The moon hung low, its silver light seeping through the bamboo blinds of the Squad 10 captain's office. A stillness pervaded the air, broken only by the crackle of an incense burner and the faint rustle of parchment as Mohit sifted through documents.He had been waiting for days—waiting for the reply from Urahara about the silver hair he'd sent in. But patience was a virtue Mohit had mastered long ago. As he read over a document stamped by the Tsunayashiro estate, a soft knock echoed through the silence.
Mohit:
"Come in."
Isshin entered, closing the door behind him with a controlled heaviness. His face bore the tension of someone who had been enduring too much, for too long. His usually brash confidence was dulled, his body tight like a bow drawn for war.
Mohit (motioning to the seat across from him):
"Sit, Isshin."
Isshin obeyed, his knuckles pale as they rested on his knees. The two sat for a moment in silence. Then Mohit spoke, eyes fixed on him like a hawk perched over prey—measured, cold, analytical.
Mohit:
"I've noticed you've been on edge lately. More than usual. What's troubling you?"
Isshin exhaled sharply. No formalities, no filters. He had reached his limit.
Isshin:
"Captain… it's that bastard Tokinada. The man I'm assigned to guard. I've met a lot of nobles in my life—arrogant, sure. Entitled, always. But this guy… he's different. He's vicious. He taunts me about the Shiba clan, says we're finished. He says Squad 10's only good for licking boots and holding spears. I've tolerated him out of respect for your warning, but I swear, one more word from him and I'm going to cut that smug bastard down myself."
Mohit said nothing for a long moment. He didn't need to. The calm silence weighed heavier than any lecture.
Finally, with a voice cool as glacier water, he replied:
Mohit:
"I see. So… how is the Shiba Clan doing these days?"
Isshin blinked. The shift caught him off guard. But the tone in Mohit's voice told him this wasn't small talk.
Isshin:
"…They're struggling, to be honest. There's infighting over leadership. Too many voices, not enough direction. But… how did you know that, Captain?"
Mohit leaned back, the shadows playing across his eyes.
Mohit (thought):
("You think I wouldn't notice how the Tsunayashiro dogs sniff around weakness? That I wouldn't see how your clan's name is dragged through the mud to keep us on our knees?")
But he didn't answer. Instead, he folded his hands over his chest.
Mohit:
"Don't you think this is your chance, Isshin? A clan divided needs unity. A future head must rise. Someone with strength, clarity… a sense of justice."
Isshin:
"It's not that easy. The head is chosen by a noble vote, not by merit. And most of the elders don't trust someone like me."
Mohit (flatly):
"You'll win."
Isshin looked up, surprised by the certainty in his captain's voice.
Mohit (inner monologue):
(You'll win because current head still hates tokinada . And I've already sent him a letter. I made sure he knows how his prominent clan member is being humiliated, how his clan's legacy is being mocked by Tokinada. He will not ignore that.)
Mohit (aloud):
"There are times when power has to be taken—not given. And if you want to change things, you have to stand where it matters. Do it not for revenge… but for control."
Isshin:
"…If I did, it would change a lot."
Mohit:
"Exactly. If you become the next clan head, the Shiba name will mean something again. And I—"
He stood, walking to the window. Outside, squad members patrolled the courtyard under the pale moonlight.
Mohit:
"I will no longer have to send my men to grovel in noble halls. Your status will be the key to dissolving these humiliating orders."
He turned to Isshin again.
Mohit:
"Oh, and one more thing. I've been keeping an eye on Kukaku."
Isshin (blinking):
"Kukaku?"
Mohit:
"She's a rising star. Sharp, defiant, passionate. She reminds me of someone… You. I heard about the fight between her and Yoruichi "
Isshin chuckled weakly.
Mohit:
"I think it's time we begin shaping her for the political arena. Have her report to Captain Shunsui. He can teach her the subtleties of maneuvering behind the scenes. You may not have the nobility's language yet—but she can learn it her young age will help her to learn nobility "
Isshin (nodding):
"…She'd be good at it."
Mohit:
"She will need to be. The Shiba clan must return to the table of nobles not as beggars, but as players."
Isshin stood, a new resolve forming in his eyes. His clenched fists loosened—not from peace, but from the clarity that purpose brings.
Isshin:
"…I'll do it. I'll stand for the clan."
Mohit (with a faint smile):
"Good. Then it begins .
After meeting with isshin Mohit arranged another private meeting with shunsui The air was still. A single wisp of steam curled up from the tea kettle placed between two captains—one seasoned in diplomacy, the other hardened in war and strategy.
The garden behind them buzzed faintly with cicadas. A faint wind passed through the wind chimes overhead. Mohit sat with his back straight, his eyes calm, but alert. Opposite him, in relaxed posture, was Captain Shunsui Kyōraku, a straw hat tilted back, his eyes scanning Mohit with familiarity—and curiosity.
Shunsui took a sip of his tea, then spoke in his usual lazy drawl, though there was sharpness hidden beneath it.
Shunsui:
"Now, now, Mohit… I was surprised to get your summons. But more surprised to see you bow when I walked in."
He smiled, warm but knowing.
Shunsui:
"You, bowing? Never thought I'd live to see it. What's the occasion?"
Mohit (nodding respectfully):
"It's not just the occasion, Kyōraku-taichō. It's respect. You may no longer be my direct superior—but I don't forget the hands that trained me."
Shunsui:
"Ah, the idealist returns with a hint of steel in his voice. I can already tell you didn't call me here for a cup of tea and nostalgia."
He sat back, hat tipping down over one eye.
Shunsui:
"So, my former lieutenant. What's troubling you?"
Mohit didn't waste time. He reached into his uniform and slid a document across the low table. The seal bore the Tsunayashiro clan's insignia—a symbol now burned into Mohit's memory.
Mohit:
"As you may already be aware, Squad 10 has been tied down by noble guard duties. Forced to submit to protocol, stripped of autonomy. The orders came down stamped by Central 46 and validated by the Tsunayashiro clan. Tokinada's fingerprints are all over them."
Shunsui (glancing at the seal):
"Yes… I heard whispers. Didn't think you'd stay leashed for long. You always hated political shackles."
Mohit smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.
Mohit:
"I haven't changed. I still hate them. But I've learned something in this muck, Kyōraku-taichō."
He leaned forward slightly.
Mohit:
"If I want to break the chains… I must first pull the right ones."
Shunsui chuckled softly. That was more like the Mohit he remembered.
Shunsui:
"So. What chain are you planning to pull? And who gets strangled in the process?"
Mohit:
"The Shiba Clan."
Shunsui's eyes narrowed slightly. Now he was listening.
Mohit:
"Isshin is the next natural candidate for the clan head. The current head is old, and his authority is waning. But the clan is fractured. Factions, old bloodlines, power blocs—half of them still dream of the old glory days. They need leadership."
Shunsui tilted his hat up again.
Shunsui:
"You want Isshin to be the clan head? He's a brawler, Mohit. A firebrand. He's got guts, but politics? That's a game he's never learned to play."
Mohit:
"I don't need him to play the game. I need him to sit at the table. I'll handle the game."
Shunsui raised an eyebrow. That… sounded different. Calculated.
Mohit:
"But for him to win the vote, he'll need backing. Not just from his own bloodline, but from nobles who've spent their lives ignoring the Shiba name ever since they fell from the Four Great Houses."
Shunsui:
"So you want me to buy him votes?"
Mohit (shaking his head):
"No. I want you to raise a symbol. A bridge. Someone they can't ignore. That's where the student comes in."
Shunsui leaned forward now, curious.
Shunsui:
"Alright. You've got my attention. Who's the student?"
Mohit (calmly):
"Kukaku Shiba."
The name hung in the air. Shunsui's eyes widened slightly in amusement.
Shunsui:
"Kukaku? That Kukaku? The one who tried to fire a cannonball at the Shihoin estate during a drunken brawl two years ago?"
Mohit (smiling faintly):
"The same. She's fire. Raw, volatile, unpolished. But she has charisma. The younger Shiba branch listens to her. The radicals like her. And nobles love a name they can't tame."
Shunsui:
"And you want me to turn her into a politician?"
Mohit:
"No. I want you to turn her into a weapon."
Shunsui let out a low whistle.
Shunsui:
"So you, my old student who once said 'the Gotei 13 is above noble games,' are now using clan politics to secure military freedom."
Mohit:
"I haven't changed, Taichō. I still hate noble games. But I've realized this—the only way to stop being a pawn is to move like a king."
🌘 Silence. Then Shunsui spoke.
Shunsui:
"You've been watching quietly for too long, Mohit. You've learned… but you've also changed."
He stood up slowly, walking over to the garden edge, watching koi swim lazily in the dark pond.
Shunsui:
"Kukaku isn't easy. She's stubborn, wild, and loud. But maybe… maybe that's exactly what the Shiba clan needs right now. A voice that shouts what everyone else whispers."
He turned back.
Shunsui:
"Fine. I'll train her. I'll teach her to speak like a noble, think like a manipulator, and walk like she owns the halls she was banned from. But understand this—when she's ready, she'll be a storm. And storms can't be controlled."
Mohit (calmly):
"I don't want to control her. I want to aim her."