The Pull Toward the Future is Undeniable
Chapter One: Relocation
Author: Cayt.
Characters: Shinji, various.
Note: Yes, I know this one is not exclusively on Shinji; but there are going to be quite a few segments following the Vaizard and rogue shinigami during their lives on Earth. I'm going to try to write for each of the characters, so I put this under Shinji's section on FFN, just for convenience' sake. As always, please feel free to review—let me know what you think, what you might like to see, stuff like that. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own anything you recognize; characters, places, etc. I'm just borrowing someone else's ideas to play around with for a while…
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Even after escaping from Soul Society relatively unscathed, things go anything but smoothly for the rogue shinigami. Not only do they have to hide themselves from any pursuers, they have to leave everything they ever knew and believed in behind; nothing is the same anymore, and it never will be again.
It takes a while to find a place to settle down, and even longer for everyone to get used to the changes around them. The hastily provided gigai that Aizen's victims don are fine-tuned, blocking any stray flares of reiatsu that emerge with alarming frequency these days; the last thing they need is for these flares of reiatsu to give their new position away, so that they can be captured or perhaps just executed on the spot. None of them are willing to let this happen in the first place, so it doesn't take long before changes start emerging within the group, both physically and emotionally.
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Urahara Kisuke isn't surprised when Yoruichi disappears soon after they have all settled. They choose an abandoned estate somewhere in the country, because it is away from anyone that might interfere, and because it has more than enough room for everyone to have space to themselves. Kisuke knew that Yoruichi wasn't going to be able to stay in one place for long, however—she has always enjoyed travelling and keeping on the move. Beyond that, though, the need for one of them to keep on the move isn't far from his mind. He's glad his old friend came; she is relatively more… normal, better suited for searching out information, for contacts… for possible backup, in case this goes even further into 'wrong' than it already has.
The first few days settling in are hectic, of course; it's a rushed confusion of setting up barriers, reinforcing them, and keeping their comrades separated from one another for the time being, so there's no chance for them to attack one another. While the gigai Kisuke constructed for each of them mask their reiatsu are doing their jobs, they are far from perfect. A surge of strong emotion is enough to loosen their control over their own power—enough to potentially release the Hollow now residing within their souls.
Kisuke and Tessai are both left to help their comrades as much as possible, though in some cases it's more difficult than others. Hiyori in particular is even more volatile than before, her temper exploding at even the slightest mention of Urahara—or Aizen. Despite this, however, she doesn't even ask about the others for the most part, something that worries Urahara. Hirako is withdrawn and pensive, but Muguruma is active at all times, as if he thinks that going to sleep will be enough to allow the Hollow within to claim complete control. Then again, it might well be…
Something needs to be done, and quick. Urahara has no clue what to do, only that he has to fix this. The face of his lieutenant is never far from his mind; she had never come to accept him, as he'd hoped, but they had (finally) made progress. The fact that he had sent her out there, however, makes this purely his fault.
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"It's your turn for dishes, Hiyori!" Shinji calls, the only sign that alerts Kisuke to the undercurrent of tension building. After everyone had settled, Tessai had established a chore chart, a small attempt at making things seem more normal… predictably, it had taken some getting used to, but everything had evened out somewhat, despite the fact that Shinji takes every chance to avoid his chores that he can. Its not unlike being in charge of a child again, Urahara notes, watching from underneath his bangs as Hiyori predictably whirls.
"No, it's your turn, dumbass," she snaps, and Hirako only deigns to stick his tongue out and contort his face in response. Love reaches over to hit him, seeming to be used to this, but stops halfway there, as if thinking twice. Despite this, however, Kisuke can't help but feel a tiny bit of hope; maybe things haven't been broken completely beyond repair after all.
"No, just look at the chore chart!" Shinji insists, though he is subtly preparing himself to dart out of the room as soon as Hiyori looks at the chore chart. Instead of falling for it, however, she rips off a shoe and lunges for the ex-captain.
Hirako gives an undignified yelp before scrambling out of his chair, trying to avoid the girl. Rose sighs and shifts slightly to the side to avoid being caught up in the ruckus, even as Love twitches, debating with himself whether or not to intervene. Kisuke, for his part, watches and smiles inwardly.
Yes, there is definitely hope left.
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Please, let me know what you think. More coming soon! I have a few chapters written, but since finals and graduation are coming up, they might have to wait until after May 9th. We'll see how smoothly things go.