Disappearances in Soul Society

Disappearances in Soul Society

Prelude
Nine years after Kisuke Urahara was promoted to captain of the Twelfth Division, in the Rukongai there are three souls who are contorting in agony, spewing a mysteriously white substance from their mouths as they hold onto their necks, choking all the while.

The pressure on their bodies becomes too much and they explode, completely turned into the white substance which lands on a nearby umbrella that is shielding three observers. One of them concludes that an ordinary soul cannot be kept a prototype in their experiment as their body breaks down too easily and his comrade asks if they should quit due to this but the first person insists they will continue with their actions.

In the Seireitei, Shinji Hirako is out walking with his Lieutenant Sōsuke Aizen when he spots Kisuke Urahara with his Lieutenant Hiyori Sarugaki and 3rd seated officer Mayuri Kurotsuchi coming from the opposite direction. Shinji cheerfully delivers a greeting which Urahara returns with equal enthusiasm. However, Shinji is soon bemused by Urahara's refusal to use his fist name instead of speaking so formally. He then greets Kurotsuchi cheerfully by using his first name which the officer takes offense to, insisting he address him formally rather than informally. Even more bemused, Shinji takes back his words, asserting he's the pain rather than Urahara.

Changing the subject, Shinji asks them have they heard the latest news that is spreading around the Seireitei. Urahara asks what he is referring to but before Shinji can continue he is interrupted by Hiyori. The small Lieutenant delivers a hard kick to Shinji's lower back causing the captain to fall to the ground in pain. Stunned, he demands to know why she attacks him so ferociously and she asserts that she is still waiting for him to greet her along with her fellow comrades.

Shinji inquires as to why he should greet her at all and an angered Hiyori insists that he always leaves her out but it is customary to greet someone when meeting them on the street. Shinji strongly disagrees with this assertions maintaining that since he is a captain and she is not he can greet whoever he wants without requiring her approval. The rest of his words are cut off as Hiyori begins to hit him and Shinji is forced to defend himself and the two begin to scuffle on the groun while Urahara smiles awkwardly at the situation.

As the two of them continue to wrestle on the ground, Aizen turns to Urahara and continues the conversation Shinji had begun before Hiyori's angry interruption. He asks the captain if he has had any news of the gossip but it is clear that Urahara has not as he asks Aizen what the word on the street is. Aizen informs him that there have been mysterious deaths occurring in the Rukongai. Behind him, having to hold Hiyori down, Shinji angrily declares that he wanted to tell Urahara and sardonically thanks his subordinate for ruining his fun on the matter.

Curious and stunned, Urahara asks what they mean by strange deaths. Shinji elaborates that for the last month residents in the Rukongai have been disappearing and nobody can tell why. Confused, Urahara asks if they have simply run off but Shinji insults him, asserting that he didn't say that they were missing. Shinji maintains that when he says disappearing he means that they have actually been disappearing leaving behind their clothes with no other evidence. Instead of their clothes turning into spirit particles too when they die, they think their human form is somehow being annihilated while they are still alive causing them to vanish.

This serious news greatly puzzles Urahara who wonders how a soul can completely lose control in maintaining their human form before dying. Turning away from him, Shinji apologizes for confusing him about the situation. He elaborates that he was informed of the theory from Retsu Unohana. He is also quite adamant that, even though he's just explained it to Urahara, he really doesn't understand the possibilities either. He asserts that it has been decided that more evidence needs to be gathered and that the task has been assigned to the Ninth Division.

The 9th Division Investigates
As the 9th Division's captain, Kensei Muguruma, his lieutenant Mashiro Kuna and four seated officers march through Rukongai, Kuna questions why they are there. She says that they should wait for the 10 advance guards to report in and that Kensei is being impatient, as a captain should not need to investigate unknown causes. An angered Muguruma is restrained by his subordinates, who remind him that she is always like that and try to calm him. Muguruma asks her why she came along, and tells her to go home. Kuna throws a tantrum, demanding Ogahi (a type of food), but Kens, a young boy falls at Kensei's feet. Muguruma uses his Shikai to cause the Hollow to explode and asks his officers if they are alright. Seeing the small boy crying, Kensei tells him that he should be happy that as is alive, and to smile. He hauls the boy to his feet and asks him his name. The boy tries to wipe away his tears as he says "Shūhei Hisagi." Kensei tells him that Shūhei is a strong name, and to quit crying. Shūhei reluctantly agrees, still trying to wipe away his tears. When Kuna reappears, Kensei demands to know where she was during the fight. She cuts him off by saying she found ten Shihakusho in the nearby bushes.

Muguruma realizes that the ten shihakusho belonged to the ten advance guards he sent out and they were not taken off, but rather the wearer had vanished. He orders Eishima to inform Central 46 that they have their first Shinigami victims in the disappearing soul case. He tells Izaemon Tōdō that there might be a pathogen causing the souls to break down, and to request a researcher be sent by the 12th Division. Muguruma instructs Kasaki have the Division send a tent, as they will be camping there tonight, as he intends to prevent any threat from reaching Seireitei. His Fifth Seat asks what he should do, and Kensei tells him to search the area with him. Muguruma tells the children to go home before the sun sets, and Hisagi notices the number 69 tattooed on Kensei's chest before he leaves.

Call Forth the S.R.D.I.
In a laboratory of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, Mayuri and Hiyori argue about who has their ranks in the Twelfth Division and the Institute. Hiyori then yells for Kisuke, demanding that he do something about Kurotsuchi. Urahara tell her about his prototype for a new Gigai that he has developed in a bid to stabilize the souls that have been disappearing. Tōdō arrives at the laboratory, requesting an audience with Urahara. After being updated about the situation, Urahara promises to send someone that evening and instructs Tōdō to return to Muguruma. Kisuke asks Hiyori to go, but she refuses, demanding that someone of lower rank be sent instead, pointing at Akon, who retorts that she is always complaining and should quit if her job is so bad. Hiyori tries to kick him, but he dodges her. Urahara tells Hiyori that she is the only one he can trust with acquiring a sample from the scene.

Fall of the 9th Division
Tōdō arrives back at the Ninth Division's camp ground, only to be told he is late. He explains that he went to the Twelfth Division's headquarters by himself and asks to switch places with the Fifth Seat, whom he tells to get some sleep. Eishima explains that only one of the seated officers is to rest at a time, with the other three standing guard. Inside the tent, Kensei, Kuna and Kasaki are resting. Mashiro begins talking in her sleep, annoying her captain. Muguruma hears a noise outside and, along with Kasaki, rushes to investigate. He finds two of the blood-soaked officers lying on the ground, with Tōdō standing nearby. When Tōdō collapses moments later, Kensei tells Kasaki to be ready, as the enemy is still nearby. Muguruma calls for Mashiro, but as he turns his back, Kasaki's neck is cut. Kensei is shrouded in darkness and stabbed through the back. As the darkness recedes, he turns to see his attacker.

Aftermath
An alarm sounds across Seireitei as all captains are summoned to the First Division headquarters for an emergency meeting. Upon hearing that the Reiatsu of Kensei and Mashiro has vanished, Urahara rushes into the laboratory and asks a researcher where Hiyori is. When she tells him that Hiyori has already left, Kisuke rushes off, thinking to himself that he should have went himself.