Normally, Captain Retsu Unohana would have soared to Sōkyoku Hill on the back of her Zanpakutō, Minazuki, or used Flash Step to make her journey swift. But Minazuki no longer listened to her. That, combined with the presence of Rukia and Momo by her side left her with no choice but to make the journey on foot. Long corridors and winding stairs took them through Senzaikyū, the prison for criminals awaiting their execution. Currently, no prisoner was held here.
Once they exited Senzaikyū, they stepped onto a wide, open bridge leading to Sōkyoku Hill. At its far end a massive scaffold was set. Unohana saw many familiar faces around the hill. Captain Jūshirō Ukitake, Captain Sajin Komamura, Captain Shunsui Kyōraku, Captain Shiba Isshin, Vice-Captain Madarame Ikkaku, Vice-Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, and Vice-Captain Kaien Shiba were all there, talking in hushed whispers.
"So many high-profile Shinigami in one spot," Rukia murmured under her breath, sounding a little overwhelmed. Her eyes darted between the captains. "Kazuya is a high-profile Shinigami, too, come to think of—ow!" She yelped when Momo smacked the back of her head. "What was that for?!"
Fluttering her eyelashes innocently, Momo gave Rukia a playful pout. "Rukia-chan, I love you. But I can't let you go unpunished for reminding me of Kazuya-kun. Now I'm missing him."
Rukia rubbed the back of her head. "Isn't your head always full of him, anyway?"
"I think about other people sometimes…"
"Why are you looking away? Have a straight face if you're telling the truth!"
Momo cleared her throat. "Rukia-chan, did you know Sokyoku Hill is an execution site for high-level offenders?"
"It is!" Isane chimed in, helping Momo distract Rukia. "I never want to be on the receiving end of Sōkyoku's fury. It's said to have the destructive power of a million Zanpakutō combined."
"Avoiding an execution here is as simple as leading a crimless life," Unohana said, feeling like she'd be the last person lecturing others to avoid the life of crimes. "I trust Kazuya won't let you do anything drastic…"
Unless you do it to the man himself — Unohana kept those words to herself. Calling Momo out was simply useless as both her and the target of her obsession had long accepted this out-of-line behavior. Kazuya had a different mindset, though it was only because of this mindset she had found someone who showed no disgust for her bloodlust.
"These two wouldn't hurt a fly," stated Rangiku Matsumoto, who had suddenly fallen in step beside them. Her teasing glance drifted playfully over to Momo and Rukia. "Anyway, let me introduce you two to Captain Shiba. That spiky-haired man over there is him."
She gave a short wave. However, Isshin seemed too absorbed in his discussion with Kaien to notice her.
Momo straightened her back and bobbed her head politely. "He is one of the nicest people around."
She had bonded with only a few people. Isshin was one of those rare ones due to his open kindness.
Rangiku looked confused before the realization settled in her. "Oh, right! You stayed at Kūkaku's before your academy entrance. That lady makes fireworks with the temper of one. Did she give you a hard time?"
"No. She is very sweet if you don't step on her toes," Momo said with a soft giggle, recalling Kazuya teasing Kūkaku to the point she chased after him with a sword. "Kazuya-kun gave her a hard time."
Rangiku could hardly keep her laughter in check. "Kūkaku getting bullied. Never thought it'd happen in a million years. Ahhh, if only you invited me to that grand experience."
Rukia stood confused by Momo's side, absorbing the conversation with wide eyes. She knew little about Kūkaku—and even less about the shenanigans that had happened in the 1st District—so she tugged on Momo's sleeve. Momo happily filled her in on her stay at Kūkaku's place, though Rukia kept craning her neck at the gathering of captains as if wanting to meet them.
Eventually, Rangiku decided she had waited long enough. She cupped her hands around her mouth and hollered in Isshin's direction, prompting Isshin and Kaien to break away from their circle and approach her. Everyone behind the pair acknowledged Unohana with respectful nods. The respect and fear Unohana had in the Gotei 13 simply couldn't be put into words.
"Momo-chan, Isane-chan, Captain Unohana!" He placed a finger on his chin and examined Rukia. "That uniform… black hair… Byakuya's sister-in-law, right? Rukia-chan?"
Rukia straightened abruptly, almost saluting in reflex. "Yes, Captain Shiba."
"No need to stand on formality," Kaien said, turning to Unohana. "Captain Unohana, where is Kazuya?"
"On a trip," Unohana calmly replied. "Captain Shiba, any leads on the culprit behind the incident?"
Isshin furrowed his brows. "None. The guards arrived here in seconds. They found no one… It's strange."
Unohana inclined her head. A nagging suspicion about Aizen tugged at the back of her mind, though she hoped for this to be merely an accident—one that didn't involve either Aizen or any of his grand plots.
Isshin snapped his attention to Rangiku, resting a broad hand on her shoulder. "I remember giving you a task. Why has Kazuya not reported yet?"
"Captain," Rangiku said, forcing a bright laugh. "He needs some time to settle down in the fourth division. He'll show up soon. Promise."
She told lies with a brave face, quite confident in her ability to invite Kazuya. A penetrating gaze bore a hole in her back—Unohana wasn't pleased with Rangiku's attempt to poach her best Shinigami and her pupil.
"Sorry, Unohana-san, Isane. Have to follow orders."
Isane rubbed the back of her head. "Just don't ask him to be exclusive. We need him too."
"'We'? Don't you mean 'you'?"
Isane blushed. "Stop messing with me."
"Hahaha."
Isshin was too dense to pick up any hints from the not-so-subtle conversation between Rangiku and Isane. He clapped his hands. "Good job, Vice-Captain. You might be lazy, but you always get the work done. You're quite reliable in a sense."
Rangiku smiled foxily. "Does that mean I can take the next week off, Captain~?"
"No." Isshin shot down her hope in an instant. "You can have a day off. It's the most we can afford in these times."
Rangiku threw her arms in the air, her jiggling breasts making her grown-up captain blush like a maiden. She was too lost in her bubble of happiness to notice her captain's reaction. "I'll take it."
"She calls herself a responsible adult," Rukia whispered, shaking her head. "Hmph, all big-breasted girls are stupid like her."
Momo, close enough to catch the complaint, felt like she was listening to Shiro grumble about his archnemesis — big breasts. "Don't judge girls by their breasts, or you'll become a 'breastist.'"
"Eh, it's not the time to make boob jokes. This situation is quite grave."
As their chatter died down, Isshin reminded Rangiku to return to the division office before he gave a small farewell wave. He then strode off to handle more pressing matters like napping under a tree, napping in his office, or napping at his home. Kaien offered a polite nod to Unohana before jogging after his uncle. He, too, was off to spend some sweet time with his wife.
Moments later, Captain Shunsui Kyōraku approached Unohana and her companions as though he was waiting for Isshin to leave. He tipped his straw hat in greeting, though the many lines of strain on his brow indicated his easy smile was mostly for show.
"Good afternoon, Hinamori-chan. Kuchiki-san," Shunsui greeted warmly. "It's wonderful to meet Kazuya-kun's, ah… official girlfriends."
"Wait—official? Does he have 'unofficial' girlfriends out there too?!" She started chewing her thumb's nail in frustration. "Of course there are. Ugh, why can't he be content? That slimy—"
Momo quickly placed a hand on Rukia's back, patting it as if trying to calm a pet. "Deep breaths, Rukia-chan."
"I am! How could I survive without breathing?!" Rukia huffed. "I'll get him to list everyone, official or not."
"That's the spirit," Momo said before bowing her head to Shunsui. "I apologize for my friend's erratic behavior. She tends to lose her reasoning without kissing Kazuya-kun every morning… Love has made her like this."
Rukia looked mortified. "S-Stop making me sound insane."
Shunsui got a good chuckle out of their interesting relationship. "Me and Jushiro used to be like that in our academy days… those days when Dai-Senpai used to lecture me to overcome my laziness and put more effort into training."
He had gone from a juvenile rookie to a veteran Shinigami in those years, but Unohana's role had remained the captain of the 4th Squad.
Rukia's eyes widened. "Unohana Nee-sama is that old?"
"That amazes you?" Unohana asked with a chuckle. "Captain Commander has been leading the Gotei 13 ever since its establishment over two thousand years ago. He's much older than me."
Unohana wasn't the type to shy from admitting her age. She'd be quite relieved if Kazuya could accept it too and give up on the idea of being with her. But she knew he wasn't going to.
"I knew that from the academy… Still amazes me that people that old are so powerful."
Momo nudged Rukia playfully. "We'll be too if we stick with Kazuya-kun."
Rukia crossed her arms and looked away. "I don't know. He'll probably ditch us before that."
"He'll never do it. Let's ask, Isane Nee-san."
Isane's cheeks flushed from the endearing way Momo addressed her. Even her blood sister never added this sweetness in her voice. "Y-Yeah, Kazuya-kun won't. I'm sure of it."
"See!"
Rukia pouted. "I don't believe it."
While the two bickered, Shunsui motioned Unohana aside, and they stepped a little ways from the group—just far enough for a private conversation.
"It happened the day Kazuya left," Shunsui whispered. "Do you think he is behind that?"
Shunsui, who knew everything about Aizen from his trip to Living World, immediately made his doubts known to Unohana.
"It's entirely possible. A distraction for his plan?" She paused, letting out a quiet sigh. "I can't be sure of his motive, if this is indeed his doing."
Shunsui narrowed his eyes. "He's a complicated one."
Unohana glanced over her shoulder, spotting Isane looking her way — her Vice-Captain had her ears keen for their conversation. Before she could say anything to Isane, a looming shadow crept over them, blocking out the sun.
A massive manta ray shape had covered the sky out of nowhere, its pale belly descending slowly on the Sōkyoku Hill.
Unohana's eyes went wide in surprise. "Minazuki…"
It was Minazuki's physical form expanded to an enormous scale. As it descended, she saw a group of people riding its back, each one radiating an unsettling Reiatsu that she had never felt before. Leading this group was a hunched figure with unnervingly long nails that clicked together in an ear-grating noise.
His pale face curved in a smirk. "Zanpakutō Spirits, let the rebellion begin."
***
You can read 20 more chapters on my Patreon!
patreon.com/Lordheaven