At those words, the Soul Reapers all lowered their heads.
So they had guessed right! It really was her!
If that man-eating White-Haired Witch became their captain, they would rather have Captain Aizen back!
Of course, they knew, more or less, that Aizen had framed the captains from a century ago and this witch, forcing them to flee to the Human World.
But the rumors had taken root too deeply. They had become impossible to shake.
As expected, Momo Hinamori's attempt to liven things up only made the silence more awkward.
Beads of sweat slid down Momo Hinamori's forehead. This was getting even more embarrassing. "Um, the appointment hasn't been announced yet, but it should be in the next couple of days. I know how everyone feels about Miss Yuko... ow..."
She had told Momo to just use her name if the title felt awkward! Biting her tongue now was going to make her cry.
Just as Yuko stepped forward to help Momo Hinamori break the ice, Momo tried again.
"Oh, right! Since everyone's already at the training ground, how about a sparring match?"
Everyone thought the same thing: What do you mean, we're already here? You brought us here!
The silence didn't improve. One or two squad members even slipped away from the back of the crowd.
Momo Hinamori looked ready to cry. "Would anyone like to come up and spar with our guests?"
The Soul Reapers lowered their heads even further. Spar with the White-Haired Witch? No chance! And weren't the people beside her the Ryoka from before? How could they possibly win?
Even Yuko felt nervous for Momo Hinamori. This was painfully embarrassing.
All right, it was her fault.
"Um, could I do it?"
A clear voice broke the silence. Chizuru stepped forward and casually unfastened her