The Candy Conspiracy & The Eyepatch Old Man Sucker
The urgent meeting in Squad 4's barracks had an unusual atmosphere. Captains and lieutenants gathered, expecting to discuss a matter of great importance, yet they found themselves blindsided by an unexpected outburst.
"Eye patch old man sucker! Where are my candies?!"
All eyes turned to the young boy standing in the middle of the room. Anos Shihouin, looking as carefree as ever, glared directly at Head Captain Kyoraku, his arms crossed and his expression filled with childlike frustration.
Some captains blinked in confusion, while others frowned at the blatant disrespect toward their leader. Byakuya narrowed his eyes, and Tōshirō looked unimpressed. Shinji tilted his head, amused, while Mayuri merely scoffed.
Renji muttered under his breath, "Did he just call the Head Captain... what now?"
Breaking the awkward silence, Shinji leaned forward with a smirk. "Oi, kid, did you really just call the Head Captain that? You got a death wish?"
Kyoraku let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "Now, now, Anos-kun, let's not be so loud. We have company, see?"
Ignoring him completely, Anos huffed. "Liar! You still haven't returned my shogi board! You told me if I let you borrow it so you could impress Miss Nanao-san, you'd give me candies! Eye patch old man sucker!"
At that moment, the entire room collectively froze. A deadly silence loomed as Nanao, who had been calmly standing beside Kyoraku, slowly adjusted her glasses. Her piercing gaze locked onto her superior, and she spoke in a dangerously sweet voice.
"Head Captain… would you mind explaining this 'deal' you made with Anos?"
Kyoraku let out an exaggerated sigh, waving his hand as if brushing off the matter. "Oh, it's nothing really, Nanao-chan. Just a harmless little game, you see—"
Before he could finish, Anos interrupted again. "Old man even asked me for tricks on how to play better! He wanted to look good in front of Miss Nanao-san."
A deep shade of red spread across Kyoraku's face as some of the captains held back their laughter. Even Byakuya, usually composed, subtly raised an eyebrow at the unexpected revelation. Meanwhile, Nanao closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and readjusted her glasses with deliberate calmness.
"Head Captain. I expect a full explanation. Now."
Shinji let out a whistle. "Whew, you're in trouble now, boss."
Kyoraku laughed nervously. "Ahaha… well, would you look at the time! Anos-kun, don't worry, I'll return your shogi board tomorrow, and you'll get your candies, alright?"
"Oh, now you remember?" Anos crossed his arms, unimpressed.
Before any more could be said, Yoruichi, who had been quietly watching, finally chimed in. "Hold on a second." She narrowed her golden eyes at Anos. "You mean to tell me this old man has been sneaking off from his duties just to play shogi with you? Bringing you candies like some babysitter?"
Anos nodded proudly. "Yup!"
Kyoraku sighed dramatically. "Ah, youth… so cruel to us old folks."
The captains, lieutenants, and even Unohana herself found themselves in an absurd yet strangely entertaining situation. And this was only the beginning.
A Child's Boldness
The urgent meeting at the 4th Division barracks was already tense, with the assembled captains and lieutenants discussing Byakuya's emergency summons. However, the tension was shattered when a young voice cut through the room.
"Liar! You haven't returned my shogi board either!" Anos yelled, pointing at Head Captain Kyoraku. "You told me if I let you borrow it to impress Miss Nanao-san, you'd give me candies. Eye patch old man sucker!"
The room fell silent. The captains and lieutenants present—Kyoraku, Byakuya, Shinji, Tōshirō, Unohana, and Mayuri—along with their lieutenants, stared at the small boy who had barged into their meeting. Kyoraku chuckled nervously, adjusting his hat as Nanao's sharp gaze locked onto him.
"Head Captain! Would you mind filling me in on the details of this little deal?" Nanao asked with a calm yet dangerous tone. She already knew Anos well from his frequent wanderings around Seireitei, and their friendship meant she understood his tendency for blunt honesty.
Before Kyoraku could answer, Anos suddenly vanished. A blur of movement, and in an instant, he reappeared—sitting casually on Kyoraku's shoulder while munching on a piece of chocolate. The entire room froze in shock.
"A kid… using Shunpo that perfectly?" Shinji muttered, his eyes widening.
"That speed…" Tōshirō narrowed his eyes.
The captains weren't the only ones stunned. Even Byakuya, though maintaining his usual stoic demeanor, silently observed the child with interest. Mayuri's grin widened, already calculating data in his mind.
Before anyone could react, Anos vanished again—this time landing on Unohana's shoulder. Gasps filled the room. The captains and lieutenants instinctively tensed, thinking the boy had just sealed his fate. No one disrespected Retsu Unohana and lived to tell the tale.
"Thinking this brat is dead"
But instead of reprimanding him harshly, Unohana gently plucked him off her shoulder and held him like a mother scolding a mischievous child. "Anos, dear, you mustn't disrespect your elders," she said sweetly, yet her smile carried an unmistakable hint of warning.
Anos pouted. "But, Miss Retsu-san, the old man still hasn't given me my candies!"
A sudden, chilling aura filled the room as Unohana turned her gaze toward Kyoraku. The Head Captain chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head.
"I-I was going to return it tomorrow…" Kyoraku muttered.
Unohana's smile remained unchanged, but a subtle pressure filled the air. "You will return it today."
Kyoraku sighed in defeat. "Yes, ma'am."
Meanwhile, Nanao adjusted her glasses, only to realize—her glasses were missing. She gasped, looking around frantically, only to see Anos twirling them between his fingers, grinning.
"Oi, Anos-kun! Give those back!" Nanao snapped.
Anos smirked. "Only if you give me chocolates!"
Nanao sighed, rummaged through her uniform, and pulled out a small pack of chocolates. "Here! Now give me my glasses!"
Anos took the chocolates, popped one into his mouth, and in a blur, he vanished again. When Nanao reached for her glasses, she found them already back on her face.
The captains remained speechless. The child had demonstrated flawless Shunpo multiple times as if it were nothing. But how? Who had trained him?
Flash steps attacks
After witnessing Anos' flawless execution of Shunpo, the captains and lieutenants exchanged glances of shock and disbelief.
"How... does a child know Shunpo at this level?" Hitsugaya muttered, narrowing his eyes.
Mayuri scoffed. "Tch. Impossible. That level of skill requires years of dedicated training."
Byakuya remained silent, though his sharp gaze analyzed Anos' every move.
Shinji leaned in slightly. "Oi, brat, where'd you learn that?"
Anos, grinning with pride, casually responded, "Oh, I just sneaked onto someone stupid's missions and watched her using it."
Yoruichi raised an eyebrow at his words. "Huh? You learned Shunpo by sneaking onto someone's missions? Who would be dumb enough to let you do th—" She suddenly paused, realization dawning upon her. Her golden eyes widened.
"Wait... Hey! Are you talking about me?!"
Anos, still grinning, nodded innocently.
"You idiot little brother of mine! You SNUCK onto my missions?!" Yoruichi's voice rose as she grabbed him by the collar, shaking him slightly.
The room, still in shock, watched the two siblings bicker. Some captains sighed, while others couldn't help but smirk at the scene.
A Threat or Something Else?
As Yoruichi continued scolding Anos for sneaking onto her missions, a soft yet commanding voice cut through the room.
"Anos-kun," Unohana spoke calmly, her gentle tone instantly silencing the room.
Everyone tensed. Despite her serene expression, they knew better than to take her lightly. Some captains half-expected her to reprimand Anos for his behavior.
Instead, she simply tilted her head slightly, gazing at the boy with motherly warmth. "Would you mind telling me about your powers?" she asked. "Your dual Zanpakutō, your Bankai… and the hollow abilities you displayed while unconscious."
The room grew even quieter. The captains and lieutenants were expecting a harsher interrogation, but instead, Unohana was treating Anos like a child under her care.
Shinji muttered under his breath, "Damn, she's really showing her gentle side, huh?"
Hitsugaya, arms crossed, narrowed his eyes. "I doubt that makes her any less dangerous."
Anos, oblivious to their reactions, simply tilted his head. "Oh, you mean all that stuff?" He grinned. "Well… I guess I can tell you!"
The atmosphere remained tense as everyone prepared to listen to the boy's story.
Is It Joke Right? Or Not
Unohana, maintaining her usual gentle yet commanding presence, looked at Anos with calm yet inquisitive eyes. "Now, Anos, tell me—how exactly did you acquire these strange powers? Dual Zanpakuto, Bankai, Hollow abilities… This isn't something ordinary."
The room grew tense as every captain and lieutenant awaited his answer. The weight of the moment was heavy, yet Anos, with his usual carefree attitude, simply shrugged and grinned.
"Oh, that?" He tilted his head. "I bought it from a grocery store."
Silence.
Everyone stared at him, completely dumbfounded. The sheer absurdity of the statement sent a wave of disbelief across the room.
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Then, at the bottom, you can add some teaser questions to spark discussion:
What does Anos mean by that?
Is he joking, or is there a deeper truth behind his words?
How did he really obtain such immense powers?
What will Unohana and the others do next?