Chapter 136: Has She Always Been This Obnoxious?
Many hands make light work. That principle held even when the hands in question belonged to captain-level Shinigami.
For a situation like this one, working through contingencies and organizing responses around a hypothetical enemy was genuinely the most cautious approach available.
"I'll step out and brief the vice-captains."
Otoribashi Rojuro made himself useful and headed for the door. Hirako Shinji stayed put, working through a final round of cross-checks with the others to catch anything that had been missed.
The plan solidified quickly.
But before the group could actually move, Urahara Kisuke couldn't help asking:
"Doesn't it feel like we're still missing a significant number of people?"
Aikawa Love answered, rubbing his chin, working through it as he spoke.
"The Captain-Commander not showing in person is pretty standard. The head of the Shihoin clan is apparently dealing with something else. Captain Unohana is reportedly on her way. Squad 6's captain hasn't been in great health lately, and as for Captain Ukitake's situation... you know how it is."
Apparently everyone had their reasons.
Taking it all in gave Hirako Shinji a headache.
"So who else hasn't shown up?"
Everyone looked at each other.
Then, in roughly unison:
"Squad 11's captain. Matsushita Yusuke?"
BANG!!
The door flew open, and Matsushita Yusuke arrived in full captain's haori.
"Sorry! Had something to deal with. Took longer than expected. Am I late?"
It looked like impeccably timed luck, but honestly, this kind of thing happened regularly. Every squad's district was in a different location, which meant the gap between receiving a notification and actually getting somewhere varied considerably from person to person.
Besides, when everyone caught sight of Unohana Retsu walking in right behind him, the room visibly relaxed. These two arriving together was fine. Nothing strange about it.
Hirako came forward with a smile, clapped him on the shoulder, and delivered the line with barely contained enthusiasm.
"Late? Not at all. You showed up at exactly the right moment."
As it turned out, when you were short on warm bodies, grabbing whoever walked through the door first was the most reliable solution available.
"Do I have to go?"
"You're the most qualified person in this room to go."
Squad 11's whole identity was built around fighting. That made them the obvious call in a situation like this.
Hirako had already unilaterally decided Matsushita Yusuke's involvement, which amounted to signing him up for the field team without asking.
"We're short on people. This is not the moment for you to stand around. Come on."
So they're really short-staffed, huh.
As for Unohana Retsu: she showed no particular interest in going anywhere, and ended up staying in Seireitei. No one argued the point.
Matsushita Yusuke had picked up on the shift, quiet as it was.
The Gotei 13 ran on factions, and the divisions weren't exactly hidden once you started paying attention.
First, the old guard. Yamamoto at the center, with Kyoraku and Ukitake as his students.
Then the noble bloc. The Kuchiki and Shihoin families had been natural allies going back further than anyone currently cared to trace. Individuals raised up through their support, like Urahara, naturally drifted into that orbit as well.
Then there was the faction Hirako and the others anchored. Most of the newer additions to the Gotei 13 had some connection to them to varying degrees.
You wouldn't catch it without paying attention. But once you did, the internal structure had a lot more texture than the surface suggested.
The more feudal the institution, the more insular the clusters. Don't go getting caught up in guild politics and server faction wars here.
Not that any of this particularly mattered to Matsushita Yusuke in any immediate sense. He pulled his attention back and let it go.
Because after tonight, the Gotei 13 was heading for a shake-up that would make every current factional arrangement irrelevant.
"Matsushita-kun! Over here."
He was slotted into the action group, and Otoribashi Rojuro took it upon himself to get him up to speed.
Information sharing was non-negotiable when you were about to work together in the field. Rojuro handled it as though it were obvious.
"Bottom line: once we're out there, look after yourself first. Everything else comes second."
He was leaning into the senior role, and wearing the expression that came with it. He looked at Matsushita Yusuke with something between nostalgia and disbelief.
"Back when I first saw you at the Academy... I never would have guessed you'd end up here. You've come a long way. Not bad at all for someone your age."
Matsushita Yusuke managed an awkward smile.
"Just lucky breaks."
"A person who gets to where you are doesn't have bad luck. That part belongs to them."
Aikawa Love had drifted over by this point.
"Squad 11 captain or not, just going off raw strength... I wouldn't assume I'd lose to a junior."
Good-natured trash talk. A more direct icebreaker than most.
Matsushita Yusuke smiled back.
"If the chance comes up, I'd actually like to find out."
"Ha! Having that kind of attitude... that's Squad 11 right there. Respect."
Interpersonal dynamics were their own kind of system, and even naturally easy people couldn't shortcut the time and actual contact it took to build something real. What was happening here, in this small window before departure, was both of them putting out a signal. Friendly. Uncomplicated. The kind of thing that mattered when you might be working alongside each other for decades.
Matsushita Yusuke understood exactly what it was.
"Move out! First group, let's go!"
Hirako came over in long strides, gesturing as he spoke.
"We've got enough people. Split into two groups. Cover not just the district where Kensei went dark, but the surrounding areas too. We don't miss anything."
Once the groupings were sorted, Matsushita Yusuke ended up standing next to Hirako.
Also along for the ride: Sarugaki Hiyori.
The one who looked about twelve years old and acted like she owned every room she walked into.
She looked Matsushita Yusuke up and down with zero ceremony, then gave a quiet click of the tongue.
"So you're Squad 11's new captain?"
Then, almost under her breath:
"At least you're easier on the eyes than that Kijishi guy."
Has she always been this obnoxious?
Matsushita Yusuke felt his fist develop opinions of its own.
One punch and you'd be crying for a week, wouldn't you.
Actually, come to think of it, in canon this girl did get cut in half by Gin Ichimaru. At this point it was hard to argue that wasn't at least partially self-inflicted.
"I'm also coming."
Yadomaru Lisa, wearing her uniform with impressive casualness, added herself to the group.
"Their side has too many. I'm moving over here. No objections?"
One pint-sized gremlin, one manga reader with questionable taste, and one blond delinquent.