The next day, things in the Thirteenth Division headquarters were… not exactly smooth.
Kiyone Kotetsu and Sentarō Kotsubaki stood stiffly in the hallway, staring at the mountain of paperwork and tasks in front of them.
"As usual, huh…"
"Handling division duties, huh…"
The two looked at each other in silence.
"Wait a sec—Vice Captain Miyako totally dumped all the division duties on us!!" Kiyone suddenly shouted, her voice full of regret.
"I knew it! That whole passionate speech yesterday… it was just an excuse!" Sentarō yelled, clutching his head. "Give me back my feels!"
"It's your fault for crying so easily! Why did you get swept up in it?!"
"Hah?! You were crying too! Don't act like you weren't totally moved!"
Their heads bonked together with a loud clang! as they glared at each other, sparks practically flying between them.
On the side, Ukitake Jūshirō chuckled awkwardly, hand behind his head. "Yare yare… I should've explained it yesterday. Looks like they figured it out on their own."
"Captain Ukitake!" Kiyone and Sentarō turned to him, still fuming.
"We finally got ourselves a Vice Captain, and he's already playing hooky! This isn't right!"
"Exactly, Captain! Vice Captain or not, ditching his duties is totally unfair!"
But Ukitake just gave them a gentle smile. "Miyako's words actually made sense. If the Thirteenth Division had a strong, dependable Vice Captain, I'd be able to rest easier. Besides, don't we already have two amazing people right here?"
"Huh?"
"You both have been helping me for a long time, ne? I trust you with the division work just as much as Miyako does."
"Captain Ukitake…" Both Kiyone and Sentarō were instantly overwhelmed with emotion again, tears pooling in their eyes.
"Compared to that sneaky Vice Captain, Captain's words are ten times more touching!"
"I take back everything I said… I'll do the work with pride!"
Meanwhile, somewhere far from all the paperwork chaos, Amamiya Miyako had already made his escape to the training grounds.
The place was quiet this early in the day. Only a few low-ranked Shinigami were around. Among them, one familiar presence stood out—Kuchiki Rukia.
"Oii, Rukia-chan!" Miyako called out, waving.
Upon seeing him, Rukia didn't respond with a greeting. Instead, she strode toward him, grabbed his arm, and pulled him into a quiet, secluded corner of the grounds.
"Eh? What's wrong? Rukia-chan, what are you—"
"You! Shouldn't you be in the Captain's office handling division duties right now?! Why are you out here slacking off?!"
"Cough, cough…" Miyako coughed awkwardly, looking away. "Well, you mentioned how the other divisions were looking down on us, right? So, I brought it up with Captain Ukitake. If I want the Thirteenth Division to stop being mocked, I need to get stronger first and show everyone we're not pushovers."
Naturally, he wasn't about to admit that he'd bailed after seeing the paperwork mountain. This could be considered... a noble cause! It wasn't slacking off—it was strategy.
"Is that so…" Rukia narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"A-Anyway! Since I'm here, wanna train together?" Miyako offered, changing the subject.
"With me?"
"Yeah! Oh, by the way, I just found out yesterday—you got promoted to Sixth Seat, huh? Omedetō, Kuchiki-san."
"You can drop the 'Sixth Seat' part…" Rukia muttered, clearly seeing through his teasing tone.
"Then, Kuchiki-san, how about a match with me? I'd like to see how strong you've gotten."
Rukia paused for a moment, then nodded slightly. "...Let's go."
"Eh? The training ground is right here."
"No. Let's go to West Rukongai."
"West Rukongai? Didn't we already go there last time?"
"Not to the Shiba Clan. This time, it's Mount Koifushi, up north in District Three. We'll spar there."
Miyako tilted his head. "Why go all the way out there when the training space here is free?"
"Stop asking so many questions! Just come when I say!" Rukia snapped, her cheeks a little pink.
Truth was, rumors had already started spreading in the division—whispers about her relationship with Amamiya Miyako. The last thing she needed was more gossip.
Training at Mt. Koifushi made sense—it was quiet, remote, and best of all, outside the Seireitei's prying eyes. She could fight without holding back.
Amamiya Miyako didn't push for more answers. He could tell Rukia-chan was already flustered—her cheeks were just slightly pink, after all.
"Yare yare... when she gets like this, there's no arguing," he muttered under his breath, following her lead obediently.
"Ne, Rukia," Miyako called out as they walked. "You awakened your Zanpakutō's Shikai ages ago, right? So why didn't you use it when we sparred before?"
He'd always found it odd. If she had unleashed her Sode no Shirayuki, there's no way he could have kept up. The Shikai of Rukia Kuchiki wasn't something to underestimate.
Rukia-chan glanced sideways at him, her gaze distant. "I did call her name long ago... But after that incident..." She paused, voice softening. "No matter how much I screamed her name, she never responded. Not even once."
Miyako frowned. "Sou ka... I see." A Zanpakutō was the reflection of a Shinigami's soul. If one's heart wavered, the blade would fall silent. That was a truth taught even in the Academy.
"But now, you can call her again, can't you?" he asked with quiet certainty.
Rukia gave a soft chuckle, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Of course. I'm not the same as I was back then. Just don't come crying when you lose, Miyako-san."
"Oi oi," he laughed, drawing his blade casually over his shoulder. "You're underestimating your senpai, Sixth Seat Kuchiki."
Their banter continued until they reached the heart of Mt. Koifushi. Despite being called a mountain, the area was thick with verdant trees, and a soft breeze stirred the leaves with a sound like distant whispers. The sunlight filtered through the branches, giving the forest a serene golden hue. At the center was a wide clearing—flat, firm, and worn with the signs of many past battles.
Miyako's eyes sparkled. "Uwaa... this place is incredible. I didn't know Soul Society had scenery like this."
"Fufu... of course it does," Rukia said proudly, a rare smile tugging at her lips.
"Alright, let's get started," Miyako stepped back, unsheathing his Zanpakutō in one clean motion, blade gleaming in the sunlight. His stance was loose, but his eyes were sharp.
"Hai. Let's go," Rukia replied, her own hand tightening around the hilt of Sode no Shirayuki. "Just so you know, I won't be pulling any punches, Vice Captain Amamiya."
"Heh, you're cheeky today, Rukia-chan. I'll show you that the strength of a Vice Captain isn't something you can take lightly!"
The wind carried their words away as they stood facing one another. Leaves rustled overhead, birds flitted from branch to branch, and a moment of pure silence fell between them.
Then—
With a burst of shunpo, both figures vanished.
ZAN! ZAN!
Their swords clashed with a flurry of sparks in the center of the clearing. Steel met steel again and again as the rhythm of their duel echoed through the forest. Each strike carried weight, resolve, and years of training. The ground beneath their feet shifted slightly with each movement, and fallen leaves swirled in the air like a dance of seasons.
Miyako parried a horizontal slash and retaliated with a quick feint, which Rukia dodged with graceful ease. The corners of her mouth twitched in amusement.
"You've improved," she said.
"You too," he grinned. "But I haven't even gotten serious yet."
With that, Miyako's spiritual pressure flared subtly—controlled, but palpable.