Chapter 002
Before long, inside Kazuki's room in the Eighth Division headquarters-
Two figures slipped past their fellow squad members' sightlines, opened the door carefully, and entered. One of them rummaged through the bedside table before pulling out a neatly stacked pile of thin books with eye-catching covers. The other leaned close, whispering about things that were certainly not appropriate for public discussion.
"So, these are the best of the best, Lisa-neesan. Take whichever one you like-but only one copy."
"…To think I'd actually be bribed with this kind of thing," Lisa replied dryly.
Her tone was full of complaints, but her actions betrayed her words. She scanned the covers quickly, and within moments, she had found one that suited her tastes perfectly. Without hesitation, she slipped it into her sleeve, adjusted her glasses as if nothing had happened, and straightened up.
"Alright, I'll forgive you for this time."
"Wait-what do you mean, 'this time'?"
Lisa rolled her eyes. "You really are forgetful, huh? Guess who conveniently left the personnel files that were supposed to be submitted to Central 46 two weeks ago?"
"Ah… that…" Kazuki's awkward laugh trailed off as sweat started to form on his brow.
Lisa looked like she wanted to scold him further, but the magazine in her sleeve made her conscience ache just enough to stop her. She sighed instead.
"Let's go. Captain Kyoraku told me to come find you-he said there's important business to discuss."
"Okay… okay…" came his unconvincing reply.
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Several minutes later, in the captain's lounge-
Kazuki and Lisa entered one after another. Lisa's face was as composed and cold as ever, while Kazuki looked lost in thought.
"What's the matter here?" Kyoraku Shunsui-wearing his familiar straw hat and ornate haori-raised his eyebrows as he sipped his tea. "Lisa-chaaan, are you still mad at Kazuki? It's just some delayed paperwork. No reason to be so harsh, right?"
Silence fell across the room.
As expected of Captain Kyoraku-he had managed, with one careless sentence, to stir Lisa's anger back to full force.
"Out of everyone, you're the least qualified to say that!" Lisa slammed her hand on the table, her patience snapping. "Do you remember who saved your neck when Captain Yamamoto came to check your official reports?"
Kyoraku gave her one of his lazy smiles. "Why, that would be you, Lisa-chaaan."
…And not just once, Kazuki noted mentally.
He didn't say it aloud, of course. After the number of times he had relied on Lisa's help, he was hardly in any position to talk.
His conscience gave him another uncomfortable twinge. If this kept up, Lisa might really work herself to death. He resolved-rather guiltily-not to bother her too much in the future.
Captain Kyoraku, on the other hand, displayed no sense of shame at his vice-captain's frustration and looked perfectly at ease.
Kazuki couldn't help but think-when it came to being thick-skinned, he could stand to learn from his captain.
"Yooou…" Lisa's hands trembled slightly. Against someone as relaxed and incorrigible as Kyoraku Shunsui, even she knew it was futile to argue. Hitting him would be pointless-he'd probably laugh it off and thank her for the attention.
With no better outlet for her irritation, she turned to face the wall in exasperated silence while the captain and Kazuki shared several cups of tea across the table.
Perhaps it was the mutual understanding of two habitual slackers that made it easier for the two to get along so well.
Kyoraku Shunsui and Tone Kazuki had always had good chemistry, often drinking and chatting together outside of work. Among the Gotei 13, the pair were infamous as pioneers in the art of "leisurely duty."
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After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Shunsui clapped his hands together lightly.
"Well then, anyway…"
He lowered the brim of his straw hat and spoke in that lazy, sing-song tone of his.
"Lisa-chaaan, Kazuki-kun-you've both been assigned missions."
Lisa turned around immediately, her earlier irritation vanishing. Work came before everything else, and she would not delay duty for personal reasons.
"First, Lisa-chaaan." Kyoraku went on casually, ignoring the cold stare she gave him. "Team Nine reported that several lower-ranked Shinigami have recently gone missing while patrolling Rukongai. The squad members sent to investigate them have also vanished."
"I've heard about that," Lisa replied quickly. "Thirty-six have disappeared so far. Even four of our own seated officers from the Eighth Division are among them. Central 46 is planning to dispatch captains to investigate. Captain, did you receive those orders?"
Kyoraku shook his head. "No, no-it's Captain Kensei Muguruma's assignment."
He smiled politely, though his tone hinted at discomfort.
"Lisa-chaaan, you know how the Ninth Division tends to be… inattentive. Entrusting them alone with this kind of mission isn't the best idea."
Kazuki and Lisa both pictured the rough, biker-like bunch that made up the Ninth Division and nodded silently in agreement.
"But since the dispatch documents have already been approved by Central 46, we'll have to provide outside support. That's where you come in, Lisa-chaaan."
"When do I leave?" she asked without hesitation.
"This afternoon. Meet with Captain Muguruma for further details."
"Got it."
Lisa nodded briskly, picked up her iron dragonfly weapon, and started toward the door.
"Walk slow, Lisa-neesan-and say hello to Captain Muguruma for me," Kazuki called after her. He hesitated for half a second before adding, "Oh, and don't forget to put that thing back in my room. It's… not exactly suitable to carry around."
Lisa froze mid-step. Her gaze shifted over her shoulder just long enough to deliver one unreadable look before she vanished from sight in the next instant, leaving nothing but the faint echo of her departure.
Kazuki exhaled deeply, just about to take another sip of tea when he caught Kyoraku's knowing smile from across the table.
"Kazuki-kun, don't relax just now," Shunsui said, clapping him on the shoulder. "You've also been assigned work. It's your turn to show some effort."
"Effort?" Kazuki gave him a flat look. "Coming from you, Captain, that sounds rather ironic."
Kyoraku chuckled into his tea. "Now, now-I am a captain of the Gotei 13, afterall. It would be sad if I started getting treated like I'm idle."
With Lisa gone, the conversation between the two drifted into easy familiarity. Kazuki leaned forward slightly on the table while Shunsui leaned lazily against the wall, drawing his pipe from his sleeve and taking a slow puff.
"Kazuki," he said through the rising smoke, "you should start paying attention to your reputation. You haven't done anything majorly wrong, but skipping too much work doesn't look good. Central 46's evaluation of you is already hovering around 'barely useful.' If you don't produce some results soon, your position won't stay secure."
Kazuki raised his teacup and answered with mock sincerity. "I rely on your teachings, Captain. If we're talking about resting skills, you're far ahead of me. Why aren't you worried about demotion?"
"I'm the captain, afterall," Shunsui said smoothly.
"So the captain gets to do whatever he wants?"
"Isn't that how it works?"
Kazuki sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine-you win. So what's this mission you're 'assigning' me?"
Kyoraku tipped his hat forward and smiled faintly.
"Hueco Mundo exploration."