And this is the last part of the 3-chapter starter package. I hope you enjoy.

Date of Post: 1/7/25

Chapter 3

New Roots

It had been 4 days since Yusuke began preparing for Urahara's next test. He'd arrived nowhere. What did Urahara mean by searching for that missing part of himself?

He'd resolved himself to fight. He'd been training his sword skills, his Kido, his Flash Steps, and every other combat style Urahara had trained him in. So, what was he missing?

Yusuke sat in the Underground Training Room, staring into the distance. He tried to make sense of everything and reviewed his progress. Then he thought about what Urahara had said to him last time.

Could he hear Ransha?

Yusuke wanted to slap himself upside the head. He'd neglected the source of his power. He placed his Zanpakuto on his lap and meditated. He called out to the spirit inside his sword. He tried to empty his mind of all thoughts except for the one calling to his Zanpakuto.

Yusuke spent so much time focusing that he had no idea how much had passed. Yet, he couldn't hear Ransha. He doubted his voice was even reaching the entity.

'Ransha…I need your help. I need your power. Please hear me.'

Yusuke pleaded over and over to his Zanpakuto but the spirit was as silent as the night. After hours, he gave up and returned upstairs.

The frustration on his face must've been obvious since Ingrid stopped reading to talk to him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Yusuke grabbed a drink of water.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"I don't know. I doubt it. This is a 'me' problem." Yusuke shook his head.

"You never know. My mother used to tell me that you won't know if something won't work unless you try."

Ingrid had a point. Hell, Yusuke's aunt used to say the same thing.

"I can't hear my Zanpakuto." Yusuke sighed as he indulged Ingrid.

"Care to elaborate?"

"For Soul Reapers, our Zanpakuto are our sources of power. Kinda like how Spirit Particles are the source for Quincy abilities. I closed off my connection to my Zanpakuto for the past 2 years. I guess he resents me for it." Yusuke found it ironic. Now that he wanted his powers, they refused to reawaken.

"Hm…Quincies don't really have anything like that. We've got no spiritual link to another entity. All of our power is innate." Ingrid shrugged. She then stared at Yusuke. "Why'd you close yourself off?"

Yusuke paled. His fingers went frigid as cold sweat crept down his back. That was a story he wasn't keen on telling others.

"…" He allowed his silence to speak for itself.

"I get it. You don't have to share anything you don't want to." Ingrid patted him on the back reassuringly.

Yusuke decided to go out on a limb. Ingrid had shared her history with him. It only felt right to him to return the favor.

"When I was 15, my powers went out of control during a training exercise. I wounded both my Aunt and Uncle. I think I would've accidentally killed them if my Aunt hadn't been fast enough. The two limited my powers as a result. I guess I took it a step further and completely shut out my powers. I resented what it did. I was also afraid of what would happen if I couldn't control it. Ever since that day, I never touched my Zanpakuto again. I was honestly scared of losing the only 2 people I had left in my life."

"What were your aunt and uncle like?"

"My aunt worked with my dad in Division 12. She was meticulous but also overprotective. After my mom died, she took up teaching me Kido and first aid and research but she would always fuss over me. As for my Uncle was from Division 11 before he transferred into Division 13. My Uncle taught me how to fight and Flash Steps. He was kinda gruff but family meant everything to him. His number-one rule was to always be there for friends and family and to look out for people who were weak." Yusuke chuckled as he recalled the pair. He then looked at Ingrid. "What about you?"

"My mom was strict. Every single day was about training when I wasn't going to school. My dad was never in the picture. My mom hated him. So, my uncle took care of my father's role. He was always goofing off and trying to teach me how to have fun. I guess he was like a goofier Urahara, based off what I've seen." Ingrid shrugged. "But, my mom always made sure I was okay after every training session. She got me whatever I wanted and tried to make sure I didn't become a spoiled brat."

"They sounded like good people." Yusuke chuckled.

"They were. I still miss them. I guess we've got a lot in common, huh?" Ingrid smiled sadly.

"I guess." Yusuke mulled over a question he was now tempted to ask. Would it be problematic to voice it? "Say, Ingrid, I've got a question. Don't answer it if you don't want to but…what's your plan now?"

"I'm gonna find the people who murdered my family. I'm going to get all the answers I want and then I'm gonna end this chase they put me on. After that…I'll rebuild my life, I guess."

Her background and wish gave Yusuke much to think about. It reminded him that he'd had a goal before all this, before he shut out his powers. He wanted to find out the truth behind his parents' murders. It had been a goal that he'd let go of ever since the accident he'd had with his aunt and uncle. He'd told himself that even if he pursued revenge, he would get nowhere with his current predicament. He believed that he couldn't be trusted with such a goal.

Yet, here stood someone who was fighting tooth and nail to survive, to defy the odds against her. She was weakened but she still had the guts to plan revenge. Even so, she still had enough sense to protect people she cared about.

What did that make him? A coward? A lazy bastard? Passive-aggressive? Undeterminable?

Yusuke spent the rest of his time pondering with himself. What was he missing? What was he doing wrong?

He decided he needed to go out and think

"Hey, Yusuke!" A familiar voice called out to Yusuke as he trekked through the streets. It was Katherine.

"Hey, Katherine." He waved at her.

"On a stroll?"

"Yeah, just been thinking to myself. What about you? Restaurant not open today?" Yusuke noticed the shopping bags in her hands.

"My dad's been feeling a little sick lately. So, we're not open for business. Say, we're working on a new recipe. We need feedback. Wanna try it?"

Yusuke loved her family's food but it felt like he was being a freeloader.

"I don't know. If you're not open for business then it feels like I'm mooching off you."

"Don't be like that. You know what they say, artists don't grow if they only listen to themselves." Katherina pointed in the direction of her restaurant, the Hindi Secrets.

In the end, she won out and Yusuke found himself sitting in front of the counter.

Instead of Rahul, Katherine was cooking.

"Where's your mom and brother?"

"My mom's taking care of my dad and my brother's out." She replied from the kitchen.

Yusuke awkwardly resumed sitting, looking around, as he patiently waited for her to finish cooking. Minutes later, a plate of curry entered his view.

"Tandoori chicken with fried curried rice. Enjoy." Katherine excitedly said.

Yusuke took a bite of everything and smiled. He always wound up smiling. The food Katherine and her family cooked was comforting. He could feel the love and care that they infused into their food. Family or customer, they were all treated the same by this Indian family.

"It's great. I really like it." Yusuke nodded in approval.

"Awesome! I'll tell my dad." Katherine went back into the kitchen to start cleaning.

"So, is your dad just having a cold or is there anything I can help with?"

Katherine went quiet for a bit before replying.

"Well, my dad suddenly got sick with something. The doctors have no idea what it is. He's always so tired and he keeps coughing." As if on cue, Rahul could be heard heaving upstairs. "His body's fine, they say, but it keeps weakening and no one has any idea what to do."

Yusuke now realized that Katherine had invited him here because she needed some kind of support. He wasn't the best at it, but…he knew how she felt. Now, what was he to say?

"How're you holding up?" That was probably a dumb question but maybe that was okay. It was still an important one.

"Er, okay, I guess? I'm just really nervous. What if it's some kind of new disease? What if there's no cure? I really don't know what to do." Katherine sighed.

"When my aunt and uncle died, I felt the same way. In the end, I lost them both and maybe sometimes there's nothing we can do. However, I do regret having given up hope. Sometimes, giving up even when the ending isn't gonna change, does make a difference. I wonder what conversations I could've had with them would've been like. I think about my family all the time, wondering what could've gone differently." Yusuke sighed, stopping himself before he started rambling on with more nonsense. He had to say something that made sense. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that even if things are hopeless, what you do can still matter, whether it be for you or the people you care about."

Katherine didn't seem too comforted but she still flashed him an appreciative smile.

"Thanks, Yusuke. I needed that."

He only nodded in return. Once his meal was done, Yusuke was about to leave until he felt an odd sensation. It was coming from upstairs. It was no ordinary gut feeling. It felt wicked, dark, and unsettling.

Yusuke thought it was nothing at first but considering what Katherine said, he wondered if there was something supernatural going on. He wanted to turn away; he wanted to think it was all his imagination but then he thought about how distressed Katherine looked. Her father was so important to her. Her family always had a hot and caring meal ready for him whenever he came by.

He owed it to them to at least investigate.

So, he turned into a Soul Reaper and went upstairs. He gently pushed open the door and there it was: some sort of lizard-like creature with wings tucked into its indigo body. It slithered around the ceiling with its long forked tongue hovering over the bedridden Rahul.

Yusuke had this thing pegged as a Dragon, given its features and what little he knew that his aunt and uncle taught him. The Dragon opened its jagged maw. Rahul coughed, causing some sort of spiritual essence to come out of his mouth and into the Dragon's. Yusuke could sense that Rahul was getting weaker.

This thing had to be the source of his illness.

"Hey!" Yusuke drew his Zanpakuto and pointed it at the creature. "What're you doing to him?!"

"Eating. Leave or I'll devour you too!" The Dragon snarled.

Yusuke needed to know no more. This thing was an enemy. He hated to admit that he'd drawn his sword for no reason. His hands couldn't stop shaking. He was scared of this unknown creature and what it could do. Even so, he had to do something.

Yusuke charged and swung at the Dragon, severing one of its wings.

"AGH!" The Dragon howled. It opened its mouth, its tongue sniped at him, elongating like some kind of harpoon.

The ceiling collapsed and Rahul was about to be crushed by the falling debris. Yusuke dove over him and grabbed him before he could be turned into a pincushion.

Yusuke then felt a sharp burning pain spread across his right shoulder. The Dragon's tongue had gotten him. Its acidic tongue was already burning through his skin.

"Hado 33: Soren Sokatsui!" He fired a burst of blue and white Spiritual Pressure down its mouth.

"Aagh! Geh! Eheh!" The Dragon coughed and snarled before leering at Yusuke.

Yusuke and the Dragon dodged and assailed one another with attacks but the young man failed to cut through the creature's scales.

'Damn it! I can't get through. My only choice is to shove attacks down its throat!'

Yusuke was prepared to do just that but had to dodge out of the way when it snaked its tongue at him. It was so fast that it nearly managed to coil around him. Thankfully, he managed to cut its tongue off.

"AAAAHH!" The Dragon yowled as it lost its body part.

Yusuke grabbed Rahul and headed downstairs to get him away from the escalating fight. When he turned around, he was prepared to fight again. He was still scared but he couldn't let someone he cared about die when he could do something about it.

All of a sudden, he heard the sounds of battle above him. He could sense incoming magic blast into the room upstairs. Then, the presence of the Dragon faded. Instead, he heard two women's voices.

"That Billy, calling us all of a sudden. Still, to think there was another Dark Dragon in Regular London and so close to prey, at that." A temperamental tone snarked as footsteps came closer.

"I think there was a civilian here. We should look around and call for medics." The other woman's voice was calmer and colder.

Yusuke immediately turned back into a human and left as Katherine and her mother rushed into the restaurant from outside. He had no desire to be caught up in this and explain his supernatural connection.

He watched from a crack in the window as two young ladies came down. They were the ones he'd seen last week: Ninny and Noel.

"Billy, we found some civilians. We need medics here ASAP." Ninny then turned to Katherine.

"We're from Wing Bind and we need you two to listen closely. There was a gas explosion here and we need you cooperation." Noel began talking but the shorter girl with her stepped in.

"I've got a better idea." Ninny put her lips to some sort of small trumpet and blew a sound wave over Katherine and her mother. "There. Let's make them think there was an actual gas explosion with some magic and get going. The less people know about us, the better."

Then, the two did the most confounding thing. They brought some kind of device to Katherine and her family's tongues and made the lick the pads.

"DragoToxins in normal range. We can go now." Noel closed her pad and the two flew off on top of some smaller dragons just as the sound of sirens closed in.

Yusuke followed suit once he saw paramedics escort the family away.

On his way home, he stared at his hand. Urahara was right. He couldn't stop shaking the entire time he was fighting that Dragon. He'd been scared of getting hurt. He was scared of using his powers and losing control.

It was disgusting to reflect on. He had the urge to just walk away from the conflict even at the cost of Rahul's life. The very fact that he thought about doing it disgusted him immeasurably. This couldn't stand. Yusuke had to change.

Once again, he was in front of Urahara in the Underground Training Room, now as a Soul Reaper with his sword drawn.

Urahara didn't say a word the moment they entered. The older man merely peered at him like a judging statue. He entered a stance, releasing his Zanpakuto without a word.

"Razor, Benihime." Urahara slashed a crimson crescent wave of Spiritual Pressure at Yusuke.

Yusuke, by instinct, barely managed not to get decapitated. Instead, he escaped with a nick on his temple.

"Yusuke, have you really not done any work since we last met?" Urahara sounded disappointed like before but this time, his eyes told Yusuke that the gloves had come off. "Think, Yusuke. Think hard on why you pursued your powers in the first place."

Yusuke began running, dodging, and weaving around Urahara's attacks. All the while, he pondered what the man meant. He wracked his brain but he just couldn't remember. Why did he have such powers in the first place? Was it not because he was born with them?

Yusuke's train of thought distracted him from his reality, allowing Urahara to swipe at his shoulder, drawing blood.

"A pupil of mine took the steps you did to save his friend. Then his other friends followed suit. Now, why do you have your powers? Was it just to have it? Did you approach me just to develop your strength for no reason at all 3 years ago? Did you ask your aunt and uncle to teach you just so you could feel self-gratification? If so, that's a flimsy excuse. Gaining power just for its own sake proves that you don't deserve it."

Urahara's endless pelt of questions only left Yusuke in a lost stupor.

"Damn it, I don't get it! What do you want from me, Urahara?!" He snapped.

"I want you to wake up." The former captain slashed him across the chest the second he turned around.

Yusuke gasped as a streak of hot sharp pain slithered through his torso.

'Wake up? What does he even mean?'

"You're not awake, Yusuke. You're living in a fantasy. You told yourself that you would help someone but you can't help yourself. You're not exerting full effort to regaining strength. You can't even remember why you have it. You can't hear your Zanpakuto and it cannot hear you. I think that if you looked deep down, you'd find the answers to my questions. You need to face yourself. What do you want to do? How will you do it? Do you actually mean what you say or have you not noticed that you're holding yourself back?" Urahara slowly paced toward the young man, his sword brandished murderously.

Yusuke felt himself shiver. His legs were refusing to move. His arms were heavier than lead. Nothing was working.

Urahara raised his weapon high.

"If you don't find the will to fight, Yusuke, you might be better off not being here. Shall I make it be that way?" The ex-captain's Spiritual Pressure shot through the roof. A red glow was emanating from his weapon and it was intensifying with each passing second.

This time, Urahara didn't care whether or not if he wounded him.

'Is this truly all I'll amount to? Is this how it ends? I don't get it. What am I forgetting?' Yusuke concentrated, hoping the answer would come to his mind.

No…that was wrong. That was what he'd been doing. He'd hoped that things would just pass or he only needed to put in the bare minimum of care. Just hoping wasn't enough. Yusuke needed to do better than just hope that something would happen. He needed to put his will into his actions and make his desires real.

He looked at his sword. It slightly trembled in his grip. No, that wasn't right. His hand was the one trembling. Why was he afraid? Hadn't he managed to fight against that Dragon? Why was he scared now? Then it came to him. He was also scared of hurting people he cared about. The recollection of how he'd left his uncle a bloody mess and the look of terror in his aunt's eyes had been seared into his mind. Even with how fuzzy it all seemed, those images were the most vivid.

'No…No! Stop fearing everything. That's why you always ran away. You can't run away forever, Yusuke!' The young man steeled himself.

If he didn't know how to do something, he needed to find a way to do it. If he didn't know, he needed to learn. If he said he would whole-heartedly do something, then he needed to be prepared to follow through instead of just stopping halfway or not giving his all like he'd been doing recently.

Yusuke gripped his sword for the first time since the test began. Yes, this felt right. This was the start to reclaiming himself. Now was the time, at his hour of need, to call to his partner.

'Ransha, I know I've neglected you for 2 years. I know that I must've hurt you. However, I need your strength. I'm not complete without you and I know you need me too. Right here, right now, I'm going to take the first steps to reclaim myself. I need you so that I can finally help someone, so that I can finally reclaim myself. I need you to help me defy my weakness. I need you so that I can finally protect people, Ransha!'

Yusuke heard nothing but silence in his mind, until…

'At last, you call to me wholeheartedly. Very well, I'll acknowledge that willpower of yours.' A calm voice resounded in his heart and mind.

Yusuke opened his eyes and felt power coursing throughout his hands and into his weapon. A navy aura had enveloped him completely. His sword's edge was now glowing the same color.

"Defy, Ransha!" The Zanpakuto transformed into a wider black blade with a navy edge. The handguard transformed, turning into a shape similar to a stylized 'S', with one side curving over the hilt.

Urahara finally cracked a smile.

"We're finally getting somewhere."

Yusuke steeled himself. He could remember the first technique that Ransha had ever taught him. He was going to counter. He wasn't going to just stop the attack. He was going to overpower it and prove to Urahara that he wasn't half-assing this.

"Uchiiri Setsuken (Raiding Severing Sword)!" Yusuke slashed his sword through the air, firing a wave of turquoise Spiritual Pressure at Urahara's attack.

The destructive wave blasted through the crimson slash and straight toward Urahara.

"Bakudo 81: Danku (Airtight)." Urahara's Kido spell formed a white transparent wall that howled once Yusuke's attack hit it.

Before long, the Uchiiri Setsuken dissipated, leaving a smirking Urahara.

"You've finally woken up."

Yusuke took a deep breath. He was more drained than expected. It was only natural since it had been 2 years since he'd used this attack.

"Are you done?" Yoruichi walked up from the distance.

"It would seem so." Urahara nodded, dusting off his clothes. "I just had a nasty case of déjà vu. The last time this happened, I almost lost an arm."

"Not too shabby for a rusty boy like you." Yoruichi was finally grinning too.

"Now that you've reawakened your Zanpakuto, I can rest a little bit easier." Urahara walked up to Yusuke. "I've also got a better idea as to what happened to you."

"And you had to learn this by trying to kill me?" Yusuke growled.

"There's no better wake-up call than reality." Urahara didn't even seem apologetic.

"So that was your Zanpakuto's ability? You fire Spiritual Pressure?" Yoruichi asked.

"Not exactly. Ransha's ability is to force its way through whatever I'm targeting. It's good for breaking through defenses. It's a fitting ability for 'The Rebellious One'." Yusuke returned his sword into its sealed state and sheathed it. He then turned to Urahara.

"So, it's time to answer questions, isn't it? Let's get you patched up while we talk."

Ingrid was quick to begin bandaging Yusuke as Urahara prepared tea.

"You said that you've got a better idea about what happened to me. What do you know that I don't?" Yusuke demanded.

"The last time we met was 3 years ago. You seemed very different then. You were more moody, focused, and downright grouchy. When we met up after your aunt and uncle died, you behaved the way you are now. I wondered why. At first, I assumed the shock of losing all your relatives did a number on you." Urahara gently laid beverages in front of everyone.

"I thought that your desire for answers and revenge had made you seen things differently. After all, revenge is ugly." Yoruichi chimed in.

"But that wasn't the case. As I watched you, I saw that you weren't using your powers. Your connection to your Zanpakuto was stifled. I spent a good while sifting through all the research that your relatives left behind and I saw notes concerning you." Urahara handed Yusuke a book. "I saw that your aunt and uncle had sealed your abilities 2 years ago. It was due to the accident you had. They feared that something would happen if you didn't control your abilities so they hampered your personality. They made you more passive, less likely to take up arms."

Yusuke remembered more and more as time passed. Reestablishing his connection to Ransha had allowed him to recall memories that he didn't even know that he'd forgotten.

"Yeah…I was pretty stupid back then." Yusuke sighed as he stared at his hands.

"It is what it is. What matters now is that you've regained your strength." Urahara unfolded his fan joyfully.

"And this is all leading to?" Yusuke urged him to go on. Nothing was ever short and simple with Urahara. He'd heard enough stories about his war with Aizen to guess that much.

"Nothing much. Like I said. If the fair lady here…" Urahara gestured toward Ingrid. "…has anyone else following her or there're Hollows lurking about, then you should be able to hold your own now. That being said, I received some news recently."

Urahara took out an object from his pocket and slid it onto the table. It was a Quincy Cross. The moment Ingrid saw it, her face contorted into discomfort.

"Some Yhwach loyalists were apprehended and turned in to Soul Society. I recommend you two be on your guard. Thankfully, they were in Japan so I'm highly doubtful that they've yet to come to London. However, to avoid attracting too much attention to you, Yoruichi and I will be heading back to Karakura for a while. I'm hoping that you two will be okay until we can find out more." Urahara stood up.

"Also, Yusuke, we haven't stopped looking into the matter regarding your parents' murder. Given the situation, I've been doing the digging since their lab is back in Karakura. I encountered a password to the lab. Know anything about it?"

"Elaborate, please."

"The message said: 'My favorite season is 'blank'. My favorite color is 'blank'. Now go to sleep, 'blank'. I tried your parents' favorites and they all failed. I couldn't make heads or tails of the last blank either. I'm assuming you know what it is." Urahara repeated the message to him.

Yusuke pondered on this development. He was only 5 when he found his parents murdered. He hadn't any understanding of their logic or information that would unlock such a thing. He tried to recall what his parents would say to him all the time. What did they often say that would have meaning. Then, it dawned on him…

"Try 'Spring' for the first blank. For the second blank, try 'blue'. As for the third one, try 'Mochi'."

Yoruichi looked more puzzled than a cube. "Huh?"

"My dad used to say that my favorite season was his favorite just to humor me. My mom did the same with color. She always used to call me her little mochi since I was a chubby kid." Yusuke muttered.

"I understand. Thank you. I promise I'll call you the minute I find anything." Urahara took off his hat, showing one of his few moments of unambiguity.

"It's your right to be there but given the circumstances, you'll have to make do with this arrangement." Yoruichi said as a magical gateway opened behind her; it was a dark void that opened like a mouth. On the other side was Urahara's shop.

Once Urahara and Yoruichi were gone, Yusuke sat down. Now that he had a chance to unwind, his head was spinning from all the memories he was recalling now.

He remembered even more training sessions with his aunt and uncle, particularly moments where he practiced with Ransha. Was his ability so dangerous that his guardians were forced to erase his knowledge of it?

He slumped his head to the Dining Table. He only had more questions instead of answers, unlike what Urahara said. He soon realized that Urahara had left the Quincy Cross on his table. "Should we be worried?"

"Best to destroy it." Ingrid remarked.

"How?"

"That's a standard Quincy Cross. There's nothing that special about it. A strong enough attack should do the trick."

Was this another test from Urahara? Yusuke didn't know. Regardless, just having the item around made him uncomfortable. He soon destroyed it underground, leaving no trace with one swing of Uchiiri Setsuken.

Yusuke couldn't help but be surprised by Ingrid earlier. In the few days since they'd begun spending more time together, he'd found that she was actually quite calm and kind now that she'd warmed up to him. To see her face bend into a sneer at the sight of a Quincy Cross was shocking to him.

It made him only more curious to know more about her.

And that's the end of this 3-chapter installment. I hope you enjoyed it and I'll try to update whenever I can. That means whenever I'm feeling motivated.

Honestly, I've kinda gotten my spark back a bit to begin writing my IRL novel again so I guess this venture worked.

With all that being said, I hope you have a good day/evening and take care.