Lost Lamb

[Satoshi Fuuko]

Fuuko yawned as she made her way lethargically to where her brother's barrack was. Despite how tired she looked (and felt), she was in a really good mood today. She was going to be on a shift with her brother Kazu! Even though they'd just be cleaning up some sewers, it was still nice to be able to spend time with him. Even though they'd been together here and there, it still didn't feel like they were together much at all. As Fuuko approached, she brushed some hair out of her face, put on a bright smile and checked herself over to make sure everything was in place before she stepped up and knocked on the door.

She leaned against the door, looked around and lit up a cigarette. She took a few puffs and it woke her right up. Kazu hated it, but as long as she finished before he opened, he wouldn't complain too much. She had it down too. Two more quick drags and one long one. She then tossed the cigarette to the ground and stamped it out with her sandal. She waved the puff of smoke that she exhaled and then turned. In her mind she counted down and when the door didn't open, she frowned and looked down at the now ruined half smoked butt. "Oi, Kazu! I'm Heeeeere~" Fuuko chirped. 

"Oiiiiii! Kazu!" Fuuko barked again. "Yer really gonna make me waste a cigarette?! I told ya we didn't have time fer a big breakfast!' She knocked again and huffed. She crossed her arms under her chest and leaned against the door. "If he's still sleepin, I'm gonna be pissed." Fuuko muttered to herself. She then turned and banged on the door a little harder. "OI! How long does it take ya ta take a shit!? I know how small ya are! It can't take that long ta fire out a fuckin tiny turd! We gotta go, dammit!"

Eventually Fuuko's banging roused the attention of others nearby. A squad member informed Fuuko that they hadn't seen Kazu since yesterday and didn't think that he had come home yet. Fuuko shook them vigorously, trying to wring an explanation out of them, but it was useless. "Whaddya mean ya ain't sure!?" Fuuko seethed, prepared to take out her anger on her poor squiadmate. Fuuko bit her lip and turned to the door. There was a hint of fear running through her and she put all of her strength into kicking Kazu's door open.

The door flew open and the small living space was silent. The bed was made, every dish put away, and every corner dust free. It was immaculate and Fuuko couldn't help herself. She grabbed the tablecloth and heaved it, fruit bowl and all and sent them hurlinZZZZg into the room where the dish broke and the fruit tumbled and bounced. "Arrgghh! DAMMIT!" Fuuko seethed. After one more check, she dashed out of Living quarters and made a bee line for the head of their assignment desk. 

!Fuuko Shunpo'd all the way to the assignment desk and pushed her way past the small line waiting for the morning's work and shift changes.er way past the small line waiting for the morning's work and shift changes. "Outta my way!" Fuuko barked "What the shit?!" Fuuko bellowed. Not only had they sent Kazu out to the far ends and most dangerous part of Rukkoogai, they had, apparently, sent him alone. "Why the fuck would you send him out alone!?" Fuuko managed to wring out something about a Hellion Invasion and all hand on deck Fuuko tossed the clerk and started bolting towards the location. 


Fuuko wasn' how long it was going to take as she raced through the district's id didn't matter to Fuuko. "I'm comin, Kazu!" She thought as she a[[roached the 80th Northern district. It was practically a wasteland. Almost no one lived there and those who did lived in complete squalor. She would have stopped to take it in, but she was hit with a huge wave of residual rreiatsu. It was practically suffocating and threatened to bring her to her knees, but she powered through it and went to the source. 

"S-shit..." That's when she saw it. A dog, an olf man and a young boy crushed to death. "Just by spirituai pressure?!" She barked. "KAZU!!? KAZUUU!??" Then it hit her and she started kicking over debris and furiously looking for one more  body. She spent hours tearing apart the district until she was exhausted. She flopped onto her back and looked to the sky. A drop of water splashed against a forming tear as the district was hit with a light rain. 

"Dammit..." Fuuko Sniffled as the rain consumed her tears and soaked her body. She picked herself up and started the long trek back tot he Soul Society. Her fists clenched and her brow knit. "I'm comin for ya, Kazu!" Fuuko barked as she sped up.  


When she got back to the Seireitei, Fuuko didn’t head back for her barracks. The aggravation she felt in the morning dealing with her own squad’s bureaucracy and lack of leadership would mean they wouldn’t be anymore help. Unfortunately, she didn’t know where else to turn. She had met a few people at the mixer, but she wasn’t ready to tell a Captain that some nobody from Squad 4 was missing. She assumed that’s how it would be taken and she couldn’t blame them anyway. Fuuko gripped her zanpakutou and gave it a shake. “How long ya gonna give me the silent treatment?!” Fuuko growled. 

Worse than not knowing who to ask was that she had to ask. Fuuko and Kazu were barely out og the academy and she was already put in a situationwhere she couldn't save her brother. She was angry and she slammed her fist into the nearest wall. "FUUUCK!" She screeched. "W-What's the fuckin point if I can't protect him?!" Fuuko bleated as tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. 

As she stewed, she thought about grabbing a drink to calm her nerves, that's when it hit her! "Kaen!" She bleated. Instantly, Fuuko darted off towards the Seventh Division Barracks. When she arrived, she came in like a storm. "OIII!" She bellowed to try and get anyone and everyone's attention. "KAEN!? WHERE'S KAEN!?" She demanded, as if saying his name would make him appear. 

Fuuko looked at the slowly amassing gawkers and narrowed her eyes. She darted to one and grabbed them and gave them a good shake. "Kaen! Where's your fuckin Vice-Captain at!?" She snarled. A timid hand pointed to the Vice-Captain's office and Fuuko snorted. She shoved away the Shinigami and darted towards the building. "KAEN!' She bellowed again and wasted no time with formalities. She kicked the door open, like she had done to her brother's earlier and then looked around, frantically scanning the office until she saw Kaen. 

Immediately, she threw herself forward, clenched her fists and dropped to her hands and knees. Her head bowed until she was at Kaen's feet, practically kissing them. "FUKUTAICHOU!" She barked, swallowing hard as tears welled up in the corner of her eyes. "PLEASE! PLEASE HELP ME SAVE MY BROTHER, KAZU!" She barked at the floor, she could feel her own hot breath, but her eyes remained closed and her body remained stiff and prostrate before the Vice-Captain. "I'm begging you... please..." She whispered in a  barely audible tone, her voice cracking. 

[Kaen Youji]

It was a long day so far. Damnit Shizuyoko.... Why'd you have to guilt trip me like that.... Kaen grumbled in his mind as he frustratedly worked through the colossal piles of paperwork. Being Vice Captain of the 7th was a hefty job, and paperwork was a necessity of the position. Kaen had been notorious at slacking off at it in the past, almost as notorious as his Vice Captain and the Captain of the Division had been, but not so long ago.... and perhaps quite some time ago still, a conversation with the Onmitsukido's officer Shizuyoko had pointed out some painful truths that led Kaen to actually trying to keep up on the paperwork.....

But it was so booooring....

So when Kaen heard a ruckus outside his office and looked up, he was almost eagerly awaiting the inevitable conclusion of whatever chaos was going on out there.... And then his office door got kicked in. Flash of blonde hair and tanned skin. She looked familiar-- But Fuuko was already in front of him kneeling at his feet. Kaen jumped back in surprise at the display. "I uhh... was it... Fuuko?" He asked. A lot of that night was blurry and indistinct but he did recall his drinking partner from the other night. He then kneeled beside her, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Stand up." He told her. "Then have a seat." He added, gesturing over to a low couch in his office.

The office layout itself was relatively sizeable. Besides Kaen's desk at the back corner of the room by the window it featured a couch and coffee table, with numerous food trays scattered around, a small, old television set in an alcove in the wall, a few screens set up around the back corner opposite his desk, hiding what was there, a few weights and some training posts, plus a bookshelf filled with numerous martial arts manuals and Japanese manga, plus a few chairs here and there for when he had to hold impromptu meetings. Nothing inherently special about it on the whole, besides the Squad 7 banners around the room, some pictures hung on the wall and a red flame-shaped emblem that was hung on a banner behind his desk.

Once Fuuko had taken Kaen up on his offer (or refused it), Kaen looked at her and properly addressed her. "Take a deep breath and explain to me what's happening. What's happened to your brother?" He asked. "I'll help you if I can, but you have to start with that." He requested of her. Whatever it was, it was clearly terrifying her. That was what Kaen saw in Fuuko's actions. Fear. Fear and desperation. Dangerous, dangerous things, both of them. If they were going to go forward from here, he needed Fuuko to think with a clear head. It was evident that something quite severe had happened, but as to what... He didn't know yet.

[Munemasa Iroka]

Iroka had no idea what had been going on, but she had been aware of a lot of noise and tumult in the Yonbantai barracks. What it was all about, she could not initially say, but by simply sitting still and listening to the raised voices, Iroka soon learned of the cause. Apparently, one of the Division's squaddies was missing. And it was someone she knew, no less. She had gone on a mission to Karakura with Satoshi Kazuhiko and his sister, Fuuko. Kazuhiko had seemed like a nice, but rather responsible kid. Iroka didn't know how old he was, but he was probably as old as he looked.

The thought of a child being missing wrung at her heart, but there was nothing she could do about it. What made matters worse was the absence of a captain or vice in the Division, which meant that even if this matter was reported, it was unlikely that much would be done about it. It was also very likely that the reply would be that unseated Shinigami died or got lost all the time. There was nothing that could be done. Fuuko did not seem to be taking it well, as was expected. Iroka was sure that she would have probably gone hysteric herself if she had had a sibling that had gotten missing.

In any case, Iroka decided she would try to help Fuuko as well as she could. Quickly dressing up, the Shinigami exited her room, but Fuuko was gone. Having no idea where the blonde had gone, Iroka had no choice but to go about her daily business. She had work to be done, and the orange haired Shinigami soon busied herself with dealing with paperwork and filing reports, of which there was a lot to be done. Still, being quite organized when working had its advantages, and Iroka was soon through with the thankless work of paper pushing.

It had been hours now since she had heard Fuuko's outburst. She wondered how the other Shinigami was doing. Since she could not find Fuuko, she could not ask. Hopefully, the blonde, as well as her brother, would be alright. With little else to do, Iroka decided to take a walk to stretch her legs. It was while she was walking close to the 7th Division's building that she heard a familiar voice yelling. It was Fuuko. While Iroka was eager to quickly get to her and find out what was going on, she was unwilling to engage an angry Fuuko. That girl's temper could be wild. Instead, Iroka, noticing that Fuuko was somewhere in an office whose window faced the open street, crouched underneath the window to do some garden-variety eavesdropping. Perhaps she could hear what was going on, and offer her meager services to help out, if she could.

[Satoshi Fuuko]

As Fuuko prostrated herself before the vice-captain, she heard Kaen's words. Her fingers curled into fists and her cheeks reddened. She lifted her head up and scowled. "You sayin ya don't remember me, ya bastard!?" Fuuko barked. "Ain't I made a good enough impression on ya!? Even on my hands and knees, I'm still a woman, ya know!" Instantly, her narrowed eyes widened and her head pressed against the floor. "Forgive me, Fukutaichou!" She barked remorsefully.

The gentle commands stung at Fuuko and she slowly rose and then sat. She inhaled and then exhaled and looked up at Kaen. "Kazu! He's... he's fuckin missin! He never came back from yesterday's assignment and he wasn't in his barracks today! I don't know where he is but if he's not where he should be then something's wrong! Kazu ain't like me! He's a good  boy! He'd never run off or miss duties or anythin that would get him in trouble!" Fuuko explained. 

"Apparently he was sent to 80 North but... but I went  out there and there wasn't anybody! Not anyone livin at least! A couple of people ... they were crushed to death! By spiritual pressure but Kazu's body wasn't out there!" Fuuko vomited the words as fast as they came to her as she pleaded with her eyes to Kaen. "I didn't find a body so that must mean he's gone but.. who would take him!? He's just a kid! He's barely a rookie! He's ...." Fuuko stood up and slammed her fist into the all. 

"FUCK!" She screamed. "it's my fuckin fault! I never shoulda let him take on assignments alone! I shoulda convinced the seated officers ta make sure  I was with him at all times! DAMMIT!" Fuuko hit the all again as tears got stuck in the corners of her eyes. She scrubbed them away with an arm and turned back to Kaen. "I ... I know I'm just some bimbo who you had a couple of drinks with, but... I don't know where else to turn!" Fuuko said and grabbed Kaen by the collar. 

"Pleaaaaase, fukutaichou... I'll do anything if you help save Kazu!" Fuuko was panting just from talking and her grip loosened. She couldn't hold back the tears and pressed her head against Kaen's chest and tried to hide her sobbing. "I'm not fuckin strong  enough!" She growled and her fingers dug into Kaen's shihakushou.

[Kaen Youji]

Kaen let Fuuko's anger at him having trouble with her name pass without comment-- at least initially. He had trouble remembering people's names, and it often took him a few meetings before he could have someone's name down. The fact that he'd spent most of his time with Fuuko in a state of moderate inebriation had not helped. But that wasn't important right now. Fuuko could be mad about it if she wanted to. It sounded like there were much more pressing matters, judging by her near hysteria. So when she asked him to forgive him, Kaen's answer was short and immediate. "Sure. Done. Now you need to tell me what's going on."

So she did, and so Kaen listened, taking in every detail and letting his mind pick it apart. Kaen wasn't any Sherlock Holmes, but he did have enough experience to have picked up a few things. The fact someone used spiritual pressure to kill them, meant that they were of at least moderate levels of power, and probably higher. Seated officer-level individuals didn't usually run around using spirit pressure to kill people. And they probably wouldn't have brought it to bear against an actual Shinigami. It was possible of course, that Kaen was wrong, but the likelihood was very slim. A possibility only to be explored after more likely situations had been cleared. And the most likely situation was that this had been orchestrated by an individual on the level of Soul Society's Vice-Captains or stronger. That created a relatively narrow list of known potential suspects. Probably less than two hundred people across the three worlds. And that could be narrowed further by the second piece of information. That Kazu was missing-- Fuuko hadn't found a body. While he agreed with her conclusion this meant that Kazu was alive, it also said more than that to Kaen. Whoever did this had a reason to capture a Shinigami.

So. They were looking for a Vice-Captain tier individual, with the ability to travel to the 80th district of the Rukongai, with the temperament to capture a Shinigami. That crossed a lot of names off the list. Unfortunately, it still left a lot of others. Kaen let Fuuko grab him by his collar, and let her vent her frustrations for awhile, and patted her on the back. "Firstly. Don't be as hard on yourself." He stated. He wanted to add that there is nothing Fuuko could have done even if she had been there, but held his tongue. She was no match for a Vice-Captain caliber opponent at this time, and likely would not have been able to even buy her brother a few seconds. This was ironically, the most help she could be. Reporting his disappearance and organizing a search party to find him.

"Of course I'll help you find him though." Kaen said after a moment. "Give me a moment." He said, letting Fuuko release him first, and if she refused he'd have to remove her hands himself-- which he would do gently, but with certainty, and then stepped back towards his desk. "From what you've told me, I can narrow down who is behind it, but I need more information. Right now, all I can figure out is who didn't do this. There's still too many possibilities. But if what you've said is true, we're looking for someone that's at least of the same caliber of power as me." He told her. "If they crushed some people to death with spirit pressure, that wouldn't be missed. Someone would have noticed. I need to make a few calls." He told her, and from behind his desk, procured an earpiece, slotting it into his ear.

"This is lieutenant Kaen Youji of the 7th Division requesting intel from the 9th, 12th and 13th Divisions. I'm investigating a Missing Person's case. They were last seen in the 80th Rukongai district. I have reason to suspect a high caliber individual was involved in the disappearance. Please send a report of all recorded activity in the 80th, and adjacent districts within the last two days, and send it as soon as possible." He stated in an authoritative tone.

He then turned back to Fuuko. "It won't be immediate, it'll take them some time to gather than information. In the interim, I've got a few other people that we can talk to for leads about this." Kaen tapped a finger on his desk. "....Within Soul Society, if you want someone tracked.... I can't think of anyone better at it than Kimiko Shihoin, the Captain of the Second Division. But I'm not sure I'll be able to arrange an audience with her. Things between her and I are.... complicated. I'm not sure she'll listen to me. I also have a few contacts in the Human World that may be able to help me at least figure out if the culprit was from there. The only place I don't have any means of getting a lead is Hueco Mundo..... Which is probably the most likely culprit." He stated. It was possible that a Shinigami was behind it, but very unlikely. No need to send Kazu all the way out to the 80th District if they were going to capture him. There were easier ways to do it. It could be a mercenary or Human World group.... But again unlikely. Neither XCution nor Uzaki Enterprises had shown any easy ability to enter Soul Society. It could have been a leftover Hellion, but such creatures were too brutal and there was, from Fuuko's account, no indication of a struggle. Something would have been left behind. But Hueco Mundo? ...They had the means, the motive and the power to pull it off.

"...I have a hunch, and so while I'm waiting on that report from the other divisions, We're gonna start planning how the hell I'm going to get into Hueco Mundo."[/colr]

[Munemasa Iroka]

While a part of Iroka considered that this business of Kazuhiko going missing was none of her business, the fact that she knew both Kazu and his sister made her unwilling to just leave. Also, if there was anything she could be unwaveringly said to be, it was being loyal. She stood by those she considered her friends, no matter what. And what kind of friend would say that, becuase there was no apparent way to help, they would do nothing? Being the sort of person to attempt to help out in any way she could, Iroka remained beneath the window seal, as she heard the agitated voice of her squad mate and the calmer voice of the 7th Division vice captain.

As Fuuko explained more in detail, Iroka immediately surmised that whoever had laid hands on Kazu was most likely a very dangerous person. Kaen, by use of elimination, had narrowed down the possible identity of the culprit. The question, Iroka wondered, was why a hollow would want to kidnap a Shinigami, rather than rend them limb from limb. She did know that the stronger hollows were quite intelligent, and given the description of this being's strength, it would definitely be at the worst, an Adjuchas. Could even be an Arrancar. But what a hollow or Arrancar would want a Shinigami for was just anyone's guess at the moment.

It was possible that with the 7th Division fukutaichou bringing his weight to bear on this matter, sufficient manpower would be generated to save Kazuhiko. If that was the case, then Iroka was sure she would be fine with just waiting for news of what the results of the rescue mission would be. Her presence under the windowsill had been simply because she had been worried that Fuuko would lack the ability to marshal enough forces to save her brother, in which case Iroka would have presented herself to help out however she could (which sadly did not amount to much). But if there was anything she suspected, it was that the 12th Division would probably have an idea on how to get into Hueco Mundo.

[Satoshi Fuuko]

"Tch.' Fuuko turned her head and crossed her arms at Kaen's command. She would be as hard on herself as she needed to be. If she had been there, then maybe Kazu wouldn't have gotten abducted. If she had made sure that he didn't get assigned out to dangerous Rukonhai districts when he was still fresh out of the academy, then maybe he would still be around. He was only alive, seemingly, at the mercy of some powerful being. She hated that more than anything else and her fists clenched when Kean pulled himself from her grip. She crossed her arms underneath her arms and tapped her foot as Kaen laid out the options. 

It was obvious that Fuuko was holding herself back and had to force herself to patiently listen to Kaen's deductions. All of it was good and for the sake of Kazu, but she hated waiting around. She was a woman of action. She didn't have time for frime labs and meetings and every second she wasn't actively looking for Kazu meant that was a second she wasn't finding Kazu.
 
Once Kaen was finished, Fuuko inhaled deeply. She lowered her head. "Thank you, Fukutaichou." She said softly. "I really... really appreciate it. I don't think I can ever repay you." She said, threatening to prostrate herself before the Vice-Captain once more. However, her words lingered heavily in the air. It was obvious she wasn't done. "But how long is this all gonna take!? Every second we ain't lookin fer Kazu, he might be in danger!" 

Fuuko started pacing and fidgeting. "We.” Fuuko corrected with a lo growl. "We are going to Hueco Mundo and... if you want to get in somewhere, then you just knock!" Fuuko turned and stepped a few paces towards the entrance. "Let's go to the world of the living and knock as loudly as we fuckin can!" Fuuko growled, clenching her teeth. "give those hollow bastards a reason to come through one of their Garganta and then jump in it when they open up! Sounds pretty easy to me!" Fuuko huffed. "That's where I'm  going, but I doubt I'm tasty enough to lure one of them over." Fuuko added. 

"Whatever!" Fuuko threw up her hands. "If I ain't got the power, I'll just scream until my voice gives out. I'll just kill every Hollow I find until one of them on the other side gets curious enough! I'll do.. .something!" Fuuko marched out of the office and turned around to say one last thing to Kaen, when she noticed Iroka crouched under the window sill. 

"Oi! Sis!" Fuuko barked and marched up to Iroka. "Why you out here?! Did they clog up the toilets again!?" 

[Kaen Youji]

Kaen knew Fuuko wouldn't like the investigation matter. She was not the kind of person to sit around when someone was in danger. "We are looking for Kazu." Kaen replied. "We're just looking with eyes that aren't our own. I agree we need to be quick and we need to be decisive here. But if we go running off in the wrong direction on a wrong guess we're only making it harder to find him. For what it's worth. I don't think your brother is in immediate danger. Whoever did this had no qualms murdering people on the scene. If they wanted your brother dead, we would have found him there. Whoever this was, they want him alive. For whatever reason."

Fuuko's insistence on joining wasn't surprising but Kaen's eyes narrowed at that. "...If we run into Kazuhiko's kidnapper. You will probably die." He stated. Bluntly.

Kaen cracked his neck. "But you're right. We're not going to sit around. We're making preparations so we're ready to go. Beating up Hollows isn't enough though. It's all well to get there, but we need a way back, or we'll be just as trapped as your brother is." He paused and gave a sigh. "I know someone in the Human World. They might be able to get us to Hueco Mundo. Or know someone who can." He sighed slightly. "I also happen to know the best tracker in Soul Society, if you want to try and pull in one more person into our band. This is your brother though. And you're in a rush. So it's your call." He admitted, going to follow Fuuko out of the room, but noticed her take notice of another.

Kaen stepped out of the room, and looked over the woman standing outside. She definitely wasn't from the Seventh. He'd remember someone with her striking features. Kaen raised an eyebrow at Iroka. "Well, well. A little eavesdropping are we?" He asked her. "I assume you heard everything. Or at least enough." He concluded. Along with Fuuko calling her sis, Kaen raised his eyebrow again, and looked between the two. She's.... using "sis" colloquially right? There's not a ton of resemblance between them.... Well, that wasn't important. What was important was....

"So Miss spy, what are you going to do now?" He asked. His tone wasn't accusatory or harsh, but rather an almost amused tone at this turn of events.

[Munemasa Iroka]

As Iroka had expected Fuuko to behave, the blonde was not happy with waiting. Even though from her words, it was obvious that she appreciated Kaen's attempts to help find Kazu, Fuuko was not apparently going to just sit around and mope. As a matter of fact, it seemed that she was interested in making a foray into Hueco Mundo to get her brother if she had to. While Fuuko's suggestion about how they could get into Hueco Mundo did apparently sound workable, though simple, it did bear with it a number of issues. It was very likely that her worry over her brother and her anger at the general situation were not helping her consider the matter carefully.

Kaen, however, was able to give a more honest and grounded response. His assumption of Kazu's survival was also quite logically plausible. If the boy's kidnapper had not been interested in him being alive, Kazu would surely have been found, or at least what remained of him. There was also the problem of just how strong this kidnapper was. If they could kill people just by their spirit pressure, Iroka was not sure she wanted to fight against such an opponent, nor did she think Fuuko could, even though she was sure the blonde was stronger than she was. Kaen did not think so either, judging by his words.

If Iroka had a say in the matter (which she was sure she didn't), she would have agreed with the suggestion of the Vice Captain. Going into Hueco Mundo was certainly not going to be a walk in the park. Iroka supposed that it was probably because she was a coward or something, but going in with as many strong people as Seireitei could spare, and with decent planning and preparation would surely be much better than just barging in blindly. There were, after all, so many things that could probably go wrong if one went charging into enemy territory with little more than a plan. But maybe if she was the one having a close person in similar trouble to Kazu, she might have been acting more like Fuuko was....

The realization that Fuuko was standing in front of her shocked her out of her thoughts. Iroka yelped, and then rose to her feet, laughing nervously as she rubbed the back of her head. "Aaah, Oni-chan, no the toilets aren't clogged. If they were, I'd just leave them." It was already embarrassing enough that the Yonbantai was forced to do the cleaning in Seireitei, but there was no greater insult added to injury than clogged toilets. Iroka simply refused to clean when she was faced with such things. It wasn't as if the users of said toilets had been eating HDPE.

And then Kaen appeared and addressed her as 'Ms. Spy'. He was right, though. She'd heard enough. There was one issue though; her brain had chosen at this moment to forget that 'eavesdropping' was a single word, and the carrot top actually looked down to see if there were any broken eaves at her feet or close by. Then she looked back up at the Vice Captain. "I really hope I didn't break any eaves when I dropped them, Kaen-sama," she said rather earnestly, her expression one of contrition mixed with a good degree of confusion. "But I don't think I'm worthy of the name 'Ms. Spy'. I'm too useless to even hide and listen in undetected."

In any case, the question Kaen had asked, though simple, required an answer. "As to what I'm going to do, I don't really know, Kaen-sama. I guess it depends on what Oni-chan wants to do," Iroka responded, using her nickname for Fuuko. "But one thing is certain: I'm not going to go back to the 4th and wonder if Kazu is safe, if my friend and squad mate is going to brave Hueco Mundo in search of her brother. I'm really not of much use, but I'm sure I can help somehow. I have been training a bit, after all. I'm also convinced that going into Hueco Mundo looks like a death sentence for us Yonbantai grunts, but what's the point of a friend who can't face death with her buddy?"

[Satoshi Fuuko]

"Tch!" Fuuko petulantly grunted at Kaen as he continued to make sense. "Fine! Fine! Fine!" She said and waved at him. "You say someone wants Kazu alive? I don't really understand that! He's just a kid! He's a rookie! What could someone your level want with him!? I mean, the kid's a prodigy, but it's not like some asshole in Hueco Mundo knows that!" Fuuko barked and shook her head.

She lit up at Iroka's reply and slugged her squadmate in the arm, grinning widely. "That's right! Let those bastards steep in their own shit! Who do they think we are!?" Fuuko chortled at Iroka's literal joke and then stepped up next to her. She slapped a hand against Iroka's thigh, more on the butt than the hip, and pulled them together so their bodies, their ample chests specifically, mashed together. Fuuko then looked at Kaen as she held Iroka in place and jabbed a thum into her chest.

"If I am the devil of squad four, this is my blue oni! Shy and timid though she may be, she balances perfectly against my fiery temprament!" Fuuko proclaimed, puffing out her chest. "If we were a girl gang, she'd be my number two! Obviously, I'd be the Anego." Fuuko said with a firm nod. "And if she starts sayin she's useless, that's when ya gotta punish her a little bit, right, Iroka-chan?" Fuuko grinned devilishly and then pinched Iroka's butt and laughed.

"Ahahaha! Yosh!" Fuuko pumped her fist. "We're like Ying and Yang, day and night, heaven and hell! Though we share no blood, our bond is just as deep! If she came here to help save Kazu, then that's all I need to hear! I know we can't do it without her!" Fuuko nodded and pointed to Kaen. "But I'm not afraid to die! I'm not afraid to walk into Hueco Mundo or Hell or any place and do what I need to do!" Fuuko snorted. "IF we can beat up Hollows to get us there, we can beat em up ta get back! Tch. I just can't sit around! I know I'm worked up, but..."

Fuuko clenched her fists.  "I feel helpless too. Iroka-chan's just willing to say it. I can't stand it! It burns me up inside! The feeling of helplessness! I can't stand  it! I hate it! I hate hat HATE it!" Fuuko said, stamping her foot. "And if someone's makin Kazu feel that way...." Fuuko punched the side of the bulding and then yelped and waved her hand. "I don't care, though! I just want him saved!" Fuuko blinked and tried not to let tears sting at her eyes. "If they get in my way, though, I don't care how strong they are! One way or another, I'll fuck em up! In this life or the next or the next or in a thousand years!" Fuuko said and pounded her fist into her palm. 

She then threw an arm back around Iroka and pulled her close. "Especially with Iroka-chan on my side!" Fuuko closed her eyes and waved her hand at Kaen. "And you too, I guess. And anyone else who is willing ta put up with me." Fuuko opened one eye and smirked. "So! Who do we talk to first!?" Fuuko asked. 

[Kaen Youji]

Kaen shook his head. "I don't know the answer to that. And probably won't until we figure out who did this." He replied in response to her query as to why someone would target her brother. But from there on, the situation escalated until they ran into Iroka outside.

Fortunately, Iroka's awkward answer elicited a chuckle of amusement from Kaen. "Well, I'm glad someone's keeping an eye on Fuuko to keep her out of too much trouble." He replied, letting Fuuko handle the introductions. Seemed Fuuko was very handsy with her, but then, the dim memories of their drunken time together reminded Kaen that Fuuko didn't seem to be huge on personal boundaries then either. Iroka seemed eager to join, but Kaen looked concerned.

"I don't doubt your conviction. But like I said.... If we encounter Kazuko's kidnapper, both of you will probably die. There's being brave in the face of danger, sure, but this is above both of your paygrade. Hell, if this is going where I think it is, it's probably above mine. Not going to stop me, but I know what I'm getting into. I don't think you two do." There was visible concern etched on his face. "This is your brother, and you seem determined so I'll let you call the shots for the moment Fuuko. I've got a contact in the Human World that can probably figure out a way to get us to Hueco Mundo. But I also happen to know the best tracker in Soul Society, Kimiko Shihoin, the Captain of the Second Division. That being said..... Kimiko and I.... Err..." Kaen suddenly seemed a touch uncomfortable with the topic of discussion.

"Look if you're looking for a tracker, you will find nobody better in Soul Society. A day or two is nothing, if your brother is still in Soul Society somewhere, he could be gone a week and I'm confident Kimiko would find him in an hour. At any rate, there's no doubt in my mind she'll know who took him. But things are a bit awkward between her and I, it might be better if I don't go with you." Kaen explained awkwardly. "Or.... We could try going to the 12th Division. They might also have information and a way to get us to Hueco Mundo. It's your call Fuuko. But that being said..."

Kaen pinched the bridge of his nose. Before we go, I need you both to answer me honestly. Have either of you ever actually been involved in a life or death fight before?"

[Munemasa Iroka]

Iroka was certainly not expecting the 'handling' that Fuuko was giving her. "Wait, Fuuko-chan!" she protested. "What does all this body mashing have to do with temperaments?" Sadly, it seemed Fuuko was not amenable to verbal protests, and so Iroka practically hung limp in Fuuko's grip. If not for the fact that her face was bright red, one would have assumed she had passed out. The pinch to her backside made her jump, and attempt another struggle to free herself, this one being temporarily successful.

If Kaen thought Iroka was keeping an eye on Fuuko to keep the latter from too much trouble, Iroka was of the opinion that the opposite held true. She was, more or less, the one who was getting into Fuuko's trouble. Not that she minded; there was a lot of value she placed on friendships. But her eagerness to help a friend did not remove the truth of Kaen's observation. Iroka was almost certain that going into Hueco Mundo would be death for the two Division 4 Shinigami, unless someone was available to babysit them, in which case it would be better if they did not go at all. Still, she had no idea what Fuuko was going to decide on, since the blonde could be very difficult to convince otherwise.

"Oh, I know what I'd be getting into if I entered Hueco Mundo, Kaen-sama, or at least I think I do," the orange-haired girl replied in a tone a bit too bright for the situation at hand. "I just haven't the sense to back down if a friend is involved. Though I'd rather you sat this one out, Oni-chan, and let the top guns deal with this. I am also sure you won't listen to me, but eh." That last sentence was said under her breath, just before Kaen talked about Fuuko deciding what step to take next. Iroka had noticed something though, in the annoying way her brain took note of apparently irrelevant things.

For the meantime, she could not act on her observation, as Kaen had asked the two girls a question. "Well, there was this one time there was this huge rat..." Iroka started, too earnest to be joking, but then she paused, apparently realizing that this was nothing near what Kaen had asked about. "I guess that does not count. But I've come face to face with a hollow or two. A few did try to kill me. Once was with Oni-chan and her brother. No idea if that actually defines the term 'life and death' enough, Kaen-sama."

There was a pause, before Iroka suddenly went off tangent, as she fixed her eyes on the 7th Division Fukutaichou. "Soooo, Kaen-sama, you did say things were awkward between you and Kimiko-sama. My parent once said that awkwardness arises in situations of... ah how did they say it, emotional complication. So, are your particles entangled?" Yes, that was a very weird question to ask, and an even weirder way to put it. But this was Munemasa Iroka; if there was anything she was, weird would be the first adjective to describe her. Absolutely unaware of the social difficulty of her question, and the fact that it was also professionally wrong for a subordinate to as her superior such a question, Iroka gazed innocently but expectantly at Kaen, awaiting his reply.

[Satoshi Fuuko]

"They fucked!" Fuuko said with a delighted grin and pointed an accusing finger at Kaen while slapping Iroka's back. "Just say they fucked, Iroka-chan! Ahahaha!" Fuuko snorted like a pig when she laughed obnoxiously at Kaen. She grinned and leaned forward. "Is that why you shrugged off all of my advances Kaen-kuuun~" Fuuko breathed and ran a sultry finger along the line of her cleavage. "Ahaha! Get em!" She delcared and puffed out her chest. She turned and slapped Iroka in the back again. "I didn't really  hit on em, ya know, but, I get a lil handsy  when I'm drinkin, and, ya know!" Fuuko chuckled and grabbed Iroka by the shoulders. "Speaking of which, when are we going drinking, Ero-chaaan~" Fuuko practically purred and then stepped away from Iroka. 


"But the Fukutaichou was a perfect gentleman!" She nodded finally and sighed. "We can all celebrate when we find Kazu!" She said and then looked at Kaen.

Kazu…

At the mention of her brother, she ruined her own good cheer. Fuuko’s face grew grim and she clenched her fists. "The last thing i saw before I came here was Kazuhiko,,, in my arms... with a bullet in his head. Some bastards kidnapped him and tried to extort me!" Fuuko hissed. "I didn't make it out alive... obviously I didn't make it out..." Fuuko's eyes narrowed. "But neither did they..." The tone was a low, solemn growl. "To make sure that I never have to see that again, I'll do anything.' Fuuko hissed. 

"But, I'm not dumb enough to go just looking by myself without any clues even! This is why i came to you, Fukutaichou!' She grabbed Iroka's arm again. "And, Sis! She understands too! She's looking out fer me and I appreciate it! I would do the same fer her in a heartbeat!" She said with a nod of reinforcement. "I'll do anything you ask of me and I won't be a burden!" Fuuko said dropped to her knees to prostrate herself before Kaen once more. 

"Please!" She barked. "I'll do anything but stay home! that's the one thing I can't do is not be a part of this somehow! I can't sit around and wait for someone to bring back Kazu!" She shut her eyes and pressed her forehead against the ground and waited patiently with her body tensed like a puppy awaiting a scolding. 

[Kaen Youji]

Kaen's face flushed crimson at Fuuko's accusation. "That is.... definitely not what happened." He replied very awkwardly. "And for the love of the Soul King, I would not suggest that to Kimiko either if you want her help." He added quickly. Though Kaen had no idea how to phrase what happened in a vague enough way that couldn't be spun in the way Fuuko was insinuating. And he wasn't quite okay saying what really happened himself. "Look if you want to know details, ask literally any other member of my division, okay?" He stated uncomfortably.

Both clarified that they had at least fought Hollows, and Fuuko made mention of her own death-- and Kazuhiko's. Kaen's face was grave, and he gently placed a hand upon his forehead in exasperation. "Alright. You've both fought with your lives on the line. But I'm going to emphasize again, that no matter where we're going, whatever we're up against is like nothing you've ever faced before in your life." He stated. "It's possible you may not even be fast enough to react to their movements. Even if you could, you might lack the strength to stop a single blow. I'll do what I can, but I'll probably have my hands full dealing with whoever this is myself. If things look grim. Both of you, are to abandon the mission and return for reinforcements. Passion alone isn't going to save your brother, Fuuko, as much as all three of us probably hope otherwise."

At that, Kaen looked at Iroka. "If you are indeed the blue to Fuuko's red, I'm counting on you to make sure she doesn't get herself killed." He warned her. "Either way, let's get going. Like Fuuko said, time's of the essence. I don't know when I'm gonna get called back by the other divisions for an update on what happened the other day, so we need to get as much ground covered and reach out to as many connections we can as possible first." He said, marching out of his office and heading down the hall. "On that topic, do either of you have anything of Kazuhiko's?"

[Munemasa Iroka]

Iroka's eyes and mouth slowly widened, as her face turned a bright red, what with Fuuko's crude interpretation of her question. "No, no, Oni-chan! That's not what I meant at all!" she protested, covering her face with both hands in distress. "My parent told me that emotional complication refers to the interaction of quantum particles of emotion, if emotions were to be regarded using wave-particle dynamics, ne?" she said, trying to hastily explain herself. "And when particles entangle in--" there was a guilty pause, as Iroka's brain finally put together what the suggestive implication of her statement was. There was a distressed cry, as she kept her hands on her face.

The Seireitei Mixer had been fun, and Iroka could remember seeing Fuuko there, though she had not interacted with her squad mate, as she was trying to survive being in such an overwhelming social situation. In the end, maybe because of the food, she had enjoyed it, though she had spent most of her time simply trailing behind the Third Division's captain, as she was rather unsure of what else to do. That had been actually the first party she had been to, and though she had not complained at the end of it, Iroka was quite certain that if a similar party had been set up a few days or weeks afterwards, she would not have gone, unless there was a very strong reason to go.

In any case, Kaen seemed to have behaved himself rather well, as far as Fuuko's account went, and Fuuko suggested that they keep the celebrations at bay until such a time as Kazu was found. That was absolutely proper, in Iroka's opinion. It would not do well to think about celebrations and partying, when the whereabouts of her friend's brother, and fellow squad mate, were unknown. Fuuko described the end of her human life, and Iroka was, to say the least, impressed. It was quite incredible to see that Fuuko had not allowed death to separate herself from her brother; such was the overprotectiveness of the blonde Shinigami. And yet, Iroka feared that this desire to protect Kazu could put them all in danger.

As for what Kaen said about what sort of threats they would face, Iroka was quite certain that he was right. Even though she had gone up against hollows before, and taken a number of injuries as well, the fact was that they were at the bottom of the barrel. Facing an opponent that could kill by their spiritual pressure alone was way beyond anything she could presently hope to face. And no amount of her stubbornness, nor Fuuko's desire to rescue Kazuhiko, would even so much as slightly turn the tide in the favor of the Shinigami. The fact that their presence might even be more of a hindrance than a help, as someone would have to attempt to keep them safe, made the idea of staying back in Seireitei all the more palatable.

Kaen informed Iroka that her responsibility was to keep Fuuko alive, before reminding them that the quicker they worked, the better it would be. The carrot top finally let her hands down from her face, her expression serious again, as she nodded in acknowledgement to both Kaen's statement of responsibility, as well as his observation about time. It would not do for the trail to run cold, and quick responses often took enemies by surprise. As Kaen left his office, she followed him out and down the hall, certain that Fuuko was doing the same, while wondering how to persuade her blonde friend not to join the rescue expedition. Kaen's question about Kazuhiko's belongings made Iroka leave her train of thought and turn to Fuuko for the answer to that one.