CH 119: WHY CHRISTMAS?
"Let's have a special Christmas!"
"What!?"
"Huh?"
This was during a meeting between Gojo, Jushiro, and Byakuya.
“Christmas! The gifts, the party, the fat old man with a creepy laugh that knows the address of everyone? That kind of Christmas! We should have a special Christmas.”
Byakuya seemed troubled as he interrupted Gojo, “I do know what Christmas is. It’s just… Why would Shinigami celebrate Christmas in the first place?”
Jushiro let out a speechless laugh after Byakuya’s words. In the first place, Shinigami did not believe in anything. At most one could argue that they were related to Shintoism or Buddhism.[1]
Gojo face palmed before shaking his head, “Yare Yare Daze, do I have to explain everything to you guys? Who cares about religions or whatever? Christmas is a day to enjoy between friends and family. A day to gift and be gifted. It is simply a day that should be full of happiness and laughter. No need to make it more complicated than it should.”
Sighing he continued, “The atmosphere in the Soul Society has been quite strained lately because of the summit that is about to come and the selection of the new captain. There is also this thing with the Shinigami substitute that is a topic of great controversy.”
The other two sighed because Gojo was indeed right.
Be it Gojo or Gin, they were both known as very powerful shinigami who were equal to captain in all but the title. People could already feel an incoming bloodbath because even if one was voted, nothing stopped the other from challenging him for the title.
While only the 11th division used this rule frequently, it was a system usable by anyone.
Furthermore, many shinigami were against the substitute shinigami project. They didn’t like the fact that some humans would simply be handed power so easily.
All in all, the atmosphere has been extremely bad lately.
“It looks like you guys have the same opinion. We need something to lift the spirit, even if for one day. We can even use this as an excuse to take funds from Central 46 and buy many gifts for the children of Rukongai.”
Jushiro’s eyes shone at this while Byakuya was visibly moved. The main reason the two of them were so into this new entertainment department was because of the help it could bring to the people of the Rukongai.
“But, giving gifts to everyone would be unrealistic.”
“That’s true. But gifts alone aren’t all we could do. We could set up a special program. If we have the help of Mayuri, it would be even possible to broadcast it through all the 320 districts.
We could also contact the Shiba family so that they prepare some fireworks and we could use the 11th division for security.
There is so much we can do. What do you think? Are you with me?”
Jushiro was visibly excited, so much that his face flushed and he began coughing repeatedly.
“*Cough* Let’s *Cough* *Cough* Let’s do it.”
Byakuya meanwhile calmed down a little and looked at Gojo with a weird expression.
—-
After Jushiro left to discuss with Kaien Shiba, his vice-captain, the only ones still left were Gojo and Byakuya.
After sitting in silence for a few moments, Byakuya asked bluntly.
“What are you really thinking?”
If Byakuya was asked to describe his relationship with Gojo, he would be very hard-pressed to do so.
The two of them could not really be called friends. But they were pretty close and believed in each other. In a way, Byakuya saw Gojo as a rival. Someone who could fire up his cold heart and make him more enthusiastic about training.
It was also thanks to Gojo that his relationship with Rukia was warmer. The previous stiffness that existed between them had all but vanished.
This was why he knew. Gojo was definitely acting weird now.
Hearing his question, all Gojo did was smile and shrug,
“I just want to make some good memories.”
After all — His time in the Soul Society could come to an end at any moment now.
Byakuya frowned, a heavy feeling filling his chest. But he knew that he could do nothing more.
“Don’t do anything stupid. As long as you don’t break any laws, the Kuchiki family will protect you.”
After those words, Byakuya stood up and also left.
Looking at his departing back, Gojo chuckled,
“Hahaha. So he can also become embarrassed. Unfortunately…”
His eyes narrowed as he thought.
‘The Kuchiki will not be able to deal with the troubles I might soon bring.’
—--
“To what I owe the displeasure of your visit?”
In his underground laboratory, Mayuri was busy cutting down the body of a hollow and grumbled in his usual high-pitched voice.
“Haha, I am also happy to meet you! Mayu-chan.”
“Don’t call me by that accursed nickname!”
“I understand Mayu-chan. But isn't Mayu-chan a cute name? Or is Mayu-Mayu better?”
Mayuri growled and was ready to call out his Bankai just to try and kill this bastard. Unfortunately, he could only give up and sink in despair because his Bankai was already at its 10th upgraded version[2], but the poison still couldn’t hurt the fucking bastard.
Pinching the rim of his nose, he sighed and went back to his experiment,
"If you are here about the result of the experiment, you will soon have an answer. It hadn't been easy to understand the secret behind the creation of the hollow, but I should be able to create something similar."
"Oh!?"
Gojo looked at the barely recognizable Metastacia[3].
"Well, seems like years of torture haven't been kind to him. I even feel bad looking at him."
Mayuri scoffed,
"As if you could feel something like remorse."
"Hey! I resent that. Even more so when coming from you."
Gojo showed a hurt expression before losing interest in the monster that was so far gone it couldn't even beg for its life anymore.
"Anyway, getting results is definitely good, but this isn't why I came to you."
"What do you want this time?"
Mayuri ignored Gojo and went back to cutting the hollow. He had already studied all its structure but it was one of the few enjoyment he had.
Looking at the interior of the body of Metastacia was like looking at a work of art and he could only marvel at the ingenuity of the creator.
"I want you to create a TV and many scale projectors, at least 320."
Mayuri nearly killed Metastacia because of how his hands trembled.
----
After leaving the 12th division, Gojo went directly to the 4th division.
"Well, you seem pretty happy. What happened?"
Raising her head from the heap of paperwork, Unohana smiled at Gojo and asked curiously.
"Haha. I just had an interesting discussion with Mayu-Mayu."
"Mayu-Mayu…???"
Unohana tilted her head before giving a helpless smile when she understood who he was talking about.
"Either way, what brings you here?'
"I am hurt, you know? Why couldn't I just come to meet my dear and beautiful captain?"
"Alright, sit down and out with it. I have other things to deal with."
Gojo shrugged helplessly and sat down as he was told before explaining his plan.
"Hum...So you want to use all your money to pay for new clothes and special disguises etc?"
Unohana frowned a little and tapped repeatedly on the table before asking,
"Why? You have never been the sharing type."
"First Byakuya, then Mayuri, and now even you. Just what kind of person do you take me for exactly?"
"An uncaring prideful bastard with a slight psychopathic tendency?"
Gojo was speechless.
"Anyway, you still didn't answer my question. Why?"
"I mean. I soon won't really need that money. Might as well spend it now rather than have it confiscated by the authorities later."
Silence filled the room while Unohana stopped tapping the table.
After a while, she let out a sigh,
"I don't care about what you do. You are a grown-up man. Just know that if you leave before we have the occasion to fight, no matter how far you go, no matter where you hide, I will find you and I will kill you."
Gojo smiled wordlessly, for he knew that this wasn't mere lip service.
"Anyways, about what you want. The problem isn't money itself. But the schedule is too tight. Even if you were to hire all the seamstresses of the Seireitei, it wouldn't be enough to do this."
"Is that so?"
Looking at his disappointed expression, Unohana frowned before she sighed in defeat,
"I know someone…"
"I knew I could count on you!!"
"Let me finish!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"So, as I was saying before being rudely interrupted, I know someone. She owes me a favor. But she can be a true bitch."
It was rare for Unohana to slip and use the rough speech she was used to in the past.
"In terms of skill, she is the best seamstress in the world — of that, there's no doubt."
Gojo couldn't help but become intrigued, "Who is she?"
Unohana showed a rare serious expression as she answered,
"She is one of the original 13th captains alongside me and Yamamoto.
Currently, she is known as the Divine General of the North and is the fourth officer of the Zero Division — Senjumaru Shutara[4]."
[1]: Bleach takes heavy inspiration from the cycle of reincarnation Samsara.
In samsara, we have 6 realms, or 5 depending on how you see it.
God realm: Soul King Palace
Demigod Realm: Soul Society
Human Realm: Human World
Animal Realm: Beast Realm
Hungry Ghost Realm: Hueco Mundo
Hell Realm: Hell
The beast realm was briefly mentioned in Blood War. At least we know that Komamura (Wolf-headed captain) and his clan were once exiled there because of some sins they committed.
[2] So yeah, Bankai can be upgraded. Normally the Shikai must go through a reforging of sorts. But I don’t know how Mayuri did it, the guy alway upgraded his Bankai.
[3]: Hollow that got destroyed by Gojo during the mission of the 13th division.
[4] Senjumaru mean Thousand hands
What is funny is that Unohana's true name, Yachiru, means Eight thousand style.