Yoruichi

Ichigo filled Yoruichi in on the basics during his walk to school the next morning. By now it was Thursday of their first week. "You seem… surprisingly excited," she admitted, smiling. "Not in a bad way. But excited."

"I am, I mean - I don't know where to go from here!" he said, talking to her as he walked backwards toward school. "I don't know who I am and I have the rest of my life to figure that out. I don't know who I am, I don't know… what my future will look like."

"Okay, well, let's break this into little, concrete things," said Yoruichi. "Political beliefs might be a little harder… we'll save those for another time. Same with relationships. I mean… that's messy. But you can figure out what you decide religiously. You can decide what you want to do as a career. Two very concrete steps. Religion and an avenue of study.

"It's a start, right?"

Ichigo made a face. "I don't know what I want to do… And I don't know if I believe in anything. I think I'm pretty much anti-everything, at this point."

"Well." Yoruichi smiled. "Why don't we ask our friends for their help?"

They sat down amidst their group in class before school started, and Yoruichi said dramatically, "Ichigo has made a breakthrough. He has realized he has no idea who he is or what he wants to do with his life. He is anti-everything."

Ichigo sighed and gave Yoruichi a flat glare. "Thanks," he said with half-hearted sarcasm. She beamed.

"Join the club and welcome to high school. Glad to have you here," said Tatsuki flatly, continuing on with her schoolwork.

"So that's… normal?" said Ichigo uncertainly.

"Well of course!" said Orihime.

"Yeah, I don't even know what I'm going to have for dinner tonight," Chad admitted, shrugging. "Fuck anything else."

"Dad says I can't be a doctor or he'll lose his shit," Ichigo admitted. "That was kind of my fall-back plan."

Chad chuckled and Tatsuki smirked.

"Well, let's think about this in big terms," said Orihime kindly, trying to be helpful.

"Okay…" said Ichigo slowly, frowning.

"Do you want to do something that uses more your body or your mind?"

"Well… I mean, obviously I'm a fighter," said Ichigo slowly.

Tatsuki snorted. "Good luck making money from that. I've looked into it," she said. "She's talking about labor-type working-class jobs, Ichigo."

"Oh. Well… I think I'd get bored," Ichigo admitted. "I mean, it doesn't exactly sound… interesting."

"So more toward the mind. That probably means college," said Orihime. "So we're narrowing it down. Now, are you thinking more… ethical or intellectual?" she said slowly.

"Well… I want to help people, but I don't know how good at it I'd be," Ichigo admitted.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," said Yoruichi. "Quick, off the top of your head: lawyer corporate businessman or social worker therapist?"

"Social worker therapist," said Ichigo automatically.

"There you go!" Yoruichi pointed off into space sarcastically. "Ethical it is!"

Tatsuki snickered. "You're cool, Shihouin."

"Thank you," said Yoruichi as she got her homework together.

"So college-based, mind-challenging, and ethical," said Orihime neatly. "That actually tells you a lot. It tells you that you want further study, intellectual stimulation, which makes sense as your grades actually seem to be quite good."

"Yeah, Yoruichi has been emphasizing a little less reckless and hot-headed, a little smarter," Ichigo admitted.

"That makes a stunning amount of sense," Tatsuki told him bluntly. "You're not a dick, Ichigo. Stop pretending to be. I realize you're more comfortable acting like a dick. But stop it. Nobody's exactly asking you to save the universe here."

"Right…" said Ichigo slowly. "And… I want a more ethical job."

"Yes. Ethics are important to you, which is good," said Orihime. "Now." She held back a smile. "Doctor is off the table. But there are other kinds of medicine: psychiatry and psychology, for example. There's also sociology and cultural anthropology. So let's put the social sciences in one category. Let's put academics and teaching in another. Let's put religion and grief counseling in another. And let's make the arts your fourth. Police-work as a fifth."

"No religion," said Ichigo immediately. "And I don't want to become a teacher or a policeman."

"That leaves the arts and the social sciences," said Orihime. There was a pause. "But if you can't decide…" she added slowly. "Why not both?"

"Both?" Ichigo frowned.

"There are people who work in therapy and counseling places, things like that, or sometimes places that require social working. They help people work through what's happening to them through the arts," said Orihime.

"You could decide what arts you like best when we get to your interests and hobbies," said Yoruichi helpfully.

"Except it totally doesn't sound like his thing," said Tatsuki.

"No, I actually like it," said Ichigo slowly. Tatsuki paused in surprise.

"It suits you," Chad decided. "You're always into saving people, Ichigo, but you can't always do it by beating people up. And you're more creative than most people give you credit for. I've seen it."

"So there you go! Decision made!" Orihime beamed. "You want to be someone in the field who specializes in therapy and social working and helps people work out their personal issues through artistic therapy. I added that 'in the field' part for you because you're definitely an action, on-the-ground kind of guy."

"That's… weirdly specific," said Ichigo. "And… oddly fitting."

"It's a good system," said Orihime smoothly, turning back to her schoolwork. She was becoming more confident around Ichigo, a definite positive.

"And it means you get to channel your inner quiet, intellectual artist," said Tatsuki, nodding. "Which is hot." She gave him a thumbs up as he raised an exasperated eyebrow. "Come on, it's a nice middle between Ichigo Before and Ichigo After. And your sarcasm would actually work in your favor here. You could just be… calmer, about it."

"True," he admitted.

He didn't seem quite as angry and short-tempered as he used to be, Yoruichi decided. Supportive family and friends probably helped.

"But art isn't what we're focusing on right now," said Yoruichi. "What we have right now is beliefs. So during break, I say we tackle those."

"You know, you guys… don't have to do all this for me," said Ichigo uncertainly, looking around himself.

"Ichigo, we're your friends," said Tatsuki. "Shut up."

"Agreed," said Chad matter of factly.

"Traitor," Ichigo muttered, and Chad did not look remotely apologetic.

At break in a corner of the courtyard, they continued as though they had never been interrupted. "Quick answer, top of your head," said Tatsuki, pointing at Ichigo. "Do you believe in God?"

"No."

"Do you believe in souls?"

"Yes."

"Cool!" Tatsuki raised her fists in triumph.

"It is?" said Ichigo.

"Yeah. You wouldn't believe how much that rules out. Oh, one more question. Do you believe in everyone having a set place in society?"

"No, people can change. I think that's bullshit," said Ichigo, blinking.

"Great! Guess what?" said Tatsuki. "You are not: a Christian, a Hindu, a Jew, a Muslim, and you don't believe in Confucianism or Shinto. Also you're not an agnostic or an atheist."

"That leaves Buddhism," said Yoruichi helpfully, which was positive as that was just about right.

"How… how does that work?" said Ichigo at last, bewildered.

"You know what you believe - so you're not an agnostic. Atheists don't believe in anything, so if you believe in souls you're not an atheist. If you don't believe in a God of any kind, that rules out no less than five major religions. If you don't believe in everyone having a set place in society, you're not Confucian.

"Only Buddhism fits all three of your qualifications."

"... Shit," said Chad, as everyone stared, impressed, at a triumphant Tatsuki.

"Okay. I… I mean, I know what Buddhism believes, obviously. It's huge in Japanese society. And I guess… it doesn't go against what I believe."

"Think about your mother in Buddhist terms. Does it explain things? Does it help?" said Yoruichi helpfully.

Ichigo seemed to think for a minute, his mind obviously working. "... Yeah," he realized, and it was as if this huge further weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Yeah, it does. It helps… with a lot of things, actually."

"Then that is the point of religion," said Yoruichi, or so she could gather from her time with humans.

"So there you go," said Tatsuki. "Quiet, sarcastic Buddhist intellectual artist who wants to be in the therapeutic field helping people on the outs."

"I just… always thought of myself as this really angry skeptic," Ichigo admitted.

"But we've already established that you've decided to stop being so angry and reckless and thoughtless, and that there are some things you both do and don't believe in. You just said so," said Chad. "You don't have to disbelieve in everything. You're allowed to believe in some things."

"I already told you to stop taking such pride out of being such a dick," said Tatsuki, hands on her hips.

"We could introduce him to astrology! Maybe it could help him with the whole… figuring himself out thing?" Orihime suggested, shrugging.

"No! None of that!" Ichigo crossed his arms in a hex in front of himself.

"Ichigo doesn't like people who say they can talk to ghosts, ergo, he believes in absolutely nothing that has to do with fortune-telling of any kind whatsoever," said Tatsuki flatly to the bewildered group. "This somehow makes total sense in his head."

Yoruichi smiled. "Ichigo… you don't actually know anything about the stars, though. I mean… maybe you've seen death. Metaphorically speaking," she added quickly. "But do you somehow have cosmic knowledge of the stars?"

"... No…" Ichigo admitted reluctantly, with his arms still in the hex.

"They're different subjects, Ichigo," Chad told him with quiet disbelief, raising his eyebrows frankly.

Maybe it was Chad, of all people, saying something that made Ichigo relax his arms. "Fine," he sighed wearily, again making a visible effort to calm himself down. "You can show me during lunch. But I don't have to believe in anything you tell me."

They all sat in their by-now-usual circle at lunchtime and Orihime got out what she called "her big book of astrology."

"I call it that, too," said Tatsuki, grinning teasingly. "Only when I say it, it's more fun."

"Shut up," said Orihime as she opened the book. It was big, tattered, and careworn, obviously loved, a purple book with huge blue font on the cover. Its ancient, astrological painting decorating the front obviously did not fill Ichigo with confidence.

"Okay," said Orihime. "Let's put in your birth information on the charts and focus on your three big signs."

"There's more than one?" Ichigo asked uneasily.

"Yes. The three work in conjunction with each other. And each sign is in a different placement and means different things depending on where they are. That's how we're all so unique," said Orihime. "Look, I'll explain in a minute, just - birth information."

"Come on, man," said Chad in exasperation when Ichigo paused. "She's not signing your soul to the devil. It's just a thing we're doing at lunchtime."

"This is getting ridiculous," said Tatsuki flatly.

Ichigo sighed. "Okay," he said. And he gave his birth information.

"... Wow, no wonder you're so intense," said Orihime in surprise. "Cancer Sun, Scorpio Moon, Aries Rising."

Tatsuki whistled. "Damn," she said slowly.

"Wait, what is that supposed to mean?" said Ichigo, both exasperated and bewildered.

"Well, Cancer is also my Sun Sign, but I'm on the cusp of Leo. So I'm really two signs. We're a little different," said Tatsuki. "Still. I know astrology from Orihime, so I can explain Cancer to you.

"The Sun Sign represents the core of your personality and desires. It's your center. Cancer Sun people have a really stoical facade, sometimes a biting or sarcastic one. But this is because we feel things really strongly. My Leo works in here - my tough face includes a lot more bright sunniness than yours does. But we both have one.

"We're both deeply emotional people, even sensitive? Not in the feminine sense, but just in the sense of… we feel everything really keenly. We like emotional security, we're very attached to family and home, we can be surprisingly nurturing, we care a lot about love and protection… and we can sometimes get jealous or insecure kind of easily, just because we form such deep bonds in the first place.

"We also tend to care a lot about traditions - even if it's just family traditions, or something personal like that - you know, we can be kind of sentimental. And we're often blessed with particularly vivid imaginations, and on that level I actually can see you as an artist. First and foremost, though - family, home, and security are all really important to us. We're very emotional, intuitive sorts of people. Cancer tells you to trust your intuitions and your instincts, especially about people, and that your job is to care for and protect those people. You use your tough guy routine to hide the fact that you care so much.

"Lucky you, Cancers also naturally give off this really incredible, silent yet natural sexuality and chemistry. Now, your Moon is in Scorpio, so with you that's particularly pronounced." Tatsuki was grinning.

"Great," Ichigo muttered, reddening.

"Ahem. Yes, well." Orihime was also blushing. "So, the Moon represents our emotional backing. Your Sun tells you what you need, your Moon tells you what you want, and your Rising Sign tells you how you go about getting your needs and your wants.

"So, Scorpio is a deeply emotional sign. It feels things very strongly. You're very loyal, very perceptive, and you can be very intense. You have deep staying power, stubbornness and strength of will, and also deep mood swings. Scorpios are infamous for being jealous, so watch out for that, between these two signs. Security is important, on a lesser scale, to emotional Scorpio as well. And yes, Scorpios are known for being very sexual people with lots of chemistry.

"Scorpio Moons have a strong need for privacy. This is to protect their deeply felt emotions. But those emotions, raw and vulnerable, also give them an ability to help bring truth to light. If Cancer Suns are true protectors, Scorpio Moons are true for enacting enormous change. You have that gift with people. Scorpio Moons can have trouble getting in touch with themselves and letting themselves be emotional, because they're trying to protect their feelings, but that raw vulnerability and emotion combined with a sort of quiet sense and protective instincts could help make you really, really strong.

"On a more personal level, Scorpio Moons need to set aside time for introspection in their lives, quiet alone time. And though you have a strong need for privacy, you have also have a strong need for emotional intimacy - different from physical. In other words, you have an ability that's rare to open up and be really intense yourself, and this can open up other people to you and they might be more honest with you than they would be with other people. This is part of what makes you so loyal and perceptive.

"Finally, we have how you go about interacting with the world - your front, or your Rising Sign - and here we have Aries Rising.

"Aries Rising people are intense, too, which is why your chart is so incredible. But Aries is different - it's good for being straightforward, direct, honest, and aboveboard about absolutely everything. That's the face you present, how you channel what you experience. Aries Rising people are courageous, strong, and self assertive. They take action, they make quick and determined decisions, they initiate things. They can be idealistic. They're open, even sometimes funny, which combined with your other signs is where your dry and incisive and perceptive sense of humor could come from. They do well under pressure, better than most people. Stubbornness and strength of will again characterizes this sign.

"In other words, you have all this but - you're not an extrovert, exactly, but you're just really aggressive and courageous and idealistic about what you're experiencing and feeling and perceiving and you're spewing it all the time."

"Which sounds like you," said Tatsuki helpfully, smirking, and Ichigo glared. "Also, Aries Rising people are full of lots of dynamic energy and stamina and adventurousness, you love a challenge, which together with your other two signs makes you a dynamo in bed." She winked and made the OK sign.

"Goddamnit, Tatsuki! Is anything off-limits for you?!" Ichigo finally lost his shit.

"That is a very astrologically accurate answer," said Tatsuki, and they all started laughing - eventually, even Ichigo, through his exasperation.

"I… I guess… none of that sounds untrue," Ichigo admitted, uncertain.

"You don't have to be a total skeptic in matters you don't understand, you know, Ichigo," said Yoruichi, smiling in good-natured exasperation. "Keep a little wonder in life, will you? Your stars might not have to decide your fate, in a fortune-telling fashion, but they could decide in part what kind of person you are and who you really click with," Yoruichi finished. "Yeah?"

"... Maybe," Ichigo admitted. "Maybe. I'll give you that one."

He wanted to wonder again. She could see it in him. That was a start. He was curious again.

"So, do I go to your home now?" Ichigo asked. "See what your home is like?"

"Not quite yet," said Yoruichi. "We have one more thing to do first."

"Are you determined to totally revolutionize my life?" Ichigo asked, dryly amused and not resentful the way he might have been more. He was rather curious and good-natured about the whole thing by this point.

"Yes," said Yoruichi, pointing at him, walking backwards. "I want you to ask to help out with your father's work."

"But - if I'm not going to do it for a living -" said Ichigo slowly.

"Karin and Yuzu aren't planning on becoming doctors, nurses, hospice workers, or morticians, I'm assuming. Not both of them, surely," said Yoruichi.

"That's… true…" said Ichigo slowly.

"But they still help out. Because they grew up in that place, so they know how it works. It's a basic life and family experience, Ichigo.

"You're a good fighter. But you don't think you're good at being gentle, or healing, or nurturing, or compassionate. I'm here to prove you wrong. True, simple compassion is an important thing for each person individually to know they have. I'm here to show you that it is possible to both fight and heal - and furthermore, that in your own quiet but meaningful way, you personally can do both."

"Despite being a guy?" Ichigo confirmed.

"Yes," said Yoruichi. "Despite being a guy. You up for it?"

Ichigo paused. "Apparently," he said, looking over, dryly humorous, "I'm good with challenges. Alright, why not? Let's try it."

Yes. Definitely more curious.

Tomorrow, the day Ichigo asked Isshin if he could help, would be Friday of their first week.