Overload Chapter One

Chatter filled the area around the newly opened Senkaimon. Thirteen shinigami stood ready to leave – a representative from each division. Among them were two captains, leading the mission: Ukitake Jyuushiro and Kyouraku Shunsui.

The other eight captains were there to see them off, including the captain-commander. Once the kidou corps had announced that the Dangai area was stable, farewells were called out, and Shunsui was forcibly dragged from a horde of women.

Jyuushiro gave him a reprimanding, 'we have work to do' look.

Shunsui simply grinned at him.

As the others started to file into the gates, Jyuushiro glanced back once more, chuckling softly to himself as he watched Kiyone and Senatrou waving enthusiastically. He waved in return, and then turned to enter the gate, momentarily enveloped by the bright light, before there was the dark calmness of the Dangai.

Shunsui was up ahead, chatting good-naturedly with one of the female shinigami – the one from division four, by the looks of it. She was rather small, and looked a bit intimidated while talking with Shunsui, but that didn't deter the captain at all.

Jyuushiro sighed heavily, frowning slightly and just heading up the rear, making sure no one was left behind.

They reached the other side soon enough, stepping out of the other set of gates, arriving just outside Urahara's Shoten. The eccentric shop owner was there, grinning at them all.

"Welcome!" Urahara Kisuke called lightly. "I trust you had no trouble getting through," he said smoothly, smiling at them.

Shunsui approached Kisuke, grinning easily at him. "None at all," he replied. "It's been a while, Kisuke-kun."

Kisuke nodded in agreement, flashing the smarmy smirk of his as he bowed to Shunsui. "It certainly has, Kyouraku-taicho."

Jyuushiro also came near, smiling faintly at Kisuke, who immediately greeted him with a friendly grin.

The other shinigami seemed a bit surprised by how familiar Shunsui and Jyuushiro were with Kisuke, but they had the sense to keep their mouths closed.

After Jyuushiro and Shunsui had spoken with Kisuke, Kisuke turned to the other eleven. Their attention moved to him immediately.

"Why don't we get you all into your gigais?" Kisuke suggested, grinning at them as they all gave him apprehensive looks. "Ah, don't worry! They've all been thoroughly examined," he assured them.

There was a quiet, hesitant murmur of assent.

"Great!" Kisuke exclaimed keenly, grinning as he flicked out his fan, hiding his smirk behind it. "This way, please."

The thirteen Shinigami started following, a few more wary than others.

Kisuke led the way inside the Shoten, and off into one of the larger rooms. It would have looked like a morgue to any person who didn't know what a gigai was, considering the fact that there were thirteen bodies lying on tables, though they were fully clothed, and weren't covered by sheets.

"Just find your own," Kisuke called back, settling off to the side to watch.

Jyuushiro started to wander with a quiet sigh, looking at the other twelve as they all started going for their bodies. Jyuushiro noted that Shunsui found his almost immediately, and climbed inside quickly, smiling easily. Jyuushiro had to admit that Shunsui looked good in clothes from the material world. Of course, Shunsui looked good in anything, but that was beside the point.

Jyuushiro forced his eyes away from the eighth division taicho, returning his attention to searching for his gigai, finding it not long after. He looked at it with a soft frown. Gigais were a pain. He hadn't had to use one in numerous years, and he was a little anxious about using one now. But then again… Shunsui hadn't been in a gigai in about the same amount of time, and he'd had no trouble with it… So with a sigh, Ukitake pulled the body up, entering it without any trouble.

He blinked down at himself for a moment, looking at the strange – and rather tight – clothing. He wasn't sure if they suited him, but he wasn't exactly used to them either. The body had been fitted with navy blue jeans, and a white button-up shirt; a red sweater over that. He heard a wolf-whistle, and didn't even have to look to know that it was Shunsui. Jyuushiro had always thought that Shunsui enjoyed teasing him much too much.

Jyuushiro rolled his eyes, sighing as he looked around, noticing that almost everyone was in a gigai now.

Kisuke called for attention then, pointing down the hall. "There are rooms for all of you, but don't think you're going to stay here the duration of your mission," he said lightly, grinning from behind his fan.

A small head poked inside the doorway, spiky red hair flashing. "Yeah!" called a boy's voice. "We don't like moochers!"

There were a few laughs, and a hand soon reached out, pulling Jinta back away from the door. Ururu was still doing her best to keep Jinta in line, even if she got whacked for it.

Kisuke turned back to the others, smirking at them. "Feel free to pick whichever room you like."

They started filing out of the room, though Shunsui and Jyuushiro hung back, waiting until the others were gone before going to settle on the floor with Kisuke, kneeling down across from the shop owner.

Kisuke put away the fan, suddenly serious. "So it's gotten this bad?" he asked quietly.

Jyuushiro and Shunsui exchanged a glance, then looked back at Kisuke, nodding seriously. "The dramatic influx of hollows is starting to upset the balance," Jyuushiro said softly. "It's causing a sort of… overload in the Soul Society," he sighed, shaking his head. "We can't keep up with the amount of humans that are being killed and the amount of hollows that are appearing."

"Ah, so that's why they've sent so many of you?" Kisuke asked.

Jyuushiro nodded. "Yes, and we'll be staying in this world for… quite some time," he said with a faint smile.

"Until we have the hollows under control," Shunsui added, an easy smile on his lips.

"Then you'll need your gigais replaced frequently, hmm?"

"Yeah," Shunsui confirmed with a quiet laugh. "It won't be a problem, will it?"

"Of course not, Kyouraku-taicho," Kisuke said lightly.

Shunsui laughed, rolling his eyes. "Shunsui, please, Kisuke-kun," he said warmly.

"Shunsui-san, then." Kisuke grinned at them, chuckling and pointing down the hall again. "Your rooms are at the very end of the hall."

"Thank you, Kisuke-kun," Jyuushiro said quietly, bowing slightly as he got to his feet, waiting until Shunsui was up before heading down the hall towards the rooms.

Jyuushiro paused at one of the empty rooms, looking back at Shunsui. "You don't think we'll be away too long, do you?" he asked quietly.

Shunsui gave a small shrug. "No way of telling," he replied simply, then grinned cheekily at Jyuushiro. "If you're feeling homesick, you could always sleep with me," he suggested.

Jyuushiro rolled his eyes. "Good night, Kyouraku-kun," he said simply, shaking his head as he went to retire for the night.

Shunsui laughed quietly, smiling a little ruefully as he watched Jyuushiro's door slide closed. "Good night, Jyuushiro," he said quietly, and then turned to go into his own room.