A fire alert in a school was some kind of a worst-case-scenario for fire-fighters. And so they rushed to get into thier trucks to get to Kazui's and Yupa's school. Not knowing that there was no fire... just two scared boys hiding in a boxroom, while the rest of the school was evacuated.
„You didn't tell anyone, didn't you?" Kazui asked mad.
„NO! I swear on my soul... I didn't tell anyone!" Yupa wailed ashamed. It was true. He would never betray his friend. Kazui knew that and apologized immediately.
„I'm sorry! I know that you would never... Gosh... Kotagawa said that it is in the Internet. That means that everyone knows about it..." Kazui realized and together the boys left the boxroom to leave the school. They knew that they had to go back to the Kurosaki clinic. Even if it meaned that Kazui had to confess that he told Yupa the family-secret. But they had to tell his parents. Maybe they find a solution.
Kazui didn't know that his parents were already aware of the problem, too. So they did thier best to calm down the people. Ogawa was still sitting in the treatment-room were Yuzu took care of her. Despite the fact that she was a bit paniced, too after her father told her what happened. Her sister Karin meanwhile was send upstairs to take care of Orihime who was rushing threw the house to pack up the most necessary things. The TV in Ichigo's and Orihimes bedroom was running, too. So she learned about the recent events, too.
All smartphones and landline phones were ringing wildly. Suddenly Ichigo did not endure the phone anymore and pulled out the cable. But luckily the people in front of the clinic left. Isshin was right, it was too ridiculous to be true. But instead other people made thier way to the clinic...
Several blocks away, Yupa's father arrived in front of his son's school just a few seconds before the fire-brigade did. He looked for his son. If it was really true what they told in TV, his son is in danger as long as he is with this Kurosaki-boy. The teachers looked around worried. Since this was not an exercise-alert and everyone saw the smoke comming out of the boys-restroom. Fire-fighters entered the building while Kazui's and Yupa's classmates left the building. Totally dazed, confused and long time after all other students. The principal was pretty mad, because this was a real emergency and the school needs to be evacuated much faster in this case. Instead he had a whole class leaving the building much too late and in a condition that looked like a hangover.
„Where the hell have you been?"
„I... made a tour with the class to the toilets to explain them something about saving water and than suddenly a stink bomb explode someone hid in one of the cabins and we faded away..." Kazui's teacher told dazed. The memory replacer worked and she and the whole class forgot about the whole Shinigami-Thing. But the principal was pretty confused about her statement.
„And is your class all present?" the principal asked and looked on the kids who all looked like drunken or something.
„Oh... wait... one, two, three, four..." the teacher counted. Kazui and Yupa left the building threw another exit. So both were missed. „...twenty-two, twenty-three... oh, two are missing! Kids... have anyone seen Kurosaki or Taramasaki?"
All kids shaked thier heads... nobody remembered it. That gave Kazui and Yupa enough time to sneak away and leave the school campus before anyone sees them. Together they ran across the street and passed Keigo's advert again which was replaced with a new undamaged one.
„Oh, they repaired Uncle Keigo's advert..." Kazui said happily before Yupa remembered him to run.
„Hurry... Before someone sees us!"
„Right..." Kazui screamed. Kazui was way faster than Yupa and so he took his friend on his shoulders to speed up. „Okay... When my parents ask... you learned about it with all others from TV, okay!"
„Okay! But what happened? Why it is on TV?"
„I don't know... Oh my gosh... I hope... No... is it possible that... we may be fault..." Kazui became pale and stopped. Yupa slipped of his shoulders and sat on the street now.
„Why do you think so?" Yupa asked before he understood. „Oh... you mean... the photos we took..."
„What if someone found them...?" Kazui said. „Wait... I know where we go... hold on... I have an idea..."
Together they ran to the only place they may get help... the former site of the Urahara Shop...
Inside the Kurosaki-Clinic, Michiru Ogawa slowly got bored. Yuzu sat next to her and tried to not to freak out.
„You look so strange, is everything okay?" Michiru asked.
„Huh... oh, ehm... yeah. Everything is fine!"
„You don't think that I will lose my hand?" Michiru asked worried.
„Oh... no no no... After the operation your hand will be looking better than before..." Yuzu lied. She saw the burns and was pretty sure that scars will left behind. „Lets talk about something different... have you seen the latest episode of 'Crime-Lab-Tokyo' with your former classmate Asano-kun? He gets more and more lines with every episode..."
In the living-room, Ichigo and his father talked with Chad, Mizuiro and Tatsuki about the report that was still running in TV. Karin somehow managed to calm down Orihime who walked down the stairs with two packed suitcases. The crowd in front of the clinic was gone. The situation calmed down... first of all...
„I never imagined that something like this is even possible!" Mizuiro said and hold his forehead. „I don't know pretty much about your 'family-business' as I know that you always erased our memories when something serious happened. So why do you don't use some of your cool Shinigami-tools to make the same and just erase the memories?"
„That's not as easy as you think!" Isshin said and walked up and down.
Tatsuki looked on the screen and tried to look not as surprised as she was. „I admit that I never wanted to be pulled into that mess because I thought that it is too hot for me. But now that everyone seems to know it, I think it's time that you tell us something about it so we don't believe everything they tell in TV."
Ichigo moaned. „Okay... But first of all... what ever happens... you deny everything! No matter what happens or whoever asks you... you deny that you know anything about our secret, the Shinigami, nor the Soul Society nor anything. Got it?"
„Got it!" Mizuiro and Tatsuki said before Yuzu entered the room, too.
„Ogawa is still in the treatment-room!" she said.
„Gosh... We have to get rid of her!" Isshin murmured. It was difficult to call someone to pick her up to get her to the General Hospital. „She can wait a few minutes..."
Present...
„Nobody of them had any clue that the situation was going to be much worse!" Kazui told.
„Why?" Masaki asked.
„Well... While my parents told Aunt Tatsuki and Uncle Mizuiro some basic facts about the Shinigami, the two guys who filmed the scene in front of the house sneaked to the half open window to continue filming..." Kazui said abashed.
„And why?" Mayuri asked. „I mean... what for? What was thier incentive to film them?"
Kazui, Ichika and Yupa lift thier hands and rubbed thier fingers to show it: „Money, money, money!"
„And you?" Keigo jr. asked and turned to Ichika. „Why you didn't interfere?"
„Well..." Ichika began and remembered...
10 years ago...
The Soul Society was a place without TVs, radios, smartphones and any kind of broadcasting. Messages and news didn't spread like in the humans-world. But when something really important or serious happens there, one or two Shinigami who witness it return to spread the news. The day the Kurosaki's were exposed, just one Shinigami thought, it would be a great idea to go back to tell anyone. The leaders of the Gotei 13 should know it, as it was also a public exposure of the Soul Society and all Shinigami... and the most of the stuff they aired in TV wasn't even true...
And so this sole Shinigami, a member of the tenth division, rushed threw the next possible portal back to the Soul Society to tell everything to his captain. Everyone in the tenth division knew that thier captain was a friend of the Kurosakis. Despite the rumor that there was more between him and Ichigo Kurosaki's sister... And so he hurried back to his division. And of course he told every other Shinigami he met, no matter from which division, and they did the same and told others as well. The exposure of the Kurosaki's... was the fastest spread news ever in the Seireitei. Even faster than the news about the Quincy-War 12 years ago...
Toshiro Hitsugaya was not in his office, so the Shinigami told his lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto everything. She imediatelly informed the third seat and the fourth seat before she rushed to her captains quarters to inform him. Together they informed the captains and the lieutenants of the other divisions as well. But due to an series of unfortunate coincidences, the captain and the lieutenant who should knew about the recent events most of them... were going to figure out last! The captain of the thirteenth division Rukia Abarai, nee Kuchiki and the lieutenant of the sixth division Renji Abarai.
And so too much valuable time passed before the important news reached them. Thier daughter Ichika on the other side was way more modern than her parents. She was interested in humans-world things as smartphones, the human-lifestyle and pop culture. But she was also a responsibly Shinigami-Apprentice and aware of the rules and laws in thier world. But when she heared about the latest 'gossip' there was nothing that could stop her...
„Really?" she asked the Shinigami in front of her.
„Yeah, the whole Humans-World is talking about it. They call the Kurosaki's soul-eaters. Like they are the Hollows.!" the Shinigami told.
„And who tells this?"
„All I know is that it was aired in TV! They even showed photos of them..." the Shinigami said before he left to tell others.
„Wait... and what can we do now?" Ichika yelled but he didn't hear her anymore. She had to see it with her own eyes...
In the world of the living just around two hours had passed since the first informations about them were aired. Orihime carefully looked outside and saw that thier neigbours stood on thier windows and watched them. In fear she closed the curtains. But she didn't went to the window were these two 'wannabe reporters' hid. As the window was a bit open they could hear everything they say and record it with thier smartphones. Really everything!
„...so and this is the story of how I came to this world. I used my medical skills I earned in the academy to open the clinic and from that day, I lived the live of a human." Isshin told. Tatsuki and Mizuiro listened in awe. They heared the whole story for the first time. They were aware about the Powers of this family but they didn't know that it went so far.
„So, you are really already 496 years old?" Mizuiro asked.
Isshin shaked his head. „469! I lost all my powers but regained them when Ichigo absorbed Rukia's that night. Ichigo and his sisters were born as humans and they will die as humans..."
The last sentence was not recorded. The both men immediatelly send thier footage to the local TV-stations and left unseen...
Keigo Asano meanwhile finished dubbing the last scene of the latest episode of Kazui's favourite Anime and went to the couch that stood in a corner of the studio. He didn't sleep very well aboard the plane last night, when he returned from Okinawa. And he was worried about that he won't get enough sleep before tomorrow, as he has to fly back down there tonight. Keigo sat down and closed his eyes. He was going to fall asleep pretty fast. But suddenly someone touched his shoulder to shake him to wake him up before he even fall asleep.
"Hey, wake up!" the producer said. "It's lunchtime! You want to join us, or do you want to sleep a bit? You had a long flight?"
"Lunchtime?" Keigo asked and looked on the clock. It was almost 12am. "Oh, I have to go. I and Makoto want to eat together. She wanted to tell me something!"
"Hey, Asano... What's going on between you and Makoto Hirabata?" his producer asked.
"We just eat together!" Keigo murmured. "There is nothing between us. It can't be, because her girlfriend would we really mad."
"Huh... now don't tell me she is... you know... loving woman..." his producer asked confused.
"Hey, you don't know that from me!" Keigo murmured smiling...
Keigo went back to the lobby. On his way he realized that it was surprisingly quiet in the building. When he reached the lobby, he saw the reason: Everyone was watching TV. And when Keigo realized that they were reporting about the Kurosaki's, he remembered Makoto's words immediately. About the 'footage about a Karakura-family'.
"What the... I... Ichigo..." Keigo stammered. Among his friends (at least them in the humans-world), he was the last one to learn about the incident. "Oh, no... Makoto...!"
In fear he looked for her. She had no clue about the consequences...
Meanwhile, Rukia and Renji finally learned about the recent events in the Real-World, too when a Shinigami from the ninth division met them on thier way to pick up Ichika...
„Really?" both asked shocked.
„Yeah, the whole Real-World thinks that Kurosaki and his son are feeding from souls and that his wife is a wicked witch!" the Shinigami told them.
„And why?" Rukia asked.
„They air pictures of them in TV." the Shinigami told. „Looks like someone who knows thier secret told everyone..."
The Abarai's looked on each other while the other Shinigami left and were speechless.
„Wow... you think we should look after them?" Renji asked.
„Yeah, I think so! Maybe we can help?" Rukia said. „But lets pick up Ichika first... you know how curious she is, she will go to the Real-World immediately when she figures out to see it by herself..."
They had no clue that Ichika knew long before them and already left...
In Karakura Orihime saw other people arriving in front of the clinic. Once again Ichigo and his father went outside to tell the people how ridiculous this 'fake-news' were and that the people should be ashamed that they even dare to believe this unbelivable stuff. But once the people left, other people arrived. And more and people had thier smartphones with them to film the Kurosaki's and thier house. In fear, the only thing Orihime was able to do was to continue packing. The landline-phone was already switched off.
Keigo Asano had to realize this, too because everytime he tried to call the Kurosaki's he heared: „The number you have dialed, is not adviced!"
„Dammed, Ichigo pick up the phone!" Keigo wailed. He hid in one of the cabins in the men's restroom and tried to call every number he had in his phone. He thought he could warn them. He had no clue that the situation was already out of control. Other channels start to air the footage, too. And the phones in the editorial office didn't stop to ring because hundreds of people tried to call to tell something about the Kurosaki's, too. Now everyone knew why Karakura was the contrys most earthquake-affected spot and people who thought that they 'saw' something tried to use thier chance to 'appear on TV'. Not knowing that they just created more rumors instead of delivering facts. "Aww... I hope they find a way to delete it out of the memory of the people..." Keigo wailed when he left the little cabin and ran out of the restroom. In fear he looked around. Than he saw her again. Makoto Hirabata just left the elevator and winked happily. She remembered thier appointment for lunch, too and was happy when she finally found him.
Keigo ran towards her, grabbled her arm and pulled the surprised woman into the nearby boxroom.
"OUWCH, DO YOU WANT TO HURT ME!" she protested, while Keigo smashed the door close and turned to her.
"MAKOTO… PLEASE... Don't tell me that you wanted to talk with me about that?!" he said upset and in a shrill, strident voice.
"Why are you screaming? It's the story of the century." she said proud and self-confident.
"It's not the story of the century, it's the end of the world!" Keigo murmured when he turned away from her and tried to remain calm. A tear ran down his face.
"Hmm... What did you said? Why are you upset?" she asked before she slowly understood everything and crossed her arms. "Keigo,... is it possible, that you know something..."
"NO!" Keigo answered shocked. "I don't know anything!..."
Keigo's voice became tremulous. Sweat ran down his face. In fear he wanted to leave the little chamber, but the woman throw herself against the door and blocked it, to stop him. She looked on him harshly.
"Keigo... We investigated! You attended the same school. He was even one of your classmates. And I see in your face that you know more than you say... Please, tell me something!"
Keigo's legs felt like rubber. He got flashbacks.
"KEIGO! Are you listening?!"
"No!" Keigo said and turned away. "I... know Kurosaki... but... I don't know anything about the Shinigami."
It was a lie. Keigo knew about them. He didn't knew as much as the others, but he knew enough. And it was way more than he wanted.
"Where you got this photos from?" Keigo asked shocked.
"The photos?"
"Yes, these photos... And these informations?" Keigo asked still scared. "It's imposible to photograph Shinigami..."
Present...
„And they still believed that my father was fault?" Keigo jr. asked mad.
„Well, this is not everything! First of all the whole situation was goint to be much worse." Yupa told. „You know my father is a cop. And you better don't make jokes with cops..."
10 years ago...
„What do you mean with, he is gone?" Yupa's father asked mad when his sons teacher told him that he and Kazui were lost.
„They are not with the class, they are not among the other students and the fire-brigade can't find them inside." the teacher said and shaked her head.
„And he is with this Kurosaki-boy?" the man asked shocked. The teacher nooded. „What if he already ate his soul..."
In the Kurosaki-house, Orihime was sitting with Tatsuki on the couch. Chad and Karin were supporting Ichigo and his father outside, while Mizuiro was in the clinic to help Yuzu distracting Michiru. Tatsuki stayed with Orihime to calm her down. Than Orihime suddenly remembered her son.
„Oh, my gosh... Kazui... what if..."
„Don't worry! Do you think they watch TV in School? And even if they do, I am pretty sure the teachers will handle everything for good. Your son is a strong boy who is able to take care of himself..." she convinced her...
She didn't knew that Kazui and Yupa already fled out of the school to seek shelter in the Urahara Shop.
After Urahara died in the war, Tessai run the shop further with Jinta and Ururu. The wide underground training-facility was too valuable to close or to destroy it. The Soul Society and the Shinigami saw many advantages in that building, too. Yupa will like it, Kazui thought. But when they arrived they found the shop abadoned. Tessai's car was gone and there was no trace that someone was inside.
„Tessai-san! Tessai-san, are you there?" Kazui yelled when he and Yupa entered the shop. The door was unlocked, the windows open, but all goods that were not 'from the world of the living' were gone as well. Tessai and the others were out to hide them. „Oh, my gosh... the shop is plundered..."
„Kazui... I don't like this! I feel like someone is watching us..." Yupa said worried while they walked threw the shop.
And he was right! On the roof of a nearby building a member of a SWAT-team watched the backyard-shop and talked into his walkie-talkie. He didn't see the both boys entering the shop. Douzens of worried callers told the police that strange activities were going on in this rundown building. And it was all about this 'Shinigami'!
„Alpha-team, are you ready?" the man said into the walkie-talkie.
„Alpha-team, ready and in place!" a voice said.
„Roger! Bravo-team, are you ready?"
„Bravo-team, ready and in place!" another voice said.
„Good! It's time for the birthday-surprise..." the man said and took his binoculars to watch the event.
Another member of the SWAT-team sneaked towards the small window at the side. Than he pulled the splint pin out of the 'birthday-surprise' and throw it threw the window... directly into Kazui's hands...
„Aghh... what is that?" Kazui yelled when the strange 'spray can' land in his hands.
As a son of a police-man, Yupa recognized the 'spray can' immediately. „AAAAGHHHH... A BIRTHDAY-SURPRISE!"
When Yupa screamed, white fog shoot out of the device. Kazui just catched a tear gas canister...
"AGGHHH... TAKE IT AWAY...COUGH..." Kazui screamed and throw it into his friends hands, who start to scream again and throw it back into Kazui's who screamed again and throw it back. And so they continued a few seconds.
"NO... COUGH... I DON'T WANT... COUGH...KAZUI, WHERE ARE YOU..."
"COUGH... I... COUGH... YUPA..." Kazui couldn't see anything. The tear gas was burning in his eyes and in his throat.
Suddenly, the doors were kicked in, while another armed SWAT-member crashed threw a window. The whole room was filled with gas, while several armed men stormed inside. The boys didn't know what to do... instead of screaming loudly... and trying to run away...
Please review.
Thanks to all loyal readers. I kindly apologize for the long delay of this chapter. I have a full time job and just returned from a trip to Tokyo. The next chapter will published sooner.