Post by Takashi Sakuma on Jul 7, 2017 10:33:55 GMT -5
Officer’s complex, Second Division Headquarters
Takashi’s feet brushed softly over the polished hard wood of the veranda as he quickly headed towards the office of his superior officer. He had just received the summons a few minutes earlier while practicing his kenjutsu at the division’s training grounds, and had quickly straightened up in order to make himself a bit more presentable before rushing to the meeting. The attempt had been largely unsuccessful. His unkempt hair stuck out in every direction, more unruly than usual, his Shihakkushou was wrinkled with the kosode left loose, and his neck was still wet from having dashed off his face with water to wash off the sweat of a hard hour’s practice.
You look like you’ve been mugged. Kohaku, the hawk perched on his shoulder, commented wryly. Takashi caught a sight of his reflection in the surface of the command annex’s pond as he walked past.
Did I have a say in the matter? he retorted.
Swiftness, precision, and efficiency. These were traits emphasized by the division, and while it wasn’t a crime to display a sense of tardiness in responding to a summons, promptness was heavily encouraged. Takashi passed underneath the black shadow of the building that housed the captain’s quarters, and he felt the impressive mass looming over him. The strict, almost secretive atmosphere of the division was pervasive. Too still to be truly peaceful, the silence was only broken by the metallic whine of a nearby warbler.
Takashi came to a stop outside the officer’s door and knelt before announcing his presence. Given permission to enter, he slid open the shouji but remained outside the room.
“Ah, Sakuma-kun, no need to be so formal, come in,” the other Shinigami told him. Since he was seated at his desk, Takashi felt bold enough to stand, and he stepped inside.
“You wished to see me sir?” he asked with a bow.
“Yes, I have an assignment for you,” came the matter-of-fact reply.
“What are your orders?”
His superior cut straight to the point, avoiding all pleasantries. “Are you aware of the recent breach of security in which three upper-level prisoners escaped from the division's main prison?”
Takashi hesitated. Tasked with maintaining the highest level of security at the prison, the incident had been an immense slight on the part of Special Detention Unit. Of course, everyone within the division had been forbidden to even mention the humiliating error, but rumors had quickly spread nonetheless.
“I’ve heard rumors,” Takashi said cautiously, opting for honestly. He partially steeled himself for a tirade about “secrecy” and “dissemination of sensitive information within the division,” but the lecture never came.
“Well I won’t ask you who leaked the information. What’s more important is that one of the prisoners is still at large.”
Takashi’s eyes widened, and the shock that crossed his face was genuine.
“The Detention Unit was unable to recover them?”
“Unfortunately. Allegedly the bastard was a slippery one,” the main pushed up his spectacles as he stepped out from behind his desk, facing Takashi squarely, “At any rate that will be your next assignment: retrieve the escaped convict as soon as possible, and return him into the Second's custody… Alive.”
The silence that stretched between the two of them was thick enough to cut with a knife. A pertinent question hovered in the air, but Takashi did not want to broach the subject overtly.
“Sir, I’m not qualified,” he stated without any consideration for modesty. He was stating the facts. If the Detention Unit had been unable to capture the target, an unseated rookie had no chance whatsoever in succeeding where they had failed. Barring madness, which Takashi wasn’t sure he could rule out entirely, the obvious answer was that his superior had an ulterior motive in mind.
“An astute observation, Sakuma-kun,” the Shinigami snapped, “And that’s why it won’t be your primary assignment. Your primary assignment,” he paused to slap a ream of papers on the desk, “Is this.”
Takashi picked up the hefty article, glancing over its heading and abstract.
“This is…”
“This is the information we’ve compiled so far in regards to the suspects of the case. There is no way in hell those three escaped on their own. They obviously had outside help. You’ll find all the details that you’ll need for your mission in that report. Read it.”
“So then,” Takashi hazarded, “What am I expected to do with this information?”
The Shinigami folded his hands behind his back, “Your task will be to investigate one of the key suspects. The alleged accomplice is one of our fellow friends in the Third Division, Alain Merrick.” He quickly explained the details of how he was to go about the investigation, and Takashi listened dutifully. Unexpectedly, the officer abruptly concluded the briefing by slapping him on the arm. Takashi was taken aback.
“Listen, Sakuma-kun,” his voice had suddenly become furtive, “The retrieval of the prisoner is really just a pretext here. The real reason you’ve been picked it because we needed someone we could trust. You’ve got a stellar reputation, you’re the only one you can rely upon in this situation. You understand how sensitive this is. We’re counting on you.”
Takashi did his best not to scoff. He managed to maintain his emotionless expression even as he thanked the officer for the extravagant praise. Stellar reputation? Someone they could trust? Who did he think he was fooling? Takashi knew that the only reason he had been chosen for the assignment was that his rank was low enough to be seen as innocuous. He was well aware of the fact that he, along with most other rank-and-file members of the Second, wasn’t valued: he was expendable. And in this case, unremarkable enough to fit the prerequisite slot of a tag-along. Still, Takashi could not help but feel a bit uneasy at the assignment. All facts considered, could he successfully manage an investigation?
“One last thing, Sakuma-kun,”
“What is it sir?
“Make sure that bird doesn’t become a hindrance,” the officer said with a scowl. “We’ve already made quite the exception for you, but if it endangers the mission in anyway… well, it’s a frivolous distraction, and will be culled.”
Takashi glanced at Kohaku, thoroughly offended. But he did not allow himself to betray his emotions as he bowed to take his leave.
“Yes sir,” he answered respectfully.
Kohaku was steaming with rage as Takashi tried to wait patiently outside the Third Division’s library.
A hindrance? A frivolous distraction? she seethed, Who the hell does that arrogant prick think he is? Let me get to him. He won’t be needing those spectacles once I tear out his eyes.
Disturbed by the violent threats muttered by his Zanpakutou, Takashi tried to shut her voice out of his head. Instead, he watched the passerby as they streamed in an out of the library’s main entrance. It was only a few hours after he had received his assignment. One of the officers in the third had told him where Merrick would be when Takashi stopped by, which is how he found himself in his current location. He had decided to approach him directly, as opposed to playing ninja to discover his daily routines. As such, he made no attempt to conceal his presence, instead standing outside the entrance patiently. While he could have gone inside, he didn’t want to risk losing his quarry inside the vast complex. Besides, he didn’t really want to bother the man. As this was his sole assignment, he could afford to wait.
But as time wore on, Takashi found himself leaning against the wall. He slipped the case file he had been carrying into his kosode before he folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes.
Let me know if he surfaces, Takashi told Kohaku. After seeing the Shinigami’s photograph, Takashi recalled that he had noticed the man around the Second Division maybe once or twice in the past. He had never questioned his presence, however, assuming he had had some reason to be there. That Merrick’s frequent visits, which now implicated him in the investigation, had never aroused his suspicions caused Takashi some concern. He wasn’t very good at mistrusting others outright, he supposed. At least not when they were supposed to be comrades at arms.
Takashi sighed. It had been a long day, and he felt tiredness weighing down comfortably on his shoulders. The full sun warmed him, and without realizing it Takashi had dozed off, still standing against the wall.
1421 words
Takashi’s feet brushed softly over the polished hard wood of the veranda as he quickly headed towards the office of his superior officer. He had just received the summons a few minutes earlier while practicing his kenjutsu at the division’s training grounds, and had quickly straightened up in order to make himself a bit more presentable before rushing to the meeting. The attempt had been largely unsuccessful. His unkempt hair stuck out in every direction, more unruly than usual, his Shihakkushou was wrinkled with the kosode left loose, and his neck was still wet from having dashed off his face with water to wash off the sweat of a hard hour’s practice.
You look like you’ve been mugged. Kohaku, the hawk perched on his shoulder, commented wryly. Takashi caught a sight of his reflection in the surface of the command annex’s pond as he walked past.
Did I have a say in the matter? he retorted.
Swiftness, precision, and efficiency. These were traits emphasized by the division, and while it wasn’t a crime to display a sense of tardiness in responding to a summons, promptness was heavily encouraged. Takashi passed underneath the black shadow of the building that housed the captain’s quarters, and he felt the impressive mass looming over him. The strict, almost secretive atmosphere of the division was pervasive. Too still to be truly peaceful, the silence was only broken by the metallic whine of a nearby warbler.
Takashi came to a stop outside the officer’s door and knelt before announcing his presence. Given permission to enter, he slid open the shouji but remained outside the room.
“Ah, Sakuma-kun, no need to be so formal, come in,” the other Shinigami told him. Since he was seated at his desk, Takashi felt bold enough to stand, and he stepped inside.
“You wished to see me sir?” he asked with a bow.
“Yes, I have an assignment for you,” came the matter-of-fact reply.
“What are your orders?”
His superior cut straight to the point, avoiding all pleasantries. “Are you aware of the recent breach of security in which three upper-level prisoners escaped from the division's main prison?”
Takashi hesitated. Tasked with maintaining the highest level of security at the prison, the incident had been an immense slight on the part of Special Detention Unit. Of course, everyone within the division had been forbidden to even mention the humiliating error, but rumors had quickly spread nonetheless.
“I’ve heard rumors,” Takashi said cautiously, opting for honestly. He partially steeled himself for a tirade about “secrecy” and “dissemination of sensitive information within the division,” but the lecture never came.
“Well I won’t ask you who leaked the information. What’s more important is that one of the prisoners is still at large.”
Takashi’s eyes widened, and the shock that crossed his face was genuine.
“The Detention Unit was unable to recover them?”
“Unfortunately. Allegedly the bastard was a slippery one,” the main pushed up his spectacles as he stepped out from behind his desk, facing Takashi squarely, “At any rate that will be your next assignment: retrieve the escaped convict as soon as possible, and return him into the Second's custody… Alive.”
The silence that stretched between the two of them was thick enough to cut with a knife. A pertinent question hovered in the air, but Takashi did not want to broach the subject overtly.
“Sir, I’m not qualified,” he stated without any consideration for modesty. He was stating the facts. If the Detention Unit had been unable to capture the target, an unseated rookie had no chance whatsoever in succeeding where they had failed. Barring madness, which Takashi wasn’t sure he could rule out entirely, the obvious answer was that his superior had an ulterior motive in mind.
“An astute observation, Sakuma-kun,” the Shinigami snapped, “And that’s why it won’t be your primary assignment. Your primary assignment,” he paused to slap a ream of papers on the desk, “Is this.”
Takashi picked up the hefty article, glancing over its heading and abstract.
“This is…”
“This is the information we’ve compiled so far in regards to the suspects of the case. There is no way in hell those three escaped on their own. They obviously had outside help. You’ll find all the details that you’ll need for your mission in that report. Read it.”
“So then,” Takashi hazarded, “What am I expected to do with this information?”
The Shinigami folded his hands behind his back, “Your task will be to investigate one of the key suspects. The alleged accomplice is one of our fellow friends in the Third Division, Alain Merrick.” He quickly explained the details of how he was to go about the investigation, and Takashi listened dutifully. Unexpectedly, the officer abruptly concluded the briefing by slapping him on the arm. Takashi was taken aback.
“Listen, Sakuma-kun,” his voice had suddenly become furtive, “The retrieval of the prisoner is really just a pretext here. The real reason you’ve been picked it because we needed someone we could trust. You’ve got a stellar reputation, you’re the only one you can rely upon in this situation. You understand how sensitive this is. We’re counting on you.”
Takashi did his best not to scoff. He managed to maintain his emotionless expression even as he thanked the officer for the extravagant praise. Stellar reputation? Someone they could trust? Who did he think he was fooling? Takashi knew that the only reason he had been chosen for the assignment was that his rank was low enough to be seen as innocuous. He was well aware of the fact that he, along with most other rank-and-file members of the Second, wasn’t valued: he was expendable. And in this case, unremarkable enough to fit the prerequisite slot of a tag-along. Still, Takashi could not help but feel a bit uneasy at the assignment. All facts considered, could he successfully manage an investigation?
“One last thing, Sakuma-kun,”
“What is it sir?
“Make sure that bird doesn’t become a hindrance,” the officer said with a scowl. “We’ve already made quite the exception for you, but if it endangers the mission in anyway… well, it’s a frivolous distraction, and will be culled.”
Takashi glanced at Kohaku, thoroughly offended. But he did not allow himself to betray his emotions as he bowed to take his leave.
“Yes sir,” he answered respectfully.
Kohaku was steaming with rage as Takashi tried to wait patiently outside the Third Division’s library.
A hindrance? A frivolous distraction? she seethed, Who the hell does that arrogant prick think he is? Let me get to him. He won’t be needing those spectacles once I tear out his eyes.
Disturbed by the violent threats muttered by his Zanpakutou, Takashi tried to shut her voice out of his head. Instead, he watched the passerby as they streamed in an out of the library’s main entrance. It was only a few hours after he had received his assignment. One of the officers in the third had told him where Merrick would be when Takashi stopped by, which is how he found himself in his current location. He had decided to approach him directly, as opposed to playing ninja to discover his daily routines. As such, he made no attempt to conceal his presence, instead standing outside the entrance patiently. While he could have gone inside, he didn’t want to risk losing his quarry inside the vast complex. Besides, he didn’t really want to bother the man. As this was his sole assignment, he could afford to wait.
But as time wore on, Takashi found himself leaning against the wall. He slipped the case file he had been carrying into his kosode before he folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes.
Let me know if he surfaces, Takashi told Kohaku. After seeing the Shinigami’s photograph, Takashi recalled that he had noticed the man around the Second Division maybe once or twice in the past. He had never questioned his presence, however, assuming he had had some reason to be there. That Merrick’s frequent visits, which now implicated him in the investigation, had never aroused his suspicions caused Takashi some concern. He wasn’t very good at mistrusting others outright, he supposed. At least not when they were supposed to be comrades at arms.
Takashi sighed. It had been a long day, and he felt tiredness weighing down comfortably on his shoulders. The full sun warmed him, and without realizing it Takashi had dozed off, still standing against the wall.
1421 words
