Chapter twelve: Furball.

Chapter twelve: Furball.

[Squad Five Barracks, Seireitei.]

''... And over here we have our training facilities, I'm sure you'll find them more than adequate for your needs.'' The voice of a female shinigami broke through the silence, Hideki following behind her, his footsteps echoing loudly, the hallways of the division's barracks surprisingly empty, devoid of any other souls.

''... Isn't this place a little, you know, deserted?'' Hideki asked, his golden eyes gazing at the woman. She had been the one assigned to show him around, a rather short woman, with blonde hair and bright, emerald eyes. An unseated officer, one that had been chosen at random, probably. She had introduced herself, but for the life of him, he could not recall her name.

''Most of the seated officers are currently attending a meeting. As for the rest of the squad, it's not uncommon for around a half of the squad's unseated members to be out on patrol in the World of the Living.'' The woman shrugged, motioning at him to follow. ''As a new member, I imagine you will be sent there a couple of times for the first few months.''

''Sweet!'' Hideki whispered, his fist bumping against his palm.

''Hm?'' The woman, having heard him, glanced back, a curious expression on her face. ''Did you say something?''

"Nope, nothing.'' Hideki smiled, a drop of sweat rolling down his neck. ''I'm just glad I wasn't stuck with some desk job. Speaking of which, do I have any? Like, paperwork or—''

"Lieutent Aizen is well known for taking care of most of the paperwork himself. He might hand you some every now and then, but more often than not he's the one who takes care of such matters.''

''Talk about being efficient...'' Hideki muttered, scratching his chin, his lips pursed. ''That's nice to hear, though. I was worried I'd end up drowning in paperwork.''

''You'd prefer taking on missions to the World of the Living, instead?''

''Who wouldn't?'' Hideki exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air. ''The World of the Living is so much more eventful. Sure, the Soul Society has its charms, but I feel like nothing ever happens around here. The World of the Living... It has a different feel to it. More freedom, more things to explore, and more things to fight.''

''...'' The woman didn't humor him with a response, a strained smile on her face, as if she didn't quite agree with him. ''Right, well, then, here is your room. Feel free to leave anything you don't need in there. From what I heard, Lieutenant Aizen already left some orders for you in there.''

"Did he now?" Hideki said, stepping toward the door. His hand reached for the handle, and without waiting, he stepped inside. It was a standard room, as far as rooms go, definitely more spacious than his old dorm at the academy, but perhaps because of the emptiness of the room, the place gave off a slightly eerie feeling.

''I like it.'' He mused, glancing around the place. His mind soon forgetting about the woman who was still standing in the hallway, he walked inside, closing the door behind him, his thoughts wandering. ''Now that I actually have a salary, I can start shopping around, huh? I might need to decorate this place a little, it could use a little green, I think.''

''Hm...?'' Resting on his bed, a black uniform which he soon recognized to be a shihakushō was neatly folded, resting atop a white, sleeveless kosode, a simple white sash, a pair of sandals, and a pair of hakama, the standard uniform for members of the Gotei 13. Reaching for the garment, he noticed a paper next to it, his name written on top of it. Folding the garment, and placing it onto the desk next to him, his fingers grabbed the paper, and unfolding it, he began to read. 

'l guess these are my orders, huh?' Hideki thought, the corners of his lips curling up as his gaze moved over the words, the familiar neat, and almost elegant, handwriting. 'It looks like I have a mission tonight.' His fingers folded the letter, and placing it inside his pocket, his gaze moved toward the mirror. 'At least I'll get to visit the World of the Living sooner than I expected.' 

''I still have a couple of hours before sunset, though." He muttered, glancing outside. The sun was still high in the sky, the afternoon's heat still lingering. His gaze moved towards his new uniform, and without wasting any time, he began to change, eager to start his first mission.

His fingers moved the garment away from him as the fabric slid off his shoulders, falling down and landing on the ground. His gaze fell on his reflection in the mirror, his toned, athletic body coming into view. ''I guess I should get used to wearing black, huh? I don't think I'm allowed to change the colour, am I?"

''...'' Without a word, he began to change, his fingers deftly folding the garments, and wrapping the sash around his waist. He was done within a few minutes, and standing before the mirror. ''Now, this is more like it, isn't it? I feel like a proper soul reaper now.'' With a grin, his hand reached up, rearranging his hair.

''Someone is in a good mood, I see." A familiar voice piped up, causing him to flinch, his fingers slipping as he almost fell, his glance moving towards the open window. Outside, sitting on the windowsill, Makoto Kawakami, his surprisingly discrete mentor, smiled, his arms crossed as his leg dangled from the edge.

''I'm not even going to ask how you got in here.'' Hideki chuckled, rolling his eyes, his hands still on his hair. ''It's been a while, Makoto. It's nice to see you again."

''It has indeed." Makoto nodded, his expression warm, his eyes crinkling at the edges. ''I heard you passed your graduation exam with flying colors, and that you are now a member of the Fifth Division, a seated officer, no less. I'm not surprised, of course, after all, I have an excellent eye for talent.''

"You sure do." Hideki snickered, shaking his head. "So, is there a reason you decided to barge into my room, or are you here just to congratulate me? If so, I could use a little praise." He finished with a cocky grin.

"I was just about to get to that." Makoto replied, clearing his throat. ''I have a gift for you, actually. And before you start complaining about you already owing me too much, you can't decline. It's nothing much, trust me.'' Reaching into his sleeve, his hand pulled out a small object, a rectangular, wooden box, the wood's colour a dark brown, and a golden pattern running down the middle.

Without even asking, he tossed the box toward Hideki, who, without hesitation, caught the box, his fingers opening it. ''That's a Denreishinki, a Soul Pager. I'm sure you already know this, but just in case you slept through that class, it's an inter-dimensional communications device used by us soul reapers while on an assignment in the Human World.''

''I have one of these already, though.'' Hideki said, pointing towards the one piece of furniture inside his room, a desk, atop which was placed a small device, similar to the one in his hands. He had spotted it amongst the items which had been given to him in order for him to perform his soul reaper duties.

''That's an older model.'' Makoto pointed out, smiling. "Yours is a new one, I don't know much about it myself, but the reception is much better, and it has a few extra functions, too, from what I heard.''

''... Thanks.'' Hideki muttered, pocketing the device. He was starting to feel like Makoto had given him too much in return for too little, but he had the feeling that rejecting the gift was not an option available to him.

''Think nothing of it.'' Makoto waved dismissively, jumping down from the window. "Oh, and one more thing, the Fifth Division's captain is an acquaintance of mine, so try not to make too much trouble, will you? He's an oddball, so I don't think he'll be too bothered, but still..."

''I'll be on my best behaviour." Hideki smirked, his hands rising in a defensive manner. ''Still haven't even met the man, though. Speaking of which... Isn't that a bit strange. I mean, a guy like me gets a seat right away, without ever meeting his captain?''

"It's unusual, sure, but...'' Makoto replied, his tone casual. "It was Lieutenant Aizen the one who put in the order, and he's quite a popular figure in the fifth division, so it doesn't surprise me that he could get away with something like that. And, as far as not meeting your captain... you might not have met the man yourself, but I'm willing to bet he's already aware of you."

"... Huh?"

''Just trust me on this." Makoto smiled his figure fading. ''Now, I'll be going, I have my own duties to attend to.'' With a soft chuckle, his body vanished, his flash-step carrying him far out of Hideki's sight. ''...'' Hideki's lips parted, and letting out a deep sigh, he made his way toward the door, deciding to kill some time outside.

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

''This is so lame...'' Hideki muttered, the soft wind brushing against his cheeks, his eyes trailing toward the setting sun. He was sitting on top of a large roof, the familiar rooftops of the Seireitei spreading out before him, the Senkaimon gate looming in the distance. "Why can't I leave already?"

Yes, his mission was set for after sunset, but given the fact he had grown bored from wandering around the place, he thought about leaving earlier, sadly for him, the guards at the gate had instructed him to wait until nightfall. So here he was, his eyes gazing over the horizon, the sun slowly beginning to vanish, its golden glow disappearing behind the distant buildings.

''Ugh... I'm so bored.'' He let out a deep sigh, his lips pressing into a thin line, the wind ruffling his hair. ''Maybe I could... No, never mind, that would probably get me into trouble. What about... No, no. Blowing things up would be fun, but that's bound to attract attention, too. Hm, what if I...''

''Isn't that interesting? I have never heard someone speak to themselves so much, '' A soft voice broke him out of his thoughts. ''I see the newest member of my division is as eccentric as the rumours made him out to be.'' The voice came right behind him, causing him to flinch, his hands reaching for his zanpakuto as his head whirled back. There, perched on the edge of the roof, sat a blond haired man, with long, straight hair, which reached his waist. 

"What the...?" Hideki blinked, his fingers twitching. His zanpakuto still sheated, there was no hint of a hostile intent, but, the man was clearly watching him, his brown eyes fixated on him. The man was levitating, and was, to Hideki's surprise, upside down, his legs folded, his hands resting on his knees.

''Then again...'' The man continued, a huge, slightly unnerving smile coloring his features. ''I have been told I am quite eccentric myself, so I guess it's only natural my division would attract people like you.'' Hideki wasn't listening, not really, his focus was somewhere else, his mind fixated on something far more interesting than his rather eccentric vibe,his uniform. That white haori bearing the number five behind it, the huge spiritual pressure he had failed to sense up until now, there was no doubt about it, the man was a captain, his captain, no less.

''... Captain Hirako?'' Hideki guessed, his tone uncertain. ''You are Captain Hirako Shinji, right?"

"Bingo!" The man's smile grew even wider, and he nodded, a chuckle escaping his lips. ''That's a game in the world of the living, by the way, I have been trying to learn how to play, but I'm not quite there yet.'' His words made no sense, but Hideki simply chose to nod, a drop of sweat rolling down his neck.

''You are the newbie that Sōsuke has taken under his wing, right?'' The man asked, tilting his head to the side. ''I must say, he was quite persistent about recruiting you, he was a real pain in the ass, that guy. He kept pestering me to accept you into our squad. Sōsuke and his pet projects tend to give me headaches."

'Pet projects?' Hideki blinked, his brows furrowing. 'Well, that's a first.' He thought, he had been warned beforehand about Captain Hirako's rather, eccentric behavior, and from what he could tell, it seemed the rumours were quite accurate. 'I have to say, though, he's certainly not what I was expecting.'

''How are you liking the Fifth? I hear Akemi gave you the VIP tour, so you should be familiar with the place by now.'' Shinji said, his head leaning back, his body twisting, and in a single motion, he was standing, his legs folded, the soles of his sandals facing downwards. ''How about the other members, did you meet any of them, yet?''

''I haven't had the pleasure, no,'' Hideki replied, his gaze following Shinji's every move. ''I was told the seated officers were attending a meeting, and that most of the others were busy doing patrols in the world of the living.''

'''Sōsuke has been working them hard lately, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.'' Shinji yawned, waving dismissively. ''He's been giving out many missions lately, I imagine that's why you are here. I must say, I didn't think he would send his brand new recruit to the human world on his very first day. Not that it's a problem, of course, you can handle yourself, I'm sure.''

''I...''

Before Hideki could get another word in, Shinji kept speaking, his lips moving quickly, his words flowing like a river. ''... Just make sure not to die out there, I wouldn't want to deal with the paperwork.'' Shinji grinned, his tone light. "You don't seem like your average newbie, but you still have a lot to learn, so keep your head on the ground and stay safe. It'll be a hassle to clean up if you bite the dust out there."

''Understood, captain.'' Hideki muttered, a hint of nervousness visible in his voice. The man's attitude was off-putting, to say the least, but the fact that he had come out of his way to speak with him was a good sign, he assumed. As overinflated as Hideki's ego was, he knew better than to make a fool of himself, not when he was standing face to face with his captain, at least.

''Good, good.'' Shinji nodded, his hand rising to his chin, his fingers scratching it. ''By the way, are you going to spend the rest of the night standing there and looking at me, or are you going to head out already? It's already nighttime, you know, you should get moving.''

''Ah, crap...!'' Hideki's gaze moved towards the sky, and as if to prove Shinji's words true, despite the fact it couldn't have been more than a few minutes since their conversation started, the moon was now high in the sky. Without another word, he dashed towards the Senkaimon gate, the sounds of Shinji's laughter ringing out behind him.

Being left alone, Shinji's grin vanished, his lips pursing as he let out a deep sigh, his head tilting up. ''He seems like a decent kid.'' He mused, his eyes focusing on the moon, his feet hovering off the ground, his body rising into the air. ''Just what is Sōsuke planning to do with him?'' 

Aizen's motives, as usual, remained unclear, and Shinji had a feeling that whatever it was that his lieutenant was plotting, was going to spell trouble. 'It's probably not anything too serious, but still...' With a shrug, his expression became a frown. 'It never hurts to be careful.' As usual, he would keep his distance from the man, and keep an eye out for the new recruit, just in case.

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

''It's raining... Again...'' Hideki, soaked from head to toe, stared at the grey clouds overhead, a scowl appearing on his face as he arrived in the World of the Living. The area was a familiar one, the same one he'd visited many times during his more interesting classes, Okinawa, he was sure of it.

His uniform, which was now thoroughly soaked, clung to his skin, the cold breeze of the night causing him to shudder, and his wet hair was sticking to his forehead, covering his eyes. It was dark, and the only source of light he could see were the street lamps, the sound of the rain splashing against the ground was the only thing to keep him company.

''The mission said there's been an abnormal increase in the number of hollow sightings on the area, but...'' He muttered, glancing at the Soul Pager in his hand. ''I don't see anything...'' He took a step forward, his foot splashing through a puddle of water, the sound echoing throughout the empty streets. ''I can't sense anything, either.''

Releasing a long, drawn out sigh, he stuffed his hand inside his pocket. ''Whatever, I'll just patrol the area for a while, I'm sure the hollows will show up sooner or later.'' Performing a few stretches, he began his search, his feet splashing through the water, his hand gripping his sword, ready to draw it at any moment.

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

Standing in front of an old, unassuming warehouse, Hideki stared at the device in his hand. His soul pager had been flashing just a handful of seconds ago, but as far as he could tell, there were no hollows nearby, the signal having gone as fast as it had appeared, the beeping sound of the device fading, leaving him alone once more.

''Is this some kind of joke?'' He groaned, his brows furrowing. "Wasn't this area supposed to be a hotspot for hollows?'' Staring at the building in front of him, his golden orbs narrowed. His spiritual senses were still active, and there were no signs of danger, not from the warehouse, at least, not a trace of spiritual energy, hollow or otherwise. ''Tch.''

Was the device malfunctioning or something? Did they send him all the way out here for nothing? He didn't want to return empty handed, and he could feel his frustration rising, his teeth gritting. There had to be something here, he was sure of it, a hollow, or something, anything, even a lost cat would do.

Once again, Hideki strolled the rain-drenched streets, his zanpakuto strapped to his side, his robes slightly flapping behind him with each step, his nose tilted upwards, taking in the scents of the world of the living, as irritated as he was for the lack of action, he was actually decently amused by the sheer oddity of his surroundings. 

While he had been sent to the World of the Living a few times during his academy days, he had never given the place much attention, the sights and the sounds barely registering in his mind, more focused on his tests than his surroundings. Now, however, as he was walking, his gaze would wander, his eyes observing the various buildings, the people, and the things they used.

"The world of the living is such an odd place," he murmured to himself, waving at a stray cat that scurried past. "Not quite as stylish as the Soul Society, but it has its charms." His wandering took him to a large, bustling area. The ground was made of smooth stones, and large wooden benches were placed at intervals. 

People in strange attire – hats, long dresses, tailored suits – waited patiently, holding onto small bags and parcels. Hideki's bright eyes roamed, taking in the curious scene. Before him were twin metal tracks, shiny from the rain's touch. They lay parallel to each other, extending into the distance, a mysterious path to somewhere unknown.

''It feels more... Organized? I don't know how to put it into words.'' A faint sound pricked at his ears, growing in intensity, but Hideki's musings continued, "Everything's so orderly, and efficient.''

He stepped closer to the tracks, mesmerized by their gleaming surface, bending to touch one with his fingertips. The rumble in the distance was becoming more pronounced, a rhythmic chug-chug-chug that seemed to resonate with Hideki's heartbeat. Unbeknownst to him, the sensation he felt was not just a marvel of the human world but an impending marvel of human engineering racing towards him.

  All of a sudden, from Hideki's peripheral vision, a massive black shape charged towards him. His eyes widened in shock just as the front of the oncoming train breezed past him, the rush of wind throwing him back a little as he landed dramatically on his rear.

"Ow...!" There he sat, robes all askew, zanpakuto now several feet away, and hair that was once meticulously styled now resembling a bird's nest. 

Hideki blinked, processing the giant metal beast racing by, each of its compartments packed with people, completely oblivious to his existence and the near-catastrophe that had just occurred.

He turned his head, following the train as it moved, mouth agape in astonishment. After what felt like an eternity, the train's final compartment passed, leaving only its diminishing chugging noise in the distance.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Hideki tried to recompose himself, patting down his robes and attempting to fix his disheveled hair with his hands. As he did so, a pigeon, apparently equally startled by the passing train, landed next to him, ruffling its feathers and giving him an indignant coo.

"Damn..." Hideki whispered, addressing the pigeon, "Humans and their wild inventions, right?" The pigeon just stared blankly, its tiny head cocked to one side, just as confused as Hideki. "Note to self," he began, picking up his zanpakuto and giving it a swift twirl, "steer clear of shiny tracks." Gathering himself, the vibrant soul reaper stood up, dusting off his robes.

The sound of his Soul Pager's alarm broke him out of his daze, and in an instant, he had it out of his pocket, a triumphant grin on his face. ''There we go!'' His fingers danced across the buttons, but his smile was soon replaced with a frown. ''What the...'' Once again, the alarm vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. ''Is this thing broken or something?"

Hideki flicked the device with his index finger, annoyed at it. ''New model my ass! Did Makoto give me a defective piece of garbage, or what?'' His irritation was growing, and with a huff, his legs carried him further down the road. ''Where the hell are the hollows!? I swear I'll —'' As if to mock him, the device lit up again, this time a little stronger, and for a few seconds, Hideki stood, his golden orbs glued to the device. ''You better not...'' It stopped. ''Damn it!"

Out of nowhere, Hideki flinched, his fingers twitching, his instincts kicking in. Swinging his blade in a wide arc, he slashed at the air in front of him. ''Gotcha! '' A sharp, screeching sound pierced his ears, his blade hitting something. A cloud of smoke appeared in front of him, a small, round creature falling to the ground, his sword embedded in its side. ''... Huh."

It looked like a giant bug, a centipede, its body long and slender, its skin a sickening green. Its face was a grotesque caricature, its large, hollow-like mask was a pale, bone-white, two large, black holes serving as eyes, gazing back at him, filled with nothing but blood-lust. ''You are a strange little thing, aren't you?'' 

The creature's screeching intensified, the blade's edge still cutting into its flesh, its tail thrashing around. Its body was writhing, its countless legs flailing, and from its back, dozens of wings sprang out, its legs moving, its long body curling, and with a powerful burst, the creature launched itself forward.

''Well that's weird.'' With a quick sidestep, Hideki evaded, his blade moving, slicing the creature in half, half of its lifeless body landing on the ground, dissolving into particles of light, disappearing. ''I guess the device wasn't malfunctioning after all. This thing must have some weird ability to hide itself or something, huh?" Shaking his head, he walked over to where the other half of the creature's body had fallen.

It was regenerating, ever so slowly, its body reforming. ''I have a feeling the so-called 'abnormal' increase of hollow sightings was just this little guy messing around, huh?'' With a soft chuckle, he brought his heel down, stepping on the creature's mask, making the insect-like hollow screech out, the sound almost deafening.''Now, now, no need to be rude.'' 

''Should I take a sample or something?'' His grin grew, and reaching down, his fingers wrapped around the hollow's mask. ''I haven't heard of a hollow who could mask its spiritual energy before, so...'' It let out a weak screech, thrashing around. ''Might be useful to let the smart guys do a little research on this one, no?''

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

Hideki strolled through the narrow hallways of the Second Division barracks, his eyes darting left and right, reading the inscriptions on the wooden doors. The stark and militaristic surroundings were a far cry from the aesthetic of his own division, and he couldn't help but feel a bit out of place.

''Thank god I didn't join this division..." Hideki scratched his head as he moved further down the hallway, a faint yet peculiar aroma began to permeate the air — a mix of old scrolls, dried herbs, and something... pungent. He wrinkled his nose, waving a hand in front of his face in a half-hearted attempt to disperse the smell. "There's bound to be quite a few uptight and boring people here."

''... And what's up with that smell?'' He muttered, glancing around. ''It smells like shit in here.'' He shook his head, his gaze returning forward, and finally, he came across the door he was looking for. Funnily enough, the smell became stronger as he approached, the scent becoming so powerful, it was almost overbearing. ''Is that mold...?''

'Ugh... I'm already regretting this.' Taking a deep breath, he gave a soft knock, the sound echoing throughout the hall as he waited. The smell was becoming unbearable, and it took all his willpower not to cough. After a solid minute or so, the door finally opened, revealing a blond man with his messy hair shadowing his face. a pair of thick, black-rimmed glasses, and a strange, white beard that reached his chin.

"Um..." Hideki's lips parted, his voice catching in his throat. Even when disregarding the smell, the room was quite a weird one, with a series of strange bottles scattered all over the place filled with all sorts of unrecognizable liquids, and in the middle of the room, there was a large workbench, the surface covered with various types of trinkets, tools, and a strange-looking device, which was releasing a stream of smoke.

''Oh... Hello...'' The blond man spoke, seemingly feeling quite disoriented as he glanced around. ''Is it time already? I apologize, I was a bit... Preoccupied, it seems. If you would just give me a second, please...'' The man trailed off, his fingers reaching up, brushing his hair out of his face, his eyes narrowing, as if he was trying to focus on the person standing in front of him.

"Time for what?" Hideki coughed, his free hand rising to cover his nose. "And what's up with that smell? You have a corpse hidden in there or something?"

The blond man chuckled, shaking his head, his smile widening. ''Not a corpse, no, though I suppose that's debatable...'' He added that last bit under his breath, a hint of amusement coloring his voice as the man stepped aside, motioning for Hideki to enter.

''What...?''

"Please, come inside." 

"No, thanks. I think I'll be fine outside." Hideki was, unsurprisingly, not interested in getting even a step closer to the man. "I won't bother you too much, I just came here to give you something." His hand rose, presenting a small jar. ''You are Kisuke Urahara, correct? I'm Hideki Fujioka, the newest member of the Fifth Division.''

''The newest member of the fifth? ... Ah, that's right, I did hear some talk about a gifted student being transferred straight into the Fifth.'' The man said, nodding to himself, a faint smile on his lips. Taking a hold of the jar, he inspected the object with curious eyes, his fingers tapping the glass. ''And what is this, might I ask?"

"I ran into this thing during a patrol in the World of the Living. It's a piece of a hollow that had been completely hiding its spiritual energy somehow, it even managed to fool the Denreishinki. I thought it might be worth giving it a look, and, well, there's no specific department that takes care of all the science and stuff, so I was told to bring it here."

"... Fascinating." Urahara murmured, his fingers tapping the glass, his expression thoughtful. "How odd." Without another word, Urahara darted inside, placing the object on top of the workbench. Hideki, feeling that his duty was done, took a step back, deciding it would be best if he left. ''Wait.''

"Hm?'' Urahara's voice echoed through the room, stopping him. ''Something wrong?"

"I'd like to ask a few more questions, if that's alright.'' Urahara said, signaling him to enter. ''It'll only take a minute or two, and then you can be on your way.'' Hideki hesitated, the odor had become more managable ever since the air had started circulating, but still, the idea of entering the strange-smelling room wasn't very appealing.

With a reluctant nod, he stepped inside. ''Just a few minutes, alright?'' Urahara nodded, grabbing a notebook, the man's hand moving quickly, writing down something. "Now, could you describe the hollow you fought? Given the structure of this sample you brought me, it must have been an insect of some kind?''

''... You can tell just from looking at that small piece I brought?'' Hideki inquired, a hint of surprise in his tone and Urahara smiled, tapping the glass, his fingers brushing against the hollow's remainings.

''It's not hard, really, there are a few clues, a few patterns. This part, for example, it looked like a centipede, I would guess?'' Urahara explained, his fingers moving across the table, tapping different parts. ''And judging by the length of each segment, it was a relatively large hollow, too.''

"It was.'' Hideki agreed, his brows furrowing. "It grew wings, though, so I'm not sure I could even call it a centipede, really. And for such a large hollow, I'm surprised it managed to hide itself like that. Masking its spiritual energy is one thing, but I can't believe I would fail to notice such a big creature, no matter how good its masking ability is."

"So perhaps it could mask not only its spiritual energy, but its shape as well?'' Urahara tapped his chin. "Interesting...'' He whispered, his smile growing, the man's fingers tapping against the glass. ''Very interesting, indeed." Rummaging through the things on his table, he pulled out a pair of gloves, and without any hesitation, his hands dove into the remains, his fingers pulling out a few, specific parts.

''Urahara, was it?'' Hideki began, his gaze trailing around the room. ''Are you in charge of dealing with all of the science-related issues?'' Hideki asked, watching the man closely. ''Isn't that like, really inconvenient? Shouldn't we have like, a group of people dedicated to all of this, instead of just one person?''

"There are a few others who are capable of handling such tasks, but... I suppose I have a particular interest in the subject at hand, so when it comes to hollows, I tend to do most of the work, yes." Urahara muttered, his head leaning back. "I can't deny the fact that, in terms of efficiency, there's definitely a better way to organize such tasks.''

''... Ideally, I would like for us to have a dedicated science department, with multiple researchers and an efficient organizational system. Unfortunately, right now I'm not in a position to change that, but well, perhaps, in time, I'll manage to get a few others interested and things will improve. '' Urahara mused, his hand reaching down, a small knife held between his fingers.

''... Huh.'' Hideki had a feeling the man had given much thought to the topic he had inquired about. Urahara chuckled, a grin coloring his features, realizing he had perhaps given a more serious answer than the one Hideki had been expecting. ''Well, I can see why they call you a genius. You certainly sound like one.''

"It's nothing too impressive." Urahara's response was light as he dissected the sample, his gaze fixated on the hollow's remains, his expression switching from curious to amused and back to curious. "Back on topic, do you think you could give me a few more details about the hollow, perhaps a description of the fight itself?''

Hideki shrugged, deciding to entertain the man. ''There wasn't much of a fight, if I'm being honest.'' Hideki replied, and at that, he subconsciously puffed out his chest, his ego swelling. ''It tried to attack me from behind, but I sliced it in half before it could, after that the fight was as good as over.''

''...?'' Urahara gazed back at him, an intrigued look in his eyes. ''You did? That's... Impressive, indeed.'' With a chuckle, Urahara turned his back to Hideki, his fingers moving, his hand scribbling on the paper. ''Then again, maybe not, the Fifth Division must have recruited you for a reason, after all.'' Hideki's lips curved up, a proud smile forming. 

''... There was also something else.'' Hideki, despite feeling rather satisfied by the man's words, still finished his explanation. ''Initally, I was sent there because of a report of an unusual increase in hollow activity in the area, but when I got there, there was absolutely nothing, no trace of any hollows or anything.''

''My guess is there was actually no increase in the number of hollows in the area at all, and it was simply this hollow appearing and reappearing all over the place as it managed to sneak its way through our sensors.'' Hideki carried on with his explanation, arms crossed, his gaze wandering. ''However...''

''You are wondering how come there was no apparent increase in the amount of souls devoured in that very same area, correct?'' Urahara's words caught him off-guard, his attention snapping back. ''In which case, you are most likely considering the possibility that perhaps, the hollow you fought was not devouring souls, at all. Or at least, that wasn't the reason why it was there.''

''You are a mind reader or something?'' Hideki chuckled, his hand running through his hair. ''I'm just throwing ideas around, really, it was just an educated guess. I can't even imagine what could drive a hollow to hide its presence but cause no disturbance in the souls nearby, it doesn't make sense. What could possibly interest a hollow in the world of the living, if not devouring souls?"

"Indeed it doesn't. Not yet, at least.'' Urahara hummed, nodding. "You said it tried to attack you from behind, correct? That must mean that, in some level, it was interested in devouring you, right? Otherwise there would be no reason for it to risk revealing itself just to attack a soul reaper."

''I guess so. It was after a strong soul, is that it?'' Hideki pouted, feeling slightly disappointed by the hollow's motives. "I was expecting something more, I don't know, grand, I guess."

"Perhaps not a strong soul, per se." Urahara said, waving the knife around. "The soul of a shinigami, maybe?''

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

After the conversation with the peculiar man, Hideki was traversing the halls of the second division once again, his hands inside his pockets, his mind replaying the conversation with Urahara. As strange as the man was, he couldn't deny the fact that his insightful answers had given him something to think about.

''He felt strong, too.'' He muttered, his lips curving into a frown. ''Not just his spiritual pressure, but he had a certain vibe, something that told me that he wasn't just some random researcher. That guy must be pretty high up in the food chain, even for a third seat. He shook his head, his hand rising, resting atop his forehead. 

''...?'' Coming to a stop, Hideki stared forward, a strange, small figure standing at the end of the hallway. ''... Is that a fucking cat?'' In the middle of the hall, a black cat stood, its head tilting, staring back at him, tail moving left and right, its dark nose twitching. ''It is, isn't it? Is he lost or something...?''

The cat remained silent, its gaze never leaving his. ''You must have wandered in from somewhere, huh?'' Hideki crouched down, extending his hand. ''Then again, you look well-groomed, you probably belong to someone, no? Maybe a noble or something?'' The cat didn't move, not an inch, it didn't even blink, a strange intelligence in its gaze, as if it was evaluating him.

'Ugh... I don't like the look its giving me, not one bit.' He thought, his gaze narrowing, his head turning to the sides. 'It's starting to creep me out.' Shaking his head, he sighed, his hand reaching up, his fingers running through his hair. 'Is he agressive or something? I don't wanna get clawed.'

'Still... I have a feeling I shouldn't just leave it here.' A drop of sweat ran down his neck, his legs shaking. 'On the other hand, if he does belong to some important person, I don't want them to go around saying I mistreated their cat or something, I just started my job, and I don't need people talking shit behind my back...'

'Ah, I know! I heard about it before... There's one method to calm a cat down, isn't there? If I'm not mistaken, it was...' Hideki extended his hand forward, his fingers moving, approaching the cat's face. The feline was unflinching, its gaze unwavering, as if daring him to lay a finger on it. 'Come on... Don't bite my fingers off, please...'

His hand moved past the cat's head, and then, his fingers made contact with the back of the cat's head. Before the feline even had the chance to react, his fingers closed around the cat's scruff, lifting it up. 'Alright, now that —' His thoughts were cut short, a sharp pain shooting through his body as the cat latched onto his arm, having gone from calm and composed to completely enraged within the span of a second.

"What the... Ow, ow, ow!" He almost dropped the cat as he stumbled back, his other hand clutching his wrist, a stream of blood trickling down his arm. ''Damn it, you little...!'' He lifted the cat even higher, still holding it by the scruff, and that seemed to be enough to make it go limp, its limbs hanging, its angry gaze turning into one of indignation.

''You stupid furball, I was just trying to help...'' Hideki clicked his tongue, his eyes glaring at the cat. ''If I hadn't done that, you would be stuck in these corridors, wandering around forever.'' With an annoyed grunt, he began to walk, the cat still in his hands, a scowl on his face. The cat remained silent, its body hanging limp, its mouth open, baring its fangs.

''You stop looking at me like that! I'm helping you, damn it, show some respect.'' Hideki huffed, his free hand rising, pointing toward the exit. "If this was the fifth division, I would let you wander around, but there's no telling if anyone will take care of you in here, the second division doesn't feel as welcoming... The least you can do is look happy."

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

''Here, go away.'' Hideki stood outside the second division's barracks, his eyes glaring down, the cat staring back at him. After having left through the gate, his legs carried him toward the set of buildings and without another thought, he released the cat. The cat, however, had been acting rather strange, it was not running away, not even when he encouraged it to do so, the feline simply remained where it was, its gaze locked on him.

To be more specific, the feline's gaze was locked onto his face, almost as if it was... memorizing it. A few seconds later, the cat took a few steps back, its figure vanishing within the shadows, disappearing into the night. "That's one weird cat...'' Hideki breathed a sigh of relief, his arms rising, stretching his muscles.

''Is it night-time already?'' Hideki scratched his head, a yawn escaping his lips. ''Guess I should be heading back.'' He turned his back to the overall direction of his barracks, his robes flapping behind him. His body flickered, and with a burst of speed, his flash-step carried him away, his feet landing atop the roof of a tall building, the sounds of the world dying out, leaving him in silence.

''Not bad for the first day, huh?'' Hideki grinned, his fingers curling, the muscles in his arms flexing, his fists punching the air. "Not a bad day, at all." His flash-step brought him to a different building, having skipped well over a dozen or so, his grin widening. "It feels like it's been a month... Or two... Weird!''

End of chapter twelve.