Silence followed the suspicion that now followed the situation when the cat had outlined it in her own rather verbose perspective.
Everyone in the room knew just how good at her job Cheshire was while the squad four as a whole had certainly taken a qualitative leap. Could they all have magically missed one of their strongest using such heavy drugs? For now it was impossible to say either way and most of them would likely forget it.
However, Retsu Unohana was not a normal captain, narrowing her eyes at her colleagues' obvious hints while deciding to keep her thoughts to herself for now. As long as it didn't invite more danger into the overall balance of the world she wouldn't move. Still she would keep it in mind moving forward.
Turning to her own second seat; Unohana offered the tall white haired girl a warm smile that she often held on her face these days.
"Would you mind informing captain Hirako that we are ready to see him now."
"Will do!"
Quickly rushing out the room with a clipboard tightly clutched to her chest.
Cheshire leaned backwards, fingers & thumbs positioned in front of her to make a square, letting her hands perfectly follow the swaying hips of her girl. It was impossible to see her expression under the medical mask she always wore… However it was easy to see where her eyes were looking.
Even having one eye closed so she could best admire the lieutenant's rump with all the shame of an old lady who long stopped giving a hoot about everyone else's opinion. Hiyori missed this but Unohana - who just turned to continue their talk - did not. Only being able to let a sigh escape from her lips.
Unable to even find the effort to talk her fellow captain out of her perverse acts; she was already well aware there was no stopping her.
"Not particularly rambunctious yet there is something appealing about the slender ladies."
Nodding her head as that tall shinigami girl was finally gone. Putting her hands down as she returned her gaze back to front and center, toward her fellow captain was sitting, where she began to drum her hands on the desk while waiting. Just nodding along to her own beat with the ears on her head pointing up.
Unohana's brow trembling at the sheer annoying nature of the aggravating cat yet also unable to do anything about her.
If it was half a dozen or so hundred years ago she may have even drawn her sword.
Unfortunately she was now a different woman from the one back then.
Still her recent life choices did little to stop that tiny woman from being annoying - even going ahead to hum a very repetitive tune. One she didn't recognise with her thousands of years of life. Somehow not knowing its source only annoyed her all the more.
Eventually she could not stand it, not understanding why Shinji Hirako was taking so long to arrive, so cleared her throat in order to gather attention. Making the cat not only stop her incessant noise making but also gathering the attention of the twelfths third seat. The girl lining up a series of pre-labeled syringes.
"So what have you been up to as of late?"
"Oh my~ I didn't know you were so interested in my day to day activities~!"
"You just seem like the captain who would, by far, be up to the most interesting things."
Her placating smile was obviously still present as she didn't actually tell a lie there; it should be obvious that the head of research & development would have the most "developments" to discuss. That was also just talking about her public actions. No one could be sure what she got up to behind closed doors.
Especially when she answered to no governing body. Even if the head captain or central 46 asked her to stop what she was doing she'd likely just laugh in their face or send a bomb in their mail. Whether that bomb was full of toxins or confetti would only be known after it was open.
Maybe she wouldn't even know?
"Ah~ well I was curious if I could recreate some fellows from my old lab in a city I made called the cradle of the wise; the birthplace of wisdom and innovation!"
Merrily exclaiming as she grabbed her cane before using it to push herself up from her sitting position as she headed towards the equipment for one last check.
"Of course it was also where I was born chehehe~."
Unohana decidedly ignored the cockiness in the naming convention as she was interested in something else that was mentioned.
"Creating life?"
Her question concerning the comment about "creating some fellows" showed her worries.
It was hardly the first time soul reapers had attempted to play god, there were many examples of their people causing trouble due to their thoughtless experiments, so her worry was justified. Even if she was strangely less worried about the cat doing it. Something told her there would be no such troubles should that cat set her mind to such a pursuit.
There were already some concerning reports about a frightening group called "crows" that were thinning out the more aggressive parts of the Rukon districts.
Inhuman beings that showed no mercy or hesitation in their actions.
Them appearing shortly after the "Munzumira" also seemed like no coincidence.
Fortunately that cat just laughed (while waving the hand not resting atop her cane) which helped calm any of the miniscule worries Unohana had about that all getting out of control.
"Oh no, I'm just playing with some clockwork figurines, that is more Mayuri's thing of late."
"... As in the man you let out from the maggots nest?"
"Indeedy; he just can't seem to get the stabilisation of the gestation right. Been at it for probably a couple years now by my calculations. Something that I could easily solve for hi but it is just so amusing to see him thrashing around like a child whenever he fails~♥"
There was so much that the captain of the fourth wanted to ask however it was only now that the door to her office slid open once more.
"Sorry for the delay; been up all last night with the recent uptick in hollow at-"
Letting a yawn escape his lips as he rubbed the back of his mop like blonde hair.
Though he did at least have the decency to freeze when he saw the rather telling scene of Cheshire standing at the window, light beaming at just the right angle, as if she was telling some grand tale.
"Did I interrupt something important?"
"Eh~ not really; we were just flirting a little before you came~."
The cat was clearly taking that as seriously as she took everything else in life as she slowly turned around to head toward where all the devices were lined up. Finally laid out due to her hardworking third seat who she promptly rested a hand upon the head of. Rubbing the girl's head with a faint softening of her features.
"Perfectly done as always, my amazing assistant!"
Such an open display of embarrassingly clear affection caused the girl's ears to glow red as she lowered her face to avoid meeting anyone else's eyes.
Like usual this didn't so much as slow the old cat down as she strutted to the first of the line of syringes only to vanish in a blur of movement. Shinju quickly looked around only to feel something plunge into the side of his neck. Causing him to panicky stumble away while turning to look at the source.
All he managed to catch was another blur of movement which he attempted to follow; quickly finding the cat stood at her instruments with a syringe full of blood. It didn't take a genius to figure out where she got them as he brought a hand up to his wound. Only to find something already on the spot.
Looking at his reflection in the mirror revealed that the little gremlin had actually put a plaster with some weird purple & green dinosaur on his neck.
"Was that really necessary?"
He grumbled at the precocious pussy.
"No~pe but it sure was amusing for me~."
For a moment he turned towards Unohana for some help only to receive a shake of the head; leaving him with no other option but to release his grievances in the form of a sigh.
"So I hear you have a new vice already; congratulations~!"
"Urgh don't say it like that - especially with how my last lieutenant apparently went out…"
Letting out a loud sigh as that cat merely nodded along while squirting some of the blood onto a glass dish before sliding it into some kind of computer. Tippity tapping away at a keyboard to do.. Something. Shinji was not exactly division 12 material so could only rub his head awkwardly.
Though thinking about his new second seat caused his eyes to grow noticeably colder.
"The way you said that makes it sound like you don't think his death was an accident."
Those words caused everyone (except the cat who was giggling to herself) to freeze up with Hiyori looking very shell shocked at the thing as she opened her mouth to say something. At least until she spotted a pair of red eyes reflecting off the monitor. Looking right at her in warning that she shouldn't.
The cat thought with a shake of her head.
Even if the other captains noticed the hidden conversation between captain & third seat they did not comment on it as they instead met each other's eyes.
Silence continued between the two before Shinji cautiously responded.
"I don't doubt either of your capabilities but I also know the man; he had his issues however I don't see him being dumb enough to do that. Plus I couldn't help but look into that big supplier. Most the stuff they sell doesn't seem like something which causes that kind of damage-"
"Of course they can't cause organ failure - it would be bad for business and easily prevented."
Nodding her head merrily as she finished up.
Both her co-workers looked at her for a second yet neither doubted that she'd know what she was talking about as the connection wasn't really subtle.
"Yea so why even bother trying something that could be dangerous… I mean, not that I'm interested in that kind of stuff, but the pricing is pretty damn good so why go to anyone else for it. Also doubt he made the stuff himself as there were reports of people seeing him going to one of those clubs."
"Eye witness accounts are worth jackshit in this world. Easily faked with money, influence or a little something else. Hell with your bankai it's not surprising you have a natural distrust towards something like your second in command suddenly dying on you~."
He couldn't exactly find himself hating out upfront she was.
Which made her all the more of a drag; causing the captain of the rescue division to let out a long sigh while rubbing his head.
"Can't deny it when you're so annoyingly smart."
"On the brightside you have a clean bill of health; so what is that newbie like~?"
The abrupt change of topic caused Shinji to blink in confusion while Unohana just nodded her head like it was to be expected. Taking a deep sip from her cup as she closed her eyes. Seemingly enjoying her drink and there was no one willing to say she was doing anything else.
"Well you should already know, you've already met him, the bastard showed off he had unlocked his bankai in front of everyone to prove he was ready. Feels like he's already gunnin' for captain-hood if he pulls stunts like that. Though something about him just gets under my skin…"
"Oh~ so that was what that meeting was about - kyoka suigetsu I believe his sword was called - got a little distracted by the swaying of lieutenant Matsumoto."
"... Suuuuure."
"Anyway make sure you send this… What is his name?"
Looking over her shoulder toward that useful little assistant of hers.
"Believe it was Sosuke Aizen boss!"
"Yea, that sounds right, send smart little Sosuke in to see the doctor~."