Chapter 14-Errands
Ichigo managed to sneak into the hospital's staff locker room unnoticed. He was several hours late, but with the hundreds of employees on call, his tardiness was barely noticeable. Ichigo began pulling the scrubs he was provided over his head when he heard his name being roared viciously around the corner.
"Kurosaki!"
"Shit!" Ichigo jumped at the intensity of the yell and tripped over the bench he was standing next to with his uniform still stuck around his arms and shoulders.
"Kurosaki." The cold voice loomed over him and Ichigo's heart stopped.
"B-Byakuya?" he choked out and pulled his head through the neck hole to gaze at what could be his last sight before he died.
"Who?" A tall man with white hair stood above him with a condescending glare.
Ichigo sighed in relief. "Oh jeez. It's only you Ryuuken."
Then his heart stopped again.
"Ishida Ryuuken!" Ichigo scrambled to his feet and pulled his uniform down over the rest of his chest, trying to make himself more presentable to the owner of the hospital and his boss's, boss's, boss. "I uh…I didn't know anyone else was in here." He stammered out.
The reluctant Quincy stood sternly in front of him and sneered. "That's because most employees started their shift three hours ago…"
Ichigo fidgeted under Ryuuken's gaze and tone. "Uh yeah…I was kinda running late this morning." Ichigo scratched his head out of habit. The older man probably thought he had fleas.
"I don't care what you were doing. I don't hire unruly dullards onto my hospital staff." Ishida Ryuuken glowered even crueler if it were possible. "In fact I don't believe I hired you at all."
Ichigo's eyes fell to the floor. "Well…I uh…-"
"No doubt this is my pathetic son's doing." Ryuuken spat. "Always trifling into matters that shouldn't concern him."
Ichigo realized why Ishida Uryu was such an uptight hard ass… The apple did not fall very far from the tree. Then he cringed at the prospect of becoming anything like his own father.
Ryuuken continued his lecture, finding pleasure in Ichigo's submissive attitude. It wasn't an attitude usually featured by anyone with the last name Kurosaki. "I think your unwelcome association with this hospital has come to an end."
At that, Ichigo looked up with surprised eyes. "You-you're firing me?"
"Oh my, you've deciphered my code." He said dryly. "Yes, you are hereby terminated and you can reign your shinigami insolent havoc elsewhere."
Ichigo stood blankly for a moment. He did come into work with the idea to quit. But he wasn't exactly keen on taking such insults, even if they were from Ryuuken.
The older man rolled his eyes in a flutter of impatience and disgust. With a small grunt of a sigh, he lifted his hand to his coat pocket and retrieved a folded piece of paper.
"I thought it would take more than a few large words to convince you to leave. Though I didn't expect you to stand there like a gaping moron." He handed the paper to Ichigo. "This should be enough to influence you to leave without embarrassing yourself any further."
Ichigo started to glare back at the other man, wondering if by some chance Ryuuken and Byakuya were related…or maybe they just had an, 'I hate Ichigo' club…then he looked at what was handed to him. It was a check.
A check with a hell of a lot of zeroes.
Ichigo opened his mouth wider, gaping like an even bigger moron, until he snapped his jaw shut and put on a fake smile even Rukia would have been proud of.
"Yeah, this'll do it! I'll just out of your hair!" And with that, Ichigo flew out of the locker room before the eldest Ishida could change his mind.
The check was more than enough to cover his and Rukia's expenses while he searched for a job that didn't suck out his will to live. "This will take care of us for awhile." Ichigo spoke to himself. Then he glanced around to make sure no one heard him refer to him and Rukia as an 'us'…or to hear him talking to himself.
He started walking towards Urahara's, having taken care of his morning errand much faster than he could have hoped. Even if he did have a run in with Ishida's father, it was worth it.
The check had a lot of zeroes.
"Iiiiicccchiiigooo!!!"
Ichigo jumped out of his shoes at the shrill scream of his name. "What the hell is wrong with people today?!" He complained loudly.
Ichigo glared at the direction the noise came from and saw Keigo and Mizuiro pull up in a swanky sports car. He forgot his anger and let out a whistle as he leaned against the passenger window Keigo had rolled down.
Ichigo peered inside to see leather interior and a stylish stereo system. There was no way a teenager should be able to afford a car like that. Ichigo was convinced Mizuiro was a gigolo.
"When did you get a car?" he asked the playboy driver. Keigo hopped out and let Ichigo slide into the back seat.
"Well while you were off saving the world," Keigo jumped back in when Ichigo was situated. "Mizuiro and I were doing normal teenager things, like getting our licenses to pick up chicks!"
"I have my license." Ichigo bit back. He'd worked hard to make sure he'd be able to drive far away from his father as soon as it was convenient. That said, he'd gotten his license as soon as he was of age. Shinigami duties be damned, he wouldn't be trapped with goat-beard forever.
"That's funny," Mizuiro said as he took off down the road. "Because Keigo still doesn't have his license."
"Mizuiro!" Keigo whined. "That's not fair, I'm this close to getting it! Don't make me look stupid in front of Ichigo."
"You're gonna have to try a lot harder then." Ichigo teased.
Keigo slumped down in his seat in tears while Mizuiro glanced back at Ichigo. "Where are you headed?"
"I just need to get to Urahara's if it's on your way. Thanks for the ride." Ichigo looked out the window, the dreaded hospital already out of his line of sight. He wondered if there were any openings at the school Rukia worked at. She hadn't made fun of him for considering a career in teaching. And though he wouldn't admit it out loud, he had a soft spot for kids. As annoying as they could be…they were actually pretty cute. Maybe Chad's fondness for anything cute was contagious.
"Wow Ichigo," Mizuiro brought Ichigo's attention back inside the car. "That's a cool shirt. I haven't seen you wear that one before."
Keigo's stopped crying for a second as his interest piqued. "That is a cool shirt Ichigo! When did you go shopping? More importantly, why didn't you take me with you?!" Keigo's eyes welled up again as he turned around completely and gripped the back of his seat facing Ichigo.
"Would you can it already?" Ichigo sulked. "It's just a shirt."
"But where'd you get it?" Mizuiro asked still curious.
Ichigo shrugged, uncomfortable with where the conversation could go if he wasn't careful. "I don't know. It was a gift."
That wasn't very careful.
Keigo's jaw dropped and pointed a shaky finger at him. "If you tell me that Kuchiki-san bought you that shirt from the kindness of her heart, I will never forgive you Ichigo!"
"That's not much of a threat." He said back.
"Ichigo!"
Ichigo crossed his arms with an impatient grunt. "Shut up already! It's just a shirt. My sisters bought it for me." It wasn't technically a lie since his sisters were with Rukia when she bought it. And it was his money, so it technically wasn't a gift either.
Mizuiro made eye contact through the rearview mirror. "Your sisters sure do have good taste. They must know how much you like tight clothes."
Ichigo glanced at his shirt and pulled on the front lightly. "Why does everyone keep saying that? It's not that tight is it? I just don't like things to be baggy."
Keigo…somehow…hopped into the back with him and threw an arm around his shoulder. "It's nothing to be embarrassed over Ichigo. You just like showing off your chiseled features to the drooling girls."
Ichigo slammed Keigo's head into the seat in front of him. "Don't ever say the phrase 'chiseled features' again. Especially to me." He gritted.
"It's just a compliment." Keigo muffled from the seat cushion.
"Why aren't you guy's at Rukia's yet?" Ichigo asked to change the subject. "She said people were coming over early to help her set up."
Mizuiro answered. "Well we're just picking up our dates for the party. The girls are helping Rukia."
"My empty wallet helped out enough." Keigo moaned.
"Tell me about it…" Ichigo agreed for once. Then he asked, "But why aren't Chad or Ishida with you guys?"
Mizuiro answered again. "Chad's doing all the heavy lifting for the girls, because Rukia had some furniture delivered and Ishida barely lets Inoue out of his sight nowadays. They really are attached at the hip."
"I'd be attached to some part of her for sure." Keigo drooled. "Keep her on a tight leash, you know what I'm saying?"
Ichigo rolled his eyes, but didn't speak up in case Keigo thought of switching the focus from Inoue to Rukia. Ichigo couldn't imagine Rukia on any kind of leash….actually…
"I'm really surprised Ishida roped her in at all." Mizuiro mused from the driver's seat. "She had the biggest crust on Ichigo for the longest time."
Ichigo sat up in surprise. "Huh?"
"You're so lucky Ichigo." Keigo smiled sadly. "All the girls like you." Then he bounced on the cushion in excitement. "That's why you were such tight clothes!"
"Shut up." Ichigo pushed Kiego down again and leaned between the seats to get closer to Mizuiro. "What are you talking about Mizuiro? Inoue had a crush on me?"
"Wow you are seriously dense Ichigo."
"Watch your mouth!" Ichigo fought hard not to hit the driver.
"I'm sorry but it's true." Mizuiro spoke honestly. "Inoue was crazy about you but never said anything. Everyone knew about it."
Ichigo furrowed his brows in confusion. Orihime was like another sister to him. He couldn't even imagine her harboring feelings for him. It didn't make any sense in his mind. Ichigo had to admit that besides annoying fan girls, he'd been pretty blind to anyone who may have shown him affection in that way. He'd only started paying attention to girls when he met Rukia.
But Rukia wasn't anything like any other girls he'd met.
"You think Ishida's just a rebound guy?" Mizuiro asked the car's passengers.
"No way." Keigo took Ichigo's spot between the seats. "I heard Tatuski and Orihime saying how Ishida-"
"You mean you eavesdropped on a private conversation." Ichigo corrected while gazing out the window.
"Whatever." Keigo blew him off. "Anyway, Orihime is really over Ichigo. Guess you missed out buddy." He slapped a hand on Ichigo's shoulder and shook his head.
Ichigo shirked the hand away. "There's nothing to miss out on. Inoue is just a friend. I've never seen her as anything more than that."
Keigo grinned. "I could point out at least two things you're missing out on."
Ichigo punched him in the chest. "Would you stop being such a pervert! Quit talking about people behind their backs!"
"You think they're having sex yet?" Mizuiro broke in.
Ichigo blushed at his candor. "Mizuiro!"
Keigo pulled himself between the seats again. "Oh that's the best part! Orihime told Tatuski-"
"Shut up!" Ichigo pulled Keigo back once again. "This is why I never tell you guys anything! You spread the nastiest rumors!" He crossed his arms and scowled wishing Chad was the one with wheels.
Mizuiro turned to Ichigo curiously. "Are you saying that you have something to tell?" he asked with a grin and arched eyebrows.
"Would you just keep your eyes on the road." Ichigo looked away but Mizuiro continued his questioning.
"Ichigo, if you had known Inoue liked you in that way would you have made a move?"
He shook his head and met Mizuiro's eyes. "I told you. We're just friends."
"Like you and Rukia are just friends..." Keigo asked slyly.
"No! I-I mean yes…We're all just friends." Ichigo glared harder out the window.
"Are the three of you friends together… at the same time?" Keigo giggled out before Ichigo shoved him.
"Damn it! You're such a pervert! I don't know why I even hang out with you guys!"
"Because you don't have a car." Mizuiro stated simply.
Ichigo pulled out the money he'd received from Ryuuken. "Well I just got this big fat check I can use as a down payment for one."
Keigo grabbed at the rectangle paper, and even Mizuiro's eyes widened when he saw the number.
"Jeez Ichigo!" Keigo said as Ichigo snatched back the check. "Where'd you get all this money?!"
Ichigo snorted. "I think it's Ishida Ryuuken paying me to keep my distance from him and his hospital."
Mizuiro smiled. "You could make a fortune with a job like that Asano-san."
Keigo hung his head in agony. "Why do you hate me?"
"Are you going to buy a vehicle Ichigo?" Mizuiro ignored his gloomy best friend. "Because I have a girlfriend who's selling her motorcycle."
"A motorcycle?" Ichigo asked.
Keigo recovered. "You should totally buy a motorcycle Ichigo! Girls love bad boys! They'll be flocking towards you and you can say cool lines like, 'How about some power between your legs?'"
Ichigo stuck out his tongue in disgust. "I wouldn't be caught dead saying shit like that!"
Mizuiro nodded. "I'm sure you could get laid without such a cheesy pick up line."
"Mizuiro!" Keigo and Ichigo cried out in protest for two very different reasons.
"I bet Rukia would love to ride a motorcycle." Mizuiro thought aloud.
Keigo's expression turned dreamy. "I remember when she was just a sweet, demure, transfer student who won my heart with her sparkling personality." He bit his lip in bliss. "And she's kept it under lock and key even though she's really a death goddess brandishing a katana that could slice my devoted heart in two.
Ichigo stared at him. "Did you have a point?"
"Oh." Keigo came back to earth. "She'd look hot on the back of a motorcycle."
Ichigo rolled his eyes and turned to look out the window to avoid his blush of agreement. He could imagine riding a motorcycle with Rukia's arms wrapped around behind him, squeezing tightly as the wind whipped up at her knee length skirt. It would be similar to the times she used to piggyback on him to hunt hollows.
"Why are you smiling like that Ichigo?" Mizuiro asked while Keigo peered closely at his face.
"I'm not smiling." Ichigo forced a scowl to replace what had been an unconscious smile.
"You look kinda like your dad when you smile like that." Mizuiro noted.
"Tell your girlfriend I'm interested in her motorcycle." Ichigo said quickly.
"That won't be an issue. She'll ride it to the party tonight and you can see it."
Ichigo looked confused. "But I thought you were picking up your girlfriend."
Mizuiro laughed with a shake of his head. "No Ichigo. I'm only picking up one of my girlfriends. The rest have their own transportation."
"How many is the rest?" Ichigo asked.
Mizuiro lifted his eyebrows in thought and started the calculations in his head.
This took a moment…
"Never mind." Ichigo mumbled while Keigo started crying again.
"Why do I hang out with you guys?" Keigo moaned.
"Because no one else can stand you." Ichigo said. "And even I have my doubts."
"Ichigo, don't be cruel." Mizuiro scolded.
"Whatever, I'm just-" Ichigo heard a familiar scream in the distance. He looked out the window to see the car passing by a park across from the middle school. "Slow down Mizuiro." Ichigo ordered. He did and that's when Ichigo clearly heard a scream followed by the roar of a hollow. "Holy shit that's Yuzu!"
Ichigo was about to yell for Mizuiro to stop the car completely, but suddenly a giant clawed foot from a hollow slammed into the pavement in front of them. Mizuiro instinctually screeched the car to a breaking halt before they careened into the monster.
Keigo grabbed Ichigo. "Ahh! Ichigo do some-" Keigo shook his arm until he realized Ichigo wasn't in his body at all. "I hate it when he does that."
Ichigo got onto the roof of the car and jumped towards the hollow with Zangetsu high above his head. "Yuzu!!" He roared when he saw his sister being squeezed inside the coiled tentacles of the hollow.
"I've had enough of you bastards!" Ichigo hollered furiously as his blade cut the arm holding his little sister.
The hollow screeched in pain as the disembodied tentacle dropped to the ground. Ichigo swept underneath to catch his sister before she fell to the ground with it.
"Ichigo!" Yuzu coughed as air filled her compressed lungs and she held onto her brother tightly. Ichigo jumped gently towards the park to set Yuzu down safely when Karin ran towards them panting.
"Ichigo! Is Yuzu alright?! The hollow came down and smacked me away before I could get to her." Karin rushed to their side and took the wheezing twin in her arms.
"It touched you?" Ichigo asked.
"It's just a scratch, I'm fine. How's Yuzu?" Karin's eyes reflected worry for her sibling.
"It's okay Karin. Watch her for me, I'm gonna kick this bastard's ass."
"Be careful Ichigo!" Karin instructed while still holding Yuzu.
"I'm always careful." Ichigo tried to smirk to calm Karin and then rushed at the hollow again.
This time the hollow shot multiple tentacles at him in a swift attack. But Ichigo was faster, and by now he was getting used to the offensive moves the tentacled hollows had been unleashing. With a few quick flash steps, Ichigo maneuvered out of the way of each of the tentacles flying at him and appeared directly in front of the hollow's mask.
He roared and the hollow wailed as Ichigo's zanpakuto swung down firmly through the tough white material.
Ichigo panted a few deep breaths before running back to where he left his sisters. He found Mizuiro and Keigo standing beside them, along with his body he'd left in the backseat of the car.
Keigo stretched out a complaint. "As skinny as you are, your body sure is a pain to drag around."
"Well Rukia never had a problem tugging it around. I guess you've just got the muscles of a 12-year-old." Ichigo ribbed before sheathing his zanpakuto and crouching down beside a much calmer looking Yuzu. "Hey kiddo, are you okay?" he asked gently.
Yuzu brightened at Ichigo's arrival and threw her arms around his neck. "Ichigo! I was so scared! The hollow hit Karin before I could even call for help. I'm so glad you came!"
"Next time just run for it Yuzu." Karin scolded her sister harshly to cover the fear that had gripped her earlier.
"I'm just thankful for Ichigo being here." Yuzu squeezed her brother tighter and Ichigo returned her embrace.
He looked up to Karin with Yuzu still in his arms. "Don't you guys worry about what you saw either. It was something in the past and it's not going to come back again."
Karin made a face. "What are you talking about? Hollows are always showing up around here. Though I haven't seen so many ones with creepy tentacles."
"Maybe they're getting it on like rabbits." Keigo offered.
"Don't be so gross in front of my sisters!" Ichigo let go of Yuzu to whack the brunette on the head. "And that's stupid Keigo. Hollows don't breed." He didn't want to picture a hollow that could. He gentled his look for his sisters. "I meant the visions you saw when the hollows touched you."
Yuzu sniffed. "I didn't see anything Ichigo. I just saw you coming with your sword." Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows in puzzlement. Then he turned to Karin, thinking Yuzu was still getting used to seeing spiritual things and maybe the hollow didn't affect her. "Did you see anything Karin?"
Karin's shoulder length hair swung as she shook her head. "I didn't get any visions. I grabbed at the hollow to keep it away from Yuzu and then it threw me to the side." She rubbed her elbow in a grimace. "Stupid jerk hit my arm and I know it'll leave a bruise, but I didn't see anything weird."
Ichigo backed away and concentrated on the ground. When a hollow first touched Rukia, there was barely any contact, but the visions were strong enough to almost knock her out. Then after he came in contact, the images blinded him with memories of that night.
"Why didn't it affect Yuzu or Karin?" he asked aloud.
"Uh Ichigo?" Mizuiro put a worried hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"
Ichigo snapped out of his thoughts and saw everyone staring at him with concerned faces. "Nothing, nothing at all. I just have to get to Uraharas. Mizuiro could you do me a favor and take my sisters back home?"
"Oh no you don't Ichigo!" Karin rounded on her brother and crossed her arms. "You didn't even bother to call home last night! Dad was so happy he made me and Yuzu stay up most of the night planning your engagement party!"
Ichigo balked. His father was truly insane.
"You didn't go home last night Ichigo?" Mizuiro slowly let a smirk grow on his face.
"NOT FAIR!!!!" Keigo screamed. "You've been having sex all night with-"
"SHUT UP!" Ichigo matched the scream in volume and pitch. "If you even think of finishing that sentence I'll cut you up into ferret food!"
Yuzu gently pulled at Ichigo's sleeve. "Were you really at Rukia's all night?" she asked innocently. She was the only one who was probably worried when he didn't return home.
Ichigo's face pulled a pain expression. He didn't want to lie to his sister with her big, wide, brown eyes staring at him. And Karin was too smart to believe any lie he could come up with on the spot. He just didn't want Mizuiro and Keigo to spin the truth into something they could spread around school. Although…he realized they wouldn't have to spin the truth very far…
"Uh…Yeah…I stayed in Rukia's spare bedroom last night." He lied a little.
"Oh really…" Karin tapped her foot skeptically, and waited for the whole truth.
"Yeah really." Ichigo scowled. "We were fighting a hollow just like this one. I got a weird vision when I touched it and it really put me out. Rukia just didn't want me passing out on the way home."
He hoped they were buying what he said. He was mixing the truth and the lies so well he was confusing himself. They'd have to believe him.
"Whatever." Karin grumbled. "Just make sure you call home next time you, 'fight a hollow'." Karin air quoted.
Ichigo rolled his eyes and caught Keigo and Mizuiro struggling not to laugh their asses off.
Yuzu just smiled at him. "I hope Rukia enjoys those meals I made for her. I know how busy she must be with the house."
"Yeah, they looked great." Ichigo said. They must have been great the way Renji had devoured all of them. "So you guys get home. I'll…" he hesitated as he came to grips with what was waiting for him eventually. "I'll talk to dad tomorrow."
"You're not coming home tonight?" Yuzu asked.
Ichigo glanced at Keigo and Mizuiro who were rolling on the ground now and clutching their sides. Ichigo sighed. "No I probably won't be able to make it. I want to stay at the party to make sure nothing gets too crazy and I don't know how long it'll go on for."
Yuzu beamed. "Rukia's so lucky to have you watching out for her Ichigo! I know how stressed she was with moving and graduating this year."
Keigo slapped Ichigo on the back. "Yeah, I'm sure Ichigo's finding a ton of ways to relieve Rukia's stress."
Before Ichigo could pound Keigo's perverted face, Mizuiro grabbed his friend and dragged him towards the car. "Let's go girls! Your brother has some business to attend to and Keigo and I have dates awaiting our arrival."
"Like you two could find any girls that desperate." Ichigo heard Karin tease before watching her slip into the back seat with Yuzu.
"Well I can, but Asano-san still has some learning to do."
"Mizuirooo!!"
Ichigo scowled as the car drove away and Yuzu waved happily out the window at him. He kicked the dirt, wishing he didn't have to attend any social function where his already idiot friends would be adding alcohol to the mix. Not to mention a few drunken shinigamis. He needed to take care of the hollow problem quickly so that he could properly supervise.
Ichigo was also getting seriously worried about the hollows and whatever visions they were bringing. He wondered if it was a shinigami thing, and maybe that's why it didn't affect either of his sisters.
Ichigo slipped back into his body and set out for Urahara, who wasn't very far away now. Urahara always had some kind of answer, and if he didn't, he'd still be the best one to figure things out.
He walked lazily all the way to the shop and found the owner and Yoruichi in cat form relaxing on the front porch.
Yoruichi's cat ears perked at his arrival and she spoke from Urahara's lap, "What a surprise Ichi-"
"NEE-SAN!!" Kon bounded out of the shop and skidded in the dust looking for his favorite female shinigami. He looked severely disappointed when he didn't see her accompany Ichigo. "What the hell are you doing coming around here without Nee-san?!" Kon stomped his little plush feet as Ichigo came closer. "There are hollows running around! You should bring her along so I can protect her with my-UMPH!"
Ichigo ignored the annoying plush, and proceeded to step on the fluff ball like he wasn't even there as he walked up to the porch. "Actually, I am here to talk to you about the recent hollows Urahara." Ichigo said.
Yoruichi jumped off Urahara's lap and padded into the shop while Urahara tipped his hat in greeting and moved to follow her. "If that's the case Kurosaki, why don't you come inside?"
Ichigo nodded and found himself at the usual small meeting table. "I kinda wanna make this quick because Rukia's setting up for her party and I want to be there." Ichigo attempted to sound polite and not as rushed as he felt.
"Ah, and how is dear Kuchiki-san?" Urahara smiled as he started to wave his fan about, completely ignoring Ichigo's request to get to the point.
"She's fine." Ichigo shrugged shortly.
"Have you been able to use that underground training area yet?" Urahara asked. Yoruichi looked up from the bowl of milk she had been lapping at. Ichigo could have sworn she was smirking at him.
"No," He answered. "We've been pretty busy setting up the inside of her house still. The girls took her shopping and now they're setting up some extra furniture Rukia bought." Ichigo chuckled. "It's a full time job trying to keep Rukia from putting bunny decorations up everywhere."
Urahara laughed. "Well I'm sure she's enjoyed that large, cushy bed by now hasn't she? How is that going for you?" Ichigo could practically see the glee radiating from behind Urahara's fan.
He scowled at the perverted ex-captain and fought to keep the heat from rising to his face. It wasn't fair that he could defeat hollows, arrancars, and even Aizen, but he couldn't stop a stupid shade of pink from gracing his cheeks.
"I wouldn't know." Ichigo lied scathingly.
Urahara snapped his fan shut with a broad grin. "Well maybe you'll find out one of these days!"
"Did you say you had a question about hollows?" Yoruichi rescued the blond man from being impaled by his own cane.
Ichigo snarled, but tried to focus on the problem at hand. "Yeah. We've been dealing with a lot of hollows with tentacles lately. I think too many for it to be a coincidence." Ichigo frowned and scratched his head at how to explain what happened. "Anyway…Rukia and I, on separate occasions, with separate hollows, well…when we touched a tentacle, even briefly, we kinda got this shock of images playing in our heads."
He glanced at Urahara and Yoruichi for any kind of reaction before he continued. Urahara's eyes were hidden by his hat and he still had a twitch of a smile on his face, which could mean anything for the mysterious man.
And…Yoruichi was a cat. She looked…furry.
Ichigo went on. "We both saw visions of Aizen and the hogyoku. Basically that night that I killed him." Ichigo spoke solemnly. "Except Rukia also saw that espada she fought and… Kaien…"
Yoruichi's tail swished in an almost understanding manner before she spoke. "It's very common for visions of past battles to replay through an individuals head if something jogs their memory. Both you and Rukia have had…difficult encounters with tentacled hollows specifically. It would make sense that the sight of one could stir these feelings inside each of you."
Ichigo frowned in thought. That could explain why the hollows had no affect on his sisters…But Ichigo didn't believe that to be the reason. He shook his head. "That makes sense. But I didn't feel anything when I saw the hollow. The visions only occurred when I touched it, and they lasted until the hollow was destroyed."
"Did the reiatsu seem familiar?" Urahara spoke, his eyes still covered by the shading of his hat.
Ichigo shrugged. "I wouldn't really know. I forgot to ask Rukia about it. But…" Ichigo cast his eyes to the floor. "She seemed really affected by it. Something tells me that there's something serious going on with these hollows."
"I believe your suspicions are right on that front Ichigo!" Urahara abruptly sounded cheerful. "The hollows you've been dealing with could very well be minions of a much larger and most likely, more dangerous foe. Maybe even a rogue arrancar from Hueco Mundo." Urahara smiled dreamily the way only a scientist could. "They have so many varying abilities and powers we know nothing about!"
"That doesn't sound like a good thing." Ichigo frowned.
Urahara waved his fan carelessly. "Pish posh Kurosaki-kun! We'll just plan an elaborate mission to coax out the lead hollow and you'll swing that big cleaver of yours to lop off it's head!"
Urahara stood quickly and patted Ichigo's head roughly. "Don't you worry that bright little noggin of yours! I trained you myself, so there isn't a hollow around you can't deal with!"
Ichigo glared and grabbed his head to stop the crazy blonde from shaking him around. "You really think it's that simple?" He asked annoyed.
"Of course!" Urahara beamed. "Just quit getting handsy with the hollows you're supposed to be cleansing and everything will be fine!" he poked Ichigo with his fan until the teenager stood up ready to bolt or attack. "Why don't you concentrate instead on getting your hands on that Rukia of yours?"
"Why you-!" Ichigo aimed a fist back at Urahara, but Kon grappled his arm instead.
"Don't even think of soiling Nee-san! A big brute like you would crush her!" Kon hopped away and onto the table. "Nee-san needs the soft and gentle touch of cotton and felt!"
"I think Rukia would prefer something that wasn't a plush toy." Yoruichi said lamely.
"Maybe if I were in a Chappy toy…" Kon wondered to himself.
Ichigo's eyes widened at how that plan could actually work, but quickly started to scowl again and promptly kicked Kon into another room. "I came here to discuss hollows! Not Rukia's…whatever!" He turned back to Urahara who was actually looking away thoughtfully. "Are you sure there's nothing else going on?"
Urahara quickly put a smile back on his face. "I'm always sure! Just like I'm sure that you and Rukia will-"
"Well if that's all." Ichigo stormed out the room as quickly as he could manage. He made it to the door when Urahara called out to him.
"Kurosaki."
Ichigo looked back over his shoulder. He could see Urahara's eyes peering at him from behind his fan. "I'd be extra careful to keep Rukia away from those hollows, especially if she is in her true shinigami form."
Urahara's eyes darkened and Ichigo shivered from a chill despite the lack of wind. "Some memories are more painful than we'd like them to be…"
Ichigo scowled anxiously. He hated when Urahara hid his true meaning behind loaded words and riddles.
Then Urahara dropped his fan from his face and smiled like a schoolboy. "Come back again soon! And tell me how that bed works out!"
Ichigo scowled again and slammed the door shut behind him. He hated it more when Urahara switched gears into full-blown pervert.
He hoped the bastard wasn't giving Kon any tips.
Ichigo checked his watch and saw Urahara has wasted a lot more time than he would have thought possible. His day had sped by pretty quickly, and Ichigo was welcoming the end of it. Unfortunately, he still had Rukia's stupid party to chaperone. He'd already faced Ishida Ryuuken, a hollow, Urahara, and Kon…he didn't know if he could handle a bunch of drunken teenagers and shinigami.
Ichigo's cell phone rang, interrupting his inner pity party, and he heard a slurred voice on the line before he even had a chance to say hello as he answered the call.
"Ichi-hick-go?" the deep, but obviously inebriated voice asked.
"Renji?" Ichigo frowned. "Why are you calling me? And why are you drunk already? Has the party started?"
The bustling background noise from the other end of the line indicated the party had already started. A loud crash followed by a lot of laughs indicated that Ichigo should have been there hours ago.
"Oh yeah, Ichigo." Renji said in a friendly, but possibly concerned manner. "I'm not drunk yet. Well…I'm probably not sober anymore…but that's not the problem!"
Ichigo pulled the phone away from his ear as Renji yelled the last line. "There's a problem? What's wrong? Where's Rukia?" Ichigo picked up his pace with the phone to reach Rukia's house more swiftly.
"Is tha my Itsygo?" Ichigo heard Rukia slur on Renji's end and he almost tripped over his feet.
"What the hell?!" Ichigo shouted, now running full tilt. "Why is Rukia drunk?! I'm going to kill you Renji!"
"Don't yell!" Rukia shouted at him. She must have taken the phone from Renji. "It's rude to yell indoors."
"I'm not indoors!" Ichigo yelled back. "I'm running from Urahara's to meet your drunk ass. Put Renji back on the phone!" Renji he could deal with. The drunken Rukia scolding him was highly disturbing.
"I'm still here." Renji spoke. "She's uh…she's kinda on my back leaning over my shoulder. So both of you should stop yelling..."
"Poow Wenji!" Rukia cooed. "Do youw eaws huwt?"
"You sound like a drunken Chappy." Renji giggled. Actually giggled.
Ichigo couldn't take much more and he was now considering stealing a car in order to arrive at the house faster. "What the hell is wrong with you two?! And Renji you better get her the fuck off of your back unless you want me to snap it in two!"
"I think my boyfriends jea-lous!" Rukia sang loudly over the line.
Ichigo ran faster. He didn't know how much Rukia had had to drink, but judging by her size, it made sense if she couldn't hold her liquor. There were a lot of things Rukia could say to her party guests that would put Ichigo in a coma of utter embarrassment.
He wanted to take a deep breath to calm himself, but couldn't because he was panting from the pace he was keeping. "Rukia." Ichigo said as slow as he could. "Why don't you just sit down and watch Chappy until I get there okay?"
Ichigo heard a struggle and clips of what Rukia and Renji were saying.
"Rukia! Let's watch----Ichigo said----or pancakes." Renji came in and out. Then Ichigo somewhat heard a reply from Rukia.
"Noo! I want----the bottle! Tatsuki taught me how to----my skirt's short but----Shuuhei that tickles!"
Ichigo either snapped his phone shut or into tiny pieces…either way, he didn't hear the rest of the conversation.
Ichigo was breaking land speed records to get to that party.
AN: That was fun! Party's up next and I know everyone's been looking forward to it! So leave me a review and tell me what you thought of this chapter and anything you want to see happen during the party. Well, you don't have to of course. Do whatever you feel like doing. But I know there's tons of stuff that can happen in the next chapter and I'm just curious what people are really hoping for. Maybe I'll oblige. Thanks so much for reading, I hope you're enjoying the ride!