We're back! Picked my younger brother's brain for some ideas and got a couple good ones, so here we go!
How... interesting, Kurotsuchi Mayuri thinks as he looks up from his work to find someone unexpected standing there: Kojima Masaaki, who doesn't even like to associate with the Onmitsukido. 99.83% chance that he wants something from me. Something unorthodox, if he isn't going to Urahara. Or perhaps he's simply recognized my superior talent to that lazy idiot.
"What is it?" He asks in irritation. There are still experiments to be done, procedures to follow, new information to uncover, even if he is somewhat pleased that someone would seek him out.
"Kurotsuchi-san, if we might speak privately? Perhaps away from the Twelfth Division headquarters?" The olive eyes that dare to meet Kurotsuchi's golden ones are serious. Based on the man's proven character– pathetically trusting and weak, that is– and his expression now, it isn't anything that could hurt Kurotsuchi or his research or illegal. Not blatantly illegal, anyways, which is all that really matters to the third seat.
"Hmmph. Can't it wait? I've got my own work to do. Important, complex studies that would go above your head if I attempted to explain even the basics." The oddly made-up man sniffs.
"It could, but it's time-sensitive and would be adversely affected by the further passage of time." Masaaki answers.
"So you do have a vocabulary beyond a child's." Mayuri comments. "Very well. I suppose I can pull myself away for a time to listen to your petty interests." Inwardly, a sense of curiosity is growing in the bizarre Shinigami's mind. What could possibly be the concern of a man like this that would be so urgent and secretive?
The two leave the lab, with Kurotsuchi designating his tasks to his subordinates before doing so. Together they enter the library of all places, heading deep into the stacks where hardly anyone goes. Today, there's nothing around them but books and the quiet whisper of cool air.
"Now, explain to me what it is. Don't bother leaving out information if you feel you must protect someone; it never works in the end. As if you would be involved in such a thing." The blue-haired man snaps as soon as they've stopped walking.
Masaaki sighs gustily, visibly distressed and hesitant. "I-I need you to find a way to establish surveillance on a couple of the captains. Maybe tying whatever technology you're able to come up with to their specific reiatsu signatures. Audio is the priority, but video is also an important feature."
Kurotsuchi doesn't bother to hide his complete shock. The devices he's built into his brain to analyze surface appearances and make it that much harder for someone to fool him with a disguise register this man as Kojima Masaaki, but there's no way the mild-mannered fourth seat would ever propose such a thing. No way would he ever invade privacy in such a manner, or eavesdrop on their conversations. It's simply impossible. Urahara's third seat immediately sets a mental program running to analyze the other man's physical symptoms and behavior to make sure that nothing, particularly illness, is making him act this way.
Thankfully for Mayuri's reputation, he's able to do all this in the space of a few seconds and reply quickly without making himself look like a fool, mouth open like a fish's. "What psychosis makes you think I'm willing to do that?" He leaves out the part about what on earth possesses the black-haired Shinigami to think that he's even able. Kurotsuchi's ego is too great to consider any task impossible for him.
Masaaki knows this, and exploits it. "If you're unable, I'm sure I could go to Captain Urahara." Unbeknownst to Mayuri, though he realizes instantly that if Kojima had been able to go to the blond he would've, Masaaki wouldn't have done so anyway. Aizen's already planted the seeds of suspicion in the older man's thoughts.
"Preposterous. Nothing is impossible for a man of science such as myself." Kurotsuchi replies hurriedly. "That feckless idiot is far too incompetent to develop such a technology. Tell me first why you'd ever consider this. I abhor working without a purpose."
The green-eyed Shinigami shakes his head. "I can't explain that. Isn't it enough to know that you can use the chance to analyze the captains of the Gotei 13 and discover what they'd like to hide? Learning for the sake of learning." Masaaki says evasively, looking uncomfortable and guarded suddenly as he gives up trying to meet the mad scientist's eyes.
"How... scientific of you." Mayuri comments, eyes narrowing but otherwise unfazed. "Very well. It's not of my concern as long as you recognize the value of knowledge, obtained through any means. Specific captains?"
Kojima blinks, as if just realizing something. "Wait– can you do this with lieutenants as well, including the Kido Corps? It occurred to me that the most suspicious captains are closely connected to other captains and some lieutenants. And they're all ill, too, which Ai– which I've theorized is a pretense and distraction to deflect suspicion for other actions. I think you'd be able to keep an eye on Lieutenant Sarugaki and Captain Kyouraku is perceptive and wise enough to monitor Lieutenant Yadomaru, but I don't know enough about the Kido Corps to say that Tsukabishi-san could or would do the same with Hachigen-san."
"That would be significantly easier." Kurotsuchi responds. "I don't feel a need to question your suspicion of the invalids; it's no concern of mine and no interest to me. Now answer my question. Which captains– and lieutenants, I suppose– are you looking into?" He asks impatiently.
"Captains Muguruma, Hirako, Otoribashi, and Aikawa, as well as the Kido Chief and his second-in-command. If you wouldn't mind keeping close tabs on Captain Urahara and Lieutenant Sarugaki, and perhaps keeping an eye out for Lieutenant Yadomaru, that would be excellent." Masaaki answers.
"And you assume that I can't do such for that monkey brat and our fool of a captain?" Kurotsuchi demands angrily.
"I don't assume that you can't." Masaaki says quickly. "I do, however, know that Captain Urahara single-handedly began the Bureau and raised the level of technology in Soul Society exponentially. He of all people is skilled enough to have plans to deal with such things. It's too much risk, and I'd think that you're sharp and observant enough to pick up on any suspicious behavior."
Mayuri has to concede that. "Hmmph. True enough. My senses are more acute than any other Shinigami, even that buffoon Urahara. I'll begin as soon as possible." The yellow-eyed man turns on his heel to leave.
"Wait! You aren't asking for me to compensate you somehow?" The fourth seat asks confusedly.
Kurotsuchi glances over his shoulder, stopping. "Compensation? Don't be absurd, you dolt. Such knowledge and the prospect of expanding the realm of science is its own reward." The ex-criminal snaps. "I've no need for whatever petty things you could offer me. Good day." With that, he vanishes in a burst of flash-step to get to work.
And for once, the positively gleeful mad scientist means it.
Two and a half weeks later
Kurotsuchi stares, dumbfounded, at his equipment. It's been the challenge of his life to conceal his work from Urahara, but it's been fascinating. Now, though, it's baffling and deeply disturbing. The latter quality isn't because of what he's found– anybody else would feel that way, not Kurotsuchi– but instead because he can't believe that his own brilliant inventions could be wrong.
Yet they have to be wrong. It's impossible that the individuals Kojima mentioned could register as Hollows. No, not quite as Hollows, but instead as if they have two separate reiatsu signatures. Not just signatures, but two separate bodies of power coming from each person. One is standard Shinigami, but the other, vastly stronger one is unmistakably that of a Hollow, bleeding into the former and, something decidedly unscientific tells him, slowly overwhelming it.
But that's what his test results say, over and over again. So slowly the scientist begins to become awed as he realizes what this means: an entirely new class of being, extremely volatile and dangerous, possibly with previously unheard-of abilities and an entirely different morality and set of thought patterns. There's a strong chance that they're a tremendous danger to Soul Society and everyone around them, but all Kurotsuchi can see is the potential for new discovery. He'll get to work keying the surveillance devices to their reiatsu immediately. There really isn't any time to waste, with the laws of soul biology being rewritten and science being remade with every passing second.
Mayuri'll step up his observations of Urahara and Tessai, too. This has their name written all over it. No one but Urahara could be responsible for this, but it would take a joining of Kido and technology to accomplish the task in the first place.
And of course, he'll notify Kojima Masaaki soon. Kurotsuchi Mayuri is a slippery, maniacal freak, but he's a slippery, maniacal freak that keeps his end of the bargain. The one responsible for his investigation deserves the results as well.
Ta da! Who says that brainstorming's an unproductive waste of time in writing? Me, actually, but in this case thinking out loud to someone was quite helpful.