Towards the Future: Human World Investigation

This article, , is a side-story entry in Bleach: The Coven War, set during the Prologue. The chapter takes place in the days following Towards the Future: Cave of Fulmination, and features Kenji Hiroshi and Shūhei Hisagi as the main characters, with Van Satonaka serving in a minor role. This chapter introduces a number of minor recurring characters.

The damage dealt to the barracks of the 9th Division during The Coven's initial attack had mostly been dealt with, for all the visible damage was now cosmetic structural work that would soon be set to rights. The blow to personnel however would take a significantly longer time to set right.

And that was currently the reason for Lieutenant Hisagi's headache. At this particular moment he really wished he could be in three places at once, but it wasn't anything he hadn't dealt with before. Being acting-Captain and Editor-in-Chief was nothing new to Hisagi.

He could only get on with it.

He was soon approached by a series of Shinigami whom Hisagi had sent out on important matters, and his messengers quickly formed an orderly line.

"Sir, I have Captain Tsukada's latest status report."

At present just under half of the 9th Division's personnel where holed up in the barracks of the 4th Division receiving some manner of treatment for their injuries. Some, like Van and Kei, had been able to return to their normal duties relatively quickly. Others, such as Kenji, had made do with only light duties on account of the more serious injuries they had sustained.

Thankfully Kenji was back to one-hundred-percent.

Hisagi skimmed the report.

"Return to Captain Tsukada and ask her very nicely if she could possibly expedite Akira Shiba's treatment. Tell her I understand that he only worsened his injuries by attending Captain Kuchiki's impromptu memorial, and that he was a fool for leaving her barracks without permission, but I need my Seated Officers."

"Yes, sir!"

The second officer stepped forward as soon as the first had departed. "Sir, the Human World party bound for Kagamino City has successfully departed."

"That's Kenji's group, correct?" She nooded. "Very good, Momoko."

Hisagi handed the young woman -- who had only recently graduated from the -- a folder of documents. When she took them from him the confident expression quickly faded away. Momoko was tall -- she was taller than Hisagi himself -- and she had the twin habit of pushing her glasses further up her face whenever she was nervous and brushing the fringe of her long black hair to the side. He attempted his most casual and easy-going smile which, from a man with a scarred and tattooed face, didn't exactly come off as encouraging he knew.

But it seemed to ease her regardless, for which he was thankful.

"Could you deliver these to the editorial department? And tell them I'll be along shortly, time permitting, to look over this weeks articles."

"Yes, sir!"

He had almost forgotten that Kenji was bound for the World of the Living. He pondered the situation for a moment, considering whether Momoko would benefit from the experience, before signalling his waiting messengers. He continued delegating work and sorting issues for almost an hour before he found himself with a modicum of free-time, and even then he found himself with one more important assignment to consider: particularly a rumour of the revolutionary sort.

Luckily he had just the man to begin investigating; one who happened to previously serve in the Patrol Corps.

"You sent for me, Hisagi?"

Hisagi looked towards Van Satonaka and smiled briefly.

"I've got a new assignment for you."

Kenji turned to make sure that all of his team had made it through the with him. All of them where unseated officers who had been fast-tracked through their studies on account of the 9th Division's current shortage. They were young, sure, but they'd do the job.

Ace, who was a fiery red-haired youth with a passion to match, had originally planned to join the 11th Division, but Kenji had managed to talk him out of that. Like so many of the 9th Division he wore a sleeveless kosode, but draped over his shoulders he wore what Kenji could only describe as a chunk of fur.

His team was rounded out by the non-identical twin sisters Mikado and Kichō who, like Ace, wore a sleeveless kosode with the addition of fur draped over their shoulders. Kichō was the forceful personality, sporting brown-coloured hair and an hourglass figure, who had been touted for a career in the. Kenji seriously doubted her suitability for the station however, given that she was lively and confrontational; hardly what one would expect of a covert agent.

Mikado, with silver-coloured hair and a slim figure, was quiet and reserved; she was the type who analysed a situation carefully before leaping, but had the tendency to be noncommittal. Mikado had been on course for a career in the Kidō Corps, but that was now an impossibility. Given the inclination towards the art of Kidō under Captain Kuchiki's captaincy, the 9th Division was perhaps the next best choice for her all things considered.

"Good, we're all here."

Ace looked like a deer caught in the headlights though.

"You're first time in the Human World, Ace?" Asked Kenji.

"No, sir. My first time in a city this size though."

"You'll do fine." Kenji assured. He turned towards his team assembled team. "Okay, people. You heard the mission briefing: someone -- or something -- killed two of our comrades here, and it's our job to find out the who and why. It could just be a Hollow who killed our men but it could just as easily have been The Coven. So keep your eyes open, and if you see or sense anything amiss, then speak up."

"Yes, sir!" And they answered in unison too.

"I'm not that polite." Kenji reminded them as he shook his head. "I might be in the Seireitei when duty dictates you need to be stiff as a board, but our here you'll call me Kenji. Now let's get going!"

End.