12. Peach as Peach

What was it that Kurosaki Karin-san would want to warn us about? Why was there a Rhododendron placed on top of her bed? Could it be that Kurosaki Karin-san was kidnapped with her own will? Did she perhaps produce this flower because she wanted to give a warning?

By production of flower would mean she had the flower from her zanpakutou. Yes, her zanpakutou produces flowers; plants, in general. It would seem somewhat weird, especially with her personality, but that's what her zanpakutou generally does. If I was not wrong, her zanpakutou would be: Senshokubutsu, which literally means '1000 plants'.

"Yukinobu, watch out."

"Eh?"

I looked ahead of me as I saw am electric post before me. That was definitely close. I turned to my companion while I said, "Thank you, Kuchiki-taichou."

He made no response as we continued on our way. Now, you might be wondering where on Earth would be Yukinobu Nadeshiko and Kuchiki Byakuya be going, while wearing their gigais. The answer would be simple, definitely simple: We are looking for clues.

Apparently, Matsumoto-fukutaichou suggested that we would be wearing our gigai while we were patrolling around Karakura so that we could actually easily patrol in ease without the chance of having the Espada detect us.

Detect, my ass. If I know, that old woman is definitely plotting something. She would most likely think of letting Kuchiki-taichou and I seemingly go out together. Damn that old raccoon woman.

"Yukinobu, are you okay?" I returned to reality as I looked at Kuchiki-taichou, who was wearing a black suit over a casual white shirt. And with what he was wearing, lots of women seemed to have fallen for his looks, AGAIN. I blushed upon my words. Okay, I blushed, but not beet red. It was more of peach. My face was peach as peach. I could tell from the reflection of my face on the glass.

I gave a smile towards Kuchiki-taichou and replied, "Ah, yes. I was simply thinking about certain things."

"Am I that much of a boring person?" He asked as I widened my eyes on his question. Did he ask if he was a boring person? Oh no. What should I tell him? Should I tell him a joke or should I simply say 'No, you are not'?

"I was simply joking." He replied as I nodded on what he said. Oh. So, he was just joking… Wait. Joking? I widened my eyes in surprise as he looked at me and replied, "I simply was looking for a way to amuse myself."

I gave a slight frown. Making fun of me was a way to amuse himself? So, he thinks that he could get away with it. I smirked and opened my mouth, "Anou, Kuchiki-taichou, could I ask a question?"

"You may."

"How does it feel to be wanted by living and dead women, oh wait, change that to male and female shinigami, I forgot about the fact that you were also pursued by male shinigamis."

He replied with silence as I smirked.

One for Yukinobu and one for Kuchiki. It's a tie. I gave out a small chuckle as he opened his mouth and replied, "I think that it's fine. As long as they don't get in my way. As long as they don't try to breaking the rules and regulations. I think, it's fine as long as it doesn't go out of turn."

Tch.

"Oh… Is that so?"

"Why would you be asking that Yukinobu?"

"Sheer curiosity, Kuchiki-taichou. Sheer curiosity." I replied as I gave a cheeky smile while the two of continued walking around the area, but I paused for a moment because of what I saw before me.

"Yukinobu?"

"A carnival." I said as I blinked my eyes twice on the sight of the carnival. I swear, I always wanted to try and go have fun in a carnival, since I often saw that whenever I would do my shinigami duties at the Human World.

"Do you want to go?" He asked as I widened my eyes on what Kuchiki-taichou said. Did he just say that I could slack off a bit from my job? "Although I would say that I would rather go patrol somewhere else than this place." He continued as I bit my lower lip.

Should I accept his offer or not? Should I or should I not? I looked at the sky as I sighed and replied, "We can't, Kuchiki-taichou. Although I know that I do want to try going inside the carnival, but I'd rather not. We were sent here to do business and not slack off."

"I guess you're in your proper head now." Eh? I looked at him as he looked at me and continued, "I was quite worried that you might have gone frantic over finding the Rhododendron at Kurosaki Karin's bed. I must say that paranoia, during this kind of time, is not good."

"Thank you, I suppose." I replied as he nodded at what I said as we head back to the Urahara Shoten to see Hinamori-fukutaichou with her bloody zanpakutou on her hand, in front of a wounded Jinta, Ururu and Watanabe.

"Hinamori-fukutaichou, what's the meaning of this?" I asked as I widened my eyes on the sight. She simply widened her eyes and replied, "I-I-I didn't do this! I swear! I wouldn't want to harm other people! But when I woke up, I saw Tobiume on my hand, worst was it was stained with blood!"

I widened my eyes on her statement. Wasn't she like stating a guilty plea? But why do I sense some innocence from her face? But wait, why was Watanabe here? Was she sent here, perhaps?

"Hinamori-fukutaichou, would you like to accompany me back to Soul Society and explain there?" Kuchiki-taichou asked as the said fukutaichou widened her eyes, "But Kuchiki-taichou, I'm completely innocent! I'm not even sure why I ended up being here at the Living World when I was at Soul Society."

Hinamori-fukutaichou was suddenly put to sleep by Kuchiki-taichou as he carried her around while he said, "I will be back."

I nodded at what he said as he opened the senkaimon and went ahead. I sighed as I sat down on the floor. Perhaps, I should perform first-aid towards these three wounded people, eh? It seems Urahara-san and Tessai-san aren't here, though. Where could they be at this very important time?