Morning Remembrance
In the early hours of the morning, Urahara Kisuke waited watching the sun. This day had been the day more than one hundred years ago that he had been banished from Soul Society. The former captain of the twelfth division could still remember of how he had in vain tried to get out of the boards that bound him. The words still echoed in his mind. How could they think I would do such a thing? Urahara thought as a lump surged in his throat at the memory. Especially to Hiyori-chan… His former vice captain had not liked him. She had attempted to hit him as much as she was able to, and Urahara could come to find her antics amusing and enjoyable to watch. Even though nine years had passed since he had been the captain of the twelfth division, Hiyori-chan still did not trust him, or like him for the matter. Urahara felt differently. As Hirako-san said, the small vice-captain had refused to accept him because she had been so close to her former captain, seeing her as her mother. Urahara still remembered that night. The Hollow masks forming on Hirako-san's face, screams coursing through his throat, and the image of Hiyori-chan, wearing the mask.
Urahara remembered asking, then demanding if Aizen behind this deception. His voice had nearly pleaded with them, his normally kind eyes beginning to simmer with shock and fear as the 46 laid out his sentence. "Stripped of your spiritual powers and exiled from Soul Society forever!" His mind had been numb as the Shinigami stared dully in the interrogation room. I didn't do this! he had thought furiously, his mind slowly unraveling. How could they think I did this? I loved my subordinate, and wouldn't do anything to harm her! Urahara remembered of how he had been shouted at by Yoruichi for doubting his Hiyori-chan, for not trusting his vice-captain's abilities, but in Urahara's mind, the worry had not stemmed from believing that Hiyori-chan was incapable. It was the fact that he cared about her enough to worry for her safety. That is what is missed by most Shinigami, Urahara had thought as he had sat in his captain's chambers. Most are taught to trust their superiors and fellow Shinigami and to not interfere with their battles as a sign of breaking pride…but I would rather have Hiyori-chan's pride be tarnished if it means that she would live!
Urahara would forever be grateful to his oldest friend, Yoruichi-san. It was her who had saved him from his lonely fate, alone in the human world. He did not know what would have happened if she had not been there. Hiyori-chan and her comrades would have been killed, and his other friend Tessei-san would have been locked up for eternity. Urahara would have been alone in the human world, shunned and forgotten from the society that he had been proud of to belong with. Yoruichi-san… Urahara thought with a fond smile. She had not changed from when both of them were children. She still remained the same fiery and stubborn woman Urahara knew. She had remained by his side for all of his life, and still even when he was convicted of a crime he did not commit. Urahara had once asked her, "Why, Yoruichi-san? To sacrifice your pride and heritage for me…why?" Yoruichi-san had always been proud of her heritage and her abilities. Her status would be forever stripped from her now that she had followed him to the human world. And it would never come back. The former Shinigami had been stunned when Yoruichi-san had given him a fond smile and said, "You would be lost without me, Kisuke."
Ah…you are always right, Yoruichi-san. Urahara thought as he stared at the sun peeking at the clouds. I would…definitely be lost without you. Sometimes his old friend noted of when Urahara was not himself. When sudden and irresponsible anger would capture his heart, and uncharacteristic pain echoed across his face. Although Hiyori-chan and the former Shinigami managed to survive the ordeal and were indebted to him, Hirako-san saying that they would always be in their debt, the former Shinigami had not visited him. Urahara found peace in the fact that they were alive and were not killed like the Hollows they had almost become, but he found that he missed them at odd moments. Yoruichi-san easily recognized his moods, and would allow him to brood alone. However, there were times when he took solace in her presence, and allowed himself the shame of shedding tears into her shoulder as bitterness waved through him. Urahara knew that he had made a mistake in not telling the young Kurosaki-san of the inner Hollow inside him, but he had thought selfishly that the Hollow inside the young half-Quincy would led him to them. And then perhaps…they would get the justice they deserved. Urahara had no desire to return to the Soul Society, or become a captain once more. As he had stated many times before, he was simply an owner of a small candy store. The Shinigami life had changed far too quickly, and he was simply content with his life as it was.
"I thought you would be up." Urahara turned and found Yoruichi-san wearing a plain yukata, slightly smirking as she leaned against the wall. She caught the faint distance in his eyes, and asked through her eyes, Are you okay? Urahara's only response was holding out his hand.
Yoruichi-san took it, allowing themselves to heal their wounds from the past by each other's presence.