Between the strands of falling hair flowed a river of wounds yet unhealed—every ripple a whispered prayer from a blade's breath.
Tachikawa Shin stood at the front of the line, able to clearly watch the gentle, graceful presence of Captain Unohana.
He could feel the reverence radiating from the new recruits around him. Captain Retsu Unohana's reputation preceded her—one whose hands had healed more souls than Captain-Commander Yamamoto had slain Hollows. Even those whose first choice had not been the Fourth Division dared not harbor the slightest disrespect before her.
The induction ceremony was calm, solemn. The faint scent of medicinal herbs in the air added a sacred dignity to the moment.
After Captain Unohana finished her speech, Lieutenant Kotetsu Isane took over, reading aloud the disciplinary codes of the Fourth Division, as well as the regulations of the entire Gotei 13.
As Shin had expected, the laws for shinigami in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads were much stricter—unyielding and absolute. Isane's tone was stern and clear: no transgression would be tolerated.
Afterward came the duty assignments.
The Fourth Division consisted of three major internal departments:
Emergency Treatment Unit – field medics.
Pharmacology Unit – research and supplies.
General Medical Unit – the "hospital" of the Division, largest in both personnel and facilities.
As newly inducted members, Shin and Aoyama were assigned to the General Medical Unit. For now, they'd be assisting senior members and gaining experience from the bottom up.
Due to the division's unique structure, Shin had not been directly given an official seated position.
After the ceremony, Kotetsu Isane approached him personally. She knew Shin had been offered seated officer positions by both the 10th and 13th Divisions—but here, he would start as an ordinary squad member. She worried he might feel slighted.
Shin, however, responded with calm understanding.
"I know the Fourth is different from other divisions. In Kaidō and healing, I'm still just a beginner. It's only right I start from the ground up."
Isane smiled, visibly relieved.
She'd often visited Shin at the Academy to discuss Kaidō and knew well that his theoretical understanding exceeded most seated officers, not to mention graduates. Frankly, she had considered recommending him for an officer's seat immediately.
But when she brought it up to Captain Unohana—Unohana declined.
Isane felt a little guilty. This was the student council president, someone powerful enough to fight Menos-class Hollows, with a seat in the 10th Division already offered. And now he was sweeping floors?
But to Shin, a title meant little. He'd joined the Fourth for one reason: to be near Kotetsu Isane and Unohana Retsu.
Unohana's affection: still 3.
Isane's affection: already 62.
Plenty of room to grow.
But the next day… Shin regretted everything.
Besides emergency care and daily medical duties, the Fourth Division had one other obligation:
They cleaned the Seireitei.
Yes—sweeping the streets.
And who were the prime candidates for this glorious duty?
The newbies, of course.
With a broom in hand, Shin felt his soul leave his body.
"I was the Student Council President…"
He squatted down, refusing to sweep. He was going on strike.
Aoyama came over, looking anxious.
"You really shouldn't slack off. If the seniors see…"
"Why are we doing this?!"
"Because… it's part of our duties? I asked around. All new recruits have to do street cleaning for five years—unless you get promoted."
Shin's eyes nearly popped from his skull.
"FIVE YEARS?!"
How was he supposed to survive five whole years of this?
"This is injustice! Outrage!"
Aoyama, who had been dutifully sweeping, didn't find it quite so scandalous.
"Everyone's gone through this. Even our seniors."
"But why only the Fourth Division?! Why not the others?!"
Aoyama blinked. He had never actually thought about it that way.
Maybe because the Fourth was the support squad… it sort of made sense?
"It's discrimination."
"That's… maybe a bit extreme?"
Just then, a familiar figure passed by.
A small patrol unit walked by, escorting a prisoner. Among them was Kasadōri Kōgorō, formerly the student council vice president. Since joining the Sixth Division, he'd received special attention for his excellent record and noble background.
He spotted Shin and Aoyama, brooms in hand, paused with an odd expression… and walked on without a word, a smirk twitching at the corners of his lips.
Shin glared at his retreating back.
"Why the hell isn't he sweeping the streets? He's made for it!"
Aoyama tried to reason with him:
"Shin, come on. The Sixth Division is full of nobles."
"He just snubbed me. Did you see that smirk?!"
"You might be imagining things."
"That smug bastard's forgotten I was his president! I vouched for him when no one else did!"
Aoyama quietly thought to himself: You were also the one constantly mooching favors off him…
After they finished their rounds, they reported back to HQ.
"Why are you two so slow?" their squad leader grumbled. The "senior" Aoyama kept referring to.
Aoyama, exhausted, bowed his head.
"Sorry, senpai."
Even though he'd done almost all the sweeping himself. Shin had spent most of it slacking.
The senior turned to Shin.
"Tachikawa, the Lieutenant's looking for you. You'd better go."
"Alright."
Aoyama watched Shin walk off, muttering to himself, I thought he'd be the one looking out for me in this Division… now I'm the one covering for him?
Shin made his way to Lieutenant Kotetsu Isane's office.
"Lieutenant Kotetsu, you asked for me?"
"Shin-kun, yes. Come in."
She smiled warmly, standing up—her towering height forcing Shin to tilt his head up to look at her.
"It's about your Zanpakutō."
"...My Zanpakutō?"
"We're going to conduct a full analysis on it. It'll help us chart out your development path."
"Is that really necessary?"
"Your Zanpakutō is Kaidō-type. That's extremely rare—even within our Division. The Captain is very invested in this."
Shin's heart ticked a little faster. He wasn't sure what kind of "assessment" this meant. Would it expose anything unusual?
"Alright then," he said at last.
Inside, though, he couldn't help but wonder… was he about to be found out?