Chapter 3: Whisked Away in Seireitei

In Seireitei, it is morning at the Kuchiki Manor. In one of the rooms, Byakuya is looking over a piece of writing while seated at a low table.

"Kuchiki-sama, how is the article by the human girl?" wonders a nervous servant coming over to his side.

"... It is sufficient," he says. "Now we will just need to select the photographs for the final spread, as well as conduct Inoue Orihime's formal portrait this afternoon."

"Ah well, you see, about that…" says the servant, handing him a note.

"Hm?"

The note that Byakuya receives says the following:

We're borrowing the girl. We'll bring her back by sundown.

"... An abduction?" wonders Byakuya.

"A thousand apologies, Kuchiki-sama! We didn't realize Inoue-san had left her room. It seems the last time she was seen was when she was walking down the corridors and eating the sweets you gave her yesterday afternoon. Again, we are very sorry! We'll tighten security and–"

Byakuya stands up.

"Kuchiki-sama?"

They investigate her room. The sweets that Byakuya gave her appear to be put away neatly.

"... It's fine. There doesn't appear to be any evidence of a struggle. The note itself is non-threatening."

"You think so?" asks the servant.

"This paper also appears to be from an A4 standardized notebook used throughout the Seireitei, so it must have come from someone in one of the squads."

"Oh, how observant!"

Byakuya sighs. "It's likely that woman was borrowed for either her defensive or healing abilities. It won't be hard to trace her spiritual pressure, so it'll only be a matter of time until she is discovered by someone.

"But since she'll ask questions, make sure to inform Yoruichi Shihoin of this news when you see her."

"Yes, sir!"

As the servant leaves, Byakuya thinks to himself, Security shouldn't have been the issue, so if the kidnappers infiltrated the manor… He recalls Yachiru's face.

... Even now, that person's face comes up.

—

In another area of the Seireitei, there is a commotion as members from Squad 11 bring several beat up members of their own squad to their main office.

"Ikkaku! We've got another batch of, um, the injured…"

"Seriously, you lowlives!" says Ikkaku, slamming his work utensils down as he's working at a desk. "Can't you see we're already being overworked here as it is? Would you guys cool it instead of causing so much unnecessary trouble?"

"Who says we ought to listen to you?" says one of the injured. "We don't need to take orders from you, Ikkaku!"

"You imbeciles!" says Ikkaku. "It's 'cause of you guys that Squad 4 refuses to lend us any aid anymore! And look at all the incident reports you're making me fill out!"

As they bicker, Yumichika, who is also working at a desk, seems a bit annoyed.

"Everyone sure is getting on everyone's nerves…"

He looks to Orihime and says, "Orihime-chan, if you would…"

"Y-Yes!" she says, approaching the injured.

—

Later, many Shinigami are leaving, saying, "Thank you!" while Orihime waves saying, "You're welcome!"

"Sorry," says Ikkaku, alarming Orihime. "Hopefully Kuchiki-taichou isn't throwing too much of a fit, with you being here…"

"I wonder about that," Orihime says, "Maybe I should start heading back to the Kuchiki Manor."

Yumichika says, "That's probably the right thing to do. While we will still have more of the injured incoming, we don't want you to overextend your stay here."

As Orihime starts to head out, she asks, "Um, if you don't mind me asking, why are all the members from Squad 11 getting hurt?"

Ikkaku crosses his arms. "Well, fighting amongst themselves has been their idiotic way of protesting the recovery efforts after the Wandenreich. Sure, we were victorious, but the stain of losing that many comrades in battle hasn't been taken well by our squadron."

"It's been three years, but these fights tend to surface every couple of months. You see, rejecting the recovery efforts is almost like their way of grieving," says Yumichika.

"I see," says Orihime.

"And without the Captain to discipline them," says Yumichika, "we've lost a bit of the authority to scold them too."

"What's happened with Zaraki-san?" asks Orihime. "Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Yachiru-chan anywhere…"

Both Ikkaku and Yumichika give grim expressions, and eventually Yumichika speaks:

"The Lieutenant hasn't been seen since the Wandenreich. And the Captain tends to wander off on his own now."

Orihime is shocked. "So that's why she didn't attend the Kuchiki-Abarai wedding…" She looks down. "Of course… it's because of Yachiru-chan…"

Orihime is about to leave, but she stops herself from leaving and comes back into the room.

"Orihime-chan?" wonders Yumichika.

"We should hold a wrestling tournament!"

Both Yumichika and Ikkaku are lost for words at Orihime's outburst.

—

At the courtyard for Squad 11, where many of the members are still sparring with one another, Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Orihime approach, all of them wearing wrestling masks that Orihime had apparently been able to put together with some string and cardboard.

"Alright, you chumps!" says Ikkaku, speaking out through a megaphone. "Everyone who's using their zanpakuto is now officially registered in our wrestling tournament!"

Many of the folks in Squad 11 question the word,

"Wrestling?"