New captain's haori's heavier than I expected.
It ain't the cloth. It's the weight of the gazes. The voices I can't hear but feel, crawlin' across the back of my neck. Soldiers whisperin' behind my back, wonderin' what kind of man's wearin' the white.
Don't matter.
They'll learn soon enough.
The 3rd Division barracks ain't grand. Functional, efficient, no frills. Walls clean, courtyard raked, and in the heart of it, the comms station. That's the pulse of this place. Racks of monitors showin' feed after feed of Jigokuchō flutterin' through Soul Society, ferried messages from Division to Division, Human World to Seireitei.
Information. Communication. The lifeblood of the Gotei 13.
And now, it's mine to command.
I stroll through the corridors, the 3rd Division insignia hangin' above the entrance. New faces glance my way, eyes droppin' fast when I meet 'em.
Good.
I step into the comms hall. Rows of seated shinigami workin' over records, screens of light and paper talismans glowin' with encoded messages.
One of the seated officers — a young man with cropped hair and too-straight posture — steps up, salutin' sharp.
"Ichimaru-taichou!"
I wave a hand lazy-like.
"No need fer the stiff neck, kid. Gimme the rundown."
He blinks at my tone but recovers fast.
"Yes, sir. Division 3's primary duty is the management of information. We monitor all Jigokuchō traffic, process inter-division communications, disseminate orders from the Captain-Commander, and track mission reports from the Human World."
"An' the recon net?"
He swallows.
"We maintain it. Jigokuchō are dispatched constantly, collecting environmental and spiritual activity data, especially from the World of the Living and outer Rukongai districts. Anomalies are logged and sent up the chain."
I grin.
"Y'all're busy lil' bees, huh?"
He gives a shaky smile.
"Y-Yes, sir."
I stroll past him, eyein' the screens. One shows a cluster of butterflies gatherin' near the East 80th District. Huh. Wonder what's brewin' out there.
"Priority reports?" I ask.
The officer glances at a scroll.
"Nothing significant today. Standard hollows in Karakura Town — Squad 10's handling it. Minor disturbance in the South 38th District, but Division 11 already deployed."
I nod.
"Keeps the machine hummin'. Good work."
I leave 'em to it. Division 3's the eyes an' ears of the Gotei. Ain't the flashy frontline types. But information wins wars before swords ever cross.
And I need every scrap of it if I'm gonna keep one step ahead of Aizen.
Hours crawl by. Patrol reports. Message audits. Oversein' the shift rotations. Nothin' interestin'. Just grease for the wheels.
The sun starts sinkin'. Orange bleedin' across the Seireitei sky.
I head for the outer courtyard.
Figure it's time for a drink or three. Or at least a breath where I ain't watched.
That's when I see her.
Standin' by the north gate, lookin' up at the sunset like it owes her somethin'.
Long, strawberry blonde hair catchin' the light. That old face — one I hadn't seen in too long.
Matsumoto Rangiku.
Ain't seen her since before she put on that shihakushō. Since the day she walked into the Academy an' left me behind in Rukongai.
She ain't noticed me yet.
And for a second — just a second — it's like bein' a kid again. Cold nights. Stolen food. Sharin' the same old crumblin' shack.
Then the memory's gone.
I step closer, mask slidin' back on.
"Well, well. If it ain't lil' Rangiku."
She stiffens, turns. Eyes widen for a heartbeat before they narrow.
"…Gin."
Voice flat. No warmth. Not that I expected it.
I grin anyway.
"Didn't reckon I'd bump into ya here. Thought Squad 10'd be out in the sticks, bashin' hollows."
"I had patrol in the Seireitei."
A pause.
"I heard you got promoted."
I shrug, thumbin' the haori draped over my shoulders.
"Y'know me. Always risin' to the top."
Her jaw tightens.
"Careful, Gin. Not every climb's worth the fall."
The words're sharp, like glass hid in candy.
I laugh, light an' lazy.
"Aw, don't be like that, Rangiku. We used to be friends."
"We used to be a lotta things."
She turns, walkin' away without another word.
And I stand there a moment longer, watchin' her silhouette vanish into the dusk.