So they really were very close friends...
Hisana Kuchiki was genuinely happy for her younger sister.
For a long time, Rukia Kuchiki's only friends had been Muten Natsu and Renji Abarai.
After she was adopted by the Kuchiki Clan, her change in status left her caught between worlds. The nobles did not see her as one of them, and the commoners no longer saw her as one of theirs. Very few people could treat her normally.
After Muten Natsu left Soul Society, Rukia Kuchiki had grown increasingly withdrawn as well.
Now Rukia Kuchiki had made a good friend, and one as kind as Orihime Inoue at that. Hisana Kuchiki was truly glad for her.
This trip to the World of the Living had allowed Rukia Kuchiki to reunite with Muten Natsu and make a wonderful friend like Orihime Inoue.
Those two happy things, coming together, would surely bring Rukia Kuchiki so much joy.
But...
Some things were bound to clash with each other.
When the time came, what would Rukia Kuchiki do?
"Sis?" Rukia Kuchiki noticed Hisana Kuchiki spacing out. "Are you feeling unwell? Did I talk too much?"
"Not at all." Hisana Kuchiki raised her arm to show off the bracelet. "Your big sister isn't that fragile. Tell me more. I really want to hear it."
Inwardly, Hisana Kuchiki shook her head and pushed down the warning she had almost spoken.
This was something Rukia Kuchiki should discover for herself.
Whatever the final outcome might be, at the very least, she should not ruin the happiness of this moment.
That child... Orihime Inoue must feel the same way.
...
"Rukia~" Orihime Inoue poked her little head out from behind the office door. "Guess what I brought... Huh, Muten?"
"Rukia went to see her sister." Muten Natsu put down the documents in his hands. "She should be back soon."
"I see... Then I'll give it to her later." Orihime Inoue lifted the wooden box in her hands, then remembered Muten Natsu's current height and lowered it again. "There's some for you too, Muten! Ta-da!"
"What's this..." Muten Natsu accepted the wooden box. "Dried persimmons? Did the Third Division make them again this year?"
"Rose-san sent them over." Orihime Inoue sat down beside Muten Natsu and looked at him expectantly. "Try one."
Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi preferred being called Rose over his given name.
The brightly colored dried persimmon was soft and tender on the tongue, with just the right mellow sweetness. Refreshing, rounded, and almost melting in his mouth.
"Delicious." Muten Natsu already liked sweets, so after eating one, he smacked his lips in satisfaction, cleared away the lingering sweetness with some hot tea, and picked up another. "I love these."
"Right?~" Orihime Inoue tilted her head, happily admiring the satisfied look on Muten Natsu's face. "I couldn't stop eating them earlier either. Rose-san said that if he makes them again next year, he'll send me some more. Come to think of it, you and Rukia must have had them before, right? I was hoping to surprise you."
"I haven't had them in years. Rukia probably has, but even if she has, it's still a surprise."
"Huh?"
"Because Orihime brought them."
"Then let's add some magic." Orihime Inoue thought of something, formed a heart with both hands, and gently swayed it in front of herself. "Fluttery~ pure~ miracle heart-throbbing dried persimmons~ become delicious!"
"Mm!" Muten Natsu took a big bite. "Mmm~ It tastes so cute."
Orihime Inoue blushed. "There's no such thing as a cute taste..."
Watching Muten Natsu's little cheeks puff in and out, if she was being honest, Muten Natsu after shrinking... really was kind of cute.
"Muten Natsu," a voice sounded from the doorway. "Do you have time right now?"
Orihime Inoue and Muten Natsu turned at the same time and saw Nayura Amakado standing by the door.
She had a tiny body, short and thick bean-like eyebrows, and a small tiara on her head. The ends of her hair barely reached her thin shoulders, while most of it was coiled at the back of her head.
"I have time," Muten Natsu replied. "What's the matter?"
"So cute~" Orihime Inoue praised. "Would you like a dried persimmon?"
"No, thank you." Nayura Amakado walked over with steady steps. "I'm here to speak with him about something."
Orihime Inoue understood. "Then I'll..."
"No need." Muten Natsu stopped Orihime Inoue, who was about to leave. "It's not something to hide."
Nayura Amakado nodded. "That wasn't what I meant either. In fact, it would be even better if you could help as well."
"Me?" Orihime Inoue pointed at herself blankly. "I can help too?"
"After healing so many Shinigami, you're now the most welcome human in Soul Society... That sounds a little inauspicious, but that's the general idea." Nayura Amakado looked levelly at Muten Natsu, her gaze sweeping over him from head to toe. "So this day came for you too. Small and quite cute."
Muten Natsu: "...Let's talk business."
"I hope the members of the Visored can return to Soul Society and serve as Captains of the Thirteenth Division," Nayura Amakado said directly. "Losing three Captains at once is bound to make the people of Seireitei uneasy. Before, that unease could encourage everyone to prepare actively for battle. But now that the great war is over and suitable candidates are available, there's no need to let that unease continue, much less spread through Soul Society."
Muten Natsu gave a soft snort. "That doesn't sound like a decision the Central 46 Division would make."
"Your judgment is correct. Many people are indeed opposed to Shinigami with Hollowfication abilities holding important positions, even if they have already brought that power under control," Nayura Amakado admitted. "That's why we need you to propose it."
After defeating Sōsuke Aizen, Muten Natsu's strength had raised his status to a truly terrifying level.
Even the Central 46 Division had to take Muten Natsu's opinion seriously.
Having learned from past mistakes, and with two entire groups of Central 46 Division members already dead, they had naturally gained some sense of caution.
Both Sōsuke Aizen and Muten Natsu were fundamentally different from Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto was one of the makers of the current rules, and he had seen the turmoil that came when there were no rules. His main concern was maintaining stability.
When a problem arose, his first priority was to ensure that the system continued operating normally. Only afterward would he address the problem itself.
But Sōsuke Aizen and Muten Natsu had been confined within those rules from the very beginning. To them, the rules were more like restraints.
The stronger they became, the more unbearable those restraints grew.
Sōsuke Aizen chose to destroy everything that currently existed and establish rules of his own.
Muten Natsu simply left, refusing to take part in any of it.
But if the rules harmed him or the people around him, he would not hesitate to destroy everything.
Central 46 Division's authority was built on the rules. Faced with someone who could ignore those rules, their only choice was to revise them and do their best to preserve everyone's dignity.
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