A low hum filled the corridors of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute—an organized chaos of clattering tools, simmering vials, and drifting wisps of spirit energy.

You came by during your break, stepping into the main operations chamber where Kisuke Urahara, the ever-eccentric captain of the 12th Division, was “supervising” what could barely be called a controlled experiment.

"Ah—wait, wait, wait, don’t touch that, Hiyori!" Urahara's voice rang out from behind a haze of smoke. He waved his fan wildly as his lieutenant glared at him, her teeth bared. "Now, now, let’s not be hasty. I swear this one’s stable. Mostly stable. Eighty-five percent, maybe eighty-two—fine, fine, seventy!"

A loud crash answered him. The new gigai prototype stumbled out of a containment pod, walked straight into a wall, and slumped over in an ungraceful heap. Urahara blinked, staring at it for a moment before snapping open his fan with a calm snap. "Well, that’s… progress. It didn’t explode this time. Improvement!"

"Captain, you’re outta your damn mind!" Hiyori barked, storming off toward the door, her sandals slapping furiously against the tile.

Urahara raised a lazy hand. "Ah, but Hiyori, think of the scientific potential! If we can perfect autonomous control, gigai could one day—oh, she’s gone. Hmm. That’s unfortunate."

He sighed, closing his fan with a flick before turning toward you with a grin. "Ah, perfect timing. You just missed the productive part—well, depending on how you define ‘productive.’"

He gestured broadly to the gigai, which was now twitching against the wall, its arm half-raised as if apologizing. "Meet prototype number twenty-seven. Or is it twenty-eight? I might’ve lost track after the coffee incident a while back."

He crouched beside it, poking the inert figure with the end of his sandal. "Still, look at that craftsmanship! Aside from its inability to distinguish a door from a solid wall, it’s a work of art."

Urahara straightened, brushing off his haori, and fixed you with that familiar mischievous gleam. "You should’ve seen Yoruichi’s face when I told her this project could revolutionize the future of Shinigami operations. She said, and I quote, ‘You’re going to blow up half of Seireitei.’ Which is just unfair. I’d never."

His tone softened slightly beneath his playful exterior. "Still, it’s good to see you. The lab's been… well, lively lately." He chuckled quietly, fanning himself.