Thirteenth Division Captain's Office

Yumiko shook her head. “You don’t have to apologize. I’m glad you feel like you can talk to me. And besides,” she smiled, “you reminded me of something I had nearly forgotten.” Her smile grew.

Like Naomi, she had had people support her during the cruel changes of her life. Though she couldn’t remember him much, Ukitake had been there in her time of darkness and had now adopted her into his clan. And when she was uncomfortable here, there was always Urahara’s shop. The people there had never withheld their invitation to her. And she felt nearly as safe speaking to Kisuke about her fears as she did with Juushiro. Finally, Kita and Orihime were amazing friends.

“How about your favorite places in Soul Society? I would like to explore.”

As they were walking, Yumichika passed them and overheard the tail-end of a comment, mainly Naomi apologizing again if they got lost.

He halted and turned around. “Lost where may I ask, ladies?” he called out in a smooth purr.

Naomi blushed and told him that she was trying to show Ryouma around, but that she still got lost in the busier districts of the Rukongai. She then hurriedly introduced Yumiko to Yumichika.

Yumiko frowned slightly in thought, recalling something Kita had said. “Forgive me, but you’re Ayase, correct?”

Yumichika chuckled and bowed, lifting Yumiko’s hand to kiss it. “That is indeed one of my names,” he replied. His smile grew as the noble blushed, leaving two rare beauties blooming before him. “Most recently it is the name I gave the lady Kita, but I didn’t know she was that fond of me. I am grateful for the mention.”

He stepped back and bowed again. “I myself was just on my way to the Rukongai, and I would be honored to escort two lovely ladies there. Unfortunately it is a little early for the evening entertainment, but we can find jewelry and many fine foods. If you want company, that is.”

As Naomi whispered something to Yumiko - probably to be careful not to fall for him - she chuckled and then turned back to him, accepting his offer. Yumichika offered both women an arm - to which Naomi refused - cementing his suspicion that she had found herself a beau - and he was ready to start a very pleasant afternoon.

Juushiro sighed. “It would seem the commander was right in suspecting you were still alive.” He turned to his visitor, and his eyes narrowed. “What was the purpose of attacking the academy, Tervaden? Or of faking your death and hurting the person you claimed to love?” He paused. “I thought that, at least, was real.”

“Have an appetite?!” Juushiro repeated. He shunpo’ed forward and grabbed Vale by the front of his kimono. “If you HAD to sate their appetites, Tervaden,” he hissed, “you should have sent them towards the Gotei 13, not the academy. They were defenseless against an attack such as that.” He pushed the man away. “You say your bargain with Alister protected Yumiko, but then say that?  You created the beast.  He nearly killed you, and then you let him loose?!" 

“Then I was a fool to hope you had something more in you than the chaos Alister brought to the surface,” the usually gentle captain responded, voice neutral. As Vale paused and his hands clenched, Juushiro found himself asking another question. “If you knew you would fall back to the darkness, would you have still brought her into your life?”

Juushiro’s anger faltered, thinking back to the journal entries that made it apparent that the man before him had to be led… in some way. How the darkness was easier to respond to. He lowered his head and sighed. “Vale… this path you’ve chosen … there’s nothing but suffering. Maybe with Alister in your head, it will always be difficult, but there has to be a reason you chose Yumiko in Las Noches. I know - even when given the opportunity - that you did not rape her. What we did was a part of that difficulty, but it also absolved you… of most doubt.” He fell silent again for a few moments.  

"Kita and Yumiko had finally healed.  Sojiro, Evita, and Kenji were vulnerable.  Shunsui and Kisuke acted with the fate of all in mind. "  He paused yet again, feeling Vale's reiatsu pull at his shielding presence.  He was becoming more agitated.   Juushiro closed his eyes and continued.   "Vale, you cared for the children, too, yet for some reason, you let Aizen remain hidden, leaving him in the ideal position to strike at them - in two more years if I am not mistaken.   Ichimaru has been questioned in the same way as you.  There are many we have to protect, and sometimes that means you can't trust all around you."  

Shunsui shook his head with a sigh. “And here I thought I had interrogated someone filled with doubt,” he murmured, lifting his hat. His eyes narrowed at the chaos churning in Vale’s eyes. “I thought at least his regret for the past was real.” He drew his blades, watching them morph in silence, eyes still locked onto the threat before him. “It seems your regret only lasted as long as you weren’t tested. Is that what I am seeing, Vale Tervaden?”

Before the agitated man could reply, he plowed on. “Kisuke nearly killed Ichimaru before he trusted him to the point he does now. Before that, he let him stay in his house.” He arched his blade towards Vale and slowly moved in front of Juushiro. “And on that note, we let Yumiko live wtih you. Kisuke threatened you once. Both of you are dangerous men, and as such, we have acted."  

Vale’s eyes narrowed. “Your point to all this, Shunsui?”

“This is is my point," the Commander called out. “It was not too late to surrender your status as a soul reaper and take that simple life. You gave in when questioned, much the same way as Gin when Kisuke questioned him. But you chose to flee. As you did after your destruction of your division. You didn’t even stand trial. You fled. And you are always fleeing."