A soft patter of footsteps drifted from the entrance of Gotei twelve. They belonged to a slim Shinigami fukutaichou with shiny plaited black hair, Kurotsuchi Nemu. Walking briskly, Nemu slipped past the giant gates after swiftly entering the code, no one enters the Bureau of Technology Development without being unauthorised. This ensures that Kurotsuchi Taichou has full knowledge of who's wandering around his premises, being a over-careful psycho but the precautions had paid off even though Mayuri ended up being unsightly. Of course, these thoughts wouldn't dare flow through young Nemu's mind. The word 'rebellion' seemed to have been removed from her bank of vocabulary as Mayuri wished. In Nemu's mind, only one thing mattered for now, whether Kurotsuchi Taichou was resting or not-
"And where do you think you're going, Nemu?" the slick voice echoed from behind Nemu. The Shinigami turned around slowly, her body immediately tensed up in response to Mayuri's presence.
"Returning to my living quarters as Mayuri-sama has instructed," Nemu said after bowing. Mayuri permanently open mouth sneered a little.
"Oh? I remember telling you to return two hours before midnight I believe. Are you indicating that my instructions were unclear?" the twelfth Gotei taichou said in a threatening voice. Nemu's calm yet polite expression remained unchanged as ever.
"Hai, Mayuri-sama however there were a few commotions to be sorted out-" she never got to complete her sentence because next moment, her face jerked violently to the right as Mayuri's hand slapped her. A thin line of blood trickled from the Shinigami fukutaichou's perfect mouth.
"You whore, does my intuition mean nothing to you? How important were these commotions that you had to disobey my orders?" Mayuri questioned, seething at what he saw as pathetic from Nemu's weakened form. Mayuri's daughter replied almost robotically.
"The party that Matsumoto fukutaichou held had ended up in a bit of a mess. We received orders from Unohana Taichou to patch up the drunken Shinigami before we left," there was no change in Mayuri's expression, if the guy even showed any kind of human emotion.
"My, my, my. Drunkards, in Sereitei? Maybe I should start administering the drug that will discourage Shinigamis like Matsumoto to drink too much," the science-obsessed taichou said with evident disdain as he mentioned Rangiku. Personally, he thought the Gotei ten fukutaichou was a complete slut, he didn't understand why she was still a fukutaichou after so many alcohol incidents. Thinking that his idea was ingenious, the taichou walked off towards his research department followed closely by Nemu.
"Hmm, it's still premature though, still lacking some chemical... You are to gather my documents on stimulants, additives, depressants and any other chemicals that may be relevant since you decided to ignore my orders."
"Hai, taichou."
"I want them all prepared for the morning, is that understood?"
"Hai."
"I'm also leaving the security surveillance under your control."
"I understand, Mayuri-sama."
"Good, " turning without another glance, the taichou walked off feeling nothing towards his biologically made daughter. What he just showed to Nemu wasn't trust, but an open threat. Nothing entertained the taichou these days. Rare specimen were scarce, the only enjoyment he gets these days is seeing how far he can push the whore girl before she breaks down. The bitch knows fully well that if she fails to survey the security system closely, she won't be able to open her eyes for three days Kurotsuchi thought to himself, smiling a little. It'll be interesting to investigate how durable my artificially-made Shinigami really is...
Nemu bowed as Mayuri left then once the taichou was out of sight, she turned towards the data archives department. A long night was to stretch ahead for the Shinigami, she knew that perfectly well but she didn't think even once that it was unfair. It is what I deserve for disobeying Mayuri-sama.
Just as Nemu settled down in the data archives library, a Shinigami suddenly appeared. The Shinigami stood at the doorway, staring intently at the working fukutaichou.
"It's all right, Kira fukutaichou. You can come in," Nemu said in her gentle voice as she continued to browse through all the documents. Izuru suppressed a sigh, he really didn't like being close to the Gotei twelve taichou.
"Ah, Kurotsuchi fukutaichou, I was sent here by Unohana Taichou to get the newly arrived orders of the modified alcohol awakening potions," Nemu nodded slightly then turned around and stood up.
"Follow me, Kira fukutaichou," Izuru nodded then indicated his subordinates to help taken the orders. His subordinates nodded then went into one of the back rooms of the department. Izuru was about to follow but Nemu's words stopped him.
"You shouldn't strain yourself too much, Kira fukutaichou. You've just been awakened and it will not be good for Gotei three if their fukutaichou faints again," Izuru blushed slightly at her words but nodded. Left alone in the research room, Izuru looked outside at the sky. Such a peaceful night. If I hadn't spent all that time in the bar... There was a slight crash. Izuru's right hand immediately flew to his Zanpaktou however his grip relaxed as he saw Nemu emerging with his subordinates who were carrying fairly large boxes.
"Sorry about the wait, fukutaichou-. Ano, is there something wrong, Kira fukutaichou?" Nemu asked as she saw Izuru's stance. He immediately dropped his hand from Wabisuke. Did he just imagine the crash?
"No, no, it's fine. Thank you for your time," the two fukutaichous bowed then parted, Nemu to her work and Izuru towards Gotei four. The night quietened again and Nemu sunk into her duty left by Mayuri once again. Kira-kun did act a little giddy. Has he really recovered? She pushed the thought to the back of her mind. Now's not the time with that, Nemu forgot about the events that happened earlier and focussed on the task at hand.
Izuru shook his head. Was that a silver bunny? He thought to himself, slightly disturbed at what he just saw as he walked towards Gotei four. He was seeing things, it wasn't good. Have I been drugged? Izuru stopped walking. Ahead he saw the bunny again, lifting a paw and waving. Izuru's eyes widened.
"Fukutaichou? Is something the matter?" one of the Gotei three subordinates asked. The blond Shinigami blinked at the subordinate's voice. The bunny disappeared.
"Ne, nothing. Let's not keep Unohana Taichou waiting," I have to talk to Unohana Taichou, I can't have these hallucinations wrecking havoc in my mind... Izuru hurried on eagerly as he reached Gotei four, passing an overly hyper Yachiru who was drooling all over Ikkaku's head. Kenpachi held a groaning Yumichika under his arm.
"Oi, there's no need to make Ikkaku's head any shinier," Ikkaku looked up drowsily at Kenpachi's comment.
"Aw, but Ken-chan, it goes well with the reflection of the moon!" Yachiru chirped, her eyes shining with mischief. Ikkaku moaned slightly. Why do they always pick on me?
"Kusajishi fukutaichou, could you uh, stop it?" Ikkaku regret having asked because he received a firm bite from Yachiru on the head which really didn't help the bad headache he already got.
"Don't, Ikky-san! You're ruining the pretty light!" Kenpachi grinned at Ikkaku's bad fortune. That's my Yachiru. Ikkaku sighed and tried to swallow the growing impatience inside him. He was not going to have the whole of Sereitei calling him Ikky-san...
Yachiru continued to slobber all over Ikkaku the rest of the way back. Just as Ikkaku thought he was about to explode with anger, he saw something shiny ahead but as he looked again it was gone.
"Eh? Ikky-san?What's wrong?" getting a null response, Yachiru poked Ikkaku hard in the eye.
"ARGH! FUKUTAICHOU!" Yachiru was then thrown off Ikkaku's back as he howled with pain. Hitting the floor, Yachiru's gaze immediately turned deathly.
"Ikky-san is going to pay for this... KEN-CHAN!" she yelled. Panicking, Ikkaku knelt down and hurriedly picked up Yachiru again forcing a kind smile as he did so. Kenpachi pretended not to see. And so the four Shinigamis of Gotei eleven made their way back to their Gotei. Ikkaku kept his eyes wide open for any more of that shiny thing that he saw earlier. But it didn't come again.
It seemed that the hallucinations had only just started spreading...