Urahara x Reader (Bleach fanfic)

At the root

I stood before my squad, their faces a mixture of confusion and anticipation. The weight of what had happened hung heavily in the air, and though my expression remained composed, my mind was working overtime. If the recent mysterious orders had come from within my squad, this was the first step toward rooting out the culprit.

"From now on," I began, my voice steady but firm, "all orders and mission allocations will be delivered directly from me, in person, at my office."

There was a brief murmur among the squad members. Some looked to Hisagi, who stood beside me with his arms crossed, offering silent support.

I continued, letting my gaze sweep over the group. "No more orders will be posted on the bulletin board or relayed through third parties. You'll come directly to me if there are any questions or concerns about your assignments. This is to ensure that we cut off any... trickery, like what happened previously."

The room fell into a hush. I could see a few of them exchanging glances, some probably thinking about how unusual this was, but others nodding, seemingly understanding the gravity of the situation. My gut churned. The missing members, the orders I never gave—it was all too suspicious. If someone within my squad was involved in this, they had to know I was watching them closely now.

"This change isn't just a precaution. It's a necessity. Last times' incident where some of you received false orders and disappeared for hours... it could've ended far worse. We cannot afford that kind of confusion, not with the increasing Hollow activity," I added, ensuring they understood how serious I was.

Hisagi, who had been observing the squad's reactions, stepped forward. "Captain's right. This is for everyone's safety. If anyone has questions about the new process, address them now."

There were a few shakes of the head, but no one spoke up. That was fine. I'd expected this to be more of a shock to them at first.

I folded my arms, speaking again, my eyes narrowing slightly. "If there's someone in this squad responsible for issuing those false orders, know this: I will find you. This is my declaration of war." I let the silence sink in before I softened my tone. "For now, I want us to work together, as we always have. We'll continue as normal, with increased vigilance. Dismissed."

As they filed out of the field, I caught Hisagi giving me a knowing look, his usual teasing absent for once. "Smart move. Tightening the reins might just force whoever's behind this to slip up."

"Exactly," I muttered, watching the last of the squad members leave. "If someone in the squad is responsible, they'll have to act differently. And when they do, I'll be ready."

The thought swirled in my mind as I watched them go. Whoever was behind this—whether they were inside or outside the squad—wouldn't be able to hide for long. And if they were part of Squad 9, they'd just made a serious mistake.

I returned to my desk, focusing on the reports spread before me. Shortly after, Hisagi popped back into my office, this time with the latest Seireitei bulletin draft in hand.

"Captain, I need you to proofread this for me. I'm trying to polish it up before it goes to print," he said, placing the papers on my desk with an exaggerated flourish.

I glanced at the headline and chuckled. "You do realize I'm also the chief editor, right?"

"Yeah, but you can't pass up the opportunity to mock my writing skills," he replied, leaning against the doorframe with a teasing grin.

"Alright, let's see what you've got," I said, flipping through the pages. My eyes landed on an article that made me laugh out loud.

"'Gotei 13 Sports Day: Squad 11 Wins Again!'" I read aloud, shaking my head. "Who could've seen that coming?"

Hisagi laughed. "They just can't help but dominate the competition! It's like everyday they're training for the Soul Reaper Olympics or something."

I turned the page, my amusement growing as I spotted another headline. "And here's a gem: 'The Hottest Soul Reaper: A Scientific Analysis.' Seriously? What kind of 'scientific analysis' are we talking about here?"

"Hey, it's important research!" Hisagi said, mock-seriously. "We need to know if Captain Kenpachi's intensity or Captain Ukitake's charm wins the day."

"Or if it's just your complete lack of taste that's skewing the results," I shot back, trying to keep a straight face.

"Touché," he admitted with a chuckle. "But come on, the readers love this stuff. I mean, everyone's talking about it. It gets people engaged!"

"Right. Nothing like a good debate on attractiveness to keep the peace in the Soul Society," I remarked, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

As we continued going through the bulletin, I appreciated the lighthearted moment. In a time filled with uncertainty and concern, it was a welcome distraction for not just me but the rest of seireitei.

4o mini