Unease  

"Yes, Captain."

For a moment, Momo Hinamori could almost imagine Ailin transforming into the captain she admired most: Aizen.

She remembered how Aizen used to let her wait in his office while he finished his work. The familiarity of the situation, the chair she was sitting in, almost tricked her into believing he was still there.

But then, the realization hit her. Aizen was gone, a traitor who had abandoned the Soul Society. Ailin was her captain now.

She shook her head, dispelling the lingering illusion.

Unbeknownst to Ailin, his unconscious imitation of Aizen, a remnant of his time impersonating the former captain, had nearly shattered Hinamori's perception of reality.

Even if he had known, he would have simply chuckled. The Shinigami of the Soul Society were in for some turbulent times. A little mental flexibility would improve their chances of survival. The battles ahead, particularly the Thousand-Year Blood War, would be brutal, even for captains. The lower ranks would suffer heavy losses.

Having been the captain of the Fifth Division before, Ailin quickly worked through the backlog of reports, his experience allowing him to efficiently navigate the administrative tasks. Within three hours, the mountain of paperwork had vanished.

He looked up, intending to ask Hinamori about her concerns, but found her asleep on the floor, exhausted from the recent events.

He gently draped his captain's haori over her, a sense of déjà vu washing over him. He remembered a similar scene years ago, when Hinamori had visited him late at night, falling asleep while he worked. He had covered her with his haori then as well. He hadn't expected to be back in the Fifth Division, with Hinamori once again asleep before him.

…

Hinamori awoke to the warm, orange light of the desk lamp. A familiar scent enveloped her, reminiscent of Aizen. She snuggled into the haori draped over her, savoring the comforting warmth, then jolted awake.

No. Aizen was gone.

She sat up, calling out tentatively, "Captain Ailin?"

Receiving no response, she opened the door and stepped out, finding Ailin talking to her squad members.

Both Ailin and the Shinigami he was speaking to, a Fifth Division member named Fujimaru Kudo, turned to see Hinamori standing in the doorway, draped in Ailin's haori.

Sensing Fujimaru Kudo's curious gaze, Ailin chuckled and ruffled the young Shinigami's hair. "Don't get any ideas, Fujimaru. Lieutenant Hinamori came to see me earlier, but I was busy with reports, so I asked her to wait. She must have fallen asleep while I worked. I didn't have the heart to wake her, so I came to you for an update on the division."

"Oh, I see!" Fujimaru said, nodding vigorously. His respect for Ailin grew. As a Fifth Seat, he knew the sheer volume of paperwork that had accumulated. Ailin had cleared it all in a few hours. He was clearly a dedicated captain. It made sense.

Ailin had served as lieutenant of the Second Division, lieutenant and then captain of the Sixth, and captain of the Eleventh. He wouldn't have earned those positions without a strong sense of responsibility.

Unlike Hinamori, Fujimaru Kudo had served in the Fifth Division for over three centuries, under three different captains. He respected Seigen Suzunami, the captain before Shinji Hirako, the most. Seigen had been the one who had recruited him and his sister, Matsuri Kudo. Sadly, Seigen had disappeared years ago, his whereabouts unknown.

While Shinji Hirako and Aizen had been capable captains, they hadn't earned the same level of respect from Fujimaru Kudo.

After learning that Ailin would be their new captain, Fujimaru had discreetly investigated his background. So far, he hadn't found anything remarkable. Ailin seemed no different from Hirako or Aizen.

"Thank you, Fujimaru," Ailin said. "Your insights have been very helpful." Having gathered the information he needed, he dismissed Fujimaru.

As Fujimaru left, Ailin shook his head. He had met the Kudo siblings, Fujimaru and Matsuri, during his time impersonating Aizen.

Back then, Fujimaru hadn't achieved Bankai. Now, however, he could sense the subtle shift in his reiatsu.

Fujimaru had been hiding his true strength. But whether this newfound power was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen. As long as he didn't use his Bankai during the first Quincy attack and have it stolen, he would be safe once Urahara developed the countermeasure.

"I apologize, Captain Ailin," Hinamori said, approaching him, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I fell asleep while waiting for you."

"No, I should be the one apologizing," Ailin said, smiling gently.

"If I hadn't taken a vacation, I would have been here to handle those reports, and you wouldn't have been so overworked. Thank you for holding the fort, Hinamori. But now that I'm here, you can relax. I'll take care of everything. I promise you, with me here, the Fifth Division will be fine." He paused. "Lieutenant Hinamori, I'm granting you three days of paid leave."

"But…"

"No arguments. I know you've… made some decisions recently that have hurt your friends. Use this time to reconnect with them. Life is long, and you need companions to share it with. But it's also short. Some opportunities, once missed, are gone forever." He patted her shoulder.

He had once believed he could shape the world to his liking, using his knowledge of the future and his overwhelming power. But over the years, he had learned that while he could influence events, he couldn't control them.

Sōken Ishida, despite Ailin's efforts, had still died. Rukia, though her power had grown significantly, her relationships hadn't developed as he had anticipated. Her connections with Kaien Shiba, Ichigo, and Renji Abarai seemed… stagnant. He wasn't even sure if her daughter, Ichika, would ever be born.

He had decided to avoid interfering with Hitsugaya and Hinamori's relationship. However, to compensate for separating Hitsugaya from Hinamori during his training, he had subtly strengthened their bond through Hitsugaya's grandmother.

Hinamori's expression turned somber. She remembered her actions after Aizen's "death," the impulsive decisions that had hurt her friends. She had drawn her sword against Izuru Kira, her friend's lieutenant, and she had blindly followed a fabricated letter, attempting to attack Ailin.

She hadn't considered the consequences of her actions, the pain she had caused. She knew Kira carried a heavy burden, a willingness to sacrifice everything for his loyalty. To have his captain attacked while he was still recovering would have been a devastating blow, especially if the attacker was a friend.

And Hitsugaya… he had taken her to the Tenth Division to protect her, worried for her safety. Yet, she had betrayed his trust, leaving to attack Ailin. If she had succeeded, Hitsugaya would have been held responsible.

The letter had come from Rangiku Matsumoto, his lieutenant. While her actions hadn't caused any significant damage, she knew Hitsugaya must have been deeply disappointed.

…

After seeing Hinamori safely back to her quarters, Ailin headed towards the Third Division barracks. Like the Fifth, the Third was currently being led by its lieutenant, Izuru Kira, due to their captain's defection. But unlike the Fifth, which now had a new captain and was returning to normalcy, the Third was still in disarray.

While Yamamoto had sent a summons to Hueco Mundo, requesting a legion commander to take over the Third Division, the process was slow. The legion commanders, constantly engaged in battles against Hollows, couldn't simply abandon their posts. A new commander had to be appointed before they could leave. Without a leader, the expeditionary force would descend into chaos, potentially even facing annihilation at the hands of the Hollows now under Aizen's command.

The uncertainty surrounding the new captain's arrival had created a sense of unease within the Third Division. While Kira was a capable leader, he couldn't alleviate their anxieties. They knew nothing about the incoming captain, his personality, his methods… A captain was the heart and soul of a division. If their philosophies clashed, it could lead to conflict.

When Ailin arrived, Kira was in his office, diligently working through the paperwork. As a lieutenant handpicked by Gin Ichimaru, Kira knew he carried Gin's legacy.