Hellsing - A World Without Logos
Deep underground, within the depths of the 12th division of the Gotei 13, was where the experiments even other captains may have found too morally questionable. At least that is what the rumours said. This was due to it being an area immune to any supervision with even the head captain not knowing what occurred.
Whether it was the eight, the second or the stealth unit.
Literally no one dared try to peer behind the dark veil that had formed in the darkest bowls of the research division due to none wanting to aggravate the beast that slept in the shadows.
Everyone who was someone knew that the cat was not just the doting grandma she "pretended" to be to those fresh out the academy. Of course none were fully aware of the true heights of her depravity. All they knew was that the commander himself had ordered people to not look too deeply into her business.
To those who knew the outstanding order could only take that as a tip of the sheer level of atrocities going on that would shatter the peace they had. At the same time better the monster you don't know much about but at least doesn't want you dead. That blissful ignorance which was often talked about by the lower cast.
Or, at least, that is what people assumed was the result of giving Cheshire freedom to do anything.
Yet the scene that was currently going one was likely beyond anything they could have imagined. Music was playing throughout the room - a room that had a faint light throughout with many flower pots hanging from the sides of the walls. There were countless signs that someone had been living there.
But the one who lived there was not particularly messy; if anything it was neat and orderly with a similar decor as a granny cabin in the woods.
Of course there were clear signs of experimentation as half built mechanical devices were scattered about on a certain desk. Obviously that wasn't as thoroughly cleaned as the rest of the place but also not exactly what one would expect from a supposed mad scientist. Especially with what she was currently doing.
Currently that very same cat was peacefully lying back in an armchair with a familiar blonde-haired third seat standing over her. One hand held a tin filled with some kind of white cream. A cream she was actively applying to the cat's skin with neither showing any signs of discomfort.
Indicating it was hardly the first time the pair had done something like this.
"Ah~ I really do not know what I would do without my sweet lil' Hiyori~!"
She wasn't even wearing a medical face mask for once.
Not opening her eyes since the girl was still applying the skin-cream but at the same time was more than willing to throw praise toward her subordinate cum personal nurse. The one who was being complimented did freeze up. Blush formed on her face as she continued to massage the cream.
"So you're still teasing our cute little third seat, captain~?"
"Nobody asked you asshat and don't call me little!"
Bearing her fangs towards the homely wooden entry door that was half open to reveal the lieutenant of the twelfth division resting his back against the door frame. His smile was just as infuriating as it always was for those who saw it. Especially so for the one who used to be in the very position he currently was.
She didn't exactly love the fact she had been demoted but at the same time she was even more annoyed that it was a bumbling buffoon like Kisuke that did it.
It seemed Cheshire realised this as she moved her hand up to rest upon the girls.
"I know you must hate the fact that this old cat randomly showed up only to change everything you knew while replacing you with this idiotic man…"
"N-no I could never hate you, captain!"
That dainty but strangely powerful hand slid down from Hiyori's hand to hold her wrist. Pulling the hand away from her face as she stood up - finally opening her crimson eyes to look at the four foot four girl with an apologetic smile. Moving her other hand to support her seated members while stroking it.
Her reassuring gesture caused that third seat to be unable to look her captain in the eyes due to how ashamed she felt at causing her captain to feel this way. Soon finding the courage to look at her captain through the corner of her eyes. Seeing the "honest" apologetic appearance of that brilliant woman.
Seeing such honesty made her actually feel all the more guilty; lowering her head in shame at trying to hide what she initially felt about the cat.
"I-I did initially feel mad… All I was told was that Captain Hikifune had died and that someone I've never even heard about before was going to replace her. Even stranger was the fact that they obviously weren't a normal soul given they had the ears and tail of a cat… Plus you don't look strong…"
Rubbing the back of her neck as she hesitantly looked up from the floor to look toward Cheshire.
"Didn't help you suddenly tell everyone that there was going to be a "shift in vision" and convert it fully into a research division after instituting that jackass…"
Half heartedly waving her hand towards Kisuke who put his hand on his chest, opening his mouth while gasping in surprise, looking around as if trying to find someone else. Soon settling for a mixture between mock horror & being offended. Of course Hiyori just clicked her tongue at the prat.
"But I know that I wouldn't have done a good job as I'm only able to keep up with all this various jargon due to following you around and your discoveries have already helped so much…"
Finally looking up with some faint tears in the corner of her eyes.
"Plus you finished Captain Hikifune's project; she always talked about how infusing food with spiritual energy was her path to the soul king's palace so for it to be left uncompleted…"
Clenching her fists as her head turned to the floor once more as her little body trembled as did the tears that slowly slipped down her cheeks.
Only broken out from it as she heard someone let out a long drawn sigh. The hands that were previously stroking Hiyori's grew firm as they completely wrapped around the smaller girls. Causing that girl to finally meet the eyes of the cat who was tightly holding her hands as if scared she'd fall away.
"There is no reason to feel guilty about something so silly my girl - especially when you always help me out with dumb things like applying my special overcomplicated sun cream chehehe~."
Standing up from her seat as she let go of the crying third seat's hands to instead hold her shoulders.
"You are doing a good job and have nothing embarrassing so how about you take a break for now so you can calm down. Nothing going on today anyway so you can take the entire day off. Maybe use it as a chance to get all your things in ."
The girl just wiped her eyes with the back of her hands with Cheshire soon releasing the girl. allowing her to slowly make her way out. Once Hiyori was gone she looked down to her medical gloves only to rip them off then throw them into waste disposal.
Following it up by putting another pair on after reaching into her inner pocket.
"Calculating as always, captain."
Cheshire raised an eyebrow at his comment however she just shook her head with her lips slowly curling up to form an infamous smile.
Her hands came to rest behind her back as she turned away from him towards a bookcase.
Waltzing up with her tail soon moving in front of her only to slide in between a pair of books. Only for a clicking noise to quickly signal there was more behind that bookcase. Quite literally as it slid aside to reveal a dark metallic corridor where the low hum of fluorescent lights echoed freely.
Kisuke pushed off the doorframe (taking her lack of reaction as a silent invite) to follow her down the tunnel as a monotonous repetitive metal "clunking" grew louder as they finally arrived.
In a massive chamber.
It was not the first time he had been there but he couldn't help feeling a soft chill down his spine as he looked around the place. Specifically on the walls where order seemed to stop. All around were various weapons that, simply put, he hoped would never see the light of day.
Those weapons positively littered the place with almost no order as the chaos of the anarchy cat truly was allowed to flourish. Each weapon able to make it so a seated member could be killed by an untrained soul from the Rukon district. He wasn't even confident his bankai could stitch him back together after some.
Part of him wondered why the head captain would let someone like this run around without supervision but his logical part won out with one simple fact. The head captain couldn't stop her as he had tried. Of course he didn't know the exact details but it was true that the two of them had fought with both walking away.
Many convinced themselves that it was due to it merely being a spar however why would someone like him spar with a suspected criminal?
That mad cat didn't give a toot about his inner monologue as she walked up to the side of the walkway they were standing upon. Looking into the center of the room where a bunch of sparks were being released from a set of exposed wires. What could only be called a fancy cannon in the center.
"A proto-type of a weapon I once made with a friend of mine, called the orbital death laser due to us having it orbit between realms, though we simply referred to it as the ODL. It's been hard with the weak materials of this place. Still with this thing I can kill the soul king at any time I'd like."
At that point Kisuke stopped thinking; not just of his prior pondering but all thought in general.
He couldn't even begin to break down what she just said.
Despite the best efforts of the noble, a person as curious as him knew the truth, he even knew what would happen if the soul king died. For her to just casually talk about such things was… Shocking. Especially the way she said it made the comment all the more shocking.
As…
"But isn't he in the soul palace?"
"Sure but this thing can easily hit him no matter where he is; not like he could defend himself so I don't even need to account for his resistance on the matter."
Simply smiling as she moved her hands behind her back as she admired her work.
Part of him turned away from the monstrous weapon to look at the tiny back in front of him - the thought of simply pushing her off the side to end the madness did occur. Yet he knew that was impossible. If she could survive a fight with the head captain then there is no way that she would die that easily.
"They do say cats have nine lives…"
Mumbling to himself as she continued on.
"So how about you share what you found out from your little exertion last night~?"
He was far less surprised at this so answered promptly.
"Squad six member was spying on us for that supposed sister of yours; the Munzumira I think she has become known as?"
"Child of shadows in the old tongue of oni… Quite the fitting name."
Nodding her head as she continued admiring her half finished cannon as it sought ways to improve her ability to ration out violence despite already having more weapons than she could ever use.
"You don't seem very surprised."
"Nope~ I did tell you that she likes collecting information, as much as I like building weapons, so it only makes sense she'd be keeping an eye on me. The real question in all this? Did that boy, who she had bought out, manage to make it back safely to the sixth division."
Now it was Kisuke's turn to quirk an eyebrow while he studied the countless levels above him where there were even more weapons.
Trying to understand just how much that other cat liked information.
"Why do you care about some traitors' safety?"
She just laughed.
"Traitor? Hardly~!"
Shaking her head as she continued.
"To be our enemy would indicate there is actually animosity between our parties - as long as we stay out of her business' she'll have no reason to stick into ours. At most she'll sell some crack to those wack ass spirits the boys in black hunt down. Not to say I care if he gets back alive…"
Pausing for a moment.
"At least not in the traditional sense."
Turning to look at him as her eyes seemed to almost leak a bloody vapour with the dark backdrop of the countless horrifying weapons she had crafted.
"Munzumira doesn't like her time to be wasted, as she would prefer to play games, since she is just as indulgent to her vices as those she happily sells to. If that squad member just told her we know about her along with being tailed… Well she is still a gangster no matter how swanky she appears."
"... But if he made it back-"
"-Then he clearly passed along something interesting enough to keep him around."
For a moment there was a brief pause before the lieutenant's face grew perilously serious.
"I'll go ask Yoruichi to look into it."
"Good; we both should have an idea what caught her attention if he blabbed."
Turning around as her subordinate rushed out - meaning he didn't hear her last mumble.
"Not that it'd matter much, he'll just be a red herring, now."
It would be obvious to follow the same rat twice - any good cat knows that.