How to Unsing Heroes (The Voice of Reason Tells No Tales)
For the first six years, everyone in the division and out of it knows the story.
But then the first class whose members were still largely living in Rukongai when everything went down graduates from the academy, and suddenly every new recruit is arriving at the division wondering if the rumors are true.
After the first time, Ichigo declares Skippy forbidden from attempting to set the record straight. Skippy still finds ways to suggest his own ideas about what happened, of course, but at least some of the others run preemptive damage control.
The rumors are close enough to the truth for the first few decades. Yes, Kawazoe explains coldly to each crop of rookies (they always have Kawazoe do it now - Makoto and Miharu and even Hanatarou are better than Skippy, but they're all inclined to get a little sentimental about the story), your captain was a shinigami before he died. Yes, your vice-captain was almost executed for making him one and yes, he broke into Soul Society to save her. You can see for yourselves that he succeeded.
I heard he had a team of Quincies with him, someone will say, tentatively.
He had three human companions with him, but only one was a Quincy, Kawazoe answers. He visits once in a while. You're not to stare.
I heard he was born with bankai.
The captain had to train to achieve bankai, just like everyone else.
I heard he beat a bunch of captains without even being trained, they'll say, and later: I heard he killed all the captains.
He didn't kill anyone, Kawazoe will say sharply. Not one shinigami died at the hands of Captain Kurosaki while he was a ryoka, nor at the hands of his companions. He simply defeated the people who stood in his way; namely Captains Kuchiki, Zaraki, and Abarai - though Abarai was only a vice-captain at the time. You will notice all three are still very much alive.
Some of them will look relieved as Kawazoe discredits the rumors. More will look let down. Kawazoe doesn't feel guilty for disappointing them; he does not think it benefits anyone to have the troops caught up in hero-worship of the captain, so he does his best to convince them that Kurosaki Ichigo is a captain just like any other.
Unfortunately, there are still those things that the rumor mill gets right.
Does he really walk around with his sword in its first level released state all the time?
He does.
I heard he made Captain within a week of his death!
Kawazoe sighs. Within a week of his death, yes. But remember he had been a shinigami for some time before he died.
People say he destroyed Soukyouku all by himself.
He stopped it with his zanpakutou once, Kawazoe will say. But just once. Captains Ukitake and Shunsui actually destroyed it. The recruits will frown skeptically. They are sure this rumor comes from reliable sources. Kawazoe will glare and admit that Captain Kurosaki destroyed the stand.
I heard he's some kind of monster, they'll start saying after a decade or two. I heard that only Kuchiki can control him. That that's why she's his vice-captain.
Kawazoe will raise his eyebrows and say with some force, Captain Kurosaki is certainly not a monster. Vice-Captain Kuchiki is his friend and he trusts her advice, but she does not control him.
Some grumpy young kid in the back will pipe up, I heard she should really be the captain, but he stole her power.
Once, Kawazoe will answer, long ago, when they first met, the Captain did borrow Vice-Captain Kuchiki's power. But it was freely given, and given back. His power has been his own since the first time he set foot in Soul Society. Kawazoe does not mention that Vice-Captain Kuchiki has turned down further promotion more than once.
I heard Kuchiki house still won't let them get married!
Kawazoe will resist rolling his eyes, and phrase his answer carefully: the captain and vice-captain have never expressed any interest in getting married.
I bet it's because she's always kicking him, someone will grumble, usually a tough-looking guy trying to hide his disappointment.
That part may be true, Kawazoe will concede. In later years he'll have to hide a smile.
Kawazoe knows that the rumors he dismisses are just the tip of the iceberg - the recruits rarely have the courage to mention the really wild ones. Sometimes one or two will come up to him after he's dismissed the room, and ask nervously, is it true that the Kuchikis abandoned the vice-captain in Rukongai when she was born because she was so wild? And that she came back for revenge?
Vice-Captain Kuchiki grew up in Rukongai because she died young in the mortal world. Why Kuchiki house adopted her is their own business, but she is on excellent terms with them.
A gentle-looking boy will step up and whisper, was the captain's mother really a Hollow?
Of course not.
Did Vice-Captain Kuchiki really kill the old vice-captain?
Vice-Captain Kuchiki has been the vice-captain of this division as long as Kurosaki has been captain. There has been no one else since before the division was retired a century ago, Kawazoe will answer. He knows where this rumor comes from, knows about Shiba Kaien. But that is not his story to tell.
The captain trusts him, and so Kawazoe gives the recruits the most accurate information he can. But he knows there are many more things he cannot tell them. They'll learn soon enough. They always do.
But then the first class whose members were still largely living in Rukongai when everything went down graduates from the academy, and suddenly every new recruit is arriving at the division wondering if the rumors are true.
After the first time, Ichigo declares Skippy forbidden from attempting to set the record straight. Skippy still finds ways to suggest his own ideas about what happened, of course, but at least some of the others run preemptive damage control.
The rumors are close enough to the truth for the first few decades. Yes, Kawazoe explains coldly to each crop of rookies (they always have Kawazoe do it now - Makoto and Miharu and even Hanatarou are better than Skippy, but they're all inclined to get a little sentimental about the story), your captain was a shinigami before he died. Yes, your vice-captain was almost executed for making him one and yes, he broke into Soul Society to save her. You can see for yourselves that he succeeded.
I heard he had a team of Quincies with him, someone will say, tentatively.
He had three human companions with him, but only one was a Quincy, Kawazoe answers. He visits once in a while. You're not to stare.
I heard he was born with bankai.
The captain had to train to achieve bankai, just like everyone else.
I heard he beat a bunch of captains without even being trained, they'll say, and later: I heard he killed all the captains.
He didn't kill anyone, Kawazoe will say sharply. Not one shinigami died at the hands of Captain Kurosaki while he was a ryoka, nor at the hands of his companions. He simply defeated the people who stood in his way; namely Captains Kuchiki, Zaraki, and Abarai - though Abarai was only a vice-captain at the time. You will notice all three are still very much alive.
Some of them will look relieved as Kawazoe discredits the rumors. More will look let down. Kawazoe doesn't feel guilty for disappointing them; he does not think it benefits anyone to have the troops caught up in hero-worship of the captain, so he does his best to convince them that Kurosaki Ichigo is a captain just like any other.
Unfortunately, there are still those things that the rumor mill gets right.
Does he really walk around with his sword in its first level released state all the time?
He does.
I heard he made Captain within a week of his death!
Kawazoe sighs. Within a week of his death, yes. But remember he had been a shinigami for some time before he died.
People say he destroyed Soukyouku all by himself.
He stopped it with his zanpakutou once, Kawazoe will say. But just once. Captains Ukitake and Shunsui actually destroyed it. The recruits will frown skeptically. They are sure this rumor comes from reliable sources. Kawazoe will glare and admit that Captain Kurosaki destroyed the stand.
I heard he's some kind of monster, they'll start saying after a decade or two. I heard that only Kuchiki can control him. That that's why she's his vice-captain.
Kawazoe will raise his eyebrows and say with some force, Captain Kurosaki is certainly not a monster. Vice-Captain Kuchiki is his friend and he trusts her advice, but she does not control him.
Some grumpy young kid in the back will pipe up, I heard she should really be the captain, but he stole her power.
Once, Kawazoe will answer, long ago, when they first met, the Captain did borrow Vice-Captain Kuchiki's power. But it was freely given, and given back. His power has been his own since the first time he set foot in Soul Society. Kawazoe does not mention that Vice-Captain Kuchiki has turned down further promotion more than once.
I heard Kuchiki house still won't let them get married!
Kawazoe will resist rolling his eyes, and phrase his answer carefully: the captain and vice-captain have never expressed any interest in getting married.
I bet it's because she's always kicking him, someone will grumble, usually a tough-looking guy trying to hide his disappointment.
That part may be true, Kawazoe will concede. In later years he'll have to hide a smile.
Kawazoe knows that the rumors he dismisses are just the tip of the iceberg - the recruits rarely have the courage to mention the really wild ones. Sometimes one or two will come up to him after he's dismissed the room, and ask nervously, is it true that the Kuchikis abandoned the vice-captain in Rukongai when she was born because she was so wild? And that she came back for revenge?
Vice-Captain Kuchiki grew up in Rukongai because she died young in the mortal world. Why Kuchiki house adopted her is their own business, but she is on excellent terms with them.
A gentle-looking boy will step up and whisper, was the captain's mother really a Hollow?
Of course not.
Did Vice-Captain Kuchiki really kill the old vice-captain?
Vice-Captain Kuchiki has been the vice-captain of this division as long as Kurosaki has been captain. There has been no one else since before the division was retired a century ago, Kawazoe will answer. He knows where this rumor comes from, knows about Shiba Kaien. But that is not his story to tell.
The captain trusts him, and so Kawazoe gives the recruits the most accurate information he can. But he knows there are many more things he cannot tell them. They'll learn soon enough. They always do.