Bleach is owned by Tito Kubo, however my OC's are my own.
Apricot Parfait
Ch.3 Hesitate and You Die
(1 week after Anju's graduation)
With ragged breath, the indigo-eyed soul reaper tried to make herself more comfortable in her sitting position beneath the lamp post. "Ngh". "The pain is almost unbearable… I… I have to do… something", she thought wincing with each breath. Composing herself as best she could, she looked up to the orange haired human. With one eye half closed, she clutched her stomach to try to alleviate the pain a bit. "Do you want to save your family?".
Fear. That's what the teen felt at the moment, but he couldn't just stand by and do nothing. The soul reaper had told him that if things continued, his family would be eaten by these hollow creatures or whatever they were. With a shaky breath, the words that left his mouth were panicked. He had made his choice. He wouldn't run away, he'd stop this now. "Of course, I do. Show me how"!
Looking down, the soul reaper took another shaky breath before speaking. "It will only be for a short period, but you must impale yourself through your center with my zanpakuto and become a soul reaper". Taking a pained breath, she shifted. "If it works, you will take on part of my power and be able to save your family". Holding her blade out to the boy, she waited for him to make his decision. Take on her power and save his family, or remain human and perish. She knew this was a decision that required more time than was currently allowed to fully consider the consequences, but the hollow that attacked earlier began sniffing the air signaling that it was searching for the two.
The boy felt his pupils constrict upon hearing what the soul reaper had said. Repeating, "If it works…" to himself as the harsh reality that whatever decision he made would most likely result in death, or although slim, a possible solution, set in.
Having picked up on their scent, the hollow's roar was deafening. Vibrating the air with its sheer power as its animalistic instincts took over now that it got a whiff of the mouthwatering scent of fear pheromones. Now stimulated with the desire to hunt, it began to career where it felt the most concentrated presence of reiryoku.
"If it doesn't work it won't matter because we'll die anyway, but-".
Steeling himself, the boy took hold of the blade that was offered to him as he prepared to impale himself.
"My name is Rukia Kuchiki", the soul reaper said with a small smile as she helped the boy position her sword.
Holding the blade firmer. "My name's Ichigo Kurosaki".
As the hollow closed in, Rukia pushed the blade forward and Ichigo impaled himself.
A bright light engulfed the two.
With the transfer of power successful, the bright light spread to the now close hollow wounding it as dark blood splattered from its arm onto the pavement below. As the dust settled, the light disappeared with it revealing a spikey haired boy donned in a black shihakusho. Ichigo stood firm as he held his sword ready to attack. Where there was once a scared child now stood a determined fighter who would do anything to protect the people he cared about. Sensing that something was off, Rukia looked down at herself surprised to see that her own shihakusho had turned completely white. Momentarily confused, she realized that more power than she'd intended to, had transferred over to the substitute soul reaper.
The hollow let out another terrible cry causing Rukia to jerk her head toward it. She was met with the sight of Ichigo having delivered the finishing blow causing the hollow to burst into oblivion. "This boy is…". Taking a sharp inhale of breath, Rukia couldn't finish her thought mesmerized by the resolute glare on Ichigo's countenance as he watched where the hollow last stood before being cut down. The threat was now gone. His family would be safe. "Something".
(Present day)
Taking the slip that was freshly pressed with the customer's hanko, Anju handed him his package.
"There you go , I hope you find your order to your satisfaction".
"Why of course dear, thank you for bringing it to me… safe…" the recipient of the package, Mr. Akiyama, smiled like he was secretly thinking something perverse. He was standing in the threshold of his doorway as he conversed with the "cute delivery girl".
Anju laughed lightly, "It's my pleasure to deliver, sir". "This guy always gives me the creeps", she internally shuddered.
"You're telling me. I'm so glad I live in your head, and don't have to deal with these weirdos like you do. Remember that guy in your class that would stare at your ass every time you were in front of him? Pig". admonished the voice in Anju's head with disgust. "I mean could you imagine someone as hot as me being in your shoes? I'd never make it in the human world. Such is the foley of the young and beautiful", dramatically explained the voice as if the thought of it all were too much.
Anju internally giggled at how melodramatic her zanpakuto spirit could be. He was quite the character.
Unaware of Anju's internal conversation, Mr. Akiyama chanced a glance up at her breasts when he thought she wasn't looking before looking up to her face as if he hadn't just done anything unsavory. Anju, fully aware of what he just did continued to smile as if nothing happened.
"You know Miss Mitsukoji. I've been divorced for over five years now. My wife left and took our son because she thought I was an incompetent father and husband, but you don't think that about me do you"? The man began stroking his neck brace. A replacement gesture since he wasn't able to stroke his chin.
"I can't say for sure, sir as I don't know you that well". Anju giggled lightly to make it seem like she was shyly conversing instead of fully aware of what kind of man Mr. Akiyama really was.
Thinking that Anju's words were a sign that he had a chance, the balding man with a short stalky build and prominent beer belly light up with renewed vigor as he continued to idly chatter with the young woman.
(Flashback)
Mr. Akiyama had been out drinking with some work colleagues, but instead of staying out late like he normally would, he decided to turn in earlier than normal. Stopping in front of a shop, he read the words "Urahara Shoten". Not thinking about it, he decided to go into the shop to see if they had any snacks that he could munch on later when his hangover woke him up in the early am's. Looking at his watch, the time said 8:07 pm.
"Welcome", said a man wearing a stripped bucket hat. "Let me know if you have any questions or need help with anything". He sat in front of the register lightly fanning himself.
Not saying anything, Mr. Akiyama looked at the assorted merchandise as he picked up a few packages of salted snacks, a bottle of tea, and a handful of loose candy. Taking the items to the register, Mr. Akiyama rubbed his eyes trying to sober himself up.
"Alright, that'll be $1,732.38 yen, Sir".
He reached into his pocket to pull out some wadded up cash when she came in.
"Kisuke, I'm back"!
Kisuke looked up from the register and smiled at the woman. "Welcome back, Anju. I hope you had a good time".
"I did". The woman had come back from an end-of-the-semester party held by Karakura University's Student Council. With her second to last semester completed, she had one more to go before she could walk across that glorious stage to freedom. Don't get her wrong Anju loved academics, but it was stifling to pretend like she didn't already know things lest someone get suspicious or a teacher grade harder because they felt intimidated by her higher knowledge.
Kisuke handed Mr. Akiyama back some change. "Have a good night, sir".
The man just nodded as he turned. His pupils widened when he saw who had been behind him. His eyes automatically taking note of her full breasts before he caught himself and looked up at her face. He was buzzed, but he could still control himself more than if he were totally drunk".
"Hello, sir. I hope you found what you were looking for", said the woman with a smile.
Still dazed, Mr. Akiyama could only let out a low "yeah" as he dragged out the word.
Walking forward, he was half way to the exit when he heard the shop owner speak. "Anju look at this. Tessai and I got the sign we talked about earlier laminated". Pulling out said sign from under the podium, he handed it to Anju. It was orange with red trim and had "Delivery Service" in big bold letters with a picture of a cartoon man riding a moped with a package attached to the back of it.
"Looks great. I'll hang it up right now". Heading towards the storage area, Anju grabbed a stand and some take so that she could display the sign outside the shoten. The delivery service was born out of a brain storming session as the shoten's inhabitants tried to come up with more ways to make money during this time of declining customers. Surprisingly, it had led to the shoten maintaining a roster of customers of different ages and lifestyles who were in need of the service.
Mr. Akiyama was now outside the shop standing to the side of the entrance as he put the snacks in his brief case.
Anju was on the opposite side of the entrance setting up the delivery sign. When she finished she went inside. Her voice could be heard as she and the shop owner spoke about something Mr. Akiyama couldn't make out.
Walking to the sign, he took out his cellphone and added the number located on the bottom right of the sign to his contacts. Maybe he'd call it and see if the young woman would actually deliver him goods from the shop. His face flushed as he thought about something else she had that could be considered deliverable goods. Shaking his head, he headed home.
(Flashback end)
For the past five minutes Mr. Akiyama had been prattling on about how he was sure to get a big promotion at work and other stuff to make himself seem more impressive than he actually was. Anju knew it was a lie. Mr. Akiyama's boss occasionally requested the shoten's delivery service and all though he never named names, he would occasionally tell Anju how he had a lazy employee with a huge beer belly that he couldn't stand, but couldn't fire because said employee's older sister was married to the director's son. Mr. Akiyama's boss would end his rants by telling her to stay in school and finish getting her degrees so that she didn't end up like his no good idiot of an employee.
"Damn, does he ever stop talking"?
"Well, I must get going. See you on the next one, Mr. Akiyama".
Before Anju could turn to leave, Mr. Akiyama reached out a hand to her and shouted, "wait!". Anju made it a few steps before she turned to look at him.
"Oh, here we go, he's gonna ask you out again. Let's see how he does it this time".
Putting his outstretched hand on his head to comb his hair back thinking it would make him look more suave, Mr. Akiyama leaned his arm on the side of his threshold and crossed his legs. "Say, have you eaten yet, how about I take you out to lunch? My treat". He gave Anju his, at least what he thought was his, signature smolder, but he looked more like a bulldog that had been stung by a bee.
With a light chuckle Anju turned to face him fully, "I must decline. I already ate, and I have more delivery runs to make. If you'll excuse me, I must get going".
Anju passed the entrance to the stairwell as she remembered an incident that had occurred there nearly three months ago.
Despite the occasional creepiness that Anju felt from Mr. Akiyama, the man proved to be entertaining on occasion like that one time she made a delivery to a housewife on the floor above.
Anju had finished delivering the package and made her way to the entrance of the eastern stairwell, but stopped when she heard commotion coming from the floor below.
Mr. Akiyama was fast walking behind a college aged woman who lived three doors down from him. "Miss, you dropped your-". "Stay away from me!", the young woman screamed as she got closer to the western stairwell. Mr. Akiyama was holding an EpiPen. The woman had dropped it without noticing as she left her apartment. Seeing that she was still being followed the woman made herself seem big and intimidating. "I said stay away from me"! Now at the entrance to the western stairwell, she started descending the steps, but before Mr. Akiyama could clear up the misunderstanding, he took another step which caused him to slip on an invisible patch of water. A trick bestowed by the recent inclement weather, but instead of stopping himself from slipping like he'd intended, the rail he'd grabbed onto in order to stabilize himself was also wet and due to the angle that he'd grabbed it from, his momentum launched him the extra foot or so left to the half wall in front of the stairwell. The result? Mr. Akiyama had propelled himself over the half wall. Landing flat on his back, he fell from the second story still clutching the EpiPen in his left hand.
A woman, Anju delivered packages to twice before, was walking her toy poodle in the same area and had a great big fright when the man landed a little over three feet from her. She immediately called an ambulance while Anju watched discreetly from the western stair rail on the third floor covering her mouth as she stifled her laughs. This was not the first time she'd witnessed Mr. Akiyama's bad luck, but she'd never seen him be in this severe of a predicament. Several paramedics shifted Mr. Akiyama's body to a gurney and took him straight to the hospital.
Miraculously, Mr. Akiyama had survived the ordeal only having to wear a neck brace, cast on his right arm, and bandages on his ankle when he'd gotten out of the hospital. Anju suspected that his beer belly absorbed the impact of the fall which Jinta and Ururu laughed at when she recounted the story to them as Kisuke balanced the register. The rest of them were taking care of the shop's bi-monthly deep cleaning. Even Tessai, who was taking inventory in the back snorted, and he wasn't one to laugh at such things. Kisuke, wrote some notes down in the ledger as he gave his own input, "Well, you know what they say about fools. They can survive anything".
Putting on her helmet, Anju got on her bike. She was about to turn her key in the ignition when her inner voice spoke.
"You felt that didn't you? Whoever was watching you just left".
"Yeah, I did. I'm sure it's the same person from graduation". Shaking her body to dispel the chill that always crept up her back whenever she was being watched, she turned on her motorcycle and headed towards the next address on her list.
"Orihime!"
Ichigo rushed to Orihime before Rukia stopped him. Glancing back at her, he immediately turned to look at the hollow they just fought as it's mask cracked revealing the face of a man in his mid to late twenties, Sora. Bending his body down, Sora looked at his beloved baby sister trying to comfort the girl as best he could.
It was dark, around 8:27 pm in Karakura town. Ichigo could only watch as Rukia assessed the unconscious Orihime's condition.
"Don't worry, so long as her chain of fate is attached, she will not die". Rukia reassured Ichigo before focusing her reiatsu into her palms. "I need to treat her. The power of my kido should be able to restore her". Putting her hands on Oirhime's chest, the flow of healing kido entered her body.
"Those hair pins she wears were a present from you weren't they, Sora? Orihime told me once that she wears them every day in honor of your memory", Ichigo stated as he spoke to Sora wanting to comfort the distraught half-hollowfied man.
Sora froze realizing that the alter Orihime prayed to was not the one in her apartment. Eyes beginning to water, he turned from his sister and slithered towards Ichigo's zanpakuto.
"What are you doing?", questioned Ichigo. Having a haunch what Orihime's brother was planning.
With a sad look, Sora cast his head down, his hair covering most of his face as he lifted the large blade. "I've caused a lot of trouble haven't I"? Taking a breath to prepare himself, he continued. "I only have a short while before the hollow re-emerges and turns me back into a monster".
Ichigo stared with a sorrowful look not sure what to say. From what Orihime had told him, Sora was a good older brother. Taking care of her when their parents wouldn't and eventually taking custody of her so that he could provide a better life for her. Why did something so horrible have to happen to him?
Sora prepared to impale his chest, but Ichigo protested. "Wait"!
"It's ok Ichigo. Once you become a hollow you can never go back to what you were. Passing on is the best option for him". Rukia spoke comfortingly as she continued to heal Orihime.
"But, Rukia...". There had to be another way. This couldn't have been the only option. Ichigo's eyes widened as he looked at Sora. No, this really was the only option.
"It's ok, you'll see that exorcising a hollow is not the same as killing it. You're cleansing its soul and allowing it to enter the Soul Society". Now looking at Ichigo, Rukia gave him a firm yet gentle look. "That's why soul reapers exist. To help souls move on and rest in peace".
Sora met Ichigo 's eyes with an understanding look.
"W-wait, I have to… tell you something". A weakened Orihime turned towards Sora with the little strength she'd regained from Rukia's healing kido. "Remember this hair pin… and the argument we had about it...? I said I didn't like it because I thought it was childish". Sora trembled as Orhime recalled the events of their last conversation. "I know I hurt your feelings, and you left without saying anything as you left for work" Orihime closed her eyes as an overwhelming sense of sadness washed over her. Memories of that day flitted through her mind. Opening her eyes, she began to cry. "I-t was the last t-time I saw you a-alive". Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she took a steady breath. "Before you go, I want to say what I should've told you when you went to work that day". Rukia helped Orihime sit up. "Big brother… Have a good day". More tears flowed from Orihime's eyes as she looked at her big brother.
Sora's eyes widened before they softened at having finally heard the words that he'd wanted to hear for so long. It was bittersweet, but he was certain that his soul could now rest in peace. Realizing that his beloved little sister never forgot about him, he took Ichigo's sword and impaled himself with it. Before his soul dissipated, Sora smiled leaving Orihime with his parting words, "thanks, little sister".
Having been overwhelmed by the ordeal Orihime cried. This whole time she'd been hurting her brother and didn't know it. She sincerely hoped that Sora would go to Soul Society like Rukia said. She didn't know why, but it seemed like the right thing to hope for.
Watching Rukia rub the crying Orihime's back to comfort her. Ichigo wondered if there was more to being a soul reaper than he'd originally thought. It seemed more complicated than what Rukia had tried to explain to him with her bizarre Chappy drawings. Was he really cut out for this?
(Flashback)
"Please help my brother, he got hit by a car"! The panicked girl looking to be about middle school aged cried.
"I'll do the best I can, miss. Let me take him to the clinic entrance so that I can better assist him". A man with tan skin and black hair took the suited man from the child's back.
The red tinted halogen lights from the ambulance whirled and its siren blared as it took the victim and his sister to the hospital. He didn't make it.
(Flashback end)
Ichigo had been the one to open the door when a twelve year old Orihime knocked frantically begging for someone, anyone to help her older brother. His dad had tried the best he could, but the clinic was not equipped to handle such a serious injury. Looking at where Sora once stood, Ichigo bowed his head and closed his eyes in respect. "I hope you're in a better place. Sora".
(Knock, knock)
"Kisuke, Tessai and I made you dinner"!
Anju set the tray of food down.
"I cut your portion back since you said you needed to lose weight, so don't let me find you sneaking in the kitchen in the middle of the night again", Anju joked.
With the food delivered she headed back to the dining room to eat her own meal.
"I wonder what's gotten Kisuke holed up this time"? Anju scrambled two eggs to put into the sukiyaki. Once cooked, she served Jinta and Ururu.
"I wouldn't worry about it too much, little miss. You know how the boss gets when he is focused on something. He'll be back to his usual self before you know it".
"I guess so. I'm just kinda worried about him, ya'know? He comes out of his room sometimes, but he has this tension about him like he's not getting enough sleep and is trying to figure out something impossible". Having ladled a portion out for Tessai, Anju handed it to him.
"Here you go, Tessai". Anju ladled a portion for herself
"Thank you".
"I wish he'd let me help him, but whenever I offer, he tells me the chip in his brain will activate and blow up everyone and everything within a two mile radius, or something like that". Anju sweat dropped. "I think he's been watching too much tv". Kisuke often joked like this whenever he didn't want Anju to know about his secret projects. One excuse had been about aliens threating to abduct him and probe his insides if he revealed the top secret project they were having him work on, another about a vengeful spirit who would curse him and three generations of his family if he didn't finish his then latest project. Telling her that she was the second generation, so she'd get hit by the curse too if she interfered, and the most absurd of all having to do with the underground mole people who were sure to drag him down to their burrow and force him to dig tunnels for eternity if she should catch wind of what he was working on. Whispering so as not to be heard by the moles, he jokingly warned her to stay away from mole hills and act normal if one should peek its head out. Even Yoruichi questioned where Kisuke got these stories from stating that he should stop eating chinese food before he slept.
Despite the silliness of his excuses, Anju knew this was Kisuke's way of gently turning her down, and although she badly wanted to know what kept him occupied in his room, she was also amused by the never ending material of these excuses. The man knew how to create a story and stick to it, she'd give him that. She just wished that one of these days, he'd let her in on whatever was really going on. It's not like he was plotting crimes against humanity or something... was he? Scratch that. Maybe Anju really was better off not knowing. The shop owner never crossed the line when it came to ethics or causing preventable harm to others when they'd experimented together for Anju's science projects and competitions, but he was the mad scientist type, and Hiyori did say that he toned that side of him down with her whatever that meant, so you never really knew exactly what was going on through his head. Was he plotting something that really would cause the government to come knocking on their door?
Hearing Jinta's voice, Anju was brought out of her thoughts.
"This is pretty good". he mused blowing a piece of enoki mushroom before putting it in his mouth. "The broth isn't super sweet either".
"I'm glad to hear that this dish appeases your elegant palate, Sir Jinta. It's a new recipe that I found in one of Hiyori's magazines". Anju took a bite herself. The sukiyaki in her bowl having lost some of its heat.
"Speaking of Hiyori. How are she and the others doing"? Tessai put a piece of cabbage in his mouth.
"They're doing fine. Hiyori's strict as usual, but she's also been praising me a bit more, so I can't complain".
"That's good to hear". Tessai served himself another portion. Making Jinta get his own when he asked the resident homemaker to serve him some as well.
Having finished washing dishes with Tessai, Anju walked up the escape steps to the roof.
"Hmm. The moon appears to be is hiding tonight. At least I can see some of Karakura's townscape from here".
From where she sat, Anju could see some of the taller more modern buildings that were built around twenty years ago. Looking westward she could see part of the two bridges that connected the Karakura to Naruki City with the Onose and Karasu Rivers running parallel between them, and to the north was the darkened outline of mountains. The occasional blinking of aviation warning lights made this town look like an urban universe.
"Well, it's not a starlight sky, but it'll do".
Pulling out a stick of matcha pocky, one of the shop's newest snack items, Anju put the green coated end in her mouth sucking absent mindedly as she continued to stare from the rooftop. The peppered town lights were the night sky's twinkling stars, the aviation warning lights were red dwarves whose lights twinkled due to atmospheric winds in the atmosphere refracting their light, and while there was no replacement for a full moon, she pretended that the yellow tinged light she saw coming from one of the office building windows was a less orange harvest moon.
The scene was comforting. Grabbing another stick, she munched it like a rabbit this time.
"You know, these pocky aren't half bad".
Stretching her arms up, she put them behind her head as she leaned backwards. Now lying on her back, her view of the city lights was cut off.
"It wasn't my preferred scenery, but it sure is close". Closing her blue eyes, she started drifting off to sleep.
The office light turned off.
Coming out of his room, Kisuke walked down the stairs to make himself some tea. It was around 9 pm.
"Good evening, boss. I see you've come out of your cave". Tessai was reading an article titled "How to Remove Different Types of Stains in Your Home". Paying extra special attention to the section on hard water and rust stains.
"Yeah, I finally found a stopping point. Is Anju still up? I figured I'd make myself some tea before heading back to drown myself in the throes of research, but I wanted to thank her for bringing me dinner. It was pretty good. Not too sweet". Kisuke filled the kettle with water, putting it on the stove.
"A ha ha, Jinta said the same thing". Tessai chuckled. He put his Homemakers Weekly magazine to the side folding his hands on the table. A sign that he was going to discuss something serious with Kisuke.
"You know boss, Anju asked about you at dinner today. That kid's always thinking about you. You're the closest thing she has to a father after all, and Jinta and Ururu haven't said anything, but I can tell that they know somethings up. I think you should make more of an effort to come out even if its just to say "hi" to them ". A gleam flashed over his glasses as he waited for Kisuke's response.
Sighing, Kisuke scratched the back of his head. He was tired. "You're right about that, Tessai. It's just the research for this is taking more time than I thought. It's not something that's easily understood is what I'm getting at". Kisuke sighed banishing the overwhelming thoughts surrounding his latest research topic. "I'll try to make more of an effort to come out of my room, Tessai".
"I understand, and good. Just don't forget that you have family outside of those four walls you call a room".
"I won't". The geta wearing shopkeeper nodded taking some loose leaf tea out of the cupboard. The kettle would whistle any second now.
"As for your earlier question. Miss Anju went up to the roof and hasn't come back down. I think she fell asleep up there".
"Wouldn't be the first time". Kisuke smiled to himself. Having filled his cup with hot water he sat down opposite of Tessai.
Kisuke walked to where he saw Anju sleeping. Smiling, he picked her up trying not to wake her.
"Let's get you to bed".
A Hanko is a small stick shaped stamp that is used in place of or in addition to a signature when receiving a package. The chinese food joke is from an old Disney Channel show called Phil of the Future. The whole episode Pim has a wild dream, but you don't know the episode is her dream till it ends with her waking up to which she comments that she's got to stop eating chinese food before she takes a nap. Her rival with Debbie was also hilarious. Both actresses did a great job, and Pim's evil laugh will always be iconic.