Alright, guys. Sorry for the delay, but here's the next chapter of Soul Reaper Puppy, just for your entertainment. Hopefully, you'll enjoy this chapter as much, if not more than the last one. So, here you go.
Chapter Nine—The World of the Living
The first thing that Koji had noticed when they had arrived in front of... a store... A candy store, it looked like. He was confused for a brief moment before he read the sign that hung over the shop—Urahara Shop. He thought carefully... Urahara... The name was familiar. Then, just as the door was opening, the name "Kisuke Urahara" came to the forefront of his mind.
A man stepped out of the shop, holding a white, folding fan in his hands as he fanned himself. Dressed in various shades of green and white—complete with a striped hat and wooden geta—the man smiled at them and looked for all the world to have been waiting for them.
"Good morning everyone," he said, in such a cheery voice that Koji was slightly surprised. He seemed almost too chipper... But wait... How could he see them? Normal humans couldn't see Soul Reapers.
"Good morning, Urahara," Rukia greeted.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of two captains and two lieutenants? Some big fight happening soon?" Urahara questioned.
"I'm pretty sure you already know," Rukia replied. "We just need some Gigai for right now... and probably some Gikon too."
"I think I've got some in stock," Urahara said as he turned. "Care to step into my shop, Miss Kuchiki?"
They followed Urahara into the shop, and Urahara led them to a back room. They sat on the floor around a round table (Komamura had elected to stand off to the side instead of sitting) and waited for someone to speak.
"Well? Aren't you going to get our Gigai?" Rukia asked.
"I will, but I want to ask you first: do you know what you're up against?"
"Not really," Rukia admitted. "We only know that it's got similar power to an Espada-class Arrancar."
"Espada-class? I think that's just the tip of the iceberg," Urahara said. "To be honest, I'm worried that you don't have enough power. You remember how much three Espada pushed the Gotei 13 during their confrontation. I understand that some of them were fighting in Heuco Mundo, but that doesn't explain why the remaining captains were unable to defeat the Espada, with the obvious exception of Captain Kyoraku." He turned to Hitsugaya. "You fought the Third Espada. What'd you think of her?"
"She was powerful," Hitsugaya admitted, "and I wasn't sure if I could defeat her alone. Only after those Vizards came did we actually get some kind of handle on the situation and even then, it was Aizen who defeated her, not us."
"So, how do you plan on fighting this new threat when you could hardly handle Aizen's Espada?"
There was silence and, before Koji knew it, he was talking. "I think we can handle it." They all looked at him and Koji wished that he could've snatched the words right back, that he had kept his quiet. Yet he continued to speak, hesitantly, but audibly. "I might not know much about the Espadas' powers, but I figure that, with two captains and two lieutenants attacking the same target, we could concentrate more power on that target and eventually win."
"Have you taken into account collateral damage?" Urahara inquired. "Or even the idea of the restriction seal?" Koji's raised eyebrow made Urahara sigh. "When a high-ranking Soul Reaper enters the World of the Living, they are given a seal that restricts their powers to avoid collateral damage or damage to the souls in the World of the Living. That limits their powers by up to eighty percent."
"So..."
"Right now, we can't fight at our very best," Rukia said, in such a downtrodden voice that Koji thought she had given up on the mission entirely.
"What about Bankai? The captains can use Bankai, right?"
"It's still restricted to only about eighty percent of its true power," Hitsugaya explained. "To be honest, you're the only one of us that doesn't have the restriction seal."
"So, even a Bankai won't be enough?"
"We don't know," Hitsugaya stressed, and he sounded irritated now. "If we need more power, we have to await approval for Gintei Kaijo. That makes battle difficult."
Koji's optimism dwindled quickly. He looked downward when he felt something brush against him. He looked down and saw a black cat with bright golden eyes. With a grin, he picked the cat up and sat it on his lap, stroking the cat's fur kindly. He smiled... and then it spoke.
"I've already checked out the spot, Kisuke," the cat said in a man's voice. "Not much left to say except that there are remnants of powerful spirit energy."
Koji jumped up and the cat very smoothly hopped onto the table.
"Why are you so surprised?" Rukia asked. "It's Yoruichi."
"That cat just talked!" Koji said.
"I talk," Komamura remarked, and Koji looked at him. He had been so quiet that Koji had actually forgotten he was there and color flooded his face, just as the embarrassment flooded his body.
"Thanks, Yoruichi," Kisuke said. "Did you find anything useful?"
"No. Nothing that can be used, anyway," Yoruichi said. "All I can say is that there's shards of metal on the ground. That metal has the kind of spiritual pressure that I'd expect to find from a Soul Reaper, not a Hollow or Arrancar. I don't know what's going on, but I don't think we're dealing with an Arrancar or Hollow. Maybe it's just a renegade Soul Reaper."
"Have any Soul Reapers gone rogue recently?" Urahara asked.
"None that I can think of," Hitsugaya stated. "The only ones that come to mind are Tosen, Ichimaru, and Aizen. And even then, there's nothing more to it."
"Could it be one of the Vizards?" Ruka asked.
"I doubt it," Urahara said. "But it's a possibility that there is another Vizard that we don't know about." He stood and smiled at them. "Well, I don't know what to say, but good luck. And your Gigais... You'll need those." He looked at Komamura. "I see Mayuri already made one for you."
The Gigai that Capain Kurotsuchi had made was still over Komamura's shoulder, limp like a corpse.
"Yes."
"Can you fit into it?"
"I haven't tried."
"Try... I might need to make some adjustments to Mayuri's design."
Wearing a Gigai felt slightly heavier, like he was wearing a second skin. Koji felt as though his like a close-fitting bodysuit—which it technically was. Yet it moved nicely and Koji grinned. He liked the clothes. They were comfortable, and he liked the fact that they had color, as opposed to the black of the Soul Reaper's shihakusho. He looked at the others. They all seemed to enjoy their Gigais as well... except for Captain Komamura.
He looked embarrassed. His new, human face seemed to not fit him and he looked as though he would have much rather stayed in his Soul Reaper uniform than to stuff himself into a small Gigai. He was shorter in his Gigai and Koji found that, after seeing his normal form for so long, he was disturbed to see him this mock-human state.
"Wow," Urahara said. "You guys look nice."
"Thanks," Koji said shyly, but Rukia's voice cut across his and drowned out the statement.
"How's Ichigo doing?"
An uncomfortable pause formed over them, and Koji felt as if they had just crossed the line into bad conversation.
"You shouldn't see him," Urahara remarked. "I've seen him and I think he's starting to regret not having his Soul Reaper powers anymore. He gave them up to defeat Aizen and he really did not have them for very long. I think that the best thing for him is for you guys to not speak to him right now."
"But he's my friend," Rukia insisted.
"If you recall, you're the one who gave him Soul Reaper powers in the first place," Urahara stated, in such a cold tone that Koji shivered. "I don't think he needs to see you right now. Does he really need a reminded of what he was forced to give up?"
"But—"
"I know you care for him—and I think it's alright to want to see him—but it could be bad for him to see you right now, Rukia," Urahara said plainly. Then, he looked at the rest of the group. "I don't think any of you should go see him right now?"
"What about Uryu and Chad and Orihime?
"They still have their powers, but they're still close friends of Ichigo," Urahara said. "Would it be fair to go see them and not see Ichigo? My advice is to avoid that group entirely. Besides, your mission isn't about them—it's about this mysterious entity that could become a huge problem to the Seireitei and the Soul Society."
"He's right," Komamura stated. "We should get started."
They had turned to leave the shop and Urahara followed. "Good luck!" he called, as they vanished from the store.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, that's chapter nine. Once more, sorry for the delay. And now, here's where I really want people's opinion. Should I bring Ichigo into the story or should I leave him out? Do you want him to join the Soul Reapers' mission?
Thanks and let me know what you think.