Yoshida is an OC.
Chapter Thirty-four
Carnival…
Strategy sessions continued as the enemy continued making moves. Most everyone agreed the beach was better than meeting here at the Urahara shop but no one complained. Since Ichigo decided to go after Hisana with help from his friends Kisuke was busy making him see all sides before he jumped into something he regretted.
"No one understands the law of the Seireitei better than Captain Kuchiki," Kisuke said.
"It is in the Seireitei's best interest to promote him as leader and successor to Yamamoto-San," Ichigo said.
"But there are other Captains out there who have seniority even over him," Kisuke said.
"You mean Captain Kyôraku and Rukia's Captain Ukitake," Ichigo asked.
"I agree even Unohana," Kisuke included and added, "Byakuya is best suited I'm sure he understands this."
Ichigo thought about it; if it were him what would he do? If Rukia were lost in the World of The Living he would do everything to find her. Byakuya would be doing everything to find Hisana in his own way. However he likely had the ambition to become a Head Captain, Ichigo wasn't sure he had that kind of ambition especially if it meant abandoning any of his friends.
"You're spacing out over there Kurosaki," Kisuke said.
"Huh, oh yeah I was just thinking that Byakuya must have his own plan when it comes to Hisana," Ichigo said.
"With little or no answers I don't blame him. That said we need to focus on this group that abducted you three years ago. If we are to have any hope of figuring things out that is the place to start," Kisuke concluded.
"This group has personally attacked Byakuya. I'm starting to wonder if he was their target all along," Ichigo wondered.
"Personal attack meaning they came after Byakuya when they used Hisana or possibly her memory not to mention Rukia's disappearance," Kisuke wondered.
"They said their target was me from the start. They said Rukia was only involved to 'ensure my cooperation,'" Ichigo said.
"Do you accept them at their word," Kisuke asked.
"Of course not," Ichigo replied.
"So we have plenty of scenarios to shift through. Whatever they wanted to happened hasn't yet," Kisuke said.
"But not knowing their motives can we even be sure of that much," Ichigo asked.
"If the trick worked once it could work again," Kisuke said.
"That is why it is safer for Rukia to return if she is their intended target," Ichigo said.
"Perhaps but it's true they have someone in the Seireitei working on their behalf. That same person could easily get to Rukia there as well," Kisuke reasoned.
"I'm not going to talk her into anything. Things are difficult enough as it is," Ichigo said.
"Ahh newlyweds," Kisuke sang.
"But we're not. I just don't want to talk about it. It's too fresh a word," Ichigo said.
"Understood," Kisuke said soberly.
They were silent for a while sipping tea in the shop and contemplating all they knew of the enemy. It was turning from a strategy meeting to a cathartic discussion of how he felt about Rukia. Not that he minded there weren't a lot of people that he could talk to about everything.
"At least the relationships with your friends seem to have picked up where they left off," Kisuke said breaking the silence.
"I'm fortunate to have them all. I don't take that for granted…I'm thankful to you as well. As difficult as these past few days have been you've listened and understood a little where I'm coming from," Ichigo said.
"There is no need for thanks. We have an understanding; Yoruichi and I are willing to help you of course. A coach would never leave his team in the middle of the championship," Kisuke said as Jinta came in the room.
Ichigo greeted Jinta. The metaphor Kisuke used made him think back to Rukia's baseball Hollow training drill. A smile crossed his features. This was some championship series after all. They knew as much about the other side as he knew about fighting Hollows back then.
Ichigo decided the other side didn't matter all that much. The star of the team would show up and protect regardless of what the obstacles were. What choice did he have when so many depended on him? Either he came up on top or he let everyone down. His team wouldn't let him fail…his coaches would never let him fail.
"I'll draw them out. Offer myself up as bait so to speak," Ichigo said.
"That's brave of you but we know they aren't after you this very moment," Kisuke said.
"If they wanted to they would have gone after you already idiot," Jinta sneered.
Ichigo took a deep breath and ignored the troublemaker who just happened to be close friends with his sister Yuzu.
"You never can be too cautions. When the time is right we will make a move. Not sooner but I appreciate your enthusiasm," Kisuke said.
"Yeah we can't have you disappearing again for five more years," Jinta mocked.
000
Ichigo and Rukia entered an office part of the small shop following a lead while the rest of the group waited inside the shop. The building was portable allowing it to follow the carnival group but seemed no different from entering a stationary shop. A woman dressed rather conservative for her line of work waved them in from her place behind the desk.
"I'm a medium or I suppose that's the term they use to describe me," the woman said sitting behind her desk.
"We're skeptics but we were told to come here anyway," Ichigo announced.
"That's fine I don't believe it myself sometimes. Well what do you want to know or maybe I should ask do you really want to know," she asked.
"Cleaver," Ichigo muttered to Rukia.
"We're looking for someone," Rukia answered.
"They could be a spirit…well yes you two aren't normal as it is. I'm going to have trouble finding this woman…spirit with your interference," she said.
"So you seem to have some sort of gift what do you need from us to find her," Rukia asked.
"Come in and take a seat," the woman said. She motioned for them to sit but they were already inside so Ichigo got the sense the first part must be part of her act.
"It is clear to me that this woman you are looking for is related to her," she pointed at Rukia clearly exaggerating for emphasis.
"Yes," Rukia agreed. Ichigo rolled his eyes.
"I sense more than one lost soul out there. Something unusual is happening so you'll have to give me a minute," she said this time her voice changed she seemed almost frightened the act seemed to disappear.
Rukia looked at Ichigo who shrugged as the woman seemed to pause for a long time her eyes closed.
"I see them clearer than I've ever seen anything before," she said suddenly.
"Who do you see," Ichigo asked after the woman paused for a lengthy time once more.
"As far as you two are concerned there is a fork in the road. I'm sure you'll pick the right way but the possibility is up in the air that you'll go the other way…it entered your mind," she addressed Ichigo this time.
He didn't say anything but he did see something like water in his mind.
"Fire," she paused looking at him for confirmation.
When Ichigo shook his head she added, "…that is good…you know what to do so that is all I'll say nothing else."
000
As Ichigo and Rukia left the woman's shop they were silent not feeling they got much of any lead. Reaching the rest of the group Rukia spoke up.
"What entered your mind," Rukia asked.
"Not fire," he answered.
"Water," she asked.
"Yeah what about you," he asked.
"When the time comes I suppose you'll know what I decide," she replied.
"You believed that woman," he asked.
"My mind is open to the possibility she has a gift and she's human why should that be so difficult to understand," she said.
"A bogus gift," Uryû said.
"Rukia has to decide something," Ichigo said mockingly.
"Focus people," Rukia said.
As funny as the thought of this overacting medium having any impact on their lives was he had to admit it made him think. It was difficult to focus not because of what the woman said but Rukia's reaction to it. Accepting the words as if she knew exactly what the fork in the road would be Rukia headed out ahead of them.
"Nice to see you are so confident about your decision even if it seems to involve me somehow," Ichigo said.
"I wouldn't be so concerned about it people like that make it their life's work to recognize patterns in human behavior. Clearly she picked up on your-
"Private conversation," Ichigo said interrupting Uryû's long winded explanation.
"Idiocy," Rukia complained.
They were both silent after that. This was a serious mission they were on and should be treated as such. Rukia was taking all of this seriously. Perhaps she wanted answers to questions that haunted her since Byakuya's confessions after her rescue years ago. Rukia abandoned by her sister as a baby in the worst possible conditions.
"Sorry for getting side tracked," Ichigo apologized.
Rukia nodded a little less anger in her steps.
"Why do you think she'd go to a medium," Ichigo asked.
"Hisana may have gone to a medium because she was afraid and didn't want to give away her place. If Mark and Pearl are also after her she may be seeking help; so what better place in the world of the living. This woman we spoke to claims she's never seen her before. If we believe her this will be the first stumbling block in our investigation. All the other places have turned up some sign of Hisana," Uryû said.
000
The group continued to search the carnival coming up empty on all their leads.
"So then Uryû gets his stupid freaking costume stuck in the walls," Ichigo explained.
"The same walls that were closing in on you guys," Rukia asked.
"Yes."
"But he made it through," she asked.
"Thanks to Sado who pulled him out and carried him the rest of the way out," he said.
"I'm sure Uryû wasn't pleased with that," she said.
"Not at all," he said.
"I can't believe you guys can out run the cleaner," she said.
"We actually didn't out run it. Without Orihime's help we would have been swallowed up," he said.
"I never expected that everyone would go to such extremes to save me then," she said.
"You know better now," he said.
"Friends are too light a word to describe them," she said.
"If we don't take this chance to be together…all of us I mean...," he stopped walking pausing in front of an empty carnival booth.
"Not finishing your sentences and spacing out. You are starting to scare me Ichigo," she said.
"We may never find each other," he said.
"Do you really believe that," she asked.
"You know I don't," he said.
"Then don't waste time talking that way," she admonished.
They rounded the corner in silence, both stopping to look at the carnival history booth. The display of key chains caught their attention.
"You remember it too," Ichigo asked.
"Yes," Rukia said picking up one of the key chains and examining it closer.
"She was here sometime in the past. This could be the clue we've waited for," he said.
"These are exactly like hers," she said amazed.
"Do you like them," the shopkeeper asked.
"They are nice but we are looking for someone who owned one like this. She disappeared a while ago and we are searching for her," Ichigo said.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. These key chains are made by my parents. If the person you are talking about has it they got it from here," the shopkeeper said turning one over to display a unique pattern cut into the key chain, "Each one has a signature that has been passed on for generations. Then again it could be a gift she got from someone I suppose."
"The keychain seemed important to her. Would you recognize your regular customers," Ichigo asked.
Rukia continued to look around as Ichigo questioned the shopkeeper. There were several pictures she recognized; items that she saw in Hisana's apartment. A bell that hung from her dog's collar hung from a display rack. There were more than one or two items she had in her collection.
"Rukia, Yoshida says he may be able to recognize the picture," Ichigo said.
"There is no need for that this is the place Ichigo. Hisana had more items from this place than the keychain we saw at the entrance," Rukia said.
Rukia handed him the photo from her purse anyway.
"Have you seen this woman lately," Ichigo asked.
"I'm sorry I haven't but maybe my father. Recently I have taken over because of his back pain and my mother is more involved with creating the merchandise than dealing with the customers," Yoshida explained.
"Your father most likely sold the items to my sister," Rukia asked.
"A family member is missing then," Yoshida asked.
Ichigo rolled his eyes.
"Yes, she is my sister," Rukia said.
"I can see the resemblance. My father would remember for sure. He has a weakness for beautiful eyes," Yoshida said.
"Thank you could you show this to him please," Rukia asked.
"Sure I'll just take a second," he said and disappeared around the back of the shop.
Ichigo thought Yoshida was the one developing a thing for Rukia. He ignored the flirting and looked around some more.
"The beach and the carnival at least we know we are in the right area," Ichigo said.
"If the old man talks we could know more," Rukia said.
"If he flirts as much as his son maybe," Ichigo said.
"Flirting," Rukia shrugged, "I hardly noticed."
"You…never mind forget it. We should check in with the other to see if they've found anything," Ichigo said.
"We should enjoy the festivities while we are here. I'm not clueless about what Kisuke's doing sending us to these places," Rukia said.
Ichigo thought about that and what his father told him:
'To us fellows it always seems like we care more than they do. It's very true son. We need them a lot more than they'll ever need us. That is their true power and even unacknowledged that force is something to behold.'
"That's twice today Ichigo," Rukia interrupted, "Spacing out on me again?"
"Sorry," he grinned shaking his head.
Yoshida returned with his report.
"So the old man says he knows your sister. He'd actually like to talk to you but you'll have to come back to the trailer. He really doesn't want to stress his back," Yoshida said.
Uryû, Sado and Orihime shuffled into the shop.
"Just in time," Ichigo said to the others who arrived.
"We are going to talk to the owner of this shop. He seems to know Hisana or at least recognizes her from the picture we showed him," Rukia said.
"It's alright if they come along," Ichigo asked.
"No problem. My father loves conversation. The last thing he wants is to be stuck in bed lonely," Yoshida said motioning for them to follow him.