Chapter 4:
Disclaimer: Same as always.
Author's Note: Okay, got a title! (sorry, Efra, yours didn't work, 'cuz the Court of Pure Souls is barely in the story… although they will get to go there… but you are a great reviewer… I was more complaining about Gus, who is SUPPOSED to be my beta reader), and by now anyone familiar with the other story should realize that this is a crossover with Bleach.
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Chapter 4:
"Where are we going?" Tsuzuki asked. Just ahead of him, Hisoka sighed.
Mikan, wearing her repaired kimono and hakama, slowed her step to walk beside Hisoka. "How many times has he asked this now?"
Hisoka sighed again. "At least it's not he's not whining 'Are we there yet?' anymore." Mikan sighed this time, and sped up slightly.
"Here we are!" She suddenly announced. Hisoka and Tsuzuki looked around, and saw a small building, which appeared to be a traditional Japanese store.
"Here?" Tsuzuki asked. Mikan nodded, then walked to the front of the shop.
As she approached the door, it slid open, and a young boy and girl were standing there.
"Hey!" the boy yelled. "What are you doing here?"
Tsuzuki leaned over to Hisoka. "Shouldn't he not be able to see her?"
Hisoka hit his partner on the back of the head. "Baka. He obviously has a high enough spiritual power to be able to see her."
Oblivious to the two behind her, Mikan walked up to the two children. She stood a good two heads taller than them, and seemed pleased to be able to tower over the boy. He glared at her for a moment, then she knelt down and ruffled the girl's hair.
"Ohayou, Ururu-chan." She glared back at the boy, and then, as an afterthought, added "Chibisuke," at which point he turned around and went back into the store.
"You're here to see the manager, right?" Ururu asked. Mikan nodded. "I'm sure Jinta told him you were here. Come inside." The girl led Mikan, Tsuzuki, and Hisoka into the shop.
"Ah, Mikan-chan! How are you today?" a chipper voice called out. Hisoka and Tsuzuki looked to see a man they assumed was the store manager. He wore a green kimono-like shirt and pants, a black open robe over them, and a striped hat. Hisoka thought that his voice sounded somehow... familiar.
"Urahara-san," Mikan replied, bowing to the man. "I am in need of a few items. I also wish to speak with you… about a private matter."
The man nodded, and led Mikan and her companions to a back room. He gestured for them to be seated on mats laying on the ground by a table. The three did so as he left the room briefly, returning with tea, which he sat on the table.
"Now that we're settled, what brings you to my humble shop, Mikan-chan?" Tsuzuki noted that she didn't object to him calling her 'chan,' but thoughtfully kept his mouth shut. "And who are your friends? It's not often that I see shinigami from Meifu in this neck of the woods."
"I should have known you'd know who they were, Urahara-san," Mikan replied, and then introduced them. "Tsuzuki-san, Kurosaki-san, this is Urahara Kisuke." Urahara's eyebrows raised slightly at Hisoka's name, but he otherwise showed no outward sign of surprise. "Urahara-san, these are Tsuzuki Asato and Kurosaki Hisoka."
"Kurosaki, huh…" Urahara said quietly, but quickly changed the subject before his comment could sink into Hisoka's mind, and the boy questioned him. "I take it, as you seem to be working with Meifu shinigami, that you're going to need a gigai." Mikan nodded. "I've only got one in stock right now, but it is female, and an appropriate age. I'll even discount you for it, since you don't get a choice. You can pay for it, right?"
Hisoka felt for his wallet, unsure of what this man was going to charge them. Tatsumi only gave them so much money, and he doubted that the secretary had forseen this complication. But before he could think too far on this, Mikan had pulled out a cell phone from her robes.
"I've been saving up for emergencies," she said, handing the phone to Urahara, "so there should be enough on here."
Urahara looked at the phone for a few minutes, then nodded. "There's plenty, but be careful with it, maintenance can be pricey if you're sloppy with it." Mikan nodded understanding, and then stood up with the shopkeeper. "Right. So if you'll come with me…"
Tsuzuki and Hisoka were then left on their own, and Tsuzuki happily munched on the biscuits that Urahara had brought with the tea. Hisoka, meanwhile, was wondering just what kind of body that Mikan would receive, and why the shopkeeper had looked at him strangely.
A few minutes later, the pair returned, and Hisoka and Tsuzuki were shocked. Tsuzuki jumped up, and lunged for Mikan, yelling "Mika-chan!" but Hisoka put his foot out and tripped his partner before he could embarrass himself. Hisoka's eyes were wide with surprise, but he couldn't find the words to put in his open mouth.
"What?" Mikan asked, as Urahara handed her a mirror. Gone were her deep orange buns and golden eyes, replaced with sandy blond hair and green eyes. She lowered the mirror, and blinked, realizing the shock. Her gigai looked just like Hisoka!
"Urahara!" she yelled, leaping toward the man, but he jumped back before she could grab him.
"I told you, it's the only one I have in stock!" he told her. "Remember, I'm giving you a discount!" He spoke as one defending himself, but it was obvious he was having problems keeping from laughing.
"Enough!" Mikan yelled, snapping Hisoka back to the present as well. "I guess this will have to do. At least it's comfortable enough." She settled herself back down on her mat. "We need information now, Urahara-san." The man grinned, seating himself.
"We found this on a hollow," Mikan explained, as Tsuzuki handed him the metal ring. Hisoka slid back a bit, not wanting to touch it again.
Urahara looked at the ring critically for a few minutes, then sat it down on the floor between them.
"Do you know what it is?" Mikan asked.
"Yes," Urahara replied, and then was silent. When it looked like Mikan was about to protest him not answering, he spoke again. "You see this here?" he held up the ring, and pointed to a small marking on it. It read '12.' "A while back, someone in Soul Society had the grand idea of trying to create a device to control hollows. Needless to say, not a whole lot of people were pleased with this idea, and so the project was scrapped. This ring was one of the ones they'd developed. But they were supposed to have all been destroyed."
"Well," Mikan sarcastically remarked, "we all know how well Soul Society really is at destroying their 'scrapped' projects…"
At this, Urahara had to laugh. He remembered the last time Mikan had had to pay him a visit, and she had been 'attacked' by the modified soul known as Kon. "At any rate, if this was on of a hollow, than someone found the test rings, and, most likely, the control ring, and is using them."
"That would explain the hollows abnormal behavior, then," Mikan replied. "If they're being controlled, that is. But who's doing the controlling?" Urahara shrugged, he was without answers this time.
The trio stood up. Mikan bowed to Urahara, and then they left.
Once outside, Tsuzuki ran up between Mikan and Hisoka, and threw his arms around each of their shoulders. "You two look just like twins!" he exclaimed, only to receive cold glares from both of them.
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Well, here's chapter 4. Still need title ideas. And after this is where the REAL story starts. And it's gonna get complicated, don't worry.