Chapter Text
A hundred and ten years ago…
“To find out the truth about the mask,
We must delve into the past,
A hundred and ten years ago…”
Squad Lieutenant Aizen Sousuke walked through the corridor with his division members bowing respectfully and eagerly greeting him. He politely wished them the same until he approached a pair of sliding doors. Pausing in front of them, he inquired politely - “Are you ready, Captain?”
“Oh, just come on in”, he heard his captain sigh exasperatedly from within the room.
“Excuse me”, Aizen said, sliding the doors open to enter the office of his captain. The room had music emanating from a gramophone that his captain had brought from the living world. The blonde captain, Vinsmoke Sanji (though he disliked to hear anyone refer to him by his last name as Aizen was well aware as the captain had threatened to kick his ass if he called him Vinsmoke-taichou one more time), was standing in front of a mirror.
“Huh? You’re in your usual garb!” Sanji remarked as he looked in the mirror at his lieutenant and then over his shoulder. “I thought Luffy told you to dress up to the nines for the festival, Sosuke.”
“You’re dressed normally too, Captain”, Aizen replied calmly.
“I don’t count since I’m a captain”, Sanji retorted, turning around.
“Trying to make only me dress up funny won’t work”, Aizen said as he walked into the room. “First of all, it’s not a festival. It’s a ceremony.”
“It’s an auspicious occasion. So, it’s like a festival”, Sanji smirked, arguing just for the sake of it.
“It’s different”, Aizen responded with a slight frown.
“Well, you do as you like”, Sanji waved dismissively. “Just don’t blame me when Luffy turn those big eyes at you.”
Everyone was well aware that it was hard to say no to the charismatic captain of the 11th division.
“By the way, captain”, Aizen said pointing to the gramophone. “What is this music you’re playing?”
“It’s new music from the world of the living”, Sanji grinned. “Nice, huh?”
“I don’t really know.”
“Then why’d you bring it up?” Sanji muttered, rolling his eyes.
Later in front of the 1th division’s hall…
“Hey! I’m Captain Sanji of the 5th Squad!” Sanji announced loudly before the imposing doors of the Squad 1’s barracks. “Can someone open up?!”
“Captain Vinsmoke Sanji”, Aizen clarified, standing politely a couple steps behind him.
Sanji shot him a heated glare over his shoulder – “Shut up!”
“It’s open. Please enter”, Aizen calmly informed as the doors opened up in front of Sanji.
“I know that”, Sanji muttered and turned around to walk in but was suddenly assaulted before he had time to even take a step into the hall.
A green-haired man was grinning as he attacked Captain Sanji with one of his swords. Sanji managed to raise a leg to intercept the sword’s trajectory just in time, though the force and surprise of the strike threw him off balance. He somersaulted a couple of times, landing a few feet away from his assailant. Aizen observed in silence as he watched his colleague, the 11th division’s Lieutenant with a large scar across his chest, huff in disappointment.
“Hey, curly-brow”, Roronoa Zoro said with a frown. “You’ve gotten slow.”
“Damn you, marimo!” Sanji shouted as he jumped to his feet. “I wasn’t prepared!”
“What?!” Zoro shouted back. “Do you think the enemy waits to attack until you’ve prepared?!”
“We’re literally in the middle of Seireitei!” Sanji shouted furiously.
“You should be grateful that I’m training you”, Zoro huffed.
Suddenly, someone approached him from behind and with a fist landed a punch on Zoro’s head. Aizen blinked as another colleague stepped up, the red-haired squad Lieutenant of the 2nd division.
“You idiot!” Nami shouted at Zoro, who was down on his knees, groaning and rubbing his head. Aizen briefly noted that his captain had turned into a noodle with heart eyes upon the woman’s arrival, shouting – “Nami-swan~~!”
“What’s the big idea, Nami?” Zoro muttered, giving her a glare.
“Your captain’s not here”, Nami frowned at him. “Someone has to look after you.”
“He wouldn’t care!” Zoro pointed out, rightly in his case – as the captain of the 11th division was famously carefree and probably would just laugh if he was here.
“That’s right”, Nami sighed exasperatedly, then frowned again. “That’s why I have to take it upon myself to make sure you don’t get lost!”
“I wouldn’t get lost, witch!” Zoro shouted back.
Nami’s glare intensified, a twitch betraying the tension as she gripped Zoro’s head – “What did you say?”
“Witch”, Zoro’s eyes narrowed.
The next moment, Nami was dragging him back into the barracks. Zoro probably would’ve been able to break her grip, but he went along with her as they started to shout at each other again.
“Come on, you big ape!”
“You want to fight!?”
Aizen turned his eyes to his captain, who pouted as he walked up again – “That big brute doesn’t deserve the attention of sweet Nami-chan.”
Aizen sighed and decided to not mention the fact that Nami would probably kick his ass.
Inside of the barrack…
“Is everyone here?” Sanji asked Nami, while Zoro stood nearby with a frown, and Aizen stood a bit behind his captain.
“Just about”, Nami replied.
“Even Luffy?” Sanji asked in surprise, well aware that the fellow captain disliked being tied down to ceremonies like these.
“He’s coming”, Zoro frowned, not accepting any form of criticism against his captain.
“Easy”, Sanji smirked at him. “You know as well as I do that he gladly gives you all this kind of work.”
“Luffy could easily leave on vacation for a month, and no one would notice”, Nami grinned as well.
“He only became captain because he beat the previous Kenpachi, y’know”, Sanji couldn’t resist poking the sleeping bear.
“Captain”, Aizen spoke up cautiously from behind him.
“Huh?!” Zoro shouted, gripping the handle of one of his three swords, his zanpakutou always in shikai form. He never bothered to seal them; that lazy ass, Sanji thought. Nami looked like she regretted having taking part in this.
“Oh? I don’t approve of criticizing people”, another voice chimed in. They all turned around to see the captain of 8th division, Shunsui Kyouraku, walking up to them, accompanied by the fellow captain of 13th division, Joushirou Ukitake, and Shunsui’s lieutenant, Usopp, trailing behind him.
“Oh? You’re early today, Shunsui”, Sanji remarked.
“What’re you saying? I’m always the first here”, Shunsui responded.
“I had to wake him up”, Usopp spoke up from behind him, looking as if it had been hard work.
“Don’t betray me to other captains like that”, Shunsui protested lightly.
“I don’t see Hikifune”, Ukitake spoke up, looking at the list of attendants to the ceremony. “She’s not coming today?”
“It seems she’s already getting started with that side”, Shunsui nodded.
As they walked along the corridor to the big hall, Ukitake pondered out loud – “What was the hurry? It’s not urgent. She could’ve taken her time.”
“I’ll say”, Shunsui responded.
“There’s been such a turnover of captains lately”, Sanji added with a frown. “Love just joined Squad 7 the year before last. And next, it’s Squad 12.”
(On the other side of the building, on the way to the meeting, the captain of 7th division, Love, sneezed.)
“Well, change is inevitable in everything”, Shunsui responded calmingly. “And it’s just our turn. When you think about it, the only ones who’ve been captains for over a hundred years are myself, Ukitake and Old Man Yama. Right?”
He directed the question to Ukitake, who frowned – “Not even. There’s also Captain Unohana.”
“Oh! That’s right!” Shunsui replied. “I’ll get scolded for forgetting my great senior! Whoa, now I’m scared.”
“What are you so scared of?” Unohana’s voice suddenly spoke up from behind them, nearly causing the captains to jump.
“No… Nothing”, Shunsui awkwardly tried to brush it off. “Just about talking how it’s such a nice day, it’s scary! Right?”
“Y-yes!” Ukitake responded stuttering.
They attempted to awkwardly laugh it off.
Observing the scene from a distance where the lieutenants had stayed behind, Nami sighed – “Honestly, such an idiot.”
“Squad 7 had a retirement”, Unohana said as she walked up behind the captains. “Squad 12 had a promotion. Unlike Squad 10, they didn’t have a death in the line of duty. It’s peaceful and a good thing.”
Sanji glanced at his senior captains as they turned to her and answered nervously – “Yes.”
Sanji adored the ground women walked on, but even he was wary of Unohana. However, to his surprise, a familiar voice interrupted the senior captains.
“Promotion?” Aizen asked as he walked closer.
“Hey Sosuke!” Sanji hissed at the rude lieutenant.
“Pardon me”, Aizen bowed slightly before he continuing. “I couldn’t help but listen in.”
“That’s okay, Sosuke”, Shunsui shook his head. “What is it?”
“We lieutenants haven’t been told anything”, Aizen spoke, emboldened by the captain’s words. “Was Captain Hikifune of Squad 12 promoted? She didn’t retire?”
“Yes.”
“Promoted from captain..” Aizen said curiously. “Does that mean to Central 46? To be promoted from captain to Central 46… I’ve never heard of it happening.”
“Not Central 46”, Shunsui grinned. “She went to the Royal Special Task Force. Squad Zero.”
All of the lieutenants’ eyes widened.
“What’s this? Are you all blocking the corridor?” a voice spoke up from behind the lieutenants.
They turned around to see Captain Ginrei Kuchiki, followed by Captain Yoruichi Shiouin. Nami brightened at the sight of her captain, Yoruichi, who nodded at her with a smile. The lieutenants immediately stepped aside, and Aizen said – “Pardon me!”
The two captains approached the other captains. Unohana moved closer to Yoruichi and spoke up – “Congratulations.”
“If you have a congratulatory message, say it to him in person, Captain Unohana”, Yoruichi smiled at her with a nod before following Ginrei Kuchiki.
“What?” Sanji asked curiously, watching her leave. “Is the newcomer from Squad 2?”
Nami smirked, recalling the training session she had witnessed between her captain and the fellow seated officer when Yoruichi informed him that he had been recommended for the position of new captain. She had struggled to contain her laughter at the look of the third seat’s face. Regardless of Soi Fon’s murmurs, Nami trusted Yoruichi’s decisions and liked him herself.
A little later in the hall…
“I think the new Captain is here”, the captain of 9th division, Nico Robin, suddenly spoke up with a soft smile. “Captain Yamamoto says to line up and wait.”
Everyone was well aware of what her zanpakutou could do to hear and see such things outside of the room and immediately nodded, moving to do as she had said.
Hurried steps echoed from the hallway behind the large doors where the captains and two of the lieutenants were assembled. It seemed they were in a rush, and when the doors opened, a terrified Kisuke Urahara awkwardly stood there, looking over them all.
“Umm… Don’t tell me I’m the last one?” Kisuke asked, scratching his head.
“Jeez, another one”, Sanji muttered, while the captain of 11th division, Monkey D. Luffy, burst into laughter.
“I’m sorry I’m late”, Kisuke apologized and smiled. “And nice to meet you all.”
“Yohoho”, the captain of 3rd division, Brook, chuckled softly next to Sanji.
“Umm… May I enter?” Kisuke asked hesitantly.
“Don’t act like a wimp!” Yoruichi reprimanded him, making him flinch. “You’re now a captain! Stand tall and enter, Kisuke!”
“R-right”, Kisuke responded, gathering his composure.
“Yes, be quick and enter!” a voice commanded from behind him, pushing him aside with a wooden cane. It was Genryousai Yamamoto who stepped into the hall with his imposing presence.
“Now… We shall proceed with the installation ceremony”, Yamamoto declared before taking his seat at the opposite end of the hall. “I’m sure the rest of you captains have heard. Seven days ago, Squad 12 Captain, Kirio Hikifune, was ordered to relinquish her position due to a promotion elsewhere.”
A little sob was heard, and glancing down, Sanji could see the blue-haired lieutenant of 12th division standing there, tears streaming down his face, somehow even his pompador was wilting. Franky was an emotional guy, even on the best of days, and now having lost his captain, despite her being alive, it was no surprise to anyone that he was crying. Ukitake smiled softly at the lieutenant, offering comfort.
“As a result, a search had begun for a new squad captain, and notice was sent to the other captains”, Yamamoto continued, ignoring the crying lieutenant. “The following day, upon Squad 2 Captain Yoruichi Shiouin’s recommendation, the Third Seat from her squad was summoned. And yesterday, I, Genryusai Yamamoto, along with the three captains who were present, conducted an exam to evaluate his qualifications to become a captain. We found no complaint in his abilities and character. Therefore, former Third Seat of Squad 2, Kisuke Urahara is promoted to captain of Squad 12.”
Urahara laughed a little awkwardly, scratching the back of his head again. Sanji sighed; he hoped that Urahara was truly up to the task.
