Byakuya points Senbonzakura at Sasaki-San, Light puts pen to Death Note Ahh! All right, all right! I don't own Bleach or Death Note!
Byakuya sheathes Senbonzakura, Light places pen back in shirt pocket, Sasaki-San wipes sweat from forehead
Soichiro stepped through the door back to his old world that now seemed so alien to him. He walked forwards through whiteness until he found another seam. He tugged at it, rending space.
He stepped out in a small town in Japan, in front of a high school. Karakura High School. He saw Renji wearing a bright green t-shirt and bleached jeans chatting with an orange-haired boy who was wearing a white t-shirt with red sleeves and black jeans, walking along the street. Renji looked in his direction, and grinned. He said something to his orange-haired friend, and swallowed a small pill. His Shinigami form separated from his body, which kept on walking.
Renji walked over to Soichiro.
"Of all the people I thought might be sent to the Human World, I least expected you. What happened, old man? Got tired of filing paperwork?"
"Where can I find a gigai?"
"Not even a hello? Fine. Just go that way, turn left on 82nd St, and keep going until you find Urahara's candy shop."
"Thank you." Soichiro bowed politely.
"Psh. Whatever."
He jogged along the road for about half a mile, until he found 82nd St. He turned left. It started getting quite narrow, until it culminated in a small dirt parking lot and a tiny candy shop. The sign read "Kisuke Urahara's Candy Shop."
The sign on the door was flipped to the "Open" side, so Soichiro decided to head on in. The shop was filled with numerous types and colors of sweets. A 30-some year old man with sandy hair, pale skin, bright green eyes, and a little bit of stubble on his chin, wearing a black gi and black pants, was sitting on a folding chair. His most distinctive feature was his white-and-green striped hat that bore a passing resemblance to a wide brimmed lampshade.
He looked up at Soichiro and gave him a wide grin.
"The Chief of Police of Tokyo! Honored to meet you. What can I get for you this wonderful morning? Perhaps a muffin and some tea?"
"I need a gigai."
"Ahh. So you really are a Shinigami. All right then, just give me a moment. Ururu! Jinta! Can you get a gigai for this nice man?"
A short boy with long, spiky, red hair, resembling that of Renji's, stepped out from an interior room. Along with him came a shy, wide-eyed girl with black hair.
"He's the chief of police of Tokyo, so get him something nice and rugged."
"Yes, Urahara-San."
"So, why're you looking for a gigai?"
"I was expelled from Seireitei for being taken over by my inner Hollow and killing 12 people while in that state."
"Ahh, so another Visored."
"What?"
"Visored are Shinigami who were Hollowfied, and eventually learned how to control their inner Hollows. They're quite powerful. They can activate their Hollow powers just by pulling on a mask. Shinji Hirako is their leader. They hang out in the area around the Yellow Box warehouse. That's where they do their practice duels. Ah, here's your gigai now! Great work, you two!"
"How do I...use it?"
"Oh, that's simple. Just slip into it, like a shirt."
Soichiro picked up the gigai and inspected it. It was a perfect replica of his 54-year-old self, down to the last wrinkle...except for the fact that it was a bit more muscular than he was. It was wearing an ice-blue dress shirt and gray dress pants, and it had a small black backpack slung over its shoulder.
He slipped into it almost effortlessly. It felt...strange, somehow, being in a human body again.
"And now how am I supposed to get out of this thing?"
"That's even easier. You just swallow one of these," Urahara said, pulling a bottle of green, spherical pills from his pocket.
"These are soul candies. When you swallow one, it will separate your soul from your body and replace it with a substitute soul. It'll follow your orders and imitate your behavior as best as it can. Its physical abilities are also slightly above normal. That will be one million yen, please."
Soichiro's jaw dropped.
"How...much?"
Kisuke Urahara grinned.
"I'm just messing with you, buddy. You don't owe me a thing."
"But...? How?"
"The gigai is still experimental, so I don't charge anybody who volunteers to test it. You're the 138th user of a gigai so far. Plus, I don't take advantage of people who need my goods."
"Ah. I see." Soichiro was visibly relieved.
"Good doing business with ya, Mr. Yagami."
"You too, Urahara-San."
They shook hands.
"So. Where exactly is the Yellow Box warehouse?"
"Just a few miles south of here, in the industrial district. It's on 3rd St and 190th Ave."
"Thank you so much."
"Don't mention it."
Soichiro caught a bus to the industrial district. When he came to pay, he remembered that he didn't have any money. He felt around in his pockets, and the feel of a crisp, unwrinkled bill met his fingers. He placed the 500-yen note in the machine, and got plenty of change back.
He grinned at Kisuke Urahara's consideration.
As he stepped off near the abandoned warehouse these so-called Visoreds trained at, he saw a somehow familiar car heading in the direction of the Yellow Box warehouse. A shot of memory went through Soichiro's mind. It was Matsuda's car. What was he doing in a place like this?
Soichiro walked around the Yellow Box warehouse. He tried every door he came upon. Almost all of them were locked and rusted shut. He finally came upon one that he was able to lug open. As he walked in, he saw someone else in the warehouse.
