a mouthful of water. The sun was starting to drift down towards the horizon, but despite all the talking, the odd trio was making good time – they'd cross over the Seireitei's border before the hour came to an end.

"Unohana Retsu…" Akechi murmured, testing out the name. "What is she like?"

Ichigo rubbed his chin. "Hm. She's pretty nice most of the time, but… well, she's kinda terrifying too. I barely even know the woman, but I know I sure as hell don't want to get on her bad side."

"Don't call her terrifying." Rukia sighed, shaking her head – despite all these months, it seemed the redhead was still a fool. "She might hear you."

A glimmer of interest entered the former detective's eyes. "So, she maintains a polite façade for the masses while hiding her darker tendencies underneath? How… familiar."

"Now that's just rude." The Lieutenant pursed her lips. "Unlike your ridiculous princely act, her benevolence is entirely genuine." Her murderous streak was genuine too, but stating that out loud would just be tactless.

Of course, Ichigo had no such conniptions. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's as real as her crazy axe-murderer side."

Fucking hell. She pinched the bridge of her nose. Just what on earth did Rukia do to deserve this?

Akechi arched a brow. "Her Shikai is an axe?"

"Uh, dunno." Ichigo turned to face her, so much sincerity in his eyes it was impossible to stay mad at him. "Hey, Rukia – do you know what Captain Unohana's Shikai is?"

Urgh. He was so lucky he was cute. Shaking her head, the diminutive Shinigami sighed. "It's a flying stingray."

Silence suddenly descended upon the trio. The only noise that echoed through the late afternoon air was the sound of twigs snapping under their feet. If Rukia had chosen that moment to turn around, she would have seen a truly fascinating non-verbal exchange going on between Ichigo and Akechi.

First, the Detective Prince furrowed his brow, confusion flashing across his features. Tentatively, his gaze drifted towards the orange-haired Shinigami in an attempt to gauge whether that was a normal thing for Shikais to be. Simultaneously, Ichigo's expression warped between three different stages of grief. Sweat dripping down his brow, he glanced the brunet's way, desperate to verify that the idea of flying stingray Shikai was fucking insane. Their eyes met, and a wave of relief passed through both boys as they saw the other's clear bewilderment. They weren't going mad – Unohana's Shikai was just as bloody weird as it sounded.

Rukia, however, missed all that. Instead, she stared into the distance, brows furrowed as her mind drifted back to the latter half of that fateful evening…

…..

The 13th Division Lieutenant frowned as she examined the scroll in Sasakibe's hands. Once the gathered Shinigami had run out of suggestions on who to fill the gaping holes in the Gotei 13's ranks with, Kyōraku had entrusted the stern man with recording the positions they had all come to an agreement on.

Restructured Rankings of the Gotei 13

1st Division – Kyōraku Shunsui, Sasakibe Chōjirō

2nd Division – Soifon, Ōmaeda Marechiyo

3rd Division – -, Kira Izuru

4th Division – Kotetsu Isane (temporary), -

5th Division – Shihōin Yoruichi, -

6th Division – Abarai Renji, Niijima Isao

7th Division – Iba Tetsuzaemon, -

8th Division – Unohana Retsu (temporary), Akechi Goro

9th Division – Hisagi Shūhei, -

10th Division – Hitsugaya Tōshirō, Matsumoto Rangiku

11th Division – Kenpachi Zaraki, Kusajishi Yachiru

12th Division – Urahara Kisuke, Kurotsuchi Nemu

13th Division – Ukitake Jūshirō, Kurusu Rukia

It was significantly less patchy than what it would have been earlier that day. On the one hand, the blank spot where the 3rd Division's Captain should be left her ill at ease. On the other hand, the fact that there would only be one empty position once the three near-Bankai Lieutenants received their training was a minor miracle. While the Gotei 13 had been pushed to the brink again and again, it was heartening to see that despite everything, they always got back to their feet.

Rukia was broken out of her thoughts when Ise cleared her throat. The former 8th Division Lieutenant's brow was creased, expression wavering between annoyance and worry. "Sir? You forgot to add me to the list."

Kyōraku shook his head. "A deliberate oversight, my darling Nanao-chan. Like I said, I have plans for you – I'll talk to you once we're finished here. On that note, let's bring this meeting to an end – the hour is late, and I've kept you all long enough."

A series of relieved murmurs echoed around the hall. Kenpachi fled pretty much the second the Captain Commander finished speaking, barrelling out of the meeting room with all the finesse of a bull in a china shop. Urahara, Yoruichi, and Soifon all left shortly after – the former wanted to escort Wakaba to her new home, a venture the latter invited herself on purely as an excuse to spend some time in her predecessor's presence.

Rukia exchanged a brief conversation with Renji, though the 6th Division Captain couldn't stay long - he wanted to talk to Isao before anyone else broke the news. Once her old friend left, the Lieutenant turned towards her Captain, who Kyōraku was making a beeline towards.

"Ah – Jūshirō, Unohana-senpai. Mind if I pull your ears a moment longer?" The Captain Commander grinned amiably as he approached his old friend, an unsmiling Ise at his side.

"Of course." The 4th Division Captain bowed. "I'll see you back at the barracks, Isane."

The Lieutenant gave a polite bow, heading out of the hall to give the senior Captains some privacy at the clear dismissal. Rukia was about to follow suit when Kyōraku cleared his throat.

"Ah – I was actually hoping you could stay, Kurusu-chan." The stubbled man smiled. "I believe you'd have some good insight related to the matters I'd like to discuss."

Rukia swayed in place, eyes wide. "Uh… I mean, certainly, Captain Commander." She bowed, hoping she'd covered up her stumble.

As the rest of the officers slowly meandered out of the hall until the five Shinigami were left alone, the Lieutenant's mind raced. Unohana and Ukitake were one thing – combined with Kyōraku, they were the most long-standing Captains in the Gotei 13 – but why her? Rukia was no prodigy like Hitsugaya or Renji – she didn't even have a Bankai, and nor was she particularly close to getting one. Rukia couldn't just be there to give Ukitake moral support either – the Captain Commander hadn't put up a single word of protest when Isane was dismissed.

Just what on earth set her apart from everyone else in the room?

Once everyone else was gone, the Captain Commander's gaze flicked to his former Lieutenant. "Mind making sure we can't be disturbed? I'd prefer it if no waves were kicked up until the shore is in sight."

Nodding, Ise moved to the Assembly Hall's doors and chanted some foreign words. Sigils formed in the air around the room's entrance, and as the glowing symbols vanished, Rukia shuddered as she felt a blanket of Reiatsu settle over her.

"This should keep up safe from curious ears, Captain." Ise gave him a curt nod.

"Very well." Kyōraku returned the gesture at a far more sedate pace. Casually, he spread out his arms. "I want to talk about the future of the Central 46."

Ukitake groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Oh no – I know that look in your eyes. You're up to something, aren't you?"

The Captain Commander shrugged, merriment shining in his eyes. "Come on, now – you know they were a ball and chain around the old man's ankle for far too long, and that's not even factoring in the security issues Aizen lovingly demonstrated for us."

In sharp contrast to the men's laconic demeanours, Unohana's frown was serious. "I understand your sentiments – the fact that Aizen could slaughter and impersonate them for weeks on end is a gross oversight – but the Central 46 still performs a vital role. The Gotei 13 is a military institution. It would be grossly irresponsible of us to take full oversight over civilian matters."

Rukia frowned – while she held no love for the deceased judges, the 4th Division Captain had a point. The lifestyle of an active Shinigami was nothing like that of an average noble or Rukongai citizen, and quite frankly, the Gotei 13 had never been good at empathy.

The Captain Commander took the criticism in stride. "You're right, you're right – it's true that the Gotei 13 shouldn't have unchecked power. When it comes down to it, we're still just people, after all. The concept of the Central 46 isn't the problem – it's the execution. That's where you come in, Nanao-chan."

"P-pardon?" The bespectacled Lieutenant's eyes widened.

Kyōraku nodded slowly. "You've always had a good eye for logistics and details, are more than capable of being impartial, and if worst comes to worst, you can protect yourself from anyone slightly too keen to stop my reformation in its tracks. If anyone is capable of developing a judicial system that covers the needs of the Gotei 13, the Seireitei, and the Rukongai, it's you."

A slight flush formed on Ise's face, but her expression quickly grew harrowed. Rukia couldn't blame her – the task the Captain Commander was entrusting her with was as vast as it was critical.

Swallowing, the Lieutenant saluted. "… It would be my honour to assist you in this task, sir."

"Excellent! I knew my cute, precious Nanao-chan would come through!" Kyōraku clapped his hands, beaming, while Ise looked three seconds away from slapping his face.

Rukia decided to do the Captain Commander a favour, and cleared her throat. "Apologies if I'm being impertinent, but… I was wondering why you requested my presence? To entrust such information to a mere Lieutenant, and a recently promoted one at that… I'm honoured by your candour, but can't help but question the wisdom of your decision."

"'Tis a good question, Kurusu-chan." Kyōraku's smile was warm. "While your duties to your Division naturally take priority, I'd like you to help Nanao-chan when you can. Your work down in the archives was impressive, though truthfully, your unique circumstances and the perspective they've granted you are probably going to be more important."

A lightbulb flashed in her mind as she realised what the stubbled man was talking about. "Ah, I see. You'd like my aid because I'm a serving officer of the Gotei 13 who's lived the life of both a noble and a Rukongai child."

"Exactly." He nodded. "You've experienced both extremes of life in the Soul Society, and will understand the needs of both those people. Your experience in the World of the Living is a boon too. Even though it's quickly shaping up into the biggest hassle I've faced in my life, I'm tragically serious with all this modernisation talk." Kyōraku's eyes darkened. "... I won't allow enemies like Aizen and Shido to emerge again. I can't."

"Very well." Rukia bowed. "I'll help you in whatever way I can."

…..

As the sky started to darken, Rukia's surroundings grew more and more familiar. The trio ran past hillocks and fields the Lieutenant had trained in, along with little villages and larger towns she'd visited to either shop or eat at.

Ichigo was the one who noticed the Seireitei first. "There it is – it's about time we got home."

The former detective's eyes narrowed as he scanned the distant city. "I see…" Akechi glanced towards his companions, something glittering in his eyes as he smiled. "How about a race? Let's say the first one to reach the city's limits wins."

Ichigo's expression grew conflicted, the teenage boy within him duelling with his desire to appear aloof, but eventually, the former won out. "Oh, fine – I can tell you're gonna be insufferable about it if I say no. Rukia, you in?"

Laughing, she declined. "No, thank you. I've got training tomorrow, and have no intention of rocking up so exhausted I can barely move."

"Your loss." The redhead shrugged, and despite his show of reluctance, when he looked back at Akechi, a spark shined in his eyes. "On the count of three?"

The brunet grinned back, a picture-perfect Detective Prince smile that melted into something slightly more raw and authentic. "That suits me just fine. Don't get upset if you lose, okay?"

Rukia shook her head indulgently as the boys rocketed off, and a bittersweet pang ran through her. Their attempts to change the Seireitei's very foundations were going slowly – news of the reformations had just dropped this week, and the backlash from the nobles was especially high – but watching moments like this remained the Lieutenant exactly what she was working for.

A bright future where things like birth and status were irrelevant, and people could connect no matter the circumstances they found themselves born or forced into.

A world both Akira and Kaien would be proud of.