"Augh! I'm so bored!" Tatsuki Kurosaki grumbled as she rested her head behind her arms on the table in front of her. She and her two brothers were sitting at an outside table of the Kurosaki Tea Shop, the shop Neko owned. Hanashiro and Orihime both worked there full time as servers but there were other employees too and the three Kurosaki triplets were known to fill in on occasion when they needed extra money.
"What's your problem this time?" Sosuke asked, sipping a cup of tea in the exact same posture as his grandfather would.
"We were active for too short a time. We get a taste of what being a Soul Reaper's really like and now we have to go back undercover!" Tatsuki groaned.
"It's only been two days since we went off active duty." Sosuke said.
"I know!" Tatsuki groaned.
"So, why not break cover and go be heroic?" Sora asked, earning a glare from Tatsuki, who still had her head rested on the table.
"Why not go shove your head in a blender." She mumbled.
"I think it's pretty obvious why your sister doesn't break cover." Hanashiro said as he passed by with an empty tray, earning their attention.
"What's that?" Sosuke asked. Hanashiro merely smiled.
"She knows if she's caught, it'd lead the Soul Society straight to you two and she doesn't want that." Hanashiro said, causing Tatsuki's eye to twitch in annoyance and for the boys to give her appreciative smiles.
"Aww sis, you do care!" Sora said before both he and Sosuke were dealt simultaneous punches to the face. Tatsuki didn't say anything except scowling and returning to her previous hunched posture, hiding her head behind her arms.
"So what's stopping us from at least continuing our training? I mean the safest place to train would be the Hogyoku Club building." Sosuke said after a moment.
"I know Ms. Neliel doesn't live there with them so we don't have to worry about her." Sora added.
"I wonder why she doesn't live there." Sosuke pondered.
"Maybe she's just odd that way." Sora suggested.
"Or maybe she just likes having her own place."
"GAH! Captain Hirako!" The three yelped as they turned and saw Shinji sitting at a table behind them with Stark and Rose.
"What are you doing here?" Tatsuki asked, startled.
"Innocently getting a cup of the best tea in the world." Shinji replied with a smile.
"For real?" Sora asked curiously.
"For real."
"And if you'd like to continue training, don't hesitate to drop by." Rose threw in as he took a sip.
"Just call first. Neliel does occasionally come for a visit." Stark added.
"Oh, and Sosuke, you might want to brace yourself for some pain." Shinji said, confusing Sosuke until…
"You JERK!" a feminine voice yelled before Sosuke was suddenly dealt a kick in the side of the head, knocking him clear out of his chair and flopped onto the ground, question marks swirling around his head. He quickly looked over his shoulder and saw an enraged…
"M-M-M-Miki!" Sosuke stuttered at the sight of his "date" from last week, Miki Suzu.
"Oh so he remembers my name." Miki said in a dismissive tone before getting grabbed by the collar by Tatsuki.
"HEY! No one beats my brother but me!" Tatsuki yelled before Hanashiro quickly stepped in.
"Alright that's enough! Tatsuki, stand down!" Hanashiro warned, his spiritual pressure climbing for emphasis. Tatsuki, knowing her father easily could overpower her, complied.
"Miki, what's with you?" Sosuke asked, playing dumb.
"What's with me? You stood me up on our date last week, you jerk! I nearly got killed because of it too, see!" Miki yelled, pointing to a bandage on the side of her head.
"How exactly did you nearly get killed because of him standing you up?" Sora asked, curiously.
"I nearly got hit by a car!" Miki replied.
"How is that his fault?" Sora asked.
"Well it-…it…he stood me up!" Miki stammered.
"So by the simple fact that he stood you up, you nearly got hit by a car?" Sora asked as Miki stuttered. He was trying to poke holes in her logic. Hanashiro, however, knowing what had happened, had a sudden moment of brilliance.
"Wait, Sosuke, didn't you tell me you had a date last week?" Hanashiro asked, catching their attention.
"You were there when he told us, weren't you?" Tatsuki asked, irritated.
"Oh I thought you were joking. I'm sorry Miss, but it's my fault that Sosuke didn't show up for your date last week. I had all three of them come into work that night. I guess he got too bogged down with work he forgot to call you. My bad." Hanashiro said with an innocent chuckle. Miki's jaw was hung open in surprise.
"Oh you mean…aw man." Miki said as she drooped her head down sheepishly.
"Gotta hand it to, 'shiro. He's quick on his feet." Shinji mumbled to his two companions who nodded in agreement.
"I meant to call." Sosuke said, shooting his father a thankful expression. Hanashiro merely smiled and winked at his son before going back inside.
"So…you were tied up?" Miki asked as Sosuke nodded sheepishly.
"Then…I guess I owe you an apology." Miki said, but Sosuke shook his head.
"No. You don't. I cannot accept an apology from you for this." Sosuke said. In his mind, he kept recalling the image of Miki, her spirit separated from her body, her chain of fate severed, and he shivered at the memory. The fact that he knew she didn't remember what really happened, only made him feel worse.
"Then, maybe we can give it another shot. What do you say?" Miki asked as Sosuke looked startled. Tatsuki and Sora both shot him approving looks. Even Shinji was giving him a thumbs up and a grin. Sosuke finally smiled before looking at her.
"Tonight. My treat." Sosuke said as Miki smiled before kissing him on the cheek and skipping away. Sosuke, stunned, put a hand to his cheek with a smile.
"Sosuke." Shinji said, pulling Sosuke from his trance, "Just remember not to put Barry White on the CD player."
That comment caused Tatsuki to squirt tea from her nose in laughter.
That Evening…
Sosuke had met Miki at her home and escorted her personally to the diner where they were to have dinner. As they walked, they came to an intersection where a city maintenance team was working to replace a streetlight that had fallen.
"It must have taken a lot of violence to knock that thing over." Sosuke said, eying the light suspiciously.
"Yeah. I wonder what could have caused it." Miki said as she looked at the fallen post. She looked over to the side and saw a parked truck with the lower half of the fallen light and saw something odd. The base of the light post looked as if something had cut clean through it at an angle. It seemed oddly familiar to her. She suddenly had a vision of the streetlight, at night, suddenly falling off the post as if something invisible had cut it.
"Huh?" Miki muttered.
"Something wrong?" Sosuke asked but Miki shook her head.
"No." Miki said softly, absently pulling her jacket tighter around her.
"If you say so." Sosuke said as they continued on, letting Miki lead the way down the street until they reached an intersection that was closed off due to street repairs.
"What happened here?" Sosuke wondered out loud but he knew exactly where they were. It was the same intersection where he had defended Miki from the Hollow a week ago. Miki inexplicably started shivering.
"Maybe this was a bad idea." Miki said as she grabbed hold of Sosuke's arm, holding it close to her.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Sosuke asked as Miki looked at the intersection worriedly.
"I don't know. I just…feel afraid for some reason. I-I don't know why." Miki said as her eyes surveyed the intersection.
"Do you want to go home?" Sosuke asked. He knew the reason she was afraid and in retrospect, he figured, he should've redirected them when they first came across the streetlight but he was being kind and letting her lead the way.
"No. No I refuse to let this get in the way of our date." Miki said. She was putting on a brave face but Sosuke wasn't fooled.
"I'll protect you."
"Huh?"
"I'll protect you from whatever comes our way. You're safe while you're with me." Sosuke said as Miki looked up at him with uncertainty written on her face. Somehow she felt truth to his words. He would protect her while he was with her and for some reason, she knew for a fact that he had the power to do it.
"Alright. Let's go." Miki said as they started off again, continuing on past the intersection. As they walked, she suddenly tripped and fell but caught herself. Sosuke quickly moved around to in front of her, knelt down slightly, and extended his hand out to her.
"Are you okay?" He asked. Miki looked up from the ground and started to reach for his hand, but as she did, for a brief second, she saw him in a completely different wardrobe. She saw him wearing all black with a white sash and a sword sheathed at his left hip. She closed her eyes and shook her head real quick before opening them again and looking at him. He was back in his regular clothes now. She silently took his hand and allowed him to help her up.
"I'm fine." She mumbled absently as she continued on. She was trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Sosuke gave her a worried look and continued after her. After a while, they were walking through the streets, Miki holding her jacket close to her.
"Sosuke." She said.
"Yes?"
"Can I ask you something?" She asked.
"Sure." Sosuke said with a smile.
"What-…what happened that night?" Miki asked.
"I was called into work, you thought I stood you up and almost got hit by a car." Sosuke replied.
"Then why do I feel like there's more to the story? Why do I feel like there's more to you?" Miki asked as Sosuke arched a curious eyebrow.
"Could her memory be coming back to her?" he wondered.
"I'm not sure what you're talking about." Sosuke replied.
"Do you have a sword?" Miki asked with a curious look.
"No, why?" Sosuke asked back, both of them stopping on the sidewalk.
"For some reason, I seem to remember you wearing all black clothes with a white sash and a sword. I can't recall where I could've seen you in that." Miki said as Sosuke glanced away.
"She remembers."
"I am Captain of the school Kendo team. The uniform is black and I do wield a Shinai when using Kendo." Sosuke said in an effort to mislead her.
"No, I've seen you in that uniform but this is different. I'm talking about clothes that look old. A black kimono, a black hakama, a white sash, a black coat with a tall collar and a real bladed sword. I feel like I've seen you wearing that before." Miki said as Sosuke rubbed the back of his head in thought.
"Miki I-." Sosuke said before he sensed a Spiritual pressure nearby but it was a familiar one.
"Looks like the jig is up, Sosuke. Might as well come clean."
"You?" Sosuke yelped as he saw…
"Hello." Kisuke Urahara greeted with a wave.
"Sosuke, who's this?" Miki asked as Sosuke grimaced.
"Miki Suzu, meet Kisuke Urahara. He's an old friend of my family although I use the term friend a bit loosely." Sosuke said as Kisuke smiled.
"Why Sosuke, I'm surprised you think so little of me. But we really don't have time to discuss details. I'm afraid you need to wrap up your date and get on home. Your brother and sister can explain when you get there." Kisuke said, startling Sosuke and confusing Miki.
"What are you talking about?" Sosuke asked.
"You'll find out when you get home, but first we need to refresh young Miss Suzu's memory." Kisuke said as he raised his cane towards Sosuke and quickly thrust the tip of it against Sosuke's forehead, knocking him out of his body.
"Sosuke!" Miki gasped as she saw Sosuke drop out of his body in Soul Reaper form.
"You can see me like this?" Sosuke asked in surprise.
"Yeah! Why wouldn't I?" Miki asked back.
"Sosuke here has been keeping a secret from you, Ms. Suzu. But don't worry, it was for your own protection." Kisuke said as Sosuke snarled at him.
"Kisuke, please! She shouldn't have to remember that!" Sosuke pleaded, a hand near his Zanpakuto.
"The Kikanshinki's effects are wearing off. She's going to remember eventually." Kisuke said as Sosuke arched an eyebrow.
"What's a Kikanshinki?" Miki asked, curiously, earning a disheartened sigh from Sosuke.
"The night of our date, you were attacked by a creature of the spiritual realm called a Hollow. You remember a man trying to rob you then kill you earlier that day? That man and the Hollow were the same being. I killed it while protecting you." Sosuke explained as Miki listened carefully, the clouds in her mind beginning to dissipate to the point where she could distinguish the false memories from the real as Sosuke continued.
"I'm what's known as a Soul Reaper. It is my duty to defend the souls of the living, like you, and help the souls of the dead to pass on to a place called the Soul Society. My other duty is to destroy all Hollows I come across in defense of both the living and the dead. When I rescued you, the Hollow severed your chain of fate, the chain that binds you to your living body, keeping you alive. When he severed it, he had effectively killed you. In anger, I slew the beast and managed to get you help repairing your chain of fate. I didn't want you to remember the ordeal, so I had your memories of the event replaced by something more believable." Sosuke explained as Miki looked at him, unsure of what to make of it all but knowing that it was one hundred percent truth.
"Then…why am I remembering everything now?" Miki asked, confused.
"I think I can explain that." Kisuke said as he stepped forward.
"What do you know, Kisuke?" Sosuke asked, curiously.
"Your Zanpakuto, I think you call it Hanamizu, is an illusion type Zanpakuto and it has a power you deliberately don't use unless there is something greater at stake than your own life. When you saw the Hollow sever Miki's chain of fate, you used this power in anger. This power, as a result, had a sort of shielding effect on Miki, making the memory imprint from the Kikanshinki last only for a while. Seeing a location or something similar from that event, jarred her memory and caused the memory imprint to begin to…shatter." Kisuke explained, Sosuke understanding what he meant and scowling at him in response.
"So…you had me think you stood me up and that I nearly got hit by a car because you didn't want me to remember what really happened?" Miki asked in shock.
"You shouldn't have remembered it for two reasons. One because you're not supposed to see me like this, and two, because I didn't want you to remember that harrowing ordeal. No one should be witness to their own death. That's why I wanted you to forget." Sosuke said as Miki, finally understanding, smiled at him.
"You idiot." Miki said with a caring smile. Sosuke turned towards her with a surprised look on his face.
"I don't remember that night for my nearly dying. I remember it because someone I know was willing to sacrifice himself to protect me, an ordinary girl, from death. Besides, I'm alive now so you must have succeeded." Miki said as an amazed expression appeared on Sosuke's face.
"Miki." Sosuke said before she suddenly ran up to him and kissed him on the lips.
"I clearly remember never saying this to you, but…thank you Sosuke." Miki said as she backed away slightly. Sosuke smiled at her as Kisuke put a hand on his shoulder.
"Hate to break up the romance, but Sosuke's needed elsewhere and he really needs to get going." Kisuke said as Miki nodded understandingly.
"I know. If there's anything I can do to help you out, Sosuke, please let me know." Miki said as Sosuke nodded understandingly. He then turned towards his body but Kisuke pinned it down with his cane.
"Don't worry about your body. Noba will be using it while you're away." Kisuke said, earning a curious look from Sosuke.
"What do you mean?" Sosuke asked.
"You'll find out when you get to your house, so run along now. I'll make sure Miss Suzu gets home alright." Kisuke said as Sosuke nodded before turning back to Miki and giving an appreciative nod before disappearing in a flash step.
"Wow! He can teleport too!" Miki exclaimed, earning a chuckle from Kisuke as he went about putting Noba's pill form in Sosuke's body.
"Actually, that's a Soul Reaper technique called Shunpo or Flash Step. But that's for another time. In the meantime, I remember hearing you tell Sosuke that you would be willing to help him out in some way, and I think I might just have a way for you to help." Kisuke said as Noba stood up in Sosuke's body. Miki pondered for a moment before smiling eagerly.
"What do you have in mind?" She asked as Kisuke popped open his fan in front of his face.
"Well simply hold on tight for a moment and you'll find out." Kisuke said before giving Noba a nod. The three of them suddenly disappeared in one of Noba's red and black portals.
End Chapter 35.
Soul Reaper Illustrated Guide
And now, a preview of what to expect in Chapter 36.
"Born in a time of chaos, where there was no one to defend the peaceful town of Karakura, a mysterious scientific genius knew that something needed to be done. He began work on resurrecting a hero forgotten in time, a hero known by few others, a hero-." "HEY stop with the creepy voice will ya?" Kon shouted from off screen as a light came on, revealing Kisuke holding a microphone.
"Hey, I don't go around interrupting your dramatic dialogues do I?" Kisuke asked with his aloof smile.
"I don't go around making dramatic dialogues, especially when what you're saying is complete fiction!" Kon argued as he stomped into the light (still in Kaien's body).
"Well this is a fanfiction." Kisuke replied.
"And stop breaking the fourth wall!" Kon yelled.
"Kon, get off the stage and get into your costume!" Lirin could be heard yelling from off stage, confusing Kon.
"Costume, what costume? Wait you don't mean-!" Kon exclaimed before nearly getting flattened by the sudden appearance of a massive title card that read…
"KARAKURAIZER!" (Music Cue: Karakuraizer theme – Bleach Season 4 OST)
"Oh no, not Karakuraizer again!" Kon cried out before getting yanked off the stage by Tessai, despite his protests. Kisuke merely grinned.
"That's right, coming in chapter thirty six, the first installment of the two chapter "Return of Karakuraizer" mini-story-arc entitled Karakuraizer: Rebirth!" Kisuke declared as Tessai flipped a switch marked applause, causing a recording of a cheering audience to play.
"In the next chapter, we'll meet the whole new Karakuraizer Team. Who will we meet? What kind of power will they have? What sort of enemy will they face? Find out in chapter thirty six! Karakuraizer: Rebirth!" Kisuke declared.
End