Retsu Unohana's Thoughts

"Uh..." Ten Unohana sat up, sensing that something was a little off, and looked around.

"Damn it, I never thought I'd get kicked out of the Zanpakuto world when its spirit passed out," Ten Unohana said furiously. Then he thought lecherously, I never knew Shasha was so sensitive! I'm still just a poor little kid, and all I did was tease her a little, but she couldn't take it and fainted. Could there be another reason? Otherwise, that's just too unbelievable. But Shasha's unconscious now, so I can't ask what happened.

"Huh? What's this?" Ten Unohana felt that something was wrong with his body.

He looked down.

Just then, a door slid open...

"Little Ten, you're awake!" Retsu Unohana's voice reached Ten Unohana just as he came to.

"Mom." Ten Unohana hurriedly wrapped himself in the blanket, even hiding his head beneath it.

"All right, Little Ten, stop hiding," Retsu Unohana said gently.

After hearing Retsu Unohana, Ten Unohana poked his face out of the blanket, smiled at her, and said, "Mom, what am I hiding?"

Retsu Unohana spoke gently but sternly. "You really won't tell me?"

Ten Unohana asked, "Tell you what?"

Retsu Unohana shook her head, walked over to Ten Unohana, and pulled away the blanket covering him, revealing his body covered in a Hollow's shell and a broken Hollow mask.

Seeing that he couldn't hide it any longer, Ten Unohana sighed and said quietly, "Mom, I didn't want to force you to choose between me and Soul Society, but now you've seen it."

Retsu Unohana pulled Ten Unohana into her arms. "Silly child, you're only saying that because you don't know the resolve I made when I gave birth to you. Actually, I don't have to choose. I'm a mother first and a captain second, understand? When I gave birth to you, I had already resolved to defect from Soul Society, because you were different, Little Ten."

Ten Unohana asked, puzzled, "I'm different?"

Retsu Unohana nodded. "You aren't actually my child with another person, so you only have a mother, not a father. You fell from the sky, straight into the Fourth Division, and landed right on my belly. Because your origins were unknown, your life would have been in danger if Soul Society found out, so I told everyone I adopted you outside the Seireitei. But Little Ten, you really are my biological child! That's why I'll never let anyone hurt you, not even Soul Society."

A jumble of feelings welled up in Ten Unohana's heart: happiness at learning why he had transmigrated; excitement at learning how determined Retsu Unohana was to protect him; joy at discovering his biological mother; and finally, disappointment at learning that his mother was Retsu Unohana—

Ten Unohana had wanted to bring Retsu Unohana into his harem.

But...

But now...

"Little Ten, there's just something I want to say: 'Mom wants to ask you to forgive her.'"

When Ten Unohana heard Retsu Unohana say that, he thought she was going to hand him over to Soul Society and stared at her in shock.

Retsu Unohana said, "Actually, Little Ten, your Hollowfication happened because you were accidentally caught up in a Hollow's attack when I gave birth to you. So the way you are now is actually my fault." When she finished, Retsu Unohana, a major figure in Soul Society, seemed like a child who had done something wrong, waiting for an adult's judgment.

Only after hearing that did Ten Unohana realize it wasn't what he had thought. He said, "Mom, it's all right. After all, that wasn't something you wanted to see happen either. But Mom, now that everything's out in the open, I won't hide it anymore. Soul Society can't tolerate me, and it's not just because of my origins. Most importantly, it's my Zanpakuto's ability..."

Retsu Unohana asked in some surprise, "What is your Zanpakuto's ability, Little Ten?"

"Slaughter. Only through slaughter can my Zanpakuto and I grow," Ten Unohana said, staring at Retsu Unohana.

Retsu Unohana smiled and gently held Ten Unohana close. "In that case, don't worry, Little Ten! Mom will take care of everything for you."

Ten Unohana looked up and objected, gazing at the smiling Retsu Unohana. "Mom, there's no need. I have a plan. Just taking care of yourself is the greatest support you can give me."

"I see. All right, then," Retsu Unohana said quietly.

Ten Unohana laughed. "Mom, don't be unhappy. It'll be a long time before my plan starts, which means it'll be a long time before I leave you."

Hearing that, Retsu Unohana composed herself, helped Ten Unohana up, and began cleaning away his Hollow fragments. Ten Unohana watched Retsu Unohana as she busied herself and couldn't help being entranced—leaving everything else aside, Retsu Unohana was a great beauty!

And when Retsu Unohana happened to notice Ten Unohana looking at her with a trace of desire in his eyes,

her heart skipped a beat. Little Ten, what's this?

Retsu Unohana didn't dare follow that thought, but the look in Ten Unohana's eyes, with its trace of desire, kept flashing through her mind.

After a while, Retsu Unohana finally couldn't bear it anymore and turned her head. Ten Unohana was still looking at her that way.

When Ten Unohana saw Retsu Unohana turn and catch his gaze, he hurriedly looked away, feeling guilty. But something even more awkward happened.

Retsu Unohana didn't know what to say.

Should she say, "Little Ten, you shouldn't look at Mom so lecherously"? No, that wouldn't do.

Then should she say, "Little Ten, you shouldn't have dirty thoughts about Mom"? That was even worse than the first one.

Or should she say, "Little Ten, you're still young; you shouldn't let your thoughts wander"? Well, that wasn't good either, but it was much better than the others.

But, but how was she supposed to say that out loud?!

Retsu Unohana's thoughts were in disarray.

Forget it. Whatever happens, I'll say it. If I don't, what if later on...

"Little Ten..." "Mom..."

They spoke at the same time and immediately fell silent.

After waiting a while,

"Little Ten, you..." "Mom, I..."

After being interrupted like that, Retsu Unohana was no longer in the mood to talk to Ten Unohana about it. She merely waved her hand, signaling him to leave.

Ten Unohana left, wanting to say something but stopping himself. When he reached the door, Retsu Unohana, for some reason, said, "Little Ten, you can come sleep with Mom, but you mustn't do anything else wrong to anyone."

Ten Unohana turned back to look at Retsu Unohana in delighted surprise. Blushing, she said, "What are you looking at, child? Hurry up and go play."

Ten Unohana nodded emphatically and went out grinning. Retsu Unohana took a deep breath and said, "Retsu Unohana, all right, stop letting your thoughts wander. He's just a child, and your own son at that."

But Retsu Unohana still couldn't stop her thoughts from wandering. As she forcibly suppressed them, an indescribable feeling welled up in her heart, throwing her thoughts into confusion.

Even so, Retsu Unohana had lived a long time, and she soon composed herself, though there was one thought she couldn't suppress no matter what. As Retsu Unohana's thoughts ran wild,

Ten Unohana also drew back the curtain on his plan—

the massacre of Rukongai.