Short Stories and Oneshots

The Fifth Division Incident

Author: Akaluan

Platform: Fanfiction.net

Type: Bleach

Jushiro wasn't certain what he expected when he pushed his way through the crowd and into the 5th Division's courtyard, but seeing three strangers wearing a Captain's Haori for the 5th and Aizen being pinned to the ground was certainly not it.

~

Wary and curious Shinigami peered through the open gate into the Fifth Division's courtyard, blocking Jushiro from seeing whatever was happening beyond them. He could see insignias from every division, even the Eleventh, and had spotted no fewer than six Seated Officers without trouble.

Whatever was happening in the courtyard beyond, no one seemed inclined to intervene.

"Lead on," Shunsui murmured when Jushiro shot him a questioning look.

(Sometimes, Jushiro wished he didn't have quite the reputation of a peace-maker.)

(But only when Shunsui used that reputation to get out of doing his own work.)

Jushiro sighed and moved forward, wading through the crowd with Shunsui close on his heels. He emerged into a stand-off, complete with flaring reiatsu and even more watchers. Many of the division's members were lining the edges of the courtyard, wary and frozen in place, clearly attempting to stay out of the confrontation in front of them.

Their focus was a group of five near the center of the courtyard, one of which was on the ground and being held in place by another's foot between his shoulder-blades and sharply focused reiatsu. Hirako-taicho was another of the five, and stood with his perpetual smile missing and a hand on the hilt of his Zanpakuto.

"Yeah, see, ya still ain't convinced me," Hirako said coldly, fingers tightening on his blade's hilt. "So if ya could let my Lieutenant up an' stop threatening ta kill him?"

"Tch, ain't no threat," the white haired stranger shot back. "Aibo, c'mon, jes get it o'er wit' a'fore this slime wriggles free."

Jushiro paused and narrowed his eyes, gaze moving between Hirako and the three strangers. Shunsui stopped at his side, hand reaching up to tip his sakkat up and head tilting minutely in puzzlement.

"Curious," Shunsui murmured, sharing a look with him. "Very curious."

All three of the strangers wore a Captain's haori, and all of them bore the insignia of the Fifth. If Jushiro were to believe his eyes, there were currently four Captains in front of him, all for the same division.

(Imposters? Who would bother trying to pretend to be a Captain?)

The stranger pinning Aizen-fukutaicho had bright orange hair and wore the traditional white haori, sans sleeves. To his left, the white haired stranger wore an inverted haori, black with white lettering, and to his left stood the third, the black haired man's attention focused on Aizen and his haori was a deep blue with white lettering.

And none of them felt more than vaguely familiar.

(But they all felt similar. Triplets, perhaps?)

Shunsui took a few more steps forward and cleared his throat, pulling most of their attention to him. "Maa, what seems to be the problem here?"

(Except for the man in the blue haori, who didn't even spare Shunsui a glance. That was...concerning.)

Hirako's expression twisted with fury, and he stabbed a finger at the Shinigami pinning Aizen to the ground. "These three just appeared outta nowhere, saw Aizen-fukutaicho, and decided to attack without warning!"