Bleach: The Forgotten Captain - The Memoirs of Akari Miyazaki

Chapter 9: Promotion and Judgment

I rested my head on my hands and groaned loudly. Mayuri was indeed creepy, but the real problem was Tousen. If he and Aizen took up captain positions, they would have incredible power and freedom for their terrible experiments.

"Aizen and Tousen... don't trust them." Rangiku nodded.

"As for Gin..." She perked up. I couldn't tell her, not to trust him; he had never done anything to harm me or her, quite the opposite, he had even tried to protect me, and he wouldn't harm Rangiku either.

"Just be cautious if something seems strange to you," I advised her, and she seemed relieved that I hadn't said anything worse.

--

The following weeks were a nightmare. Having to witness Aizen strolling around in the white captain's haori was unbearable.

Gin became his vice-captain, and Tousen, Soifon, Komamura, and Mayuri were also promoted. I tried to suppress my anger whenever we had a captains' meeting, but it became increasingly difficult each time.

Then came a day when one of these meetings shattered my world, which already seemed half-ruined. Aizen stepped forward to report, and the more he spoke, the greater my horror grew.

"We have certain evidence that this Hougyoku was not, as ordered by the Central Chamber, locked away but still remains in the Soul Society and is accessible to anyone. It is said that the renegade, Kisuke Urahara, passed this dangerous object to someone to continue his work. This is how the hollowfied Shinigami we destroyed this morning in Rukongai was created, as everyone knows." I held my breath; no, I hadn't known.

Rangiku, too, had wide eyes and shook her head slightly; she hadn't known either.

"I'm sorry to say, but all the evidence points to you, Captain Miyazaki."

Aizen looked at me sympathetically, as if genuinely sorry to accuse me. However, something in his eyes laughed triumphantly. I relaxed my body, unclenched my fists, and took a deep breath.

I knew I didn't stand a chance.

"I have nothing to do with it," I said nevertheless, but Aizen presented an argument that was unbeatable. He had witnesses who claimed they had seen me with the Hougyoku, seen me hollowify a man and mumble something about Kisuke's work, and all sorts of other nonsense.

Everyone looked at me in shock, and I felt that some seemed incredulous. But they had no choice; it was evidently me.

"Arrest her," the Captain-Commander said wearily, as if tired of saying it. He seemed disappointed.

"One moment," I requested and stepped in front of Yamamoto-Genryusai. I whispered, so only he could hear me. "I just want you to keep my words in mind. I know that at the moment, I can't prove either my innocence or Kisuke's... but if these crimes continue here... Keep an eye on Sosuke Aizen."

The Captain-Commander raised an eyebrow but said nothing. I turned around to face the other Captains and Vice-Captains, my hands shaking.

"One day, the truth will come to light. Then I will personally bring to justice those who falsely accused me and my friends."

With these words, I left the room and was immediately taken by two guards from the Central Chamber.

It felt like a terrible nightmare. I remember countless strange faces around me ceaselessly moving their mouths, but nothing sensible came out. It wasn't until the sentence was pronounced that I listened.

"Akari Miyazaki," I stood up for the pronouncement of the sentence.

"You will today relinquish your captain's haori, we will put this reminder on you, and you will leave Seireitei. The verdict is banishment to Rukongai; entering Seireitei is hereby forbidden to you."

A man approached me; he had two thin black metal bands that he put around my wrists. They shrunk with a burst of energy so tightly that I couldn't remove them. They were cool and felt strange.

Someone ripped my haori from my shoulders; then I was pushed out of the room, driven through the corridors of Seireitei, past my friends who were boiling with anger, to the gate that led to Rukongai.

"Akari!" I turned around when I heard Yamachi's voice. He ran towards me and took me into his arms.

"You can't do this," he shouted at the guards from the Central Chamber, but they remained unmoved.

"She is the daughter of one of the four most powerful noble families of Seireitei. I demand that you reconsider her sentence!" he shouted, but they still didn't move.

Finally, one of the judges appeared behind the guard and announced that the sentence was final and that they had already shown mercy, allowing me to keep my Zanpakuto. Yamachi struggled with tears, but I gratefully squeezed his hand.

"It's okay. We'll meet in Rukongai... If I can't be a Shinigami, then I don't belong in Seireitei anyway," I explained to him, and he nodded slowly. I hugged him one last time before making my way to the gate.

It was already open, and just before I stepped through, I glanced back. Yamachi stood next to Byakuya, who nodded encouragingly at me, Rangiku had a tear on her face, and even Gin I saw in the distance.

I shot him an angry look and wasn't sure if he was sad or relieved that I had to leave Seireitei.

I walked through the gate, which closed with a loud bang. One day, I would return, and then Aizen had to watch out.

For several hours, I wandered through Rukongai, unsure of where to go, but then something came back to me. I remembered the little girl, Mana, whom I had once reunited with her mother, Miaka, and helped them build a small house.

Perhaps I could stay with them for a few nights. It took a few hours for me to find the place again; it was quite far out. The door was opened by Mana, who had grown considerably older since the last time I had seen her.

"Mama, come quickly!" she called and swung the door open. Miaka came running and was overjoyed. They agreed immediately, set food on the table, and provided me with everything I needed. They even had a vacant room for me. After dinner, I took a walk. Today, I wanted to risk visiting Kisuke. Even though I knew it was risky, I just had to talk to him about everything that happened since he left. I needed his comfort, his calmness but most of all a tight hug.

I left the urban part until I reached a small forest. Kisuke was the one who had taught me how to open a gate to the world of the living. I took a deep breath and soon had the gate erected. I stretched, feeling a nervous excitement within me. I hadn't seen Kisuke for several weeks and was looking forward to embracing him.

I ran and soon found myself in the passage to the other world. At first, everything was as usual, but then something happened that I had never experienced before. The black wristbands lit up, and with a violent jolt that took the air out of my lungs, I was thrown back and found myself sitting in front of the gate again.

I stared at the wristbands in silence for a moment, stood up, and tried again. This time with a little more momentum and strength.

I was thrown back.

Again and again and again.

No matter how many times I tried, I was thrown back, no matter how fast I ran, how much energy I used, I ended up in front of the gate.

I don't remember how many times I tried until I sat motionless in front of the gate and pounded my fists on the ground.

Deep inside, I had known that these wristbands couldn't just be accessories. Yes, I had sensed that Aizen was crueler than just banishing me to Rukongai. A violent sob escaped my throat.

These shackles bound me to the Soul Society. I had made Kisuke promise not to enter it.

"They have separated us... Kisuke."