Over 100 Years of Solitude

"How can we trust you?"

Orihime gaped at Kurosaki-kun, who was now glaring at Urahara-san with undisguised malice. The three had followed Urahara-san to his shop, to where Kurosaki-kun and Sado-kun stood in front of the light-haired blond. The shopkeeper did not seem to be disturbed by the glances. In fact, Urahara-san simply sighed and touched his hat before whispering,

"The General-Commander told you something, didn't he?"

Before Kurosaki-kun could reply, Orihime asked hesitantly, "You didn't do those things, did you…Urahara-san?"

Urahara-san did not look at her. The light-haired adult peered at the sky, and Orihime noted of how defeated he looked from the expression in his eyes.

"It depends on what kind of things he told you and your comrades, Inoue-san." His voice was quiet and had a hint of sadness. "Did he tell you that I used my comrades, including my own subordinate, for my experiments of Hollowfication?"

"So it is true–!" Kurosaki-kun exclaimed, almost reaching for Urahara-san as Orihime looked on with wide eyes when there was a shout.

"You must be a fool, Kurosaki Ichigo!" Orihime and the others turned to find Yoruichi-san in a yukata, the sleeves loose around her shoulders. Her dark eyes were alight with disappointment in anger. "Who had to train your ass when you were weak and hoped to rescue Kuchiki Rukia?" Her hands clenched into fists, and Orihime backed away as Yoruichi-san came to stand in front of Kurosaki-kun, glaring at him and seething as minutes passed by. "Who trained you when you were defeated by Kuchiki Byakuya? I ran away from my life in Soul Society, and I did not sign up for the shit!" Suddenly, Yoruichi-san grabbed Kuchiki-san by the collar and rested her forehead against his. "How dare you doubt Kisuke? Doubting him means you doubt in me, and –!"

"Calm down, Yoruichi-san." Although is tone was gentle, Orihime could see thankfulness in Urahara-san's eyes. The dark purple-haired woman pulled away from Kurosaki-kun without giving him a final glare.

"Now, where do we begin?" Urahara-san said airily. He abruptly opened the door to his shop and walked across the hallway, where it was fitted with rooms. He opened one of the doors and sat down on one of the pillows. Orihime and the other followed suit, even Yoruichi-san, who appeared to know the history beforehand. The orange-haired girl noted of how Yoruichi-san seemed to be seated especially close to Urahara-san, their clothes almost touching. "I do not think that dates particularly matter, so I will simply say that over one hundred years ago, I was made the captain of the twelfth division. Yoruichi-san was the captain of the second division and my former superior." A teasing smile appeared on Urahara-san's face, and Orihime watched with some confusion as a smile appeared on Yoruichi-san's face. "Many people were wary of me because of my background in the second division, especially my subordinate," Urahara-san whispered with sudden solemnness, "Hiyori. I trusted her as my vice-captain, and despite her relative annoyance of me, I allowed her to come with me to the Maggot's Nest with me."

"The Maggot's Nest?" Kurosaki-kun asked bewilderedly.

Urahara-san pulled out his fan and began to wave it. "You did not truly believe that Soul Society is a place where people don't do bad things, Kurosaki-san?" Without waiting for a reply, Urahara-san continued. "The criminals were former captains of the Gotei 13, and thus posed a risk to Soul Society. I allowed Hiyori to meet one of them, a criminal so dangerous he had to be put in his own isolated cell. His name was Kurotsuchi Mayuri."

"Kurotsuchi…Mayuri." Orihime breathed. She remembered of how she had tried fighting one of the Shinigami, but had ended up passed out. If only…I was there.

"I had no idea that Mayuri-san would have such an interest in Quincy," Urahara-san slowly, "but that is for another day. In the village of Rukongai, spirits were simply disappearing without a trace." He put his fan down and Orihime observed of how his ease disappeared. His hands, although appearing loose, gripped at the floor, and she could see Yoruichi-san look over at her old friend. "Soon, the Shinigami were affected as well, as the General-Commander ordered the Gotei 13 to react. He ordered six Shinigami to investigate, including my subordinate, Hiyori." There was a long pause. "I was worried. Yoruichi-san lectured that I was underestimating my subordinate and should trust in her, but I could not let it go. I…came to the field, but I was too late."

"What happened?" Orihime asked, hardly daring to draw breath. She could see Urahara-san look at her, and could see the agony of a pain more than one hundred years through his eyes.

"They were turning into Hollows." Orihime gave a hoarse gasp and she could see Kurosaki-kun and Sado-kun stiffen beside her. "I managed to stop the complete process…but I still failed them. The man responsible was the fifth division's vice-captain Aizen Sosuke with his accomplishes Kaname Tosen and Ichimaru Gin, who have currently fled Soul Society."

"Kisuke was convicted on Aizen's crime, and exiled from Soul Society." Yoruichi-san stated as Urahara-san fell silent. Orihime noted of how the former Shinigami had her hand near his. "He was stripped of his spiritual powers, and ordered to never return."

"If Aizen is gone, then why do the people in Gotei 13 do not know this?" Kurosaki-kun asked, his brown eyes burning with anger and shame at his former suspicions. "Urahara-san, you have to tell the truth now, and then we can recue Ishida!"

The former captain of the twelfth division shook his head. As Orihime opened her mouth to protest, Urahara-san held up his hand. "I was convicted of a crime I did not commit, and spent the last one hundred years or so living the life of a human." He smiled at the confused faces of the three humans. "I am content with my life here. Kurosaki-san, I do not want to go back to Soul Society."

"But…why?" Kurosaki-kun asked, his voice slightly cracking as he looked at the calm former Shinigami before him. "Why would you give up your life as a Shinigami, your life as a captain, after all this time?"

"There is more to life than the honor and glory of being one of the Gotei 13, Kurosaki-san." For a moment, Urahara-san looked into the young man's brown eyes, and Orihime thought she saw a secret conversation going on between them. "There is more to life than fighting and protecting, and I have no intent of bringing up old wounds from the past. I am…content here."

"Then…" Kurosaki-kun stated after a moment, his eyes following Urahara-san's for a moment before suddenly connecting to Orihime's. The girl felt her heart jump for a moment before her crush looked forward. "What do you know about the war two hundred years ago, Urahara-san? And…this Mayuri guy?"

Urahara-san appeared troubled for once. "I do not know very much about the war two hundred years ago against the Quincy, since Yoruichi-san and I were children at the time. I do remember, however, of two surviving noble families who came to Captain-General Yamamoto on the last day of the war." An interested look appeared in his eyes suddenly. "Yoruichi-san warned me not to go, as children were not allowed be present during the signing of the truce. However…I do remember seeing two Quincy, both seeming tall and imposing beside the old commander. They were the only few surviving members of the war, and their names were Kurosaki Fujimaro…and Ishida Tatsunari."

"So…Ishida-kun's family did survive the war," Orihime whispered out loud, not noticing of how Kurosaki-kun's face became pale and silent at the familiar sound of the name. As he was about to speak to the former Shinigami however, Urahara-san continued.

"I founded the Shinigami Research Institute, and yet I did not expect for Mayuri-san to be so interested in Quincy that he would experiment on them." Then his face became serious. "I will show you a way to help your friend."

Urahara-san stood and the three followed him.