Yuichi chuckled awkwardly. He remembered that disaster all too well. Urahara had invited him to celebrate with a meal at his place. Once there Yuichi got drunk and talked about whether it would be possible to control time like in the Dangai (断界, Parsing World). Urahara ended up trying an experiment with that idea. Eager to try they didn't check over the paperwork and another lab member had thinkered with the project; long story short they ended up being stuck in a five-second loop for what felt like hours was not something he was eager to repeat. "Noted. I'll make sure all the paperwork is in order this time."
As the two exchanged words, Yuichi couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia for the old days at the academy. Despite all the training and battles, he missed the simplicity of those times, even if it did involve endless kidō practice and lectures.
"I'll head over to the vice-captain's office then," Yuichi said, standing straight and stretching his arms behind his head. "Let me know if you need anything, Rin-sensei."
Rin merely sighed again, though this time there was a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Stay out of trouble, Toshikyo. And for the last time, stop calling me 'sensei.'"
With a mock salute and a playful grin, Yuichi left Rin to their work and made his way through the division's bustling hallways. As he neared the vice-captain's quarters, he heard the usual buzz of the lab members arguing with each other attempting to disprove their theory. The 12th Division was always full of surprises, and even the most mundane chat could lead to something strange—or dangerous.
Pushing open the door to the office, Yuichi was greeted by the sight of Hiyori Sarugaki, the fiery and sharp-tongued vice-captain, hunched over several blueprints spread across her desk. She glanced up at him, her eyes narrowing.
"What do you want, brat?" she demanded, her voice as blunt as ever.
Yuichi, unphased by her attitude, smiled. "Just checking in. I heard there's some new tech you might need a volunteer for?"
Hiyori's glare softened slightly as she leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "A volunteer, huh? Well, we do have a few gadgets we need to test out. Just make sure you don't screw it up this time."
Yuichi laughed, raising his hands in defense. "I'll be on my best behavior, promise."
Hiyori eyed him for a moment before throwing a small device in his direction. Yuichi caught it with ease, looking down to see what appeared to be a tiny metallic sphere, about the size of a marble.
"That," she began, "is one of the captain's latest projects. It's supposed to enhance spiritual perception temporarily, but we haven't quite figured out the side effects yet."
Yuichi raised an eyebrow. "Side effects?"
Hiyori smirked. "You'll find out soon enough. Now, get going. I don't have all day."
Pocketing the device, Yuichi nodded and turned to leave. "Thanks, Vice-Captain. I'll report back once I've tested it."
As he walked out of the office and back into the sunlight, Yuichi couldn't help but feel both excitement and slight apprehension. Testing Urahara's inventions was always a gamble, but it was also the quickest way to learn something new. He'd just have to hope that whatever side effects came with this little gadget wouldn't be too extreme.
Miel fluttered up beside him, her tiny wings buzzing softly. "Do you think it'll be dangerous?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of concern.
Yuichi glanced at her, smiling reassuringly. "Dangerous? Probably. But that's nothing new, right?"
Miel nodded, still cautious. "Just be careful my lord. You know how unpredictable those devices can be. Remember how the last one left you unable to speak or move for three days."
With a confident shrug, Yuichi continued toward the training grounds. "Haha, I'll be fine. Remember that little mishap allowed me to ask him to make a device to hide you perfectly from the others in the lab letting you tag along with me. So long as it doesn't kill me I call that a win. Now, let's go see what this thing can do."
Yuichi arrived at the Gotei 13 training grounds, the small metallic sphere still in his pocket. The area was empty, which was exactly what he needed—no distractions, no onlookers, just him and whatever this new gadget was going to do. Miel hovered quietly at his side, her usual calm demeanor tinged with unease.
"Here goes nothing," Yuichi muttered to himself as he pulled the sphere out of his pocket. It felt cold and surprisingly heavy for its size. With a quick glance at Miel, who nodded in silent approval, Yuichi pressed the tiny button on the device.
Immediately, a sharp pulse of energy radiated from the sphere, sending a slight shockwave through his hand. The sensation wasn't painful, but it was powerful enough to make his reiryoku flare up in response.
At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Yuichi blinked, adjusting to the sensation that rippled through his body as his spiritual senses sharpened. But then, everything around him began to shift. The air was no longer just air—it was alive with reishi, glowing softly in different hues of blue, swirling through the atmosphere like a colorful, ethereal current.
He stared in awe as he saw the individual particles of reishi that made up the world around him. The trees, the ground, the air—it was all composed of intricate, glowing threads of spiritual energy, interwoven in ways he'd never imagined. For the first time, he could truly see the spirit particles with his own eyes.
"This... this is incredible," Yuichi breathed, his voice barely a whisper.
But then, almost as quickly as the euphoria of discovery set in, a sharp pain pierced through Yuichi's skull. He winced, pressing a hand to his temple. His vision blurred momentarily, and he blinked rapidly, trying to clear it.
"Something's... not right," he muttered, his voice strained.
Miel's eyes widened in alarm as she noticed a thin trickle of blood beginning to stream down from the corner of Yuichi's eyes. "My lord! Your eyes—!"
He raised a trembling hand to his face, feeling the wetness of the blood now pouring freely from both eyes. His vision was starting to darken at the edges, and the once beautiful reishi particles around him seemed to pulse violently, like static on a broken screen.
Before he could react, the device in his hand started to heat up rapidly. A faint, high-pitched whine began to emanate from it, growing louder and more unstable with each passing second.
"Get back!" Yuichi shouted, tossing the sphere away from him with all the strength he could muster.
Miel darted away just as the sphere hit the ground and exploded with a deafening crack, sending a shockwave rippling through the training grounds. The force of the explosion knocked Yuichi off his feet, sending him sprawling backward. His head hit the ground hard, and for a moment, everything went black.