[Soul Society Arc] Part 63: FOURTEEN DAYS FOR CONSPIRACY

# Soul Society - Seireitei #

Renji walked briskly, his thoughts heavy with the recent conversation he'd had with Rukia.

Renji: "After all these days... seeing her eyes so full of life..." He thought to himself, absently scratching his neck.

The lieutenant had intentionally withheld information from Rukia, only mentioning two of the Ryoka, while he recalled the events that had transpired earlier when the intruders had been spotted at the gates of Seireitei.

When the alarm suddenly blared, Renji's hand instinctively found the hilt of his zanpakuto. Without a moment's hesitation, he sprinted towards the source of the disturbance.

As the great gates of the Seireitei closed, members of the 3rd and 9th divisions had also converged on the scene. However, it didn't take long for them to receive orders to withdraw, as the gatekeeper Jidanbo had taken on the task of dealing with the Ryoka.

Renji approached the area cautiously but noticed that Captain Ichimaru was already present. Deciding not to interfere, Renji chose to remain concealed, watching the unfolding situation from a hidden vantage point.

As Renji reflected on the events he had witnessed, he couldn't help but let out an exasperated sigh.

Renji: "I really wish I could believe that Captain Ichimaru intercepted the Ryoka... but..."

???: "Hey!" - A voice suddenly called out, interrupting Renji's thoughts.

The voice belonged to a mild-featured man with brown scholarly hair highlighted by square glasses, along with soft brown eyes. Renji turned quickly to see a familiar captain.

Aizen: "Hello." - The captain greeted Renji with a gentle wave.

Renji: "Aizen-san..."

Aizen: "It's good to see you, Abarai-kun." - He remarked as he approached the lieutenant. - "Do you... have a moment?"

The two of them walked a bit until they entered what seemed like a storage area.

Aizen: "It's been quite a while, hasn't it?"

Renji: "Yes, it has..." - He replied, his voice tinged with curiosity.

Aizen: "How many years has it been since I lost you to Kenpachi?" - He asked gently, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. - "You're in the 6th division now, aren't you?"

Renji: "Yes...That's right... er...Captain Aizen, what did you want to talk to me about?"

The captain maintained his warm smile as he pulled a curtain across the door, clearly aiming for a private conversation.

Aizen: "You're... close to Rukia Kuchiki, aren't you, Abarai-kun?"

Renji: "Huh? Well... uh..."

Aizen: "There's no need to hide it. I know you've been friends since your days in Rukongai."

Renji: "Yes..."

Aizen: "I'll get right to the point," - The captain said, his expression becoming more solemn. - "In your opinion... does Rukia Kuchiki deserve to die?" - His calm gaze was locked onto Renji's eyes, searching for his true feelings on the matter.

Renji: "...!? I'm... I'm not sure I understand."

Aizen: "Don't you find it strange? Rukia Kuchiki's crime was the unauthorized loan of her spiritual powers and her overlong absence from the Soul Society. I've never heard of anyone receiving the ultimate punishment... for such crimes."

The lieutenant couldn't quite grasp where Aizen was leading with this, so he remained in silence, listening intently to the captain's words.

Aizen: "Furthermore, there was an immediate recall and disposal of her gigai... and her execution date was moved up from 35 days to 25 days. And, of course, the use of the Sokyoku on a shinigami below the rank of captain... It's unprecedented."

Aizen's tone was thoughtful, as if he were genuinely questioning the rationale behind these events, but Renji couldn't help but feel a sense of unease creeping over him.

Aizen: "I can't help but think... that someone is behind all of this."

Renji: "Captain Aizen... what are you getting at?"

Aizen: "I have a bad feeling... Renji... Maybe I—"

Suddenly, the blaring sound of alarms echoed throughout the Seireitei, abruptly cutting off the captain's words.

[All Captains! All Captains! Report immediately for an emergency officer's conference!! I repeat! All Captains! Report immediately for an emergency officer's conference!!]

Renji and Aizen exchanged a quick glance, their conversation left hanging in the air.

# Soul Society - Rukongai, Shiba House #

The frantic sounds reverberated throughout the house as Ichigo and Ganju, locked in a heated exchange, locked eyes and started brawling relentlessly.

With the exception of Yato, the group of teenagers wore perplexed expressions, and even the feline Yoruichi couldn't believe what was unfolding before them.

Initially, Kukaku seemed unfazed by the chaos, allowing Ichigo and Ganju to exchange blows and even break a few doors in the process.

The brawl between the two escalated further, and Yato noticed that when Ganju attempted to throw a door onto Ichigo, he knocked the pipe out of Kukaku's hand.

Yato: 'I could easily use my Fullbring to grab that and return it to her just to keep the fight going... but I really don't feel like it...' - He thought with an air of indifference, fully expecting Ganju to break the fallen pipe, which would inevitably irritate Kukaku enough to stop the fight in the most dramatic way possible.

Being anything but subtle, Kukaku decided to put an end to Ichigo and Ganju's brawl by unleashing a Kidou explosion inside the room.

Everyone scrambled to avoid getting caught in the Kidou blast, but Yato had no intention of running. Instead, he concealed himself within a red thread dome, turning the whole scene into a comical display despite the chaos.

Kukaku: "Cut it out!!!!" - She yelled at Ichigo and Ganju, who were now lying on the ground after being caught in the explosion. - "What's wrong with you two...attacking each other the moment you lay eyes on each other!?"

Ganju: "But, sis! That jerk–"

Kukaku: "Don't talk back!" - She cut off Ganju with a kick to the face.

Still seething with anger over the whole situation, Kukaku grabbed Ichigo's head and glared at him furiously while he sweated nervously.

Kukaku: "Listen to me, you little punk! This is my house! It's my way or the highway around here!"

Ichigo: "I...I'm sorry...ma'am..." - He replied, still intimidated by the woman.

Kukaku: "All right. As long as you understand." - She released Ichigo, her tone shifting from fury to indifference. Then, she turned her gaze towards the red dome of tangled threads in the corner of the room. - "And as for you, kid."

Yato: "Huh? Me?" - The red dome dissipated, revealing the teenager, who had been quietly trying to avoid getting involved.

Kukaku: "You should have stopped your friend when this mess started." - She said in a less irritated tone, her fiery anger subsiding.

Yato: "I'm not his babysitter...and you didn't stop your brother when it all began either..." - He grumbled with a hint of defiance, unwilling to take the blame for the entire situation.

Kukaku: "Well, well, a feisty one, huh?" - She raised an eyebrow at his retort, finding Yato's defiance somewhat amusing. - "Listen up, all of you! Stand up, shut up and follow me!"

Her authoritative tone left no room for argument, Ichigo and Ganju quickly scrambled to their feet, their previous disagreements momentarily forgotten. Inoue's eyes widened in amazement, Chad exchanged a bewildered look with Tatsuki and Uryu, and even Yato raised an eyebrow at Kukaku's authoritative demeanor.

Amidst the chaos, Ichigo managed to crawl over to Ganju, his face still marked with awe and fear from his encounter with Kukaku.

Ichigo: "Your sister is terrifying..." - He whispered

Ganju: "Tell me about It..." - He whispered back.

The group followed Kukaku down a well-lit corridor, and Uryu couldn't help but wonder where the light source was coming from, as he hadn't spotted any generators in the area.

Uryu: "Where's all this light coming from? I don't see any generators."

Kukaku: "We grow Hotarukazura... in the holes on the ceiling and on both sides of the wood paneling." - She responded casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

As they continued walking, Ichigo couldn't contain his curiosity and leaned over to whisper to Yato.

Ichigo: "How can you act so calm after all that chaos back there?" - He whispered.

Yato chuckled, responding to Ichigo's question with a hint of irony.

Yato: "Well, I've had my fair share of dealing with crazies. You get used to it." - He couldn't help but glance Ichigo up and down, his expression teasingly ironic. - "Or maybe not."

Tatsuki couldn't contain her laughter, enjoying Ichigo's irritated expression as she stifled a few quiet giggles.

The group followed Kukaku and Ganju into a spacious room, and their eyes widened at the sight that greeted them. In the center of the room stood a small pedestal with an enormous iron column extending from the ceiling to the floor.

Ichigo: "Oh!" - He couldn't help but exclaim.

Tatsuki: "What the...?" - She muttered equally baffled.

Uryu: "It's huge..."

Ichigo: "What is this...?"

Yato: "...The Neo Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon...?" - He couldn't resist muttering a playful comment as he saw the colossal pillar, a humorous reference to an iconic moment from the anime Gintama.

Orihime: "The... What?" - She asked, her face a mix of confusion and curiosity.

Chad, who rarely showed emotion, couldn't help but glance at Yato, his face displaying a comical sweatdrop, as he wondered where on earth his friend had come up with such an unexpected comment.

Kukaku: "I'm going to launch all of you into the Soul Society through the sky using this!" - With a mischievous glint in her eyes she declared to the astonished teenagers.

The room was filled with a stunned silence, the shock evident on the faces of Ichigo, Tatsuki, Orihime, Chad and Uryu. They exchanged bewildered glances, trying to process this bizarre turn of events.

Yato, on the other hand, maintained his cool demeanor. He simply leaned against a nearby wall and let out a theatrical whistle, feigning surprise. It was clear that he was enjoying the theatrics of the moment.

Kukaku: "I'm Kukaku Shiba...Rukongai's Premier Fireworks Expert!!"

# Seireitei - Repentance Palace #

Inside the Repentance Palace, Rukia sat alone in her prison, her thoughts consumed by the words Renji had spoken earlier about the two Ryoka who had entered the Soul Society. The descriptions he provided left little doubt in her mind – it had to be Yato and Ichigo.

Her heart was torn between conflicting emotions. Gratitude welled up within her for their incredible, selfless act of coming to the Soul Society to save her. She couldn't deny the warmth she felt knowing they were willing to go to such lengths.

However, a shadow of fear loomed over her. She couldn't shake the worry about their safety. The Soul Society was a dangerous place, especially for intruders, and she feared what might befall them. She didn't want Ichigo and Yato to suffer because of her.

Amidst the dimness of her cell, Rukia was lost in her thoughts, the weight of her situation pressing down on her. It was then that she heard it, a faint whisper that seemed to echo inside her mind.

???: ".....Ru.....Kia...sa...ma.....Ruki...."

At first, the voice felt distant and unintelligible, like a distant echo bouncing off the walls of her consciousness. Her brows furrowed as she strained to understand the source of the voice. It was as if someone were trying to reach out to her, and a sense of familiarity tugged at her heart.

???: ".....Rukia...sama...."

Then, slowly, the voice began to gain clarity, and Rukia's eyes widened with recognition. It was a voice she hadn't heard in a long time. The voice of her zanpakuto.

Rukia's awareness weighed heavily upon her as she contemplated the years of silence that had passed between her and her zanpakuto. In the dimly lit confines of the repentance palace, this revelation struck her like a haunting whisper from the past.

Kaien, her beloved mentor, had been like a guiding light in her life. His untimely demise, at the hands of a corrupted hollow, had shattered the foundation of her self-confidence. It was a devastating loss, not just for her but for the entire 13th Division. The pain of that day had left deep scars on her heart, and it was in the aftermath of that tragedy that she had chosen to silence her zanpakuto, Sode no Shirayuki.

She couldn't bear the thought of her own powers causing harm or leading to another tragedy. She blamed herself for Kaien's death, believing that if she had been stronger or made better decisions, he might still be alive. This self-imposed guilt weighed heavily on her, and as a result, she had refrained from using her zanpakuto's abilities ever since.

Rukia: "....Sode no Shirayuki...?" - She whispered, her voice trembling. Her zanpakuto had been silent for so long, and now, its voice resurfaced in her thoughts. Rukia's heart raced with a mix of emotions – surprise, relief, and curiosity.