Restoring Order, The Aftermath [Byakuya, Yuuto, Unohana]

The emphasis on that word, believe. It felt as if he were a child, being questioned by a parent. Yet, he would be remiss if he denied the truth. In all his time in the Stealth Force, he had fallen to the habit of telling half-truths, never committing fully. Or, perhaps that was merely an excuse. Nevertheless, it needed to stop. Yuuto took a moment before answering. He closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, before quietly exhaling as his eyes opened, turning to look at Unohana.

"I believe that power is meant to be put to use, and someone of my power is obligated to protect what others cannot. And I shall bloody my hands as much as I need, in order to ensure that happens."

There were still people who trusted him to do his best to make the world a better place. Even if the name changed, his job, that trust, the overarching goal of protecting the cosmic necessity that was the Soul Cycle, that wouldn't change.

His fingers tightened around his sword. Though no threats were said, the air in the room suddenly felt...heavier. As Unohana narrowed her eyes, he could feel a sense of tension rising. While she never took her eyes off him, his gaze moved to Byakuya as he spoke, eye twitching briefly. It was a non-answer, and he hated that he could recognize it. Yet, what he hated more was that he knew that Byakuya was right. The cycle, the balance, that all came before everything else.

He had spent so much time trying to justify a childish sentiment, despite the nature of his work. He wanted to protect people, to make them feel safe just from seeing him step onto the battlefield. Yet, with the existence of the cycle they were to keep in check, none of it mattered. Death, ultimately, mattered little. It was just a transitionary phase. From one life to the next, endlessly.

"Why is this the only way we can protect?"

His voice reflected his frustration. His fingers coiled even tighter around his Zanpakuto, trembling in idle silence, though he had no intention of unsheathing it. It was frustrating beyond belief. But, he couldn't deny it, no matter how much he wanted to -- or how much he had already tried in the past.

There was no place for a hero when this world, by nature, ruled against it.

The frustration never seemed to end, nor did the inherent desire to deny, no matter the truth. The fact was, the Gotei United failed, and the root of it all, no matter how deep he thought about it, would always, inevitably, lead back to that they tried to go beyond their station. There was a reason why Yamamoto's Gotei had reigned uncontested for over two millennia, after all.

There was, however, the imperative, the priority -- figuring out what needed to be done right now. The Shinigami who shared the Gotei's values needed to see that there was still a place for them. The cycle needed to be corrected and maintained.

Yet, even in the mundanity of death and reincarnation: life always endured. While there was beauty in such a thing, it would not be his job. nor his role to try and go beyond what he had to do as a Shinigami. His fingers slowly released their grip on his sword, the hand coming to relax on the tsuba.

In the frustration, he only realized then that he hadn't inhaled. So, taking in a breath, the slightly narrowed eyes closed completely, and Yuuto quietly exhaled. As his eyes opened again, his gaze turned toward Unohana, one that burned with purpose and conviction. For once, he didn't try and make some long, flowery excuse. All that was needed was simply...

"I am."

No longer would he revel in denial. It wasn't something a Shinigami, much less a Captain should do. It was time for the "hero" to die, and time for the "Shinigami" to be born -- an irony that was not lost on him.