Characters: Mayuri, Yachiru
Summary: They have different conceptions of what the word means.
Pairings: None
Warnings/Spoilers: no spoilers
Timeline: no timeline needed
Author's Note: Can you imagine?
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

'The extermination has begun. Repeat. The extermination has begun. All non-priority personnel are to return to their quarters until further notice.'

Mayuri wonders exactly how much Nemu enjoyed saying that—for all that the girl is seen by others to be nearly totally emotionless, he knows her well enough to know that she has an occasional want to be dramatic that is almost always expressed in deadpan. He's probably the only one who knows that she came as close as she can to being giddy when Mayuri gave her the chance to make the announcement.

He drums his fingers upon the surface of his desk and then fights back the urge to sweep everything clean off of it—the paperwork was only alphabetized this morning and Mayuri would like to keep it alphabetized, if he can help it.

How did that little brat get into the division barracks again? Mayuri thought Nemu had strengthened the defenses.

Oh, well. Punishment can come later. For now, Mayuri will just be content if he can get the miniature terror out of his division; he'd kill her outright if not for the certain knowledge that Zaraki Kenpachi would certainly attempt to kill him if he did. It takes too long to recover after going liquid to just have that happen to him all willy-nilly.

Mayuri draws to his feet and sighs, resolving to take a more active role in the tracking down of Kusajishi Yachiru. It'll be an adventure, and maybe he'll get new ideas for experimentation from the process. Nothing like a good chase to get the creative flow flowing again.

He knows Yachiru comes here to—and Mayuri shudders at the mention of the word—play. Yes, the minute, pink-haired demon thinks it's amusing to send Mayuri's labs into complete chaos and disarray. She's picked up on the Eleventh Division's… unique sense of humor.

Well, if he ever gets the chance, Mayuri's going to be very happy to play with Yachiru.

Play with her ribcage and draw his zanpakuto across her bones like a musician with a xylophone.