Keigo was supposed to get compensated for what he had to endure over the years and especially over the past weeks. He was supposed to be in Chile now to film for a Telenovela. To live his life. To make his own decisions. Keigo was not supposed to be lost somewhere in the Rukongai. Propably helpless, without any memory of how he died, or even worse… Ichigo did not endure the possibility that Keigo might believe that they killed him on purpose. Every Shinigami, who was involved in the search for Keigo got this story told. It was an incentive to not only find him for the 'generous reward' the Kurosakis and the Abarais promised. And not every Shinigami was looking for him because of the reward.
Some Shinigami wanted to find Keigo because they were mad on him for humilliating them in TV. Others to protect him and others because they felt very sorry. Kaneda was one of them. He could feel him. He recognized Keigo's spiritual signature. Keigo was somewhere in this forest and he seemed to hide.
"Hello! Keigo… it's me. Please come out. Nobody wants to hurt you…" Kaneda yelled into the bushes. "…your innocence has been proven! You heared me? They know that you are…"
Kaneda was not able to finish. Suddenly someone jumped out of the bush next to him and grabbled his bag with his supplies. It was so fast that Kaneda could barely see something. He only felt that his bag was gone and see the other one, vanishing in the bushes again. "Hey... My bag..."
Kaneda had no clue who was the thief, but he followed him anyway. Only to find him sitting between the trees and eating his bread. And much to his shock... it was Keigo!
Keigo wore a dirty, damaged brown Kimono. He was dirty all over. He had injuries and scratches everywhere. And he had the behaviour of an animal! Kaneda could see it in the way Keigo was eating the content of his bag. It was like Keigo wasn't a human-soul... he looked like an animal in a human-body.
"Gosh... Keigo!" Kaneda lowered his Zanpakutou and went closer to help him. When he tried to give him a hand Keigo slapped it away and screamed afraid. Keigo was barely able to talk. "Keigo, it's me! You remember me... you told me about your..."
With a loud scream, Keigo shied away. "No... I... here..."
Keigo tried to run away. Kaneda followed him, only to recieve a punch into his face. Kaneda saw two glowing red eyes and suddenly felt a Hollow. The same one he he felt when he almost hit Keigo with his Zanpakutou in the phone-booth... that was the moment Kaneda realized that a Hollow was inside of Keigo. And that he should call for help, handling him.
In the world of the living meanwhile, the three remaining Kurosakis still tried to reintegrate back into thier live in Karakura again. But everything had changed. Thier friends left or where dead, thier group broke apart, there was that fear that the real traitor could strike again every minute. Thier friends, colleagues and neighbours were not the same people anymore, too. Not even Tatsuki and Mizuiro. But Ichigo and Orihime did thier best to remain calm and look forward. For Kazui! Latter was invited to stay at his friends Yupa's house as long as they need for the renovation. The boys parents really forgot everything… otherwise they would had never invite him to stay...
The only one who seemed to got out safe from the recent events seemed to be Uryu Ishida. Orihime just told Ichigo that Uryu was going to stay in Germany because he fell in love with a Quincy from there, when suddenly someone knocked on the door…
Ichigo thought that it was Ikkaku, or another not welcomed Shinigami again. Or the police, the Slovenian man or another remembering human called again. Angrilly, he stormed to the door. Much to his surprise it was a foreign man, who got scared when he saw the mad Ichigo trying to scare him away…
"AGHHH… Excuse me… Are you Ichigo Kurosaki?" Keigo's former manager Shino asked scared.
"Oh… It's you…" Ichigo suddenly remembered him. He saw him in the recording of Keigo's memory, took his fist down and let him in. "Sorry… I thought you were someone else… Please come in…"
After letting him in, introducing him to Orihime and telling him the same lie about a gas leak like everbody else, they settled down around the table in the living-area.
"I won't bother you long. Looks like you are… pretty busy!?" Shino said, looking around curiously in the room, that was just half ready. "I am… well… I was the manager of Keigo Asano."
"We know…" Ichigo said, surprising the other man. He bit on his tongue. "…Ehm… Keigo mentioned you once… I mean… the last time we met him… long ago..."
"I am honestly not sure about this. Keigo never told me anything about his past. Or about you." Shino told while Orihime served him some tea.
"We... estranged..." Ichigo said, trying not to be upset. He knew why Keigo never mentioned him. "I wanna be honest to you: We had a huge fight. We... I made a terrible mistake. He never forgave me!"
It was actually the truth. Speaking it out loud, felt very relieving for Ichigo. And Ichigo knew that they couldn't talk about it to anyone in the world of the living about it, without busting them again.
"I am sorry to hear that. Keigo left a mess behind. The past few weeks are just a blur to me. I had a terrible fight with him, too. And I even don't know the reason anymore." Ichigo understood him. He was the reason why he couldn't remember it. He was so close from freaking out again while he continued listening to Keigo's former manager. "And his girlfriend is totally devastated, too. She lost her mind after Keigo's death. And when she calmed down again, she woke up in Dubai, not knowing how she got there..."
She was on vacation there. Keigo told him that a few minutes before his death. With the lawyer he tried to hire for Yuzu. But he couldn't tell him that. Or her. Keigo felt the same very often. And Ichigo felt that urgent need to contact her. Just to tell her how sorry he is for killing the guy, she forgot that she broke up with him. Or to tell her that she is not crazy.
"Right now I am busy to handle his estate. And while looking threw his documents and his personal belongings I found this stuff here. Your name is mentioned in it and I hoped that you can clarify this…"
Shino handed a letter and some documents to Ichigo. There was an envelope with Ichigo's name on it. It was closed and it looked like the manager didn't opened it. Some other documents with medical-stuff. Nervously, Ichigo took the letter that had the logo of the local youth welfare office on it's top. Hoping that it was nothing about his secret. But what he readed was pretty disgusting. It was the story of Keigo's sister and her son. Keigo adviced Ichigo as a witness, as he was (maybe) the child's doctor. In the letter (dated January 2015) was written that Ichigo was not 'aviable' as a witness. Ichigo didn't remember that anyone ever came to ask him about Keigo's nephew. But suddenly it gave Ichigo an shocking clue…
" Where you are going?" Shino asked when Ichigo jumped up and left the room.
"I have to make some calls..."
After calling the youth welfare office, confirming that there was a mistake when they tried to contact Ichigo, he used a 'denreishiki' to call Rukia in the Soul Society. Before 'Kurosaki-Gate', there was no way for them to contact the Soul Society by themself. After thier return, Rukia arranged that Ichigo gets one to contact the Soul Society faster, if there is an emergency or just to stay in touch with his father and his sisters. And Rukia didn't hesitate to tell everything to the commission...
"The sister?!" a member of the commission asked.
"The letter Kurosaki got from Asano's manager proves that she has a motive. And it is just one more prove that Asano might be not just the whipping boy and a pawn sacrifice of this." his comrade said, taking Keigo's photo and putting it over Ichigo's. "What if Asano was the actual target?"
"You mean…"
"It was not all about Kurosaki all the time. We all thought that. Even Asano thought that. But may it be that it was all about Asano the whole time…?"
The Shinigami was not able to finish, because the door was kicked open violently and another Shinigami stormed in. He was out of breath, pale and totally exhausted…
"Sorry, for the disturb. But there are reports that Asano was spotted in a forest in the 79 th district…"
"Really? Is he okay?"
"Well… that depends on the definition of okay…"
Some time later, Keigo was locked up in a wide, bright room, with a big window several Shinigami were able to watch him trew. Keigo obviously lost his memories and was a soul like everyone else. With the only difference that he was carrying a 'parasitic' Hollow inside him, was wanted and had several hundred furious Shinigami after him who were mad on him for humilliating them in front of the humans. And Keigo himself, was furious, too. Angrilly he screamed and ranted, hitting with his fists against the window and the walls. He talked a weird gibberish nobody was able to understand.
Kaneda, holding an ice pack over his injuried face, the commission and several other Shinigami stood behind the window and watched Keigo like a zoo-attraction. Discussing about him, his character and what to do with him, now.
"Shouldn't we contact Kurosaki and tell him." one of them asked.
"Asano is not himself anymore." another one interfered. "He wouldn't recognize him. And honestly I am not sure about Kurosaki's so called 'friendship' to Asano, too."
"What about that Hollow in him?" Kaneda asked. He was pretty sure that the hollow was responsible for the first suicide-attempt in the hotel in Okinawa. "It tried to break out of him already... that event in the hotel-room..."
"We can excorzise him out and destroy him without harm to Asano. That's not the problem. The bigger problem is what we do with him now." another Shinigami said.
"He is strong..." another one said. "He has strong spiritual powers and is even able to surpress that Hollow inside of him sucessfully. As a living human he was even able to radiate enough spiritual energy to turn Shinigami visible for humans. Normally he is a perfect candidate for a seat in the Shinigami-academy!"
There was interested mumbling among the present Shinigami. As soon as he got rid of the Hollow, nobody knew Keigo was wearing inside of him over years, they could let make him the entrace exam. It was a proper way to atone for the chaos in the past. But there were also some other topics to discuss. Keigo's interview was forgotten by the humans, but still in every Shinigami's head. The accusations and the other problems Keigo revealed led the Shinigami to some actions.
The over 400 years old rules in dealing with humans needed to be updated. Shinigami needed better training in handling and dealing with humans who were able to see them. New rules had to be established. Humanity evolved a lot in the past centuries. It was overdue for the Soul Society to do, too...
"So, that means his crazy sister is now the main-suspect?" Kaneda asked. "Where is she now..."
Mizuho Asano knew that, now that her brother was dead and Kurosaki back from the world of the death that she was in trouble. Not willing to accept her failure, she was well aware that Kurosaki killed her brother. There was no other explanation why everyone suddenly forgot him just one day after he died. But she was worried that now that they killed him, they may come for her first. So she left only one day after the Kurosaki's returned and boarded a plane to Los Angeles...
The United States border patrol didn't let her enter the country. Without a Visa and with a police record she was not welcomed. After making a huge scene that was recorded by a camera and spread worldwide in the media, the Shinigami already waited for her when she was arriving back in Japan…
Ichigo and Orihime meanwhile, talked to Keigo's former manager for hours. Way longer than anyone expected first. Learning more interesting things about Keigo they never dared to guess. Like his engagement for kids in trouble or other humanitarian work. Ichigo asked to be let in in Keigo's penthouse the next day. And both asked for Akira and how to contact her. Shino promised to ask her and let her decide if she wants to talk to them and left when it was already dark outside.
"You should not go alone. Karakura is a pretty dangerous place." Ichigo adviced. Remembering Keigo's interview and that nothing had changed after everyone forgot it. "Especially when it is dark…"
"A friend will pick me up! Thank you for today Kurosaki-san. See you tomorrow at Keigo's place."
"Okay. See you…"
After that Shino walked away, entering a car that just arrived at the nearby crossroad. Ichigo looked after them. He was not able to see the driver. It was Makoto!
"So, what did he tell you?" she asked while they left as quick as possible. "Was he suspicious?"
"No! He seemed really devastated about Keigo's death…" Shino told and start to tell her everything they talked about and what Ichigo wanted to know. "It was just like you predicted… he claimed to be his friend but he actually didn't know him."
"I knew it… everything leds to this darn town." Makoto said. They already reached the expressway back to Shinjuku to leave Karakura before they get mugged. Karakura actually looked so peaceful from far away. But thanks to Makoto's research she already knew that this place was full of crime, corruption and danger.
"Don't you think you should let the police handle this?"
"You should never trust the police of Karakura. And this is for Keigo, remember! For Keigo and for his baby. You didn't tell them about Akira's pregnancy, didn't you?"
"Of course not. Do you think that I am so stupid?" Shino respond shocked. Both learned about Akira's pregnancy when they found the test result in Keigo's penthouse. Akira was of course very sad but glad to be not alone anymore. But both would let her out of thier plan, to protect her. But most importantly, they wouldn't tell anybody about her. Especially not the Kurosaki's.
"Yeah, sorry I know… So he will come to Keigo's penthouse tomorrow? Alone?"
"I think his wife will join him."
"That's okay… Kurosaki is important to be there…" Makoto said.
Her plan was simple, but well planned. She would force Ichigo to confess all the bad things he did to Keigo. Keigo's sister meanwhile was forced to confess everything to the present Shinigami…
After her arrival, two Shinigami in Gigai and dressed as policeman prevent her from leaving again, took her and kidnapped her for interrogation. Mizuho was now completly wasted. Freaking out and on the verge of a nervous breakdown after her arrest and the night in a prison cell at Los Angeles Airport…
To keep sure that Ichigo doesn't thinks that they were still expelled from the investigation, he was called shortly after he said goodbye to Shino and asked to join the interrogation. Ichigo left his body, jumped with his Shinigami powers to the warehouse they kept Mizuho and there he finally faced her…
Mizuho was spellbound to a chair and had the face of a maniac when Ichigo watched her from a safe spot. They had to check something. Check if she was able to see him… the Shinigami had a theory…
"You are they, right?" she asked angrilly. "You are no real policeman. You are Shinigami!"
"As you know that we are Shinigami, we don't have to play… We have a simple question to you: Did you expose Ichigo Kurosaki and his family to the public?" one of them asked. "And if the answer is yes, we would like to know why you arranged everything that it looks like your brother betrayed his friend?"
A crazy grin appeared on Mizuho's face. The two Shinigami, were a bit scared. "What? I thought that Kurosaki is happy now that he got rid of that pain in the neck…"
Ichigo's hands turned into fists. He felt the fury increasing inside of him, again. He felt that urgent need to punch that wicked bitch into her god dammed face. Angrilly he almost jumped out of his hideout. But he had to wait until he gets called… the second Shinigami meanwhile, started an old camcorder that was attached on a tripod.
"Asano-san, you tell us now what you did before, during and after the TV-report that exposed the Kurosakis." the first Shinigami ordered.
"And what if I don't want to?"
"Than… every Shinigami will take care that you never ever see your son again." The Shinigami respond. These words finally seemed to shock Mizuho. "We know your story. And we know what happened back then… your brother…"
"That little bastard should had never interfere in my life!" Mizuho ranted. Finally telling her version, but of course, in her biased mind, she was the innoncent victim. That Keigo did it just to hurt her on purpose and to destroy the family's reputation. But the Shinigami already knew the full truth about Mizuho's story...
"You really think so?" the Shinigami asked, opening a file. "This is the original file from that office your brother called..."
Actually, Keigo didn't tell the youth-welfare-office to take Mizuho's child away. He only told them to 'keep an eye on her' and offer her help. Keigo always thought that everytime she beat him, was just because he went too far. But after learning what Mizuho did to her son, he changed his mind. And the youth-welfare office made the decicion by itself. Keigo had nothing to do with it. He just adviced them to take the boy to his father and not into a children's home. Keigo even told them to give Mizuho a chance if she is willing to work on herself. But hearing this turned Mizuho much angrier. In her eyes, she was perfect in any way. There was no need to work on herself. She screamed and cursed. Insulting and ranting on her dead brother...
"...that idiot got what he deserved when he got killed. That was this idiot's fate..."
"ENOUGH!" Ichigo screamed angrilly and left his hideout. The Shinigami turned to face him. Mizuho was neighter surprised, nor shocked. She was still full of fury.
"What's your problem Kurosaki? Admit it, he was nothing more than a nuisance to you. He ran after you... willingless, mindless and without any grit."
"You know nothing!"
"Pah... I saw it! Everyone saw it. You may not jinxed him with your Shinigami stuff, but you jinxed him with your tolerance!" Mizuho said spiteful. "From that day he became louder. Really thinking that he found a friend in you. I saw his stupid interview... so jinxed! You, the most biggest loner of Japan. You who always prefered to..."
"SHUT UP YOU VIOLENT PSYCHO!" Ichigo screamed angrilly and grabbled Mizuho's shirt. He was so close from beating her into her dammed face. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TALK SO CONDESCENDING ABOUT OTHERS! Don't think just because you were once the student's concil president, that anyone liked you... Yeah... you are domineering, bossy, violent and get angry about every little shit, that I am wondering why your parents never send yout to a psychatrist. According to Keigo, your parents were never there for you..."
Finally Mizuho's angry face turned red and more like she was ashamed. Ichigo mentioned that he hit a nerve.
"Kurosaki, the camera can see you!" the Shinigami next to the camcorder said shocked.
Ichigo turned to the camera. That was the proof. It was not only Keigo. His sister was able to turn Shinigami visible, too. So the camera was able to record him. That's why she was able to take photos of Kazui. Ichigo turned back to look into Mizuho's eyes...
"You are mad! Mad that nobody likes you! Mad that nobody shows you the respect you think you deserved. In high-school you let everything out on your brother, later on your husband and than on your child! You let out your anger on everyone who loves you because you can't bear that the people you want to care for you aren't..." Ichigo said. Mizuho start to breath harder. "...and when you lost your child, because of your own fault you decided to do what was in your eyes the easiest way to handle it and to not admit that you made a mistake..."
"He was always litterally begging to get in trouble..." Mizuho said, finally telling her version of the story.
She told that it was obvious that the best way to hurt Keigo was to use Kurosaki. She didn't know that Keigo 'evolved' and that he mentally already ended the friendship to Ichigo. She expected Keigo to humilliate himself in TV. To let the youth-welfare office think that Keigo was just the submissive idiot, everyone thought he was. She never expected that he manages to get spared at first. That he ran away, yes! But not that he tries to not to attract attention. That was not Keigo's style.
And before she was able to convince the youth-welfare office that Keigo was a liar, everything was out of control. The whole situation developed a dangerous, unpredictable momentum nobody was able to handle. The cave under the city, the social problems of Karakura, the corruption... suddenly there was much more than just Kurosaki. After learning about all the problems, Mizuho thought about moving away, too. But than she finally told about the events at the class-reunion. Her outburst, Keigo's previous clash with thier parents. When she was arrested, she knew that her plan failed. But than Keigo died and everyone forgot everything. Including what she did. But only until the day of the TV-report.
Ichigo listened closely. It was more or less just a confirmation of what he already heared about his relationship to Keigo. But now he heared for the very first time about the events at the class-reunion. But finally, he and the Shinigami had found thier culprit: Mizuho Asano!
Angrilly Ichigo's hand cramped around the handle of his Zanpakutou while he start to tell Mizuho about the damage she had done: "My sister has died! Keigo has died! My family and my friends are all traumatized! Literally every spiritual aware human in this world feels betrayed and slaped now. You know what I should do with you? I should slice you into little pieces, and than do the same with your soul. I should banish you to hell for what you did to my family, my friends and to all the other innoncent people in this town you pulled into the mess, too..."
"You wanna, kill me? Just like you killed my brother?" Mizuho asked spiteful.
Ichigo lost his patience. Once again he grabbled Mizuho by her throat, ready to break her neck with his own hands, just to shut her up. But he couldn't... He couldn't because he would be what the Asano's always thought about him. And he should be what Keigo said in his interview: He should be someone who does not hurt others on purpose. "You said enough... It's over... I am not happy what happened. I am not happy that he is dead. And I can't bear the possibility that he might be still mad on me while he is lost out there in the Soul Society..."
"Whoa... he is still..." Mizuho began but Ichigo cut her off.
"I can still see the fear in Keigo's face. His anger and his dissapointment... Yes, I was a terrible friend to him. The least I can do now is taking care that his death was not without consequences... GUYS... She is yours! Do with her whatever you want... just get her out of my eyes and take care that she never ever hurts someone!"
Ichigo turned around and walked away. Mizuho finally realized that she was in really really big trouble now. When Ichigo left the warehouse, he was able to hear her screams... but he didn't care... he wanted to look forward. He would help to handle Keigo's estate...
Her brother meanwhile continued to scream loudly, too. He was still locked up in that room and continued screaming gibberish while throwing the furtniture against the wall. Everyone guessed that it was suppossed to mean something like 'let me out' or 'I hate all of you'. The news about Keigo beeing found and beeing here, was supposed to remain a secret as long as possible. But somehow it spread anyway and so douzens of Shinigami and others went to the location to see Keigo. Including Ichigo's family...
"Where is he?" Yuzu yelled loudly when she stormed in. "WHERE IS HE... LET ME SEE HIM!"
"Miss Yuzu-san, please... I don't think you want to see him in his condition..." a Shinigami tried to stop her, but Yuzu passed him and stormed to the window to see Keigo in his 'cell'. Freaking out and acting like an animal.
"...OH MY GOSH... What did you did with him?"
"WE... We did nothing with him? We found him like this..." the Shinigami defend himself.
"Let me in there! I want to talk to him..."
"No! Miss Yuzu-san, please... He has no memory on his life, there is a parasital Hollow inside of him and he is dangerous. He could hurt you..."
"I will hurt you, if you don't let me talk to him now!" Yuzu threatened the Shinigami. Just a second later, her father and her sister arrived.
"Where is he?" Isshin asked. "Is it true? Is there a Hollow inside of him..."
Yuzu hammered against the window to catch Keigo's attention. Latter could hear the claps against the glass and went closer to the mirror. Roaring like a Hollow and with glowing eyes, Yuzu was so scared that she shied away...
"AGHHH... I hope you know how to fix him. We can't present him to Ichigo like that..." Isshin said.
While they start to have a wild discussion again, Keigo watched them threw the window... suddenly some memories returned... but not the good ones...
Please Review and keep well!