Destiny Fulfilled: Forging A Future

Such a long distance had been covered and yet only moments had passed before Tenjinsai appeared before the gates of the meeting hall. Stepping forward, the young shinigami placed his hands flat against the wood of the doors and slowly pushed them apart. A loud creak eminated throughout the hall as the two massive doors swung open revealing a dark and dusty interior. Slowly striding through the gap, each footfall upon the hall left a small ploom of dust hovering in the air for a few moments before settling once again. "It has truly been a long time since this great hall was last used. Truly tragic." Sighing lightly, Tenjinsai could at least take solice in the fact that the hall itself was not damaged. The vast room was as immaculate as it had ever been, other then the dust of course. Only a single object stood out through the entire room though, a single chair at the front of the hall.

That chair had seated some of the most powerful shinigami to ever exist. That seat, that was Tenjinsai's place in this grand hall now. It belonged to the Captain Commander and the young Captain had earned the right to call himself that. Yamamoto had once taken his spot upon that throne, Kyoraku as well, and now a Bushinji would take up the mantle next. Despite only being a simple wooden chair, the overwhelming aura that surrounded it almost frightened the young shinigami. He had already taken the mantle of Captain Commander but this made it truly seem more real in his eyes. One could call themselves anything, but now he was to truly act the part. Reality was starting to set in and Tenjinsai's nerves were quite shaken. He wa still quite young and inexperienced in the ways of the world. The other Captain's, they were battle hardened and quite a fair amount older then them.

Still, this was something he had taken upon himself to accomplish, and he would see it through to the end. This chair, it was not anything to shake his resolve from doing what he had set out to do. Tenjinsai had come this far, he would not be halted by the formidible aura of his predecessors. Taking his seat upon his wooden throne, the young Bushinji would stay seated and wait for the others to arrive. He had finally, truly, taken up his throne and now he would lead his people into the future.

The moments passed slowly and somewhat shakily within Tenjinsai's mind. The thought had not occurred to him until now that some of the Captain's may not actually show up. Though he had more then clearly demonstrated his strength, that did not equate to respect among his peers. There were a few he was sure would show themselves, the ones who were on his team, so to speak. His fathers new found respect for him would ensure his arrival, as well as several others from his camp. Then of course were his own subordinates and friends, of which Captain Taro could be loosely considered. The rest however, that would be a gamble to be certain. Tenjinsai could simply hope that everything would work as hoped as he had done all he could to this point. The decision was now up to those around him and how they would react to these changes.

Would they set aside their own plots and ambition or continue to rebel against that which they would not accept. These questions that bubbled up within Tenjinsai's psyche would soon be answered as the footfalls of the others could be heard in the distance. As the moments passed, one by one the shinigami entered, all those that he had requested be present and more. Some of those Tenjinsai set his gaze upon he could not honestly say he was too pleased to see. On the opposite end of that spectrum he was certain that some of them would feel a similar way. But they were all here now to put aside their past, grievances, and come together to forge a better future for the Seireitei. Slowly but surely, the footfalls began to grow silent as all who would need to be in attendance entered the room. The last to enter would be none other then Mikoto, who Tenjinsai motioned to stand to his right.

Once his friend had taken his place amidst the congregation, Tenjinsai stood and looked about the room. To his right was of course Mikoto, his greatest friend and now Vice Captain. To the left stood both Aria and Nanaomi. Surrounding him were the companions that had supported and helped him through the hardest portions of his ascension. These individuals were those that Tenjinsai knew that he could count on in the future. Looking forward, the young leader took stock in the rest that had shown up to show their support, either for him or for the Soul Society. Immediately in front of him were Captain Sakurako and Hikaru, the former being less then pleased at their current position within the gathering. They had vied for the position of Captain Commander alongside his father with neither of them coming out on top.

She would most likely have been able to handle being back seat to the elder Bushinji. Now though, having to obey the commands of her rivals son, it was certain to put a sour taste in her mouth. Kazuo seemed less bothered by the situation, simply going with the flow of the events that unfolded before him. Appearances alone though could always be deceiving; those that showed little emotion were more dangerous then those that wore them on their sleeve. Anyone who had previously been opposition to him would most likely need to have a close eye kept on them. It would not do well to operate with suspicion and paranoia, but so soon after the end of conflict there would be many unwilling to give up the fight. This was going to be the true test of everyone's resolve with only one way to see the outcome.

Tenjinsai continued to look about the room and beyond the first pair of Captain's moving further toward the back. Immediately following the first pair he observed was Captain Maximilian Wulf. This was a man with which Tenjinsai was well acquainted, considering he was the first of the Captain's he had done battle with. In a strange way the young leader was indebted to this individual for the outcome of their fight. In the course of their battle the young shinigami had acquired his bankai and made the first major step toward realizing his destiny. If they had not crossed swords, there was no telling if he would have managed to acquire his bankai when he had, or how much longer it would have taken. On the other hand though, there was also a burning rage that Tenjinsai could simply not forget as well.

The main reason that he and this man had come to blows was due to the fact he had kidnapped his niece, Aina. Somewhere, deep down inside of Tenjinsai, he wished that the Captain had perished in their fight. It was something that he would need to put aside as well; It was foolish to think that the others were the only ones with regrets or reservations. The young leader sighed lightly as he looked slightly past the Captain to the woman standing beside him. Her eyes moved to his and they met for a moment, her mouth turning to a sickening grin. Nana Hisakawa, Vice Captain of the 5th Division, and a certified nut job to be sure. Tenjinsai was loath to see her, but it was an evil he would need to put up with. It would seem that the 5th Division in its whole was not going to be a pleasant part of his current existence.

He could learn to work alongside them, but it would be hard to put aside the past. It was all for the people though, for peace, it was worth the struggle. Moving on, there were several others officers among the squads that were without a Captain at the moment. None of those that the young shinigami looked upon were particularly familiar. This meeting could also be the chance to meet some of the other executive officers and create better relations among the squads. As his gaze continued to wander, the next pair that Tenjinsai set his eyes upon were much more familiar. First was his former Captain, Sansuka, the aloof layout with an alter ego not to be trifled with. Across from him was Captain Taro, the current Kenpachi and a well served ally in Tenjinsai's ascension. It was rather reasonable to say that without her assistance, he may not be standing where he is today. To be entirely fair he may not have been standing at all.

Last but not least, at the end of the hall was the 13th Division Captain, his very own father. Beside him were two faces that were also rather familiar, his brother Tsunkai as well as his uncle Hayashi. Everyone that needed to be in attendance seemed to be. Though to be entirely fair, Tenjinsai was not as acquainted with the senior officers as someone is his position should have been. He had ascended so quickly in achieving his goal without actually taking the time to get the lay of the land. In his endeavors to accomplish his objective, the young shinigami never took the time to do any fact finding. Half of the people in the room before him were strangers; Perhaps that could be a good thing though. Meeting these individuals for the first time would give him the opportunity to allow them to get a good first impression of him.

He wanted everyone in the room to understand what had happened and why he did what he had. This was not about ambition, status, or power, it was much more then that. Hopefully everyone would be on board with his sentiments. If not, things would have to be handled in a different manner. As the moments passed silence fell over the room, everyone standing quietly as they waited for the man who had summoned them to speak. Now that it was his opportunity to speak to everyone, Tenjinsai found himself tongue tied, not sure what to say to start. These words, he would need to choose them carefully as they would set the pace for the entire conversation. Sighing lightly, Tenjinsai stood and stepped forward slightly, his arms gesturing openly as he began to speak.

"Greetings everyone, I am glad you could all be present. For those of you who are not familiar with who I am yet, I will answer a question that is probably already bubbling in your minds. My name is Tenjinsai Bushinji and I am the new Captain Commander. The war is over, and the rebuilding of Soul Society is what we are here to discuss." Tenjinsai paused, his left arm folding across his abdomen as his right elbow rested upon his hand; His other hand placed under his chin. "I want everyone to voice their opinions openly here. We need to be able to be honest with one another if we are going to be successful in reuniting the Gotei Thirteen and leading the Soul Society to peace and prosperity once again." Silence began to filter through the room again as low bickering began to echo between the various attendees.

Some of the Captain's spoke with one another, some with their subordinates. Others simply opted to stand and remain silent waiting for someone else to speak up. Only a few more moments would pass before someone stepped forward, a proponent for cooperation that he was thankful for, Captain Setsune. "I would like to both air, and clear up, the elephant in the room, so to speak." Tenjinsai raised an eyebrow, slightly worried as the Captain's normally aloof nature was not present. His speech was serious, which was good for the air of the meeting, but somewhat worrying to him considering what usually happened when the man was serious. "We are all concerned about the future of the Soul Society and Gotei Thirteen as you are Ten..., Captain Commander Bushinji.

However, all of the Captain's present are veterans of the Gotei Thirteen. We have served for hundreds of years as shinigami and have seen countless battles. We are skilled in the ways of combat and leadership, which is what brings me to my next point." Sansuka paced to the center of the aisle, turning to face Tenjinsai, his arms cross over his chest. "You are young and inexperienced as far as being a leader is concerned. You have been a shinigami for no more then a few months and yet you are now the leader of the Gotei Thirteen." The elder Captain paused again, his hands dropping down from his chest and resting against his stomach, hands inside the sleeve of his haori. "Your strength is undeniable, among us you are clearly the most powerful shinigami. However, you need to prove to us that you are worthy to wear the mantle you have taken for yourself. It is not easy to stand aside and let one as young and inexperienced as yourself lead the way.

Sweep our concerns aside and you will have our support." The speech was, not what Tenjinsai had expected, not by a long shot. He had originally thought that Captain Setsune would be in his corner, yet he spoke out so strongly to him leading the Gotei Thirteen. However, he did not so much say that he should not lead them, but that there would be concerns with him leading them. It was certainly true, he was young and had little experience in leadership. His prowess in battle, as Sansuka said, was undeniable. He had defeated every single Captain present in the room aside from Captain Taro and Sansuka himself. His power spoke volumes, but his strength did not command their respect, only their obedience. The silence was palpable as it carried through the room, everyone waiting for Tenjinsai's rebuttal.

He knew he had to speak, he could not let the opportunity to pass to prove himself to them all. He needed these individuals to be confident in his abilities to lead the Gotei Thirteen successfully. Just as he did not know some of them, many of them did not know him. They were just as put off about this as he was, so there would be a lot of moving pieces that needed to find their way together. Tenjinsai stepped forward slightly, his hands resting upon his hips as he addressed the group. "Your concerns are more then valid and I can understand the position you all find yourselves in. In all honesty, I do not know if there is a truly a way I can prove to you all that I am capable of leading the Gotei Thirteen into the future. There is no true proof I can offer, no track record that would satisfy those present. I am young, this is true, I am also inexperienced as Captain Setsune explained."

Tenjinsai paused for a moment, his hands crossing over his chest as his eyes narrowed slightly, the intensity of his stare burning deep within them. "However, the fact that I got myself to where I am right now should speak for itself. My own strength helped get me to where I currently am, but that was not all it was. I had others that helped me, each playing a key role in making sure I would sit in this veritable throne and end this war." Tenjinsai stopped once more, turning his back on the group as he paced slowly toward the chair, only turning back to face the gathering once he stood before it, sitting down as he turned. His hands rested over his abdomen, the tips of his fingers met together forming a tent like structure between them.

"If my ability to maneuver myself as well as my comrades into the position that you all fought over for years is not proof enough, then nothing I say will satisfy you." His words were strong, bold, and sure to leave an impact on those that were gathered before him. Perhaps he had misspoke, being so brazen in his speech to possibly put some of those gathered on edge. Though perhaps this honesty was what was needed, he did not lie after all. Every single word that Tenjinsai had just spoken was the honest truth, they just had to realize it. He had done what they had attempted to do for so long with relative ease. It was a hard fact to contend with, one they would not want to admit as truth. However, this truth that now stood before them would serve as the proof they needed.

As if on queue to his own thought process, Sansuka stepped forward as he looked about the room. "They often say that the truth can hurt. We cannot allow that hurt to fog our minds with pride. The Captain Commander is right, if anyone has the right to lead us it is him." Stepping back into his position in the hall, another contender stood forward, ready to speak their mind. Once Tenjinsai saw who it was, it took every fiber of his being to not roll his eyes. Maximilian Wulf, and his wonderful Vice Captain, Nana Hisakawa, now took center stage in the aisle. He knew that they would speak up at some point, most of the individuals gathered would. That disdain that had flowed through him earlier now peaked its ugly head once more at the mere sight of them.

Tenjinsai would never, and could never forget what they had done to his family. He would of course always remain impartial in treatment and decision. However, it would be something that always lingered in the back of his head. The young shinigami bolstered himself with what was to be presented. A light clearing of ones throat could be heard through the hall, the Captain preparing to speak as everyone listened intently. "Captain Commander, while you do present a strong argument to what Captain Setsune has said, I have my own reservations. These thoughts, I feel some others in this room may also share them. It mainly pertains to your, tenure, with the Gotei Thirteen." He paused a moment, moving his left arm backwards and touching gently the shoulder of his subordinate.

It was clear he was aware of what a loose cannon she could be at times too. This was not a moment to fly off the handle to be certain. Speaking out of turn here could alienate oneself from the entire command structure. There would be no benefit to doing so, every word needed to be chosen carefully. "To continue, you have only been an official shinigami within our ranks for several months, perhaps a year at most. You do not know any of the senior staff aside from some of us here. You have little knowledge of our protocols, how the administration works, and any of the clerical tasks that are involved with your role." The Captain moved his arms, gesturing around him as he spoke to the others that had gathered. It seemed more that Maximilian was attempting to convince them instead of provide an actual argument.

It was simply an attempt to sow dissent, spark the jealousy and ambition that was still deep inside those present. The attempt was paper thin though, anyone could see the mans bitterness and intention behind that feeling. It would be an all too simple argument to defend himself from the veil of animosity that was being created. "If you are done now Captain, I would be more then happy to retort." Tenjinsai stood up slowly from his chair, taking a few steps forward as he eyed the man before him. "The simple answer to what you have said is that, I will simply learn. I have proven to have the acumen and mental capacity to perform this role. Beyond that, the physical capacity in which I need to fill this role is also unquestioned. The rest must simply be learned, which I am confident I will be able to do.

I am not doing this alone, I have the assistance of my own aides as well as all those present. This, division that has been created during the war, it needs to end today." The Captain Commander stopped, his eyes closing only for a moment as he took in a deep breath. They snapped back open only a moment later, wide and burning with pride as his voice boomed through the hall. "We are the Gotei Thirteen, one unit, one people, with one purpose. We are here to defend the souls outside of these walls, as well as the ones within the World of the Living. How can we perform our own duties if we can not even stop fighting with one another. Do you honestly not think that those who came before us would not be ashamed of our conduct right now!?!?"

Tenjinsai had to stop for a moment and take control of his emotions. His anger had slipped and gotten the better of him as he spoke. Though in a way perhaps this true feeling to his words would truly put his point across to those present. There was great anger and sadness buried deep inside of him at what the world they called their home had turned into. After the disappearance the Gotei Thirteen had fallen apart and the spiritual realm turned into chaos. It was a shameful display for all involved; To be squabbling with one another over titles and ranks while those they were sworn to protect were suffering and dying around them. "I hope my words can resonate within each and everyone one of you here today.

We are the leaders of this great world, and we need to start acting like it. If you cannot look past your own desires then you are not fit to call yourself a shinigami." Again, another set of bold words from the young Captain Commander. However he had already dug himself a figurative hole, there was no point in stopping now. If these were truly individuals of character, deserving of their position within the Gotei, then they would understand him. His frustrations were real and what lead him to do what he had. If the realm had been at peace, if there had been no wars, he would not be Captain Commander right now. But, it had been, and he was now, that was the reality he was now living in. Sighing heavily, Tenjinsai stepped back toward his seat and plopped down heavily.

A light creak of the chair rang through the hall under the sudden stress, the only sound that permeated for some time. It was clear his words had penetrated deeply enough into everyone gathered that they could put aside their own agenda to actually contemplate them. It was certainly true that each and every one of them had earned their rank. The strength of those gathered here was indisputable. Their abilities to command their men and lead soldiers was proven. These were time tested soldiers that had shown time and time again that they were up to the task. It was after all that very fact that created this problem to begin with. Suddenly though, the silence that had resonated through the hall was broken. "The Captain Commander is right. While his words are harsh, we should take them to heart.

During this fighting we have all neglected our duties and deserve such a rebuke. Moving forward we must return the Gotei to what it once was and make our predecessors proud of us. I am sure any of you can imagine what the Old-Man would think if he saw the sad state we were in." The voice Tenjinsai heard was not one he could ever mistake for another. The individual that had spoken up was none other then his father, Tenkai. He had been one of the prime candidates in the war, and the largest warmonger to be fair. Many souls had died on his orders, many more taken by his own blade. Though from what he knew of his father, he was at least glad his more noble qualities could still shine through. While their relationship was far from normal, it could have still been worse.

"As much as I hate to admit it, you are correct Tenkai." Tenkai's eyebrows lifted as he turned to face the woman that now spoke to the room. "I never thought I would see the day we would agree on something Haruka." Captain Sakurako rolled her eyes, scoffing lightly at the Captain's words. "I could say the same thing, but here we are. It is clear what we were fighting for is beyond our grasp now. The men could use a rest, and so could I." Captain Hikaru was the next to step forward, his wily grin still showing openly on his face. "I suppose you have won us over, Captain Commander." Kazuo turned his head slightly to the right, his eyes meeting with Maximilian's as they narrowed, his brow furrowing in addition. "The only question now is what would you have us do."

The scene unfolding before Tenjinsai was certainly a pleasant, though unexpected, change of pace. Perhaps from the start all he needed to do was to speak his mind to get through to them. "I am glad that everyone can, at the very least, agree that the fighting is over. More so, it seems that it was even starting to wear on some of you. This cooperation though, it will bring us back to what the Gotei was. In the coming days, weeks, and months, we need to be united and working towards a common goal. I need all of you to remember this as we leave this hall today." Tenjinsai paced forward slowly, moving through the center of the hall as he began issuing orders to those in attendance. "Our priority, first and foremost, is to repair the damages from combat within the Seireitei. I would like each division to focus on their own repairs first and then spread out once their own sectors are cleared.

Once these repairs are complete we will then begin moving out into the rukongai. I know it has not been standard practice to interfere in the affairs of the citizens other then hollow suppression. However, many outside of these walls have suffered and even died due to our neglect." The young Captain Commander than returned to the head of the hall, standing at the head of those gathered, eyeing each of them momentarily as he spoke. "We will help these people. Repair damaged buildings, provide food and water for those with enough reiryoku to require it. We will also slowly begin increasing the patrols in the districts, all of them, for hollow incursions. At the same time, the number of patrols in the World of the Living will be increased as well. This will all be slow, incremental work, that will take place over the course of months."

He stopped again, very briefly smiling as he finally saw his dreams and ambitions come to life finally. The worst was finally over, it was now time to rebuild. "Let us start at square one and we will get to the end of it when we do. Hopefully when we do finally reach that goal, everything should be as it was before the disappearance. Now, unless anyone has any further questions, you have your orders. Dismissed!" With his orders issued the room slowly began to empty as the Captains and their subordinates vacated. A few moments passed and out of those that were present, only several remained, with one of them approaching him. To either side his own subordinates were still present, and what appeared to be the Vice Captain of the Twelfth Division approached. "What can I help you with, miss?" She quickly bowed once she got close enough, holding the position until she finished introducing herself.

"My name is Tomiko Katashi, Acting-Captain of the Twelfth Division and Acting-Head of the Department of Research and Development." Tenjinsai motioned that she could stop bowing down and stand at ease. He was never particularly keen on protocol but understood that sometimes it was best for it to be observed at times. "Sir, I had wanted to report some findings we've had but I thought it best to wait until after the meeting." Tenjinsai simply nodded, waving his right hand to gesture for her to continue with her report. "Well, it seems in the World of the Living we have seen activity lately of several moderate energy readings gathering." At this Tenjinsai raised his eyebrows, his interests being sparked. If this was something being brought to his attention it must have raised enough of an alarm to truly be an irregular occurrence.

"What about this gathering did you and the department find to be unusual?" She paused for a moment, taking a small pad out from under her arm that had data regarding the report contained on it. Tomiko swiped around for a moment on the pad, getting whatever relevant information was needed and handed it to Tenjinsai. "The actual readings on those gathered are not particularly dangerous. Dispatching several Seated Officers or a Vice Captain would be enough to handle those gathered if they are a threat. The unusual part is that the actual energy readings are varied and unusual." Tenjinsai focused his attention down to the small pad he was handed, looking it over and understanding what the Vice Captain was telling him. He was certain no scientist, but he could see these readings were varied, many different types of energy having been gathered.

One of the readings was a type he was familiar with. It was the same reading that he got off of the human he met in the World of the Living, though it was of a much smaller concentration. 'Interesting. Now there was just a question of what to do with it. It was clear from these readings that these were not hollows, most likely humans. It would certainly be worth investigating this particular scenario and seeing who they were and why they had gathered. "Sir, what would you like to do regarding these readings? We can continue to monitor them if you do not want to have us intervene." Tenjinsai shook his head again, his right hand moving to his chin as he stroked it in thought. "Continue to monitor the situation for the time being on your end. I will be going personally to look into what is going on." The Vice Captain's eye grew wide at the list of orders that were just issued to her.

"But....but sir, you couldn't possibly go yourself, and by yourself. You are the Captain Commander, certainly somebody more fitting for the job could handle it." Tenjinsai laughed lightly, moving forward to the side of the woman and placing his left hand lightly on her shoulder. "Right now we all need to do our fair share Tomiko. That, and in the hundred and some odd years I have lived, I've only been to the World of the Living for about an hour or two. I am not going to let a chance to go back slip through my fingers." He patted her shoulder lightly before moving his hand from her and strode forward, heading toward the exit of the hall. "As I said, please continue monitoring the situation and make sure your Squad Members continue to carry out the orders I gave earlier." Though slightly apprehensive, Vice Captain Katashi nodded, bowed down for a moment, and quickly left the hall after accepting her orders.

Following, Tenjinsai continued to move towards the exit of the hall, his destination the world of living at the coordinates of this gathering. "Mikoto, make sure to keep everyone in line and make sure my orders are followed. You are a Vice Captain now, your authority in our squad is absolute unless I say otherwise. Remember that my friend." His friend said nothing as Tenjinsai continued to leave the hall, that was fine though. He knew that when he spoke to Mikoto, there was no need to repeat himself or make sure he was understood. That man had been by his side for one hundred years, fought side by side, and shed blood with him. If there was anyone in this world that he trusted without question, it was him. There was business to attend to now though, a chance to visit the world of the living once more. Tenjinsai would be lying if he said he was not at least somewhat excited to go.

Most shinigami never get the opportunity to ever go in their life times. Those that do, may visit only a handful of times throughout their entire life. Having this opportunity drop into his lap was a gift with which he could only accept. Drawing his zanpaktou, it was thrust into the dimensional ether and turned as that of a key. He would use his family's personal senkaimon to travel. There was no point in bothering the Kidou Corps to open the larger one for his trip. This was also a somewhat, off the books, mission; No point in notifying those that did not need to know. Once the gate before him had fully opened the young shinigami quickly stepped inside, heading for his destination.

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