I just want to say sorry this is a very short chapter. Also welcome back to anyone who's followed my story here for the past few years, and welcome new people as well. It is a promise this will get finished! because I'm pretty tired of how I've let it just sit around for a long time. And I want to be able to move on to my other stuff! But the next chapters will be longer and we are now about like 50%-60% of the story. Enjoy and Please Review!
World of the Living
Arel opens her eyes and squints. She tugged her sword tightly and waited for her sight to adjust to her new surroundings. She finally inhaled, knowing she made it through. But her heart was anxious and still a bit guilty. She wanted Ichigo to come home, she wanted to be home and be with her brother, but this needed to be taken cared of. In front of her was a clinic.
Kurosaki Clinic.
She began to scope out for his spirit pressure. Arel could sense a few people, including some inside the house in front of her….
"He was here."
Arel felt the tiniest specks of Ichigo's presence. Mostly upstairs. But for as much as she knew; he wasn't actually in this home. Arel gazed at the sky and to her right.
There was a trail of his spirit particles leading elsewhere. She followed them. For the next few minutes of what felt like eternity, she found another place. Urahara Shoten.
The trail was more fresh and she was finally confident in herself that he had to be there. Arel knocks on the door.
"Coming!"
"No I'll get it." Two voices got to the door. A little boy and girl squirming against another fought against the door,
"Jinta please stop pushing, it's rude.."
"Shaddup, Ururu! I was here first."
"Um.."
Arel looked at the two kids struggling and both looked up, before they could say anything another had turned up behind them. "Now now kids, you finish up closing and I'll take care of it."
The two of them retreated into the shop; a man with a green shawl, and striped green hat made a warm and gentle smile;
"Welcome miss, can I help you?"
Arel blushed, nerves still making her anxious, she bows and introduces herself,
"Hello sir, my name is Arel Shankara, is Ichigo Kurosaki here?"
The man lurched a bit at her name, "Oh, you're Arel? The one Ichigo has been fighting?"
"Yes sir."
"Well come in, come in! I'll make you some tea, or what do you prefer? I'm Kisuke Urahara, the owner."
Kisuke gestures to her to come in and Arel walks past the threshold, smelling the indoor scents. Smells like home. She thought.
"Just some ice-cold water is fine."
"As you wish. Hey Tessai! one iced water right away, please." Kisuke gestures to her again to follow him into a room.
Both sat down without saying another word for a few minutes, Tessai brought her glass of water to her and left. Ururu and Jinta however, were just outside and sat to listen from inside the room.
'Ah..well. I better go ahead and cut to the chase, Ichigo isn't here." Kisuke, nods once, and pursed his lips, "He was captured by the Soul Society's men."
Arel sighed. "Can you get me there?"
"Why yes, but… you? All alone? Are you sure about that-"
"Listen please, I don't know your connection to him and my time is limited, but I need to get there."
Arel firmly grips the table, making it clear she was serious. "All that's happened to him is my fault, and I am responsible. My responsibility now is getting him home to his family."
"I understand. Your brother went after him too, and he left this morning."
"He was?" Arel's eyes lit up.
"Yes and he too, is doing everything he can to get him back here. Wouldn't it be smarter to just wait for both of them to return?"
Kisuke was not comfortable sending this young girl out in the danger zone, even though he barely knew her. He didn't want to admit about how mixed he was with everything; first he was already dealing with the guilt of Ichigo getting caught, and another thing that had been on his mind for the last few days.
"Then again, maybe you should." He sighs in defeat.
"What do you mean?"
"Doesn't look like I can stop you from going, so I'll just...open the gate to the Soul Society. But please, miss Arel.." Kisuke leaned forward with a grim face,
"Be careful."
Arel didn't budge. "Well of course I will-"
"Listen closely, be careful." He repeated. "Of your brother."
Arel now looked into his eyes fully, and flinched a little. She didn't like how he spoke; the way he said it made her nervous all over again.
"I get you. But you don't need to worry, I trust my brother to help us get out of this mess."
"I believe you." Kisuke nodded, "I mean no disrespect; but not only going out there will you use extreme caution, just be sure to have extra vigilance even on your allies."
"Alright."
"Now then!" Kisuke's darker expression lit up, "I'll go set the preparations, right this minute. Would you like to have a snack or some candy while you wait here? Or-!"
He pulled out some magazines, and some of where female models in bikinis. "To kill time want to read these instead-?"
Arel hits him with one clack of her sheathe, her face dean-panning. "No thank you."
"Alrightie." A trickle of blood started oozing down Kisuke's forehead, but he kept smiling as if not fazed. He stood up and went to the door to get busy.
"I'll just bring a box of assorted candy for you."
"Thanks." Arel made a small smile, and took a sip of water.
After he left, she grimaced, repeating what Kisuke told her. She didn't know whether to be angry, or fearful of his warning.
"I trust him, who else am I supposed to trust?"
DUN DUN IS YUJI KEEPING A SECRET FROM EVERYONE? WE SHALL FIND OUT.
