Chapter 14: The Brotherhood of the Sketchy Shopkeepers

[madimpossibledreamer]

This time I'm going to write an intro rather than simply notes because there's a lot going on here.
First, I was going to have everything going on with Maemi be a surprise when I realized that that's not really what happens with BtVS.  It's more suspense than surprise.  You get to see the Big Bad, sometimes pretty early on.  So I needed to introduce our Taichou earlier than I'd expected.  (I mean, one or two chapters ago, but still.)  As for the choice of who to send, it was a combination of story utility and ability to write them.  I needed a physical connection to her past.  I might've been able to wrangle Byakuya in, but he's definitely not one of my Top Ten Shinigami.  Plus the Clan thing hasn't been quite the same sort of issue in ages.  Toshirou would've made sense given that he's kind of more in charge of the Living World, but I really don't know how to write him.  I really like Ukitake & Kyouraku, they're the right age for having dealt with this stuff in their youth, and they have the necessary amount and kind of power to deal with her.
Some of the backstory especially with Jyuushirou, Shunsui, school, and what the Clans were like is inspired by other fics such as Meifu's Gate (fanfiction.net), Cat's Cradle (fanfiction.net) and Twin Souls (Ao3).  More infoming the setting than causing a blatant case of mimicry, but I feel in the interests of full disclosure it's important to share this.
Also, the title is inspired by the fact that I realized Kisuke Urahara has more than a few things in common with Ethan Rayne than he should within safety tolerances and they would get along far better than we'd hope and it would probably be dangerous for the world.  So don't ever introduce them.
~Dreamer~

Main Points:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Bleach (I Hope Tomorrow's a Better Day)
Chapter Summary: Two Captains visit a certain shop...
Word Count: 1108
Rating: Gen

        They don’t need to consult each other to decide that the best stop would be Urahara.  After all, the former Captain is their best resource on the Living World, and it’s the sort of situation that requires results.  No one has to mention to the Soutaichou how the results were obtained, given that they’re acting on Zero Squad orders at this point anyway and can’t afford to lose Captains.
        He’s yawning as he opens the door late in the day (so his habits haven’t changed, Jyuushirou thinks with equal parts amusement and alarm) but the instant he catches not one but two Captain’s reiatsu he straightens up ever so imperceptibly and hides his shrewd nature behind a foolish grin.  “Well, well, two distinguished guests.  Whatever has this humble shopkeeper done to earn such a visit?”
        He leans even harder on his cane, which judging by the reiatsu inside is none other than Benihime.  He’s ready to fight, which, well, is perhaps not the worst assumption he’s made, but it’s an assumption all the same.
        “It’s not you, Kisuke-kun,” Ukitake corrects kindly.  “We merely seek the expertise of a Shinigami in the Living World, not an exile.”
        The smile on the man’s face turns crooked, but it’s not like they expect any differently.  If there’s any man used to skirting the rules using technicalities of that sort, it’s clearly a man formerly of the Twelfth Division.
        “An expert, you say?  You’re in the right place.  I compliment you on your gigai.”  His stance relaxes.  He knows they’re far too honorable to hide behind false intentions.  “What type of knowledge are you looking for, anyway?  I’m sure I can arrange something—for a price…”
        “Would you have heard of a woman named Shiba Maemi, by any chance?” Shunsui’s lopsided smile is no less armor than the scientist’s, in this case anyway.
        Instantly the smile disappears.  Kisuke-kun looks like he’s taking this seriously, which is worse news than Ukitake would have thought.  “What about her, hmm?”
        “Her zanpuktou’s been used in the Living World,” Shunsui explains shortly.
        Urahara’s smile turns a little ironic.  Bitter.  He glances around, almost as an afterthought.
        “Well, perhaps this isn’t the best place to be discussing this.  Shall we?”  With a hand on his hat, he turns and leads them back inside, and they follow.
        Ukitake makes to help with the tea, but is waved off.  Apparently, pride in being a host is somehow involved.  “I never thought you would ask me of all people about this,” he starts, conversational.  “She was a schoolmate of yours, wasn’t she?”
        “You have access to more records than we do, even if it’s taken from less questionable means.  I’d wager some of those records no longer exist in the library,” Shunsui responds, taking a sip and making an appreciative noise.  “Still needs more sake,” he comments.
        “Well, you’re utterly right about that.”  Kisuke-kun looks pleased.  “I took the liberty of stealing or destroying some of the research.  No need for others to repeat the mistakes of the past.  I assume you already know of her shikai.”
        “She developed it while still in class with us.”  Ukitake allows some of his guilt to show.
        “The Shiba clan pulled her out of class, according to my records.  They saw the potential of her zanpuktou others, including herself, did not.  As befit clan politics in that time, she was to become their interrogator,” Urahara begins.
        Shunsui shifts, the guilt in his swirling petal reiatsu growing.  “I’d heard something like that, but I’d told myself there was nothing I could do.  She just wanted to make the kids happy with fireworks, not play with Clan politics…!”
        “That is probably the cause of her descent into madness, yes,” Urahara notes almost apologetically.  “It was there she developed her bankai.”
        Kyouraku and Ukitake exchange glances.  “We weren’t told that,” Jyuushirou comments quietly, before realizing—“This potential she had.  It had something to do with the whispers, didn’t it?”
        “Her bankai allows her to effectively completely reprogram an opponent,” Kisuke-kun agrees, nodding a little at the horrified glances he gets in return.  “Obviously impractical in combat with more than one individual, since the effect can be interrupted, but perfect to win the war of spies and information.  Worse, she stole one of the forbidden artifacts held by the Shiba Clan when she was exiled.  Essentially, the spell is a kidou sealed within an artifact.”
        “But that’s—” impossible, Jyuushirou nearly says, but Shunsui elbows him, and Kisuke-kun glances over with wide but vacant eyes.  “How?” he changes his question.
        Urahara shrugs.  “Well, it’s forbidden for a good reason.  Souls were sacrificed—usually poor souls from Rukongai—in order to power the artifact.”
        Ukitake swallows the bile rising in his throat and takes a quick sip of the tea to coat his throat.  He doesn’t miss the hesitant touch of his friend’s hand on his jacket, nor the way his friend’s taking deep breaths to curb the rising anger.
        “What did this particular object do?” Shunsui asks flatly, with no inflection.
        “In her hands, it’s a definite weapon,” the shopkeeper informs them carefully.  “It allows her to invade others’ inner worlds.  Coupled with her bankai…”
        He doesn’t need to say any more.  Jyuushirou presses a hand to his mouth at the horror, and it takes him a few minutes of breathing to realize Shunsui’s been tracing calming patterns on his back, giving him something to focus on.
        “It has some other intended function, but the records there are quite vague and limited.  Something was mentioned about the ability to live on beyond death, but I’ll need more information—likely, by your findings—to form anything like an educated hypothesis.  In any case, the artifact was flawed, like so many of these forbidden artifacts.  If I had to make a guess,” Urahara’s face twists into something like a grimace, “I feel like the rage, despair, pain, and fear may have influenced the functioning.”
        Ukitake manages a nod, and Urahara manages a matching, failing smile.  “More tea?”
        “Yes, please,” Ukitake mutters, and, well, at least he’s not too hoarse.