In a somewhat dim room.
Gaoyu walked in and immediately noticed a peculiar smell.
He fanned the air with his hand. "What a strange smell."
Kisuke Urahara, who was there before him, smiled amiably. "Well, I'd just finished an experiment when I sensed you coming, Mr. Gaoyu. I haven't had a chance to clean up yet."
Gaoyu glanced at him and Yoruichi, then found a place to sit in the room.
"All right, then it seems I didn't come at a very good time."
Gaoyu looked around. There didn't seem to be anything particularly unusual.
Kisuke Urahara sat down across from Gaoyu. By then, the smile had disappeared from his face.
"Now, let's talk about a few things concerning you, Mr. Gaoyu, just as I said before."
"Based on your answers, I'll decide whether I should consider you an enemy."
"But..." Gaoyu said helplessly. "I really don't know what to say. I'm just an ordinary Soul Reaper who accidentally learned of Captain Aizen's plan. I don't know why Captain Aizen didn't kill me, either."
"Anyway, I promised Captain Aizen I wouldn't tell anyone else about his plan. And given the situation, I wouldn't be able to reveal it even if I wanted to."
"Given Captain Aizen's abilities, even if I tried to expose him to Captain-Commander Yamamoto, he'd probably manipulate things so it looked like I was plotting a rebellion and attempting to assassinate Captain-Commander Yamamoto, wouldn't he?"
Urahara was an intelligent man. Of course, he wasn't about to believe Gaoyu's words just like that.
So, after hearing Gaoyu out, he merely smiled and said, "Then tell me about your background."
"That's no problem," Gaoyu replied at once. "My name is Gaoyu Kouun, and I'm from the Gaoyu family, a minor noble house in the Seireitei. I graduated from Shino Academy about six years ago."
"Oh? You became a Vice-Captain in just six years?" Kisuke Urahara asked curiously.
That was an astonishing rate of advancement. After all, a Vice-Captain was already considered part of the Captain tier, an absolute member of the Seireitei's upper echelon.
"I only became Vice-Captain recently," Gaoyu said sheepishly. "Captain Aizen wanted Vice-Captain Gin Ichimaru to become a Captain, so he had a Hollow parasitize the Captain of the Third Division."
"By chance, I killed the Captain of the Third Division while he was gravely wounded and possessed, and then I was appointed Vice-Captain."
Gaoyu was being honest. He had no intention of lying to Kisuke Urahara about something that could be uncovered with a little investigation.
After all, if you wanted to make friends, you had to be honest!
"Mr. Gaoyu makes it sound easy, but killing a gravely wounded Captain less than six years after graduating isn't a simple feat."
"I have to have at least some ability, don't I?"
"Then, Mr. Gaoyu, could you tell me what happened between you and Mr. Aizen?"
"That's no problem." Gaoyu easily recounted his earlier conversation with Aizen in Hueco Mundo.
Then he said, "Just as I told Captain Aizen, I'm neutral in your conflict. So, Mr. Urahara, please don't put me in a difficult position."
"I see." Kisuke Urahara furrowed his brow slightly, then suddenly asked another question.
"Did Aizen send you to the Human World this time?"
"No. The Tsunayashiro family sent me. The Gaoyu family is a vassal family of theirs, so when the main family gives an order, I have to make the trip."
"Oh? What's the mission?"
"I can't say. It's top secret. Even Captain Aizen doesn't know about it."
"Then never mind." Kisuke Urahara smiled and stood up.
He walked over to Gaoyu, then asked, "Mr. Gaoyu, what did you give Mr. Aizen in Hueco Mundo?"
"..." Gaoyu fell silent for a moment, then said, "I'd like you to see it for yourself, but I can't do that right now. Taking out a piece on short notice would be a bit of a hassle."
"I see. Then I think I understand."
Kisuke Urahara fell silent, too. He patted Gaoyu on the shoulder, then said, "I think we've talked enough for today."
"Then could you do me a favor?" Gaoyu said. "Sorry for the trouble, but could you give me a Gigai? A good-quality one. Since I'm carrying out a mission in the Human World, I can't stay in spirit form the whole time."
"No problem," Kisuke Urahara said. "Just follow me."
With that, he led Gaoyu outside and picked out a Gigai for him.
Gaoyu took it and said, "Thank you, Mr. Urahara. I might come visit again before long."
"Then I hope it's soon," Kisuke Urahara said with a smile. "Aizen will probably discover this place before long, so I'll have to leave before he comes looking."
Gaoyu smiled too, then left.
Only after Gaoyu was gone did the smile disappear from Kisuke Urahara's face.
"Hey, why did you let him go?"
Yoruichi appeared behind him, puzzled. "He's one of Aizen's people. Do you really believe what he said?"
"What else could I do?" Kisuke Urahara took a couple of steps forward, approaching the door. From there, he could still see Gaoyu's back as he was about to leave the alley.
He spoke slowly. "Do you think he's really just a Vice-Captain?"
"...Even if he's strong, there are two of us." Yoruichi came over too, folding her arms. "Anyway, I didn't see anything unusual about that kid."
"Daring to show up alone in front of us, knowing full well about our grudge with Aizen—that alone is the most unusual thing about him."
Kisuke Urahara said softly, "Besides, I think I can understand why Aizen would keep him by his side."
"Why?"
"Probably for much the same reason as the Tsunayashiro family," Kisuke Urahara replied.
"The Tsunayashiro family?"
Yoruichi frowned, even more confused.
Seeing Kisuke Urahara acting so cryptic, she couldn't help getting annoyed. She kicked him in the butt and said irritably, "Stop being so mysterious and just tell me."
Kisuke Urahara awkwardly rubbed his backside and smiled. "As a member of one of the Five Noble Clans, Miss Yoruichi, you should know this very well. What does the Tsunayashiro family care about most, after all?"
"You mean..." Yoruichi had figured it out too. Her brow furrowed even more, and then she suddenly looked shocked.
"That kid has a Soul King Fragment in his soul?!"
The Tsunayashiro family's latest move was indeed strange: suddenly sending a Vice-Captain to the Human World on a mission, even though that Vice-Captain had nearly severed ties with the Tsunayashiro family.
It was almost as if he'd put himself forward.
Before you continue