The day of the examination had arrived.
There were multiple examination segments, and ironically, the first part I had looked forward to the most was the one that disappointed me the most. For the first time, we were allowed to engage in a real battle in the world of the living.
We visited a town where Hollows were causing trouble, but they posed no challenge to any of us. Within a few hours, we were back at the academy.
The subsequent examination sections were similar to our midterm exams the previous year, except that a representative from each Gotei 13 company was present to observe and evaluate the candidates.
Each examinee could express preferences for which company they would like to be assigned to, but I was undecided, so I did not make a wish.
The examinations were much longer and more intense than any before, as we had to perform various tasks in different areas. Not only Kido and swordsmanship, but also healing abilities, organization, authority, personnel leadership, and documentation. Overall, all exam segments lasted two days, and I remember that after the last part, we all sat on a bench waiting for our results.
Several others sat around us, sharing with each other how they had solved each task. We had agreed not to utter a word about our exams, and everyone respected that.
"Kuchiki, Byakuya," was the first one of us to be called. A young Shinigami holding a large parchment in his hand scrutinized Byakuya with open curiosity as he made his way to the examination committee. I briefly squeezed his shoulder, before he went inside.
For a while, nothing happened, then the young Shinigami returned, calling out a few other people I vaguely knew. Eventually, he read out, "Matsumoto, Rangiku."
She swallowed and took a deep breath before she too disappeared into the dark hallway. The waiting was the worst.
"Miyazaki, Akari," I clenched my fists to press out the nervousness from my fingers. Yamachi and Kisuke nodded encouragingly, and I followed the path that Rangiku and Byakuya had already taken.
I found myself in the examination room, observing the representatives of the different companies scribbling on their papers.
"Miyazaki, Akari," I was greeted by Choujirou Sasakibe, the Vice Commander of the first unit, who was leading this session. It was my first encounter with him.
"Your results were excellent, only your healing skills could be further developed. Anyway, we have rated your abilities equivalent to that of an officer in the fourth rank, and the tenth company desires you in their ranks," he nodded to an older man whom I recognized as Ivan Youru. He was the third officer of the Tenth Company, holding the currently highest position in the company.
It had been a while since the Tenth Company had a captain or vice-captain.
"Do you accept this position?" Sasakibe asked me, and it took me a brief moment to find my voice again, as I still didn't quite grasp what I had just heard.
"Yes, I—I do," I said, astonished at how firm my voice sounded.
Ivan Youru smiled at me. He stood up, grabbed a bundle, and approached me.
"Welcome to the Tenth," he said kindly, handing me the bundle. I realized it was my Shinigami uniform along with a wooden badge bearing the insignia of the Tenth Company and the fourth officer.
I swallowed and accepted the bundle.
"Thank you, I'm excited," I admitted, and he instructed me to go to the barracks of the tenth unit. I left the room and took a deep breath. Then I followed his instructions until I arrived at a large room. I slowly pushed the door open and recognized two more people holding a similar bundle in their arms as I did, crouching on the floor.
"Akari!" one of them screamed, and I recognized it was Rangiku. She jumped up and hugged me.
"We're in the same company?" she exclaimed joyfully, and I hugged her back. Then her gaze fell on my badge, and she gasped.
"Fourth?" she whispered, and I nodded slowly, hoping she could see the disbelief in my eyes. She showed me her own badge, and I was pleasantly surprised that she had also attained an officer rank.
"Tenth, that's wonderful," I said, and she shrugged somewhat shyly. She hadn't expected to reach an officer rank at all. There were twenty officers in each company. She had the tenth rank, making her one of the ten strongest in the company. So, her training had really paid off.
A few more entered the room, but none of our friends were among them, and none of them carried a wooden badge. It took almost two hours until Ivan Youru arrived and could officially greet us once again.
He assigned sleeping quarters to everyone except Rangiku and me. He asked us to stay for a moment while the others could now go get their belongings from the academy or home to bring them to their new accommodations.
"There is a single room for each officer, the suites for vice-captains and captains are upstairs, but that shouldn't concern you at the moment since they are currently unoccupied, as you surely know," he rummaged in a cupboard, "here are the keys," he handed each of us a small key with a number engraved on it.
On mine, the number four, and on Rangiku's, the number ten.
"You are located in the left part of the main building; only the first ten have their rooms in the main. The lower ten have their accommodations between the dorms of the others," he explained further, pointing to a map outlining the buildings of the Tenth Company.
That was the beginning of my career in the Gotei 13.
My room wasn't particularly large, but compared to our sleeping quarters at the academy, it felt enormous. I had my own small bathroom and a little kitchen. Rangiku's room was an exact copy of mine.
The same symbols adorned our doors as on our keys and wooden badges: the emblem of the Tenth Company and the respective rank.
I had nearly finished exploring my room when there was a knock on the door, and Rangiku stood in her Shinigami uniform in front of me. I had also changed, and a strange feeling came over me. I felt the new phase of life I was stepping into.
"Ready for this, I'd say," remarked Rangiku with a grin, and I laughed.
"Shall we?" she asked, and I nodded. We had agreed earlier to meet at eleven o'clock at our favorite spot, the meadow at the academy.
It was dark, and a cool breeze swept around us.
I had to hold back from outpacing Rangiku, as thanks to Yoruichi's training, I was now much faster than her. When we arrived at the meadow, a figure was already there.
As we approached, I recognized it was Kisuke. He too wore the black Shinigami uniform and had a wooden badge attached to his arm.
"Good evening, you lovely officers," he greeted us mischievously, and Rangiku laughed cheerfully, all the burden seemed to have lifted off her. She plopped down on the meadow.
"Kisuke, man, the fourth rank for you too?" she asked, eyeing his badge.
"You two, always the achievers," she teased us, and I sat down on the grass. Kisuke and I exchanged a glance and laughed, but I quickly averted my gaze. Since our conversation a week ago, it had been strange between us. Kisuke behaved towards me as before, yet I noticed his sidelong glances when he thought I wasn't looking. I felt I owed him an answer, but I had deliberately avoided it so far.
"Second Company, huh?" Rangiku remarked, pulling me out of my thoughts. I glanced again at Kisuke's badge. Yoruichi had chosen him as an officer, but not me.
Though I didn't want to admit it, it pricked me a little. Then I felt a gust of wind, and as if out of nowhere, Byakuya sat beside me, one leg stretched out and the other casually bent.
Little did I know, it would be the last time I would see him so relaxed on a meadow for a long time. He grinned widely when he saw my badge, and I returned his smile.
"Another fourth officer? Geez, I can't even show myself with you guys," groaned Rangiku, and Byakuya rolled his eyes. He was the fourth officer of the sixth unit, on a good path to one day take his grandfather's place as the captain of the sixth.
We chatted for a while, relaxed, sharing a bit about the exams and laughing together when Yamachi finally showed up.
He wore his usual attire and didn't sit. We fell silent.
"Yamachi..." I began softly, but he smiled broadly. "Rank of the nineteenth officer of the Eleventh."
We congratulated him, but we already sensed he had more to say. He looked at me, and everyone else fell silent again.
"I declined the job."
I smiled, and the others seemed to have expected it too, except Rangiku, who looked surprised.
"What?" she asked, astonished.
"You know... I only took this exam to prove to myself that I could do it. But I will soon become the head of the family, and the Miyazaki family has a lot of responsibilities. We own many companies in Rukongai that I have to take care of. I would definitely neglect either one... I couldn't do that either to my company or my family."
Although I had known it for a long time, it still saddened me. It would mean seeing Yamachi much less frequently.
Nevertheless, we congratulated him on his great performance and toasted to our successful exams. Rangiku had a bottle of champagne, and even Byakuya didn't miss the chance to raise a glass with us.
We laughed heartily, talked about our exams, and ate sweets when suddenly I felt a Reiatsu, that I hadn't felt in a long time.
Everyone fell silent as a person slowly approached us.
"Congratulations... to all of you," he said, but no one replied. It was Gin standing there.
I looked up, and our eyes met for a moment. The silence became oppressive, and Gin's lips twisted into a sad smile. He turned on his heel and started to leave, but a "Thank you" burst out of me. He stopped briefly, turned around once more, and gave me a brief smile before disappearing again.
I felt Kisuke's gaze on the back of my head and saw that his hands were clenched into fists, but he said nothing. I grabbed my glass and held it out to Rangiku.
"I need another drink."
--
The first missions in the world of the living were exciting, dangerous, and funny. The living couldn't see us, which occasionally led to amusing situations, and the most Hollows were easy to defeat.
But occasionally, I encountered stronger opponents. It only took a few months for Byakuya and Kisuke to be promoted to the third rank.
I wans't. But not because I lacked the abilities, but because of an agreement between Ivan and me. I had promised my third officer, even if I didn't want to believe his words.
"Listen, Akari, you're already stronger than me, but they can't promote you to a higher rank than the fourth yet. They want you to gain experience first. That's why they'll offer you my job in a few months... I would like to ask you not to accept it," for a moment, I had almost looked at him angrily, but he shook his head.
"Please don't misunderstand me. It's just... I don't want to be demoted, and I'm sure it's only a matter of time before they offer you the position of the Vice-Captain."
Indeed, it didn't take long before I found myself facing Sasakibe again in a room. A few officers I didn't know sat beside him.
"Why?" the Vice-Captain of the first unit asked, raising an eyebrow, as I declined the promotion. I decided to stick to the truth.
"I don't want to take anyone's position if I can achieve a standalone position through training and discipline."
That amused him. I spent the rest of the day with Rangiku, who had also been promoted. And we baked a rhubarb-carrot cake.
"Hello, ladies," I heard a raspy voice, and we turned around.
"Shin!?" I exclaimed in astonishment when I recognized my old friend in the doorway, whom I had last seen before my exam.
"Akari, heard you're my superior now," he laughed, and I grinned broadly at him.
"Rangiku, may I introduce our fifth officer?" "I live in the room next door," he explained, just sitting down and grabbing a piece of cake.
"I am Isshin Shiba," he introduced himself to Rangiku, who shook his hand, looking quite bewildered.
"I actually wanted to attain the rank of the fourth, but you beat me to it," his gaze seemed amused, but also challenging.
"Don't worry, I'll free that up for you soon," I replied, and Shin burst into laughter.
"Shiba, huh?" Rangiku asked, and I knew the name too. The Shiba family was one of the lesser noble families living outside of Seireitei. I had never been aware before that Shin belonged to them.
"I had an extended assignment in the world of the living, several weeks down there, and this is like paradise. Your cake is rare... but delicious," he grabbed a second piece, and we laughed.
He was a humorous guy, and we got along quite well.
"Hey," I turned around, Kisuke had come. We had invited him to celebrate the promotions; his gaze wandered slightly confused to Shin, who was introducing himself with a full mouth. Somehow, they resembled each other in a certain way. Byakuya sent us a brief message that he had no time, so we sent a piece of our cake to the sixth unit.
"Well, I'm going to bed," Rangiku mumbled eventually, and Shin stretched contentedly.
"Then I'd better be on my way too," Kisuke stated, but as Shin and Rangiku were leaving my room and Kisuke was about to follow them, I called him back.
"Someone could help me with the tidying up already," I grumbled at him, Rangiku picked up her pace. She wasn't fond of tidying up, and Shin followed suit, slamming the door behind him. I wouldn't have minded cleaning up alone; it was only four plates, but I wanted to seize this opportunity to speak with Kisuke alone. He seemed to sense that.
Calmly, he stacked the plates in front of him and said nothing. It was hard for me to find the right words, but more importantly, it was difficult to sort out my thoughts correctly.
"I've been thinking a lot," I began slowly, and Kisuke paused in his actions.
"When I had that mission in Rukongai back in the academy days... " I faltered for a moment. Kisuke now looked at me openly, and it was hard for me to look him directly in the eyes.
"Somewhere during that time, the memories of Rangiku, Byakuya, my mother, and probably several others must have been manipulated. I can't quite explain how... but it must have been a pretty powerful Shinigami. I believe... when Gin broke up with me, he wanted to protect me."
Kisuke lowered his gaze, and for a moment, I feared he would just get up and leave. But then he looked directly at me again.
"I believe you're right," he said quite simply, and I could hardly believe what I was hearing.
"I believe, however, that you are vastly underestimating the whole story, Akari."
I furrowed my brow and said nothing, simply waited for a moment as he continued to elaborate.
"What the Hollow fired at you... is called a Cero. That is an extremely powerful attack, and healing such a wound requires the highest level of healing arts and, above all... Akari, if after three days only such a faint scar is visible from such a wound..." He paused, and I looked at him expectantly.
"Then what?" He tilted his head.
"That is truly the highest level of healing arts. I don't want to presume that I know so much about this area, so I did, of course, conduct some inquiries back then, under the strictest discretion."
"You did what?" I wasn't sure if I should be angry or surprised, but Kisuke immediately raised his hands defensively.
"Don't worry, I asked so many different questions that no one would have noticed this question in between! But yes, I spoke with some healers from the fourth division, and they all agreed: Only one person in all of Seireitei can heal such a wound so quickly."
For a moment, it was completely silent, and I felt like I already knew the answer.
"Retsu Unohana."
The captain of the fourth division, the chief healer of the Gotei 13. I swallowed.
"But if she healed me back then... I mean, I was a student at the academy, wouldn't she have had to report such an incident?"
Kisuke nodded, and I saw that his hands were clenched into fists.
"Yes, she certainly would have... if she remembered it."
It hit me like a punch, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe.
"But can that... be?"
"Akari, even Ichimaru would have had to report it, or any other trained Shinigami who was there on that mission back then. But someone seems to have ensured that everyone forgot that it even happened. Someone wanted to cover up this event, and if that someone has the power to deceive even the captain of the fourth division, we need to be cautious..."
I swallowed and didn't know what to say. My throat burned, but I didn't want to cry in front of Kisuke, so I said nothing.
"I know you trust Gin... and I also don't think he really meant any harm to you. But who knows what he got himself into. After all, he still remembers everything, which shows that he's somehow involved. We should keep an eye on him... him and this Aizen."
"Do you think Vice-Captain Aizen is involved too?"
"He was the highest-ranking Shinigami who was with you on that mission back then, right? He was the one who always wanted to take us on these missions, and he is the one... who is interested in quite questionable research areas. I don't trust him, and you shouldn't either, Akari. And even if Gin might not mean you any harm... we shouldn't trust him either, even if it's hard for you."
I stood up and turned away to hide the tears that were now running from my eyes. I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself. But Kisuke had simply confirmed what I had already feared.
Although neither of us knew what had happened, we both understood that it couldn't be something good and that we were dangerously close to something ominous.
Suddenly, I felt Kisuke's hand on my shoulder.
"Akari," he began, but I didn't want to hear anything more. I turned around abruptly and buried my face in his chest. Without another word, he wrapped his arms around me, and I simply enjoyed this moment. I knew it wasn't fair to get so close to him physically after he had confessed his feelings to me, and I had never responded, but his embrace seemed to heal me from the inside.
I pulled away and looked at him.
"Sorry," I murmured, wiping away one last tear from my face.
"It's okay, that's what friends are for," he replied, and for a moment, we looked at each other. I felt a tingling in my stomach and looked away from him.
"Kisuke, listen..." I began stammering, but he turned away.
"It's okay, Akari. Like I said, you can just forget what I said there..."
"But I don't want to forget... I just... can't, I..." I stammered, again unable to find the words. Kisuke was still quite close to me and leaned in slightly, so his lips were very close to my ear.
"It's okay. I can wait," he whispered, and I felt his breath on my skin. His hand grabbed mine, squeezed it briefly, and without another word, he disappeared from my chambers. I stood like a statue in the spot where he had left me for a long time and felt the warmth of his hand within mine.
--
The months flew by, and a certain sense of normalcy returned between Kisuke and me, though I always felt indebted to him. We spent less time together than before our exams, allowing me to avoid situations where we were alone.
However, in late autumn, we were assigned a task in the world of the living. It was a decision from higher up, and I couldn't refuse it. It was the first time in a long while that we spent time alone, and I was confronted once again with the many unspoken things between us.
We hunted a highly skilled Hollow through the world of the living, stronger than most Hollows I had fought before, and we had some difficulties until we finally managed to destroy it. We would have to report this to Seireitei.
Before we returned, we strolled through a small village, admiring the architecture of the buildings. Both Kisuke and I had taken a liking to appreciating human craftsmanship.
In a small side alley, we found a little shop. Kisuke studied the shop window for a while, and I watched him attentively.
"Imaginable," I murmured, and he gave me a puzzled look.
"What?"
"I can imagine you working in a shop like this. You would be your best customer." He laughed, and his gaze towards me was filled with deep affection, making me feel bashful.
"Yes, if I weren't a Shinigami, I'd definitely own a candy store."
We stood like that in front of the store for a while, watching a mother with a small child buying a huge bag of candies. We made our way back to the Soul Society, and after reporting our mission, a thought occurred to me.
I rummaged through my closet and soon found what I was looking for. Swiftly, I made my way to Kisuke, actually visiting his accommodation for the very first time.
He opened the door and blinked in surprise when he saw me standing there. It was strange; usually, we met at Rangiku's or my place, and I had never seen his room.
It was quite similar in layout to mine but with different furniture. Additionally, he had a huge table with test tubes and tools.
"I have something for you," I said, and without delay, I handed him a paper bag from which he now pulled out a big red lollipop. He began to laugh heartily, and it warmed my heart to see him so joyful.
"Thank you for this gift!"
"Thank you for waiting for me for so long," I whispered, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and left him confused but smiling in the corridor.
It was a gradual process of getting closer.
--
Another year passed, and we spent more time together. The uncomfortable feeling between us faded with each passing day. The good thing was, we had incredibly much to do, so we hardly had time to dwell on our thoughts.
Rangiku had already risen to the seventh rank; she learned faster since she started engaging in real battles. Then came a day when I was assigning cases to some Shinigami when the door opened, and two captains stood in the doorway.
I paused in my actions and held my breath.
I knew Yoruichi well, but I hadn't had much interaction with Unohana. She was the captain of the fourth division and the best healer in the Soul Society.
A sudden pain followed by a blurred memory shot through my head, and I held my hands to my temples. It was as if I had seen Unohana before, leaning over me with a serious gaze. She said something like, "Hurry, she's bleeding." That was the entire memory.
I thought about my conversation with Kisuke, and a sour taste filled my mouth. The blurry memory confirmed Kisuke's suspicion that Unohana had healed my injury herself back then. With that, his theory that an incredibly powerful Shinigami must have manipulated the memories of my friends and even Unohana herself seemed true.
"Miyazaki, Akari," she said softly, pulling me out of my thoughts. Yoruichi crossed her arms with a mischievous grin on her face.
"Would you please come with us."
I followed them silently, still lost in thought until I realized, astonished, that we had arrived at the First Division.
We were in a room that somewhat resembled the training rooms at the academy but was larger and more modern.
"It's a kind of test; please do your best," said Unohana, and Yoruichi nodded encouragingly.
They attached electrodes to me, just like in the training rooms, and sat in a separate room visible through a window, observing me.
It began with ordinary Hollows, progressed to stronger ones, and eventually other Shinigami, all of them having the same face. Here, I had to apply a little more skill, but I was not really challenged.
Finally, a Shinigami in a white haori appeared and attacked me. He was fast, skilled, and strong; his Reiatsu felt so real that for a moment, I felt like I couldn't breathe. I gathered my concentration, tensed every muscle in my body, and took a deep breath. His power pressed me down, his speed exhausted me, and his skill made me stagger.
There was something I had secretly trained for.
No one knew about it, not even Rangiku or Kisuke, for I had not had it under control for a long time. But recently, it had improved. I could control it, I knew that. Yet, I hesitated.
Was I ready to show it to others?
The opponent attacked me again, making me stagger and gaining the upper hand. I had only a fraction of a second to make a decision.
"Very well, Hanako," I murmured to my sword, "Bankai."
I felt the sword vibrate in my hand, and my Reiatsu surged. The air around me swirled, and I felt free, like a bird that had finally escaped its cage. The form of my Zanpakuto changed. It was now slimmer, longer, and shimmered in a dark violet hue. I felt my muscles grow stronger and my mind sharper. I went on the offensive. His blows didn't faze me; I swept them away with my sword like a fly with a swatter. I threw him off balance, spun around, he parried my blow, I swung my sword around and hit him in the face with the hilt; he stumbled backward.
I pursued, kicked him in the chest, causing him to land on the ground, and held the tip of my sword to his throat. He vanished, and I heard a faint applause behind me. I turned around and recognized Yoruichi and Unohana. Behind them stood the Captain-Commander.
"Amazing," he rumbled, taking a few steps toward me.
"I must say, this year's class holds some surprises. I have seen two extraordinarily gifted Shinigami already, but you, Akari Miyazaki, surpass them both. You are the first to have actually defeated the hologram Captain," I felt a slight blush rising within me. I was the first to have defeated the false Captain?
"They have all gathered enough points, but none has defeated him, so that is beyond doubt," he continued, and I didn't understand what he was talking about. Yoruichi and Unohana exchanged meaningful glances and seemed excited.
"Miyazaki, Akari," Yamamoto-Genryusai began solemnly, and for some unknown reason, I stood a bit straighter.
"I, Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryusai, Captain-Commander of the Got 13, hereby promote you, Akari Miyazaki, from Fourth Officer of the Tenth Company to the Captain of the Tenth Company, with immediate effect."
"But... what?" I said, feeling rather foolish. Captain? Me? Immediately? I gasped for air. How could this be?
"Do you accept this promotion?" he asked now, raising his eyebrows; I thought I could detect laughter in his eyes. Clearly, his Vice-Captain had informed him of my declined promotion to Third Officer a while ago.
I nodded, astonished, before I was able to speak. "Yes, I accept the promotion," I said voiceless, and the Captain-Commander nodded in satisfaction.
"We will announce it tomorrow, here," he handed me a small key.
"You'll find attire in your new room. Tomorrow morning at eight in the briefing room of the First Company." With that, he disappeared again, and Unohana and Yoruichi congratulated me.
"I knew it," said Yoruichi, winking at me.
"So then, Captain Miyazaki," Unohana said her goodbyes, and I felt somewhat shy.
I left the room, and Yoruichi pulled me along another corridor, where I saw Byakuya and Kisuke. Byakuya was leaning against a wall, while Kisuke sat on some stairs.
"Akari," Byakuya noticed me first, and Yoruichi grinned broadly at him.
"She defeated him," she exclaimed, and Kisuke's jaw dropped. "So you've been promoted too?" Byakuya asked with narrowed eyes. "Too?" I asked confused, and Kisuke held up something that looked like a key. I glanced at my own and hesitated.
"You've both been promoted to captains?" They nodded, and I laughed.
Byakuya had to smile too, but I could see that something annoyed him. He couldn't defeat the hologram Shinigami; I could. I knew it bothered him.
Nevertheless, I embraced him and was relieved when he returned the hug. I also hugged Kisuke, and his warmth made me nervous.
"I didn't know you all mastered Bankai," Yoruichi mumbled, and each of us exchanged a mysterious grin with her. Actually, all Shinigami knew that each trained their Bankai quietly and secretly. On one hand, it could be advantageous if not everyone knew what ability the Bankai had, and on the other hand, you didn't want others to know if you failed.
We chatted for a while until Ginrei Kuchiki suddenly appeared. He wanted to talk to Byakuya, so we said our goodbyes and went on our way. Yoruichi turned towards the second company, and I frowned.
"Right, which company are you now the Captain of?" I asked, and Kisuke furrowed his brow. "Twelfth Company. Kirio Hikifune has accepted her promotion now," he sounded concerned, "I heard that my new Vice-Captain there is not exactly thrilled about a new Captain. I hope we'll get along."
I had heard about her; she was one of the youngest vice-captains in all of Seireitei and seemed quite spirited.
When I arrived at my company, I entered the main building. In the common room, some officers were sitting, including Ivan, Shin, and Rangiku, nibbling on breadsticks and poring over a map of Seireitei.
I joined them, and they gave me reproachful looks. "Where have you been for so long?" asked Rangiku, sitting up straight. I looked at her intently, putting my finger to my lips to show her she needed to be quiet. Ivan and Shin also noticed, and they eyed me curiously as I carefully opened my hand and showed them the small key.
All three of them widened their eyes, and Rangiku had to suppress a squeal.
"Will you help me tidy up my room?" I asked Rangiku softly; she immediately jumped up, leaving Shin and Ivan bewildered.
I told her everything about the test and also about Byakuya and Kisuke.
"I have also been promoted," she blurted out, and I hugged her. "To the Sixth," she explained, and I smiled. "You know what? From now on, I get to determine the promotions in the company," I suddenly realized, and Rangiku briefly widened her eyes.
"That's right!" "But don't worry, I'll consult with Ivan. He has a good overview. But... this is all so exciting."
Rangiku helped me bring my things to the upper floor. The captain's chambers were almost four times as large as my previous ones. I had a huge bedroom, a large bathroom with a gigantic bathtub, a real kitchen that made Rangiku swoon, and a private living room with a huge sofa and a conference room. The bed was enormous, easily fitting four people side by side. I slept better than I had in a long time.
The next day, I woke up and was momentarily confused until the memories of the previous day caught up with me. I jumped up. When I arrived at the assembly hall of the first company, Byakuya was already there, waiting. The door opened after some time, seemingly by itself. The other captains and vice-captains gradually arrived, only Kisuke was missing.
I stood between the captains of the ninth and eleventh units; the space behind me remained empty as there was no vice-captain in the tenth unit. I nervously shifted from one foot to the other. Kisuke wouldn't be late on his first day as captain, would he?
I heard footsteps; all the other captains had already lined up when Kisuke stood confused in front of the door. The captain's haori suited him quite well (Byakuya, incidentally, too), but he seemed somewhat unsure.
"May I come in?" he asked, and I sighed softly. Of course, he could come in; he was a captain now! One didn't easily get used to the thought. Yoruichi lectured him about standing a bit more upright and moving his behind into the hall. I noticed Shinji Hirako, the captain of the fifth company, who yawned bored and looked at Kisuke with an amused expression.
"What a relaxed guy," he muttered, and I knew from many stories that Captain Hirako wasn't exactly the epitome of authority either. Ginrei Kuchiki solemnly took off his captain's haori and left.
To this day, I don't know where he went back then, but he only came back for a few visits.
"Well, let's start with the new captains," the Captain-Commander announced, and I took a deep breath.
"First, we have the new captain of the sixth company, Byakuya Kuchiki." He informed us that Byakuya had passed the captain's test under the strict gaze of two captains and had accepted the promotion.
"Furthermore, as the new captain of the tenth company, Akari Miyazaki," all eyes were on me, and only now did I notice Vice-Captain Aizen, who stood behind Shinji Hirako, looking at me with a strange expression.
Kisuke was also introduced, and behind him, I saw a girl with blonde braids who stood with crossed arms, angrily staring at the ground. She must be Kisuke's new vice-captain. "Now announce it to your companies."
We left the first company, and as I hurried through the corridors with the white captain's haori, I felt the eyes on me. I pushed open the door to the main house of the tenth company, and all conversations fell silent as they saw me.
"Finally! We have a captain!" someone shouted, and others joined in the cry. No one seemed to have a problem with it; on the contrary, they were delighted to have their unit's highest position filled again.
We celebrated half the night, and I fell exhausted but happy into my huge bed.
--
At first, the tasks overwhelmed me a bit, but after a while, I gained an overview. Unfortunately, Ivan hadn't been in control of all the things our company was responsible for, so there was a lot to catch up on.
Of course, there were many things that Ivan simply didn't trust himself with.
"I will need a vice-captain," I informed him after a few days, and he nodded. "I know. I have some suggestions here," he said, sliding two personnel files over to me. They were for Shin and Rangiku.
"They would then have to undergo a similar test," he explained, and I nodded. I pondered over it. I would have liked Rangiku as my vice-captain, but I couldn't simply bypass Shin.
Ivan didn't want the position, and I also knew he wasn't capable of it. He wouldn't remain a Shinigami for much longer; I was sure of that. I consulted Kisuke about my problem, but he just sighed, wishing he could choose his own vice-captain.
"Hiyori is driving me crazy. She doesn't accept me as her superior," he complained, and I gave him a sympathetic look. The twelfth company wasn't entirely on his side yet. I tried to cheer him up, but he was very exhausted.
On that evening, as I was brooding over paperwork in my living room, there was a knock on my door. "Yes?" I asked, and Shin walked in.
"Do you have a moment?"
"Sure, have a seat."
"Captain Miyazaki," he said, and I laughed.
"Please, for you, I'm Akari," he laughed and started over. "Okay Akari, listen... I've heard that you're considering me for the position of vice-captain," he explained, and I nodded slowly.
"I'm not ready for it yet," he explained, and I furrowed my brow. "There are so many things in the world of the living that I still want to see... as a vice-captain, you're very tied to the Soul Society, and I don't want that." I pondered his request and sighed in relief. "That spares me a difficult decision," I murmured, and Shin gave me an encouraging smile. "You'll do just fine," and with that, he left.
The next day, I informed the Captain-Commander that I had a candidate for the position of vice-captain, and he assigned Unohana and Yoruichi to assist me with the test. It was a similar test to ours, but without the hologram Shinigami; instead, Rangiku was attacked by several Menos Grande at the end. I nervously kneaded my fingers and flinched every time Rangiku was pushed back by her opponents, but she showed determination, which pleased Yoruichi in particular.
"What about your fifth officer?" Unohana asked me in passing, and I explained to her that Shin had said from the beginning that he wouldn't accept the promotion. They both knew Ivan, and they knew that he had held the position of the highest-ranking officer all these years only because there had been no one else. The recent years had been scarce in terms of great talents.
The next day, Rangiku stood at the door of the main house with the wooden badge of the vice-captain. Everyone was thrilled, and at least I promoted Shin to the fourth officer.
Byakuya remained without a vice-captain, but it didn't seem to bother him. In the coming time, there was a lot to do, and we ventured into the world of the living more often than I had thought. However, I was no longer excited about fighting ordinary Hollows, and after a while, I delegated most of the assignments to Shin.
He was strong, stronger than Rangiku, I knew that now, and I wondered what fascinated him so much about the world of the living. But I let him be; if he enjoyed it so much, I wouldn't stop him. It was only during this time that I realized how strong I actually was.
Only a few times did I release my Reiatsu, and I saw even some captains flinch and give me glances. So it happened that one or the other captain showed interest in a duel with me. I won some, lost others, and many ended in a draw. Unohana usually had quite a bit to do with us afterwards.
I thoroughly enjoyed life as a captain. I spent a lot of time scouting for talents in the outer districts. It was something I had taken to heart. Rangiku's story had deeply moved me back then, and the more time I spent in Rukongai, the more I felt that we were letting all these people down.
One day, I found a little girl crying in an alley. She was looking for her mommy. I knew that for the deceased, it was almost impossible to find their families again in Rukongai, but the girl's story touched me so much that I helped her.
Her name was Mana, and she had just recently passed away.
"How did you die?" I asked her, and she sniffled loudly before she began to speak.
"My mom died because a wicked man killed her, and then they took me to a terrible place, and I ran away because the people were mean, and I wanted to be with my mom... and I ran onto a house, onto the roof, and before the evil woman could catch me..."
She had jumped. A nine-year-old girl, who had thrown herself from the roof of a house.
I had to swallow a lump in my throat and promised that I would do everything to help her. Her mother had passed away just a few months before her. We navigated through Rukongai, and I learned more and more about Mana. Her father had subjected her and her mother to domestic violence for years, and when they finally escaped her father and found a new apartment in the city, her mother died in a nighttime attack.
The girl had only seen suffering in her life. I wanted to give her at least some peace in her death. The search had been going on for almost three months when a small miracle happened.
"Mana? MANA!" I got goosebumps as the little girl next to me burst into tears and ran into her mother's arms.
"But why are you here? You should be alive, why are you here," she cried, but I reassured her.
"You're together now, that's all that matters." She thanked me repeatedly, and I assured her that I would visit her.
I remember returning tired to my chambers that evening and blinking in surprise when I saw that my living room was brightly lit.
Rangiku had placed a huge cake on the table, which she was just cutting. Kisuke, Byakuya, and Shin were also here.
"Is today something special?" I asked, and Kisuke smiled.
"We've been captains for a year now," he explained, and I was amazed at how quickly time had passed.
Just as I was about to bite into my cake, there was a knock on the door, and Yamachi entered.
"Hello!" he greeted us, and it felt a bit like old times. Unfortunately, Yamachi and I had little time to visit each other, so I cherished rare moments like these.
We sat until late into the night, and as one by one left the room, I held Kisuke back.
"Wait, I want to talk to you," I said, and this time I didn't do it secretly. Everyone noticed.
Kisuke sat puzzled in front of me, and for a moment, I just tidied up the plates. I observed him for a while and was fascinated by him: He still looked at me in the same way as a year ago. The same way as two years ago.
He threw me his cheeky grin, and I smiled too.
He hadn't said anything all this time, never pressed me, never blamed me. He had always been there for me, since the first day at the Shinigami Academy.
We just stared at each other in silence for a while, and I didn't know what to say, but then he grinned again and said, "You don't have to say anything."
He leaned in, and my heart raced so fast I felt like my chest would burst. His lips met mine, and that erased all other thoughts.
His scent, his warmth, everything about him seemed so new yet familiar. I wished the moment would never end; I wanted to hold onto it forever.
I woke up the next morning in his arms, felt the warmth of his body next to me, and his scent lingered everywhere in my room. All my worries and fears seemed to have vanished, all the terrible images of the past, all the fears of loss were blown away.
That was the beginning of the most beautiful time of my life.
The relationship between Kisuke and me was something truly special; we complemented and harmonized each other. Of course, there were disagreements between us, especially when he would get lost for hours in his research, sometimes even forgetting to eat.
But all in all, I was overwhelmingly happy.
I even managed to face Gin again and have a conversation with him. It would never be as it once was, but we were able to maintain a collegial contact whenever we crossed paths.
Kisuke wasn't particularly thrilled about it; however, it wasn't jealousy that drove him, but rather his mistrust, which he had always harbored toward Gin. But I didn't dwell on it. It was as if the past had been forgotten, resting deep in our hearts.
Yet, I already sensed that there were things that would reignite. I knew something would happen, and it wouldn't be good. But for a while, I just wanted to savor what I had.