In a dimly lit room, Lisa could be seen sitting with her arms crossed, her eyes completely focused on the black-haired woman lying on the bed.

‘Time sure flew by while I was here.’

Over the course of fifty years, a chasm of time that seemed both an eternity and a fleeting moment, Nanao had transformed. No longer the child Lisa remembered reading stories for in the Soul Society, she had blossomed into a refined beauty. Her elegance was only enhanced by the pair of glasses that currently sat on the bedside.

Lisa, on the other hand, hadn’t changed one bit. The aging of souls was one of the fascinating mysteries that nobody seemed to care about in the Soul Society.

‘I wonder what Kazuya thought when he met her. Did he mistake her for my sister?’

Lisa couldn’t help smirk, imagining an awkward scene of Kazuya indirectly probing Nanao for their relationship. The fantasy crumbled when she recalled his outright rejection of their date.

‘Tch, that kiddo is too cocky. I’ll teach him a lesson someday… wait, I had to bring him to Izumi.’

She completely forgot about her promise to Izumi. Normally, she wouldn’t care about trivial things, but Izumi had become quite the special person to her. The former Quincy had transformed from a rich mistress into a half-pervert obsessed with receiving the seed of her ‘brother.’ A brother who was equally Quincy as he was a Hollow, and now he posed as a Shinigami in the Soul Society. The web of lies spread around him was disgusting yet one of the most fascinating things currently in her life.

‘It’s either going to end with Kazuya fucking something up… or fucking Izumi up.’

She’d welcome the latter over the former. In fact, she’d happily pose as Izumi’s bridesmaid at their wedding.

“Hold on, if they get married… wouldn’t I permanently become his maid?”

She never thought too deeply into the matter, but now she had to face the consequences of the changing dynamics. Living with Izumi had become her new norm, which she didn’t want to change any time soon.

‘The three of us in the same apartment…’

Her thoughts began to spiral, descending into dark fantasies far removed from the ordinary. She fantasized about the groom, Kazuya, dragging the bridesmaid into the wedding chamber and forcing Izumi to watch his vile act of claiming the bridesmaid’s innocence with the lust and passion of a demon.

Lost in these forbidden imaginings, Lisa’s hand moved of its own accord, slipping beneath the fabric of her skirt. A whimper escaped her lips, slowly escalating into full-blown moans.

Consumed by lust, she abandoned every sense of shame and pleasured herself.

…

Few minutes later, the woman once ablaze with forbidden fervor now could be seen slumping in the chair, disheveled and lethargic. Each shuddering breath made her chest rise and fall in uneven tides.

She slowly withdrew her hand from her skirt and stared at her fingers coated in her sticky bodily fluids — the living proof of her depraved action. The throes of post-orgasm syndrome made her like she had committed a grave sin.

‘What the fuck…’

She clenched her fist, feeling a surge of regret rising in her chest. She had masturbated to the strange fantasy of getting pounded by Kazuya, her friend’s ‘husband.’ What’s worse was her imagined scenario — she had been forced into doing the deed, yet she loved every moment of it like a complete degenerate.

‘I didn’t just get off to that. No, I didn’t! I’m not a horny bitch like the female lead of boss and secretary stories!’

She decided to act as if it had never happened and buried the memory deep in her chest, where another traumatizing memory accompanied it.

‘I gotta change. But my clothes are back at the apartment.’

After ensuring Nanao hadn’t woken up from all the moans, Lisa left the room to clean her hands and tidy her appearance. She didn’t want Nanao or anyone else to see her current appearance.

…

Nanao Ise’s senses gradually returned as she awakened, the soft light of an unfamiliar room greeting her. She slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes, trying to clear the haze of grogginess. An unfamiliar scent lingered in the air, but she decided to ignore it for the time being.

Her vision, still blurred without the aid of her glasses, revealed enough to confirm her suspicions: this was not her own quarters nor the Gotei 13's medical wing. Instead, everything from the bed to the decor hinted at this being a room in the Living World.

A sudden flash of memory jolted her, 'I passed out—that Arrancar!'

The vivid recollection of the encounter at the power plant flooded her mind, each moment replaying with painful clarity. She involuntarily shuddered as phantom pain from the Arrancar’s brutal assault coursed through her. The brutal kicks and punches had broken numerous bones in her body.

Holding her arm, she realized the layers of gauze wrapping around her chest and her hands. It was evident that someone had not only rescued her from the battlefield but had also employed Kaido to heal her injuries with a level of proficiency that made the previous night's battles seem distant.

But she didn’t have the luxury of feeling relieved as the weight of her failure came crashing down on her.

“I should’ve fought more decisively…”

Her self-reproach was abruptly interrupted by a voice, both familiar and unexpected. “The students will be fine,” the voice declared, just as the door creaked open, revealing the source of the reassurance. The sight that greeted Nanao momentarily washed away all traces of pain and disbelief. “Everything was neatly handled by that slab of delicious meat.”

“Lisa Nee-san?!”

Lisa casually took a seat on the chair and threw her leg over the other, her smirk devilish. “Long time no see, Nao-chan. Did you miss this Onee-san?”

Nanao blinked her wide eyes then pinched her cheeks. Then blinked some more as if she couldn’t believe the sight before her.

She had come to Karakura Town in search of Lisa, and now that very person sat before her. It was like a dream, or it was a dream — she couldn’t tell what was what after getting beaten to pulp by the Arrancar.

Lisa giggled, amused. “Your glasses are by the bedside.”

Nanao grabbed her glasses and immediately put them on. “I’m still seeing Lisa Nee-san. How do I wake up from this dream?”

“Dreams and Reality are interchangeable.”

“No, they are not!” Nanao retorted. “Lisa Nee-san, are you real?”

Lisa rose up from her seat and unbuttoned her shirt. Gently shifting the bra covering her right breast, she pointed at the big mole just outside her areola. “Remember this?”

Nanao seemed to be in a daze, recalling memories of a century ago. Back when she was young. One night, she visited Lisa to read her a story from the book, only to find the Vice-Captain sitting completely naked in her room.

“That night…”

Lisa shrugged and put her shirt back on. “It wasn’t my fault. I was sweating a bucket after working out.”

It was a playful workout involving an erotic book and her nimble fingers — Lisa cleverly omitted the perverted detail.

Nanao slowly nodded as reality sank in. Then, all of a sudden, emotions long held at bay surged forth. Overwhelmed by a mixture of relief, joy, and the surreal nature of their reunion, she couldn’t contain herself.

She leaped from the bed, her actions guided more by heart than thought, and enveloped Lisa in a fervent embrace that sent them both tumbling to the ground.

"Nee-saaan!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled against Lisa's chest. “I’m so glad to meet you again… so glad to see you’re fine.”

Lisa embraced her back and gently stroked her hair. “Silly girl, why will I not be fine?”

Nanao drew back and wiped her tears away. “I read some horrible reports that were traced back a hundred years ago… every one of the reports listed you as an unique ‘Hollow.’ You were to be purged. But seeing you just reassured me of the corruption rooted in the nobility.”

Lisa chuckled nervously. “Nao-chan, those reports were true.”

“Huh?! What are you saying?”

But their conversation was abruptly cut short by a sudden shift in the atmosphere. Lisa’s attention snapped to the door, her expression turning grave as she sensed a familiar spiritual pressure.

“Captain?” they both said, almost in unison, though their tones could not have been more different. Nanao's was filled with hope, while Lisa's was tinged with solemnity.

Nanao didn’t seem to register Lisa’s uncertainty as she held Lisa’s hand and rushed out of the room.

…

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Izumi stepped into Shinji’s base. The place looked run-down on the outside but very neat inside. Her mouth hung open when she saw the massive underground space bathed in natural sun-like lighting.

“Looks can be deceiving” — Izumi had often heard the quote from Lisa but she never realized its true meaning until today.

Once her initial shock wore off, she noticed six figures standing imposingly, each exuding an overwhelming presence. They were much more powerful than herself.

‘Did I step into the tiger’s den?’

However, she had no desire to turn back. Any danger was worth taking as long as she got the chance to embrace Kazuya again.

Shunsui stepped forward and waved politely, completely ignoring the hostility directed at him. “Um, Shinji. I think it would be a lot better if you explained the situation to everyone.”

“Shinjiiiii!” Hiyori yelled as she launched herself at Shinji. “I’ll kill you.”

Shinji calmly caught Hiyori’s lethal kick, which was precisely aimed at his family jewels. “Hiyori, relax. Shunsui-san will go away in a few minutes.”

“That’s not the problem, dumbass,” Hiyori retorted and pointed at Shunsui. “You—you exposed our base to a Shinigami. Do you want them to capture us for execution?!”

“He isn’t any Shinigami, Hiyori. He is Shunsui Kyoraku, the man who has always looked out for us in the Soul Society.” He completely shut down Hiyori with his serious and firm tone, which he had hardly used in Living World. “He won’t expose us. I’ll take full accountability if he does.”

“Shinji, you…” Hiyori paused, unwilling to argue any further. “Have it your way.”

Shinji nodded and turned to the rest of the group. “You guys got any objections?”

Kensei slowly shook his head, his expression ever-so-serious. “No, I trust Shunsui-san as much as I trust you.”

Although he rarely interacted with Shunsui, he and Shunsui always engaged in conversations during the Captain meeting. From what he had observed, Shunsui was more inclined to skirting around the rules and even breaking rules than on his whim. Someone like him wouldn’t sell them out.

Love zipped up his tracksuit and flicked his sunglasses. “Ain’t winning no war without trusting the comrade walking shoulder to shoulder with you.”

Shinji let out a sigh. “Not another manga reference…”

Rose chuckled. “Shunsui-san, don’t betray us. My guitar would mourn if we lose an ally—hey, those two are here.”

Shunsui paused and turned around. Standing at the door above was his Vice-Captain alongside his former Vice-Captain. Side by side, they seemed like siblings, despite the fact they shared no relatives.

He flash-stepped to Nanao’s side and wrapped her in his arms. “Nanao-chan… I thought I lost you.”

His seriousness surprised Nanao, but she gradually settled in his arm.

“I thought the same, Captain,” Nanao whispered. “It was… a crazy experience.”

“It’ll be fine from now. I’ll protect you.”

Lisa took a step back and admired the pair of uncle and niece embracing each other. Her smile vanished once she caught a glimpse of Izumi standing by Shinji’s side.

‘I’m not in my Gigai either.’

Her Shinigami origins would be revealed if she went anywhere near Izumi in her soul form.  The frisky daydreams in the bedroom already made her feel guilty towards Izumi. Adding the pressure of being interrogated simply made her want to run away.

Yet, the thought of potentially hurting her friend kept her feet firm.

‘No more lies. It’s the day to lay it all bare.’

She found the conviction to reveal everything about herself to Izumi, putting an end to the act of deceiving once and for all.

Nanao pushed Shunsui away and looked back at Lisa. “Nee-san, aren’t you going to greet Captain?”

She found it weird that Lisa didn’t look excited to reunite with Shunsui, her former Captain.

“Do I have to?” Lisa asked with a chuckle and waved at Shunsui. “It’s good to see you, Captain. Nao-chan became a fine Vice-Captain in my absence, didn’t she?”

“She absolutely did,” Shunsui said with a soft smile. “Lisa-chan, forgi—”

Lisa threw a punch at his chin, shutting down his apology. “You abandoned your comrades to find Nanao. What kind of disgraceful Captain are you?!”

The fact that Shunsui was here meant he didn’t aid the Shinigami in fighting Arrancars.

“Ah, that one hurt…” Shunsui rubbed his chin with a wince then assumed a serious expression. “I’ll abandon any mission if Nanao-chan is in danger.”

His calm declaration would’ve made any girl fluttery but Nanao showed more anger than joy. If she had her book in her hand, she would’ve smashed it into his face. 

“Seriously, Captain?! Are you out of your mind? What if—”

“Someone died?”

Lisa’s eyes widened as she spun around to the familiar voice. A hand swept away the curtain of light.

Kazuya stepped out of the kidō’s influence, a rare serious look on his face. “I almost died out there. Uncle Isshin almost died out there. Isane, your friend, barely escaped death. Captain Kyoraku, your hastiness almost led to a complete wipe.”

“Kazuya…” Nanao stepped forward and bowed her head. “I’m sorry for my incompetence. If only I—”

“It’s not your fault, Nanao,” Shunsui said as he pulled Nanao out of her bowing stance. “You are Kazuya, right? The Kazuya who has been making waves in the Soul Society.”

Shunsui didn’t imagine his first meeting with the infamous future Captain would be under these circumstances.