Hello everyone! Hope you are all fine and ready for a new adventure :D
Chapter XXI
Disclaimer, reminder and warnings. Nothing new, but needs to be written.
Friendly reminder: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea :) Although, by now, I am sure most of you know what you're getting into x3
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc.
WARNINGS: Spoiler alertfor anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime!Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! :3
Dedicating this lovely chapter Aeilene and Martyna1. Your reviews truly motivated me to finalize this one. It also gave me inspiration for a little game I added somewhere along the lines. Thank you all for your continuous support. It's official, this story can now be considered adult and of age in most countries in the world. I believe there are only a few places where you are a grown-up only at 26 or 27. But that is too much in my humble opinion xD
Chapter XXI
Aizen Sosuke was calmly walking through Seireitei. After the meeting, he had taken the same route to Squad Five. He was a predictable and kind individual, greeting all those he passed by and treated everyone with equal respect. Not one person would ever label this man as a cunning, deceiving, ego-maniac with a God complex. For none knew his true colors and those few who got to know, where either eliminated or exiled.
Aizen Taichou was keeping his loving and warm mask for all to see, you would be fooled that the beautiful weather matched his gentle nature. Perfectly in harmony and balance. But on the inside, where the true monster lay at bay, a storm was raging. Yes, Aizen Sosuke was indignant, seething and utterly unable to display how absolutely livid he felt.
Once at the barracks, he performed his duties as anticipated from the most loved Taichou. His Fuku-taichou Hinamori Momo was her usual upbeat and joyful self. Those large walnut tinted eyes full of admiration towards her captain, strongly believing she was the luckiest Fuku-taichou of all. He felt satisfied at seeing that his hold on the girl had come to such an extent. It was always a sight for sore eyes. At least one thing was going smoothly.
As late night fell over Soul Society, he proceeded to his bed chambers. Or so everyone thought. Instead the man took a little deviation from the common course. He moved to an unkempt part within Seireitei, a large clearing with naught but desolated buildings. In one of these broken structures he entered into an underground passage where his laboratory awaited his arrival. He was sure he would be met with his two conspirators. True to his predictions a grinning Ichimaru Gin and the ever-stoic Tousen Kaname sat in front of the many monitors.
There were several reasons for Aizen's irked mood. For one he lost his hold over Narukishi city, which had been the perfect place to set his experiments loose. It would not have been such a stab at his pride, had it been given to any other division but Squad Ten. The mere thought of the goofy Shiba Isshin being in charge of his toy was enough to make his blood boil. On top of that, the latest specimen Gin had brought and prepared had been an utter failure. So much wasted time on a promising experiment which yielded no results. Yet another reason for his irritation.
Naturally, he could always count on Tousen to make him feel better. Judging by the many screens, there were some new developments.
"Aizen-sama, we have apprehended an intoxicated member of your Squad. He was found alone and extremely tipsy, no relatives or relevant bonds with any associates within the Gotei 13. I took the liberty of preparing him for research. Though, Ichimaru hit the sample on the head too harshly and there are chances he may not survive till morning."
The fox-faced man turned to look at his partner with an offended expression.
"So mean Tousen-san. You know I meant no harm. Well, for our cause anyway. It was a little slip of the hand. Who would have guessed the little one had a soft cranium? He did spend his last moments with members of the Eleventh. Thus, I was under the impression he would be more of hard-head."
Aizen was already content at seeing the newest project, therefore ignoring the bickering duo. Gin had contained killer necessities which came out every now and then. His care-free demeanor impeccably clashing against the more frigid attitude Tousen possessed. Nothing out of the norms. Letting a smile grace his features, he moved toward the machines.
"Think nothing of Gin's misstep Tousen. Even the best men make small errors here and there. I am just happy we can resume our study. In fact, I believe we can attempt something new. Specific for this opportunity at having a dying Shinigami. What would happen if we were to create a Hollow from a 'dead' Shinigami? Let us take full advantage of the situation we have been gifted. Shall we proceed?"
Yoruichi had spent the whole day tailing Aizen, but when he disappeared within that one demolished house, she lost track. She was sure a well-placed Kido was preventing her exploration. That was both good and bad. Good for she would be willing to bet this is where Aizen conducted his illegal side and bad for she could not see more. If the Kido worked as a repellent and security system, she could be discovered.
That was reason enough to make her decide to rest on top of a nearby tree. It was remarkable it survived among all the desolation surrounding it, but she would not complain. It was the perfect spot to check things out without being suspected.
Just a little prior to day-break the group she had been spying came out. She stretched and casually dropped to the ground, just like any common feline would do. Aizen and Tousen seemed to be in a rather philosophical conversation, while the illusive Ichimaru kept his smirk in place and watched their backs. The sly man sent her a quick glance unnoticed by his companions. If at all possible, his smile became that significantly larger as though giving her a suggestive look. Yoruichi was worried she had been found out, but that thought was forgotten once Ichimaru turned to face the two cohorts a little ahead of him.
"Ne, ne Aizen-Taichou. When do we get to play with our latest doll? You bad boys, don't leave me in the dark. I wanna know so I can prepare snacks for the show. Should be lots of fun."
Aizen turned to give Gin one of his nifty smirks.
"Soon Gin. Worry not, you will be informed in due time. As a matter of fact, I hear there is a festival coming up. We should make preparations to make it a memorable experience."
Gin nodded eagerly and followed behind the two, attempting to poke a few of Tousen's buttons, while the blind man was tired enough to allow him to do as he pleased. Yoruichi sighed. That was a close call. Though, she had the suspicion that Ichimaru Gin was not the man she had presumed him to be. Instead of revealing her presence, he pretended he had not seen her and on top of that he gave her 'uninhibitedly' an insight to their upcoming plans. Could it be that Gin was a double agent? She will skin Kisuke alive if that is the case. Decision made, she left, preparing her claws in case she had to utilize them in the near future.
Bazz-B was laughing so hard he nearly fell from his chair. Haschwalth's astounded tone had been awesome. He would remember it for future exploits. They may be friends, but he was not one to look past a golden prospect at getting his hands on good old black-mail material.
The other occupants remained emotionless, unable to understand what caused the loud outburst. And that included Shirosaki. He saw nothing humorous. What was so strange about Haschwalth's behavior? If he truly had lived all these years locked in Wandenreich, would it be so presumptuous to be surprised at hearing a voice you last heard nearly a millennium ago? Sheesh, even Shirosaki had more class than that.
Everyone waited patiently for the cackling to stop. They did not have to wait long. When realization hit Bazz-B that he was the only one making a ruckus he quietened down, trying really hard to not show his discomfort.
With everyone settled, Ossan spoke up into the device.
"How do you do Haschwalth? It's been a while. I am glad you remember both my reiatsu and voice, as expected from the one I assigned as Grandmaster and my second in command."
Haschwalth must have regained his composure as the response was immediate.
"Your Majesty… Indeed, its been far too long. I apologize for my absence. Due to ill-fated circumstances I was unable to personally greet you face to face."
"Think nothing of it, I was aware of your predicament even before meeting with Bazzard Black. On the contrary I had predicted you would send a dependable person in your place. I do have several questions, one of them being: How strong is Soren's hold on the Wandenreich?"
A pause preceded the answer.
"If I may be honest Heika, not as sturdy as we have made him believe. Although, many are willingly listening to his orders because he claims he has what is required to release the seal on your person. I must admit, for a while, I too was lead to accept his assertion as true. However, in recent decades many changes happened and I see he is up to something. Regrettably, I can't seem to grasp exactly what."
Shirosaki scoffed, leave it to Haschwalth to figure out the turncoat that was Soren. Ossan shot him a quick glare to behave.
"There is much to be discussed and I would prefer a private meeting rather than a distant call. How about tomorrow night? I have recently attained a portal medallion which I intend to use. Would I be correct in assuming you recall the path to the 'Eldritch'* room?"
"Absolutely, your Majesty. I shall make all arrangements. May I inquire as to how many individuals will be invited?"
Ossan thought about it for just a little bit. He was wondering if he should bring the eccentric shopkeeper along or not. Unpredictably, it was Shirosaki who offered a solution to the dilemma.
"Hey there Haschwalth-san. Long time no see. To make all of our lives easier, how about you do as usual 'Expect less, but be prepared for more'? Six people on our side including the Emperor should do the trick. Not sure if you want to add this flamboyant fool of a pal you've got, but if you let him come as well, make it seven."
Bazzard's indignant shout went unheard over the light chuckle coming from the transmitter.
"Shirosaki Ichirou, what a surprise. And here I was thinking you got wiped out centuries ago."
Shirosaki merely sneered in the direction of the item adding: "Aw, I missed you too Sensei."
That one word 'Sensei' was said with so much cynicism it was tangible in the air around them. On the other side of the gadget, Haschwalth was unsuccessfully fighting the urge to laugh out loud if the giggles were any indication of his state of spirit. He would not deny, it took a long time for Haschwalth to get used to Shirosaki's presence at court. One of the jobs he had been bestowed upon by his Majesty was to teach the creature proper noble etiquette.
Curiously, Shirosaki had taken a liking to the blonde man and did show his respect by going as far as calling him Haschwalth-san from the very beginning. At the time, the suffix was to be earned in the Hollows' eyes, therefore, not many got to hear it said with their names. If they did not end up with a nickname in place of the name. Haschwalth was one of the rare individuals who acquired it immediately on the spot.
Bazzard too was tittering. Gosh, he forgot how amusing it was to have Jugo and Shirosaki in the same room. For a change, he was looking forward to a conference. The only one out of the loop was Soken. He was flabbergasted. The Grandmaster had been the Hollow's tutor? Not only that, but it sounded like they were on good terms bordering on friendly.
"It will be taken care of. Heika, may I confirm that the medallion you speak of is the same one Ishida Soken took with him when he left Wandenreich?"
Ossan froze. Soken had one of those too? He would have to request Soken's full story on his time spent in Wandenreich. In the meantime, he had a reputation to uphold. Ossan was a master at disguising his true feelings and simply confirmed.
"Affirmative. I will leave the rest in your capable hands Haschwalth. We'll see you tomorrow around nine. I do believe it is about time Bazzard returned. I do not wish for his lengthy absence to be noticed."
Bazz-B did not need anything further to be said and stood from his chair. His example followed by all. Haschwalth had taken that moment to terminate the conversation, giving Bazzard the possibility to retake the device. Ossan at the front lead them all to the exit of the castle and barrier. Bazzard bowed with a respectful "Heika." And took his leave.
Ossan turned to stare Soken down. That little slip-up could have costed them their credibility. It was only natural to make him feel mortified. Exhaling loudly and shaking his head, Ossan met the gray eyes which were gazing him with deep remorse.
"Well, I reckon some things never change. You were known for having nimble fingers. Let us just agree you will bring the contraption along tomorrow night. We should pay Urahara-san a visit. I do intend to ask him to join us for a night stroll."
Shirosaki could not prevent his smile's return. Only Ossan would call breaking and entering a concealed realm a 'walk'. With a light gesture he opened a Garganta. This time he needed not encourage anyone to follow. It was either this or walking all the way to the Shoten.
Once at the shop, they were met by the devil himself. Urahara was sitting on the store's porch waving his fan around.
"A good afternoon everyone. It's been a while. Well, a couple hours at most, but who counts? How about some tea? I think Tessai-san just finished the latest batch."
Ossan looked deeply into those knowing orbs. Urahara must already have an idea of what they had been up to. The spark of interest and intelligence was difficult to ignore.
"By all means. Although, it is lunch time. Instead of spending our time in your 'cozy' abode, I would like to invite you for a meal. My treat of course."
Urahara continued to flutter the fan, until he closed it.
"Ma, I do appreciate your kind proposition, but I will have to decline. I am running a few experiments and tests which will require my attention once done. While waiting for results, you may want to know those little contraptions I prepared are very much functional. As per the data gathered form Yoruichi-san the Shinigami have concluded that their best solution at handling the increasing number of powerful Hollows is to appoint two Shinigami to Karakura and Narukishi city. For that reason, I am preparing a new product for Shirosaki-san. But we can talk more about it inside."
Finalizing his statement, Urahara rose and invited the three in. Shirosaki was contemplating to just leave the damned man high and dry. Like hell he would let Urahara get anywhere near him. It seemed Ossan had other plans as he did go after the researcher. A squeeze on his shoulder, compliments of Soken-san, dissuaded Shirosaki's wish to go away. Taking a deep breath, the two accompanied their comrade.
They were back in the same room from earlier in the morning. Well, they were missing Yoruichi and Tessai, but it did not seem to bother the eccentric scientist, who started offhandedly.
"Since we are going to get two Shinigami in town, I am creating a wristband that will keep Shirosaki-san's Hollow reiatsu at bay. Please do not take offence, to most Shinigami and other spiritually aware individuals you do feel as human as they get. However, I know for a fact that there are some who would be able to get a read on your true reiatsu and we would not want that, am I correct?"
Shirosaki hated to admit it, but the guy was right. Aside from Bazzard who sucked at sensing things around him, there were tons of people who may get the truth. Soken and the annoying Urahara to name a few. It was likely that even Aizen could figure him out which was not good at all. Back at the palace it was an entirely different case. Ichigo and Ossan had worked together in keeping his Hollow powers undetectable. But therein lies the catch, it takes the two of them to do it. Without Ichigo the spell did not operate in the same manner.
"Fine, whatever. I'll wear it, but only if it's not messed-up. You try any stupid tricks and you won't live long enough to see today's sunset!"
The nutcase did not bother with threats. If only he could get a penny for every attempt at intimidating him, he would have been a billionaire even before being chased out of Soul Society. A knock on the door announced Tessai-san's immaculate arrival. The large man placed, what looked to be, a black rubber-silicone thin bracelet on the table in front of Shirosaki and took his seat at Urahara's side not making a single sound.
Without second guessing if he was making the right decision by trusting the unconventional shop owner, Shirosaki took the item and placed it on his wrist. He did not feel any different and glanced at Ossan, who in turn appraised the little object.
"I confess it functions quite well, Urahara-san. My compliments on preparing a fully functional product on short notice. Granted, I have the sensation you have been secretly working on it since the first night we've met."
Urahara was yet again caught in his own terrain.
"You would be most correct Kurosaki-san. I was very intrigued by Shirosaki-san's reiatsu. It was a mystery which would not let me rest peacefully. I simply could not resist."
Chills went down Shirosaki's spine. Sheesh, this guy was, to put it lightly, unsettling. And they wanted him to stay and oversleep at the creepers place? Nope, not on his life. Urahara continued as thought they had not been interrupted at all and gave Ossan his entire attention.
"On to another topic. I met an interesting fellow not too long ago. This person just passed by Karakura town and went in the same area I lost track of the three of you. Yes, I tried to follow your movements. And no, I don't feel ashamed in the least. Shirosaki-san, your Garganta was spectacular. I did everything I could, but it was untraceable. I only found you all thanks to the transmitter I gave you. And even with it, after a bit, you were gone. I was afraid of the worst. As I was on the way to investigate, a young Quincy passed by and disappeared around the same place. I figured the whole setting was probably made to intercept the youngster for you to get in touch with the gentleman you spoke about. Would I be correct, Kurosaki-san? Ah, that too would be incorrect. Pardon my lack of manners Kurosaki-sama, or to be more accurate your Majesty."
Stare down contest: grey versus reddish-brown, Urahara Kisuke against the Quincy King. Shirosaki was placing his bet on Ossan. He had known the older male for longer and the Emperor could be one scary fellow. On the other side, the ex-Shinigami was not bad himself. He found out about Ossan just like that. Nah, he might be good, but Ossan had experience, like almost two thousand years of practice. Damn, Shirosaki always forgot just how old the Quincy Sovereign really was. He surely did look good for a well-kept mummy.
Next to Shirosaki, the Quincy Monarch had a calm air about him. He had wondered how long it would take the ashen-blonde man to grasp his identity. He had not kept his identity undisclosed out of distrust, fear or any other reason in particular. It was purely out of habit.
"It is of little to no significance how you call me. After all, you could have gotten the idea from the way Soken-san paused at my name. Not to mention the little slip-up of 'Hei' he had made once or twice. Though, I was hoping you would have unveiled my secret much sooner."
'Bang. Sing me a victory dance. Should have made a bet with one of the other two guys in the room, could have gotten me some spare coins. Ok, yens. Whatever works in here.'
Shirosaki was glowing in ecstasy at the blow Ossan made to the other guy. Call him a sadist all you want, but he was glad the shopkeeper was knocked down a notch or two. Something told him it did not happen often.
Urahara himself acknowledged defeat. It was true, he should have seen the truth sooner. Just confirmation that the person sitting in his store was indeed who he thought to be. Yet another puzzle to solve. He had to hack in the Daireishokairō* to find out as much as he did. The Quincy King sealed nearly a thousand years ago by the Sōtaichō. It happened during the greatest war between Quincy and Shinigami. Records stated that the conflict started due to the disruption of balance the Quincy created by killing Hollows.
What surprised him was the information that stated that a compromise was made at first. A group of Shinigami, led by, what would nowadays be called, a Fuku-taichou, was sent to the Living World for a test-drive mission. The Quincy battalion was to keep the Hollows at bay and weaken them enough for the Shinigami to finish them off. There were several successful completed assignments, until disaster hit both sides. That accident was the true root for combat. Apparently, as per the data, the Shinigami unit was eradicated in an assault done by the same Quincy they were working with in unison. Though, it was only speculation. There were no solid signs as neither side survived.
On the other hand, an enraged 'Emperor Bach' blamed the event on the Shinigami, asserting that the unit sent turned against his troops, killing the whole group and abducting a high-ranking member of his forces. The whole banter back and forth inspired aggression and soon no one wanted to see reason. More Shinigami came with or without permission to the World of the Living to attack the Quincy, who in turn showed no mercy. Bitter at having lost their family and friends, not to mention the capture of a battalion leader, the 'Blood War' began.
True to its name, s bloody battle commenced, neither side backing down. It was listed that the Monarch had made several attempts at trying to create truce. The only condition was the return of the allegedly kidnapped unidentified general. Supposedly it was a youngster of the age between sixteen and seventeen. It was unknown why the Ruler believed the young soul lived or who the man was to the Quincies.
The lack of evidence was what troubled Urahara the most. It was true that the Shinigami from those time were more battle prone and they set up a trap for the Quincy Leader leading to the man's captivity. But the whereabouts where not disclosed or written. He was sure Yamamoto Sōtaichō was the only person alive to know its location. Also, the restraint holding the man imprisoned could not be broken. Not without a Shinigami's power to begin with. And even with the reiatsu of a Shinigami, it was unclear on how to demolish it. To see the 'prisoner' roaming free and to hear he has been, apparently, unrestrained for a very long time, was enough to triggered a headache to the ex-Shinigami.
"My apologies for the delay your Highness. I was under the impression you were… ah, how should I say… hmm… unattainable. To have you in my humble shop is still a shocking revelation I am continuously dealing with. Especially taking into account the fact that you are traveling with a hybrid Hollow-Shinigami, collecting pieces of the Hogyoku and offering assistance in Shinigami affairs. I am simply not sure how to conduct myself without generating a new confrontation between our kinds."
Ossan looked amused. Where is a camera when you need one?
"I'd rather we keep my identity top-secret. Hence, please do not address me so formally. There will be some issues should Soren get a wind of my freedom. And to alleviate your worries, I am not fully liberated. Just a spirit-fragment that was never sealed. Even I know not where the rest of me is, but it is irrelevant for our agreement. For your reassurance, do note that Soren was the mastermind behind the incident which started the war. To this day, I resent not having seen through his tricks sooner. But let us focus on what is going on in the present."
With those words uttered, Ossan started to explain everything said and done between them, Bazzard Black and Haschwalth Jugram, extending an invitation to Urahara and whomever he felt should be present for the reunion in Wandenreich the following evening.
Urahara was thrilled at the offer. An invisible empire hidden in an alternative dimension within a secretive plane. What was there not to like? He could barely restrain his eagerness at the prospect.
"There is only one downside I see to the generous suggestion and that is leaving Karakura and the World of the Living unsupervised. With the danger Aizen and Soren pose, it is unwise…"
Shirosaki grunted, stopping the man there and then.
"Listen here Urahara-san, do you really think Ossan would do something like that when he knows Masaki-chan is targeted? Try again. There is more than one benefit of having me around besides my many charms and personality. I can make a Garganta anywhere and everywhere. Making one from Wandenreich to the World of the Living is a piece of cake. I can't make one at the moment to the Wandenreich as I have not been there before. But the other way around, no problem. I am also sure you could bring along a little machinery capable of detecting any abnormalities while we're off."
Urahara lowered his hat to cover his eyes. Busted yet again.
"In that case, we can meet here tomorrow at nine as you have organized with Haschwalth-san. Naturally, my lodging accommodations are available, should you desire to spend your stay with us."
Shirosaki stood from his spot and moved toward the exit while talking aloud.
"Not for anything in the world. Thanks to your wrist-thingamajig I can pass as a true human. There shouldn't be any problems with me staying at the Ishida's now. If they'll want me in the first place. If not, there are plenty of inns all over the city. At the worst, I can 'evaporate' to the same place we just came from. There are many functional rooms, a bit of cleaning and dusting would be in order, but it's a better prospect than accepting to stay here with you. Ossan, Soken-san let's go. I'm starving, all this planning is making me hungry! Ossan do you have a supplement with you?"
Ossan shook his head in delight. Leave it to Shirosaki to lighten the mood. The poor Hollow missed the spark of interest igniting in grey eyes at the mention of supplement. Deterring an animated Urahara, he answered.
"I thought I had already given an answer to that question. Yes, I always carry some along. Soken-san, now that Shirosaki feels entirely human, would you agree with letting him stay at your residence? It is not mandatory, as you heard, he has more options available at hand."
Soken looked pensively at the Hollow's back. In the short time he had known the young man he saw just that a youthful boy, not a beast or a monster that needed to be controlled or surveyed. He would have to bring the subject with his wife and family, but he foresaw not difficulties.
"Certainly. I'm sure it would make Masaki-san very happy. Although, we must seek blessing from Else. She is the Lady of the house and her word is law at home."
The three left the shop in the direction of the Ishida's, leaving a disheartened Urahara behind. Tessai took the liberty of preparing more tea. There was a new brand of chamomile tea ready for testing. Perhaps it would brighten the other up a bit. Ossan remembered to stop on their journey to fetch a light snack for Shirosaki. Once at the Ishida's there will be no prospects of giving the Hollow the Ginto he needs to sustain his form.
Receiving Else's favor had not been easy. They told her Shirosaki was an orphan Kurosaki-sama met a decade ago and situated into the foster system. He was now sent away from the institute due to his odd coloration he had been born with as it frightened other kids.
She did not believe the whole tale, but she could see that whatever the truth was it seemed to be a delicate subject to the child. The boy looked almost like a Hollow and surely above eighteen, though she was told he was sixteen. She did insist for him to remove his shirt, double checking that he was not a Hollow in disguise. The safety of her own family, her first and foremost duty. To say she was left speechless would be an underestimation. All those muscles, the unblemished skin and best of all, no Hollow hole. Delightful. She was married and would never cheat on her husband, but she was entitled to admire such excellence, especially since they were asking for her accordance.
Shirosaki was given a room near Ryuken's, who was not too happy at the decision, but let it pass as Masaki had been extremely pleased at hearing Shirosaki could live with them. She had spent the majority of the day with Katagiri rearranging the room to her liking. With some, ahem, minor conviction she pulled Ryuken into the mess. Who could resist the ultimate weapon the two girls pulled for him, cooing and puppy eyes. He blamed it on his upbringing of being nice towards girls. Yes, he would continue to lie to himself, anything to keep his pride unscratched.
Consequently, he was surprised when Shirosaki came out within minutes of arriving saying he was done with his belongings. The undercover Hollow was used to moves. Packing and unpacking became second nature in the many years spent with Ossan. When Ryuken entered the room, he saw nearly no changes at all. The mahogany bed and sky-blue velvet cover with white Quincy Zeichen was still there, the closets were filled with clothes, drawers with pens and other little items you could see any normal person carrying around or needing. The cabinet with the mirror was nearly empty, save for toiletries. Not surprising as the other did not wear make-up or contacts as he had assumed at first glance. All in all, the atmosphere was just as he would expect from someone raised in an orphanage. Another peculiarity that caught his eyes was the lack of personalized belongings. Those little things which distinguished each person's aversions, likes, tastes and the kind. There was not one knickknack. He thought that was rather sad.
Lunch had been served not long after their arrival. You could see the newcomer had good manners. Aside from his unusual looks, he was well-behaved. After the meal he had even offered to assist taking the plates, but was reassured by the staff there was no need. Masaki took him to her new appointed room, vigorously pointing to the many changes she made with colors, how she arranged her clothes and newly made purchases. It was nothing much, but it did keep her happy. Along with Katagiri they showed the pale man around the house, gardens and library. It looked like most started to appreciate the quiet man. If Masaki-sama was able to display such trust and genuine care, surely it must be a good individual. The gentleness which Shirosaki used toward Masaki in turn was not overlooked. He treated the dynamic girl as thought he were her older brother.
Ryuken was having a hard time disapproving of the new addition. He too was soon pulled under the spell the charismatic youth possessed. Especially when they made their stop at the library and Shirosaki had the grand idea of acting out one of the many plays they all read. There was a little argument while deciding which author and piece to do, which Shirosaki ended by suggesting they did three different shows giving an opportunity to all.
They started with the classical "Oedipus Rex*" by Sophocles chosen by Ryuken. It was his house after all, so everyone agreed his play should come first. Next came the Kyōgen* "Kakiyamabushi*", also known as the "Persimmon Mountain Hermit" comedy. Surprisingly it had been Katagiri who was sure some smiles before dinner would be useful as a lovely digestive before the meal. She also had opted for this particular tale as it was a traditional Japanese play, bringing forth their connection with the stunning country they all live in. Lastly, as per Masaki's request came the play "Aulularia*" by the Roman Playwright Plautus. Another comedy, this one about a cheapskate.
During the performances all four had a role where their latent talents came forth. It had been an interesting event, never seen before in the Ishida's house. Needless to say, dinner was full of chatter and comments from play selections to acting skills. By nighttime, all were exhausted and sleep came easily.
As it normally happens, mornings came too soon after an entertaining day. Which was the case for a still sleepy Masaki. She was to be enrolled and start school. Ossan took it as his personal business to escort the child and do all the needed work for her sign-up. Simultaneously, opening a new branch of his law company in Karakura. Shirosaki went along just for the fun of it. Yet another day passed in relative peace, until dark. Ossan, Shirosaki and Soken left minutes before nine to meet with Urahara at the Shoten. Unaware of the events which were bound to happen.
Once at the Urahara's Shoten, the three were greeted by the ever-joyful owner, the quiet Tessai-san and Yoruichi-san, for a change in her woman's form. Dressed on top of that!
Her waist-length hair was kept in a ponytail with chin-length bangs framing the sides of her face. Her outfit consisted of a black undershirt, an orange long-sleeve over-shirt with two white straps on each shoulder, a large beige sash around her waist, and black stretch pants with a pair of lightweight brown shoes. In addition, she wore long beige wrist and leg warmers, secured by bands.
"Ah! Good evening everyone. Is it about time for us to depart?"
In response to the landlords' inquiry, Soken pulled out the teleportation device set to bring them to Wandenreich. He was about to say something, when Yoruichi-san spoke briefly.
"Just to give you all a quick heads-up. There is a festival going on in Narukishi tonight and we can expect to be interrupted. I could not find out exactly what they were planning, but Aizen and his men did mention a festival and using their newest doll. It may or may not have anything to do with Narukishi, but I thought it would be wise to be alert and on stand-by."
All nodded in agreement and Soken proceeded as intended.
"If you please, grab a hold of the nearest person next to you and we can be on our way."
Shirosaki had been ready for this and took hold of Ossan and Soken, one on each side. What? He wanted to avoid trouble for as long as he could. It tended to stick to him like glue on most occasions, so why test the waters? Within seconds, the group vanished leaving no hints behind.
Masaki had been keeping a poster hidden the whole day and was burning from the desire to go out. While in town with Kurosaki-sama and Shirosaki-san, she found a print announcing a festival in Narukishi, but it only started at ten in the evening. She did not bring the matter up with either men as she was sure they would tell her it was too late for her to attend.
Taking the picture, she made her way to Ryuken's room. As a precaution she knocked on the door to announce her visit. No sooner had Ryuken opened the door, she pushed him inside intruding, vivaciously pointing to the colorful paper in her hand.
"Check this out Ryuken. There is a festival in the city nearby. Can we go, please? I've never been to one before. Have you? What is it like? Will there be fireworks? I'd love to see the colors they produce. Mother used to tell me, they came in different colors and shapes."
Seeing a cheerful Masaki who was overjoyed at the mere thought of the festival, had Ryuken weak on his knees. It couldn't possibly hurt to go, as long as they did inform his mother Else face the fury of a worried mother upon their return. They could also bring Katagiri who would be a good support in case of Hollow attacks, thought he did not expect it to happen. It was hard for a male to confess that he liked spending time with the two girls. Katagiri seemed so much more relaxed and open while around Masaki. And Masaki, well it was hard to refuse her anything.
"Sure, let me get mother's permission and we can go. I'll ask her to let us take Katagiri as well, just don't let her know she will be having fun."
Masaki nodded understanding what Ryuken meant. Receiving approval from Else was not as difficult as they had anticipated. She did demand the tree to be accompanied by not only Katagiri, but the butler Cord as well. It was late and they would be coming back at even later hours, hence the need to have another reliable male in their midst. Not having any issues with the command, the four took a car and made their way to Narukishi where the festival was being hosted.
'Cold! It's too cold!'
Those were the first thoughts that crossed Yoruichi's mind upon their arrival. Frankly, it was obscured and yes, it was not the warmest place in the world. How could it be? The entire place was within the shadows of Soul Society, something that the Emperor neglected to let them know. You couldn't expect of him to jeopardize the security of his own domain. It was best to keep a plan B in reserve.
Looking around, Urahara had the impression they were in the middle of nowhere. Nothing could be spotted for miles and miles in any direction, if you were even able to penetrate the blackness surrounding the group. He wondered if there was a miscalculation made due to all of their presences. Shortly, that theory was flushed down the drain as the ground underneath started to shuffle and re-arrange itself. Once it resettled, a gray door formed in front of them.
Kurosaki-sama was the first to move, followed by Soken and the rest of the group. Once the door opened, they were instantly met by a young blonde man with blue eyes clad entirely in white. The only none-white materials being the golden buttons of his long tail-coat as well as the golden buckle of the belt at his waist. The man bowed and spoke in a pleasant tone.
"Welcome Heika, Ishida Soken, Shirosaki Ichirou and esteemed guests. Please, feel free to make yourself comfortable as you would in your own homes."
He indicated to a large black and white marble table. The table fit for eight was enclosed by comfortable looking chairs made of black walnut wood and white leather hiding underneath a soft spongy texture. There was nothing else to the room, which surprised Urahara. He had anticipated much more extravaganza from the Quincy. As thought reading his mind, Haschwalth announced.
"Do not be stupefied at the simplicity of the room, it is designed to change in accordance to the needs it has to fulfill. Should his Majesty request, it could turn into a bed chamber, a kitchen or any other specific room desired. Thus, why we refer to it as the 'Eldritch' room, it is full of wonders."
While Urahara mused the new data in his mind, Kurosaki-sama moved with all the regality his title warranted and sat at the head of the table. Haschwalth to his right with Shirosaki taking the seat next to his Sensei. Soken followed in the others steps and took the chair to Shirosaki's left. Urahara offered the seat opposite of Haschwalth to Yoruichi and he himself sat to her right, with Tessai near him.
It was Kurosaki-sama who began the conversation, starting from the beginning to bring Haschwalth up to date. Once finished, Haschwalth looked deeply into the eyes of his king asking only one question.
"Heika, may I inquire if Soren was the culprit behind the demise of our young Denka?"
A silent nod with closed eyes was all he needed as confirmation. The good-for-nothing wretch had raised his hand against his own son. Such deplorable actions would not go unpunished. The blonde was furious, not that you could tell from his apathetic expression. But inside he was trying to find the most gruesome, most painful torture process he could inflict upon Soren. He knew the man could not be trusted, yet he had never thought that he was responsible for all the atrocities that had transpired.
Haschwalth in turn explained what had become of the Wandenreich in the past centuries. Many of the Sternritter who had been loyal, willingly came to Wandenreich when the fall of the Quincy happened during the first war. Two hundred years ago a new clash began for unknown whys and wherefores. Quincies were nearly eradicated from the face of the Earth by the Shinigami. Ten decades afterwards, Soren claimed the position of Regent and since then their numbers were dwindling. The current topic was the apprehension of Lady Masaki for the purpose of locating the Emperor and release him from his imprisonment. None would have ever imagined that it was just a rouse to gain something else. Haschwalth had been a little hurt at finding out he had not been trusted with the knowledge of the gem. Still, he understood the need to keep that knowledge a secret even if it was from him.
Urahara pulled out his unforgettable fan for fun and to spite the calm Hollow, but kept it closed for the time being.
"Now that we are all up to speed, we should consider our next moves. Neither Aizen nor Soren know of each other, which is a blessing. We do know that Masaki-san is wanted and safe thanks to Ishida-san and Haschwalth-san's cleaning of all relevant records and meddling in Soren's affairs. A marvelous deed for one who did not know the situation. As for the Shinigami, I doubt we could make them see the truth without solid evidence. We should concentrate on obtaining the Hogyoku we presume Aizen has and stop him from doing as he pleases. However, it won't be an easy feat and I sense that even should we accomplish to unmask him in front of the Gotei 13, it would be in vain. He will find a way to Hueco Mundo and continue there with unlimited materials, resources and test subjects. I'm confident he would make an army of Arrancars and attack the World of the Living in order to create a gateway that would lead him to the Royal Palace where the Soul King resides. He is a smart man and will not let anything disrupt his plans. As for Soren, I would suggest finding a way to remove him from his position. The easiest way would be to expose his past misdeeds. The problem resides in the fact that he is a reincarnation and could play the card of the forgetful fool. There is also the problem that should we unveil him, we would be one step behind any and all of his future endeavors. I would suggest to keep everything quiet and remain under the radar for as long as we can with Haschwalth-san as an internal informant."
Shirosaki could easily tell not one of them liked these tactics, but were better then the alternative. Should Ossan be discovered all hell would break loose. Not to mention if Shirosaki himself was to be revealed, a one of a kind hybrid, who knows what lunatic scientific freaks would go after the poor Hollow. It would also not go well with the Sternritter if they knew their Sovereign had a Hollow around the castle acting as a human bodyguard for their Denka.
They did continue to go back and forth with other ideas and suggestions, but they all revolved around the same principle. Find where Aizen hides the Hogyoku and take it from him. Figure out what Soren was up to and what he would do once he realized he could not get a hold of Masaki.
Around the time they were reviewing the umpteenth scheme, Shirosaki abruptly stood up from his seat, knocking the irreproachable chair to the ground several paces away. Ossan recognized the look on the Hollow's face, something big was going on.
"Shirosaki, what is it?"
Shirosaki turned to face him.
"There is a gigantic Hollow reiatsu in the World of the Living. I've never felt anything like it before. Oi! Getabōshi! What the heck?! Weren't you bringing a thingy to detect stuff like that?"
Right on schedule a beeping sound resonated through the room. Urahara pulled out what could be called a portable mini-laptop from his inner pocket and typed away.
"Hmm. It is just as Shirosaki-san stated, it is unidentified, but definitely Hollow and according to the coordinates… Yup, in Narukishi. It must be one of Aizen's experiments."
Shirosaki did not wait for the shopkeeper to finalize his analysis, he opened a Garganta and left. He had a bad feeling, a need to intercept whatever it was causing this distressing sensation. His instincts screaming to run as fast as he could. He was glad he took the ear-piece from Ossan before leaving the Ishida's place. He put the device on and rushed onward. Exiting the Garganta near the borders between Karakura and Narukishi, he was guided by the high pressure to his goal. He could tell the local Shinigami of Narukishi were engaged in battle and made a loud comment to inform the rest.
"Hey guys, can you hear me? I'm in the Living World on my way to Narukishi. The two local Shinigami have started to fight, but I don't think they can hold up for long."
Ossan comforting voice echoed back in his ear.
"We hear you loud and clear. Urahara-san is currently disabling the cameras in that town. Be careful, Shirosaki and don't do anything rash. We will catch up with you at the earliest."
Shirosaki hummed to let them know he copied. Using his mixed technique of Sonido with a dash of Shunpo to move faster he reached his destination in no time. The pale man came to a stop mid-air at the sight of the two Shinigami being obliterated by a Cero. The blast was not as bad as it could have been, but it did raise a lot of dust particles. Once he could see again, Shirosaki was frozen at the sight of the Hollow.
Before his eyes stood a tall black monster with a white mask with bull-like horns and white hip-length ragged hair. He had seen something similar a long time ago with different colors and not as plain… there had been more patterns and several small fluffy mane protruding's… Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he continued to observe the Hollow. From the lack of reaction, he was willing to believe the creature too was scanning Shirosaki.
The black armored Hollow's hole was closed by a white substance. That was undeniably not normal. Two sharp swords instead of hands. Neat trick. He only had to hope the other did not know how to properly use them. All the rest was protected by that tough looking shell. Legs appeared to be lean and strong, perfect for kicking and swift moves. He had his work cut out for once.
Commotion coming from below distracted both Hollows from their self-assigned tasks.
"Shit! What in the world are they doing?!"
This chapter is full of new things explained below. Must admit I did not know half of them. But they did give me something to think about. I so want to restart reading the old-fashioned classics.
Looking forward to any and all criticism.
*Eldritch* = synonym for: mysterious, secretive, arcane, dark, occult. Pretty cool right? Did not encounter this one before :)
*Daireishokairō * = Great Spirit Book Gallery. It is a repository of all the knowledge and history of Soul Society. The area is restricted and as a result, few are familiar with its inner workings even among Captains.
*Oedipus Rex* = an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles, first performed around 429 BC. An interesting story.
*Kyōgen* = form of traditional Japanese comic theater. Who knew xD
*Kakiyamabushi* or "Persimmon Mountain Hermit" = a story about an ascetic priest who hungers in the mountains. The priest uncovers and eats from a persimmon tree, which belongs to a farmer. The farmer catches him in the act and makes a fool out of the priest, by coercing the priest to pretend to be a crow, monkey, and a large bird, which causes the priest to fall from the tree. The priest gets his revenge by chanting and summoning supernatural forces. But in the end, the farmer refuses to nurse the priest back to health.
*Aulularia* = a play by the early Roman playwright Titus Maccius Plautus. The title literally means "The Little Pot", but some translators went with "The Pot of Gold". The plot revolves around a pot of gold which the miserly protagonist, Euclio, fervently guards. The play's ending does not survive, though there are indications of how it finishes in later summaries and a few dialogue fragments. A noteworthy captivating fact is that based on this play two similar plays came to life separated only by time. "Skup" by Marin Drzic (people there have a different spelling, sorry my keyboard does not have their symbols) a play-writer from the old Republic of Dubrovnik where the character named Skup is the main protagonist and Scrooge of the play. At a later time came Molière's French adaptation "L'Avare". It's fascinating how many similarities and small differences these three stories have in common. Naturally with resemblance come also their differences and what makes them unique in their own worlds.
Reminders: English is still not my mother language. So, if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one, not an easy job. I know this is getting old. But better safe than sorry xD
Wishing everyone an amazing day/night ahead :D