Reborn: Bleach Edition

1.7

All this happened in a matter of seconds.

As the smoke cleared from the attack, Chad was lying on the ground, bleeding out. Hajime and Nanao were safely inside the building, still watching on the balcony after Hajime rerouted the attack.

Hajime tilted his head to the side as Nanao spoke up, both of them sensing the new presence.

"What would the Stealth Force have sent you here? If they had orders to deliver, they would have just sent the hell butterfly." Nanao asked, not looking at the messenger.

"In ordinary circumstances, yes," The messenger stated, continuing to maintain his kneeling position. "But this one is different. This order is signed by Head Captain Yamamoto, Squad 9 Captain Saito, and Squad 10 Captain Hitsuguya." The messenger answered.

"Signed by three Captains?" Nanao asked, glancing at Hajime, who didn't react to the news, "Is the order top secret?"

————

Nanao ran over to her Captain, panting hard. "Captain Kyoraku! I have urgent news!" She announced.

Shunsui turned to face his lieutenant, "What is it now?"

Nanao slowed to a stop.

"It must be important to make you run. Come to think of it, Stealth Force sent someone, didn't they? What's it about?" he asked.

"It's— It's about Captain Aizen. He was found dead this morning." Nanao told Shunsui, "The cause of death was the removal of his soul chain and soul sleep and destruction of his heart by zanpakuto. So far, there are no suspects. It's been invested as a murder. The news was classified as top priority for officers' eyes only. And it's signed by Head Captain Yamamoto, Captain Saito, and Captain Hitsuguya. I believe the information is accurate." Nanao reported.

Hajime jumped off the wall and landed next to Shunsui. "Very accurate. Hinamori and Kira have also been arrested. Hinamori attempted to attack a Captain and fought against Kira." Hajime informed both of them.

"That's bad news. Sosuke was— very well," Shunsui started to walk off, Hajime following next to him, "I suppose we should go and pay our respects."

"Yes, sir." Nanao said, then stopped, "Wait, one moment Captain. I just noticed something. This Ryoka—it isn't dead yet."

Shunsui and Hajime looked back.

"Shall I administer the killing blow?" Nanao asked, her hand glowing with her reiatsu coating it.

"That's enough, that is our responsibility. It's no job for you." Hajime reprimanded.

"But Captain Saito! One of these Ryoka was probably responsible for the murder of Captain Aizen!" She exclaimed.

"Hm, probably. We don't really know for sure. Anything is possible and there's no need to kill so unnecessarily. Let's call the Rescue Squad and have him put in a cell." Hajime ordered before turning, his blue haori fluttering. Nanao looked at Shunsui. He nodded, agreeing with his friend's decision.

"Yes, Captain. I'll make the arrangements with Squad 4 at once. My apologies sir, for trying to meddle." Nanao bowed to both of the Captains.

"Things seem to be getting rather complicated." Shunsui commented.

Hajime knocked his knuckles against Shunsui's head, eliciting and fake cry from the man. "Come on," Hajime gave a faint smile to his friend, "let's go pay our respects.

————

"Aizen Sousuke, Captain of Squad 5, has passed away. When he was taken down from the wall, his breathing had already stopped, and nothing more could be done." Retsu said.

Hajime stood in the room with Aizen's body laid on a bed, Komamura and Shunsui on either side of him.

"No gigai? Are you certain one wasn't used?" Hajime asked even though he knew.

"Yes. I investigated every conceivable angle, including the possibility that someone might have used a substitute body to deceive other eyes at the scene of the crime." Retsu put her hand on the blanket covering his body. "But in the end, all of that only served to confirm the reality of Captain Aizen's death." She lifted her hand, "Of course once all of this chaos and fighting is finally resolved, a new Squad 5 Captain will be selected by the Central 46 and the other Squad Leaders." She picked up her sword before continuing, "Squad 7 Captain Komamura, Squad 8 Captain Kyoraku, Squad 9 Captain Saito, thank you for coming. Now please return to your commands and rest assured, I will soon pay a visit to the front lines myself." Retsu stood up with her zanpakuto in hand.

Hajime, Shunsui, Kumamura were walking down the steps of the Squad 4 barracks when two of their three Lieutenants shunpo'd in front of them.

"It was good of you to come Captain Saito and Captain Komamura." Shuhei said. They we're both kneeling on the ground, "How is Captain Aizen?"

I shook my head.

"I see. What did Captain Unohana say, if I may ask?" Shuhei wondered.

"Only that Aizen has passed away. It seems to me that if we want to get to the truth behind Aizen's death, the quickest way will be first to put and end to all this fighting and confusion." Hajime said very reluctantly.

Shunsui and Shuhei both noticed the sound of his voice.

"And by that, do you mean—" Shuhei asked but stopped.

"Ah, unfortunately, yes. I'm going to have to enter this fight whether I like it or not." Hajime walked past the Lieutenants, Shunsui trailing behind him. "Shuhei," Hajime called.

Hajime's lieutenant got the message. Quickly shunpoing behind the two Captains and walking behind them, all three exiting Squad 4.

'Detour after detour. I really am never going to make it to my squad.'

————

Hajime shunpo'd over the walls of the Seireitei, ignoring all the battles he passed. Shunsui didn't ask any question because he knew where Hajime was heading.

The trio arrived at the Squad 13 barracks and went inside. They made it to his resting room, only to hear a yell. His reiatsu was fluctuating as it always did when he was ill.

"What? What do you mean? Aizen's been killed?" Followed by a coughing fit.

Hajime walked in, followed by Shunsui. Shuhei waited outside the room for his captain to finish his business. The two Captains saw Jushiro's two third seats kneeling before his futon.

"They were just worried about you. You need your sleep, Jushiro." Hajime reprimanded.

"Hey, Shiro-chan!" Shunsui smiles.

"Captain Saito! Captain Kyoraku!" The third seats exclaimed.

"Hajime! Shunsui! Is it true?" Jushiro exclaimed.

Shunsui's face turned grim before turning to Hajime, letting him do the talking.

Hajime nodded, "Sosuke Aizen, Captain of Squad 5, has passed away. When he was taken down from the wall, his breathing had already stopped, and nothing more could be done." He told him. "The cause of death was the removal of his soul chain and soul sleep and destruction of his heart by zanpakuto. So far, there are no suspects. It's been invested as a murder. The news was classified as top priority for officers' eyes only." Hajime recited what Ise had said.

Hajime suddenly paused when he sensed a large amount of reiatsu being released.

'Looks like Kuchiki is releasing his shikai.'

"I think we should head to the repentance cell." Hajime suggested, earning the confused looks of his friends.

"Why." Jushiro asked.

"Kuchiki is about to cause a problem."