"The project is called Spearhead. It's going to be a turning point in history for all parties involved-the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, the Twelfth Division, the Gotei 13, even humans... Everybody! When injected with the modified soul the bodies gain powers they never could have achieved, alive or not. They can become strong enough to kill a hollow, they can become fast enough to race a train, they can become powerful enough to jump over a skyscraper... The possibilities are endless.

Each of these capsules can bring out a special ability in its host. It truly is a scientific breakthrough. Project Spearhead is going to change everything about our missions to the living world; we won't have to waste resources on sending our own to do hollow sweeps! We don't have to send shinigami, that could be doing important research here, out into the field to die unnecessarily. This is a project that could make everyone's lives so much easier!"

The conference room was quiet, shifting in their chairs as they listened to what the twelfth division member was pitching. He was nervous at first, stumbling over his introduction but once he got into the thesis of his presentation, he began to find his footing. It was to be put to a vote around the table on whether this project would go forward to the Central 46 for consideration.

Yushima, the scientist in question, had made prototypes of these modified souls to show the seated officers of the twelfth division-to give a better understanding of what exactly his research was about.

Chessebelle picked up the pill with her thumb and index finger, twisting it in her hand to look at it before placing it back onto the table and returning her attention to Yushima with an unreadable expression. He was smiling out at the table now, a polite and forced smile, his hands clasped in front of him as he awaited any questions the board might have for him.

"These... These modified souls, yes? They go inside of humans?" The tenth seat looked curious, bright eyes awaiting his answer.

Yushima nodded quickly in response.

"And these modified souls, do they have personality? Is the soul conscious?" The sixth seat of the twelfth division spoke up next, the woman's voice stern.

Again, Yushima nodded quickly and opened his mouth to clarify, stopping as another seated officer spoke.

"But what of their current souls? They're forced out into the world of the living to become a hollow if left for too long?" Yushima looked confused by this question, flustered by the barrage of inquiries being thrust upon him now.

"P-Perhaps you misunderstand..." He paused for a moment, looking down at the table as he found the right words. "These modified souls would not be for use with... living humans. We will use cadavers."

Everyone could feel the energy around the table shift. A tension began to grow in the room, palpable. Chessebelle glanced at the other seated members of the division, all of their eyes searching the table for their opinions on this new information.

The white-haired shinigami placed her hand on the packet of papers that Yushima had passed around to each of the officers to look over for reference, pulling it closer to herself and beginning to flip through some of the pages. Diagrams, graphs, last minute hand-written notes in the margins that had been copied at the last moment.

She came to the last page, a blank line waiting for a signature of approval or not. Her eyes flicked to Yushima for a brief moment as he stood before all of them for judgement on his experiment. A pang of sympathy rang through her bones.

Her hand found the pen and signed in small blocky letters. Chessebelle Chiyoko, 14th seat.

He was an interesting man. She wanted to see what he could do with these modified souls.