Bleach: The Captain, Toshiro Hitsugaya x OC

Chapter 5: Books

"That would be nice. In the meantime, I would also like the squads schedule written up by you today. Have it on my desk before you head out this evening. As it happens, I fired our third seat yesterday for sleeping on a table. So I leave this up to you. Do you think you can handle it?"

"Of course captain! I'll get to it right away!" he said, turning away from me.

Looking at the broom in my hand, I let out a little chuckle. "Oh and fourth seat Yoshida? Just so you're aware... I don't kill hollows with a broom." he marched down the hall, laughing.

***

Back at my office a familiar face greeted me. "Nanao! Missing me already? Begging for me to come back?" I grinned.

"You've only been gone a few days you know." she straightened her glasses. "But yes I'll admit your absence has been noted."

"Awe Nanao you big softy, don't go crying on me now!" I pulled her in to a big hug. "So what are you doing here, really?" I asked.

"The captain has me working on a file and it's been giving me a lot of trouble. I want access to the restricted area of the archives to do some research but I need clearance in order to do so." She said simply.

"Why aren't you asking Captain Kyoraku to write you a-," I corrected myself, "-you can't find him can you?"

She shook her head. "You know what the captain's like. He's probably sleeping on a rooftop right now, working off the sake he drank yesterday."

I stifled a laugh with my hand. "I'm sorry Nanao! At the very least, you have me to come to now. But tell me more about this file, what's it about?"

"It's an old file; about a shinigami by the name of Kisuke Urahara, does he sound familiar to you?"

I leaned against the wall and shrugged. "Nope, never heard of him before."

She stared at me for a moment. "Right, anyways I'm trying to get more information about this guy but all of the accessible records on him don't exist."

"What's the reason for the research?" I raised my eyebrows.

"I can't say. All I know is that I was ordered to work on it for the head captain." 

I considered what she said. "If the head captain is involved then this is serious stuff Nanao. Mind keeping me updated on it?" I went into my office and beckoned her to follow.

"Why the sudden interest?" She inquired.

"Purely curiosity, nothing more." I penned the note and signed it with a flourish. 

She grabbed the note off the desk. "You know, he's not the only one who's missing records. I can't find any information about you before you joined the thirteen court guard squad. Not even your records from the academy, why is that?" She sat in front of me with her head cocked to the side.

"I think we both know that Captain Kyoraku likes to protect his subordinates, Nanao. I believe if I went looking through your files, there would be holes in it too. Am I wrong?"

She put her hands up in defeat. "I wasn't interrogating you Akira. It was, as you say, 'purely curiosity'." She changed the subject. "Thank you for getting me this," she gestured to the note. "I owe you for it."