Chapter 7 (Arc 1: JAP): Legacy
Written By: Ethorthecinderace_TCC_
Yongen-Jaya, it seemed like this place was a hotspot at the moment. Thought Ichigo, Ryuji, Ren, and Morgana. And considering the most recent addition to their group… no wonder it was. They were all sitting on the subway train. Ichigo was still holding onto the aging shiba inu within his arms, giving him as much attention as he could to make the little one stay awake, Ryuji had the dog collar in hand and was trying to call the owner of the dog, Ren was also on his phone, trying to get in contact with… someone, Ichigo and Ryuji didn't know. Either way, their goal was set in stone, find help. Hey didn't know what was wrong with the dog, they couldn't tell its age, they only knew what was on the surface, he was dying.
"Damn it!" shouted Ryuji, "I contacted the phone number on the collar and the owner has been dead for years!"
"Did you get some information about him at the very least?" asked Ren
"I got something yha, but it is not the greatest bit of info I could have gotten, I found who adopted the little guy a little while after his old owner's death, a teenager by the name of Makoto Yuki"
"The blue-haired teen that died about 5 years back?" asked Ichigo, "you know, with all the cults and shit going on back then?"
"That's him, sadly the chick I got in contact with doesn't know of anyone else who took care of the little guy, she said that the little one was basically like a folk hero for the town that he was a part of." said Ryuji, "She doesn't know how long ago the dog moved away from Iwatodai, but considering everything, she estimates it was about three years ago."
"In 2012? Why?" asked Ren
"Yha, why would such a dog with such a history just move locations without anyone's knowledge?" asked Morgana
"I have no idea." said Ryuji, "But considering that we have no leads on his current owners, I am assuming one of them moved at some point."
"But why wouldn't the collar be updated with their information though?" asked Ren
"NOW ARRIVING IN YONGEN-JAYA, NOW ARRIVING IN YONGEN-JAYA"
"Questions for later, Come on, Ren you can lead the way right?" asked Ichigo before standing up
"Yha, Come on," said Ren
The doors opened and the teens were out the doors in a flash, Ren leading the charge as they ran through the small district, before coming upon a small store, Leblanc.
Ren opened the door as a battering ram came in contact with the door, startling a few patrons of the coffee shop as well as the person behind the counter.
"Jesus kid what the hell are you-" said the person behind the counter before looking toward Ichigo and Ryuji, and seeing the dog in hand, "What's wrong with the little guy?" he asked
"I don't know! He collapsed in front of the school as we were coming out!" said Ryuji
"And the cat?"
"The cat is fine, he was abandoned, Nevermind that where can we find a doctor?" asked Ren
"For the dog? You are gonna need a vet, But I know someone that might be able to keep the little guy stable, Go to Takemi Medical clinic, I will let her know you three are coming." said the man behind the counter before pulling out his phone and tapping on the one of the people in the "T" section, "Well? What are you three waiting for? Get going!"
"Thanks, boss!" said Ren before bolting out of the coffee shop
"We will make this up to you!" said Ryuji before following close behind Ren
"Thank you," said Ichigo
"Your welcome kid." said Boss, "Hey, Make sure he doesn't get into trouble ok?"
"Trust me, I will do my best," said Ichigo before bolting out the door, following Ren and Ryuji.
It took a few minutes to find the place because the clinic itself was a little hidden, but when they did, Ren exploded through the door, with Ryuji and Ichigo following behind as they made it to the sterile white room with a red sofa on the other side of the room by the door, and walking toward them was a woman who looked like she combined the Doctor aesthetic with a punk rock stars outfit.
"I take it you three are the ones that are here about the dog?" asked the doctor, "Follow me," she said before leading the three of them into one of the exam rooms.
"Set him down on the table." said The Doctor before walking over to the sink and washing her hands, "I usually don't work with animals, but I know someone who does and he is on his way, as you were likely told, I can do what I can to make him stable. However, I cannot guarantee that he will survive. Not with my limited knowledge."
"Please just try. He deserves that much!" said Ichigo
She nodded before leaning over the dog, but before she even touched him, she noticed something, "Wait a second…" she pressed her ear to the dog's chest, "I don't hear a heartbeat."
"What?!" shouted everyone else in the room
"He was alive when we got here!" said Ichigo, "at least… I thought he was."
"Well, you might have put too much stress on the dog before his death, that or his age finally got to him," said The Doctor
"His age? How old was he?" asked Ichigo
"Judging by the average age of a Shiba Inu, that being 15 years of age, he either just hit that length of time, or this dog is a lot older than any of us had thought." said the Doctor
"Then-Then?"
"He died of old age, simple as that. But then again, the one I called would know for sure what went on." said the doctor
"Then I guess I better get to work!"
Ichigo turned, and a small smile graced his lips for a second before it died. He knew what Kisuke was going to do, it was for the best, he didn't want the dog to turn into a hollow, but still, it hurt that he was not able to save him.
"Can you all leave the room for a moment? I don't want to get interrupted," said Kisuke
"Of course, Urahara-san," said the doctor before walking out of the room
"You four as well, I will talk to you all later." said Kisuke, "Besides! If my theory is correct, three out of the four of you just saw what else is on the table right now."
Ichigo sighed before walking out of the room, Ryuji, Ren, and Morgana on the other hand took a moment to stay back and look on the exam table, only to see something that shocked them, the dog was moving. He was standing up, sadly looking down at the table, almost contemplatively as he sat there, and coming from the dog's chest, were chains. A broken chain.
"What the hell?"
"Please, all of you, out of the room please!" said Kisuke as he pushed the three of them out of the room, and then turned to face the dog. He walked to the desk and took a seat at its chair before turning to the dog, "Can you speak?"
"I have been told I could, to some people." said Koromaru, "I take it you are here to kill me, Death God?"
"Oh please, I do not kill those that haven't done anything wrong, not anymore at least." said Kisuke, "I just wish to know why?"
"Why?"
"Why have you chosen to live this long? Why have you chosen to suffer as your body dies?" asked Kisuke, "What is your dying soul crying for right now?"
Koromaru looked down at the table again, thinking, before looking back up at Kisuke, "I wanted to protect them."
"Oh?"
"I was a protector, for 19 long years I happily stood as one, I wanted to protect my master… to the point where I protected the place he died protecting until I destroyed his killer, even if it took a long time for me to do so. I wanted to protect Makoto so much, I wanted to make sure he got to live a full life, but… he is dead now too. There were so many people that I wanted to make sure were safe, so many that I wanted to make sure were ok. The grief that they felt, the anger that they felt… I felt it too, and I didn't want them to be alone. I should have died back in 2012… but I still stood strong, I didn't want to die so much that I forced myself to keep living… because I knew that if I did die… It'd break their hearts." said Koromaru, "And I didn't want that."
Both of them sat silent, Koromaru's life flashed before his eyes. The Important moments throughout it… and that day on the roof of Gekkoukan High… and the promise he made to him that day. Koromaru closed his eyes before he spoke again, "What does your soul cry for?"
Kisuke sat there silent, thinking for a moment before smiling. "I want to bring my friends back where they belong."
Koromaru nodded and said, "Yha… I'll take that too."
Kisuke smiled, "Then have it."
"What?"
"I can give you the chance to have that chance. Your soul will not pass on, nor will you let it pass on. And I don't want to have to force you into the afterlife, so why don't we both give each other something we both want, the time to get us what we want." said Kisuke, "I just have one request."
"And that is?" asked Koromaru
"Protect the kid that effectively just saved you." said Kisuke, "Protect the kid that brought you here."
"He's like me." said Koromaru, "He needs guidance… I will gladly help him. The fact that you could hopefully find a way to bring Makoto back to life is the icing on the cake."
Kisuke smiled as he pulled out a black pill from his pocket, "Put your spiritual pressure into this, then we can get started."
It was a few minutes later when Urahara opened the door to the exam room, and Kuromaru ran out the door and leaped onto Ichigo's lap, licking his face.
"You brought him back!" said Ren, shocked
"Yup! The little guy was only out for a moment, all I did was give him another chance at living." said Urahara before delivering a small wink to the trio."
"Impressive work Urahara-san." said the doctor
"Well I had to try my hardest, Takemi-Chan!" said Urahara with a small laugh, "Anyhow! I must get back to my shop, I hope to see you again soon, Takemi-Chan!"
"Have a good day Urahara-san." said Takemi before walking back behind her desk, "Hey you three, don't worry about payment on my end, I did next to nothing back there, so you don't need to pay for my services, him on the other hand, not sure about."
"Thank you, for at least trying," said Ichigo. He stood up, with Kuromaru in his arms, "Come on guys, let's meet up with Hat N' Clogs."
"You have a good one Doctor Takemi!" said Ryuji before leading everyone out the door, meeting Urahara outside standing on the street.
"So then! Ichigo, I am assuming that these three are his friends?" said Urahara, "I thought there was one more?"
"She had things to do as well today." said Ichigo, "So… Where is this little one's body?"
"Eh? How did you know Ichigo?" asked Urahara before revealing what was under his Kimono, it was Koromaru's body, "I guess you know someone with a Gigai when you see them."
"Wh-WHAT THE HELL!" shouted Ren, Ryuji, and Morgana
"That explains it then."
"WHY ARE YOU NOT SHOCKED!" shouted Ren, Ryuji, and Morgana
"Because, my new friends! You are now in the world he used to be in." said Urahara, "Now then, follow me to my shop, it seems like you all need an explanation."