Kyoraku Shunsui was a veteran wanderer.
He had drifted through the centuries like wind through sakura petals — free, easy, and fond of all the world's fleeting pleasures. He sought beauty wherever it bloomed: a well-brewed cup of sake, a bright laugh, a dancer's grace beneath the lantern light.
Yet despite all that, he lived by one peculiar principle — to walk through a thousand flowers without letting a single petal cling to his sleeve.
It was his way of saying he enjoyed the company of women, but never bound himself to one.
For all his charm, for all the rumors that trailed behind his pink-robed figure, Kyoraku Shunsui remained — even now — an old bachelor.
Still, it was impossible to deny that he was popular.
During his long tenure as captain, he had met more drinking companions than anyone could count. When he wasn't idling through his division or avoiding paperwork, the captain of the Eighth Division could most often be found with a sake gourd in hand, laughing somewhere in Seireitei.
And Gosuke Shigure, naturally, was among those many drinking friends.
But Shunsui's drinking sessions were rarely just for leisure. Over cups of sake, he often shared fragments of Seireitei's freshest whispers — things that only the Eighth Division, the intelligence division of the Gotei 13, could know.
Despite his reputation as a slacker, the man's ear for information was unmatched.
…
One afternoon, between idle conversation and the gentle clink of sake cups, Shunsui suddenly spoke in that careless, sing-song tone of his.
"Gosuke, have you heard about the disappearance of souls lately?"
Shigure's eyes froze mid-sip.
The words dropped like a pebble into still water.
'The disappearance of souls…?'
A name flashed instantly through his mind.
Aizen Sosuke.
In the timeline he remembered — the "original story" — it had all begun with this.
Ordinary souls in Rukongai had started vanishing without a trace. The Gotei 13 investigated, sending captains and lieutenants to uncover the cause… only to find that Aizen himself had been behind it, secretly conducting Hollowfication experiments.
The disappearances had been bait.
Hirako Shinji and several other captains were transformed into Visords, and the entire affair was buried beneath the pretense of Urahara Kisuke's guilt.
Aizen had won — and hidden in plain sight for a century.
But then, Shigure's thoughts sharpened.
'No — that can't be right. Not yet.'
The timeline didn't match.
Hirako Shinji wasn't even a captain yet. Aizen himself was still just a seated officer in the Fifth Division.
'So this isn't that event. Not yet.'
He forced his expression to remain neutral and looked up. "Oh? And what does the great Captain Kyoraku say about it?"
Shunsui smiled, twirling his cup lazily. "Well, since you ask… it seems something's been going on in Rukongai lately. The Twelfth Division's Research Bureau detected an unusual pattern — souls disappearing in large numbers. No trace, no residuals, nothing. They reported it to the First Division, and old man Yama passed the order to us."
He poured another drink before continuing, his voice softer now.
"My Eighth Division was tasked to investigate. You know how it is — intelligence work, observation, following threads. But even after weeks of searching, we found nothing. Not a single clue."
He lifted his gaze, eyes narrowing slightly under the brim of his hat. "So I thought of you. The Eleventh Division spends plenty of time in Rukongai, especially on hollow exterminations. If you see anything strange — anything that feels off — I'd appreciate a word."
Shigure's lips curved slightly. The picture was clear.
The First Division had passed the case to the Eighth. Shunsui's men had come up empty. Now he was extending his net — and using their drinking session as a convenient way to share responsibility.
He didn't mind. It was how the Gotei 13 worked.
Out loud, he simply said, "Understood. I'll have the team keep watch."
"Good man." Shunsui grinned, raising his cup. "Now stop talking shop. Drink. You've been keeping up better than me lately — your tolerance's improving."
Shigure smirked faintly. "Practice makes perfect. Though you, Captain Kyoraku, still seem to enjoy losing on purpose."
Shunsui laughed loudly. "Losing to good company isn't losing at all!"
It was, as usual, Shunsui who ended up slumped over the table first.
…
Later that night, Shigure returned to the Eleventh Division.
The barracks were quiet. The moon hung half-hidden behind drifting clouds.
As he stepped into the compound, he immediately noticed something — or rather, someone — missing.
The captain's presence.
For the past few months, Kenpachi Azashiro's movements had become increasingly erratic. He was rarely in the captain's quarters, rarely in the training room behind them either. No one knew where he went. No one dared to ask.
Shigure sighed softly. "Out again, huh."
He took over the day's remaining paperwork and filed the patrol reports, his mind still turning over Kyoraku's words. 'Souls disappearing. No spiritual residue. No trace.'
That combination was not ordinary. Hollows left trails; reishi patterns; disturbances in the spiritual flow. To erase even those traces would require either overwhelming precision… or forbidden technology.
By the time the sky darkened, he was still thinking about it.
…
The sliding door opened clack, and the familiar low voice sounded from behind him.
"Gosuke."
Shigure turned. Kenpachi Azashiro had returned. His appearance hadn't changed — the same calm expression, the same aura of restrained menace. And as always, no Zanpakutō hung at his side.
"Captain." Shigure greeted, standing up. "You're back."
Azashiro nodded once, a quiet acknowledgment.
Shigure took it as his cue to speak. "By the way, Captain Kyoraku mentioned something today."
Azashiro's gaze shifted slightly, signalling for him to go on.
"Recently, in Rukongai, there's been a wave of disappearances — souls vanishing in large numbers. The Eighth Division's investigating, but they've found nothing. So Captain Kyoraku asked if our Eleventh Division could keep an eye out during patrols or missions."
He watched the captain carefully as he spoke.
For just an instant — barely the span of a breath — something flickered in those cold eyes.
Surprise? Recognition? Guilt? It vanished too quickly to name.
But Shigure caught it.
He always did.
When he finished, Azashiro's tone was as composed as ever. "Since Captain Kyoraku requested it, then inform the members. Have them stay alert during Rukongai operations."
"Yes." Shigure replied evenly.
Azashiro gave a short nod and turned toward the door.
Even in the dim light, his absence of a blade was striking. A captain without a Zanpakutō — a warrior who had always been the embodiment of battle — now walked Seireitei empty-handed, silent as a ghost.
As the sound of his footsteps faded down the corridor, Shigure murmured under his breath, "So it really is connected to you."
…
That brief flash of emotion in Azashiro's eyes had said enough.
He was involved — somehow.
Shigure leaned back in his chair, letting out a long, quiet sigh.
He had known that Kenpachi Azashiro was ambitious, even dangerous. In the original history, he had been imprisoned in the Muken, the lowest level of the underground prison, for plotting something that had shaken Seireitei itself.
But Shigure hadn't expected him to begin now. So soon.
'Far earlier than expected.' he thought grimly.
Still, the memories of the past year surfaced — the quiet routines, the battles fought side by side, the silent respect that had grown between them.
For all his coldness, the man had not been cruel.
And Gosuke Shigure, who had finally found a peaceful life after two reincarnations, had no desire to watch that peace collapse.
He stared at the empty doorway where Kenpachi Azashiro had vanished and said softly, almost to himself:
'If it's true… if you're really starting what I think you're starting… then I'll try to stop you, Captain. Even if it's just once.'
In the past year, getting along with each other has been quite pleasant after all.
In addition, Shigure was also very satisfied with the current position of vice-captain, and really had no intention of becoming captain and serving as Kenpachi.
*****
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