Sōsuke Aizen

"Yoruichi, you wouldn't be thinking of..."

Suddenly recalling Yoruichi Shihōin's bold idea at the Shiba Family a few days before Byakuya Kuchiki was born years ago, Kaien Shiba and Kūkaku Shiba exchanged glances and cautiously asked.

"Of course!" Yoruichi Shihōin nodded decisively and said with a grin, "How could we not do something this fun?"

Bang!

The Shiba siblings lowered their heads in utter defeat, leaving the people around them intensely curious. Just what was this all about?

"So, what do you want with Shadow?" Yoruichi Shihōin asked with interest. "You little brat from the Kuchiki family!"

"Grandfather said his Swordsmanship is very good, so I want to learn Swordsmanship from him!" Byakuya Kuchiki said seriously.

Swordsmanship? He recalled that night more than ten years ago—the terrifying slash that had turned a Vasto Lorde-class Menos Grande into nothingness. It had truly been... powerful.

"What qualifications do you have for me to teach you?"

Shadow's blunt answer and cold expression made Byakuya Kuchiki's face change. He had never considered that someone might refuse him. After all, his status was...

"Don't think the name Kuchiki can solve every problem!"

As though he knew what Byakuya Kuchiki was thinking, Shadow's tone grew even colder. "Without the Kuchiki name, you are nothing. Besides... who do you think you are, brat?"

"Don't say that, Shadow!"

Yoruichi Shihōin drove an elbow into Shadow's chest. Her eyes shifted as she looked at the drastically pale Byakuya Kuchiki and coaxed, "Little Byakuya, if you become my little brother and call me Big Sis Yoruichi, I'll have Shadow teach you Swordsmanship. And my Shunpo is amazing too!"

"Th-this..." Byakuya Kuchiki hesitated. "Will he listen to you?"

"You don't need to worry about that!" Yoruichi Shihōin said with a grin. "Come on, call me first, little brother Byakuya!"

Sneaking a glance at his still-composed grandfather, Ginrei Kuchiki, Byakuya Kuchiki opened his mouth. His expression shifted several times before he finally stammered, "Big... Big Sis Yoruichi!"

"Haha..." Yoruichi Shihōin laughed triumphantly.

"Hey! When are you going to teach me?" Byakuya Kuchiki shouted, embarrassed into anger by Yoruichi Shihōin's laughter.

"What... did you call me?" Yoruichi Shihōin raised an eyebrow.

"Big... Big Sis Yoruichi!"

"Yoshi!" Yoruichi Shihōin snapped her fingers, turned her head, and called, "Shadow!"

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi!" Shadow answered, then coldly addressed Byakuya Kuchiki. "Since Lady Yoruichi has said so, come find me at the Punishment Force Training Ground tomorrow morning. I'll teach you Swordsmanship, but how much you learn depends on your own ability!"

"Really?" Byakuya Kuchiki immediately grew excited. "Yes, I understand, Teacher!"

Teacher? Shadow frowned. "Don't call me that!"

"But..."

"Wait, Shadow!" Yoruichi Shihōin suddenly said. "How can the Punishment Force Training Ground be open for anyone to enter? Little Byakuya, we should do it at the Kuchiki residence instead!"

"Hey, Yoruichi, are you sure you want to go to the Kuchiki residence because outsiders can't enter the Punishment Force Training Ground, rather than for some other reason?" Kūkaku Shiba curled her lip.

"Of course it's because of that!" Yoruichi Shihōin retorted. "Don't underestimate me, Kukaku!"

Kūkaku Shiba fell silent. Puffing on her pipe, she glanced at her friend. She knew Yoruichi Shihōin's personality far too well.

Bang!

Yoruichi Shihōin slammed a hand on the table, rose to her feet, and said, "It's decided!"

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi!" Shadow answered.

"That is not a problem!"

Ginrei Kuchiki agreed as well. It was all the same, whether at the Punishment Force or the Kuchiki residence.

"Congratulations, Captain Kuchiki."

"..."

The captains all came over with polite congratulations, and Ginrei Kuchiki returned their courtesies.

"So, you are Shadow?"

A brown-haired man in a Shihakushō and glasses walked over. Smiling gently, he said, "I have heard much about you. I am Sōsuke Aizen, the new Lieutenant of the Fifth Division. Just call me Aizen. I look forward to working with you."

Shadow's pupils abruptly contracted. He stepped in front of Yoruichi Shihōin, frowning. This man gave him an extremely dangerous feeling. He could not explain it, but he trusted the instinct he had honed while walking the line between life and death.

Moreover, the instant he saw this man, Shadow remembered the person from more than ten years ago who had evaded his spiritual detection net and lured him away. Shadow was not certain whether that person had been Sōsuke Aizen, but one thing was certain: this man was anything but simple.

"Shadow, what's wrong?" Yoruichi Shihōin asked.

"No, Lady Yoruichi, it's nothing!" Shadow shook his head. Looking at Sōsuke Aizen's spring-breeze smile, he said in a low voice, "It's nothing, right, Lieutenant Aizen?"

"Of course!" Sōsuke Aizen still wore that gentle smile. "I mean no harm."

"Is that so?" Shadow raised his head and said coldly, "I hope so. If anything happens to Lady Yoruichi, I cannot guarantee what I might do!"

Sōsuke Aizen adjusted the glasses on his nose and said, "I had heard that Shadow was very loyal to Miss Shihōin. It truly is enviable."

"Hmph!"

Shadow snorted and said no more. This man was hiding himself deeply. But so long as Yoruichi Shihōin remained safe, Shadow had never cared about the lives or deaths of anyone else.

Sōsuke Aizen smiled and said nothing further. This man called Shadow was just as he had imagined—cold, ruthless, mysterious. Although he did not know how much influence Shadow might have on his plans, his meaning had been made very clear. He would not interfere, provided Yoruichi Shihōin remained safe. To avoid provoking this variable, Yoruichi Shihōin truly could not be touched.

As he thought this, Sōsuke Aizen covertly glanced at the silent Kisuke Urahara seated nearby.

Shinji Hirako looked at Sōsuke Aizen with a strange grin, then turned to look at Shadow. An unfamiliar light flickered in his eyes.

At dusk, the gathering finally ended, and everyone returned to their respective divisions to handle the day's duties.

Having eaten her fill, Yoruichi Shihōin lazily sprawled across Shadow's back as they walked through the streets of the Seireitei, her little head swaying back and forth.

"Yo! Shadow, Yoruichi!"

Shinji Hirako jumped out from the side, grinning. "What a coincidence! Fancy running into you here!"

"Captain Hirako," Yoruichi Shihōin said lazily, "why aren't you staying in the Fifth Division? Why did you come here pretending this was a chance encounter?"

"No, I really was just passing by!" Shinji Hirako emphasized seriously. Then his tone shifted. "Shadow, this Aizen guy..."

"Has... nothing to do with me!"

Shadow walked straight past Shinji Hirako, coldly tossing those words behind him.

"Tch!"

Shinji Hirako curled his lip. What did he mean, it had nothing to do with him? But after thinking it over, he said nothing and turned to leave.

"Shadow!" After they had walked some distance, Yoruichi Shihōin asked softly, "Is there something wrong with him?"

"Yes!" Shadow nodded. "He feels very dangerous, Lady Yoruichi..."

"I understand." Yoruichi Shihōin raised her head and smiled. "I'll stay away from him!"

"Yes!"

"But Shinji Hirako just now..."

"I said it has nothing to do with me!"

Their figures gradually disappeared into the distance beneath the setting sun.