Bleach: The Forgotten Captain - The Memoirs of Akari Miyazaki

Chapter 11: A Hundred Years Without You - Part 2: The Glow of Kyoka Suigetsu

Winter descended upon us like a storm over a small boat. Miaka, Mana, and I spent a lot of time in front of our little self-made fireplace, sipping hot chocolate. Every month, I visited Seireitei. The rest of the time, I engaged in various tasks in Rukongai, helping lost souls find families, building houses, and chasing thieves from the marketplaces.

In my free hours, I wandered the woods, doing everything humanly possible to rid myself of the black bracelets. I visited different libraries and read everything I could find about restraints and magical items – all to no avail.

It wasn't until the following summer when I won a duel against another Shinigami who had insulted some neighbors from my village and clearly didn't know who I was that I noticed something else: the black armbands also limited my Reiatsu.

I had no trouble with the Shinigami; I defeated him in a matter of minutes. But the realization that I was limited left me staring at the armbands for hours on end.

I knew about limitations. Especially as a captain, I often had to enter the world of the living with a limitation, as our full spiritual pressure was so strong that it could endanger the living. We were limited to a Reiatsu that was high enough to win any battle without causing harm to the living. Only in emergencies, like fighting Menos Grande, were we allowed to request permission to unleash our full power, lifting the limitation. In truth, I didn't need this limitation, as I was capable of suppressing my Reiatsu by myself, but rules were rules.

These armbands, however, kept me from ever using my full strength. I felt weak and lost. I sighed as it dawned on me that Gin had known. When he warned me about Aizen, he knew that in this condition, I didn't stand a chance of surviving a fight against him. I remember how angry this realization had made me.

I trained relentlessly, but I continually felt my inner strength unable to surface. I was so frustrated that I eventually gave up and aimlessly strolled through the village.

"...and she spoke in a deep voice!" A girl was just affirming, having interrupted her game with her friends.

"A talking cat?" A second girl asked, her eyes wide open. I furrowed my brow but didn't dwell on it. Children told all sorts of strange stories when they felt like it.

As the sun hung low on the horizon, I walked back to the little house I shared with Miaka and Mana. They were already at the table, each holding a cup of hot chocolate, appearing as though they had just suspended a conversation when I entered. They stared at me in silence.

"What's up?" I asked while also pouring myself a cup of hot chocolate. Mana gave her mother an expectant look, who, in turn, was staring into her cup.

"Have you heard the rumor about the talking cat?" she asked, and I hesitated.

"A few kids mentioned something like that," I began, noticing Miaka's peculiar gaze.

"I've seen her," she whispered, and I had to fight the urge not to drop my cup.

"A talking cat?" Her nod was cautious, and I couldn't understand why she remained so seriously composed.

"She was looking for someone, you know," a moment of silence followed, and I stared at Miaka until she finally said what she wanted to tell me.

"She was looking for you."

"For me? But why?" I couldn't, for the life of me, fathom why a talking cat would be searching for me.

"I didn't tell her where you are. I know you have enemies..." I nodded slowly, and I was thankful she hadn't said anything. But I couldn't bring myself to believe that this, in this case, was about my enemies. A talking cat was truly nothing that could come from Aizen, at least, I wouldn't be able to take him seriously anymore if it was.