Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach and its characters. They are the property and original creations of Tite Kubo.
Chapter Eleven: Wired Life
"This is the report you obtained on the boy?" said a man in the darkness.
"It is incomplete sir," replied another man, his deep monotonic voice echoed in the darkness. "THEY are protecting him."
"From what? The truth?" uttered the first man. "They cannot hide it any longer. The first specimen of Urahara's research will eventually come to us."
He turned to look at the other man, "Go now and execute the plan. We'll make it as slow and as painful as possible."
*.*.*.*
"As you can see here on the left, is our educational facility, this is where we teach the 'newborn' angels about humans, their duties and other basic knowledge," informed Yoruichi as she gestured to the glass window of a large study hall.
"How are angels born?" asked Ichigo as he raised a pencil to jot down on his notebook, he and Orihime wore glasses as if cosplaying nerds eager for knowledge.
"That is classified information Kurosaki, unless Urahara thought otherwise," replied Yoruichi continuing with their tour.
Ichigo looked over at Orihime who was clicking on a small button on her glasses making it disappear.
"This eye glass is cool. I mean, it has a map, GPS, tracking device and you can easily detect where the bathrooms are," said Ichigo.
"It comes in different styles as well, you can turn it invisible like mine, press the button for more than 3 seconds," replied Orihime as she adjusted her unseen glasses.
"Ehem," coughed Yoruichi. "If you have time to act all lovey-dovey, then I suggest we continue with this tour."
The two blush at Yoruichi's comment and continued with their walk. "I swear that woman seems to hate me," whispered Ichigo as he examined the rest of the facility.
Orihime giggled at his comment making him blush a deeper shade of red, but of course he hid it from the angel's eyes.
"I'm sorry about what happened earlier," said Ichigo stammering as he did. "It's just that, I'm, well, you know, not sure about that guy hanging around you."
Orihime looked over at Ichigo whose head was turned trying to nonchalantly look at the facilities they passed by. "Don't worry," she said. "Ishida-kun is a kind person."
Ichigo was surprised and turned to look at Orihime who was now distracted by some angels she knew over at one of the rooms. 'She called him by his last name,' he thought.
"Oi! Stop getting distracted. It's not like I want to tour you. It is of course a protocol for this company," called out Yoruichi.
They passed by a door with a yellow warning sign. Yoruichi explained that it was the research department and no one can enter it without a pass. Suddenly as they were about to leave for the next floor an explosion came from the research department. Smoke sneaked out the cracks from the door.
"Get out of the way," said Yoruichi running over to the door but was stopped as it swung open letting out a colorful smoke covering the hallway.
"I should not let you touch anything Urahara," said an old man's voice. "Nemu, clean up this man's mess."
"As you wish, Mayuri-sama," said a girl's voice. The smoke cleared to reveal Urahara covered in rainbow colored powder. The man who spoke had a weird appearance. His face was painted black and his headpiece looked like a pharaoh's crown. His white lab gown was now adorned with the same rainbow colored dust.
"Urahara!" called out Yoruichi as she went over to the man. "What the hell is this mess?"
"Ahaha, I was trying out something," he replied scratching his head. He coughed a few dusts which went over to Yoruichi's face. The woman got annoyed and punched the man in the gut.
"Uwaah!" cried out Orihime as she and Ichigo watched the scene.
"Oho, it seems Kurosaki and Orihime-chan are here. Great timing," he greeted as he conjured his fan up to his face. "Shall we head over to my office?"
Urahara passed the frustrated scientist who said, "I'll put a note on your desk later." He stormed back inside the research facility.
Urahara passed Yoruichi who handed him a card. He faced the wall and swiped the card in front of him. Just as he did, a touch screen keyboard materialized from the wall. Urahara typed in a code and a door opened on his left.
"Shall we?" he gestured entering the door. Ichigo and the others followed after him and as the door closed behind them, it disappeared and blended with the wall.
Urahara's office looked like a regular workplace, much like the principal's office in Karakura Academy as Ichigo noted. The walls were pure white with a few noticeable colored lights lighting up here and there like a techno beat.
"As promised, we have prepared a remedy to severe your connection during battle," Urahara said as he shuffled through his messy desk. "Ah, here it is."
He handed a small pillbox to Ichigo. It had strawberry designs on it. "It is strawberry flavored, Orihime-chan's favorite," informed Urahara.
Ichigo blushed slightly, 'What the fuck am I thinking again?! It's strawberry, not me!' he thought as he shook his head. He placed the pillbox in his pocket.
"Remember to only take it once before you go out to battle. Pop in two or more, I can't guarantee the side effects will be good," reminded Urahara.
"Yeah, yeah, one pill got it," said Ichigo.
"One for both of you," added Urahara. "And did I mention you have to kiss once you take the pill, that's how you activate it."
"Yeah, yeah, one for both of us, and we'll ki—ki-KISS?!" yelled Ichigo. Orihime was holding onto her cheeks which turn red like a tomato.
Ichigo blushed madly. He felt his heart race as he took a slight glimpse at Orihime who was muttering, "Kiss? Eh? What should I do? Oh my…"
"If—if that's what it takes for Inoue to avoid getting hurt…. I—I—"he stuttered, choking as he said it.
"Just kidding!" exclaimed Urahara. Ichigo stared at the laughing Urahara. He came up to him in frustration and held on his collar.
"Effin' Son of-," he began but was interrupted by Orihime's voice.
"Yoruichi-san, I don't know how the "kiss" works. I've only ever seen it once."
"Oh, you see," said Yoruichi moving closer and whispering to Orihime who blushed at her every comment.
"Hey! Watch what you're teaching her!" yelled Ichigo.
"Now, now Kurosaki-san, let's be civilized," said Urahara.
"I should just give you a punch or two," Ichigo said letting go of Urahara's collar. "So how does the pill work anyway?"
"Oh, it activates when you exchange saliva. Before swallowing the pill, you have to exchange saliva," replied Urahara pointing up his index finger.
"Oh, so that's how it works," said Ichigo then turned to look back at Urahara, "Are you fucking kidding me?! It's technically the same thing!" he exclaimed comically flipping a table.
"Ah, but, that's what you say when you put feelings into it," Urahara said eyeing Ichigo in a somewhat serious way. "I'm saying it in a scientific manner, because that's how it'll work. When you exchange saliva, the pill detects the DNA of your partner; this'll confirm which connection to severe."
"You and Orihime-chan have a hidden connection which is activated during battle, which means, when you use the robe's power," continued Urahara. "The connection is like a thread or a wire, the pill will be able to cut it by knowing which connection it is, technically, yours. So by "kissing", it confirms the connection and severs it. Do you get my point Kurosaki-kun?"
Ichigo looked dumbfounded but regained his cool. "Yeah, I got you."
"Well then, moving on," said Urahara finally sitting down on his chair. He gestured for the three to sit as well.
"I'll allow Yoruichi to brief you about the recent reports we have about the "Reapers", the one you encountered not too long ago," said Urahara.
"Ahem," began Yoruichi, "This is the report based on Szayel Aporro Granz. He was exterminated by one of our angel's, Nemu, Kurosutchi Mayuri-san's angel."
Ichigo's eyes widened in shock at the news, he looked at Orihime who also wore the same expression.
"How did he?" asked Ichigo.
"He tried to infiltrate one of Mayuri-san's research facilities in Karakura. Unfortunately for him, that mad scientist didn't like his toys to be played with," answered Yoruichi.
Ichigo sat upright letting Yoruichi know he was eager to know more.
"As I was saying, his body was brought to the main facility to be studied. It was found out that he had high amounts of Dark matter. No traces of White matter whatsoever were found. It seems that reapers aren't as different from angels as we think they are."
"Slow down, what's this deal with white and dark matter anyway?" asked Ichigo.
"White matter is the power extracted from the robes, it is of celestial origins. Dark matter is simply the darkness we find in humans."
"I don't get it. So does it mean that everyone could be a reaper?" asked Ichigo.
"Let me explain," interrupted Urahara. "Did you know that Gods, angels, and celestial beings used to walk among us on earth?"
"Maybe, but that's just a myth right?"
"Well, that's what society makes you think. The world is mysterious and it is this that made minds like mine curious. I had a dream of one day creating a source of power that'll make humans like Gods. I've searched for it and I found the robe. It had the energy of these celestial beings; we in turn extracted it and coined it as white matter."
"Whose we?" asked Orihime innocently.
Urahara gave a serious look. He placed his fan down on the table and looked intently at Ichigo and Orihime.
"I used to work with someone who had the same ideals, his name was Aizen Sousuke. We tried our best to extract the pure White matter. Unfortunately it had side effects. White matter of course like water to fire, like antidote to poison, like sun to rain, had its counterpart. The Dark matter is a dormant power within humans. It is what drives us to SIN. When these are extracted purely it results in a great power. When put together, it creates. Like matter to anti-matter creating the universe."
"Aizen wanted more of it, but the more he desired and worked for the white matter to be extracted, all the more the darkness rose in him. I can remember it, those words he said that day," said Urahara.
"We don't need the white matter to be perfect human beings! We have our own power; the darkness is stronger in humans. It'll surpass even the greatest beings!"
"I had told him to stop but he had extracted, not the white matter but the dark matter from within him. He took a piece of the original robe and ran off."
"What happened then? Is he the reason for why there are SINs?" asked Ichigo.
"Yes. Years later, he had perfected the use of dark matter. I, of course, never gave up in researching on the powers of the robe; I expanded my research and hired scientists and people I know who would greatly help me. And then I created the first angel."
"Who is?" asked Ichigo and Orihime at the same time.
Urahara smiled and pointed at Yoruichi, "My wife. I removed her DNA after she died, and using the white matter's power for creation, she exists, the same exact replica. But of course, she will never be what my wife used to be. The personality, the memories…" said Urahara with a gloomy voice.
Yoruichi looked at him with the same expression. For a moment the room was silent. Ichigo turned to look at Orihime. 'Is she the same, someone who had died and was revived due to the power of the white matter?'
"Some of the angels are not dead people. Some were born from the white matter itself, like Rangiku and Nemu. And some are those who volunteered to give up their being to become angels," said Urahara as if reading Ichigo's thoughts.
"So the reapers, they were brought into this world just like the angels? So it is Aizen's doing?"
"That's why I worry, you see Kurosaki-san, Aizen Sousuke is dead."
~end of chapter~
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Oh I wonder how Ichigo and Orihime's first kiss will be like. If you've noticed, some of the titles of the chapters are song titles. Sometimes I just conveniently listen to them while writing. Urahara's revealed a lot in this chapter but there are still missing pieces to the story. I hope you will stick through it till the end.
Thank you to everyone who's been reading, reviewing, following and favoring this story.
R&R~