Aizen, You Coward

"Captain Soi Fon, please stay calm."

Good-natured Aizen held out both hands in a placating gesture, pleading with Soi Fon to restrain herself.

Soi Fon had no intention of listening to Aizen. She glared at the man behind him.

"It was you that day, wasn't it, Gin Ichimaru? There's no mistaking it. Your Spiritual Pressure tormented me for a long time!" Spiritual Pressure roared around Soi Fon, and the murderous intent in her eyes was too chilling to meet.

The sneak attack on Soi Fon that day had been aimed squarely at taking her life. Even after the blade was withdrawn, the Spiritual Pressure left by the Zanpakuto had continued to ravage her internal organs.

Without Dōsan Hanyū, she would probably have become the captain who died the most ignominious death in Soul Society in nearly a century.

When Soi Fon was attacked, she had found the Spiritual Pressure strangely familiar. With the last of her clarity, she had tried to work out who it belonged to; the Punishment Force was skilled at such things.

In the end, she had identified her target.

Gin Ichimaru, lieutenant of the Fifth Division.

"Captain Soi Fon, there may be some misunderstanding here. Gin, explain yourself."

Blades were prohibited in the Seireitei. Though the law was not enforced that strictly, good-natured Aizen had still chosen not to carry one. Even if he had brought his sword, his temperament was such that he would not have chosen to fight.

Gin seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere around him, his eyes narrowed in their signature squint. "Captain Soi Fon, I didn't do it."

"I checked the records of departures from the Seireitei. Gin Ichimaru, you weren't even in the Seireitei that day."

"That's right. I went out to eat a snack called rock-sugar lemon watermelon. If you were injured, Captain Soi Fon, you should really ask your little boyfriend about it."

Given the Seireitei's strict hierarchy, Gin Ichimaru's tone as a lieutenant was already quite insulting.

"You bastard!"

Whoosh.

Soi Fon vanished from sight. Aizen cried out in alarm, "So fast."

Soi Fon flashed behind Aizen and thrust her finger blade forward. Although she was ninety percent certain, she did not intend to behead Gin outright; she only wanted to teach him a lesson.

Gin Ichimaru rested a hand lightly on the sword at his waist, red killing intent flashing in his silver eyes.

In the end, Soi Fon's attack never landed.

Fourth Division Captain Retsu Unohana, Eighth Division Captain Sajin Komamura, Ninth Division Captain Kaname Tōsen, and Tenth Division Captain Isshin Shiba separated the two sides.

"Captain Soi Fon, please stay calm," Unohana said, her tone a little stiff.

"That's right, Captain Soi Fon. You should have evidence."

If Soi Fon had evidence, she would not have had to resort to this.

"Shut up, Gin!"

"All right, Captain Aizen."

Smiling, Gin Ichimaru retreated behind Aizen as though nothing had happened.

"You're too weak, Aizen." Ichimonji Tsunayashiro, first lieutenant of the Sixth Division, stepped forward and gave Aizen a disdainful look. "Gin, would you like to be my lieutenant?"

"That sounds quite nice." Gin smiled.

Aizen's pupils widened, and veins bulged slightly around his eyes. "Tsunayashiro, you bastard!"

"Put away that stupid expression." Ichimonji Tsunayashiro was full of disdain and would not even spare him another glance. His gaze swept over the captains before returning to Aizen. "Sōsuke Aizen, I'm standing right here. Do you dare draw your sword against me?"

"That's enough, Ichimonji Tsunayashiro. This isn't your Tsunayashiro Clan." Kaname Tōsen stepped forward, his hand on his sword.

"Oh? The man who once slunk away with his tail between his legs has gotten so arrogant too?"

Tōsen clearly lacked Aizen's capacity for self-restraint. His hand trembled violently on his sword.

"Put away your arrogance, Ichimonji. Cough, cough." Kuchiki Ginrei's eyes were clouded as he coughed twice. Behind him stood Byakuya Kuchiki, the still somewhat inexperienced second lieutenant of the Sixth Division.

"You'd better look after yourself, Uncle Ginrei."

Tsunayashiro's voice noticeably softened. With a flick of the Ginpakukazahana no Uzuginu, he was the first to enter the captains' meeting.

The lieutenants stayed behind while the remaining captains filed into the First Division Barracks.

"First, the Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts will be admitting students in three days. Three captains are needed to each teach an instructional class."

Throughout the Thirteenth Division's history, one or two captains had occasionally taught at the Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts. But under the current circumstances, over seventy percent of the academy's students were still nobles.

Only half of those nobles would join the ranks of the Soul Reapers. There were also concerns about exposing the captains' combat abilities, so even when captains taught, they did not give combat lessons.

The main point was to show that the Soul Reapers were approachable.

Isshin, standing at the end of the line, yawned. If he were a teacher at the Shin'ō Academy, the work surely would not be this demanding.

Isshin did not hesitate long and immediately raised his hand. "I'll go."

"Denied!"

Leaning on his cane, Captain-Commander Yamamoto did not even raise his heavy brows. "One lazy fellow like you in the Thirteenth Division is enough."

Of course, that was only an excuse. What really concerned Yamamoto was Isshin's position as head of a branch of the Shiba family.

"Hahaha, some single-celled organisms really have no self-awareness."

Kurotsuchi, standing beside Isshin, mocked him mercilessly. Then, under the horrified gazes of the others, Kurotsuchi actually raised his head. "I can explain the true essence of science to those children."

"Denied."

"Pfft... Hahaha! Are you trying to turn the Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts into a corpse-processing room? I think you're the one with no self-awareness, Captain Kurotsuchi."

Captain-Commander Yamamoto scanned his subordinates with a dark face, somewhat nostalgic for the days when talented people had been plentiful.

"Teacher." White-haired Jūsaburō Ukitake raised his hand, his voice weak. "I... cough, cough, cough..."

"Ukitake, are you all right? Captain Unohana, help him, quickly!" Kyōraku hurriedly caught his old classmate.

The other captains were unperturbed. They were used to it.

"Captain-Commander Yamamoto, I can teach the children calligraphy." Though he had just been rebuked outside, Aizen still wore a soothing smile.

If only all the captains were like Sōsuke. The Captain-Commander nodded encouragingly.

"I can teach the students etiquette." Kuchiki Ginrei stepped forward and coughed twice. It was nowhere near as violent as Ukitake coughing up blood, but his light coughs tugged at Yamamoto's heart.

Ginrei Kuchiki's background was actually similar to Isshin's.

But he was Yamamoto's old friend, and he had balanced the interests of the nobles and the Soul Reapers. In the early days of the Thirteen Divisions, he had provided support in the form of funds, manpower, and more.

The transformation of the Thirteen Divisions from a band of killers into guardians could be said to have been Kuchiki Ginrei's doing alone.

Without him, there would be no Gotei 13 today.

Yamamoto trusted him.

That settled two of the positions.

Near the front of the line, Soi Fon was eager to volunteer as well. Dōsan was indeed a factor, but she also wanted to leave a good impression on the outstanding newcomers.

But what could she teach?

Stabbing chests, slitting throats, and tearing off skullcaps?

After hesitating for a moment, Soi Fon stepped forward. "I can teach the students flower arranging."

Yamamoto raised his heavy eyelids and glanced at Soi Fon. He quietly took a deep breath, then looked over the captains again.

Sigh...

"Second, regarding the proposal for the 'Shin'ō Artificial Soul Noble Guard,' step forward, Ichimonji Tokinada."

Tsunayashiro stood proudly at the front of the captains, his gaze sweeping over them with brazen contempt.

Aizen did not hesitate long. Before Tsunayashiro could speak, he followed him out of the line. "I will never agree to something so inhumane, no matter what!"

Tokinada glanced at Aizen. "Sōsuke, a coward like you probably can't imagine what I look like standing in the heavens."