Squad One Captain's Office

The office where Captain Setsuna Fujihana conducts all her business.

The office is a large open air office with large red pillars supporting the ceiling. The office is on the top floor of the highest building in squad one. The office opens up into a large balcony overlooking all of Seireitei. The office has only a few pieces of furniture. It has Setsuna's desk and chair alone with two chairs in front of it, and that is all.

Maki calmly walked along the halls of the administration building, hands folded neatly behind her back. Giving the place a grand look over, she took her time getting to the Head Captain's office. "I wonder why she wants to see me?" She smiled at all the unseated members scurrying around with paperwork. It reminded her an awful lot of the students at the school. One of the tripped and face planted, papers falling all over the floor. Rushing to his aid, she asked "Are you okay?" as she helped him up and started picking up floor papers. "Yes, Headmistress." He said somewhat nervously. "I'm just really busy and I need to get these papers to the Captain." After gathering the papers she patted him on the head. "Let me take them to her, I'm headed that way anyways." The boy looked nervous, "I couldn't! Its m j-" She took a stern face, "Now hush, just go on your way now, hun, I got this." He hesitantly nodded and turned around to leave, looking back he said, "Thank you very much, Headmistress Tsukino!"

Maki, papers in hand, walked up to the Head Captain's door and rapped one knuckle on the wood. "Ms. Fujihana, I'm here."

Setsuna sat at her desk, flipping through paper after paper, signed her name over and over again. This job could become so tedious. Every paper that went through Seireitei ended up in front of her. So all the paper work the captains did, was then transferred to her. 

She had called for Captain Maki of squad seven to come see her. She had some very important business to tend to with her. Something that would change their relationship. Setsuna put her pen down and took a deep breath and let out a sigh. Then the knock came.

"Come in dear."

"Brought you some more papers, ma'am." Maki came in the head captain's office with a smile. "Ran into a boy coming to give them to you, so I offered to ferry it along, seeing as how I was headed here anyway." The Captain placed the papers on her desk. She sauntered over and plopped in the chair in front of her desk. "So what did you want to see me for Ms Fujihana?"

"Oh thank you, please just set them on the corner there."

Setsuna pointed at an empty corner of her desk. Maki wasn't wasting any time, and was straight to the brass tacks. Setsuna nervously ran her fingers through her hair. She knew a day would come where she needed to reveal her secrets to someone, but she just hoped that she didn't lose Maki after the dust settled.

"Maki, I called you here because of your ability."

Setsuna cleared her throat before standing, and grabbing her own zanpakuto.

"I could never possibly teach someone everything I know. I'm not nearly the teacher you are, and I am not nearly as patient."

Setsuna began to walk around the room, pacing, sweat beading on her forehead.

"That's why I must kill myself, and let you absorb all I know. You can use it to better teach our students. I'm going to need you to use your ability before my body disappears. You'll understand."

Setsuna drew her sword and said one word.

"Bankai."

Maki shirked at the thought of watching Setsuna, or anyone for that matter, kill themselves in front of her. "Are you sure this is wise, Ms Fujihana. I mean, this is rather unorthodox, to say the least." The Headmistress gripped her armrests. "I mean, what do you know that I need to teach. I understand you've lived much longer than I, but what integral things are you holding secret that I might need to bring the world up to speed on?"

Setsuna was now in her bankai state, her most deadly and powerful. Setsuna could destroy whole worlds if she wanted to. Ignoring Maki's questions, Setsuna pulled a knife from inside her jacket and sliced a deep gash across her throat.

Setsuna's body fell to the floor, blood gushing out and pooling around her. With the last of her strength and the last of her wind she spoke to Maki.

"Hurry."

"Crazy. Stupid and Crazy." In an instant she had her Baton out and touched it to her temple. As the memories began rushing in, she was flabbergasted. Nothing! Nothing special by any means. Sure there was the day to day runnings of the Soul Society, everyone that has been in and out of the organization over the years. But nothing special, nothing requiring this. Plus, she had the added bonus of getting to remember a goddamn suicide! Those are always horrible. After what seemed like forever but was actually only a few seconds, she flopped down in her chair, mentally exhausted.

Whenever Setsuna came to, "That was stupid and crazy. I am still very not okay with it."

Setsuna's body disappeared and vanished into her zanpakuto. In time her body would be renewed and she'd reemerge like a phoenix from the ashes.

On Setsuna's desk was a letter she had written to Maki. She had forgotten to mention it, but Maki would have seen it in her memories. The letter read as follows:

Dear Maki,


I know my past isn't the nicest, and I have done things that I am not proud of. I hope you understand, and I hope you are able to use what I have shown you. It's going to take a while for my body to heal and reform. I want you to tell everyone that I am away, and that I will return soon.  I'm not sure how long this will take, but I do know that it will be long enough that I will need one of my senior captains to take care of things in my absence. Please ask Norma Higgins, to act in my absence. I am sorry it had happen like this, but it just weighed so heavy on my heart. I truly am sorry.


See you soon,


Setsuna Fujihana

After picking up the letter and giving it a second read, she sighed. "Selfish old woman." Maki exclaimed to no one in particular, and particularly out of cadence for the usually respective Matron. "Needing to go on a 'retreat' with the new Hollows running about. What if we need our Head Captain?" She folded the letter and put it in her shirt. "What does she even want me to do with this information. There's nothing superbly relevant, besides her zanpakuto, but I'm pretty sure thats not something I'm suppose to be teaching freshman about." She tidied up the office a bit and walked out the door, headed for Norma's office to inform her of her duties.

Aoi was nervous. Her old Captain, before her promotion and moving to Division Six, was now the Head Captain of the whole Soul Society. Maki was a nice person, but it was kind of terrifying to have to go meet her for such a thing.

The thing being mainly that she was now as strong as a Captain. With a few open Divisions, she might end up being promoted if she proved her worth. Or had she already? The shinigami had no clue on how any of it worked, she merely was appearing before Maki as summoned.

Or well Head Captain. Not Maki. This was official business!

Knocking on the open door, she announced herself before entering and saluting. "Vice Captain Aoi Murahana reporting, Head Captain."

Rin was going to be so upset she didn't tell him anything.

"Come in hon." Maki was scratching away at some paperwork, nothing really important. Setting it all aside, she offered the girl some tea and a seat. She informally propped up on her desk and crossed her legs. Leaning back she sighed the sigh of someone relaxing their stiff back. "So, I hear you've been coming into some power lately, care to tell me about it love?" Maki was looking at the ceiling, intent not being exasperation or ignoration, but just feeling comfortable.

Aoi shuffled up to the desk nervously, taking a seat and accepting the tea. Holding the cup in her hands, she turned it as it gave her something to do. She didn't look up at Maki, and just nodded before speaking. "M-Mhm. I found out... I'm a vizard. One of those people with hollows inside? Captain Shirakawa... knows since I told him when I found out."

Aoi wasn't sure how to explain it all and shifted uncomfortably. "I've always been one, just I never knew. I can control it now... and I have a bankai as well Head Captain."

Should she go into details?

"Mmmm." Maki knew quite a bit about vizards. They're not nearly as bad as people believe. Setsuna was of the traditional mind that hollows=bad. Be that as they may, sometimes they CAN be dangerous. "The bankai news is wonderful, dear. But this hollow, can you control it?"

"Yeah, she's not one that really...seems to want to take over?" Aoi scratched her head, still confused by that. The hollow seemed sometimes to be more stable than she was, helping her along at points... Really helping her along. "She is a bit more helpful."

"Well, thats wonderful then. Would you like a captain position then?" Maki tended to be quite direct at times, but she liked to get to the point of the matter in business. "We seem to be short on candidates lately and you have both power, resolve, AND a hidden hollow." She walked over to Aoi and leaned in close enough to whisper "And you know, I like you." With an audible laugh she leaned back, "Being head captain DOES have perks like that."

Aoi looked unsure for a moment. Did she want to be a Captain? ...Yes. Nodding determinedly despite her unease, she smiled. "I would then! I'll become a Captain. Hehe, thank you Maki."

She felt so happy Maki liked her and her smile grew. "It really does have some perks, doesn't it! It eases the headache a bit, huh?"

"Wonderful." Maki scooped the girl up in a hug, dumping the tea on the ground if she hadn't set it on the desk. Not quite putting her down, she looked in her face. "You were always a bit of a firecracker, how about heading up the vanguard? Its not too bad, We don't get attacked very often but I trust you could fend people off like the best of 'em."

Luckily Aoi had set the cup on the desk at some point, empty, as she was scooped into a hug. Returning it with a happy laugh, she was set back down and gave Maki a grin. "I can handle that! I am really good at fighting. Its good to have your trust on that, I'll protect your Seireitei Maki."

She had only been under Masaru's command for a short time compared to Maki's, so Aoi was quite able to follow this woman loyally rather quickly.

"Very swell indeed. I will get started on the paperwork for your promotion and transfer. Let your captain know and get ready to move to your knew squad." The Head captain booped her young protege on the forehead and wisked backed to her chair. She pulled out some paperwork and got to work on the transfer, excited that one of her young 'uns had gotten so far.

"All right Head Captain! I shall go tell Captain immediately. Thank you." Aoi saluted with a happy grin, pleased with the head booping. She did a small bow before turning and hurrying from the office, excited to go inform Masaru and get everything started!