Chapter 12

Yearning For Power

It was difficult for Aaron to ascertain how many times he had been in this position. He was sitting at his desk at school, gazing up the clock on the wall, and watching the red seconds hand move like he were in a trance. With each tick mark it passed, he became more and more aware that the school day was nowhere near over. He drove his head into his desk, certain there was an imprint of his skull from having performed this action so often. Leering at the scribbles, scratches, and chips on the aged wood his desk was made up of was often better than gazing around his depressing homeroom and the numerous lectures on the blackboard day in and day out.

Kana Mitarashi might have been out of his life, and he may have nearly perished at the hands of two Shinigami from Soul Society, yet nothing had changed when it came to his day-to-day life. He continued to have to wake up each morning, force himself to swallow down his breakfast, and drag himself to Hino Municipal High School. Compared to being a Shinigami and exorcising Hollows, it was a meager existence.

"...Somebody just kill me now," he mumbled after he took another gander at the time. Even though he was certain minutes had gone by since he last checked, only about thirty seconds were off the clock. He once again slammed his cranium smack dab into his desk. "...Today is never going to end, is it?"

The last members of Class 2C scurried into the room prior to the sound of the morning bell. Their instructor, looking quite livid as usual, arrived soon afterward. His ire was immediately roused upon him sighting 'Last Day of School!' written in large letters on the chalkboard. Aaron hadn't even paid them any mind until then, and his heart went aflutter. The situation with Kana the day before had completely made him lose track of the date.

"T-That's right! It really is the last day of school!" he happily whispered. "I've suffered through stupid exams, pop quizzes, and dumbass homework assignments, but at last, I've made it through another semester in this hellhole! My grades should be good enough to get me to the next grade too! Ha! And Ma was actually getting worried!"

"Settle down, class!" said the instructor. He shot Aaron a sharp glance but did nothing more, much to Aaron's astonishment. "...Yes, it's the last day of classes, but that doesn't give you all the excuse to slack off today! You will remain on your best behavior until the final bell rings! Is that understood?!"

The class somberly nodded.

"Good! Now then, let's begin the lesson, shall we?"

"Tsk. Buzzkill," said Aaron out of earshot. His teacher began a winding lecture, whereas he peeked into his backpack and retrieved a purple bottle that rattled in his grasp. Attached to the front was a sticker adorned with the image of a skull. "Yeah, if these pills are really supposed to heal me by this afternoon like Urahara said, why the hell does the bottle look like something an exterminator would use to kill rats?"

He supposed musing on the medicine's intent was pointless now. He had already taken one every hour since he awoke per Urahara's instructions. The shopkeeper had given Ichigo Kurosaki a similar bottle. Aaron felt Ichigo needed the healing more considering his own wounds were laughable in comparison, but Urahara stated he wanted them both in peak position before their training.

"Ugh. I hope Kana appreciates what I'm doing..."

Grimacing, he forced another pill down his throat. They tasted horrible, but he could practically feel his body brimming with energy with every capsule he ingested. He felt he could tackle anything Urahara or anyone else threw at him.

That may not have included his instructor, who ceased his teaching and pointed his chalk straight at Aaron out of the blue.

"...Is something the matter, Higuchi? You've been making funny faces for a few moments now. Perhaps you have a problem with the way I'm explaining the lesson?"

Aaron hid the medicine. "H-Huh? N-No, sir! Everything is just fine!"

Unconvinced, the teacher curled his lips and hesitantly went back to scribbling on the board. His voiced traveled the distance of the room, and Aaron always considered it the perfect sound to help him catch up on some sleep. He rested his head into his arms without attracting too much attention. A couple other students mirrored him. Their teacher, as much as he got on them for goofing over, never paid any snoozing kids any mind.

"I...uh...better make sure I'm well rested for this training."

Despite Aaron trying to convince himself that falling asleep in class was a good thing, he quickly sat himself up straight and smacked himself on the cheeks. He couldn't afford to screw up in school, especially not during the last day of classes. He could tell his teacher was ready to get him expelled at the first instance for his stunts back at the parent-teacher conference.

Nevertheless, he yawned and remembered that he hadn't gotten much sleep the night before thinking about Kana. No matter what he did, he couldn't get the brunette out of his mind. The same could be said for Rukia and the two Shinigami that came to apprehend she and Kana. Though he hadn't really seen their captors in action, he knew they were nothing to sneeze at if they were able to defeat Sasune, Uryuu, and Ichigo so easily. Even with Urahara's guidance, he wasn't sure what someone like him could do when put up against such overwhelming odds.

A piece of chalk dragged him out of his muddled psyche and left an imprint on his forehead as he stroked the spot with his fingertips. The classroom erupted with laughter, though Aaron found nothing funny about his instructor glowering a hole into him.

"Have you even been paying attention all this time, Higuchi?!"

"Uh...c-could you repeat the question?"

The teacher grit his teeth. "...I'm beginning to think your brain has already checked out for summer vacation! I realize you're not known to pay my lectures much mind, Higuchi, but don't you think you've picked the wrong time to push it like this?!"

The rest of the man's scolding went over Aaron's head. The teenager was far too busy sighing and hoping someone really would just kill him so he could finally get out of class.

Everyone's focus was diverted from him and to whoever was entering the classroom just then. The individual's identity couldn't be ascertained. They were wrapped from head to toe in bandages, leaving solely their back-length, black hair untouched. Acting as if their bizarre appearance was nothing, the person casually made their way to the seat next to Aaron's and pulled out the required textbook. It was only when everyone began to gaze at them wordlessly did the person raise an eyebrow.

"...Yes?" they innocently asked.

Aaron squinted. "Uh...I'm gonna take a shot in the dark here, but are you...Sasune?"

"Yes, Chocolate Thunder. What kind of question is that? And w-why are you all staring at me like that?"

"Uh...are you...alright?"

"Alright? I'm more than alright! I finally got my new glasses!"

Sasune flashed a thumbs up as he slipped the mentioned item on his face. They simply proved to make him look even goofier.

"Sorry I'm late," the Quincy said to the bewildered Class 2C teacher. "I had a doctor's appointment that took far longer than I expected."

"I-I see. That's...perfectly fine. Just...make sure you pay attention, alright?"

Aaron could hardly believe their instructor was letting Sasune off the hook. Then again, he was positive the man simply hadn't figured out who was behind all the bandages yet.

Turning to his best friend, he asked, "Uh...where were you really just now, Sasune? And why in the world do you look like that?"

"I'm offended! Are you suggesting I was lying just now, CT? I really was seeing my doctor! My wounds were nothing to scoff at, after all."

"Well, you were impaled, so that's kind of an understatement."

Sasune laughed. "That's the second time it's happened, so it didn't hurt that much! I'm uh...gonna be sore for awhile though. Anyway, besides going to see my doctor, I had to hunt down my optometrist and get my glasses finally! They cost an arm and a leg, but I'd say it was worth it! If only I had these things yesterday."

Aaron found it kind of humorous his friend thought a mere pair of glasses could have truly changed things against the likes of Renji Abarai and Byakuya Kuchiki.

"So, what do you intend to do?" asked Sasune.

"Huh? Y-You mean about Kana, right? ...Do you really have to ask?"

"...No. I suppose I don't."

"How about you? What are you going to do?"

A frustrated Sasune raised his hand without warning. The teacher opted to ignore him at first, figuring he was going to ask something idiotic. However, when the Quincy began waving his arm about frantically and making strange noises, the instructor growled and was left with no other choice but to acknowledge him.

"...Yes, Ishida?"

"I don't mean to be rude, sir, but your handwriting is always like chicken scratch, so it's rather hard to jot down notes! Would you mind just reading that last paragraph out loud? I'm sure the rest of the class would benefit from it as well!"

Annoyed, the teacher said, "...There's nothing wrong with my writing! Perhaps you should get a better prescription from your doctor!"

"W-What the…? What crawled up his ass and died?"

"Whatever it was, it's been there for a while," said Aaron. "Forget about him. If I'm really going to go after Kana, I could use all the help I can get."

"Don't you think I'm the last person you should be asking then? I hate Shinigami. Risking my life to save one isn't exactly something I would prefer to do, especially when I have to waltz into enemy territory to do it. I'm not that stupid. Besides, you really should just forget about Miss Mitarashi. You two weren't even supposed to meet in the first place. It was coincidence, just like you becoming a Shinigami. Let it go and be thankful you're even still alive after everything that's happened."

It shouldn't have come as a shock for Aaron to hear his friend say something to that extent. He had known Sasune for years, long enough to understand more than anyone how much the Quincy despised Shinigami like Kana. Nevertheless, he couldn't stop himself from becoming perturbed. This wasn't just any Shinigami they were talking about. It was Kana, someone both of them had gotten to know quite well, someone he had been certain the two of them were more than willing to put their lives on the line for. Perhaps more alone than he assumed with that line of thinking.

An idea hit him just then.

"...Wait, so you're saying you won't go after Kana because she's a Shinigami, right?"

"...I guess your hearing isn't broken after all, CT."

Aaron smirked devilishly. "Alright then! What if I sweetened the deal for you? You might not want to rescue Kana because she's a Shinigami, but you have to remember she's also a beautiful woman!"

Sasune took himself away from his notes. "...Go on."

Aaron rubbed his hands together and cackled. He had his friend hook, line, and sinker. Now, he simply needed to go in for the kill.

"Look, Kana probably can't pay you with money, at least not money from this world anyway, but we both know there's another currency she probably wouldn't mind giving out."

Steam shot out of Sasune's nostrils and ears. It took his imagination no time at all to comprehend the meaning behind his friend's suggestion. Snickering like a madman, the idea of going to the Soul Society was slowly but surely becoming more appealing.

"...Alright, CT! I'll help you rescue Miss Mitarashi!" he eagerly stated.

"Y-You will?! I really appreciate it, Sasune! You might even be able to take out a couple of Shinigami while you're there!"

"Screw that! All I care about is Miss Mitarashi's 'reward!' I'm shocked though! I didn't think you'd be willing to share her with me like this! Perhaps you're not as innocent as you look!"

"S-She's not mine to share in the first place, idiot!"

"Oh? Is that so? Well, whatever! Her and I are gonna have a lot of fun regardless!"

While the Quincy laughed agreeably at his own speech, Aaron quietly noted he had no intention of letting Sasune get his slimy fingers on Kana in the end.

"Well, the odds are still stacked against us." Sasune, crossing his arms, nodded and then sighed. "I'm assuming you've found a way into Soul Society since you're so intent on rushing into your own doom. Once we get there, we're gonna be up against the full might of the Gotei 13. From what I've heard, they don't take kindly to intruders. Even with the world's greatest Quincy by your side, this is gonna be rough. If we're going to do this, I say we add at least one more person to our team!"

"Eh? Who else do you know that could help us out?"

Before Sasune could clarify, yellow chalk careened into his and Aaron's foreheads, inducing sharp cries out of them. The classroom burst into the giggles for a second time, whereas Aaron snarled and shot a rather nasty look at his teacher.

"You and whoever that is beside you will have plenty of time to chat during summer vacation, Higuchi! Right now, I would very much appreciate it if you two gave me your full and undivided attention for the rest of the class period! Of course, if you have any complaints, you're welcome to bring them up with the Principal after I send you both down to his office for insubordination!"

Aaron and Sasune groaned, which was music to their instructor's ears as he cracked a smile.

"That guy is a freakin' tyrant!" muttered Sasune, holding up a trembling fist. "I better not run into him after school! He can't threaten us with that Principal's office shit anymore, so I'm thinking about roughing him up good!"

"J-Just forget about it, Sasune. Y-You can't help me rescue Kana if you're in jail for assault and battery," said Aaron with a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his head. "Anyway, what you were saying about this third person?"

Realization hit him like a ton of bricks at that moment.

"N-No..."

"Yes!" exclaimed Sasune.

#

"N-No way! You two've gotta be crazy!"

Like an Olympic sprinter, Konoka Mitsumi, the Red-Haired Beast, dashed as hard as she could away from Aaron and Sasune and toward her awaiting limousine. Why they hadn't gotten the hint she had no desire to chat was beyond her. Then again, they were chasing her out of Hino High like psychopaths currently, so maybe common sense was something that flew over their heads.

"Q-Quit followin' me already, you creeps! Don't make me call the cops!" she bellowed.

"W-Wait just a moment, Miss Mitsumi!" pleaded Sasune.

"If we could only have a millisecond of you time!" added Aaron.

"Piss off!" Konoka replied. Fuming, she jumped inside of her ride ahead of telling the driver, "Step on it! Run those clowns over if you have to! Just go!"

"Y-Yes, Miss Mitsumi!" the driver anxiously said. He went to shut the door behind his mistress, yet Aaron prevented him from doing so at the last minute. "S-Sir, if you could just..."

"Can it!" Aaron snapped. "Mitsumi, hold on! You can't just go!"

"The hell I can't! Driver, shut the damn door!" roared Konoka.

The chauffeur bowed. "O-Of course, Miss Mitsumi."

His efforts were again impeded, though it was by Sasune's doing this time.

"D-Dammit, Miss Mitsumi! Just hear us out!" cried the Quincy. "I realize we're asking a lot from you by requesting you to accompany us to Soul Society, but there really isn't anyone else we can count on! You're a Fullbringer or whatever, right? Then you should be strong enough to help us get Miss Mitarashi back from the clutches of the Shinigami!"

Konoka palmed her hand across her face. Punching her way out of this mess would have been effortless for a person like her. Nonetheless, she had promised Jives she would cut down on all the violence. With that in mind, she bottled up her rage.

"Okay, look! I get that I owe you and Higuchi some favors, but how in the hell do you expect me to do what you're askin'?! You want me to march to my own grave for some bimbo I don't even know?! Just because I have powers doesn't mean I gotta do jack shit with 'em! I ain't into that 'with great power comes great responsibility' bullshit! You two get the picture now?! Get the hell outta here before I shove my foot up both your asses so far, you'll be gaggin' on my boots! Driver, close the DAMN DOOR already!"

"A-Ah! O-Of course, Miss Mitsumi! My apologizes!"

The chauffeur shut the door so hard, he cracked the glass windows. Konoka hardly cared if it meant she could finally get some peace and quiet. Her limousine rolled out, and Aaron and Sasune observed her go with their heads and spirits low.

"Well, that went exactly as I expected," said Aaron halfheartedly.

Sasune shrugged. "The only way the Red-Haired Beast would stick her neck out for someone is if pigs started flying and hell froze over."

"And if a girl out there actually gives you their number when you ask."

"...Very funny. I'd watch it if I were you. I'm not gonna help you out at this rate either."

The discussion trailed off, allowing Aaron to ponder if he and Sasune should give convincing Konoka to join their little, rag-tag team another go later on once she cooled off. She might not have been the type of person to go out of her way for others, but Aaron didn't consider her utterly heartless.

"Then again..."

"I wonder if it's even possible," postulated Sasune just then.

"C-Come again?"

"I was just wondering if rescuing Miss Mitarashi is even possible. I mean, it's easy for us to sit around and talk about it, but actually pulling this suicide mission off is a whole other thing. I realize you'll have that Kurosaki freak with you, but even still..."

"Would you stop talking like that already? I'm still trying to convince myself I can do this for crying out loud..."

"Haha! This is crazy. We're only gonna turn seventeen in a couple of months! We have our whole lives ahead of us, but we're pretty much trying to throw them away!"

Aaron shook his head. "...I don't feel that way at all."

Sasune turned his head slightly, puzzled by his buddy's remark.

"Putting my life on the line for a friend isn't that big of a deal for me," explained Aaron with an air of confidence. Sasune was admittedly taken aback. "Look, I'm not saying I'm not nervous or anything. The butterflies in my stomach haven't stopped since I made the choice to go to Soul Society. I also get I'm not the strongest guy around, but at the same time, I just don't like seeing people I care about in trouble. There might not have been anything I could do to help in the past, but things are different now! I might be scared, but I gotta give it a try! If I don't, no one else will!"

"...I see."

Sasune couldn't help but smile. Despite all the misfortune that had befallen his best friend, Aaron was more fired up than the Quincy had ever seen. It was clear he was no longer the timid, helpless kid Sasune had known since childhood.

"You know what? I have to go, CT!"

"Huh? That came outta nowhere. Where you headed?"

"I'm gonna try to convince Miss Mitsumi to change her mind. Also, I need to start training myself. If I'm really going to Soul Society with you, there's no way I can allow myself to be embarrassed again by some stinkin' Shinigami!"

"Why not come with me to Urahara's? I'm sure he wouldn't mind training you too."

Wagging his finger, the Quincy retorted, "Thanks, but no thanks. There's nothing a Shinigami like Urahara could teach a guy like me. There is, however, someone I can train with. He's the only one that will do."

"Fair enough."

Sasune, walking away, saluted. "Good luck, my friend! We likely won't see one another again until it's time for us to begin our epic journey! You better not forget our deal!"

Aaron curled his lips. "Y-You're talking about Kana, right? Don't worry. I won't forget."

"Good! Until we cross paths again, my friends!"

Sasune departed to begin his preparations for the trip to Soul Society. Aaron, meanwhile, checked the time on his phone.

"Guess I better head to Karakura Town and meet up with Urahara and the others."

A tangent of anxiousness washed over him. He hadn't the foggiest idea what the shopkeeper had in store for he and Ichigo. As such, he could do nothing more than hope he was up to the task. Kana, whether she knew it or not, was counting on him.

#

"Hey! Hey over there! I know you can hear me! I'm starving! Can't you give me something to eat already?! Hey, quit ignoring me!"

The guard keeping a close eye on Kana Mitarashi grumbled under his breath at her incessant chatter. She hadn't shut up since being dragged back to Soul Society, and he was beginning to lose his patience. Still, he had been tasked with watching after a high profile criminal, so he understood he had no choice but to grit his teeth and withstand whatever she said or did.

"You're such a meanie!" Kana, adorned in white robes, cried. She then pouted her lips and decided words alone weren't getting the job done. With that in mind, she began pounding her fists against the bars of her dusty, cramped, and damp cell. "I want a lawyer! This kind of treatment is ridiculous! I probably outrank you, pal! I'm gonna tell the Captain you've been treating me like crap! Ha! I bet you're shaking in your boots now!"

The guard was shaking alright, although it was out of ire. Even after Kana began having a full on temper tantrum on the floor, the Shinigami bit his fist and contained his leaking frustration. Another guard would relieve him of his post in two hours. He simply had to desist from strangling the prisoner until then.

"I'm hungry! I'm hungry! I'm hungry!" whined Kana.

"YOU'LL GET SOMETHING TO EAT IN A LITTLE BIT!" the guard screamed at the top of his voice. He afterward caught his breath and composed himself. "Y-You should be fortunate a criminal like you is even being fed at all! You had better thank the Captain for going out of his way to make sure you're being somewhat accommodated! Now then, be quiet! You're already in enough hot water as it is, Mitarashi!"

"I-I'm already gonna get executed! What else could they possibly do to me?!"

Kana piped down and crossed her arms. She got the hunch she wasn't going to get her way no matter how grating she acted. Yawning, she stroked her heavy eyelids.

"...I'm bored," she mumbled.

"...You're not supposed to be having any fun," the guard, overhearing her, stated.

"Jeez! You must be the life of the party!"

Again, the Shinigami outside her cell had to will himself not to do something he would regret.

Teasing the guard more than likely would invite more trouble for her, but it wasn't as if she had much else to do. Being locked away left her out of the loop when it came to events outside of the Tenth Division's barracks. Perhaps this was how a fish trapped in a bowl felt.

"I wonder how Rukia's doing. They've probably locked her up too."

Kana hadn't seen or heard from her friend since their capture. She was probably being held in the Sixth Division's headquarters, the very same squad that was captained by her adoptive, older brother: Byakuya Kuchiki.

"Man, it's kinda messed up they sent Rukia's own brother to take her in! He didn't seem all that upset his little sister is gonna get executed either..."

Kana could absolutely relate to not being as close as one could be to their sibling. Speaking of which, she had hoped her younger brother would swing by for a visit, yet no one whatsoever had come to check up on her.

"Well, whatever the case, Rukia has to be doing better than me."

Kana forced a smile and clutched her aching chest. Having to leave Aaron and everyone else in Hino was harder than she ever imagined. Sasune informed her never to return to the Human World again, and this scathing sentiment rang across her thoughts even now.

"He sure was scary back then! Heh. H-He and CT are probably celebrating not having to babysit me anymore. Well, g-good! I never asked them to worry about me anyway! If they're ticked off, that means they won't be stupid enough to follow me here! Y-Yeah...they...aren't that stupid..."

Her sentence trailed off when footsteps echoed down the hallway leading to her prison, inducing her to leer up from the floor. The guard beyond the borders of her cell straightened up and bowed to a pair of Shinigami.

"Y-You have guests, Mitarashi! Be on your best behavior!"

Kana was enthralled. Finally, someone had come to see her. She had started to believe no one out there cared for her anymore.

However, any elation she felt was erased the instant she saw who was staring back at her through the metal bars.

"...Mitarashi," said a short, blue-haired boy that could easily be mistaken for a little kid. Kana knew better though. The white jacket he wore over his Shinigami robes signified he was the Captain of the Tenth Division. Toushirou Hitsugaya surveyed Kana in silence for what felt like an eternity to the visibly rattled brunette. Eventually, he exhaled dejectedly and stated, "...You've really done it this time. You've always been a headache for me, but you've really gone out of your way to make my job difficult this time around."

"C-Captain Hitsugaya?! Uh...w-what are you doing here?!" asked Kana in an alarmed yet hushed tone. Sweat laced every inch of her peach-colored skin. "L-Lemme explain!"

"Save it. I don't want to hear..."

"Welcome back to Soul Society, Kana! It's about time you returned!" exclaimed the busty blonde standing beside and towering over Hitsugaya. Rangiku Matsumoto, the Vice-Captain of the Tenth Division, couldn't have been happier to see Kana in one piece. "You really must have been having a lot of fun in the Human World! I was starting to think you weren't ever coming back!"

"I-It's nice to see you too, Rangiku!" said Kana. She could hardly focus on her friend considering their Captain appeared ready to blow a gasket. "Uh...d-do you think he's mad?"

"Of course I'm mad!" cried Hitsugaya. The boy was usually calm, cool, and collected, but even he flew off the handle from time to time whenever it came to dealing with Kana. Settling down, he sighed a second time. "...Your sudden disappearance in the Human World had us all worried here. As the Third Seat of the Tenth Division, you should know better than to loan your Shinigami powers to some human. Then again..."

Hitsugaya awkwardly stroked the back of his spiky hair and once again sighed. Kana, on the other hand, twiddled her fingers and didn't dare to contemplate how long the chewing out she was about to receive was going to be.

"Come on, Captain! Cut her some slack!" pleaded Rangiku. Suddenly, and unknowingly, she rested her massive bust on the top of Hitsugaya's head. "You could at least let her explain! Don't you think she has a good reason for doing what she did?"

"Y-You're going to break my neck, Matsumoto!" voiced Hitsugaya. "Knock it off!"

Ignoring him, Rangiku asked, "So, what have you been up to all this time, Kana? You've gotta have some stories from the Human World! Hey, wait a sec! You stopped coloring your hair!"

"Oh, t-that." Kana wafted her fingers through her curly hair. It was a tad bit dirty and unkempt. She hadn't been given the chance to clean up much during her confinement. "I just...felt it was time for a change! I can't emulate you forever, after all!"

Rangiku was disappointed to hear this but got over it rather quickly "So, did you meet any cute guys? I'm so tired of looking at all the faces here in the Seireitei!"

"Did I ever! They're all over the place in the Human World! That place is amazing! Can you believe they have doors that open by themselves and places where you can buy clothing other than black robes?!"

"Seriously?! Now I wanna go! I haven't been there in so long! Everyone was still using horses to get around back then!" whined Rangiku. "It's been so boring around here without you! The Captain has been yelling at me nonstop!"

"That's because you're always pushing all your work on me, Matsumoto." Hitsugaya finally managed to power himself from underneath Rangiku. His lungs took in fresh oxygen ahead of him saying, "And no one is going anywhere. Not anymore."

The seriousness of his declaration killed the mood, leading to Kana and Rangiku shutting their traps for the time being.

"...This isn't a game, Mitarashi. Maybe the amount of trouble you're in hasn't sunk into that thick skull of yours yet. Whatever the case, I tried getting your sentence reduced, but there was nothing I could do, even with my status as a Captain. I've been told you will be executed by next month."

Kana recoiled at the news.

"...T-They really aren't budging on that, huh? Jeez."

"Mitarashi…"

"Thanks for trying to help me though, Captain! You're the best!"

Abruptly, the brunette's stomach roared like a mighty lion.

"Uh...s-since I'm gonna die anyway, can I please get something to eat now, Captain?!"

Exasperated, Hitsugaya said, "...I'll see what I can do about that. In the meantime, I suggest you stay put in your cell and stop giving the guards so much trouble. There's still plenty of time before your execution, so I'll try to get an audience with the Captain-Commander and see if there's something he can do about this."

Kana sniffled. "Wow! You really are the best, Captain!"

Hitsugaya merely sighed a fourth instance in response to this. He was certain the stress from having to deal with his Third Seat and this execution business would give him gray hairs.

"Don't worry about it, Kana! Everything is gonna work out in the end!" said Rangiku.

"Y-Yeah! Of course! The Captain won't let me down!" proclaimed Kana with vigor. She figured there was no point in getting herself depressed. Hitsugaya had performed miracles for her in the past, so there was no reason to think this time would be any different.

"Let's go, Matsumoto. We're going back," said Hitsugaya.

Rangiku refused to budge. "I wanna catch up with Kana a bit more!"

"...Fine. Just remember not to stay too long. You still have a ton of paperwork you need to catch up on, and I'm not covering for you this time."

"So, do they still use horses and carriages to get around?" asked Rangiku. She hadn't heard a word her Captain had to say.

Kana shook her head. "They have these things call 'automobiles' now! I...don't really get how they work though! I wanted to drive one, but you have to pass a test, and I couldn't figure out how to get one of those things to move without crashing into everything! D-Don't look at me like that! I didn't hurt anyone! Uh...well, I think I didn't! What's been going on in the Seireitei? Did that article on Captain Kuchiki finally come out?! I've been waiting on that one for like forever!"

The two continued to gossip, whereas Hitsugaya glanced at Kana's guard remorsefully. The man returned this gesture with a modest nod, quietly debating whether ripping off his ears was a good idea or not.

#

The sun was just setting in the sky when Aaron arrived in front of the Urahara Store. He hadn't been expecting a welcoming party, yet Kisuke Urahara, Tessai Tsukabishi, Jinta Hanakiri, and Ururu Tsumigaya were there waiting for him. Ichigo Kurosaki was also present.

"Guess I'm late to the party," he joked. "Getting out to Karakura Town is a real pain."

"Yo, Higuchi!" said Ichigo with a nod. "You ready for this?"

"Heh. I'm still not sure. Guess we'll find out, won't we?"

"Welcome back, Mister Higuchi!" said Urahara cheerfully. The man always brimmed with energy. It sort of helped to pep Aaron up. "You and Mister Kurosaki will likely be more than acquainted with this place in the next ten days!"

Strangely, Aaron became flustered by the statement. He had been inside the dusty walls of the Urahara Store more times than he could count. Nothing about the place should have intimidated him. Nonetheless, he gulped and questioned if he would be able to keep his wits about him during his latest visit.

"My, my! I didn't mean to scare you, Mister Higuchi!" said Urahara with a playful smirk. Aaron was tempted to smack him upside the head. "Have you taken care of your affairs?"

"For the most part. My sister told my Ma I would be at some summer camp. It's a pretty crappy excuse, but my mother works so much that she really can't check if I'm telling the truth anyway. In terms of my health, those pills you gave me pretty much have me all healed up, not that I was really hurt in the first place."

"Good! Good! I'm pleased to hear that! Well then, shall we begin?"

Aaron and Ichigo exchanged nods before suddenly bowing at Urahara.

"Please, train us well!" they declared in a booming intonation. Urahara and his crew were completely thrown off by this.

"Um...are you two feeling alright?" asked Urahara honestly.

"Of course!" proclaimed Ichigo. "Never better!"

"Same here!" added Aaron. "I don't have to worry about school for a while, so I can just focus on training!"

"I wonder if those two will even be able to handle the Boss' training," mumbled Jinta, his voice flooding with skepticism. "How much you wanna bet at least one of them is gonna die, Ururu?"

"Mister Urahara will get mad if you say stuff like that," she replied sheepishly.

"Don't be rude, Jinta," said a stern Tessai. The boy blew him a raspberry.

"...We'll have to close the shop for the rest of the day, won't we, Mister Tessai?"

"Like it even matters, Ururu! We haven't had any customers all day!" bellowed Jinta. Tessai rewarded him for his brash talk by bopping him atop the skull. The red-haired boy rolled on the ground in pure agony as he cried, "W-Why'd you have to go and do something like that?! I-I was only telling the truth!"

Observing all this, Aaron scratched at his face and said, "Well, it's...uh...good to see everyone else has a lot of energy built up too."

He once again wondered if he would get through this whole ordeal in one piece.

#

Urahara led his guests into a secret area underneath his store. The vastness of the rocky space thoroughly impressed Aaron; he would have never thought something like it could exist in Karakura Town.

"Whoa! What is this place?! I didn't know there was such a huge cavity beneath that magnificent shop!" hollered Urahara in dramatic fashion. Evidently, he wished for Aaron and everyone else to believe he too was caught by surprise.

A blank-faced Ichigo said, "You don't have to act like you didn't know this place was here. Shut up already."

Aaron chuckled apprehensively.

"Haha! That's right! There's no need for me to hide this place from you all!"

The not so humble shopkeeper went into great detail in explaining how he managed to construct the massive area, but Aaron didn't bother to listen. Urahara seemed to be ranting mostly to himself anyway.

"What's with him?" Ichigo asked Tessai. "Does your store owner have a habit of rambling on like this and ignoring his customers?"

"I even painstakingly painted the ceiling to make it look like a sky so it would alleviate any tension you might feel!" proclaimed Urahara.

"Great. I see you had the same idea they have in prisons," mumbled Ichigo.

"Well, at least his heart was in the right place," added Aaron.

Paying their criticisms no mind, Urahara gestured to some withered plants. "I even planted trees so they would hydrate your souls!"

"W-Why are they all dead?" wondered Ichigo.

"L-Looking at them makes me thirsty instead," remarked Aaron.

Again, Urahara shrugged off their words. "To do this much in secret beneath all the roads and houses of Karakura Town was no mere feat! I without a doubt broke a bone or two!"

"I-I'm pretty all that is a crime," speculated Ichigo.

"Uh...c-can we just get on with the training already? I...don't want to be here if someone comes to arrest you. No offense," stated Aaron.

Ichigo stretched his legs. "That's exactly what I was gonna say."

"My, my! What admirable spirits!" said Urahara. "Since you both seem ready, I'll grant your wish!"

Without warning, he poked Ichigo in the forehead with the bottom of his cane. This caused the orange-haired teenager's soul to come careening out of his body.

"Let's begin, shall we?" the beaming shop owner added.

Ichigo's spirit rolled until he was able to halt his momentum. He then sprang up, ready to pounce on Urahara.

"W-What the hell are you doing all of a sudden?!"

Aaron, spying the chain protruding from Ichigo's chest, forgot all about it and became defensive once Urahara's cane was aimed his way.

"H-Hold on a sec!" he cried, waving his arms frantically. "S-Stay back!"

"No can do, Mister Higuchi!"

Urahara was more than elated to remove Aaron's soul. In fact, he was deriving great joy in terrorizing his new students. Aaron screamed like a little girl before slamming his eyes shut. He momentarily felt a strange sensation prior to opening his eyes and spotting his lifeless body feet away.

"D-Dammit. I should've seen something like this coming..."

"This is the first time you two have been separated from your bodies without becoming Shinigami, is it not?" inquired Urahara. "Isn't it difficult for you two to breathe? How about moving around?"

Aaron tested his new form out and saw his mentor was on to something. The dark-skinned teen's breathing heightened, and he touched his ribcage, thinking an invisible object was pressing against it. He then took a shot at moving his legs. He could still walk, yet it was like heavy weights had been attached to his limbs. Compared to the power he was granted as a Shinigami, the feeling he got at the moment was the complete opposite. He would be easy prey for a Hollow like this.

"The reason you no longer have your Shinigami powers, Mister Kurosaki, is because Byakuya Kuchiki destroyed both your sleeping soul and your chain links, two things a Shinigami simply must have to maintain their abilities. As for you Mister Higuchi, I'm still not certain why you lost the powers bestowed upon you by Miss Mitarashi. The only thing I can say for sure is it having something to do with Mister Kurosaki's spirit energy disrupting your own. Regardless, the two of you have something in common now: you're the ghosts of humans and have no supernatural powers to speak of! In order for you both to fight against beings like Shinigami, you're going to have to restore your spiritual powers. Otherwise, you two aren't getting anywhere."

Aaron nodded. "Makes sense. I was confused at how you were gonna train us to go to Soul Society if we weren't even Shinigami."

Ichigo rotated his head. "W-What the hell does all that even mean? Whatever! If it means I can fight again, I guess it doesn't matter!"

"Good! That's the sort of mentality you both will need!" Urahara twirled his cane using his index finger. "Before we move on, you two will need to learn how to move around in those forms without difficulty. If you can accomplish that, it will prove you two are recovering some of your spiritual power! The more power you have, the sharper your movements will become."

"This is getting annoying. I seriously don't get it," stated Ichigo with a groan.

"Y-Yeah, he's starting to lose me too," Aaron admitted. "T-Then again, I don't think he's even noticed. He really does like to talk, even if no one is listening."

"What is it you exactly want us to do? Gymnastics or something?"

"Of course not," answered Mister Hat and Clogs. "Well, instead of me standing here and boring you two to death with the details, it would be easier if we just started."

That suited Aaron and Ichigo perfectly. Aaron in particular was always the type to learn better if he was shown rather than told. He relaxed his spiritual body and sharpened his mind for whatever was in store.

Urahara shouted, "Hey, get ready!"

Aaron and Ichigo might have been confused by his remark, but they were even more perplexed when Ururu, who was sporting some protective gear, stepped up to the plate and curtsied.

"P-Pleased to make your acquaintance," she meekly stated.

"Your first lesson!" began Urahara. "Try fighting with her!"

"What?!" blurted Aaron and Ichigo in unison.

"Hmm? Don't be like that! Your task is a simple one! Once either you two or Ururu here can't move, the session will be over! Just be sure to knock her out before she knocks you two down for the count!"

"Are you crazy?! We can't fight a kid!" said Ichigo.

"Ugh. I hate fighting girls, let alone little girls," moaned Aaron.

"Oh?" Urahara was humored at their confidence. "I'd think the task would be quite difficult considering the bodily state you two are in!"

"W-What was that?!" snapped Ichigo.

"S-Something tells me he knows something with don't," said Aaron.

If the shopkeeper did, he kept the details to himself.

Meanwhile, Ururu tossed her opponents the same protective equipment she was wearing.

"Here. Please make sure you both put those on first...or you will die."

The gentleness of her speech did nothing to impede the growing sense of dread rising within Aaron and Ichigo. Their fear wasn't misplaced. In the blink of an eye, she was right in front of them. They could do nothing more than gaze at her with widened eyes while she brought her fist down for the kill. The force from her blow broke apart the ground and scattered billowing smoke.

"See? I told you!" shouted Urahara.

Leaping out of the miasma, Aaron growled and thought it premature for the man to be bragging. He made haste to slip on the headgear and gloves Ururu had gifted him.

"S-Shit! I just barely managed to dodge that one! To think she could move like that!"

To make matters worse, hand-to-hand combat wasn't his specialty. Then again, it wasn't like fighting in general was one of his strong suits.

"W-Wait! Where's Kurosaki?!"

He spotted the person question off in the distance. He was unharmed, though Aaron wasn't sure how long that would be the case since the orange-haired teen was barreling right for Ururu with reckless abandon.

"H-Hold on a sec, Kurosaki! I don't think that's…!"

Aaron paused. Ichigo wasn't gunning for Ururu after all. Rather, he dashed past the girl and snatched up his headband.

"Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! What the hell was that?! I'm gonna die for sure if I get hit by something like that!"

He took a gander at the gear between his fingertips, making another startling discovery.

"Speaking of which, how the hell do I put this thing on?!"

"Mister Kurosaki! Mister Kurosaki!' shouted Urahara. "Place the headband on your forehead while shouting, 'Take this! The power of justice! Justice Armor, Justice Headband!'"

"G-Got it!" replied Ichigo with a nod. He then mulled the instructions over. "L-Like hell I'm doing something like that!"

He tossed the headband away, believing he would have better luck facing Ururu without sounding like a jackass.

"Kurosaki, watch out!" cried Aaron.

"Too late," said Ururu, who drove her knuckles near Ichigo a second time. Shrieking, her target sidestepped the attack at the last instance.

"W-Wait, he can dodge her attacks even with that body?!" said a mystified Aaron.

"Eh? It's already started?"

Urahara, Tessai, and Jinta spun their heads to an approaching Izumi Higuchi. Slurping on some noodles, she took a seat on the ground and finished off her bowl of ramen before unwrapping another serving.

"Looks like I haven't missed much. Good," she added. "The restaurants around here really suck. Took me forever to find a decent place for lunch."

She devoured another helping of noodles while she witnessed Ichigo reclaim his discarded headband. Left with no choice, he slapped it on and readied to say something he knew he would regret for the rest of his life.

"Dammit! I don't have a choice!" he muttered. "Take this! The power of justice! Justice Armor, Justice Headband!"

When he struck a pose alongside his battle cry, Izumi choked on her food. Tessai came to her aid by patting her on the back.

"W-What the hell did he just say?!" she inquired, coughing violently. "Ugh. T-That went down the wrong way."

Urahara's expression became empty. "...Wow. Y-You actually said all that?"

"Y-You bastard!" howled Ichigo, feeling like a total idiot.

"W-Wait, he seriously didn't realize Urahara was joking before?!" queried Aaron. Ichigo was without a doubt the most 'intriguing' fellow he had ever encountered. "T-Then again, Sasune is pretty weird too."

#

Sasune sneezed just then.

"Eh? Is some pretty girl talking about me? Heh! That must be it! You know, I really impress myself sometimes!"

#

Back at Urahara's secret training grounds, Aaron grimaced because his sister was glaring at him like he were nothing more than trash. She had a habit of doing this whenever she was upset with him, but she looked particularly agitated today.

"W-What?!" he had to ask.

"...You aren't helping," she stated plainly, adding some soy sauce to her meal.

Blushing, he replied, "Y-You aren't doing much of anything either besides stuffing your face!"

"What are you talking about? I'm only here as your moral support, remember?"

"Is that so?! I'm not really feeling it over here!"

Izumi shrugged. "Something tells me you're gonna feel that."

Aaron cursed under his breath. He had lowered his guard thanks to Izumi, and now, Ururu was seconds away from punching his block off. For whatever reason, her fist stopped mere inches from his face. Aaron, perspirating profusely, wasn't sure why she was choosing now to spare him. He wasn't complaining though.

"Whew! For a second there, I thought…!"

Suddenly, he was blasted backward like a bullet out of a gun and into a mountain of stone. His sister turned her head away from this and theorized if she should have been planning her brother's funeral.

"All right!" exclaimed Ichigo. He had finally determined how to put on the protective gear. "W-Wait, what happened to Higuchi?"

Climbing out of the rubble, Aaron was pleased to see he wasn't dead.

"Wait, maybe that isn't right. I'm a ghost, so technically, I guess I am dead."

Regardless of his status, his entire form was wracked with pain. Blood trickled down his forehead, and he yanked his headband off in anger. He saw little point in being burdened with it if it wasn't going to do a thing to soften Ururu's blows.

"It makes me looks stupid anyway. S-She's a monster though! That was only the after shock from her punch, but it still nearly killed me!"

He became more awed when he took heed of Ichigo fighting evenly with the so-called monster. The longer they dueled, the more Aaron realized the orange-haired teen was gaining the upper hand.

"W-Wow. Even without being a Shinigami, Kurosaki is really strong!"

"Jeez, bro! How come you can't do that?!" shouted Izumi.

"W-Would you shut up over there?! You're not helping!"

He almost missed Kana's signature cheerleading. It was obnoxious, yeah, but at least Kana wasn't actively trying to get on his nerves.

Ichigo landed a glancing blow on Ururu's cheek, leaving a tiny cut. The wound might have been nothing to freak out over, yet it set Ururu over the deep end. She vaulted onto his arm in one, swift motion and then drove her leg into the side of his head. Mirroring what happened to Aaron, Ichigo was rocketed toward a huge formation of rock. Before any serious damage could be done, Tessai caught him in the nick of time.

"Safe!" said Urahara as he held up Ururu's leg.

"W-What the…?!" Aaron gasped. "H-He was able to hold back most of the force from her attack, yet it still had that much power behind it?!"

Clearly, Ururu was no normal human being. Aaron wasn't even sure anymore she was human. Attempting to fight her head on proved to be a waste of time, so he opted for a sneak attack. He crept up on her and prepared to strike while the iron was hot.

"Uh...huh?!"

His fist caught nothing but air. Ururu was gone.

"B-Behind you, bro!"

Aaron heard Izumi's warning too late. Ururu slammed her fist square into his ribs. The sound of them snapping like twigs was nothing compared to the blood that erupted from his mouth. Unable to stop himself, his body went sailing through the air. He might have gone even farther than halfway across the expansive training space if it weren't for Tessai grabbing his leg and halting his momentum.

"T-Thanks," he told the large man, barely on the cusp on consciousness.

"O-Ouch. Even though he's a ghost, that had to hurt!" said Izumi.

Tessai released the teenagers, enabling Aaron to clutch his torso and massage his smashed bones. He didn't even known ghosts could bleed, let alone sustain injuries such as the ones he had.

"I-I see," he heard Ichigo mumble morosely. "I...lost."

"S-Same here. Ugh! I-I don't think I've hurt this much in my whole life!"

Ichigo hurried to a standing position. "D-Dammit! One more time! I'll win this time!"

"Y-Yeah! Give us one more shot, Urahara!" proclaimed Aaron. The world was spinning like a top to him, but he refused to let his disorientation slow him down. "W-We can do it!"

"Not a chance!" said Mister Hat and Clogs. His students were bummed out until he added, "Congratulations! You both have passed the first lesson!"

"C-Come again?" said Aaron, raising an eyebrow. "W-We just got our asses kicked!"

"Heh! You can say that again!" commented a snickering Izumi. "By a little girl too!"

"...I'm not little..." stated Ururu softly.

"Put a sock in it, you backseat driver!" Aaron roared at his so-called sister.

"You two seem confused, so allow me to explain! I never said you had to beat Ururu! All I said was for you to knock her out before she did the same to you! You see, Ururu here is more than strong enough to take on a Shinigami, meaning there's no way mere ghosts like you two ever had a chance of beating her! Tell me, do you both still have difficulty breathing? How about moving around?"

Aaron could not only breathe just fine without really thinking about it all of a sudden, but his body felt as light as air. He jumped around to prove his point, springing upward as if he were being aided by a trampoline.

"Whoa! Amazing!" he declared.

"Yeah, I can feel my body surging with power!" said Ichigo.

"Of course you two can!" said Urahara matter-of-factually. "The whole point of that lesson was to see if you could dodge Ururu's attacks! Spiritual power increases when one is in danger of being destroyed. That's why it's called a One-Shot Lesson!"

"C-Couldn't you have said that before?! She really would've killed us if she had landed 'one-shot!'" decried Aaron. His eyelid then jerked. "W-Wait a minute! I barely managed to dodge any of her punches like Kurosaki did! Does that mean my spiritual powers haven't increased after all?"

Urahara answered, "On the contrary! Even though you couldn't move as quickly as Mister Kurosaki, the mere fact that you were able to withstand Ururu's blows without biting the dust means some of your strength must have come back to you, Mister Higuchi!"

That came as a great relief to Aaron.

"Hmm? You aren't just saying that to make him feel better, right?" postulated Izumi. She slurped on the last remaining noodles in her bowl and somberly stared down at the empty container. "Because from what I saw, he still totally sucks!"

Aaron clenched his teeth. "Seriously! Whose side are you on?!"

"I believe a celebration is an order for you two managing to do so well!" said Urahara.

"What? Are we gonna go out and get some food or something?" inquired Ichigo.

"Do ghosts even eat?" Aaron put his finger on his chin. "You think I would've asked one about all this stuff considering how many years I've been bumping into them."

Lunch wasn't what Urahara had in mind. Ichigo and Aaron learned this the hard way when out of the blue, Tessai brought a large, heavy-looking axe down on the chain connecting Ichigo's spirit to his body, severing it.

A bizarrely upbeat Urahara said, "Alright! Let's begin the second lesson!"

#

Uryuu Ishida stood before a secluded area, one that was complete with lush trees, mossy rocks, and a breathtaking waterfall whose rushing liquid filled the surroundings with its clamor.

"...I should be able to train in peace here."

Indeed, the Quincy could think of no better place to hone his skills. Anyone searching for him would have to be determined to locate him in the middle of nowhere.

"Ah! There you are, little brother!"

Perhaps Uryuu had spoken too soon. He bit his tongue and slowly swung his head around. He instantly regretted doing so upon glimpsing none other than his older brother grinning back at him.

"Well, well, well! Looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!" said Sasune. He paced around his distraught brother, oblivious that his presence could be having any effect other than enthrallment. "Guess we had the same idea about using this place to train! Then again, our grandfather would bring us to this very place to teach us all he knew. I'm just surprised you recalled how to get out here. Took me a minute to remember myself."

"...What are you doing here, Sasune?"

"Y-You don't have to sound so depressed! Ah! I get it! You're still bummed out about those Shinigami giving us that beat down! Me too! It was totally embarrassing!"

He wasn't even close, yet Uryuu didn't have the patience to elaborate.

"I just hope they don't have social media in Soul Society!" continued Sasune. "If they do, they've probably already spread awful pictures and rumors of us and stuff!"

"...If you're just here to bother me like usual, you can leave! I don't have time for your stupidity today, Sasune!"

Sasune crimped his mouth. "...Is that anyway to talk to your older brother? Look, I get the whole 'Quincy pride' thing, but you shouldn't let your stubbornness blind you from the truth. We're both going to die if we head into Soul Society with our current strength. That's why I came here to suggest we help one another get stronger! You're the only one I can rely on for something like this. Uryuu!"

"No," Uryuu said at once.

"D-Damn! C-Can't you at least think about it before brushing me off so quickly?!"

"There's no need. The only person I've ever trained with was our Master, and I don't intend to add a buffoon like you to the list. What makes you think I'm even going to Soul Society anyway? Why would you even want to?"

"Me? Uh...t-that's kind of a secret!"

Uryuu became weirded out when his brother started to laugh at nothing specifically.

"O-Okay then..."

"You talk like you didn't come out here to train, Uryuu. You're obviously planning on going to Soul Society too. What's your excuse? I never imagined you going out of your way to save that Rukia chick."

Uryuu smacked his lips. "It's really none of your business, but if you must know, that isn't the reason I decided to go. I just can't stand the thought of being beaten by a Shinigami."

"Ah! Revenge, is it?"

Uryuu rolled his eyes at the question and wondered when Sasune would take the hint his presence was neither wanted nor required. Unsurprisingly, Sasune remained totally clueless.

"Well, that's sort of the reason I'm going as well!" he stated. "Going out of my way to save Miss Mitarashi is Aaron's suicidal plan. The two of us are the last of the Quincy race, Uryuu. As such, we can't just allow those scumbags from before to trample all over our prides. I wanna go to Soul Society and beat them on their own turf!"

Although Uryuu didn't say anything, he was at the very least relieved to see his elder sibling taking his status as one of the few, remaining Quincy seriously.

"I can probably hit on some hot Shinigami chicks while I'm at it!"

Uryuu fell on his head. "I-I should've seen that coming…"

The two, picking up on the presence of others at that instance, got on guard.

"...Just how many people did you bring here?" asked Uryuu, annoyed.

"Huh? Nobody followed me! At least, I don't think so! Maybe it's one of my adoring fans coming all the way out here to see me!" replied Sasune with a chuckle.

"Y-You always amaze me. You seem to get dumber by the second."

Sasune let his brother's less than kind talk slide on account of him laying eyes on the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

"Ah! Found him! Hey, Ishida!"

The woman of Sasune's dreams was a pretty, orange-haired, and well endowed girl that looked to be around his age. As she gleefully waved at Uryuu, Sasune felt she radiated a type of aura that made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

"H-Holy moly guacamole…"

He did not remotely get the same sensation from the tall and muscular fellow beside her. This man also possessed brown skin and a somewhat dour countenance that more or less frightened the Quincy.

"S-Someone's been eating their Wheaties…"

Uryuu, adjusting his glasses, said, "Inoue and Sado?"

Just as he went to confirm the identities of his friends, he was knocked over with force. The sole thing he briefly managed to catch a peek at was his brother darting past him at the speed of light.

Inoue, taken by surprise, yelped a little after Sasune abruptly swallowed her hands within his own.

"G-Greetings, fair maiden!" he stammered, blushing profusely. His heart pounded like a drum, and it was so loud, he could barely hear his own thoughts. Never before did a woman make him feel so strange. "Y-You wouldn't happen to be a lost angel that coincidentally fell down to earth, would you?"

His flirting did nothing more than puzzle Inoue, likely since his teeth were chattering so hard, it was hard for her to understand him. He began trembling for a different reason soon after. The giant in Inoue's company wordlessly bared down at him.

"H-How do you do there, sir?" said Sasune. "Uh...y-you're not gonna eat me, right?"

"...As much as I'd like to see that, you don't have to worry about him, Sado," said Uryuu to the tall man. Sado nodded. "Y-You can stop touching Inoue now, Sasune."

Though reluctant to, Sasune did as his younger brother requested.

"H-Hey, what did you mean by saying I was 'no one to fret over?!'" cried Sasune moments later. "I'll have you know that while I might look as cuddly as a bunny, my fangs are as sharp as a tiger's when I get mad!"

"...Is that so? That is good to hear. You'll need the sharpest fangs possible if you want a chance at surviving in Soul Society."

"Eh? ...H-Huh?!"

Sasune first did a double take ahead of rubbing his eyes. Surely, the black cat that had just spoken to him wasn't real. He was simply imagining things after having eaten one too many bacon strips for breakfast that morning.

"...Quit staring at me like that, you fool," the cat stated, effectively shattering his perception of reality. "I wonder. Is someone like you really cut out for something like infiltrating Soul Society?"

Still shaken up, Sasune put on his glasses. The feline was still here, meaning its existence wasn't a byproduct of his shoddy vision. Of course, that created more questions than it resolved.

"W-What the heck is that thing?!" cried Uryuu, just as baffled.

"Well..." began Inoue. "It's a cat!"

Sado nodded at her assessment.

"A-Anyone could see that!" shouted Sasune and Uryuu.

"Mister Yoruichi is also our master!" added Inoue.

"Your master? H-How in the hell could a cat train anyone?" questioned Sasune. "What, are you learning how to make hairballs or something?"

"S-Shouldn't we be wondering how it can even talk in the first place?!" cried Uryuu. He then cleared his throat. "Ah...er...e-excuse me. I lost my composure there. I-I didn't mean to show this crude side of me."

"Hey, can you do magic too?" asked Sasune, poking at Yoruichi. The cat proceeded to clamp its teeth down on his finger, causing him to scream at the top of his lungs. "W-What in the hell was that for, you wretched beast?!"

"I suggest you mind where you touch without permission, boy," scolded the cat.

Sasune sniffled. "A kitty like you shouldn't be so mean! Y-You must be some kind of demon that just looks cuddly and innocent!"

"Is a talking cat really that strange? It seemed like no biggie to me!" said Inoue.

"I-It sort of is though," mumbled Sado.

Yoruichi leered at the two. "...You both propositioned for this Uryuu here to join in your training but nothing about the cretin in his company."

"Y-You're talking about me, aren't you?!" snarled Sasune. "I can use big words too, you know! You're just an...an...insufferable canker blossom!"

Judging from the expressionless stares he was given, Sasune saw his insult didn't have the desired effect.

Yoruichi sighed. "...I believe you have proved my point, cretin."

"We've actually never met this guy before," explained Sado, pointing a finger at the steaming mad Sasune. "We don't know who he is either."

"This is..." Uryuu, frowning, hesitated to finish his sentence. "...Sasune."

"That's right! I'm Uryuu's older brother! Can't believe you forgot that part, bro!"

"I-I never knew you had a brother!" gasped Inoue. She fidgeted around a bit, ashamed she was so out of the loop. "I-I'm Orihime Inoue! Nice to meet you!"

"...Yasutora Sado," said Sado with a curt nod.

"P-Pleased to meet you both!" Sasune, uncharacteristically becoming anxious, found himself unable to look Orihime in the eyes as she peered at him inquisitively. "I-I'm the world's greatest Quincy! Uryuu here is my understudy!"

"Wow! That's amazing! You must be even stronger than him then!" replied Orihime.

"O-Of course!" Sasune's entire face was now as red as a beet. "I've basically taught him everything I know!"

Uryuu was shaking in rage too much to inform the others of his brother's tall tale.

"This is great! That means you can go to Soul Society with us!" exclaimed Orihime.

"We should have him join in on our training as well," added Sado.

Sasune was so longingly gazing at Orihime, he at first didn't decipher the meaning of the discussion.

"W-Wait, I can do what now?"

"If you're really a Quincy like your brother, we could use your help," explained Sado. "The same goes for you, Ishida. That's the reason why we came."

"You wanna rescue Miss Kuchiki too, don't you?" Orihime asked Uryuu with vigor. "Then let's all take Mister Yoruichi's lessons together!"

"I see." Light glinted of Uryuu's glasses while he mulled the proposition over. "Thanks for the offer, but I must decline."

"Same here," said Sasune with a smirk.

"W-Why?!" questioned Orihime. She dangled Yoruichi in the air, much to the feline's chagrin, as she added, "We were only able to find you guys because Mister Yoruichi here was able to sense your spiritual pressure!"

"That's not the problem. I'm sorry. It's not that I don't have any faith in that...er...cat you call 'Mister Yoruichi.' It's just...I want to do this on my own. On top of that, I've never thought of rescuing Miss Kuchiki in the first place. I'm training because I cannot forgive myself for losing against a Shinigami. That's all. Miss Kuchiki's problems aren't my own."

"Psh. You're cold," said Sasune slyly.

"N-No one was talking to you! Besides, you likely feel the same about that other girl."

"...Miss Mitarashi? Hmph. To a certain extent. On the other hand, I'd gotten accustomed to having her around. She livens things up. I'm sure you could say the same about this Miss Kuchiki of yours."

Uryuu, frowning some, didn't reply.

"While I'm flattered you would want a total stranger like me helping you, I'm gonna have to side with my brother here," said Sasune to Orihime, Sado, and Yoruichi. "If I'm going to be doing any sort of training, it's gonna be the type not meant to be seen by others."

Orihime and Sado glanced at one another and weren't sure what to say.

"As you heard, those two haven't the will to go to Soul Society. Therefore, there isn't any point in us dallying here," said Yoruichi, trotting away.

"B-But…!" interjected Orihime.

"...Let's go, Inoue," said Sado quietly. He followed after Yoruichi, yet Orihime lingered.

"I-If you two change your minds, tell me anytime, okay? I'll be waiting," she kindly stated to the Quincies.

Sasune couldn't say anything. It was like an object was lodged in his throat. Eyeing his older brother, Uryuu's curiosity heightened, and he couldn't say he was distraught to hear nothing for once from his blabbermouth of a sibling.

Orihime eventually took her leave as well. Her absence allowed Sasune to at last breathe properly.

"...Alright, this is gonna sound weird since you're always pretty insane, but...are you alright, Sasune?" asked Uryuu.

"Y-Yeah. I-I'm not sure what just happened. There's...something about that girl though."

"Inoue?"

"I-I think I'm in love!"

Uryuu gagged on his own spit. "Y-You're what?! N-No! Stay the hell away from Inoue!"

"Wait, you've got a crush on her too?"

"I-It's nothing like that! Just...leave her be! She doesn't need you of all people hanging around her!"

"T-That really hurts, bro! H-How could you say such a thing about your dear, elder brother?!"

Uryuu shook his head. "Look, would you just get lost already? I'm sort of busy here..."

"With your training? Didn't I say that's why I'm here?"

"I already told you I have no interest in working with you, Sasune."

"And I'm not leaving with no for an answer!"

As unwavering as Sasune's resolve was, Uryuu couldn't have cared any less. He nonchalantly waltzed past his brother and into a nearby cave.

"H-Hey! I wasn't done talking to you, mister!"

Sasune made haste to chase after him, and he stumbled around in darkness for a couple minutes, using the rocky, cold wall beside him as a guide. He arrived to what he presumed was the end of the cavern, where he was greeted by a glorious illumination. Protecting his vision, he caught sight of Uryuu kneeling over a white box. The aforementioned light was teeming out of it.

"Is that what I think it is?" asked Sasune.

"...You're still here?" Uryuu shook his head before turning back to the box. "Master, give me instruction."

"Oh, that's really interesting." Sasune stroked the nonexistent stubble on his chin as inspected the contents of Uryuu's box. "I didn't know you had one of those too. So, Gramps must've left that for you. Aren't you lucky?"

Uryuu blinked. "...What? You couldn't possibly..."

He was silenced when a beaming Sasune presented a similar container, albeit it was black instead.

"Heh. Something tells me you're about to change your mind about this whole 'training together' thing, little bro," said Sasune with confidence.

END