"The Kuchiki clan is one of the four noble houses. We must set the standard for all shinigami. If we do not abide by the code…then who will uphold it?" — Byakuya Kuchiki.
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Itachi currently had a frown on his face as he held a specific report, one that was highly identical to one submitted to him a few weeks ago. In fact, this was the third time a report like this made its way to his desk, with the first one being over two months ago.
He had sent a few of his Shinigami but they reported back that nothing was amiss and it had been so, at least for a month, before it happened again.
Once was enough for his subordinate to take note as it was a slightly different pattern and was pragmatic enough to send it as a report. And Itachi, being the paranoid man he was, made sure to assure himself.
Twice was not a coincidence to Itachi, but instead was the making of a pattern. The third time was all the confirmation and proof he needed.
His history with Aizen made him extra observant on anything happening in either the World of the Living or in Hueco Mundo. And someone was doing something with the World of the Living.
'Who should I send?' his fingers tapped against the desk as his eyes rear every dot of ink on the report.
He couldn't go, that was obvious. Nor could he send Yoruichi or Soi Fon, they were far too busy as of late.
He had a few suspicions about the report and because of that he could not just send anyone.
Two names came to his mind and his brows knitted in a frown. They weren't exactly busy but he liked having at least one of them near him at all times. The other two were just as competent but they were busy.
'I can let them go for a few days.' With their personalities, they could either compliment each other very well or be stark opposites. As for any danger associated with the mission, it would be below their level.
He could just send one of them, he thought about it, but decided against it. They could take the mission as a little break from all the work they did.
"Call me…"
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...…
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[World of the Living]
Junpei stepped out of the Senkaimon into the World of the Living with another person in tow. The only difference between what they wore was the full-head featureless black mask Junpei's companion wore.
"Great. We're here, what next?"
"Why are you asking me?" Black asked.
Junpei shrugged. "If that's how you want to play it then fine."
From where they stood in the sky, they surveyed the land below and found nothing out of place so they descended. The mission was a 'wait and see' one than the normal 'strike/exterminate' ones most were used to, which conversely was the one they were used to.
"Overview?"
"It's sketchy at best." Junpei said with a frown. "We could be here for a week or two."
A grunt came from his side.
"What? You have somewhere important to be?" He asked.
"Believe it or not, but I do have a life." Black said, causing Junpei to snort.
"An effigy. A parody of one, you mean." Junpei ridiculed. "Jumping from one mask to another, that's what you call a life?"
Junpei was never a fan of Black, or Snake, as he was called when he donned his other mask. Gin Ichimaru, maybe, hardly but not impossible, but not any of his other personas.
"Quite the mouth you have on you, brat." Gin said dispassionately. It was a useless back and forth, one they've had dozens of times over the years and for the life of Gin he still has no idea why Junpei even cared.
Gin led them to a park, walked past the unsuspecting humans, and went to sit under a tree.
"This is what you'll be doing?"
Even though he wore a mask, Gin let Junpei feel his smirk.
The young man was an accomplished Shinigami, as well as a valued member of the Onmistukidō, Gin would admit that much, but that did not mean he was above getting a slippery tickle under his skin.
Everyone got the same treatment from him, even the Captain, but it was the way they reacted that further pushed Gin to searching for new ways to poke at them.
"You want to go around searching for a periodical clue?" Gin's words were both sarcastic and mocking but Junpei barely batted an eye.
He did not give Gin a reply but simply found himself a nice resting spot on a thick branch.
"So, what do you think?" He asked after a while. The sun was going down so there were fewer humans in the park.
Gin shrugged.
"But you've got a hunch." Junpei said.
"The same one you got. Three instances. Appearing normal all across the board…"
"But…"
"But it also feels like a herding. No, perhaps a prodding. Someone's playing with their food… or at least that's my hunch."
"What's on the plate?"
Gin looked up and once again Junpei could feel the smile on his face. "That's what we're here to find out."
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...….
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[Seireitei, POV: With Kisuke Urahara]
"Ahh, good tea." Kisuke sighed dreamily as he took another indulging sip which he followed with a breathy exhale. He looked comically euphoric.
"Sorry," He apologized sheepishly after coming down from his exaggerated high. "The tea was that good. Damn! You nobles sure have the best stuff."
Opposite his envious self sat a composed Byakuya Kuchiki who calmly drank his tea through all of Kisuke's theatrics.
Kisuke leaned in and whispered conspiratorially. "Mind doing me a solid?" he looked shifty as he observed their surroundings, from left to right, and leaned in more.
"Could you get me a few grams of these? All under the table of course. I'm willing to pay 30% upfront."
Byakuya looked at him dully. His serious façade could not hide the twinkle in his eyes and Byakuya let him know that he took no stock in whatever comical display he intended to act out.
"40%. That's my limit as first time business partners. Trust is reciprocal, my friend." Kisuke leaned back and dipped his hat.
"Are you done with this farce?"
"Eh, 7 points for effort." He threw his hands in the air as if giving up, another exaggerated action, with a veiled smirk. "You could at least humor me. Or not, hehe."
Byakuya put down his cup but there was a tired, mostly fed up, expression in his movements. "Must you act childish at every turn?"
Kisuke tittered. "Eh? I resent that, Captain Kuchiki. I don't 'act'."
He laughed and waved off the deadpan. "And besides, we have guys like you, Sajin, Rōjurō, Itachi and the Head Captain. Someone has to balance out the stoic plague."
A sigh escaped Byakuya's lips, so faint that it might as well have been the wind.
"That aside," He said, having had enough of the current topic, "I called you here today to give you my heartfelt gratitude."
Byakuya gave him a soft bow, an equal measure of gratitude and genuine respect.
"I thank you, Kisuke Urahara, for healing my wife. You have done me a great deed. I owe you a favor of equal measure."
When Byakuya raised his head, the look on Kisuke's face wasn't his usual frivolity and childish tact but instead was an equally serious regard accompanied by a soft smile.
"Think nothing of it, Byakuya. I helped where I could. It was only a little time on my part."
Byakuya shook his head. "Even if it was an afterthought, my gratitude still remains."
If it had been any other time, Kisuke would have been amused and teased the current Byakuya, but this time all he gave was a nod.
He was being truthful when he said healing Hisana took little from him apart from the time he spent commuting to and fro the Kuchiki Estate. Still, he got a patriarch's gratitude and a favor, a net profit everything considered.
He didn't really need anything from the man, he admitted to himself, but having an 'IOU' from Byakuya would come in handy in the future.
He was about done with everything when he remembered something – the pivotal reason he even got invited by Byakuya in the first place.
"Say Byakuya, before you retreat into your stoic shell, I have a question. Call it a learning curiosity."
Byakuya looked at him inquisitively. "A learning curiosity? Interesting. And what makes you think I'll have an answer?"
Kisuke looked utterly serious, surprising Byakuya who promptly mirrored Kisuke.
"Because as the Head of the Kuchiki Clan, arbiter of the rules and laws governing the Soul Society, you, more than anyone, are in a position to give me an answer."
Byakuya's face turned frigid cold and his words carried with them a warning. "You're stepping in waters that have nothing to do with you, Kisuke Urahara."
Kisuke nodded. He raised a hand to placate Byakuya. "Rest easy, it's nothing serious or deep. You can even answer yes or no, or even ignore it."
Byakuya's eyes narrowed evenly at Kisuke. "…. Ask away."
Kisuke gave him a disarming smile.
"Then I will." He dipped down his hat until only the lower whites of his eyes were visible. "What is the stance on two different souls having the same Zanpakutō spirit?"
Byakuya was taken aback, genuinely confused. "Two different souls, with the same Zanpakutō spirit?"
Kisuke smiled and nodded as he rested his head on his interlocked fingers. "Like I said, it's a learning curiosity."
Kisuke remained giving off his disarming smile even as Byakuya narrowed his eyes at him with a small frown on his brows.
Byakuya reclined into his seat and tapped his fingers on the table as he stared pointedly at Kisuke. A minute passed, two minutes passed, and then ten minutes went by as well before Byakuya replied.
"It is an unnatural happenstance. An impossibility for all intent and purpose."
Kisuke didn't say anything as he waited for him to continue.
"A learning curiosity, huh?" Byakuya said to himself. "It is unnatural. Wrong even. Well, if such a thing were to happen then it'll fall unequivocally to Central 46 to decide."
"I see." Kisuke slowly nodded and put on a pensive look, a hand scratching his chin and his brows creased. He looked at Byakuya and asked pointedly.
"Hypothetically, if you were to give a ruling in such a case, what would your decision be? Purely hypothetical."
Byakuya's face searched Kisuke's for anything other than the plastered smile but no matter how he searched he found nothing, except said smile.
He shrugged. A learning curiosity, he said. An hypothetical ruling, he said.
"One of them will have their Zanpakutō confiscated. If they cannot continue as a Shinigami then they will have their Reiryoku channels blocked."
"Pretty harsh, don't you think?" Kisuke said with a wry chuckle but Byakuya shook his head.
"You wouldn't understand, not all of it at least. It's unnatural, that much me and you can agree with." Kisuke nodded truthfully as it was unnatural.
"Precedents." Byakuya finally said. "Precedents are as dangerous as inaction. When it comes to rules, duties, morals and ethics, precedents are not tolerated. They should not be. That is my ruling."
"I see. Thanks for indulging me. This gives me a perspective." Kisuke said with a smile. 'Your ruling. Not so hypothetical eh?'
Kisuke gave himself a pat on the back. Truly a learning curiosity.