A Matter of Estimation

"That was excellent, Jinta! Well done, Ururu! You guys have outdone yourselves!" Yoruichi voiced her approval of dinner loudly. Jinta and Ururu beamed, but were rapidly reminded that they now had to do the dishes. Jinta skulked off while Ururu placidly gathered the plates and bowls and brought them to the kitchen.

Yoruichi leaned back, thoroughly satiated. "My my, what have they been feeding you in Soul Society?" asked Urahara, a little grin on his face. Yoruichi scowled. "I'll have you know that I ate the best food there was all right? Thanks to that… ah I can't remember his name. Soifon's Vice-Captain. She's somehow got him paying for everything and the quality of the food at the Onmitsukido has seriously gone up!" She shrugged and continued. "I'm just hungry. It's been a hard week you know, what with chasing the Bount from here to Soul Society, helped Ichigo put down Kariya Jin, brought the last survivor to Ran'Tao… and what have you been up to, Kisuke?"

"My, my. I might have sold some candy to the neighbourhood but that's about it. Yes you have certainly earned your supper." He grinned again. "And you enjoyed it all, I am sure?"

"Pshaw." She waved a hand dismissively. "All under control. Though there was a moment when I feared Ichigo would not be able to defeat Kariya Jin. I was all ready to help contain the explosion with shunko but Byakuya was so uncooperative. We didn't need it in the end." She smirked triumphantly.

Urahara took his hat off and scratched his head. "Ah, you do underestimate that boy sometimes. He is stronger than you think." His voice dropped a notch lower. "And there's someone you overestimate, Yoruichi. She's not as strong as you think."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "Speak your mind, Kisuke. I am listening."

"My, is it me or is it suddenly hot in here? Tessai, perhaps you could check on our stock of ice…" Tessai grunted and left the room. Urahara put his hands in his lap and became uncharacteristically serious.

"Ichigo is strong, far stronger than his young years make possible. His reiatsu is supernaturally high. But you know what makes Ichigo strong?" Urahara looked up at Yoruichi. "His drive to protect his friends. And he'll stick with them till kingdom come. He forced his way into Soul Society to save Rukia – someone he's only known for a month? But you know what keeps him going? The fact that he needs them and they need him."

He took a deep breath. "You think he needs us – yes he does, but not in the way he needs Orihime, Sado, Ishida or Rukia. He needs us to train him and guide him. But he needs them – not to be strong or to win fights, but to go on."

His eyes finally leveled with hers. "You have a friend, Yoruichi. A friend who needs you, and who needs to know she is needed too. Like Orihime, Sado, Ishida, Rukia."

He got up and put his hat on his head and opened the door. "Perhaps, when you are not too busy doing important things like saving Tessai and me or Ichigo and the last Bount and Soul Society and everyone else…" He looked back at Yoruichi who sat silently at the table.

Kisuke Urahara stepped out into the night, every clack of his clogs a weight on Yoruichi's mind.