madimpossibledreamer

( Chapter 26 )

( Chapter 24 )

( Chapter 20 )

          “No,” Riley responds calmly.  “I haven’t found out much more about how the Slayer’s powers work.  They have begun to take me with them on their missions, so I am beginning to have an idea of how they operate.  Observation suggests that as long as magic is not found to be corrupting, it would be a highly useful tool in the field, keeping our agents alive in more scenarios.  I can confirm that they are working with hostiles including Hostile 17.  Apparently in terms of the vampires we have captured, they are mostly just what they refer to as ‘fledges’.  Those are recently made and have less intelligence than the others, ruled by their instincts.  Several of them even have rudimentary culture or imitate our own.  I still have no understanding of what happened to the retail worker.  They would mostly be useful in terms of their knowledge, as the former librarian has a library full of books about subterrestrials that are apparently largely accurate.  I did manage to take a few pictures with the camera I was provided, but it’s likely that if I attempted to take any of them it would be noticed and I might blow my cover.  The former librarian is very meticulous.  Their alliances with subterrestrials seem to be a matter of convenience, and they are certainly naïve.  Their criteria seems to be not killing humans currently and willing to help out with their mission.  For now, I recommend that they be left alive following the end of my assignment, but warned to stay out of our business.  If they refuse, they should be deported to one of our allies.”

          “So, what can you tell us about our destination?” Shunsui asks after the awkward silence has stretched on long enough.
          Eagerly, the scientist takes the paper before letting out a laugh.
          “Well, you’re certain to have an interesting time of it,” Kisuke-kun comments, eyes alight.
          That doesn’t bode well either.
          “Please explain, Kisuke-kun,” Jyuushirou asks politely, even if he’s not quite sure he wants to know.
          “The town you’re heading to is quite dangerous, to say the least.  The place boasts of twelve cemeteries, quite high given its population size of 38512 (at last count).  The town contains all manner of akuma and magic users, but I wouldn’t count on meeting too many Wholes or Hollows while you’re there.”
          Yes, he hadn’t really wanted to know.  But he’ll have to deal with the dangers, and he’s hardly about to leave all the work to Shunsui, so he’s just going to have to be mature about this.
          “Given the death rate…wouldn’t the numbers be high, like Karakura?” he queries, hesitant.
          Urahara actually laughs, fanning himself.  “You’d think that.  Unfortunately, by Edict of the Central 46, research into the location was forbidden, and I never quite got around to ignoring that one.  There is no Shinigami posted there, at least not officially.  I did visit the place once after my exile—out of sheer scientific curiosity, you understand.  The likeliest explanation at this point is that the same source of the reishi sink in the place also prevents the majority of ghosts from forming.  Even the two of you will have trouble sensing anything while you’re there, which, I’m sure, will make your job harder.  There’s some sort of mortal magic trying to convince you the town is safe and nothing odd is happening, but your subconscious will be aware.  Trust your instincts more than usual, particularly since you won’t be able to sense much using your own Shinigami powers.  I would be greatly indebted if you’d inform me about anything akuma-related you discover while you’re there.  I shudder to think what would happen if Aizen decided akuma were a good source of power and no one knew anything about them.”
          Given what happened the last time the man tried to look into Hollows, Ukitake isn’t sure that telling him about demons is the wisest idea, but he does have a point about Aizen.