Before the Dust Settles [Closed]

Some were calling it a victory.  Others were confused and angry at the outcome.  Mere hours since Tsubine Zanifir von Zarkonheinz III had announced his decision, the dust had yet to settle.  There was to be more than a few bar fights when the next few days had come to an end.  For the past five years Tsubine had been putting off making his decision on who would lead the Gotei after his departure.  His two candidates?  His Vice Captain Genpaku Arishima, one of the youngest Vice Captains in Soul Societies history and a bundle of anomalies to boot.  Against him the youngest Captain in Soul Society's history, Kaminari Hatakeyama.  When the two canidates were even announced the reception was mixed; some were less than surprised considering how much potential at least Kaminari possessed.  Others called for more experienced captains to be given the position, such as Kuchiki-taicho or Kyouraku-taicho.  Of course a few crazy people called for Zaraki-Taicho, but no one listened to them.

Kaminari had all the advantages in this race.  She trained hard and led her division with excellence.  She had the experience of leading a division.  Beyond that, she was strong; that no one could argue.  By comparison Genpaku seemed to have little experience leading.  There were those that spoke up in his defense in this regard; in the field and on missions he showed great promise in leading.  However, he seemed much weaker than Kaminari; some even wondered if he possessed a Bankai for either of those Zanpaku-tous that hung around his waist.  And yet, when Tsubine's decision was made public it was Genpaku who had been awarded the spot.  Some called foul, that Tsubine was playing favorites.

So where was the victorious boy this night, when the decision had been made?  He sat quietly on his own, away from those that would either congratulate or berate him on his 'victory,' as they put it.  He'd decided the best way to let the dust settle in this particular circumstance was to watch it from afar.  He sat atop a certain hill that most people avoided for good reason.  Soukyoku Hill was not what most would consider a comforting place, but there was a certain serenity that existed there.  It had been the source of some of the most influencial events in recent history, after all.  Beyond that though, this was one of the few places in Soul Society where one could truly appreciate just how large both Seireitei and Rukongai truly were.  The lights of torches and lightbulbs stretched out all around.

And all of this was his to lead now.  The Haiori sat heavily upon Genpaku's lap, folded with care and placed as he sat and thought.  Beyond the physical item, there was much that weighed on his mind.  He knew things now that most did; hell, he knew the location of the Ouken!  The item that had effectively sparked the entire Winter War, that had been a mere myth before those events, and now he knew for certain EXACTLY where it was.  He knew secrets and details of events that had been passed on from Yamamoto Genryusai to Tsubine, and now form Tsubine to himself.

This view, with the whole of Soul Society laid out before him was humbling.  For all his knowledge and power, he was one man among millions.  It was something he wanted very much to keep in mind.  There would be times when that would need to be wrong; when he would need to be the symbol for the Gotei to rally behind, the stern enforcer, the executioner.  When those times came he could rise up and become those, but he wanted to remember that at the end of the day he was one man.  He could accomplish wonders, but he was not beyond reproach.  Besides, he was young; if he thought himself infallible he would go down in history as the worst Captain Commander ever.  That was not a legacy he wanted to leave behind, for himself or those that came before him.

To the young Shinigami though, this was his last night of true freedom.  Sure, he had been under a microscope since the day he had first come to Soul Society in some sense, but as the Captain Commander there was a greater emphasis.  Every action he took would be scrutinized to some degree.  That didn't mean he was going to change how he acted per say.  For the most part, he just needed a little bit to get his mind in order.  Starting tomorrow he would have to start making decisions.  He had power now, in a sense he hadn't before.  The decisions he made would change the course of the Gotei as a whole.  In a sense it was a sword, and he was both its point and wielder.  The question more was what did he want to accomplish with that kind of power?  So were the thoughts of the young, newly promoted Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13.  Little did he know that this night was not going to be as quiet and introspective as he had believed.

Starting tomorrow he would need to be less introverted he supposed.  Genpaku knew he couldn't go off and think like he was doing now as often.  In general he would need to interact more with the Gotei as a whole.  When he had first come to this place that would have been impossible.  Over the years though many people had worked to break that shell of isolation he had put himself in.  Genpaku gave a wry smile at a sudden thought.
“That your grand plan, Zarkonheinz-Taicho?”
“Some would call it worth it,” came a voice, light and almost musical.  Genpaku looked around him out of reflex, but it was only in his head.

Then again, Fujin wasn't wrong; she rarely was it seemed.  He took a breath of the night air, looking out over the sleeping land.  His mind drifted back to his, now former, captain.  It had been a short time since Tsubine had taken up the mantle.  Some didn't even know why he was passing it in the first place.  Genpaku knew more than most, but Tsubine always played things like this closer to the chest.  While he could think of one or two reasons, there may well have been twenty others he didn't.  In the end the reason for why only mattered to history; the fact that he had mattered to everyone, and it mattered immediately.

Something pecked at his senses, bringing him out of his reflective state.  Someone was drawing nearer to him, which was strange because very few ever came up here.  Whoever they were they were moving pretty quickly as well...for a normal Shinigami that was.  As the man drew within hearing distance Genpaku could pick hear his panicked yelling; that got him on his feet in a moment.  Come on now, he'd had the job for all of a few hours.  What could have gone wrong already?
“What is it?”
"P-Please... It's Captain... K-Kaminari!"
Oh god...what had she done now?  Sure, he could understand how Kaminari would be somewhat angry that she'd not be awarded the position but-

No...it was something else.  The man was completely out of breath.  He'd been sprinting for the last few minutes it seemed, up the long flights of stairs that lead here.  Something was actually wrong.
"She's gone after that Arrancar, the one that Captain Zarkonheinz would not allow her to fight! It's obvious why she's doing it, but I do trust in the Former Head Captain's judgment! Please! Can you stop her!?"
Genpaku had turned as soon as the young man had started explaining, looking out opposite the way he had been watching before.  He couldn't see anything from here obviously; he was calculating something.  Based on a variable amount of time it would have taken this man to find him up here, the time to run up the steps, and Kaminari's speed...she was already fighting.

“Dammit Kaminari, you prideful...” Genpaku started, but abruptly let out a breath.  He looked over to the other man.
“Go and inform the Fourth Division that they should be ready to treat a heavily injured Captain,” he said, and that was all he felt he needed to say.  He was bringing her back; hurt maybe, but alive.

Then he was gone; there was no sound to his Shunpo, and only the sudden lack of a subtle power.  Kaminari wasn't the only one who was fast; a handful of steps brought him to the edge of Seireitei.  Another few took him into Rukongai.  He knew the area where the Arrancar had been making its base of operations.  He'd heard several conversations concerning the foe from Tsubine, one of which had been the previous Captain-Commander telling Kaminari that she was not to engage this particular foe.  So of course the moment he leaves she goes and does exactly that.  What was she hoping to prove; that she wasn't weak?  There wasn't a soul in Seireitei that didn't know that.

It was because of him; he felt that.  He'd inadvertently wounded her when he'd been chosen over her.  That was no excuse though.  His first action as Captain-Commander wasn't going to be loosing a Captain.  He wasn't going to lose a friend, and it didn't matter what position he held.  As he flew over the immense sprawl of Rukongai he felt it; Kaminari's reiatsu clashing with the reiatsu of the enemy.  As soon as he had a baring he increased his speed.  He came to a stop just outside of the battle, emerald eyes scanning the landscape.  Where was she, was she alright?

The ax seemed to float up in a lazy arc as the Arrancar jumped; there was a sadistic glee that burned in his eyes as he looked at the broken form of the Shinigami before him.  He had done this, something that hadn't been done with the time of Aizen and his lead of the Espada.  After this he would move in towards the Seireitei and see what other challenge he could find.  The ax blade came down, like a crashing wave.  A scream tore the night asunder.

The blow never landed.  The clang of metal meeting metal rang out; the figure of a young Shinigami stood over the prone captain, keeping the blade of the arrancar's ax at bay.  It was hard; the Arrancar possessed immense spiritual pressure and strength.  In fact Genpaku was forced to take a knee, nearly collapsing onto the prone Captain.  The scene held like that for a few crystalline moments.
“You would go and do something rash like this...” Genpaku said as he held the Arrancar's blade off; the Arrancar was not happy about this.  The words though were not for him, as may have been obvious.
“You're not allowed to die in a place like this.  I don't have enough friends that I could bear to lose even one,” the young Shinigami said.  As he did something in him changed.  His eyes shown an intense green in the night, and they held a fire unlike anything he showed to his allies.

A green aura suddenly enveloped him, a physical demonstration of his rising power.  He'd been holding the arrancar's blade at bay using both hands and Fujin, held horizontally.  He suddenly released his hold right his right hand, and as he did the blade came down even further; it found purchase in the back of Gen's shoulder, but the young Shinigami also landed a blow; a closed fisted straight punch that sent the Arrancar sliding at least ten yards away.  Blood ran out of his back where the ax had hit, but Genpaku was back on his feet and he took two steps forward to put himself squarely between the Arrancar and Kaminari.  He transitioned Fujin from his left hand to his right, and reached back over his shoulder with his now free hand; a soft green light enveloped his hand in a display that was common in the Fourth Division.  He didn't take long; the Arrancar was already preparing to launch into this fight.  Just long enough to stop the wound from bleeding too much more.

“There will be no quarter given.  Not to you, who hurt my friend,” [i]Genpaku said clearly into the night.  As he said it something in the air changed.  The night took on a different quality; it felt like spring, right before a sudden and violent storm.  There, far beyond the reaches of Rukongai and Seireitei it was safe.  Genpaku knew this because he traveled this far out and farther still to train.  He could go all out without fear of hurting anyone...other than his target.

So Genpaku activated the technique he had trained in secret for, and the ability that may have been the reason Tsubine had chosen him (though probably not); Kyoumei.  The aura of power that had surrounded the young Shinigami hadn't been anything special before when compared to other Captains.  It was like a well; not particularly large, but incredibly deep.  Now though, that changed.  Power unlike anything Genpaku had displayed openly in Seireitei flooded out.  The quality of the aura that surroudned Genpaku changed too; it was a deeper green, and white electricity seemed to coarse through the aura.  Kaminari was the third Shinigami to see even a hint of this ability.  She'd be the first to see it put to a true battle.

It was hard to tell exactly when Genpaku had moved, but suddenly he was mere feet from the Arrancar.  The monster swung its ax, which crashed down with immense power, shattering the ground and sending a gash a dozen feet past.  The Arrancar was not slow by any means.  Fed by the powers he had absorbed he was faster than most Captains most likely.  It wasn't faster than Kaminari though.  Which meant...
“You toyed with her...” Genpaku said, voice low and pointedly void of emotion, standing just to the side of the gash in the ground.  The Arrancar lifted its ax and swung again, a horizontal spinning blow.  Ten feet beyond the blow the trees were split and scared.  With a motion like a willow branch Genpaku moved just beneath the swing and came back up when the Arrancar finished its spin.
“You absorbed her power and chased her.  You wore he down till she slowed, then you struck,” the young Shinigami continued, and yet he didn't attack.  The Arrancar hadn't brought his blade forward yet, instead widing up for a huge blow.  When it came, it came far faster than it should have.  It left a gash in the ground that ran for over thirty feet, flying straight past where Kaminari lay.  Genpaku had taken a single step, and struck the side of the blade, sending the blow off course and away from his downed friend.

“Even now, you're focused on her.  Not me.  You're blade will never find her,” Genpaku stated.  The arrancar looked down at him, as he towered over the young shinigami.  “Not so long as I am here.”
“Then vanish!” the Arrancar yelled, and it's own reiatsu exploded.  With a flick of its wrist the ax blade twisted and he brought it up in a sweeping arc at Genpaku.  The blade stopped when it collided with Genpaku's forearm; the tree's on Genpaku's opposite side splintered and exploded.  This seemed to catch the Arrancar by surprise, and its little wonder.  Blood ran down Genpaku's arm.
“That it?”

Genpaku's hand made a sudden motion and he took hold of the Arrancar's weapon; with his right he pulled the weapon and the monster towards him, and with his left he struck.
“Ikottsu.”
The blow sent the arrancar flying back, through trees and rocks and into the shadows of the night.  Genpaku gave another flick of his wrist, sending some of the blood off his arm and onto the ground below.  This was the center of a storm, and Genpaku was in control of it.  His power bared down on everything in the area.  There was little doubt it could be felt in Seireitei if people were paying attention.  Which, at this hour, few would.
“How does it feel?” Genpaku called out into the darkness.  “To be toyed with, that is.”

“Wreak havoc, Diezmar!” came a yell, and the Arrancar's power doubled as he released something unexpected; a Segunda Etapa.  There had been few confirmed reports of this event, and there was little doubt this was brought about because of the energy the Arrancar had taken from Kaminari Genpaku felt.  It was a tremendous power.  Genpaku stood, back to Kaminari, looking out at the pillar of crimson energy that had appeared.
“Hold on for just a little longer,” he said simply and started forward, drawing the blade he had sheathed earlier.  “Soar above the worlds, Fujin.”
The already intense pressure coming off the young Shinigami skyrocketed as the blade he held shattered.  Where it's blade had been a cyclone of wind sprang forth, and the very air around him seemed to begin to warp.  Kaminari had seen Fujin no doubt, but what happened next was new.  The blade began to glow, then is exploded into motes of jade light which circled the young Shinigami for a moment before them seemed to be absorbed.

The Arrancar's appearance had been altered drastically.  Before he had looked mostly like a man, the mask fragment being a strange, almost crown like feature on his head and coming off his back.  Now though he was covered in what looked like armor; spiked armor that held close to his form.  The ax had changed little strangely.  However, the feel of this being's energy was different.  It took Genpaku a few moments to figure out why; it felt like it was drawing him in.  It was little wonder why; where he was cut small bits of his blood were leaving his body, being broken down into spiritual energy and seemingly absorbed by the arrancar.

Make no mistake; Genpaku was plenty cut up.  While he had reacted little to it there were small cuts all over his body from the strikes the arrancar had been throwing around.  As Genpaku walked towards his opponent the Arrancar was growing yet further in size and strength.  He towered over the young Shinigami before; now it was sort of silly in a scary way.  The Arrancar was at least ten feet tall now.  A hulking suit of spiked armor with a flowing red cape.
“Die.”

The Arrancar's weapon slammed into the ground, pinning Genpaku in place.  Blood sprang up, and the ground exploded.  Then Genpaku wasn't here; his Haori was.  The young Shinigami had used Utsusemi, and with that had gained an opening.  The Arrancar was overextended and exposed; Genpaku appeared in the arch of his body, where he was leaning down to actually strike.  What followed was a flurry of hammering blows to the Arrancar's body and armor.  As the beast reacted and swung again Genpaku vanished, appearing several yards away.  He winced as several more wounds appeared along his arms.  For all the blows, the armored skin of the Arrancar didn't seem the least bit affected.

The Arrancar let out another bark of laughter, and apparently decided it was time to end this.  He raised his massive blade to the sky.  It began to glow a deep crimson; at the same time, every wound the Arrancar had inflicted flared a brilliant red.  From those wounds the ax gained greater power.  A sadistic smile; no matter what this child did, he could no escape now.  The Arrancar  lunged forward, the ax arcing down.  Genpaku stood his ground for a moment, feeling the oncoming dreadful power before he seemed to take a breath, and his stance changed; he took a defensive stance, and uttered one word.
“Bankai.”
The ax collided with the glowing figure of Genpaku, but it did not split him in half like it should have.  Viridian armor had covered his body, and a wholly new pressure flooded the area.  More blood, more pain, but Genpaku remained standing.  

This was where this ended though.  Genpaku's bankai's weren't meant to fight single foes; they were forces to be used against many enemies.  Genpaku struck once and the front plate of the armor shattered, the Arrancar sliding back despite its massive size.
“Vanish.”
A tornado suddenly enveloped the Arrancar; a maelstrom of scything winds tore at the Arrancar, stripping the armor.  Which was the point; as it happened, Genpaku took a new stance.  He drew in a deep breath, and all the wind that was not the tornado stood  still as stone.

Like the eye of a storm the tornado suddenly vanished, and Genpaku was there.  His fists glowed a vibrant green.
“Soukottsu.”  Genpaku's fists collided with the exposed area of the Arrancar, and raw power flooded into the creature.  Behind him the forest simply vanished, as though it had been made of dust.  A few moments after the Arrancar began to simply fall apart.  Thus, it was done.  Genpaku stood up straight, and turned away from the fading enemy.  The Arrancar raised a hand, as though to make one last ditch effort to strike out.  As it did though its arm fell away and faded as well.

Genpaku took one more step, and shunpo'd back to where Kaminari lay.  When he arrived his Bankai had already faded; the strange motes of energy had appeared and as he knelt down they coalesced back into his sealed Fujin.  More importantly the strange detachment that had been present in Genpaku seemed to fade away, and the young (former) vice captain was left.  And he was worried; it shown in his eyes and posture.  He reached out over Kaminari and that soft green light appeared again.
“I can't heal it all.  I can do enough to get you back to the Fourth Division though they're already waiting to help.” he said, speaking just a little too quickly to hide the concern.

Genpaku was covered in wounds; most small cuts like papercut, some larger gashes like on his arms and the one on his back.  He didn't seem to even notice these.  He thought about yelling at her.  Asking her what she was thinking.  However, he was more worried about getting her into stable condition before he did something like that.

Genpaku didn't react right away once Kaminari started speaking; he focused on closing the more threatening wounds the Arrancar had left.
“Seems you got the gist of it already.  Besides we all make mistakes, don't we?” he said as she finished talking about the arrancar.  She started talking about his power, and by the gods there were tears.  Was this really Kaminari, or was he healing an imposter?

And as soon as he had that thought, Kaminari switched back to her normal self.  Genpaku let out an audible sigh of relief.
“If you can speak like that, you must be feeling better,” he said, chuckling as he did so.
“You can call me by my first name is what you can call me by the way.  A change in position doesn't change that much.”
At least, that's how he wanted it to be.  He knew he wouldn't get that from everyone, but he could hope couldn't he?

“I understand all the same,” he said after a moment.  “One of your Division members was the one who told me you came out here though.  You'll have to worry about him talking.  In return though...if something's bothering you, how about you come talk to me instead of taking up suicide missions?  I'll tell ya it'll hurt less in the morning at the very least.” he said as the dull glow faded from his hands.
“That should ease most of the physical wounds.  I can't restore the energy he took though right now.  We'll have to head back to the Fourth for that.”

Genpaku abruptly took a seat.
“In a minute, that is,” he said with a smile.  He ran a hand over one of the more severe wounds, his hand glowing again as he started patching up the wound.  He'd probably have to sit in at the Fourth himself; to think the Arrancar's attacks had an effect similar to Fujin's abilities.  Beyond that, there was the released form he had demonstrated.  That armor had returned some of the damage he had dealt out.  Certainly, it would have been a terrifying enemy if he had been allowed to absorb even more energy.

Those were loaded questions Kaminari aimed at him.  She'd always been striving, and she wasn't exactly secretive about what she was striving for.  Genpaku had been sure she'd have the position when it was announced that she was even considered.  He hadn't kept training because he thought he could take the position from her; he'd done it for his own reasons.  He let the questions hang in the air for a few moments; the night insects started up their songs now that the battle had subsided.

In the end, there was one fact Genpaku couldn't ignore; you don't lie to your friends.
“No, I didn't want the position.  I didn't strive for the position in the same way you did.  I was sure you'd have the position, hands down.  But Zarkonheinz-taicho had other plans.  He always had other plans then again, didn't he?” Genpaku asked.  He didn't miss the lack of eye contact, nor the feelings that seemed to dance across Kaminari's face.  Normally she was so much better about hiding these kinds of things.  He got the sinking feeling that, by coming and saving her he'd wounded her in a way.  The first thing you do for a wound though isn't jab your finger in it and poke around.  You need to let it heal.

“Maybe he thought you were a better fit, right now, for the Fifth Division though.  Not as a comment on your skill or ability, far from it.” Genpaku said as he stood up; some of his muscles felt a little strained.  A good night's sleep was going to be wonderful.
“The Fifth has gone through a lot.  Aizen's desertion, Tsubine's promotion and then sudden resignation.  Maybe he felt the Fifth needed someone more stable than even the Gotei as a whole.  The other Captain's can hold their divisions together, can be the pillars for their men.  Throwing a Vice-Captian into the division that most needed a stable leader; I'm not sure if stable is even the right word to describe me,” he said, scratching the back of his head with a smile.  His attitude had completely changed; the seriousness that had encompassed his person when he had started the fight had faded back into the younger and more lax persona Genpaku tried to have.

“If the Captain Commander messes up, the other twelve Captains can keep their divisions in line.  If one of them fail though, if the Division is already shaky then things can fall apart, fast.  Then again, who knows?  It is Tsubine we're talking about; even having served with him I can't claim I know what is going through his head most of the time.”

He'd know it when he'd said it; that his answer, truth or not, was going to sting.  However, a change came over Kaminari while he spoke.  It was in every aspect of her being.  The it vanished, almost completely.  Almost.  It hung in her voice, like black curtains in a gray room.  To have it hidden in everything else but clear in the voice only drew attention.  As there was a change in Kaminari, so too a change came over Genpaku.  It came swift as a gale, like rain on a cloudless day.
“Stop acting weak,” the young commander said, his voice sharp as broken glass in the silence left after Kaminari's last sentence.  He looked up at her, and though his gaze was solid it wasn't as cold as his voice had been.
“Should I take it as a compliment?  That you held this dream of being Captain Commander for so long and yet now you let it die?  You held it through the likes of Yamamoto Genryuusai-dono and Tsubine Zarkonheinz, and yet it gets to ME and you act like your dream is dead?  Am I so great that these other names might as well be swept from history?” he asked as he stood, holding his arms out to the world as though in challenge.

Let it never be said that Genpaku couldn't be dramatic when he felt like it.

He let his arms drop, and as he did the sudden tension in him vanished.  He looked at Kaminari as though to say 'really?'.
“I can't say that I know what it feels like to bare the brand of pain you're now experiencing; I'd be lying if I did.  The world hasn't come to an end though.  The sky isn't going to fall, the ground isn't going to shatter, and the position of Captain-Commander isn't forever out of your reach.  You're better than this, stronger than this.  Who is to say that Tsubine hasn't made a mistake?  We know he isn't.  I need you to be strong for me, in case it turns out I'm too weak for this position.  If I don't have someone pushing me forward I may just fall flat on my face, ya know?” he asked, giving a smile at her.  He took a breath.
“It isn't like you to mope like this.  To give up, and wallow in self pity.  It's not very becoming either.  Its certainly not something a candidate for the Captain-Commander of the Gotei should be doing.

You're one of the youngest Shinigami in the Gotei, the youngest Captain ever elected, and the youngest Captain ever considered for the position of Captain-Commander.  You've accomplished in so little time what most of the Gotei will NEVER accomplish.  So you finally stumbled.  We trip and stumble only so we can stand back up, ya know?”

Her response, and consequent shot him, did not go amiss.  However, when she managed to fully shake the dark mood that had been upon her he smiled.  He actually chuckled when she failed at him and made the comment about walking face-first into a wall; sounded like Kaminari.  The wall would probably be the one to come out the worse for ware too.
“Sure is,” he said with a chuckle.  He caught the wince as she stood fully; there were some internal injuries he hadn't fully be able to heal he guessed.  The Fourth would be able to do a much better job, especially given the benefit of more time.  He had just wanted to make sure her life wasn't in danger.  When she held out her hand she slipped under it and draped it over his shoulders to support her.
“Then go ahead and lean on me,” he said, giving her a small smile.  “You're welcome to try; just give me a little warning.  I'd rather not have a full on fight in the middle of Seireitei.  People might get hurt.”

As they started back, his thoughts turned reflective again.
“I'm sure you haven't banished your disappointment as easily as all that.  All I care about is that you don't let it control you.  If you let yourself get into a mood like this again, I'll personally kick your ass and leave you in the Fourth Division with order for bed-rest for a month.  I'll even make Zaraki-Taicho watch the door.” he said, shooting a small smirk at her.  Smile or not, he was serious.
“Oh right; if you don't want to explain what happened out here, what will you tell everyone?” he suddenly asked, smirking at her.

Genpaku let out a honest laugh at Kaminari's reaction to his threat about Zaraki.  Didn't matter how strong one got, no one wanted to battle that madman.  As they walked along Kaminari came up with an answer to his last question that made him chuckle.  There were those that believed he didn't even possess a Bankai; how were they going to take the news that Genpaku had beaten Kaminari in a duel?  Beyond that, was one of the first actions Genpaku wanted to take as Captain Commander to lie to the entire Gotei, in a sense, about what had transpired out here?  The answer to that was surprisingly simple.

This was one of his friends, after all.

“I suppose that'll work.  Don't be surprised if some people don't buy it though,” he said with a chuckle.  Kaminari followed up by saying something downright mature, which may have been surprising given how she'd acted most of the night.  Who could hold it against her though?
“Everyone needs someone to lean on sometimes, and someone to look up to at others.  In my opinion that is the greatest role captains play in their division.  Ask any one of them and they'll give you a different answer, but that's mine.”
As the two crested a small hill the whole of Soul Society stretched out before them.  The lights were still burning in the Rukongai.  Far in the distance, just at the edge of their vision Seireitei rose up above the landscape, a great mountain of glowing lights.  

It was damn far away.

“Well, this'll take forever if we keep being lazy.  Hold on tight a second, okay?” Genpaku said with a smile.  Then the two vanished as he moved the two of them, as carefully as he could, through the immense distance and to the care of the Fourth Division after their little “spar” in the woods.  Thus was how this night ended, and a new era began.