Sixth Division, Fifth Seat:

"Prodding for a Story": (continued)

She approached the office of Yorusuke Nagano, the Fifth Seat of the Sixth Division, who had always been a reliable source of information. The door was slightly ajar, and Fuu could hear the low murmur of voices from within. She knocked lightly before stepping inside, her presence acknowledged with a nod from Yorusuke. Captain Kuchiki standing in front of Yorusuke's desk.

"Fuu, what brings you here today?" Yorusuke asked, his tone as formal as ever. He was seated behind his desk, a mountain of paperwork before him, yet his piercing gaze never wavered.

She bowed to the captain and turned her attention back to Yorusuke. "I hoping to get a little information, Yorusuke," Fuu replied, her voice steady.

"Very well. I will leave you to your discussion," Byakuya said, his tone calm and composed. The two bowed respectfully as he exited the room, his presence as commanding as ever. He did not go far, however; instead, he positioned himself just outside Yorusuke's office, his keen ears attuned to the conversation within. His interest was piqued by Fuu's unexpected visit, and he intended to discern her true purpose for being there.

"So what kind of information are you looking for, Fuu?" Yorusuke asked as he straightened the papers on his desk.

"There are rumors about the 'Noble Bandit' and the Masanobu Assassins working together. The latest heist ended in bloodshed, and the method matches the Masanobus' style. I need to know if this has happened before, and if so, who strikes first—the bandit or the assassins?"

When Byakuya returned to the office of his 5th seat, his eyes moving between the woman’s notebook and his officer. “Seireitei Communication will have to look for a different story this week. There’s another riot in the eastern Rukongai. Take a squad to deal with it."

"But sir," Officer Ayumu called out, "the situation with the 'Noble Bandits' has everyone's attention. The people want an official update." 

Captain Kuchiki's eyes narrowed. "There are more important things to write about now than rumors that we haven't been able to confirm. It takes time to make use of any pattern unearthed." He paused deliberately. "If it is, in fact, a pattern. I will not have anything further published until we have had time to discover the truth lest someone else exploit the facts for their own gain. Officer Nagano, you have ten minutes." 

The noble captain turned and left the office once more. 

"Will The Real Target Please Stand Up":

It was early morning, the soft rustle of paper echoed in the dimly lit room, punctuated by the occasional creak of a wooden chair. Yorusuke sat at his desk, the weight of the past two weeks pressing heavily on his shoulders. Before him lay several reports, each detailing the latest strikes by the Robin Hood group. His brow furrowed as he meticulously reviewed the information, cross-referencing times, locations, and victims.

"Three hits in two weeks... no casualties, just theft," Yorusuke muttered to himself, tapping his pen against the edge of the desk. "They’ve never been this consecutive before. So why now?"

His thoughts drifted to the Masanobus, a name that apparently has been whispered in the shadows of the Gotei 13 for many centuries. Something Yorusuke would have never known if not for Fuu Ayumu of the Ninth Division. For the last few weeks Third Seat, Fuu Ayumu had been digging in the Daireishokairo and publicly, for anything she could find on the new string of robberies that had plagued the Seireitei, she was determined to help the Sixth Division break this case. What she found was more than expected, and after reading the report that she gave him, Yorusuke now believed that the speculation that the assassins were somehow tangled in this web of thievery, was wrong. He could not see how they could truly be involved, this was merely a ploy to drag their name through the mud.

He leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing as he considered the possibilities. "If the Masanobus are discovered... it won’t just be their downfall. The four great noble clans would fall with them. Byakuya-sama is right to be cautious."

The reports offered no clear answers, only more questions. Yorusuke could feel the frustration gnawing at him. He knew Renji was out there, pounding the streets for leads, but so far, nothing had brought them any closer to the truth. Why was the Robin Hood group trying to make it look as if the Masanobus were in league with them, or are the Masanobus the real targets of a larger plot?

The sound of footsteps approached, breaking his reverie. Yorusuke glanced up just as Renji Abarai stepped into the room, his usual confident demeanor tempered by the seriousness of their task.

"Any luck with those reports?" Renji asked, a hint of hope in his voice.

Yorusuke sighed, shaking his head. "Not yet. But we’ll figure this out. We have to."

"The only pattern I can see is that when they act alone, their targets are nobodies—small-time, unknown. But when they work together, the victim is usually a well-known criminal. That would explain why the deaths only occur in those high-profile cases." Yorusuke remarked.

"Cause the small fry ain't worth the assassins' time. No money, glory, or honor in killing off nobodies. But robbing and assassinating the scum of the Soul Society," Renji gave Yorusuke a firm, slow nod. "That's where the real stakes are at." He hummed, scratching the scruff on his chin that he hadn't had time to shave off this morning. "You know, maybe their larger targets are people other assassins are already looking at off-ing. Could be helpful to get one of our own's perspectives on this. See who they think might be next. It's not like the Gotei is against outright killing someone who is determined to be too much of a threat. Hell, that's why we have the Shihoins, the Ashimitsus, and the Fons. Well, had the Fons--rest the captain's soul."

"I wish we could find out time of death of the victims. I don't know how but maybe it could help us figure out if they work together or individually." Yorusuke sat back in his chair a pondering look on his face. His attention then turned to Renji once more. "Before we get too many others involved with this case I need to bring something to the Captain's attention."

"Fuu told me that most of the dirt she dug up came from the streets. The archives only held what was publicly available, and you know how little that is in cases like this," Yorusuke said, his tone thoughtful.

"But think about it," he continued. "Every time the topic of these assassins comes up, the Captain gets uneasy and changes the subject. He knows more than he's letting on." Yorusuke reached over and picked up the parchment Renji had just placed back on the desk. "Even if half of this is just rumors, hearsay, or guesses from the Rukongai residents," he said, gesturing slightly with the parchment, "it threatens not just the Masanobus but the six Noble clans as well. We can’t let this get out. I need to bring it to the Captain because if there's any truth to it, the Nobles will have to find a way to bury it. Again."

Renji's expression grew serious. "But this is in Fuu's hands now. She’s a journalist—she’s not going to let a story this big slip away."

Yorusuke shook his head. "Fuu and I went to the Academy together. I know her too well. She might seem like she’s only after the next big scoop, but that’s not who she is. Sure, she loves uncovering a juicy story, but this involves a lot of good people. She would never drag them through the mud." 

"But if the Masanobus were really involved, wouldn’t all the targets be dead? They’re notorious assassins, not common thieves. It’s not like they’re keeping a score of 'Assassins 400, Villains 20.'"

Renji gave him a puzzled look, causing Yorusuke to hesitate, running a hand through his hair. "Just random numbers, you know," he added, slightly flustered.

"I'm assuming it's because not all of the Robin Hood targets are ones that the Masanobus would bother with. If it was one-for-one, that would be too obvious. The Robin Hood clan don't go after only big targets. Some of them are small fry. If you want to catch a shark, you throw blood and guts into the water, not pet fish food," Renji shrugged with a shake of his head.

Yorusuke chuckled at Renji's analogy, "True, but whatever is going on here needs to stop before something bad occurs." Renji gave him another puzzled look. "You know what I mean. This situation could be so much worse."

“Guilt”: (continued)

“Fuu,” he said, his tone neutral but curious. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

Fuu forced a small smile, “I know. I’m sorry to drop in on you like this, but I really needed to talk to you. It’s important.”

Yorusuke stepped aside, allowing her to enter. The office was modest, with a neatly organized desk and a few scrolls stacked on a shelf. A large window let in the afternoon sunlight, casting a warm glow over the room.

Fuu walked over to the window, taking a moment to compose herself before turning to face Yorusuke. He was watching her closely, his expression unreadable. She could sense his concern, though—he was perceptive like that, always able to tell when something was weighing on her.

“What’s going on?” he asked, his voice gentle but firm.

Fuu sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I made a mistake, Yorusuke. A big one. And I’m here to make things right.”

Yorusuke raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t interrupt. He simply waited for her to continue, his patience only adding to the guilt gnawing at her.