The year of interning culminated not with a final exam, but with a ceremony. For Squad 10, under Captain Isshin Shiba, it was less a rigid military function and more a raucous, heartfelt celebration. The main courtyard of the barracks was filled with unseated and seated officers alike, the air buzzing with conversation and the clinking of sake cups that had suspiciously appeared long before the official event began.
Akio stood with a group of a dozen other interns, all of them wearing fresh, standard-issue shihakushō. The familiar black kosode felt different today; it felt earned. He kept his expression neutral, but a current of satisfaction ran through him. This was the first step on his own path, a path he was carving for himself within the structure he now called home.
Captain Isshin stood before them, his Captain's haori flapping lightly in the breeze. He lacked the stern gravitas of Yamamoto or the icy dignity of Byakuya. Instead, he beamed at them like a proud father.
"LISTEN UP!" he roared, and the courtyard fell into a cheerful quiet. "You lot have spent a year getting yelled at, running patrols at ungodly hours, and probably wondering why you ever left the academy! But you're still here! That means you've got guts! And more importantly, it means you understand what this squad is about!"
He paced before them, his energy infectious. "We're not just another number! We're the first line! The eyes and ears! When something goes wrong, we're the ones who see it first! That's not just a duty; it's a privilege! It means we get to protect our home before anyone even knows it's in danger! So, welcome! Officially! To the Tenth Squad! Now, let's stop yapping and start celebrating!"
A cheer erupted from the crowd. There was no formal oath recited, no signing of scrolls. The induction was as straightforward and unpretentious as Isshin himself. Lieutenant Matsumoto began handing out squad insignia patches—a stylized number '10' encircled by ivy—to each of the new members. When she got to Akio, she gave him a wink that was anything but subtle.
"Try not to look so serious, Kurozume-kun," she said, leaning closer than necessary to pin the patch to his kosode. "It's a party. Unless you'd rather be… practicing your precision strikes?" Her voice was a teasing purr.
Akio, having grown more accustomed to her brand of harassment, didn't flinch. He offered a small, dry smile. "I find my precision is best applied to knowing when to enjoy a celebration and when to avoid certain distractions, Lieutenant."
Rangiku threw her head back and laughed. "You're learning! Good boy." She moved on, leaving him with the distinct scent of sake and a new patch on his shoulder.
The ceremony quickly devolved into the promised party. Food and drink were plentiful, and the atmosphere was loud and congenial.
After the ending of the event Akio went towards the Academy area where he was scheduled to meet with some peoples. Reaching to the Academy area, Akio spotted two familiar, and highly distinctive, figures leaning against a wall near the gates, seemingly observing the festivities with amusement.
Ikkaku's bald head gleamed in the sunlight, his arms crossed over his chest, a familiar scowl on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes. Next to him, Yumichika looked utterly out of place, examining a stray flower petal that had landed on his pristine sleeve with a critical eye.
Akio excused himself from Jiro and made his way over. "Well well look who are early. Thought you guys will be more busy with the party and forget this plan."
Ikkaku grunted. "Hah!! You wish. And we aren't early you are the late comer. Also thought I should come to you to congratulate you in person and we can also have a little spar." He said the last part grinning.
"And I," Yumichika said, flicking the petal away with distaste, "came to ensure this one didn't start one immediately. Also, I wished to offer my… somewhat belated congratulations on your placement. Squad 10 suits your… practical nature."
"Thanks," Akio said, leaning against the wall beside them. "I see you both ended up in the Eleventh. No surprise there." He glanced at Ikkaku. "You finally get to swing that sword of yours all day."
Ikkaku's scowl finally broke into a fierce grin. "Damn right. It's where a real fighter belongs. None of this 'patrol and report' nonsense. We find a problem, we cut it down. Simple."
"Yes, wonderfully simple," Yumichika sighed, the sound full of long-suffering drama. "A whole squad of Ikkakus, smashing things. A true aesthete's nightmare."
Akio raised an eyebrow. "I heard a rumor the Kido Corps was interested in you, Yumichika. I'm surprised you didn't take them up on it. It seems more your speed."
Yumichika's expression shifted, becoming slightly more serious. "They were… persistent. Captain Ōnabara himself approached me. He said my skill with Kidō was 'too refined to be wasted on mindless brutality.' A man of taste, clearly."
"So what happened?" Akio asked.
"I refused," Yumichika said simply. "Ikkaku would be lost without me. And the Eleventh, for all its… vulgarity, is where I choose to be."
Ikkaku rolled his eyes but didn't contradict him.
Yumichika continued, a sly smile playing on his lips. "However, Captain Ōnabara is a pragmatic man. He proposed a compromise. The Kido Corps is not a squad, but a separate entity. He said he would speak to Captain Zaraki. The proposal was that I could remain a member of the Eleventh Squad, but also be formally recognized as a liaison or auxiliary member of the Kido Corps. For… special circumstances requiring a more delicate touch than a Zanpakutō to the face."
Akio blinked. "And Captain Zaraki agreed to that?"
Ikkaku let out a bark of laughter. "The Captain just shrugged and said, 'As long as he still fights, I don't care what other crap he does.' So now," Ikkaku said, clapping a heavy hand on Yumichika's shoulder, making him wince, "we've got our own pretty Kidō user. Useful for when things need to be blown up fancy."
Yumichika smoothed his sleeve. "It is an acceptable arrangement. It allows me to pursue my artistic inclinations without being surrounded by complete barbarians. Only… mostly barbarians."
The image was absurd yet perfectly fitting for the two of them. Ikkaku, a beast unleashed in the squad he was born for, and Yumichika, crafting a unique position that allowed him to be at his friend's side while indulging his own talents. It was a testament to their unshakeable, if bizarre, bond.
"Well, congratulations to you both," Akio said, a genuine smile on his face. "Ikkaku, try not to get yourself killed. Yumichika, try not to let the 'vulgarity' stain your robes."
"I make no promises," they said in near unison, though about entirely different things.
As they fell into a comfortable silence, watching the sun set, Akio felt a strange sense of completeness. They had all started in the same place, rivals in the Crimson Ascent. Now, they were stepping onto their chosen paths: Ikkaku into pure battle, Yumichika into a path of his own making, and himself, finding a home and a purpose in the front-line vigilance of the Tenth.
Their paths would diverge, but the respect forged in combat remained. They were the new generation, and they were finally where they belonged.
Though even in that completeness his mind wasn't free with thought. 'Even after Yumichika joining the Kido Corps for training and all. Getting recognized by even the Kido Corps Captain. He still ended up joining the 11th Squad. Looks like the plot doesn't like being changed drastically and will find itself to try to remain as it is even if there are small minor changes. But I can't be so sure. Well lets wait and watch.'