Hello everyone!
Here we go with Chapter XXII
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 alert for 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
Who noticed that last chapter was huge? A big shout out to all who did and guess what that includes me too xD
I only found out how big it really was after I posted it. What can I say, my Muse is as unexpected as I am and pushes me to do more in one go.
Got to love Muse-san, else no chapters x3 and only because of that I don't just love, but adore my Muse as well as all of you who review, read, favor and follow. You give us both a push and wings and that means a lot. So Thank you everyone :D
Chapter XXII
Masaki was bursting with energy. She was excited at every little thing she saw. There were tons of different colors, food stands, games and many more things to see and do. The center of Narukishi was overflowing with various characters some dressed casually, others in kimono and there were even cosplayers and all kinds of costume clad folks running or walking around.
The three followers simply stared at the bubbly girl, amazed at her cheerful nature. They all agreed it had been a wonderful idea to visit the nearby city, even though it was relatively late. Seeing that bright smile, was already worth the long drive. Though, the vivacious girl made sure to include each and every one of them to at least one stand, be it to try something or to demonstrate their skills at the available tournaments, all got a shot to at least one display.
Ryuken's marksmanship was proven at the gunfire game. Cord had an affinity with delicate jobs as it was the case with the net-fishing stand. Katagiri had assisted Masaki in a quick puppet show, giving the spectators and their companions, a fairy-tale filled with magic and wonder. The little presentation did attract in fact a large number of children and their parents, who became overjoyed at meeting the ladies behind the scenes of the magnificent act.
As it normally is, all good things have to culminate at one point or another. Everything was slowly but surely ending as all present were eagerly preparing for the firework. Young and old, for just a moment it mattered not, all were enthusiastically waiting for that instant when the sky would be bombarded with an explosion of vibrant sparks. Masaki had insisted on helping out those who had trouble closing their portable tents. She strongly believed everyone needed to have the chance to enjoy the soon to be spectacle.
They followed the crowd and reached the bank of the city's river choosing higher ground compared to the mass of people gathered closer to the edge. Masaki had been reassured that it would still be a breathless display which she could watch even from afar. Only those words kept her rooted on her spot beside her group, else she may have mingled along with the rest of the mass. A good call, as she had no doubts she would have gotten lost.
Shortly, as foretold, the starry night was illuminated by the myriad of flames produced from the various fireworks. The heavens lit up in a dozen directions. Animals, flowers, raindrops, snowflakes and a bazillion other shapes shined throughout the darkness of the night. The look on Masaki's face was priceless, the girl strongly holding Katagiri on her right side and pointing animatedly at every new silhouette forming in the air above them.
Just as the last of the fireworks boomed, it was accompanied by a different kind of light, this one from a thunder within clouds which were making their way toward the gathered horde of people. It was obvious it was about to rain. Cord had the common sense to bring along two umbrellas. It was his duty as a butler to anticipate even the most unpredictable needs. Certainly, he could not hope to retain his title if he could not do even such a small deed.
Masaki, Katagiri and Ryuken thanked Cord for his impeccable sense of duty, although the butler did receive a little scolding from the youngest girl. She had hoped they could relax and not think about work if only for a little while. That kind heart was what had captivated all servants in the household, and it seemed not only the staff. Ryuken had exhibited minor changes in manners toward the employees, the smallest of deviations noticeable only to those who were frequently around the young Master. There was also laughter and lots of smiles, much more than it had been prior to the arrival of young Lady Masaki. By all indications, their future was very promising. If it continued like this, the house would definitely be livelier.
Softly rain began tumbling as though lamenting the end of the festivity. Cord held the umbrella for his young Master, while Katagiri took care of the little Miss.
The four were about to reach the car they had parked not too far from the center when they all froze at the heavy reiatsu that fell all around them. It was clearly a Hollow reiatsu, but never had they felt anything of such caliber. Well, Masaki did get to experience Kurosaki-sama's reiatsu, which had been so much more impressive. But this… It was different and all sorts of wrong. They sensed two other minuscule presences moving in the direction of the Hollow. You did not require a genius to say, they stood no chance. Masaki ran, activating Hirenkyaku by reflex, ignoring the shouts of those she left behind.
As she reached the epicenter of the reiatsu, she had to shield her eyes. A massive red bolt lit up the night. It took several seconds for her eyes to adapt to the dim light of the street lamps once the redness dissipated. The remainder of the group finally managed to catch up to the escaped lady. Looking up, they saw what could only be described as a black monster, belatedly noticing the arrival of another individual. Besides Masaki, none of the rest would have ever expected to see the 'human' orphan Shirosaki standing mid-air clad in a black long sleeve button-up shirt, tucked in denim jeans which were held fast by a white belt. White boots on top of the tight-fitting material covering the males' legs. Shirosaki was staring the beast of a Hollow down in what could be described as a challenging glare.
The four onlookers did not get the chance to stay unseen. The Hollow turned its head in their direction, the motion copied by a now surprised Shirosaki, who said something, what exactly, they did not know.
Aizen Sosuke was ecstatic. He was sure he had accomplished what could be considered the work of God. A deceased Shinigami turned Hollow brought forth the fruit of his long-term labors. Who knew the key to success laid in killing the subject just before Hollowfication, taking the whole process to a never before perceived level? It was marvelous, a true piece of art. His two associates came through the door. A grinning Ichimaru Gin held a tray with snacks and recently brewed tea, followed by a serious Kaname Tousen. Gin dropped the tray in Tousen's hands, baffling the other with the unexpected notion. Gin took the liberty of clearing a large white table and move it facing the screens, he then brought three chairs and seized the tray from a still astounded Tousen.
Truly, he should have known Gin had been serious about bringing little nibbles on the night they released the latest experiment to the World of the Living. Tousen's arrival meant that the transportation had been successful and judging by the lack of comments, it had gone flawlessly. They sat with their eyes fixed to the monitors. Aizen had turned on all the cameras he had in Narukishi city.
Indeed, the newest model appeared to be their greatest achievement. They were just seeing the two newly appointed Shinigami of the Tenth break out in sweat from the Hollow's reiatsu alone, when all displays turned blank with static lines.
To say Aizen was outraged was putting it really lightly. How could they gather data if they could not see how the sample behaved? Aizen stood from his seat and approached the machines, frantically typing at the keyboards, willing the cameras to resume their supposed recording. Nonetheless, no matter how many attempts at getting the picture back, it was all in vain. Zilch, not one device performed its assigned task. He continued on, moving to the cameras in the nearby city, wishing to move those in the direction of their sample, only to find those were not working either.
A torrent of violence flooded his usually controlled blood and temper, resulting in the smashing of the keyboard. If he got his hands on the one responsible for this catastrophe, he would make them suffer for the rest of eternity. Taking numerous deep breaths to calm down, he turned to face his underlings. Gin's smirk was replaced by a disturbing confused frown, while Tousen remained the same. The blind man could not possibly see the reason behind his leader's sudden change in demeanor.
"Aizen-sama, has the test failed?"
Aizen let out an exhausted sigh.
"No Tousen. Not at all, I was looking forward to witness what it was capable of. However, it looks like we have some technical difficulties. All of our cameras in the Human World ceased to operate. I am tempted to go there and replace the malfunctioned devices and observe on the spot. Nevertheless, I believe this was a deliberate strike made in an effort to expose ourselves. Therefore, we may as well retire and rest for the remainder of the evening. We can recover our sample tomorrow night."
He said that, but the fire hidden beneath square glasses was indicating the level of fury the man was failing to contain. The two conspirators ensured to heed the proposal, turned command, as told, wanting to avoid at all costs to become stress outlets to their enraged leader. Who stayed behind contemplating his next steps.
Among them, one person in particular was having a happy dance within his own inner world. That black cat must have been a godsend. If only his luck lasted, he might get the opportunity at glimpsing the tiny object he was after. He had to figure out where it was hidden and hopefully find a way to salvage the soul fragment of his adored colleague.
He knew, should he ever be discovered, he would be considered a traitor, but he cared not. His only desire was to assure she could be complete once more. For that, there was nothing he would not do, no lengths he would not cross. He made sure he was not seen smiling like a lunatic while returning to his division. Careful, he had to be extremely cautious of both his 'comrades' and the rest of the Shinigami roaming around Seireitei. One could never be sure who was a spy in disguise. He was already awake and not tired at all. It was only natural to think he could kill some time doing the despised paperwork he owed to the Sōtaichō. If nothing else, it would serve to lull him in a dreamless sleep. It would not be the first time his Fuku-taichou found him soundly asleep in the office amid paperwork and reports.
At times Urahara was sure he went above and beyond even his own limits. As soon as the portable computer locked on the disturbingly large Hollow signal, he had engaged in a speed battle against Shirosaki-san, who was completely unaware of the fact. He had anticipated the white male would come out near the place he had met him a couple of days ago.
Shirosaki-san had mentioned he could use the Garganta to go anywhere he had been at least once in the past with a hundred percent accuracy. He had no doubts the Hollow could go elsewhere should he so desire, but it would come with slight deviation in the path. Basically, it would not be nearly as precise.
Therefore, calculating that Shirosaki-san would come out at the border between Karakura and Narukishi, he had to act immediately and disable those cameras first. He had been fortunate. He was positive Aizen would be too immersed in his project to notice the destruction of those first cameras. His next task was to inactivate all the remaining gadgets simultaneously. That had taken ten seconds.
He had found a pattern in their placement, which in turn gave him the possibility to predict their approximate distribution and location. A remarkable gift for a virtuoso of his rank. He purely created small machines. Their goal was to follow the given form and deactivate any spiritually made recording objects. Be it bugs, cameras, lens or any other item, they would all stop their process permanently as they would be hit with reishi infused magnetic waves. Of course, those were safe for humans and spirits alike, they only worked against any type of reiatsu or reishi created electronics.
Yes, he was gloating at his own feat. If only he had access to Aizen's basement and see the man's face now. That would make his victory that much sweeter. Yet, he would have to wait for another occasion and he had no reservations that it would happen soon, very soon.
Closing his processor, he announced they were ready to leave for the Human World. Having missed the hushed conversation held between Kurosaki-sama and the blonde Haschwalth-san. Yoruichi took a hold of Urahara's shoulder, Tessai was at the ready along with a worried Soken. The group felt dread when they heard Shirosaki's comment through their earpieces.
"Shit! What in the world are they doing?!"
If he could, Shirosaki would go even paler than he already was. Just a little below him and the dangerous Hollow was a small group of people he had not wanted to see near a possible battlefield.
'Damn it all to hell! Why are they here? And why the heck are they not leaving? They should be running for the hills and then some more! Shoot!'
The other Hollow had remained motionless. But that did not last and with a surprisingly fast Sonido, it was on the move, ready to assault the four bystanders below.
Shirosaki countered the early start the Hollow had with his own rapidity and came right in time to stop the Hollow in its' attempt at decapitating the tall butler with his own Zanpakuto. Materializing the huge sword was as easy as breathing with all the years he had behind his back. Still, the Hollow had one more hand available which was in the process of coming to their sides. Shirosaki used his right hand to intercept the swing and charged a quick Bala which blew the hand back. Grabbing his Zanpakuto with both hands, Shirosaki gave a stronger push and managed to sent the perpetrator several yards away.
Shirosaki turned to yell at the Quincies to get lost, but was met with three bows ready to let their arrows at the one who saved their lives.
"Che! Idiotic hunters. What the hell are you waiting for?! Get the fuck out of here! In case you don't get it, that thing over there, is not your everyday Hollow!"
Ryuken was livid. He had come to trust the white man in front of his eyes. To find out it was a Hollow the whole time was a stab he was not willing to forgive.
"That may be so, but neither are you Shirosaki! You think you can simply enter our lives with deception while keeping such an important detail secret? Forget it! I refuse to let you anywhere near any one of us! We will obliterate you along with that atrocity you, abominable monster!"
Shirosaki would have loved nothing more that to send the little kid flying, but he was stopped by the Cero that was aimed in their direction. Turning around he spun his white and black sword cutting the Cero in half. Without another glance back, he rushed at the unknown Hollow, trying to make more distance between them and the Quincy.
Ryuken and Cord were about to follow, but got stopped by Masaki who grabbed their coats.
"Please stop! We should really listen to Shirosaki-san and retreat. That Hollow is too powerful."
Ryuken was taken aback by Masaki's words. Cord was uncertain of what to do. The little Lady was right, the monstrosity was strong. His duty was the protection of the Ishida's family. Katagiri too, was under the impression they should leave the Hollow in the hands of another Hollow.
"Lady Masaki is right Young Master. We should consider returning to the household and equip ourselves. Should the Young Master wish, we could come back and finish whichever Hollow remains standing."
Ryuken was torn, he felt betrayed and wanted Shirosaki dead at all costs. How dared a Hollow infiltrate his home. What was it after? Was it Masaki it wanted? But, the Hollow came along his father and the Heika. And Masaki's reaction. She must have known what the creature was.
"Masaki-san, were you aware of Shirosaki's true identity."
Masaki seemed sheepish, but stood her ground.
"Yes. Well, I suppose it depends as to what you think he is. I can guarantee he is not a bad person and yes, he has a little Hollow in him. But he is more than what meets the eyes. I think he said he was a hybrid or something among those lines. Please, don't hurt him. I have the feeling he's been shunned his whole life for just existing."
Ryuken was thoughtful. It was one thing for his father to conspire and try to work out a truce with the Shinigami. But accepting a Hollow and inviting it in their house? And what about the Quincy King? There must be more to this story. He did not show any signs of leaving, but he did restrain his urge to destroy the battling duo. Whatever ensued, by the end of the night he would get a straight answer, even if he had to force it out of the pale Hollow.
"Alright. I won't attack. But we should stay as support from the sidelines. We can't leave the other Hollow unsupervised or worse let it escape should Shirosaki fail."
Decision made, all four prepared their bows and closely watched the fight between Hollows. The torrent of rain all but forgotten.
Shirosaki was blocking and parring the onslaught of assaults. So far, the black Hollow was trying to find an opening. He was sure it thirsted for blood and the delicious looking Quincies. Shirosaki had no trouble in keeping up with its movements, always one step ahead of the other. He was studying the weird Hollow. Something was odd about it. It fought with the same ferocity as a Hollow, but the dexterity and style of a Shinigami. He was sure whatever info he could get from this thing, guy or whatever, would be useful.
The enraged beast was losing its patience. In a last effort at finishing off its opponent it tried to charge yet another Cero from its horns while bringing down both sword hands on its rival. Shirosaki blocked with his right hand. He saw the Cero forming and put a stop to it by grabbing the charging ball of energy with his bare left hand, his right maneuvering the sword and forcefully repelling the Hollows sword-hands. With a swift swing, he cut his foe across its torso.
A loud screech came out of the mad Hollow. The Cero exploded in Shirosaki's hand raising debris all around them. With a flick of the sword a Garganta opened behind the monster hiding in the dirty cloud the explosion created and retreated. Right on time as that was exactly the moment Kurosaki-sama arrived along with the unusual group.
Shirosaki came out unscratched but pissed. It managed to get away. He had grabbed the creature, but his hand slipped off the black armor due to the blood it had lost. Looking at the new arrivals, he snorted and yelled expelling a small portion of his overall annoyance.
"You are late! What took ya so long, huh?!"
Kurosaki-sama ignored the infuriated Shirosaki and made his way to the shocked background audience, their bows continuously at the ready to fire away. He lowered himself to one knee to be on par with the children.
"Are you alright? Were any of you hurt?"
The four shook their heads in the negative dispelling their weapons. A worried Ishida Soken clad in the Quincy white uniform came at his son's side and hugged him with all the worry a parent had. He raised his head and silently thanked Cord and Katagiri for being there to protect both his son and Masaki-san.
At that instant, Ryuken pushed his father away. He gave him a murderous look demanding answers without uttering a single syllable. Soken could not but falter at his son's determined eyes and nodded his head in agreement. He would tell him everything as soon as they were back in the comforts and warmth of their house. He squeezed his son's shoulder as thought confirming the unspoken promise.
"Cord, please take them home. Once there, kindly arrange some fresh tea in my chambers. Ryuken and I have some catching up to do. I request both from you and Katagiri to forget what you saw tonight. I shudder at how Else would react to Shirosaki-san's predicament. Can I count on you?"
Needless to say, the two loyal servants understood and with a light bow reassured their employer of their discretion. Kurosaki-sama had enveloped the trembling Masaki with his cloak offering heat and support. He remained in his soaked white shirt and black slacks. But showed not indications of being cold or sensing the wetness of his clothing.
All were still under the impression of the Hollow reiatsu the escaped creature had possessed. Even more amazing was the fact that Shirosaki had withstood the hefty reiatsu with little effort. Katagiri approached the young Miss and escorted her to the car. They were all soaked to the bone, therefore the umbrellas were not needed. There was no ounce of resistance and the four left quietly.
Ossan turned to the view of a struggling Shirosaki. The young man had some troubles escaping from a full Nelson hold he had found himself locked in, compliments of Tessai-san. And a shameless Yoruichi-san who had worked in unison while he was rambling about the stupid runaway Hollow. The cat lady was hugging the life out of him with her, ahem, assets. One hand innocently trying to unbutton the black shirt Shirosaki was wearing.
Urahara had seen the blood and was having difficulties in getting a proper sample. How could he analyze the fugitive if he had nothing to trace it with? Shirosaki-san was not cooperating in the least. Maybe if he had asked instead of jumping he could have gotten better results. But, where was the fun in that?
It was thanks to Ossan that all calmed down.
"You are all behaving worse then toddlers. Yoruichi-sama, please remove yourself from Shirosaki before he decides he had enough and blasts you off with a Cero. And between the two of us, I would encourage him to do it sooner rather than later. Tessai-san, kindly take off your hands from him too. He is fighting back only because you are restraining him which is something he detests. Shirosaki, stay put and don't move. I am certain Urahara-san merely wants to take a smudge of the Hollow blood dripping from your hands. And speaking of the devil, next time I would strongly suggest asking instead of making such a fuss, Urahara-san."
Ossan had underlined his threats with a small output of reiatsu, assuring all had heard and listened to his words. Honestly, the only mature person in the whole group were he himself and at times Soken-san. Huffing, he marched in the direction of Karakura. He had no intentions of walking, but his departure would cause the rest to follow.
As predicted and instructed. Tessai-san let go of Shirosaki along with a disappointed Yoruichi. She had high hopes to getting a better glimpse of the body underneath the hindering clothes. Urahara pouted childishly, not in the least happy at having his entertaining cut short, but did move quickly with a vial in hand. He really needed that blood if they were to catch that menace and with the way the rain gush from the heavens, he really risked not getting even a single drop of blood.
Not believing the mad-man, Shirosaki grabbed the vial and poured the remaining blood drops of his enemy in the little tube. Satisfied, he pushed the bottle in the hands of the disgruntled Getabōshi, leaving them all behind and joining Ossan, dematerializing his trusty Zanpakuto. Soken understood that was his cue to move along behind Shirosaki.
The three dazed ex-Shinigami stared at their companions retreating backs. Realization hit them quite hard that if they did not hurry, they would be left on their own. Urahara had other plans. If he read the situation correctly there was a high probability Shirosaki would not be welcomed back at the Ishida's house, what with the poor sap being part Hollow. A golden opportunity to retry his attempts at keeping the pale man in his domain. He was also eager to examine the hard-earned prize.
"Well then, I should really get back to my humble shop. So much research material to examine. Could we kindly ask for a lift? It would be greatly appreciated."
No one spoke up, but Shirosaki did roll his eyes in exasperation. Flipping his hand in the air, he opened a Garganta straight to the Shoten. The sooner he got rid of the perilous scientist and touchy-feely feline the better for his nerves. Walking into the void he ignored the awed sounds Urahara made.
The ride through the Garganta was short and the group found themselves at the entryway of the candy store. Its owner jumping around like the lunatic he tended to be. Such a productive evening. He got to experience a Quincy teleportation portal and stroll inside a Hollow's Garganta and all in one night. To think he had been studying the core of the Garganta for decades and not once did he ever manage to get more than a few glimpses. He absolutely had to find a way to keep Shirosaki close at hand. A shame he could not work his magic on the Hollow itself, but he did prefer to have all his limbs accounted for and in their right positions.
Shirosaki did have a bad feeling regarding his return to the hunter's home. He had the sensation those three would freak out should he come within a ten miles radius from them. He would ponder on his sleeping arrangements. Shooting a quick glance at Urahara's face, confirmed his suspicions that the shopkeeper would jump even higher at the prospect. Nah, he would rather sleep under a bridge than stay with the nutcase.
As soon as Yoruichi and Tessai came out of the Garganta, he concentrated on redirecting the still open gateway to the Ishida's. May as well take Ossan and Soken to the house. He would collect his things and leave. He did not want to be the cause of trouble for Soken-san. He liked the odd-looking male, he could pass for a grandfather although he had some way before he actually became one.
"Just a second Shirosaki-san. I am under the impression your presence at the Ishida's may bring some commotion and since it is late, I am willing to offer bed and breakfast at a great price of solely 2.500 yen per night. How about it? It would be like in any regular hotel but at a much better fee. And I give you my word of honor that there will be not attempts at your person for as long as you are within the room."
Shirosaki was no fool. Urahara was saying he would keep his paws to himself as long as he was within the room. In other words, as soon as he was out of the room in any part of the building, he was fair game. But the rate was really cheap and it was late. There was also the bonus of being able to have his 'supplements' undisturbed and without the need to hide. But that meant he would have to ask Ossan to lend him a few in advance as not to bother him every couple of days.
"Heh. Sheesh, you are actually making me think it over. Tell ya what, make it 1.000 yen a night, breakfast served in the room, accessible bathroom and a nice large practical window and you have yourself a deal."
Urahara pulled out his notorious fan to wave it in Shirosaki's direction.
"Ma, ma, that is way too low even for someone as generous as I am. I can peak your interest for 2,000 yen? But in that case no breakfast and only bedding service."
"Generous my ass. 1,200 and keep that breakfast to yourself. But I do get to bring in food and enjoy my privacy undisturbed. That includes using the restroom. No funny business while going to the bathroom and back to. Don't forget that window I asked for and while at it, make sure I can't get unwanted guests and or visitors while in the room even if that so happens to be you, the landlord. Oh, let us not forget a special repellent or ward against your cat-lady in any of her forms. Sorry darling, I did say you're not my type."
Urahara pretended to think things over while tapping the fan slowly on his chin. He knew all too well why Shirosaki-san insisted on a window. The smart Hollow would get to come and go from the Shoten as he pleased and he would not be allowed to interfere. Perhaps putting a few wards around would go a long way. After all, once outside the room, he would have free reign on the unsuspecting Hollow. If nothing else, he would get a clear idea on the activities transpiring and hours the Hollow enjoyed outside.
Preventing a curious Yoruichi-san to snoop around the room, whether occupied or not was a challenge on a whole new level. Not that he would make anything too hazardous, but it was unheard of to stop a member of the Onmitsukidō, in their endeavors. Be it a former member or even a new recruit. Yes, that would be a most intriguing test and Urahara was not known as a man to back down from a dare.
"Hmm… 1,200 a window, bathroom access and wards against someone of Yoruichi-san's talents. You sure do put me in a difficult position Shirosaki-san. Hmm…"
Yoruichi was about to jump on the normally ingenious man. She would have made it had it not been for Tessai's good judgment. The large man easily grabbed the woman by her hands in yet another display of a perfect full Nelson.
"And if I was to refuse?"
Shirosaki sent him his smirk.
"Heh, silly it is obvious, ne? We have no agreement and we all go our merry ways."
A last-ditch effort from Urahara at convincing Shirosaki.
"I can try the 1,200 for the room, but the wards will be at an extra cost. I might be willing to include them in the price, if you were willing to spend at least one hour a day with me. I am a curious man and I do love to learn new things. There is so much we don't know about Hollows and Hueco Mundo in general it is so frustrating. That hour would be mostly spent on idle chit-chat where I ask questions and you answer. Would that be agreeable?"
Shirosaki never lost his grin and countered the shop owner immediately.
"Hell no! If it's talk you want then I retain the right to decline answering in case the question is too personal or I don't feel like answering. In short terms, if the question is not to my liking, I have the right to remain silent and tell you to move on to another one. Plus, that hour will have to be spent on chatter and nothing else. I have no intentions of being a guinea pig or any form of test material."
Urahara closed the fan abruptly and used it to point at Shirosaki.
"Sold! Guess I can't get more than that out of you. My, my, you sure are gifted at bargains Shirosaki-san. Could I ask where you studied the art?"
Shirosaki snorted.
"Hah! Questioning time starts tomorrow. Way too late for that now. And on top of that, I still have to take my stuff, get Ossan and Soken-san to their place and return here. We can't start until we all feel comfortable and get some rest. Trust me, you won't like it if I'm all cranky from lack of sleep."
Ossan nodded which did not go unnoticed by the extravagant Urahara. He would have to be exquisitely careful with mood changes. But he would get to know so much more. Shirosaki was to him like a book with all the data he needed. He merely required to open it and read. Oh yes, he was due to have lots of fun. So different from the monotonous lifestyle he had unwillingly adopted. His greatest concern was Yoruichi-san, that woman was worst than a fury scorned when she was upset. He would have to restock his Sake supplies. So much work for knowledge. Meh, it couldn't possibly go south, right? Yoruichi-san would have to wait for the Hollow to leave the room through the window. And that was when Shirosaki-san would be mostly up for grabs.
If he made his moves wisely enough, he may alleviate Yoruichi-san's temper, get info from the Hollow and see the full skills of a breathing and living hybrid. 1.500 yen be damned, he would get so much more out of the whole package.
Having all come to a conclusion, Shirosaki saluted the trio with a two-finger's salute and disappeared along with the Garganta on his way to the Ishida's. Yoruichi took that moment to dislodge herself from Tessai and went to hit her long-term friend in the head.
"What the hell are you playing at Kisuke? I swear, if I lose even a single strand of hair in either form due to your meddling, I will castrate and dismember you so nicely you will be unrecognizable."
Urahara opened the fan to hide his mock horror. But did speak up before Yoruichi made true to her threat.
"Oh, don't be ridiculous Yoruichi-san. You know me, I could never do anything to harm you. Besides, who says I have to make a ward in the first place? Shirosaki-san has requested for discretion, which I am obliged to offer in exchange for sating my curiosity. And don't forget, he wants a window."
Yoruichi looked confused.
"Yeah, what about a window? It's not such a luxury."
Urahara removed the fan and put it away.
"Well, I am fairly certain he will use it to come and go as he pleases. And once outside of the room, he is all yours. Unquestionably, there is nothing in our arrangement that states he could not be preyed upon the very second, he was to leave the room in question. And you knowing me, would give you an advantage. You would know exactly which room, meaning which window he will be using."
Yoruichi did call down at the explanation and now had a smirk of her own gracing her features.
"Kisuke, you are one devious person and I love that about you."
Urahara himself looked amused.
"Why thank you, I did get it from the best. Why, I did have the best teacher there could possibly be."
Satisfied, Yoruichi replied with a "Yes, that you did. You, lucky scoundrel." And proceeded inside the shop. Her plans were to take a shower and rest for a bit. She had preparations to make and many plots on how to best chase her about to be victim.
Urahara felt sorry for his imminent guest. Oh, well. Better Shirosaki-san than he himself. He could tell fun times were close on the horizon. If only the same could be said about Shirosaki-san. Oh, the forthcoming entertainment was all he could think of, just the mere thought was thrilling enough.
Having arrived at the Ishida's home, Ossan turned to give Shirosaki an inquisitive look. He was impressed Shirosaki had the courage or stupidity to actually stay at the researcher's shop.
"What now? Is it about me staying at Getabōshi's place. Relax. It's not going to be that bad. We are bound to see him a lot anyway, may as well get used to the lunatic. I get to bring my own food, which means I get to use Ginto without raising suspicions or giving Soken-san even more grief. Speaking of which, mind borrowing them to me? You know I won't break them. I'll use the window to get lost before they try anything funny. Yes, the werecat will be troublesome, but I figure she'll wait at least until I put my foot on the windowsill before pouncing. Sheesh, can't she take a hint? Or at least a no for what it is? Meh, not important. Let's just get this done before I change my mind."
Ossan made a barely audible sound, just enough to gain Shirosaki's attention.
"What about the palace? I know you could enter using a Garganta to the secluded spot you two used to go to. It is a short walk from there to the castle, so why not use it?"
Shirosaki had a blank expression covering his face.
"You're serious? First of all, it's dark and contrary to many beliefs, I do not have night vision. Well, better then your sight anyway, but who would want to clean without a constant light? By the time I found the mechanism you guys used back in those days, it would already be dawn and I so want to sleep for a bit. Next, even if I was to try and do some dusting, it would take time. How long do you think it would take me to singlehandedly scrub away all the dirt accumulated in over nine centuries? And lastly…well, you know… without him it doesn't feel the same."
Shirosaki took a small break, assaulted by memories of that afternoon. Clearing his head, he continued.
"Besides, we are already using the Shoten sort of as a conference point. It will spare me the bothersome travel back and forth. Also, I so do not intend to stay for long. Not sure about you, but I'm tempted to buy an apartment or build up a house. It will take some time to finish, but will be totally worth it, if we decide to prolong our stay and something tells me we will be spending a lot of our time here."
Nothing else was needed. Ossan too agreed it would be more convenient to simply buy their own residence. They did have funds and he was planning on expanding his business to this part of the world as well. He may even arrange to the headquarters to be transferred in this city. He would get to monitor up closely the on goings within his company.
Soken was the only one who had went ahead to the house. It was still raining and he was completely drenched. He had no desires to catch a cold, it was inconvenient, but it looked like the weather did not disturb his two companions. He also wanted to check the atmosphere of his residence, praying against all odds that Else did not get wind of the events transpired. He was greeted by Cord who lightly bowed. Seems like he managed to avoid the worse. If Cord was at the door and Else was not screaming from the other side, it all meant that his wife was not made aware of what occurred. He gave Cord a thankful glance.
"Thank you Cord. Have the children already retired for the night?"
The butler was always on top of his game and quickly replied.
"Not quite Ishida-sama. Young Lady Masaki has taken a shower and by now, I believe she is fast asleep. However, the Young Master is waiting in your chambers as you have instructed. Tea is already served. Would you like to take a bath prior to your appointment with the Young Lord?"
Soken thought about it for a few seconds. It was going to be a long night. Ryuken would not let him take a break until he knew everything.
"That's alright Cord. I will just take a quick change of clothes and dry myself. Ryuken will be furious if I leave him in the dark any longer than I already have."
Cord bowed and let his Master do as he pleased, realizing his Master did indeed plan on spending the rest of the night awake at his son's side. He waited a little longer at the door for the human Hollow and the Heika. He too was perplexed that his Majesty would bring a Hollow along. Must be an important individual to have the Sovereign's blessing and for still being alive. At the end of the day, it was not his business and as long as Master said to forget, that was exactly what he would do. Not many would have had the heart to bring him from the streets, give him a roof and the opportunity to study. But Master Ishida did. If he saw something good in the creature, he would accept and not judge.
Cord escorted each guest to their rooms. He was utterly lost when he saw the Hollow, no, Shirosaki-san pack. It made him wonder as to where the young sir was going, never noticing he actually entered the room. He was soon spotted staring which made him uncomfortable.
"No need to be all worried and stuff around me. I'm a very easygoing guy. But I do know when I involuntarily bring trouble. I don't want for your employer to have any issues with his family. Therefore, it is but logical that I have to leave. I could never forgive myself if I was the cause of a feud between Soken-san and his son. That's not how a family should be, they need to be there for each other and the likes. Meh, it's not the first time and it won't be the last. Stop giving me that pathetic look! It's irksome to say the least."
While ranting to the miserable butler, Shirosaki did manage to finish his packing. Yup, he sure was used to move even on last minute advice. Nothing new there. A quiet knock on the door made both males turn. A sleepy Masaki in a yellow shirt and pink pajama pants stood at the entryway, one hand rubbing her eyes in an attempt at waking a bit more up.
"Shirosaki-san, are you leaving? Do you really have to? I'm sure it will be fine. You don't have to. I bet Katagiri-san and Cord-san don't mind."
Shirosaki had a small smile reserved only for the little girl. He walked toward her and crouched down to her level.
"Nah, it's cool Masaki-chan. We wouldn't want any arguments to raise just because of little old me now, would we? It's not a big deal and… Hmm…you must not tell-tale on me if I share this secret with you."
Shirosaki came really close to Masaki's ear and whispered, but loudly enough to be overheard by Cord.
"I really don't like spending this much time around hunters. I think I made a new personal record. Not to mention, they almost made me a pincushion, if I stay any longer I'm sure I'll find myself out of clothes, because they will be full of holes. I have the feeling that instead of using me as a moving target, Cord Katagiri and Ryuken would take my garments, put them on a mannequin and fire away. And I detest shopping, so it's better for me to scram before that happens."
Masaki did laugh at the silly words. She knew, Shirosaki was trying to cheer her up and not make her feel as sad at having to say goodbye. He really was a nice person. She suddenly hugged him, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She really did not want to let him go, but understood that it would not be fair. Shirosaki should have a place where he could feel welcomed and not shunned.
The stoic butler too had a soft spot for the little lady. To have witnessed Shirosaki-san's method of reassuring the young miss did make him question if perchance there was any possible way to ensure the Hollow's stay. A sigh escaped him. Knowing Lady Else, there was no hiding such a secret. She would figure it out one way or the other.
Shirosaki stood up and rummaged through his suitcase. He pulled out a chocolate brown leather journal. An ancient oak tree was engraved on the front cover, the back had a world map.
"This is a little something I want you to keep. I took the liberty of putting pictures of places I've seen along with Ossan. Buildings, gardens, fruits, markets, people in general you name it. The world is an amazing place and no matter what people do to you, that never changes. I was never one for writing my thoughts, but I bet you would be great at it, just like you were amazing with the plays we did the other day. Whatever makes you happy, sad, upset or ecstatic, just write it down and a few days later come back and read it all over again. I guarantee it will make you laugh. You have a beautiful smile Masaki. Don't let anyone or anything take it away from you, consequences be damned. Do we have a deal?"
Masaki nodded energetically, taking the diary as thought it was a delicate and precious treasure. She had seen it in one of the stores that day while in town with Kurosaki-sama and Shirosaki-san. She would have never guessed the man before her took notice. Even more astonishing was the fact that somehow, he purchased it for her and even had the time to put something inside. She looked back up at a grinning Shirosaki.
"I am much more observant than people give me credit for. I could tell you liked this one. Not sure why as there were more girly notebooks laying around, but whatever works right? It was also less embarrassing to get this instead of let's say a pink one. Now, off to bed. You start school tomorrow and you better not miss your first day. I'll be up and around by the time your classes end. How knows, I might even come and pay a visit."
His last sentence was underlined by a quick wink he gave her. Taking his luggage, he ushered the little one back to her chambers and tucked her in bed. Once he was sure Masaki was asleep, he made his way to the main door. Where he was met by a dry Ossan dressed in a calf long royal blue fluffy bathrobe and white slippers.
The two did not need much to say to understand what they wanted from each other. Shirosaki scoffed and went ahead with his infamous smirk. Just as he was about to leave, he turned once more at Ossan and spoke up.
"You better come to the shop as soon as you wake up. There is something about that Hollow's appearance that is bugging me. For just an instant, I had the sensation that I saw it once before. Meh, can't remember now, but I'm sure I'll figure it out by morning."
Ossan nodded. He had no idea as to what Shirosaki meant, but he trusted the Hollow's instinct. They parted ways, Ossan going back to his appointed room, while Shirosaki went back to the rain. He was not particularly fond of the rain, but he was already wet, so it did not bother him as much. As soon as he was out of sight, he opened a Garganta to the store. Coming out from the void, he exhaled.
'Here goes nothing.'
Looking forward to any and all criticism.
Ok, I did promise we would get our protector soon. I estimate another chapter or two of this length before a star is born :3
Just FYI: 2,500 yen would be roughly 23.01 USD today. I have no idea what was the exchange rate back then, so I am using the modern version. 1,000 yen is around 9.20 USD, 2,000 yen is 18.40 USD and 1,200 is 11.04 USD.
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