Investigation Irritation

Rounding the corner you find it rather unsurprising to see your greatest headache surrounded by Renji, Rangiku, and Soi-fon, a sight that you would have welcomed any other day than this one. Unfortunately enough it is Nanao who notices your presence first, her voice squeaking sharply before turning to you and bowing low, “G-Good morning Genryusai-Taicho!”

Renji smiles, “Good morning Genryusai-Taicho!”

Rangiku gives you a slow and sultry wink, “Morning Taicho-kun~”

Soi-fon is much like Nanao in that she bows deeply, her voice stuttering and uneven as she speaks, “G-Good morning Genryusai-Taicho!”

Despite the warm welcome and being thankful that the day didn’t start out with Nanao yelling in your ear about something or another you grunt, your gaze turning from the girls to Nanao as you speak with a tone of ice and venom, “Good morning Fukataicho, I suspect that you have thought over what we talked about yesterday?”

The smiles you received from the girls upon your arrival instantly vanish, worry flooding their faces as Nanao begins to sweat bullets, “Y-Yes Taicho, I-I have.”

“Good, now what is the status of our Division this morning,” your stone cold voice fills the room with an almost unbearable weight, a thick miasma of pressure weighting down on all in the room causing Nanao to mutter and stutter her words, “Louder Fukataicho!”

Nanao jumps at your tone but her voice rises in volume as she repeats herself, “Y-Yes Taicho! W-We have received t-two transfers from other divisions! The f-former Fukataicho’s of the s-sixth division and the t-tenth division! S-Soi-fon-Taicho h-has officially been assigned a-as your bodyguard b-by Genryusai-So-Taicho as well until y-you can be c-considered battle ready b-by the other T-Taicho! I-I have also g-gone over the p-paperwork from o-our division and s-set punishments for those th-that attempted to e-exploit my l-lack of judgment!”

With a snort you nod, your head jerking up and down crispy as you speak with an edged tone, “Good, it’s nice to see you owning up to your mistakes Fukataicho.” Turning from a still distraught Nanao you turn to an obviously concerned trio of women, every one of them giving you’re a worried gaze as your expression radiates anger and coldness, “It is good to have you aboard Abarai-san, Matsumoto-san, Soi-fon-San. I hope we can get along.”

“J-John-kun…” Renji begins but you cut her off, your voice cutting into hers sharply as you interrupt.

“That is Taicho to you Abarai-san,” Renji seems visibly wounded by your words but at the moment you can’t bear to notice, your mind still flooded with images of thoughts of Yoruichi and that bastard Urahara. Trying your best to shake it off you focus your anger on Nanao, the quivering lieutenant quaking under your gaze as you speak, “What is on the agenda for today Fukataicho?”

Doing her best to reign in her own nervousness at your rather potent rage she bows, “Y-Your o-official uniform a-arrived this morning Taicho so w-we must pick it up. A-Afterwards is the afternoon T-Taicho meeting. F-Following that…i-if my Taicho a-allows I-I would also l-like to i-inform you more a-about Soul Society…”

With a growl your eyes narrow, your gaze darkening as you remembered the headache inducing lesson from the day before, “I believe I will not be in attendance for this lecture Fukataicho. What else is there?”

Nanao seems to be on the edge of collapse, your vicious anger radiating off your body like an icy frost and freezing everything around you in its terrible wake, “Th-That is a-all Taicho!”

“Good,” you growl, turning from the nearly sick Nanao to the others in your presence, “Abarai-san, Matsumoto-san, feel free to explore the barracks and familiarize yourself with the landscape. Soi-fon-san, please come with me.” Having given your orders you turn on your heel and walk, stopping only slightly to ask Nanao where to pick up your uniform before you are off leaving a shivering wreck of a woman and two very confused and hurt girls in your wake.

The rest of the day follows pretty much the same formula, your anger and rage tinting any interaction you have with any person within earshot ending with either hurt stares, confused glances, or even angered glares. Soi-fon only once tires to discover the root of your problem but the taint of Yoruichi’s betrayal covers even her, the dark haired beauties closeness with Yoruichi staining her in your eyes causing you to react with snarky and sharp comments. After the first verbal tongue lashing Soi-fon remains silent, her face fallen and her heart beating with a saddened rhythm at your visceral rage.

It is only at the Taicho meeting that you break free of your angered shell long enough to speak with civility and calm, your voice sounding for once at peace and with relief as you address the rest of the group, “So-Taicho, I would like to bring an important matter to the attention of the Gotei 13.”

Your grandfather turns to you with a raised eyebrow but he nods silently, “Yes, Eighth Division Genryusai-Taicho you have the floor.”

“I would like to address the assembled council about the problem of one Urahara Kisuke,” the name sends a wake of murmurs through the people present, some worried and some excited as you continue to speak, “He is still on the wanted listings from Central 46, correct?”

“Yes, he is Genryusai-Taicho,” a voice speaks up, a man with strikingly light ice white hair that you recognize as Ukitake-Taicho speaks, “however he is a valuable agent of our organization through his ability to create Gigai for our missions to the human world.”

“That may be true but I have received some intelligence that he is plotting something against us as we speak,” your words send another wave of murmurs throughout the group, every single one of them eyeing you with surprise and curiosity.

This time it is Hitsugaya who voices his question, his arms crossed as he speaks, “I hope you are aware of how serious this charge is.”

“I am very well aware of the consequences if they prove to be false Hitsugaya-Taicho and I intend to take it upon myself and the responsibility of my Division to investigate the matter further if I am allowed to,” your stone cold voice seems to block every other argument in the room leaving only your grandfather to speak his mind.

“Do you have any proof Genryusai-Taicho?” your grandfather asks, his tone of unyielding strength easily breaking through the concrete miasma of your rising Reiatsu and firm voice.

“None directly but I have found several pieces that have roused my suspicion,” you speak, your eyes never leaving the aged and wizened gaze of the So-Taicho before you, “as of right now I do not have enough to conclude anything but I would like the opportunity to go to the human world and investigate the possibility in person.”

“Why should we let you do that?” A voice calls out; a tall pale skinned man with dark hair and several white ornaments in his locks speaks, “From what you have told us it seems you only have circumstantial evidence at best, not nearly enough for a Taicho to become involved.”

Recognizing the person as Byakuya Kuchiki you nod, bowing your head in respect to the noble man as you speak, “This would be true Kuchiki-Taicho if I were not a part of Urahara’s potential planning.”

“What do you mean?” Byakuya asks, his eyebrows raised as he awaits your answer.

“It was Urahara that first brought me to this dimension from where I was originally born, and due to recent events I have come to believe that he has targeted me for quite a while now,” Your words sends a nervous ripple throughout the ranks, every one of them eyeing you with curious eyes as you finish your thought, “I believe that he expected to be able to use me for some goal that I can’t at the moment see but as you can tell, I was lucky enough to find out about it before it has gone any further.”

“Genryusai-Taicho,” your grandfather begins, his tone gravely serious as he catches you gaze with his own, “I hope you realize that if you are found to be acting in league with Urahara should he be betraying Soul Society then his punishment will also become your own.”

Without missing a beat you nod your head, “Yes, I understand the consequences fully So-Taicho. However, I also hope to prove through my investigation my own innocence and how I have been just as fooled as the rest of us by Urahara.”

“Hm…very well,” your grandfather turns from you to the remaining Taicho’s, his voice calling out with authority, “We will now vote on allowing Genryusai-Taicho to conduct an investigation of Urahara Kisuke as well as provide evidence of his own innocence should the former be proven true. Those for the motion?” Several hands raise into the air, your words still ringing in their ears causing them to vote in agreement without a second thought, “Those opposed?” Only a few hands raise this time, the motion passing by an overwhelming majority, “Very well. Genryusai-Taicho, you are hereby ordered to conduct a thorough investigation of Urahara Kisuke and his potential betrayal as well as provide substantial evidence of your own innocence. Be aware that you will not be alone in this effort though, to make sure you will not tamper with the evidence or forge evidence for your own innocence I will be sending two members of two different squads to accompany you alongside one Shinigami of your choosing. Is this satisfactory?”

You nod quickly, “Yes So-Taicho, thank you for your trust.”

After this the meeting continues unabated until the very end, something that causes more and more squirming worms to fill your gut as you think of what will happen when you get home and more importantly, who will be there…

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

“So what’s the word idiot? Is he coming or not?” a short blond haired woman speaks, a growling tone filling her words as a single fang pokes out from the left side of her mouth.

Giggling a bit a short haired woman with a perpetual smile nods, “Oh he will, apparently he is coming here to investigate the picture and Urahara-san just like I thought…”

“I still do not feel entirely comfortable with this,” a large man with a kind face speaks, “Are we not using him just as Urahara-san has?”

The woman with the grin quickly shakes her head, “No…we only want to show him the truth. Urahara-san…well he wants for him to only see the lies…”