The Seireitei, Fifth Division Compound.
Sōsuke Aizen sat in the beautiful courtyard of his division manor, and he gently brushed strokes of ink along a beautiful canvas. His motions were slow yet flawless. He was doing calligraphy, and his kanji of choice was...
Consciousness - 意識 (Ishiki).
On this particular occasion, he wasn't alone. Another captain was standing behind him. Captain Kaname Tōsen from the 9th Division. Dark skinned man with a blindfold and dreadlocks.
"Aizen Taisho (Captain)", he mumbled, trying not to interrupt the beautiful display.
"I don't like uncertainties and variables, Tōsen", Aizen said calmly, not stopping his brushing motion, not losing focus.
"I know. But given the boy's nature, I don't think he will get in our way".
"What makes you think that? Could you share your thought process?"
"... he is reckless, likes to fight, disregards his own life... he is shallow and simple. That's all. There are a few individuals in the Seireitei that will keep him distracted," The blind captain commented.
"Hmn..." As he finished his perfect calligraphy, Aizen prepared another canvas in silence, deep in thought. Perhaps too much to think... so much so that no one would be able to guess what was in his mind or how many simulations he was running.
Kaname Tōsen couldn't help but wonder if he was actually wondering his opinion... or if his IQ was being tested.
"For what I understand, there are two women who came with him from the 78th District, two kids now living with the Shiba Clan, and another one..." The captain carried on, giving his input for a possible plan. But he was struck down, shut and silenced.
"Forget about them for now, Tōsen", Aizen commented, leaving him a bit surprised and curious.
"But if we use them–"
"What would be the point of that? To let him know we're aware of his weakness? No, leave them... let them have a peaceful life~" Aizen commented rather joyfully, as if he was proud of himself because he saw a cockroach and decided to let it live instead of stepping on it as usual.
"C-Captain?"
"Why would you let your enemy know you are aware of his weakness? Wouldn't it be better to exploit it at the best possible moment?" He gave a small lesson.
"But if he's not stupid, he will know we are aware anyway and will deal with it before it can be exploited–"
"You are correct. But at the same time, you are not considering the whole picture," Aizen said, then he began his next work of art, his next masterclass calligraphy, one he felt more identified with.
Passion - 情熱 (Jōnetsu).
"He has too many things on his hands right now. Scrutinity from the first division, Captain Yamamoto. Scrutinity from the second division, Onmitsukidō and even the curiosity of his own captain in the third division, Unohana Retsu. He has too many secrets to conceal from too many people who aren't as tolerant... even if he is concerned about his little 'weaknesses' outside his scope of view, he simply doesn't have the leisure to act".
"Is that how it is?"
"Yes. However... this is the issue, Tōsen... there are variables" Aizen's voice dropped, "Unohana Retsu or better said, Yachiru Unohana".
The man gasped at the revelation. Something even he, a captain, didn't know... a secret concealed from all of the Seireitei.
"S-She is... how did you know!–"
Just as Aizen mumbled her name, he finished writing the kanji for 'passion', but this passion was twisted, terrible, abhorrent... overwhelming. Each stroke was deep and dark with so much ink in it. The word extrapolated a sense of terror.
"You just said it yourself 'he is reckless, likes to fight, disregards his own life... he is shallow and simple', wasn't that what you said?"
"Yes..."
"Well, what a coincidence that he happens to fall into the hands of someone who used to be just like him. Someone who would be delighted at his presence" His voice dropped even further, staining the whole canvas with ink until it splattered everywhere in a filthy and cataclysmic fashion.
"Someone who can bring out his potential".
When Aizen turned around to look at him, Tosen felt fear. Gone was the kind gaze of Sosuke Aizen; instead, there was coldness, eyes that stared at him like he was a lifeless chess pawn.
He wasn't happy. No, he was irritated. The person he wanted to obtain for himself had just gone straight to the claws of someone he couldn't tamper with. Someone who wasn't a variable but also not a constant. She was a number that had already been defined, yet from a separate equation.
The Ultimate Shinigami, the one who embodied consciousness of her being 意識 and passion for the sword 情熱.
'And yet those two had to be together...' Aizen thought inwardly, almost laughing at the designs of fate, which were certainly working hard in trying to tamper with his plans.
"Do you know how monsters become bigger, Tōsen?"
"By... feeding on humans?"
"No, by devouring other monsters".
It didn't matter who devoured whom in the end... the end result would be a monster he would have to deal with.
**
**
Ryōma woke up the next day feeling weirdly energised. Perhaps because he had days without a proper meal or a proper bed. When he finally got to taste one, he felt wonderful. Deep inside thought he knew that was not the case; he was used to sleeping in the wilderness.
It wasn't until he saw Unohana's swinging butt that he realised why he felt energised.
'Whoa...'
The female captain had yawned, wearing nothing but loose robes and band underwear. Nevertheless, within the robe, her curving shapes were very obvious. She felt his heated gaze and looked back just slightly, curled her lips, and continued her morning routine. She had put her captain's haori to the side, and she only needed to wear it.
"I didn't expect you to sleep in my room" he uttered shamelessly, getting on his side and ogling her without a care in the world.
Because if she didn't care to be seen... then he didn't care to see.
"Our room", She fixed it for him with a playful giggle, dashing him with her every motion. After she had finished her haori, she sat in front of a desk and started tying up her braids.
"Don't you think we're moving too quickly in this relationship, dear?" He joked.
"Do not joke around, Ryōma. You are under my strict supervision... it is only natural that I will keep an eye on you until I can trust you," She mumbled lightly, not with a mocking tone, not with an overly serious tone either.
"You don't trust me?"
"Until you reveal to me your true nature, I do not. There is no one else in this division capable of restraining you. Hence why I have to be with you at all times," She explained, taking a great deal of time fixing her braids.
He didn't say a word since she was making a lot of sense. He had secrets which she didn't know, and until she knew, she wouldn't trust. 'Fair enough'.
He also hadn't told her his secrets because he didn't trust her. So that was something they could work on over time.
"We can slowly get to know each other. It works for me anyway if we are this close, since I intend to make you my woman".
"..."
Silence reigned in the room with Ryōma's bold confession. He was never one to confess love... and even now, that wasn't quite what he felt. It wasn't a confession of love... it was a stacking of claims.
What he felt was desire.
The pure, unrestrained desire of a man desiring a woman.
She was strong... bloody strong. Overbearingly strong! The strongest woman he had ever seen or fought in either life, she could even trash him easily in a fight with her pure swordsmanship.
Ryoma didn't believe there was a woman stronger than her... hell, it was even difficult to think there was a man stronger than her. If the name 'Genryusai Yamamoto' was not casually lingering, he had to believe she was the strongest.
To Ryōma, that was like catnip, like raw coke on the table... like a giant blunt of weed.
As if it wasn't enough, she was charming, beautiful, with a body that rivalled Sakuya's... perhaps she even defeated her in that department too. Now with a clear head, having rested... he came to that conclusion after watching her change and get prepared.
'I want to make her mine'
And since that was the type of woman she was... he had to voice it out loud. As he expected, Unohana laughed a bit and even stopped doing her braids, as if she had just heard the most laughable joke.
"You're so cute, Ryoma~ how long has it been since someone craved me this way, you're truly a handful. Stop joking, fufufu~".
And he didn't think she was lying. After all, who in their fucking right mind, who knew her true nature... would dare crave her?
'Most men are probably scared of her...'
Ryōma stood up and walked up to her until he was right at her back. She felt his presence, didn't turn around, but stared at his eyes through the reflection of the mirror.
"Unless, perhaps, you are being serious?" She said now with a colder voice.
"I either tame you or kill you, Retsu... there is no in-between" He said with a tone just as cold as they stared at each other's hollow eyes through the reflection.
She realised he was being serious. The possessive desire of his eyes was unquestionable. There was the desire to possess her, and it was just as strong as the desire to kill her.
'To be looked at like that... so wonderful~'.
She could hardly contain the emotions of the prospect of receiving such a fervent stare everyday in every morning after she woke up, and every day in the evening before going to sleep.
The First Kenpachi thought she had made the right choice. She took her time and basked on that stare until she finished tidying up her braids. She then stood up, turned around and faced Ryoma's full height with her utmost confidence.
"Tame or kill... what a coincidence, Ryōma. What a coincidence. I think the same"
*WHOOSH!*
*CLAANG!!*
Two swords flew out of the sword rack, crashing with one another along the way, leaving sparks and landing in their respective owners' hands.
Minazuki and Hebimaru tasted one another again first thing in the morning.
*RUMBLE!*
Powerful reiatsu crashed down from either side, shaking the entire division.
"Make your move, Retsu".
"Do you expect ladies to move first? How ungentlemanly~".
Ryōma's brows twitched with a broad smile, just as she wanted; he struck down!
*BANG!*
Unohana's hand caught his wrist before he could even cleave down, and they stared into one another's eyes. He felt her strength, she felt his power.
A brief stare down in which he grit his teeth at her cheer power, once again feeling that tingling sensation in his crotch. She was so desirable... all he wanted was to fight with her the whole day.
Eventually, his strength faltered and so did hers. Unohana's face approached, she took a deep whiff of his scent and moaned.
"It is so difficult to hold back, Ryōma~".
She couldn't help herself from feeling the thrill of battle, the desire to just slaughter one another and fight every day, the true nature she had been concealing for so many years... now she had a way to release her impulses... with her sword, into this man's body.
"Don't hold back then!–" He begged, ready to begin with their little game. For him, this division was nonexistent; he couldn't give a fuck about it... he was here for her, nothing else!
"No can do... I am the captain of this division, and you are now a Shinigami... an active officer. We have work to do for the day... we can't have fun now".
They both lowered their swords reluctantly, Ryōma made way, and Unohana went into her wardrobe, where she got him a black hakama, representative of what he was now, a shinigami, albeit provisionally.
"You are officially a member of our division, Ryōma. Wear your garments proudly".
He reluctantly took it, aware that he also had to play his part in this whole fourth division thing. Just when he was about to change, he heard her.
"Next time, make sure to take a shower before you step into our bed. I will let it go this time, but it better not repeat~".
He rolled his eyes and nodded, took his Hakama and decided to head to the shower area first to take a bath.
"You should try it first. If it is not your size, then I will get you the right one, Ryōma".
He wanted to do as she said, but...
"Ummm" Ryōma mumbled.
"What are you waiting for, wear it~" She encouraged him, somehow feeling like she was watching her child wear it for the first time, feeling kinda proud that a new powerful member was joining her lines.
"I have no underwear underneath–" He explained.
"Wear it~" She didn't care.
"..."
'If you want to see so bad'.
Unohana watched him discard his robes and show her the goods. She witnessed the length, the girth and the curvature with a smile on her face, analysing and eventually rejoicing in contentment.
"I will wait for you outside to show you the bath area", She hummed in satisfaction, making Ryōma feel like he just passed a test.
'This woman... I love her~'
She was traditional yet bold and playful, an odd combination to come across.
...
Ryoma took a swift bath and put on his Hakama, which fit perfectly. They were rather late, so Unohana took his hand and led him along the passages that looked completely different now through the day. They resembled old traditional hospital wards bustling with people, all of whom respectfully bowed at Unohana while watching him curiously. Ryoma didn't feel any of them had a remotely decent Reiatsu.
It didn't matter how much he looked at the division; he couldn't help but be disinterested, just as when she had given him an invitation in the past. In contrast, he looked at Unohana, who inspected all of her people, walked alongside some wards where some shinigami were being treated.
She resembled a kind 'all-mother', he didn't know how she could so seamlessly conceal her true self from these people who had no idea their role model was an actual lunatic killing machine.
Unohana Retsu could fool everyone, and that put yet another dart in his desire for her. Eventually, they met someone who looked also rather unique. She was a beauty with short silver hair and earrings.
The moment they had eye contact, he could feel her caution entwined with disdain. As if she was aware of his danger, but didn't look at him as someone valuable.
"This is my lieutenant, Izane Kotetsu. If I am not in the headquarters, you listen to her. If I order you to, even if I am here, you still listen to her. Understood, Ryōma?~" Unohana gave some simple orders, she expected retaliation, but to her surprise... no such thing.
"Understood, Retsu" Ryōma extended his hand forward to shake hers, a rather foreign way to greet someone, since Izane expected him to bow.
"Nice to meet you, Izane... I am Kamishiro Ryōma, people also call me Inuzuri since that's where I come from. You can address me however you want. I will be counting on you".
He didn't bow, he didn't use honorifics, he didn't even address their captain properly... a total hooligan!
Izane didn't know what to say. Her first impression was: Handsome but roguish, impolite. She noticed that Unohana hadn't mentioned his lack of honorifics, even though she wouldn't usually forgive such things... it portrayed some sort of underlying arrangement between the two.
Unohana evaluated both of them, hoping they could get along together really well since doing so meant she could have Ryōma as her right hand and Izane as her left hand, working more efficiently.
"Ryōma-san. Are you as strong as the people say?" Izane thought that by accentuating the use of honorifics, she could indirectly pressure him to use them too. She didn't know how rogues worked...
"I don't like to make self-judgements, Izane. You can either fight me yourself or ask the people I have fought. Your call," He shrugged his shoulders, earning a frown twitch from her.
"We have fought. I can confirm to you, Izane... Ryōma is the strongest person in the division right now. I don't know if I would be able to defeat him. So don't bother to try and test him. Rely on his capabilities and teach him everything he needs to know," Unohana spoke humbly with that perfect charade that made Ryoma clench his fists.
He didn't like the fact that she lied about that. Claiming he was stronger when he actually wasn't.
'You naughty liar... I am not even close to beating you' He said inwardly, wondering why she had to go to such extremes to hide her strength.
Was she the Seireitei's secret weapon?
Was she a criminal concealing herself from justice?
He needed to know why she was concealing it... and who knew her true nature.
"It's good to know we have a strong man in here for once", Izane commented loud enough for some passersby to hear and get offended.
"Izane-san!" A boy cried in resignation. He was introduced to Ryoma as Hanataro Yamada, a weak kid who looked kinda cute if you looked at him with the right lens. Other than him, there were mostly healers... people who were veterans at the use of kido, but no real fighters.
"I have things to do, Izane. I will leave Ryōma to you. Please show him around, and you can have him help you with anything you need. He doesn't know Kaido yet. I am planning to instruct him slowly, so you can have him as your errand boy for now".
Having said her piece, Unohana walked away, feeling Ryoma's deep stare on her back as if he longed for her not to go.
'Be obedient, and I will reward you~' She winked back at him, hoping that he got the message. But her wink was also caught by Hanataro and Izane, who both gasped in disbelief.
'What's their relationship!?'.
"Yes, captain".