They returned to the Shiba residence from the Kyogoku, and those whose paths had temporarily crossed each headed their own way. Hikone was taken to Shino-Seyakuin in order to be put under the care of Seinosuke Yamada, while the Soul Reapers, Arrancars, and Quincies each went home to their own places.
Ginjo and the others who didn’t have a specific place to go back to were enjoying Ganju and his sister’s alcohol like freeloaders.
“Seriously, what was with that? If it was such a big deal, I shoulda definitely gone too! I would’ve taken that Tokinada guy and used my skills to give ’im a little bit of this and do a little bit of that, like this!”
“Lacking in vocab, much?”
“What did you say?!”
“Please calm down. The best medicine for appeasing indignation is abandoning oneself to pleasure occasionally.”
“I-is it?”
While Giriko soothed Ganju, who was all worked up about what the boy Yukio had muttered while playing his game, Ginjo said to Yukio, “You’re heading back to the world of the living, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, along with Kisuke Urahara. It’s a pain, but Aura asked me to deal with her religious group. Either way, it seemed like she was going to disappear from the world of the living.”
“So you’ve gotta manage a whole religious group. Seems tough being a young president.”
“This is easy mode for me. More importantly, have you got anything you want me to tell Riruka or Jackie?”
As he glanced from his game to Ginjo, the man shrugged.
“I haven’t. If they’re doing well, anything I could say to them would just be tasteless.”
“Would it? Then I’ll let them know that.”
“You’re as charming as ever…”
Ignoring Ginjo’s exasperation, Yukio simply called out to Tsukishima, “Right, his name was Moeh Shishigawara, right? Looks like he’s been visiting your grave or something. Have you got anything to tell him?”
Tsukishima raised his eyebrows slightly and closed his book. “I’m surprised I have a grave…but I haven’t got anything specific to say. I’ll pray that he forgets us and comes across a new book.”
“Moeh Shishigawara…that’s the kid with that irritating power, right?”
“Don’t look at me like that, Tsukishima. I’m not about to tell anybody to kill him or something.”
Ginjo smiled bitterly and started to ask Yukio about the state of the world of the living, but…
“Hey there, could I cut in for a moment?”
Kyoraku, who should have just gone home, was showing his face.
“What? You’re still around?”
“Yeah, I thought I’d tell you some things.”
“You’ve got downtime as Captain General?”
“No, no, I’m busy, of course. Especially since I lost a full day today. I’m about to head around to the government office and Nanao’s waiting outside right now, so I don’t have much time.”
“What’re you trying to say?”
Ginjo was skeptical as Kyoraku conveyed the message to him: “First, I already mentioned this to Kukaku and Ganju, but…we will be simplifying the means to move between the Seireitei and the Rukongai from now on. Everyone in the Rukongai will be able to come in more freely.”
“Haven’t got any interest in that.”
At Ginjo’s quick response, Kyoraku pulled something from his clothes.
“Since you say that, I’ve got this for you. I went out to get this just now.”
“The hell is that?”
It was a book. It seemed to be part of a series and was numbered with a one next to the title.
“It’s the adventure Ukitake was writing. I thought you might be interested.”
“…What the hell is ‘Warning of the Twin Fish!’ supposed to mean? Looks like some kind of romantic drama.”
As Ginjo had no idea how to react, Tsukishima said in an indifferent tone, “Oh, I’ve already read the whole series.”
“Seriously? You’ll read anything with pages…”
“It’s made for kids, but it’s pretty entertaining. In the last volume’s scene, where a shrine maiden is being saved, I think the personality of the author really shows through.”
He was clearly saying that because he knew about the relationship Ginjo had with the author, Ukitake.
Kyoraku was grateful for the help as he cut in with the main topic. “Are you still having reservations about Ukitake?”
“I told you, didn’t I? I don’t care about what Tokinada did. I’m the guy who became the enemy of Ukitake and the Soul Reapers. What’re you trying to ask me to do now?”
Kyoraku scowled slightly as he said, “Well, Ukitake was constantly asking old man Yama and me to overlook your wrongdoings.”
“Huh? What? You want me to be thankful to him or something? Don’t make me repeat myself. I haven’t got any regrets about making you guys my enemy at…”
“That’s not what I mean,” Kyoraku interrupted. “I’m not talking about your past crimes. I’m talking about if the time came when you would kill Ukitake.”
“…What did you say?”
“It seems that Ukitake was prepared to be killed by you. Of course, he was in a position where he needed to protect his company as captain, so I don’t think he would have let it happen without a fight, but…he said if something happened between the two of you, he wanted to shoulder all of the responsibility.”
Kyoraku righted his hat and slowly continued. “It might be inappropriate of me to tell you this, but I thought it would be okay to talk about it now. Tokinada also said this, but Ukitake was prepared to pursue you as an enemy when he gave the order to surveil you. It doesn’t make that part untrue.”
Kyoraku remembered his old friend’s face as he spoke that unshakable truth.
“It might be unfair of me to say, as someone who simply saw Ukitake while he was regretful… But even though Ukitake might have been involved with the Tsunayashiro family’s motives, he wasn’t the type of man to use that as an excuse to make himself feel better. That was all I wanted to tell you.”
“…”
“Well, I apologize for forcing you to humor my self-indulgence. With that, I suppose I’ll be heading out now.”
As Kyoraku started to leave, Ginjo, holding a drink, called out.
“So you were saying it’d be easier to get in and out of the Seireitei, weren’t you?”
“Yes, very soon.”
“And even I could go into the Seireitei?”
“Depending on what you were intending to do, you could. What are you planning?”
Kyoraku looked somehow relieved as he waited for Ginjo to speak. Ginjo remained silent for a while and then made an honest inquiry. He asked it in order to draw a distinction with his past, so he could walk new paths.
“Could you tell me where…Ukitake’s grave is?”
≡
Observing this, Kukaku sipped from her cup and murmured to herself, “Heh… Looks like the time for the Soul Society to change has finally come.”
Unnoticed, Kukaku offered up a drink to one who was not there.
“I hope that it’ll be a world you like…Kaien.”
≡