This is just a reupload of Chapter 2 after fixing the grammar issues along with a few plot holes that I forgot. Worth rereading, I think.
I think it's stupid to say this, but I do not own anything related to the shows/manga Bleach or Highschool DXD. If I did a lot of different shit would be canon, author's note at the bottom.
Takamagahara
As Ichigo followed several paces behind his "supposed" father into the silver temple. He remained alert in case of a trap. Just because this man's presence calmed Ichigo's soul was no reason to be foolish and lower his guard around a stranger. While following behind the man, he checked out the temple's interior, which was just as grand as the outside.
He saw artifacts that must be thousands of years old and large painted murals depicting titanic battles between gods, given some of the details in the painting. He also noticed servants hurrying about but staying out of sight from the corner of his eye. Most of these servants were female based on their clothing, but the most curious thing was the animal ears on top of their heads.
"You are cautious and on guard, good. It is wise not to blindly trust someone who abducts you and claims to be your father. I'm glad to see you did not grow up a fool." Spoke the mysterious man with a slight smile that told you that he was pleased.
"Well, I have been attacked enough to know that letting your guard down is suicide." Said Ichigo while keeping one on the man and still making a list of possible escape routes in case things turned ugly. However, Ichigo knew the chances of getting away were slim without his powers.
"Lessons born from pain and failure tend to stick with you longer than others." Said the mysterious man.
Ichigo could not help but agree with the stranger's words; he had been in enough fights to know that pain was an excellent motivator. After that, the conversation lulled into silence, and the only sounds were their footsteps. They walked for another 5 minutes before getting to the temple's back. Which was set up with many cushions for people to sit on with a fantastic view of a vast body of water with the huge moon he saw earlier hanging above it. He watched as the man sat gracefully in a small pile of cushions, and as if by magic, a low table manifested in front of him.
"Please sit, we have much to discuss my son and I'm sure you have many questions." Said the man while gesturing across the table from him. Ichigo hesitated for a moment before taking a seat. He figured since without powers, he is screwed if things go sideways. He might as well get some answers.
After sitting down, the man's smile got slightly bigger. He then raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Ichigo immediately noticed movement back in the temple and tensed, ready to move at a moment's notice. It was unneeded because he soon saw two girls of otherworldly beauty come out with two serving trays.
The one on the right had short white hair, pointy fox ears, and five tails. Her eyes are blue with extra red makeup, similar to the girl standing beside her. Attire-wise, she wears a very traditional Miko outfit that is silver in color.
The one on the left is identical in height to the other and has long black hair, pointy fox ears, and five tails. Her eyes are a fiery red with extra red makeup to highlight her eyes. She was wearing the same silver Miko outfit as the other girl. After, they walk up and empty the trays onto the table before pouring each man a cup of tea.
They both bowed and took several steps back, holding the trays to their stomachs. Which Ichigo notices makes their already large breasts look even more prominent. Ichigo did not notice the looks both girls were sending him and the inability that both had to stand completely still like they were trying to contain their excitement.
"Thank you, Kaga, Akagi." The man said, smiling at the two before turning back to Ichigo. "Now, let's get started; I will let you go first. Though I think I know what you will ask first," Finished the Man. Ichigo was caught off guard by his host's courtesy, but it was only for a moment. Ichigo didn't even need to think about his first question.
"Who are you?" Asked Ichigo looking into the man's eyes. Taking note that they were purple. The man laughed like he was expecting that but was also caught off guard by it. After a moment, he stopped laughing and looked at Ichigo with an amused look on his face.
"Were you not paying attention earlier, Ichigo…I am your father." Said the man with a chuckle while barely stopping himself from referring to an American movie from the '70s. The two servants had to raise their sleeves to cover the short giggle and amused smile at their master's words. Ichigo couldn't stop the quick scowl on his face at the man's answer.
"YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!" Yelled Ichigo, annoyed by the answer cause this is the same shit Goat-Chin would pull. The man's smile stayed on his face as he looked at Ichigo.
"I know, but I figured it was the best way to break the tension. Especially with what we are about to talk about being a heavy subject. I suppose that introducing myself would be a good first step," Said the man, with his smile dimming.
"You think," Ichigo said with a tick mark on his forehead. If the snide remark bothered him, the man didn't show any reaction to it.
"I am Tsukuyomi, god of the Moon for the Shinto Pantheon, son of Izanagi, Ex-Husband to Amaterasu, father to several minor gods, and like I said before, your father." Said the now-named Tsukoyomi with a serious look on his face while looking at Ichigo, whose face showed absolute shock. It took a minute for Ichigo to digest the information before he was ready to speak again.
"Well, guess if the Soul Society can be real, then why can't the gods and the realm they live in." Said Ichigo while looking at the man, who now also looked shocked at how quickly his son believed him. He supposed that Ichigo had a valid point with the things he had already seen; gods are not that much of a stretch.
After a moment, he sported a relieved smile, thankful his son believed him enough not to question it. "Also, why do you keep saying you're my father, Isshin and Masaki Kurosaki are my parents. Unless you pulled something like those Greek gods I read about in school once. That would disguise themselves as the other spouse." Said Ichigo with a serious look on his face.
"No, no, I would never do that; I mean, look at me. Do you think I need tricks or disguise to get whomever I want into my bed?" Tsukoymi asked with that same smile and a raised eyebrow looking at Ichigo. Ichigo blushed when this man said that so casually.
"No, you are right; the Kurosaki's are your human parents, though that is a stretch. No, what I mean when I say I'm your father is that I gave birth to your soul. While they gave birth to your body." Explained the Moon-god. If Ichigo was expecting something, it certainly was not that based on his shocked expression.
"Ok, hold up, you're going to have to explain that in greater detail," said Ichigo.
"Ok, but I figured you already had this talk. When a mommy and daddy love each other very mu…." Started Tsukoyomi before Ichigo smacked his hand down on the table with a serious look on his face.
"Cut the shit, or I will leave," Said Ichigo looking directly into the Moon god's eyes.
"It would be hard for you to leave Takamagahara even with your powers, but you are right; the time for jokes is over. As you know, my sister Amaterasu and I are estranged. That said, I still care for her a great deal, and before our separation, we had plans to have another child that would be the guardian of all of Takamagahara. The perfect symbol of our love for each other and our home. Before we could have a child, I did something stupid, which made Amaterasu separate herself from me. Despite all that, I decided that I would still make our child so her home was safe. However, I wanted my child to be a fair and good man and not someone arrogant like most other gods. So I created a soul and placed it within a worthy couple down on earth; the Kurosaki's turned out to be better parents than I could ever hope to be. Well, that is until Isshin started treating you like glass and all but abandoning you. I have watched nearly every second of your life, and I could not be prouder of the man you have become." Said Tsukoyomi while giving Ichigo a warm smile full of pride and love.
For a moment, Ichigo did not know what to say; it is not every day that someone explains that a god created your soul. Then a thought occurred to him, and he wanted an answer. What the god said would dictate how the rest of the conversation would go.
"If you have been watching my entire life, why did you not intervene when Grand Fisher killed my mother, how come you did not provide me any aid in my battles, why did you not save Yuzu when those escaped sinners took her to hell and why are you just NOW GETTING IN CONTACT WITH ME!" Said Ichigo calmly before yelling at the end. If the god was offended, he did not react in any way except like he already expected those questions.
"There is a simple answer to most of those questions; simply put, I could not interfere. Divine law dictates that a god can not interfere with world events even if they are supernatural. I wanted to protect your mother from that disgusting hollow and save you that heartache, but I could not. I wished I could have sent you aid in your battles, but my hands were tied. I could not save your little sister from going into hell. However, I did help her a little bit by removing the chains of hell attached to her soul. Finally, I should have contacted you much sooner, but time to a god and time to a human is much different. What is the span of several months to a several millennia-old being? Another reason I chose now is that I did not want you getting caught up in the affairs of the Soul Society again. Their machinations have hurt you too many times for me to allow it to happen again." Explained Tsukoyomi while keeping eye contact to show his sincerity.
Ichigo sat there for a second, digesting what he had been told, before standing up and looking off across the water. For a second, the moon god thought his son was going to demand that he be returned home, and despite it breaking his heart, he would have done what his son asked. However, what Ichigo did next shocked everyone; he walked around the low table, then leaned down and hugged the moon god. Tsukoyomi was stunned for a second before quickly returning the hug, a single tear escaping his eye from being happy that his son did not reject him.
"Thank you for helping Yuzu. I do not wish to imagine what would have happened if you had not done that. Regarding everything else, I understand that you could not do anything. What did you mean about the Soul Society? I do not have my powers anymore. They have no reason to contact me anymore; I have outlived my usefulness to them." Ichigo started warmly while even having a small smile before finishing in a confused and bitter tone.
"The Soul Society has been working with Kisuke Urahara and Isshin Shiba nee Kurosaki on a way to restore your soul reaper powers. I do not know the Gotei 13's motivation for this, but after how they have treated you. I do not want them just showing up and acting like nothing is wrong. I also wanted to prevent you from feeling indebted to them for returning something you cherish. Kisuke and Isshin, I'm pretty sure only have your best interests in mind." Stated Tsukoyomi, calmly waiting for the blow-up that his son most likely will have. '3…2…1' thought the moon god.
"WHAT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY ARE WORKING TO RESTORE MY POWERS, AND WHY THE HELL DID YOU CALL GOAT-CHIN A SHIBA!? THAT'S THE NAME OF THE CRAZY FIREWORKS LADY THAT DAMN NEAR KILLED US!" Yelled Ichigo in shock from the things he was just told. The moon god just sat there and waited for his son to take a couple of breaths to calm down while sipping the tea his servants brought. After a minute, Ichigo seemed calm, so the moon god thought now was a good time to elaborate.
"The Gotei 13 were approached by your former mentor Kisuke, who was trying to devise a way to restore your powers. He found a way to do it, but it requires a tremendous amount of energy, given how powerful you are. As I said, I trust Urahara's motivations, but not the Gotei 13; why my siblings thought they were a good idea, I do not know. After everything you have sacrificed for them, abandoning you and ordering your friends to stay away from you is despicable. I will not allow them to manipulate you or use you anymore."
"Regarding calling your dad a Shiba, that is his last name. I figured you would know that, considering it's part of your family history. Which means you are related to that crazy fireworks lady, whose personality is as big as her tits." Tsukoyomi said calmly before getting a bit of a perverted smile talking about Kukaku.
"You will have to unpack what you just said a lot more. What did you mean about the Soul Society being your sibling's idea? I knew my dad was a soul reaper, but I don't get how he can be a Shiba…do not be a smartass." Said Ichigo while rubbing his temples before snapping at the moon god when he looked like he was about to be a smartass about how his dad is a Shiba.
With an amused look, Tsukoyomi just shrugged his shoulders with an air of what did you expect. The deity sat there for a second getting his thoughts together because it would take a lot of explaining and would reveal many shocking truths to his son.
"Sit back and relax, my son; this story will be quite long. Several millennia ago, the Shinto found themselves beset on all sides by unfriendly factions from the other religions. Yes, the other religion's god/gods do exist, do not focus on that; for now, it is unimportant. Takamagahara had nowhere near the fighting force of the other religions. So my sister Amaterasu decided that we would recruit the souls of our followers into a formidable fighting force."
"The Purelands or Soul Society already existed in the same shape as it is now. The key difference is the Gotei 13 did not exist. There simply was no need because hollows did not exist back then. So taking this foundation, my brother Susanoo went there to train the souls of Soul Society into a military force. However, he did not have much luck because the people of Soul Society did not wish to fight. They wanted to enjoy their afterlife—a completely understandable reason for not wanting to fight."
"My brother was outraged that these souls would not fight for us, so he went to our sister and demanded that she wipe the memories of the inhabitants of Soul Society and make it where new souls also lose their memories. My sister was overwhelmed with trying to keep us from a war we could not win, so she agreed to our brother's request without thinking about the repercussions of her actions. Now that the souls could not remember, my brother started training them into a fighting force to protect us."
"However, the soul king, one of the more obscure Shinto gods albeit a powerful one, did not like us interfering with his domain. Thus he created hollows by turning souls that were left to wander into a bunch of rabid dogs that would attack this new fighting force. The hollows took over limbo, or as you know it, Hueco Mundo, and began to become a real problem. Our fighting force now had an enemy that required all their time to combat because they were a disorganized mess back then."
"The Soul Reapers were deemed a failed experiment. Then slowly, over time, the Gotei 13 was formed, and the Shinto was all but forgotten by the Soul Society. The rise of what they call Central 46 poisoned the foundation of the whole structure. Nobles that have never stepped foot near a battlefield dictating the affairs of a military organization is the height of irrationality. But I digress; we still have ties to Soul Society in the form of 3 of the five major clans."
"My siblings and I blessed souls we found worthy, granting them a family name and a piece of ourselves. Effectively making each of them our children, but also not. My sister founded the Yamamoto clan, my brother the Shihoin clan, and I founded the Shiba clan. That is why almost all Shiba's have a Zanpakuto tied to my domain. " Said Tsukoyomi before taking a small break to drink some tea while his son digested the information he was just given. While trying to calm down when he thought about Central 46, those bastards are part of why his son went through half the shit he did.
"Now, as far as your dad being a Shiba, he was the Shiba clan head until about 20 years ago. You already know how your dad was a soul reaper captain. Well back then, he was Captain Isshin Shiba of the Tenth squad. Your little boy with the ice wings and that big-titted bimbo from the Tenth actually served under him. Well, about 20 years ago, your dad received troubling reports about his squad members disappearing. So he traveled to Karakura town and found a strange hollow there, while there he met your mother. He decided to stay and fell in love with her. When they married, he took her last name because he was essentially a fugitive from the law. Your father was given a special gigai from Urahara to help hide better. There is a lot more to that story, but I should not be the one to tell you all the details." Tsukoyomi finished while giving a subtle but still noticeable glance at Ichigo's chest. Ichigo sat in complete silence, trying to wrap his head around what he had just learned. After a moment, he started getting very angry at his father.
"Why did that Goat-Chinned bastard not save my mother if he was a soul reaper captain! He should have had plenty of power to do so!" Thundered Ichigo while having a hard look on his face.
"Your father wanted to save your mother, but he was powerless at the time. Why he was powerless is part of the story that is not mine to share. Your father was heartbroken about your mother's passing; he truly did love her." Calmly replied the moon god. "Now that is enough with the heavy topics; for now, let us discuss why I brought you here." Said Tsukoyomi flippantly, caught off guard but not disagreeing with the change in the topic; Ichigo sat back.
"That is probably a good idea; let's discuss why you kidnapped me," Ichigo said with a small smile. He did not mean it rudely; he was joking with the man across from him. He has not known the man for long, but he can not help being relaxed around him. The moon god was stunned for a second before a big smile split his face, happy his son felt comfortable enough to joke around with him.
"So the reason I brought you here was…."
Meanwhile, in Karakura Town
"Are you sure this is going to work, Kisuke?"
"Pretty sure, no…yes, it will work, Probably." Said Kisuke
"What do you mean probably? If this goes wrong, you could fry his soul. Forget his powers; his soul could be destroyed!" Yelled the other person
"Relax Isshin, I have run the numbers, and they tell me this will work. Ichigo will be a soul reaper again in a month's time." Spoke Kisuke calmly while looking at one Isshin Kurosaki who had on his soul reaper Shihakusho. The object they were talking about was a Japanese katana composed entirely of Reiryoku sitting on a pedestal in a back room of the Urahara Shoten.
The katana was a project the Urahara had been working on for the last 16 months after he saw how devastated Ichigo was about losing his powers. To repay him for all that he did, Kisuke decided to find a way to return his power to him. Isshin was there to provide information about the Mugetsu that Ichigo used. 'The Shiba clan have such interesting zanpaktou; maybe that is because of their ties to the moon god Tsukoyomi,' Mused the shopkeeper.
While most of the Soul Society had forgotten about the Shinto Pantheon and their direct involvement in the development of what would become the Gotei 13. He did not, always being one that sought the truth, he found long-lost records that managed to escape the Central 46's hands. What he learned showed just how far Central 46 has twisted the entirety of Soul Society. His musings were interrupted when he heard a loud shout from the front room of his store by multiple voices. Looking at Isshin and deciding to see what was with all the commotion, he turned and walked through the door.
Five Minutes Prior in front of the Urahara Shoten
Three people were walking down the street towards the candy shop to inform the shop owner about what they had seen at school. They also wanted to tell him about Ichigo's strange behavior. While they were walking in silence, they were all preoccupied with thoughts about a certain former soul reaper. When they got to the Shoten, they could not find anyone in the main room. So they started calling for the weird shop owner, hoping he was in the main building and not the giant underground cavern.
After a minute, they saw the shop owner enter the room from the back with his customary fan in front of his face, along with Ichigo's dad in a shihakusho. Any questions that they may have had about why he was there, they put to the back of their minds. Before they could speak up, the crazy bastard beat them to it.
"My my, how can I help you guys out today? You do not usually come here unless it is to ask us to deliver a message to the Soul Society?" asked the curious shopkeeper while looking over the edge of his fan.
"We have something to tell you about Ichigo. He was able to see something composed of spirit energy earlier in class. At first, we thought he was just focusing on the board, but then he started reaching towards it." Explained the giant known as chad. Whatever Isshin and Urahara were expecting, it was not that given the shocked look on their faces.
"Also, when we tried to talk to Kurosaki-Kun, he flat out ignored us, and his scowl got bigger," Orihime said while getting misty-eyed thinking about what Tatsuki said.
"Well, that is certainly an interesting development, considering I have been monitoring him to see if he would regain his powers," Urahara said with an intense look. Numerous theories bounced around his head about how this was possible. "Can you describe how this spiritual energy looked? That way, we can find them and ask them what they did to Ichigo?" He wanted to know if Ichigo was in danger and was prepared to protect him; it was the least he could do for the boy.
"That's the thing; it did not have a proper body we could discern. It just looked like a miniature ball made of moonlight." Uryu said while pushing his glasses up his nose. What happened next surprised everyone; Urahara dropped his fan out of shock. Then they watched as he grabbed his forehead in thought or concentration; they did not know.
'Spiritual energy without a discernable body to spiritually powerful beings should not happen…unless, no, it couldn't be. The gods have been silent for many years; why would they suddenly contact a powerless human boy. Depending on which god it is, their reasons could be benevolent or malicious.' These thoughts and many more were bouncing around Urahara's head in rapid-fire.
Before he could continue his train of thought, the front doors of his shop were slammed open, and two small bodies crashed into Chad, who was standing by the door. The gentle giant was unmoved; the two small, compared to Chad, bodies bounced off him and fell on their butts. When everyone looked at who had run into them, they were shocked to find Ichigo's two younger sisters.
Right when Uryu was about to reprimand them about manners. They all noticed the tears falling down their faces. Before anyone could move to comfort the two girls or ask them why they are crying, they got their answer.
"Ichi-Nii is gone!" Cried out both girls, with the tears flowing faster now. This revelation caught everyone present off guard.
"Girls, what do you mean he is gone? I'm sure your brother just left the house or something." Calmly said Isshin to his twin daughters, thinking they were getting worked up for nothing.
"NO! We watched him vanish, and we thought it was a prank at first, but when he was still gone." Karin started strongly before breaking down in hysterics with her twin. The room had varied reactions like shock from both teenage boys, crying from Orihime, and a serious look on both men's faces.
"Girls, I know that you are upset, but if you want us to help Ichigo, you need to explain exactly what happened," Urahara said while hoping what his gut was telling him was wrong. It took another minute for Karin to calm down enough to speak; Yuzu continued to cry.
"Well, when Ichigo got home today, He was in a worse mood than usual," At this, Karin and Yuzu both threw a dirty look at the three teenagers. "He was quiet all through dinner and said that he was tired and going to his room to get some rest, well after a little while. We decided that we should go check up on him. We knocked for several minutes, and he did not answer, so I decided to open his door. We found him resting on his bed and looking out the window when we opened his door. Before we could call his name, he suddenly tensed up and started looking around his room like he was following something. We did not see anything, and we do not think he saw us even though he was looking right at us. After a few seconds of this, he stopped and looked at something outside his window. We watched as he reached for something neither of us could see. We know something was there because the next thing we know," here Karin chocked out a sob before she could continue.
Yuzu spoke up, "A bright light blinded us when we could see again. Ichigo was gone, and when we called his name, there was no response. So we decided to come here because we remembered you saying if we needed anything to come to you. Please find my big brother…find our Nii-san please." Both twins asked at the end, crying into their father's shoulder, who had hugged them when Yuzu started speaking.
If Kisuke's worse fears were not confirmed before, they certainly were now. One of the many gods had taken Ichigo, and he had no way of knowing which one. His fear and panic must have shown on his face because everyone got extremely tense.
"Kisuke, you know something, don't you? Well, spit it out, Where…IS…MY…SON!" Thundered Isshin while comforting his precious girls.
After collecting his thoughts, Kisuke finally said, "Before I say anything, you three contact anyone that is spiritually aware in Karakura." While pointing at the three teenagers who readily did it, hoping to help find their friend. "Tessai!" Yelled Urahara.
"Yes Boss," the Muscled giant spoke, walking in from a side room.
"Contact the Visoreds and tell them to come here now, and if they give you any flack. Tell them Ichigo is in trouble, and they will come running; Shinji has told me how much their group cares for him." Urahara commanded while walking to the back of the story to find a soul pager to contact Yoruichi.
Normally, Kisuke would have smirked when thinking about how she could be on the other side of the world but would beat everyone to the Shoten if it concerned her berry. "Ururu, see if you can help Isshin calm Karin and Yuzu, maybe some tea will help." If Kisuke had turned around, he would have seen the appreciative look Isshin was giving him.
It took about an hour for everyone who was asked to arrive, and they were all waiting in the underground training cavern. Like Kisuke had predicted, Yoruichi was indeed the first one here, and she had been on the southern tip of Japan in Yamaguchi! Next to arrive had been the Visoreds, with the exception of the ones that returned to their positions in the Soul Society. Following them had been Miss Arisawa, which was impressive given how quickly she had gotten here.
Over the next little while, the rest of Ichigo's spiritually aware friends walked in. Kisuke saw the impatient look on Yoruichi's face, and he knew that if he did not get this meeting started, she would be practicing her Hakuda on him. Right as he was about to start, Yoruichi finally lost the last of her patience. "What is it Kisuke? You said it was urgent and that it concerned m- *Ahem* Ichigo?" Yoruichi said while looking at her best friend sternly. Only Kisuke noticed the very minuscule blush on her face and that she was about to say my Ichigo.
Taking a second to get his thoughts together and flicking his fan in front of his face. Kisuke looked at everyone gathered, getting a general idea of how everybody was fairing with the alarming but vague news that something had happened to Ichigo. The Visoreds were by far the most calm outwardly, but anyone with enough skill in reading body language could tell they were tense. Ichigo's friends sans Tatsuki, Uryu, and Chad were jittery, Shifting around uncomfortably. Isshin was stoic, but his eyes showed just how worried he was.
The twins were sitting by Tatsuki and leaning against each other. The Shoten crew were calmly waiting for the news; Kisuke was just amazed that Jinta was being quiet. He did not even need to look at his best friend to know what she was feeling. He was not expecting Tatsuki Arisawa's face to show a mixture of worry, fear, and impatience. It did not take a genius of his intellect long to piece together the young martial artist's feelings for his student. Deciding to start before someone snaps and starts beating him *ahem Yoruichi ahem*.
"Thank you all for coming here quickly despite the vagueness of the situation. There is no easy way to say this, but as of little more than an hour ago. Ichigo has gone missing, and I believe it is the work of a spiritual entity," before he could continue, he heard a gasp from several people in the room. Most notably, Yoruichi and Miss Arisawa who had their hands covering their mouths and wide, unbelieving eyes. Before either one could say anything, the twins spoke up while looking at the shop owner.
"Um, Mr. Shopkeeper, what is this place? Who are these people, and how do they know my brother? Do they have anything to do with this? Why is goat-chin dressed like that, and why does he have a sword? You said spiritual entity. Does that mean a ghost took my brother? Is one of those big scary monsters responsible?" The twins asked, alternating who was speaking on every question with each other starting with Yuzu. Kisuke facepalmed mentally for not taking that hour to explain what all of this had to do with Ichigo.
"Karin, Yuzu, there is going to be a lot of stuff that is not going to make much sense. If you stick it out until the end, I will explain everything and what it has to do with your brother. It will also explain why he has been so sad the last 17 months." Kisuke said calmly to the twins, who were close to crying again after their burst of courage to ask those questions. Neither girl said anything, but both nodded their heads in acceptance. 'Anything for Ichi-Nii/Nii-San!' Thought both twins. With that taken care of, Kisuke was about to start when he was interrupted.
"What do you mean he has gone missing Kisuke?" Yoruichi demanded, looking at her long-time friend. Kisuke sighed, knowing that the following conversation was going to be very draining.
"Let me start from the beginning; Isshin came over to check on the progress of the project to restore Ichigo's powers. I was telling him that it is about a month from completion." here, Kisuke stopped to take a breath; he failed to notice that Yoruichi's eyes were getting wider. When he was about to start talking again, he heard his friend ask him in a voice he had never heard. It was full of doubt, denial, and self-loathing.
"Kisuke, what do you mean that the project is only a month away from being completed? You said that it would take nearly two years? You just started a couple of weeks ago," the were-cat asked while looking at her best friend, hoping he would not confirm her fears. Kisuke got a sad look in his eye, knowing what his best friend was thinking.
"It has been 17 months since Ichigo has lost his powers," Kisuke did not even need to look at her to know that she had a devastated look on her face. She had said that she was going to give Ichigo a couple of weeks to get used to no powers before seeing him again. But when you are centuries old, months can pass in what feels like days. If one could look into Yoruichi's mind, one would find all her thoughts being self-loathing because of what she just learned.
'It has been well over a year since I have seen him! He must have felt like I abandoned him; god, how could I have let that much time pass without realizing it. Oh, Ichigo, I'm so sorry; I hope you know I did not mean to abandon you for so long.' If the day were not already full of surprises, Yoruichi having tears streaming down her face would be one of the biggest shocks in the last 70 years. Yoruichi's guilt would hit even harder when she learned later that Ichigo's friends, human and otherwise, had also abandoned him. Kisuke gave his best friend a minute to calm down some before he continued.
"While discussing it in the back, we heard Ichigo's friends arrive." Here Kisuke heard someone scoff, and he found it to be Miss Arisawa while she was shooting a hard glare at the three that had arrived earlier. The guilty looks on their faces set off warning bells in his head; he would have to get to the bottom of this.
"They told us how Ichigo was acting strangely in class today because it seems he has started noticing spiritual pressure again. Uryu informed us that there was a small ball of spiritual energy in front of Ichigo, and it seems that Ichigo felt it because he reached for it. Before he could touch whatever it was, the teacher got everyone's attention, and when they looked back, the signature was gone. Afterward, they tried to talk to Ichigo, and he blew them off. Now that I have had a minute to think about the conversation. Why would Ichigo ignore you? He has repeatedly shown that he cares for his friends. This is odd behavior for him," Kisuke asked at the end, looking toward the three teenagers.
A couple of interesting things happened at this time, Miss Arisawa's glare got even harder towards the three, Karin was giving them a death glare, and even sweet little Yuzu glared at them hatefully. Ichigo's other friends, the…uh playboy and the idiot, he did not remember their names, looked away. The three in question all flinched and looked at the ground. Before the three could answer, Tatsuki spoke up.
"Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea; why don't you tell everyone why he ignored you. I am sure they would all love to know," She said with a scowl. The three in question looked between each other, mentally deciding who would drop the bombshell. Finally, Uryu spoke up.
"So shortly after Ichigo's powers disappeared completely, Kuchiki and Abarai came to Karakura town. They found us right after we had finished dispatching a hollow; they looked resigned, like they did not want to be there. To make a long story short, they had been ordered to leave Ichigo alone and told us that we had been ordered to leave him alone. Naturally, we argued with them, but the longer they talked, the more we found ourselves in agreement with the Captain-Commander's decision. So we have not interacted or really spoken to Ichigo since he lost his powers." Uryu finished while not being able to keep eye contact with anyone. Orihime was beside him crying, and Chad could be seen shaking just a little bit.
If they had looked up, they would have seen many murderous and hateful glances being sent their way. Before anyone could say anything, someone released their Reiatsu toward the three teens. The three collapsed under the pressure; everyone looked to the source of the pressure to find Yoruichi glaring at the three.
"I have no words to describe how much you three disgust me right now. You abandoned your friend because of orders from an organization that has no power over you! After all the things Ichigo went through for you, you stab him in the back. I am especially disappointed in you, Orihime. I thought you loved him?! Did you forget how he went to Hueco Mundo to save you from that mad man's clutches? I should kill you all where you stand!" Before Yoruichi could continue, she felt a hand on her shoulder. When she turned to find who was beside her, it was Urahara. When she was about to speak up, he cut her off.
"Calm down Yoruichi, this is not helping matters!" Kisuke said in his normal jovial voice. When the were-cat was about to yell at him, she noticed his eyes. She found anger and rage in them that she had only seen in her friend rarely. She realized he was just as angry, but they needed all the help and information they could get. So reluctantly, she pulled back the crushing force she was releasing. When she had reigned in her spiritual pressure, she felt Kisuke squeeze her shoulder as he moved past her. A serious look on his face while he looked towards the teens still kneeling.
"I have to say that I am in the same boat as Yoruichi. Never did I expect you three to betray Ichigo to this level. I already knew the Gotei 13 cut their ties with him, some more willingly than others, but I never expected this." Kisuke said with a cold look in his eye. "As much as I want to tell you three to get the hell out and ban you from the Shoten, right now we are going to need the help finding Ichigo."
"Seriously Urahara, you are going to let those backstabbers stay?" Asked Lisa, who was leaning against a rock in her regular sailor uniform.
"Yes, I am, and before you call my judgment into question. Let me finish explaining what happened earlier. So as I said earlier, Ichigo felt spiritual energy in front of him and reacted. I asked these three to describe what the spiritual energy looked like or who. They said that they could not discern anything other than a small ball of light." Here Kisuke took a second to look around, seeing the various shocked expressions.
He noticed Hiyori's eyes widened in realization, 'Heh, I should expect nothing less from my former lieutenant.' Kisuke thought in pride that someone else bothered to learn the mysteries of their world.
"What do you mean spiritual energy that had no discernable form Urahara? You know only one thing that fits that description!" Yelled the tracksuit-wearing midget.
"It is exactly as I said Hiyori, but before I elaborate for everyone else, there is more to the story. So right after they had told me of this, I started thinking about many different possibilities. Before I could get absorbed in my thoughts, Ichigo's sister entered the Shoten in a hurry. In fact, they ran into Sado-San, and before we could ask them anything. We noticed that they were crying, and we became worried. They then told us how Ichigo was gone." Kisuke looked over to the twins finding them crying about what happened again. Instead of Isshin comforting them though, it was Yoruichi and Miss Arisawa holding Yuzu and Karin, respectively. Isshin was sitting a short distance away, going through what he recognized as calming meditations taught to soul reapers in the academy before they began Jinzen.
"They then told us how Ichigo was sadder than he usually is and that he excused himself to his room right after dinner. When they went to check on him, his door was closed, and he was not answering. They decided to open it and found him sitting on his bed staring out his window. Before they could get his attention, they said he started looking around the room like he was following something only he could see. Finally, he looked back out his window and started to reach for something. He must have grabbed it because a bright silverish light blinded them. When they could finally see again, they said that Ichigo was gone. After calling his name for a minute, they hurried here. Did I leave anything out girls? It is crucial that we have all the details."
After running events back through their minds, both girls shook their heads no. Kisuke then took a look around to see how everyone was taking the news; he found that some had worried looks on their faces, and others had stoic looks. Their body language said that they were concerned though. After about five minutes, Isshin spoke up.
"Kisuke, you obviously have a clue as to what took my son, and the fact that your former lieutenant knows what happened to my son only lends credence to that fact."
"*Sigh* Yes, I know what took Ichigo, but before I say it, just know that it will sound crazy. However, I have researched this and know the truth that so many have forgotten. All beings have spiritual energy in some capacity, like Shinigami, Hollows and the Quincy. That energy can have a different feel or different qualities to it. Only one spiritual energy is detectable to spiritually strong humans but not discernable. That is a god's spiritual energy, and yes, the various gods worldwide are very real." Here Kisuke stopped expecting an outburst; other than shock and surprise from everyone sans Hiyori. No one said a word. Pleased with that, he continued.
"Now, not all gods are the same; some get their power from a concept, some prayers, a natural phenomenon. Just like they are varied in the source of their power, so are their personalities. Most are generally pretty decent, with only a few being evil and murderous. For most, they are very powerful, but nothing unbeatable. However, a handful are truly powerful and could destroy soul society with barely a wave of their hand. That said, Ichigo has been taken by a god, and I do not know which one." Kisuke explained before finishing in a grim tone.
Typically he would have found the faces of his friends entertaining, but now was not the time. When they found Ichigo, then he would laugh. He waited a few minutes for everyone to digest the huge bombshell and for everyone to come to grips with the fact that there are other supernatural beings other than them. The only one not to go into shock was the snaggle-toothed midget, who only crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently.
Surprisingly, Miss Arisawa was the first to speak up. He would have to update his file on her; it had some glaring misinterpretations in her personality profile. He was happy that he had judged someone so wrong after his rather egregiously lousy judgment of the three teens who never bothered to stand up.
"What is the first thing you need us to do Mr. Bucket-hat?" Asked the young martial artist looking into the shop keepers eyes. 'I can see why this is Ichigo's best friend, it makes me wonder how things would have turned out if she had been the one by his side.' Kisuke thought in amusement and reflection.
"Unfortunately Miss Arisawa, unless you have Shinigami or even Hollow Reiatsu. You will not be able to help. I mainly called you and…eh fu-screw it, the playboy and idiot here because you had a right to know," Kisuke calmly said before he almost swore in front of the twins.
'Thank god I stopped myself. I do not wanna even imagine what Ichigo would do to me if he found out I swore in front of the twins!' Thought Urahara in relief.
"So if you three wanna leave, that is fine. Before you ask, the only reason I am not booting these three out to the curb is they might have information that we might find useful." While talking, the playboy and idiot had already moved to the ladder and started climbing, not before shooting Kisuke a dirty look for the insulting nicknames.
'I know they care for Ichigo; otherwise, they would not have come on such short notice. As normal humans with barely developed spiritual awareness, they are not even close to being prepared to face a god if things go south. So why are you still here Miss Arisawa?' Kisuke thought in confusion, seeing that the young woman had simply adjusted to get more comfortable on the rock she was sharing with Karin, Yuzu, and Yoruichi.
"My Best friend is missing, and you expect me to just sit at home doing nothing. That will not work for me, so I think I will stay. Even if I have to fight a god, I will bring him home and call me Tatsuki. I hear Miss Arisawa enough from other people." Tatsuki said with a defiant look in her eye, Unaware that she had gained the respect of everyone in the room.
It is not every day you see someone that knows about the possibly dangerous fight should the god prove to be evil and not back down. In fact, everyone in the room only knew one other person like that, and he was currently missing.
Kisuke was utterly baffled by how wrong he was concerning this young woman before he got a face-splitting grin. "Miss-*Ahem* Tatsuki, I think I speak for everyone here when I say you will be a welcome addition. Thank you for your help."
"Now, I believe I owe Yuzu and Karin an explanation of everything happening. Yuzu, Karin everyone here is from the afterlife, excluding those three and Tatsuki. We are what is known as a soul reaper or Shinigami, and our job is to protect the balance of souls. We soul reapers do this by balancing the number of souls between the Soul Society, which is the afterlife, Hollows or monsters that have not been purified, Hell, and the living world. When a person dies, their soul leaves the body and is known as a plus; basically, they are whole."
"Now, a soul reaper's job is to send them to the other side with a small ritual. If the soul is left to linger, they become what is known as a hollow, which are monsters with large bone masks that are usually mindless. A hollow then seeks out souls to devour to fill an endless hunger within them; that is the Shinigami's other job. We purify hollows so that the person's soul can move on to soul society along with the souls they have devoured. Any questions so far?" Kisuke patiently explained before taking a slight pause.
"What did you mean when you said that Tou-san was a Shinigami? That is impossible if he is a spirit. How come everyone can see him?" Yuzu asked while looking over at her father, who was standing by Kisuke now that he had calmed down. Their father shot them an embarrassed smile while rubbing the back of his head at how his secret would be revealed. Kisuke smiled at the question born of Yuzu's observant nature. She was just like her mother in that regard. He was about to answer when Karin asked a question also.
"That thing I helped Sado fight about two years ago was a hollow right?" Asked Karin, already knowing the answer but wanting to make sure.
"Yes, that was a hollow, and you should have never had to encounter one, let alone help fight it. Unfortunately, some arrogant people in this world do not think about consequences or how those actions could affect others. Regarding your dad being a Shinigami, the short story is that your dad was not born in the living world but Soul Society. However, when he came to the living world for a mission, he met your mother, who could see him. They ended up falling in love, and to help them, I built a human body for your dad's soul to reside within."
"The reason you have never seen your dad like this before is because he was hiding from the Soul Society for abandonment of duty. That happens to be a capital crime, but now Soul Society knows why he did it and has lifted the warrant on his head." Here Kisuke paused, wondering if he should inform the twins about what truly happened to their mother. He decided against it because they were already in a fragile emotional state, and this would be too much.
"I mentioned all this because your brother was a soul reaper, but also different. He was what is called a substitute soul reaper. This happens when soul reapers give their powers to a human. This happened to Ichigo so that he could protect you guys. Remember about two years ago when a drunk driver ran into your house? That was actually a hollow that attacked. The soul reaper, whom you know, was injured, and the only option was to transfer their power to Ichigo. Ichigo defeated it, and for the next several months, he protected Karakura while the Shinigami regained their strength." Kisuke paused to see if there were any questions, and Karin had one.
"The soul reaper who helped us was Rukia…am I right?" Karin asked or rather stated.
"Yes, yes it was. Back to the matter, Rukia's actions were illegal according to soul society's rules. So after several months, her crime was discovered, and two higher-ranking soul reapers came to retrieve her. Your brother fought these two soul reapers and, as a result, was badly wounded, causing him to lose his powers. He could not accept his friend paying for a crime that allowed him to protect his family. So I helped him regain his power, and that summer vacation sent him, the three over there, and the woman sitting beside you Yuzu to the soul society. After a series of battles, many of which Ichigo was injured greatly, they saved Rukia from execution. This is where things get interesting. See, a mastermind pulled the strings behind many of the events that transpired. He revealed himself and other traitors at the end, after which they fled."
"For the next several months, your brother trained and helped soul society deal with many issues." Kisuke stopped here, seeing the tears build in Karin, Yuzu, and Tatsuki's eyes at learning Ichigo almost died several times. After letting them compose themselves, he continued.
"Things took a turn when the traitors kidnapped Miss Inoue over there because of her truly marvelous ability. Soul Society was not ready, so they ordered your brother to stand down. Ichigo did the opposite by charging into the mad man's stronghold with those two," Kisuke explained while pointing at Chad and Uryu.
"Along with a couple of friends from soul society. After many more battles, they saved Inoue, and Ichigo headed to battle the traitors who were trying to destroy Karakura. Ichigo did what no other soul reaper could: match Aizen, the traitor, in strength and then surpass him. After the battle, Ichigo had weakened Aizen enough for me to seal him away. The battle came at a great cost to Ichigo though. He had to sacrifice his powers to save everyone, and with a Shinigami, that is the same as giving away a piece of your soul. Our power comes from weapons born of our soul, making each soul reapers power unique." Urahara stopped for a quick breather to see if any more questions had come up. When none did, he continued.
"Because he had lost his powers, Ichigo lost his ability to see spirits. That was the last time he saw his soul reaper friends. Now they could have come and seen him in fake human bodies, but Soul Society ordered them to stay away. Along with ordering those three to distance themselves from Ichigo, which they mentioned earlier, you girls were upset and might not have heard that. All this is why your brother has been so sad. He feels abandoned, useless, and incomplete. That is the whole story or at least a summarized version. Any other questions before we start discussing how to find Ichigo?" Urahara looked at the three girls to see what they would ask after the whole story was told and was surprised by what happened next.
Karin and Yuzu sat there for a second before standing up and walking to stand in front of the kneeling Inoue. When Inoue looked at the girls, what happened next shocked everyone and made them jump a bit when they heard two loud slaps *SLAP* *SLAP*
Yuzu had slapped Inoue hard on her left cheek, while Karin had given her an equally hard slap on the right, making both cheeks a bright red. They then gave all three of them a hateful glare and walked back to their seats without saying a word.
"Well, that was unexpected, but moving on, we will split into two teams that will check the school and his house. Then we will follow his path between them and recheck the other team's location. The first team will compose the Visoreds, which will check Ichigo's house first, while Isshin, Tessai, Yoruichi, those three, and I will check the school first. Alright everyone, let us head out." Urahara spoke with a commanding tone.
"WAIT!" Shouted three voices at once. When everyone turned, they found it to be Karin, Yuzu and Tatsuki, who were now standing, looking at the two groups leaving.
"We want to help. We can not just sit here and do nothing!" Yelled Tatsuki with both twins nodding beside her. Everyone sans Uryu, Sado, and Orihime got a softer look in their eye seeing how much these girls wanted to help. Finally, Isshin spoke up.
"Girls, I am so happy that you want to help Ichigo, but without being a Shinigami, there is nothing that you can do. The only reason I think Urahara is bringing these three is that they can describe what Ichigo was doing and where they felt the presence." Isshin said with a smile before throwing a thumb over his shoulder to point at the indicated group while directing his statement to Kisuke in a questioning tone. Kisuke nodded his head in agreement with what Isshin said.
When it looked like nobody else was going to say anything, they heard someone faintly speak. When the whole group turned their heads to find out who talked, they saw that Tatsuki had stepped forward. At first, she seemed to be struggling with something before it looked like she had hardened her resolve.
"You said that Kuchiki was able to give Ichigo powers so that he could protect his family. Well, I want you to give me powers so I can help my friend! Please!" Several group members now had a very healthy respect for the young martial artist. Their surprise grew even further when Yuzu and Karin joined in.
"Us too, make us Shinigami so that we can help Ichi-Nii/Nii-San!" Both twins said firmly. Despite the serious situation, several people found themselves smiling at the three girls. Finally, Urahara spoke up.
"That is very admirable girls, and I am sure that Ichigo will appreciate the effort. However, even if we made you soul reapers right now. You would still need to be trained to sense spiritual energy. I am sure you would rather us devote more energy to Investigating first. I will make you a deal, stay here, and consider your decision. When we return, and if your decision is the same. We will help you become soul reapers, and those not suited to spiritual energy tracking will help train you. Is that a deal?" Kisuke said with several people in the group agreeing to help train them, given their newfound respect for them.
Three girls looked at each other before agreeing silently with Tatsuki speaking up. "While we wish we could help you now, we understand, so we have a deal." Kisuke nodded before everyone started making their way up into the shoten before leaving for their destinations.
Karakura High
The minute the team designated to check the school first arrived at Ichigo's classroom, three of them immediately noticed the lingering spiritual energy. Kisuke, Tessai, and Yoruichi walked over to Ichigo's desk, and Kisuke pointed to a spot roughly where Ichigo's face would be, but just slightly past his desk.
"Is this where you felt the spiritual energy earlier?" Kisuke asked, directing his question to the three teens.
"That is roughly about where it was hovering," Uryu spoke up being the best at remembering details like this. Kisuke did not say anything, just nodding to indicate that he heard the pain in th-*AHEM* young man.
"Stand back Yoruichi; We need to see if we can extract the spiritual energy so that we can study it. Tessai, let us begin." Kisuke said while not taking his eyes off that spot. Once Yoruichi stepped back, Tessai and Kisuke started chanting and casting multiple Kido. Most of which Isshin and Yoruichi had never heard before. After about five minutes, Tessai pulled out a jar covered in sealing tags from a bag he had grabbed at the Shoten.
The spectators in the room watched as he opened it, and Kisuke seemed to push a part of the air into it. The soul reapers could see distorted air like when it is too hot outside, and you can see air fluctuating above the road. In comparison, the three teens could not see anything due to their awareness not being able to see such a minuscule amount of energy.
Once Kisuke had gotten all the residual spirit energy into the jar, Tessai sealed it. "*PHEW* that was more difficult than I was expecting," Kisuke said with a bit of sweat on his forehead, not that anybody could tell with the hat on his head.
"Did you get it Kisuke? Will we be able to find Ichigo now?" Yoruichi asked impatiently while looking at her friend.
"No, there is not enough of a signature here to track. Hopefully, the residual energy at Ichigo's house will be enough to make it discernable." Kisuke said while trying not to get everyone's hopes up. Yoruichi did her best not to be impatient, she was several centuries old damnit, and she was acting like an impatient 150-year-old. However, when it concerned her berry boy, she could not help it.
After a few minutes of rechecking the room, they decided there was nothing else here. When they got to the school courtyard, they found the Visoreds there.
"We found a strong signature in Ichi's bedroom, but we did not want to disturb it until you checked it." Lisa Yadomaru said while looking at the other team and the jar in Tessai's hands.
"Good work guys and you are right; it was best you guys left it alone. There is nothing else here, so why don't you guys head back to the Shoten. Orihime, Sado, and Uryu, why don't you also head home. We will inform you of any progress we have made. The Visoreds left without a word, but the three teens were offended.
"How dare you tell me what to do! If it were not for us, you would not have even known about Ichigo going missing!" Yelled the Quincy.
Kisuke briefly wondered if the Quincy were wiped out not because they were killing hollows but because they are self-righteous pricks. Food for thought.
"Yeah, we want to help find Kurosaki-Kun just as much as everyone else! You did not make Tatsuki and the twins leave, so why us?!" Yelled the usually meek Orihime, Chad did not say anything, but his body language said that he was in agreement with the others. Here Kisuke glared at them from under the brim of his hat and let some of his Reiatsu loose.
"First off Ishida, we would have known because the twins told us he was missing, not you. Second, we would have investigated any place Ichigo frequents to check for lingering energy. Third I would have known he was kidnapped when I was finished talking to Isshin because I have been monitoring him. Lastly Inoue, I told you guys to go home because frankly. I do not want to be around you, and I have tolerated it this long because you might have valuable information."
"Which you had none; therefore, you have no use here. I did not tell those three to go home because I was serious with my offer to them and genuinely am going to help them. They are willing to do whatever it takes to bring him home and your actions over the last several months make me question your definition of "Care." I am only willing to inform you of our findings as repayment for the past support you gave Ichigo." Kisuke said in a deathly calm voice that sent chills down the teen's spines. When it looked like they were about to continue arguing, he hardened his glare, and they backed down.
With eyes facing the ground, they bid farewell and said they would be awaiting any news, then turned to head home. After a moment, the remaining group continued on their way, now flash stepping because they did not need to slow down. They briefly double-checked Ichigo's route to see if the Visoreds had missed something. When they found nothing, they continued.
Kurosaki Clinic
Upon arriving, the small group made their way to Ichigo's bedroom, but before they even opened the door, they could feel the lingering energy. Making their way inside, they could feel faint lines of energy going around the room, but the source they were most focused on was right outside Ichigo's window. Making their way over, Tessai and Kisuke repeated the same actions that they did in the classroom. This time there were visible signs that the two were exerting themselves, but it paid off because something began to take shape after a few minutes.
Tessai quickly opened the jar, and Kisuke started pushing the formless construct of energy into it. When the energy from Ichigo's room combined with that of the classroom, the jar's interior shined like a mini-moon was in there. They could also feel a presence in the pot. What or who it was is still a mystery, but they have a lead now. What no one said out loud is that just based on that small piece of energy, the entity that took Ichigo was frighteningly powerful. They would not give up though, because Ichigo would never stop trying to save them no matter the foe, and it is about time they showed him they were willing to do the same.
Urahara Shoten
When the small group returned to the Shoten, it was to find Jinta and Ururu outside sweeping. Kisuke patted them both on the head as they made their way inside. They then made their way down to the underground cavern, and what they found surprised them but also impressed them greatly. They found the three girls left here, training by swinging a bokken under the watchful eye of Love Aikawa. Who was correcting their posture and form, the other visoreds were sitting around and watching the girls give it their all.
However, what everyone could notice after a few swings is that poor Yuzu was not suited for wielding a blade. While the other two were rough, they would get better with practice, but it was obvious that Yuzu would never have any talent with a sword. It must have also been evident to her, based on the tears that were about to fall from her eyes.
"Yuzu, stop." Commanded Love, but not unkindly. This seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back because the tears that had been about to fall started streaming done her cheeks. She started swinging the sword even harder.
"NO! I refuse to give up! Nii-San never gives up, and this time I will be the one to save him!" During Yuzu's little breakdown, both Karin and Tatsuki had stopped. Karin had a sad look on her face seeing her sister's breakdown. Tatsuki felt for the young fawn-haired girl. Tatsuki could only imagine how she would feel if she did not think she could help Ichigo. During this, Isshin walked up to his daughter and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Yuzu," was all Isshin had to say for the young girl to drop the broken and hug her father crying. Kisuke at this time had just arrived back in the cavern after having gone upstairs. He walked over to Yuzu and held out the thing he had been carrying. This action caught everyone's attention. When they all looked at what it was, they found a simple wooden bow. Everyone sans the three young girls realized what Kisuke was implying. Thus Isshin removed himself from his daughter. Yuzu looked at the bow before looking at the shop owner questioningly. Kisuke smiled at her before pushing the bow into her hands.
Yuzu looked at the bow before testing the string to get a feel for it. Liking what she felt, she moved into a stance that was comfortable before pulling the string back to her cheek several times. Everyone watched a smile spread across the girl's face finding that the bow felt natural in her hands. She turned and grinned at the shop owner before hugging him, which startled him. After a moment, he smiled and patted the girl on the head. Yuzu stepped back and looked around the room before suddenly having a question.
"Thank you Mr. Urahara. This feels much more natural than the sword. Will Mr. Aikawa be able to help me still?" Yuzu asked, she got a sheepish look from everyone except Love, who shook his head before telling the other girls that he never told them to stop.
"Unfortunately, nobody here knows how to use a bow, but your father and I have an acquaintance that will be able to help you. We will get him here tomorrow, and girls concerning our deal, come back tomorrow as well. We will make you soul reapers then. Tonight I need to start the Kido spells to identify this energy signature. Visoreds, would you mind helping out in the girl's training?" Kisuke explained before directing the statement to the future soul reapers. Finally, he ended by asking the Visoreds a question. They did not say anything, just looked at each other in silent communication before looking back to Urahara and nodding. After a moment, Hiyori spoke up.
"Hey, can we just move our base here? That makes things smoother for everyone." Questioned the tracksuit-wearing midget. Kisuke nodded, and with that, everyone went their separate ways for the night with plans to reconvene tomorrow.
Meanwhile in Gotei 13 Captain's meeting hall.
The air was tense as 12 of the captains stood in their positions, waiting for the Captain-Commander to address them. They knew he would wait until the final captain had arrived, and as if summoned by their collective thoughts, Shinji had walked into the Hall. Once he was in position, Yamamoto banged his cane against the ground to signal the start of the meeting.
"Captains, you were called here as part of an emergency meeting called by one of you. Captain Kurotsuchi, for what reason have you asked this meeting to be called?" Asked Yamamoto while barely cracking an eye open to look at the psychotic captain. The clown captain had his usual creepy smile that displayed his golden teeth as he turned to the captain of squad one.
"Yes Commander, I did ask for this meeting so that I could inform you all of a development concerning the Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki. It appears as though he has gone missing." Said the Insane Captain lamely, hiding his true feelings about the situation. Everyone sans Byakuya, Soi-Fon, and Yamamoto looked at the insane captain in surprise. Those three were also surprised but hid it much better. In any other circumstance, they would start asking questions. They knew however that this was not the time or place.
"Captain Kurotsuchi, the 12th squad was responsible for monitoring Ichigo Kurosaki at all times, SO HOW DID HE GET KIDNAPPED?!" Captain Yamamoto started calmly before raising his voice slightly, which was just as effective if somebody yelled, given how everyone tensed.
"We were monitoring him quite closely, but then our sensors picked up a brief, powerful burst of spiritual energy we could not identify. After that, the soul reaper badge that Kurosaki was given stopped sending location and most of its other functions other than his status. We know that he is alive. We just have no clue as to where he is or who took him." Mayuri finished lazily while internally seething from the old bastard questioning his abilities.
It put him in an even fouler mood because he was almost at a breakthrough concerning the brat. It would have been quicker to kidnap him then vivisect him, but that would raise too many questions. His only option was to use the badge; now, he had neither.
"Captain Kurotsuchi, find Ichigo Kurosaki, or else the 12th squad will find itself with a new captain that is more competent and takes his duties seriously. The rest of you inform anyone in your squad who was friends with Kurosaki, but under no circumstances are they to abandon their posts. Dismissed." The Captain-Commander said while looking at the clown before addressing the whole room. He ended the meeting by banging his cane.
As the captain funneled out, they had various thoughts bouncing around their heads, but the main one was that things were about to change in a big way.
I would like to thank Salamandra134 for pointing out the grammar mistakes. I would also like to give a shout-out to Loyal Kreigsman andZanark Sathanus for helping me bounce ideas around.
I have also created a discord channel for this story if anyone is interested in leaving reviews or discussing the story so far. That said, I will only be answering the reviews I have gotten so far in this Author's Note. After this, I will only answer them in Discord or PM.
Hope to see you all in Discord: Link /RZu5nRFs
New Reviews:
M1stymix: In what part do I give too much of an info dump?
TheWolf87: I am glad that you are enjoying the story.
Old Reviews:
Dozer: I make no promises on the harem, I will add who I feel like I can write best.
SentinalSlice: Sorry, but this will be a harem. It will not be one of those were the MC is with like 50 people, but there will be a few. I absolutely agree that canon Ichigo is way to prudish, that is why fanfiction exists to change the things we do not like. If I kept Ichigo the same what would be the point.
TheWolf87: Ichigo will be ridiculously strong, how could he not be with all his powers and the ones I plan to give him. I will guarantee that at least some of them are in the Harem.
Hose4Andres7:Thank you for liking the story, sorry it took so long to update
Ulttoanova: You hit the nail on the head for why I choose the Shinto Moon god, it was kind of to perfect to ignore. I hope that I will not disappoint with the story.