Hello everyone! How are you on this splendid day?
I hope you're great, for I'm bringing chapter XXXV in the house and with it my official transition from AkemiRyuShuichi to Cass Ichirof.
Disclaimer, reminder and warnings all as per usual:
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 :) By now, all of you who are continuing to read on and supporting me, I know you know what this story is about, so fear not and please read on :D
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
Heads-up, it's done, I officially changed my penname from AkemiRyuShuichi to Cass Ichirof!
Hopefully I won't confuse anyone with this little change ^_^
Thanks to everyone for your continuous support and reviews. You have no idea how happy each comment makes me feel even days afterwards. Just seeing new people Reading, Following and or Favoriting is enough to push me to write more, the reviews fill me with immense joy and make me realize how much this story means to you and, in turn, to me :D
Just a quick FYI: this chapter was hard as hell to make due to fluffiness and sugary sweetness – you have been warned! I'm usually not good with cute, but I tried my best to make it work. Hopefully, you'll love it :D
Without further ado, enjoy the latest chapter.
Chapter XXXV
Aizen Sosuke was having a relatively calm day. With the lack of 'true' enemies, Soul Society enjoyed peace. Such a shame prosperity was not on the menu. At the exception of the Research and Development Institute. The Twelfth sure did change a lot with the arrival of Urahara Kisuke, only to be moderately improved by the lunatic Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
Pity, the other was not interested in the same research as his predecessor. If only Kurotsuchi would create a similar orb to the Hogyoku, he might expedite his own plans. Alas, that did not seem to be the case. No, Kurotsuchi was far more interested in artificial life, limbs and bodily updates rather than the science of the soul.
No matter, sooner or later, Aizen would get his hands on either Urahara himself, his Hogyoku or the Vizards group of miscreants. He did not show it on his face, but in recent decades his plans were moving extremely slowly. Without a steady flow of energy to nourish his own Hogyoku, the sphere fell asleep. A stunning revelation which brought him to consider the idea that Urahara's must be in a dormant state. If that is to be the case, he'd have even more trouble in locating the device.
Speaking of gadgets, ever since experiment 'White' was lost by the hands of the Quincy girl and the ex-Shiba-Taichou, none of his monitoring cameras appeared to be working properly. Yet another bothersome trait he associated with Urahara Kisuke. The man was a genius, much like himself, and found a method to render him utterly blind to the events occurring in the World of the Living.
Hah! As though such schemes were enough to make him pause. On the contrary, they motivated him even further to find a way to overcome the well-played game. By his estimates, the ex-Shiba member was probably in some sort of Gigai, similar to the one Urahara prepared for the Vizards. That alone was able to mask the ex-Taichou's Reiatsu signature. Thus, any attempts to locate Shiba Isshin via Reiatsu, was useless.
The Quincy though, was a different story. He just had to catch a few Hollows and get them to work as his eyes and ears. It wasn't long before he noticed a pattern and, soon after, a complete turnover. At one point, the girl became pregnant. That discovery alone was simply, remarkable. What were the chances that she married the Shiba fool and conceived a child? From his latest Hollow victims, exceedingly high and accurate.
It took forever, but he did manage to get a glimpse of the child. A boy, with atrocious hair, and chocolate-brown eyes. At first, Aizen was upset the child did not emanate even a sliver of Reiatsu. Imagine his surprise, when he finally made it to get a new device in town and discover that, within the boy, a fountain of Reiatsu was specially sealed away.
It must have been yet another one of Urahara's ploys. How the scientist convinced the parents to do something this restricting to the kid, was beyond his comprehension. Although, the couple did fight against 'White'. Perhaps, it had not been a difficult choice. Especially if Urahara told them he would be interested in the boy. Urahara was certainly right. It was fascinating to know that a child could be born from a Quincy and Shinigami. Even better, was the fact that the Quincy had been infected by a Hollow. The fact that the girl survived the bite, was a miracle on its own. By his estimates, the child was a perfect balance of all species: Human, Quincy, Hollow, Shinigami. A second miracle.
As it stands, the child was the perfect candidate to push him to his limits and go beyond. Since he entertained the idea of merging with the Hogyoku, he knew he'd become invincible. But what would the fun be if you could get powerful without a challenger? A real competition? Given enough time and motivation, the kid could be able to harness the strength of all races and, by default, reach new heights. Just thinking of the opportunity to fight to his heart's content and discover the ultimate stages of the Hogyoku, was giving him goosebumps.
Now, the main concern was to trigger those properties hidden within the child. He would have to push the correct buttons and figure out how to go beyond the seals. With the difficulty of getting proper data, this strategy was slightly postponed. In due time, Urahara would slip, or the boy would activate his powers all on his own. Oh well, there was no rush. Aizen was a patient man. Either the kid discovered his inner strength or Aizen would 'guide' him in the correct direction. Whether it be the former or last, was absolutely irrelevant for it would be done.
Satisfied with his mental plans, Aizen calmly made his way throughout one of the many forests in the Junrinan*, the 1st District within the West Rukongai. Be it fate, coincidence or a lucky strike, he found an interesting Hollow hiding about. Pretending not to see the beast and continuing his stroll, he made sure to catch it off guard.
By the first attack, he could tell this Hollow had some unique properties. It would be such a shame to miss the golden opportunity. Therefore, without second guessing, Aizen made quick work of the Hollow and injected it with a substance he had been working on. It would be the first time he used this particular liquid and he couldn't wait to see what it would yield.
It would be one of those rare instances when Aizen let things move mostly of their own accords. He would only prompt the now unconscious Hollow to pay a visit to a certain boy in the next couple of hours. If everything proceeded as he imagined, it would be an unexpected birthday surprise…
Urahara Kisuke was feeling a little smug these past few years. Ever since the Hollow accident which forced Shiba Isshin to leave his Shinigami life behind, there hadn't been any major disasters. At least until Isshin and Masaki had their child.
He occasionally wondered if he did make the best decision by sealing the boy's Reiatsu. His sole consolation, was the fact that he had not seen the monstrous Hollow around the kid anymore. However, once the child awoke his powers, he'd be in serious trouble. With the Hollow confined, it would likely return with vengeance. Before that happened, he'd have to contact Shinji Hirako and his group to train the young one on how to control his Inner Hollow. Until then, he had plenty of time to spare.
Aizen's attempts to investigate what became of his creation were rendered futile. A feat he enjoyed immensely. Now, if he could get his hands on his 'sleeping' Hogyoku, everything would be just fine.
The hidden Hogyoku was his main worry. Before he came to the Living World, he hid the gem inside the soul of a sleeping girl in the Rukongai. He later discovered, that the same girl, joined the Shinigami Academy not too long after and was somehow related to Kuchiki Byakuya. Not how he imagined things to proceed. But hey, not everything goes as planned.
His original goal was to dispose of the Hogyoku. As that became impossible, his second option was to make it disappear. What better option than to camouflage it within the body of a random Rukongai citizen? He was so concentrated on sheltering the object, he neglected to realize how much Reiatsu the girl possessed. Her resemblance to the late Kuchiki Hisana, was yet another miscalculation. Not that he had much time to take everything into account. Really, after using the Hogyoku to stabilize Shinji and his group, he had only minutes to find an appropriate soul and bury the item away.
Based on the information Yoruichi and the others provided him with, the Hogyoku remained concealed. That was a huge relief. Should Aizen get the orb… Reiou help them. There was something bothering him and it was Aizen's motivation to 'create', more like 'activate' his jewel and even more so, the reason behind his desire to own both.
Could it be that Aizen understood the full property behind the gem? It was plausible… After all, he did spend much more time playing with the gemstone than he did. Even before the incident with Shinji, he had wanted to get rid of it and was researching how to go about it.
No point in crying over spilled milk. Someday, he would be punished appropriately for his crime against the newly appointed lady Kuchiki. But right now, he had other things he had to deal with.
The influx of Hollows finally settled down and Karakura was not swarming with the same amount as before. Nonetheless, those few Hollows a day where considerably stronger than the dozen skimpy ones they disposed-off a few years ago.
Masaki was back in full force, which was a great help. It was rare for her to leave her child unattended to go Hollow hunting. In most cases, Isshin would stay with the boy and play around. Seems like the role of father fit him perfectly. He always saw the Shiba Clan member fooling around and laughing. Utterly different from his goofing or serious, business-like old self.
Perhaps, that had been a stroke of luck. Masaki was also very pleased with her husband, her job and her newfound family. There were no traces of regret in any of their Reiatsu signatures.
Today, though, was a special day. It was little Kurosaki-san's third birthday. The reason why it was so singular, was because both Urahara and Tessai were invited to join the celebration. It was the first time Urahara would be allowed anywhere near the boy since his birth. Apparently, Isshin out a few good words for him or something. Otherwise Urahara would have been reduced to observe from afar as usual.
What?! He had good intentions! Mostly… Urgh! Fine! The little one was adorable. He couldn't and wouldn't deny that detail. As he grew, little Ichigo was becoming even more irresistible. The boy's cheerfulness, curiosity, growth development, kindness and tenderness made him a magnet and Urahara was the metal which did not resist the magnet's pull.
It was enthralling and distressing. Urahara had never been good with children nor around them. And here he was, wanting to be close to the little one as much as possible. Too bad, Masaki kept him at bay. But not today!
With a jolly tune, Urahara placed the last touches on the gift for the growing three-year-old. It was a personalized educational kit of Urahara's own invention. All substances used were edible, but resistant to microbes. Just in case the young one decides to try the unusual items with his mouth.
The toys he crafted were plush and soft to the touch, yet too big to swallow even for an adult. For the fun of it, they could change sizes depending on the Reiatsu input and output, something he would explain to Masaki.
There was also a little science kit at the bottom, which could be fun to play with as the liquids could change colors when mixed with others. Of course, all articles were fashioned in such a way they could not be harmful. Quite the opposite, they were made to nurture the natural inquisitiveness the boy displayed.
The science kit was a little something from his side. Tessai had requested to add a little bit of counting, math an game of words which Urahara gladly prepared. It wouldn't be fair to have his own way and not allow other opinions on the child's academic development.
He was pretty sure, Masaki would consider the present too dangerous or too early. One or the other. Luckily, he was a man of many talents and thinking ahead of the game was his specialty. He already had a speech prepared on defending his creation for the boy's benefit. It didn't hurt that he had explored the many toys and games children Ichigo's ages played with their parents. Worst case scenario, they would at least use the word and counting games.
Dressed in his usual green attire with his bucket hat and clogs. He finished the preparations and called Tessai. It was about time they made their way to the party-house.
Masaki was having a blast. It was a busy day, what with all the patients and preparations for Ichigo's birthday, she had her hands full. But because it was her son's birthday, she was enjoying to the fullest. Her good mood was amplified by an announcement she intended to make to her husband and baby-boy.
Speaking of Ichigo, he was trying really hard to help her around with her duties. Ever since he spoke, she dared say he became even more adorable than before. He was a little cry-baby at times, but easily smiled. It didn't take much to see the little ball of sunshine radiating the contagious happiness. In fact, Ichigo's positive energy was one of the reasons she relented to Isshin's request to invite Urahara Kisuke for the party. Isshin's excuse was that hadn't it been for Urahara, the two of them would have never met. Consequently, they would not be celebrating on this sunny day.
She wished she could have called Kurosaki-sama and Shirosaki-san to join as well. From what Urahara told her and Isshin, a few weeks ago, they went deep into Hueco Mundo to look for something valuable which could put an end to a certain madman's plans. It was sad, but no unexpected. After all, she was the one to insist they were kept in the dark of her growing family. She wanted to see them desperately, but not at the cost of them risking their lives.
Judging from the incident and later by their explanation, she knew it was for the best they took care of the dangerous and mysterious Aizen Sosuke. Thinking back, she did try her best not to be angry at them for leaving her alone. Then again, she was never truly lonely. Isshin had been there, Urahara, Tessai and their visits were frequent.
As time passed by, she willingly made the request to only come back when everything was done. It was both for their convenience, the undercover mission they were working on and for her own mental health. She loved them dearly, but seeing them hurt every time they had to return to Soul Society was a bummer they all experienced. In cutting those ties, she knew they would be more concentrated on their task and less worried about her.
Never did the idea even cross her mind that they may have forgotten about her. Shirosaki-san was too stubborn and Kurosaki-sama was simply Kurosaki-sama. She was probably hurting them this way as well. But the damage was lowered, it was contained. Telling them about her life and family was counterproductive, which was the reason she forced Urahara to swear to keep silent about her pregnancy and later about little Ichigo. Her ultimate goal was to surprise and make them proud. Perhaps, it was wrong. Still, it was her final decision. Urahara had insinuated a few times how they worried about her. Yet, she was relentless. If men could be persistent in their choices, so could she.
On another note, she often wondered if Ichigo might have liked the extra company. With her and Isshin being constantly busy, it would have played in her favor. Somehow, she could visualize Shirosaki-san holding Ichigo and playing with the infant… Maybe one of these days she would write them to give them the good news… All three of them… If nothing else, she would consider and think about it.
She shifted her attention from the cake she was decorating, to her little boy. Ichigo was dressed in a light blue short sleeved t-shirt, small black trousers, white snickers and a tiny mist-blue apron adorned with silver Quincy crosses. The apron sure did see better days. It was covered in little smudges of filth and dust. But at least, the child was relatively clean.
Her little sunshine sure knew how to get dirty even when she made sure the house was spotless. How he ended up finding a corner inside or outside the establishment where he could play pretend to clean was beyond her. The funny thing was, Ichigo always did try to impress them. Either by finding something they thought was lost or by attempting to clean after himself, the boy showed he could be reliable and useful.
Most of the time, they did try to play-pretend various scenes and they all relished in the hide and seek games. Ichigo never complained much. Funny isn't it? He did cry often and calmed down even faster. But the child held a dose of happiness no matter what.
The few times Ichigo got lost, had been the most terrifying moments of Masaki's life. It wasn't so bad, when he would go out in the gardens. But anything beyond a certain line, was disastrous. By the time Ichigo was one and a half, Masaki noted how he appeared to see spirits. At first, she put the notion off as ridiculous and impossible. It took her a long while to realize, her precious son could, in fact, clearly see pluses and souls.
It had come as a surprise. Yet, during one of his escapades, Ichigo returned home safe and sound along with the spirit of an elderly lady. As per the ghost, Ichigo came to visit her whenever he was out in the gardens. The child would collect flowers or leaves and place them around the spot she frequented. In the beginning, Ichigo rarely talked and only smiled at the old lady. In time, he would talk and describe as much as he could his family, home and would ask the woman questions in turn. After a while, she felt relatively at peace with the boy's company and started looking forward to those meetings.
The day she accompanied Ichigo home, was the day Ichigo got lost in the park. It had been a nice spring day and Masaki had asked Isshin to take Ichigo out in the sun. Upon receiving a call from Isshin who was rushing around searching and calling Ichigo's name, she panicked. Ichigo's Reiatsu was not very notable and they had spent most of the daylight looking around the park area. Masaki had expanded the area to twice the size of the playground, hoping their baby was nearby.
At one point, she returned home to get a jacket as it was getting cold, only to find Ichigo sitting on the porch swinging his legs up and down, tears in his eyes and holding hands with the elderly lady. To this day, Masaki wondered how she did not had a heart-attack. After that episode, the spirit said a final goodbye to Ichigo, saying they would meet again someday in the far, far future.
Once the lady passed-on, Masaki contacted Isshin and told him Ichigo was safe and sound at home and to relax and return. While he was on his way back, she had requested him to do some grocery shopping as punishment for having left Ichigo out of sight.
She was very tankful for the ghost whom had helped Ichigo reach home. Later, she looked into the lady and found out that the woman had been murdered by her son-in-law. The man had vehemently disliked his mother-in-law and denied her the chance to see her grandson. In her grief, while attempting to pay them an unexpected visit, she was spotted by the male, who in turn, took the car and ran her over.
Such a tragedy for stupid reasons. Rage could push people to unimaginable things. The man was caught and reported by his wife. From her data, he was rotting in jail for life. The murder of her mother had been the last drop and the wife pressed charges for the ordeal and added on top several more attempts of murder, child and domestic abuse. The list had been so long, Masaki had to stop after some time.
Truly, she was thankful and lucky to have a man like Isshin. He may be a goofball and a little childish, but that was all part of his charm. Along with Ichigo, her life was complete… well, almost… Once Shirosaki-san and Kurosaki-sama came to be a part of their family, and with the surprise on the way, life would be simply amazing.
Shaking her head from all the thoughts running rampant in her head. Masaki approached Ichigo, trying to get him still, so she could remove the dirty apron and replace it with something else. The little one was fidgeting on the spot and trying to hide something from her.
"Ichigo, honey, how did you get so dirty? You know we are going to have visitors today. We wouldn't want them to see you all filthy for the party, right? How about, you come with me, I'll get you a new apron and you can help me finish decorate the cake, hmm?"
At the mention of cake, chocolate-brown eyes sparked with interest and eagerness. Making the child forget his previous mission. Hugging his mother around her legs, the boy looked up at her with a beaming smile and finally showed her the flowers he had gathered.
"Floers foo mommy."
The way he had tried to pronounce correctly the words and the enthusiasm in his gesture made Masaki smile back.
"These are really pretty Ichigo, thank you. But it is your birthday, so shouldn't the flowers be for you instead?"
The pout and negative shaking of the head were accompanied by strong words.
"No! Flowes cute an' smell nice, like mommy. Mommy gets flowes 'cause mommy good and wo-ok hard."
Masaki was touched by the gesture. She quickly found a way to appease her little tyke. Grabbing an empty vase, she filled it with fresh water and prompted Ichigo to put them inside. With a little bit of her help, it looked decent. As a last touch, she placed a white ribbon around the see-through glass vase and positioned it at the center of the table.
"It's really beautiful Ichigo. Thank you. Now, let's go change before our guests come."
Feeling accomplished, the child shined in the sunlight and exclaimed a happy: "Okay!" Running to his room, while being followed by Masaki, he sloppily removed the apron and impatiently waited his mother's arrival. As promised, Masaki brought out a different apron, although, instead of an apron, she went with a jean overall. The material was sturdy. A perfect fit for her unruly child. It wouldn't get dirty easily and the material was strong enough to minimize injuries.
The many bruises, cuts and other injuries her son sported, bothered her a lot. More so, for they showed at random. With hos vivacious Ichigo was, it shouldn't be a surprise. Yet, she couldn't shake off the feeling that there were more wounds than it was normal, even for an energetic child.
Once dressed, Ichigo hugged her again and brought her out of her mussing. Holding the boy in her hands, she made her way back to the kitchenette and together the two finished preparing the cake.
The cake was in the shape of a teddy-bear's head with chocolate pudding covering the outside. Inside, it consisted of two layers of sponge vanilla cakes on top of one another, in between, juicy roasted strawberry jam filling. The round muzzle was made from whipped-cream, as well as the whites of the eyes. The actual 'nose' and 'eyes' were brown cookies, while the mouth, which was connected to the nose, was simply a thin drawing made form chocolate swirl. The ears were just an extension of the cake and decorated with sliced raspberries to give them the 'pink' hue.
All in all, it was ready to go into the refrigerator, where it would chill and harden before being cut and thoroughly enjoyed.
Both mother and son, looked at the cake than at one another and nodded as if saying 'Yup this is it! It's great!' Content with the completed task, Masaki lowered Ichigo down, took the cake and placed it in the fridge. As if on schedule, the doorbell announced their first visitors.
With all the speed an excited child can muster, Ichigo ran towards the source of the noise, Masaki following behind him at a slower pace. There was no need to rush since Ichigo was not very tall and couldn't reach the entrance's handle, let alone open the heavy door to let anyone in. She was very pleased to see that was not his intention.
Ichigo stood in front of the gate jumping from one foot to the other, but did not try to reach for the handle. Masaki had explained to Ichigo never to open or, in his case, try to open the door no matter who it is, unless either Masaki or Isshin were there. Even with all his energy and childish vigor, Ichigo was very obedient and rarely needed to be told things twice. He may inquire about certain aspects and items often, but never broke any essential rules. Masaki never considered it Ichigo's fault when he would get lost outside when accompanied by herself and Isshin. That was their flaw. If anything, she learned that Ichigo always found a way home, if with tears and filthy clothes, depending on what happened.
The first to arrive were Urahara and Tessai-san with their classical attires. Within the course of many years, Masaki grew a stronger bond with Tessai-san rather than with the shopkeeper. Maybe it was the calm aura or the lack of passion for dangerous experiments which had contributed to this preference. Nevertheless, it was present. Besides, it would have been rude to invite one without the other. A major factor which tipped the scale in favor of inviting both males. With a kind smile, Masaki prompted them both in, aware that her son became shy the instant the two figures were revealed. It's not like she could ignore how he tried to hide behind her legs while glancing the newcomers with curious and cautious eyes.
"Good afternoon gentlemen. Welcome. Lunch is almost ready. We are waiting for Isshin to close the Clinic and a few more relatives. Please make yourselves at home. Ichigo, the big man with the glasses is Tessai-san and the other is Urahara-san. Why don't you present yourself?"
Ichigo looked up at his mother's face. Her gentle expression, reassured the little one just enough to come out of hiding and give a big bow.
"Ku-oo-sa-kii Ichi-go, nice to meet."
The scene was so cute, Tessai-san came down to his knees and hugged the child while crying false tears and shouting something along the lines of "Oh, Kurosaki-dono is already such a fine young man!" and "Only yesterday he was just a newborn!"
Urahara himself was not that far off from cooing at the display. He itched to pull out his fan and cover his face, while giving a funny comeback, but couldn't. Instead, he removed his infamous hat and passed it to Masaki so it could be put away for the duration of the stay. An unusual gesture, Masaki appreciated immensely.
"Ma, ma, Tessai-san. Kids grow-up fast. Though, you may want to let go now. You're going to scare the birthday boy."
Ichigo was really trying hard not to cry and bolt away. The only reason he stayed put and was dealing with the weird man, was his mother's presence. Else, no Kido in the world would have been able to keep him in place.
No sooner had Tessai-san released him, did he hide again. That had not been nice and the big guy didn't let him breathe properly. In his mind, he chanted: 'Grown-ups are odd and scary.' That in turn caused a disgruntled rumble to echo within his soul. 'Not you, Zan-kun. Zan-kun is the best!' A pleased purr was his answer and all noises from inside his own self, ceased, letting him refocus on the situation at hand. Apparently, he did not miss much, as Masaki took the hat and ushered everyone inside and was now asking Ichigo to take their guests to the living room, while she checked on Isshin.
Wanting to make his mom happy, Ichigo carefully approached the shorter man. So far, the blonde guy didn't do anything to him and he considered him relatively safe. Grabbing one of the hands presented to him, he guided the two to the living room and to the couch. Not knowing what to do next, he sat on the far side of the room, eliciting a chuckle from the duo.
"Oh, Tessai-san. I think you scared him with your surprise hug."
Ichigo didn't say much and merely observed the two, trying to figure them out. Seeing he wouldn't be able to get anything out of them from so far, he came a little closer. There was something bugging him about their presences, but the little child couldn't put his finger on what it was.
Urahara saw the boy's interest and decided it was better to let the child come at his own pace. Ichigo was still pondering on what to do. He wanted to know more, but he was shy. He grabbed his hair and lightly pulled at the short strands in front of his face, when an idea crossed his mind. Rushing to the upper level, he grabbed three plush toys he normally played with. Maybe the two newcomers didn't know what to do and were bored just like he himself. He never noticed the petulant pouts he involuntarily caused by his unexpected and unannounced departure.
He came down the stairs at a slow pace. He did fall once and it hurt. Thus, he was more careful as to not cause any distress for his parents. Once at the bottom, he went into the living room and placed the toys on the coffee table. These were: a blue rhino with pink cheeks and black beady eyes, a green and yellow frog with a big open mouth and pink tongue, and lastly, a white dragon with a red belly, black wings and a long black mane.
Checking his choice, Ichigo gave another glance at the visitors and took the rhino. It took a few attempts to get that first step towards the guests, but once he started he pushed the toy into Tessai-san's hands.
"Aoi*. This… Aoi. You can play. Aoi likes hugs."
Not waiting for a reaction, which would have been absolutely ridiculous to the adults in the Clinic, Ichigo tuned back to the table to get the second toy. This time it was the green frog. With sure steps, he handed the plushy to Urahara.
"This is Riku*… Hmm… Riku likes all, pe-e-pole, toys, games… all."
Not wanting to be rude, even to a three-year-old, Urahara gladly took the toy with a "Thank you. You are very kind to share."
Now that everyone had something to do, Ichigo returned to the small table and took the final plushy. Once secure in his hands, Ichigo sat on the floor in front of the couch petting the dragon with a faraway expression.
Intrigued by the child's behavior and going with the current flow, Urahara asked Ichigo a question.
"Kurosaki-san, what is your dragon's name?"
Startled by the inquiry, Ichigo raised his head and stared the other before answering.
"Umm… This is Zan-Zan."
"Oh. That's nice. They all have nice names. How did you come up with them?"
In no time at all, the boy replied in high spirits.
"Thanks, mommy and I named them. Not nice when no name, so mommy and I wo-ok ha-ad. Aoi, easy, Aoi is blue. Riku not easy. Mommy helped. Said froggy name is Riku 'cause he's smart."
Urahara was beaming on the inside. He got the 'intelligent' one. The last name, though, did not make sense. If the plushies were named after a characteristic or something alike, then it would be logical if the dragon had been named 'Shiro'.
"What about Zan-Zan?"
This time, the child did not seem very sure of himself, as if he wasn't certain it would be wise to respond. Trying to persuade the boy, Urahara lowered himself to the child's level and masking his voice while using 'Riku' he said: "Please tell us Ichigo. I promise we won't tell anyone. It will be our secret."
Even so, Ichigo wasn't fully convinced. Urahara almost gave up, when the boy came closer to the toy and whispered.
"Zan-Zan looks like Zan-kun. But Zan-kun not like when I talk about him. He's shy."
Years of expertise in concealing his true emotions paid off for Urahara. Gazing at the dragon toy and bearing in mind the boy's tale, he wondered if perhaps a check-up was in order. The tricky part was to get Ichigo to cooperate without calling his parents, who would probably skin him alive. He had never told anyone of the Hollow he encountered as he did not want to scare the young parents. However, he had told Tessai. His partner must have connected the dots, if his deep concerned voice any indication.
"Tenchou… Do you think it's already back?"
Shaking his head, Urahara barely contained his frustration. Forgetting that he was holding a frog instead of his fan, he waved the toy around.
"It shouldn't be. Not in such a short time. But there is no telling. Care to keep an eye out for his caretakers? We don't want to frighten them, especially since it could be the child's wild imagination."
Urahara deliberately used the word 'caretakers' as not to scare the boy. Although, Ichigo was giggling from seeing the frog plushie move in such a different way compared to how his dad usually played with it. Using the child's naivety, Urahara came down to the boy once again.
"Ne, ne, Kurosaki-kun. Would you like to see magic? But you must not tell anyone, not even your mommy or daddy, agreed?"
Nodding his head, Ichigo agreed. Which child could ever resist the urge to see real magic? Giving a swift nod towards Tessai, the other concentrated and raised a few barrier layers around the duo. Delighted at the bright walls, Ichigo became excited and missed the hand which obscured his sight.
Putting a light sleeping Kido, Urahara started to work immediately. The seals he had placed were, fortunately, still there and doing their job. On the other side, they had been thinned and were on the verge of breaking. It was surreal. If he wasn't witnessing the deed with his own eyes, he wouldn't believe it.
Ever since he placed foot inside the household, there had been no instances where the child's Reiatsu rose. Nor were there any readable signatures. It was as if the boy was using all his energy in pressuring the seals so they would fall apart. Looking at the sleeping child, he refused to accept that one so young could perform such a feat. And still, it was an ongoing process, even in his sleep.
With a loud exhale. Urahara pondered for the millionth time if he made a mistake and if he was about to commit another one. Just as he was about to reconsider, Tessai made a sound in his throat signifying the soon arrival of the parents. With determination, Urahara convinced himself that it was better for the boy not to have to deal with the Hollow as such a tender age. Using everything he had and the little time he could spare, Urahara re-applied the seals with all his might. Within minutes he was done. Right on time, as he could hear Isshin wailing about something.
Thankfully, Tessai-san quickly removed the barriers and replaced them with sparks. Urahara on the other hand, remained on the floor and held Ichigo in his hands. The frog was left on the floor, while Ichigo still held the dragon strongly on his chest.
Just watching the kid sleep peacefully with the plushie, melted Urahara's heats and worries away. Never, not in his wildest dreams could he have imagined himself holding a child and feeling as if everything was right with the world. He was lost in his bliss, up to the point he disregarded everything around. That is until he felt a hand on his shoulder. Isshin had arrived and was grinning like the cat that got the cream and canary. Shoot! Now he had to figure out how to assure Isshin did not divulge the information to Yoruichi or anyone else for that matter.
"Ah! Isshin-san. Care to take your little dare-devil? I'm afraid Tessai-san and I have exhausted him into sleep."
"Sure. But I must confess, I never thought I'd see you play plushies with a child. What's more, Ichigo rarely tires himself this fast in the afternoon. It takes us ages to put him asleep."
Having said that, Isshin's face turned from impish to downright fearful.
"You sure you didn't do anything… ahem… suspicious? Please tell me you didn't or Masaki is going to have both our heads."
Scoffing and feigning being offended, Urahara instantly replied.
"Why, Isshin-san, you wound my feelings. Anyway, who could possibly do anything bad to such an adorable angel? Can you believe he went all the way to his room just to bring us toys? The poor thing must have thought we were bored. Speaking of plushies, apparently I got the smart one."
Using his free left-hand, Urahara grabbed the frog which was laying besides him and pushed it in Isshin's face. Seeing the toy, Isshin started laughing to hard, he had tears in his eyes. It was so loud, it woke Ichigo out from his nap.
After taking Isshin out from the Clinic and finally putting the 'Closed' sign, Masaki had return to the living room with a petulant Isshin in tow. At first, she was surprised to see Ichigo sound asleep. But all considered, he did help her out around the house with the chores and even brought flowers. So, him falling asleep wasn't that much of a surprise and she could dedicate herself more to the last touches for lunch.
She was about finished, when she heard Isshin's laughter. Wanting to know what it was about, she made her way towards the living room. Seeing her husband on the floor while holding the frog plushie made a lot of sense. However, everything became irrelevant when she noticed Ichigo stretching out from Urahara's hands and rubbing at his eyes. As a mother, her instinct was to take the child and make sure everything was fine.
"Good morning love. Did you sleep well?"
Still rubbing his eyes, Ichigo nodded and made slight agreeing sounds. Satisfied with the answer, Masaki proceeded to question her son.
"That's great. What did you play at with Tessai-san and Urahara-san?"
Ichigo took about two seconds to remember what he was doing before his nap. Not that he could recall taking a nap in the first place. But it must have happened, for his eyes felt really heavy.
"Umm… We play with Riku, Aoi and Zan-Zan…"
"Ah, I see, love. Have they been nice?"
Masaki was trying to ask Ichigo if the two men had behaved. But she had expected a little too much from her sweet boy.
"Yes! Aoi likes daddy and hugs… so, Aoi plays with big Tee-san. Riku is green… I think he likes Uha-san 'cause they have same color."
It was definitely not the answer she had expected, but then again, she did ask her baby. She didn't miss the downhearted pout Urahara got when Ichigo said why he gave him the frog. Isshin, who had barely contained his mirth, fell again on the floor from cramps on his stomach. The whole situation was simply hilarious. Not wanting for her plan to be unraveled, she went on as if she really meant to talk about the toys. It wouldn't be the first time she did talk about the plushies and their day anyway.
"That's great honey. What about Zan-Zan? Did he look out for you?"
Something Masaki noticed, was Ichigo's few moments of silence whenever the dragon was brought up. Yet, among all the toys and games littering the house, Ichigo was the most attached to the white flying reptile he rarely spoke about. Whenever he did, it was like he was trying to hide things from them.
"Hmm. Yes… but he sleepy now."
There was a certain amount of sadness underlining those words. Almost like, something happened to the toy while he slept. Giving the plushy a quick glance, Masaki couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, hence, she dismissed the notion as a child's peculiarity.
She was about to say something else, when the doorbell rang again. This time Ichigo did not go to the entrance. Not that he could, since he was held by Masaki. By his slight tremors, he was probably terrified someone would hug him out of the blue. Ichigo did like to cuddle with Masaki, but refused Isshin's or other peoples embraces with a passion. Apparently, people seemed to squeeze too hard.
With a light chuckle, Masaki held her boy gently yet strongly and made her way to the entrance to greet the final guests. It was going to be a small reunion, for she did not want to overwhelm Ichigo. As soon as she opened the door, she was met by three figures.
She recognized the two adults. Katagiri and Ryuken did not change much appearance wise. Ryuken was maybe a little more stoic than when she last saw him and was wearing a light blonde short-sleeved shirt, syrupy brown slacks and dark brown leather oxford shoes. His white hair was slightly longer and fit perfectly with his frameless glasses. Though, he probably should have left the white tie with golden crosses home. Ichigo had a bad habit of pulling ties with all his strength. One of the many reasons Isshin refused to wear a tie unless it was for a special occasion and Ichigo was nowhere nearby.
Katagiri on the other hand looked much more at peace and happy. She was dressed much like Masaki. Where Masaki was wearing a light pink short sleeved t-shirt with a V-cut and three white fake buttons, Katagiri had a tight fit light mint-green shirt which underlined her frame perfectly. Instead of Masaki's knee-length violet skirt and black sandals, Katagiri went with a long white porcelain cotton skirt and powder white ballerina flats. Contrasting to Masaki's long wavy hair which was tied in a low ponytail, Katagiri's flat black hair was tied in a high bun. Honestly, how much more different could these two be? The only similarity was the smile both ladies had on their expressions as well as the fact they were holding baby-boys roughly the same age.
The child in Katagiri's hands was wearing a cloud gray and silver stripped short sleeved t-shirt, denim shorts with black and blue braces and navy-blue snickers. Compared to Ichigo and his tan hue, the other boy is fair-skinned and has deep blue eyes and straight black hair.
It was the first time in years the Ishida and Kurosaki families met and Masaki couldn't be prouder or happier than when she found out Katagiri married her cousin. In her opinion, they belonged to one another. Ryuken may give the impression of a cold-hearted man with no affection, but that was all a façade. Whenever he was with Katagiri, Masaki saw a certain level of calm and a different air about him. To most, it would have gone unnoticed, but Masaki realized that on the very first day she met the duo. Katagiri, on the other hand, had been dull and closed-off to everyone except for Ryuken and Masaki. Yes, it all turned up for the best, especially if their little boy was any indication.
"Ryuken-san, Katagiri-san, it's lovely to see you. Thank you for accepting the invitation. I was worried you would have declined."
The way Ryuken raised his glasses, made her believe that her suspicion might have hit closer to home than what Ryuken would want to admit. It was Katagiri who saved the day.
"Oh, Masaki-san, not at all. It was a pleasure and we are delighted to be here. I guess the little one in your hands is the party boy?"
Ichigo, who had been absorbed in the new people coming around, suddenly became shy and tried to hide his face on Masaki's shoulder. His behavior brought out snickers from both mothers.
"Yes. This is Ichigo. He's a little nervous when he meets someone new. Give him some time and he'll open up. And who might this adorable cutie you're holding be? Is it little Uryū-kun you told me so much about?"
Unbeknownst to their husbands, Masaki and Katagiri had kept in contact most of the time since Masaki left the Ishida's and became close friends. They kept their meetings a secret reserved solely for themselves without letting their respective husbands know. It had been a blast and they managed to fool both Ryuken and Isshin for years. They were found out at a late stage of Masaki's pregnancy by both males' efforts. That was also the day, Katagiri informed Ryuken of her own pregnancy.
The two girls had met in the park, as per usual, and immersed themselves in their chatter neglecting to sense the vicinity of their husbands. Ryuken had been suspicious of Isshin, who was in turn jealous of the other. Thinking that their wives were seeing the other man, made them go at one another. After several well-placed words, both concluded that they were behaving like children and laughed at their stupidity. Figuring that neither Masaki nor Katagiri where with either one of them, Isshin suggested Ryuken should pin-point their location and they could both catch them off-guard.
The plan worked wonderfully and they did find the girls sitting and talking as if it was the most normal thing in the world. At the time, Masaki's belly was very notable and Ryuken had given a rough "Congrats" before coming out from the bushes and approaching the two ladies, with Isshin following right behind and commenting it was supposed to be his line. Both Masaki and Katagiri jumped in fright at the sight of the two an were even more surprised by Isshin's words. Poor Katagiri. She had been so embarrassed she looked like a tomato. Ryuken too was shocked and glanced from his wife to the ex-Shinigami. Katagiri had caved in and said she had made a test that morning and confirmed the pregnancy.
The whole thing had been so adorable, especially Ryuken falling on his knees in front of Katagiri, grabbing her by the waist, lifting her and spinning her in circles from the sheer happiness.
It had been a while since that day and with both pregnancies moving fast, the connection had been lost. Katagiri and Masaki did keep in touch via phones, but it wasn't the same. This motivated Masaki to wait until both boys were grown-up enough to at least play and talk before making the big change and making the invitation. Isshin had no issues with it and welcomed the possibility to poke fun at Ryuken.
Little Uryū had been a little lost in thoughts. It was his first time seeing other children his age this close. The funny hair color on the other boy's head was also a major distraction. He only blinked a few times when he heard his name being mentioned by the other lady. His first thought was that the big female was very pretty, not like his mom, but still very nice. He looked at his mother for permission, before he turned to face Masaki and nod his head in confirmation.
More giggles erupted from both mothers and they simultaneously lowered their children to the ground so they could properly meet.
"Ichigo, this is your cousin Uryū-kun. Can I ask you to be nice and show him around? It's his first time in our house. Remember, no going out today, alright?"
Ichigo glanced up at his mom and then at the unfamiliar boy. The other one seemed a little smaller and both curious and worried. Not wanting for his cousin, whatever that was, to feel bad while in their place, Ichigo eagerly nodded and slowly approached the other. He made a similar bow to when he met 'Uha-san' and 'Tee-san', introducing himself.
Uryū was a little taken back, but welcomed the gesture since it was something familiar his parents insisted on teaching him. He tried to respond in kind, even it didn't look the same. His pronunciation was a little off too, but they were both kids and could easily understand one another without much prompting or words. Once they felt the presentations were done, Ichigo came more confidently and extended his right hand in an unspoken invitation.
Before long both boys were happily running around the house in a make-shift tour where Ichigo showed whatever first came to mind. The adults were utterly forgotten and left alone until lunch time. The meal had been delicious and the cake had both boys humming in pleasure. Once finished, Ichigo did ask if they could be in the garden so Uryū could see all the flowers, promising not to wander outside the perimeters.
The garden itself was nothing fancy, yet Ichigo tried to be out as often as he could. It was fresh, clean and the grass and flowers smelled nice. A far cry better than the zone close to the Clinic. There wasn't much to do, but the boys did find the area to be huge and perfect for exploring.
Although, Ichigo himself had discovered every millimeter of the garden, he excitedly tagged along with Uryū and his method of playing. They were having tons of fun with finding one of the toys Ichigo hid not too long ago, with Ichigo being the 'guide' and Uryū having to follow his instructions of getting 'cold' or 'hot'.
Not even ten minutes into the game, Uryū discovered the location of the toy. It was a black pull-back race car with lights flashing when the car was in motion. Uryū liked the toy a lot so much so, that after a while of seeing his new friend play with it with a huge smile, Ichigo decided to let Uryū keep it. Just as he was about to tell Uryū that the car was a gift for him and to take good care of it, a threatening roar reverberated through the neighborhood.
At the sound, Ichigo stopped with his mouth wide open. Looking around, he felt confused for two reasons. First, he couldn't see what had caused the noise nor where it had come from. Second, Uryū had been unfazed, like the sound never happened. Dismissing it as nothing important, he was about to mention the car again when something far worst than the rumble caught his attention.
Out in the streets the spirit of a middle-aged man dressed as a constructor was running away from a monster the size of a two-story house. Now, don't think badly off the unfortunate soul. If you were to see the ugly beast of a Hollow, you too would run for the hills and beyond.
The monster had pebble-like colored skin with several golden, red and artic-blue patterns. It stood on two long and thick hind-legs and had six more 'arms' from its midsection and above. The midsection itself was made of two connected parts, the main central body with four limbs and the upper part which had only two.
Nonetheless, the higher part was by no means less scary or defenseless by the lack of appendages. Heck! The head itself was frightening enough without the addition of more limbs. The cranium was relatively flat and square looking, but was made of a solid white mask with dangerous looking extended fangs and antennas around the mouth which looked more dangerous than all its appendages combined. Two huge pitch-black openings set atop the head and were distinctively separated and closer to the edge of the 'face'. From the blackness, cedar colored orbs without pupils sparked with mischief and killer intent.
All in all, should it decide to lower itself on all its appendages, the creature may resemble a female Joro spider*… a much bigger and nastier version, might I add.
As it is, the monstrosity chased its prey on two legs and was preparing to shoot a sticky substance from the four limbs around the middle. The sole reason it paused just moments before taking aim, was because it tasted something even more delicious in the air with its fangs. It didn't take long for it to see the two children in the garden.
"A fresh meal at my disposal and they look so soft and succulent. Hehe… Oh… What's this? You can see me boy? Even better, that means your soul is definitely strong but unrefined. You'll make a perfect dinner and will help me reach new heights."
Ichigo continued to stare in horror at the creature. He didn't understand much what the monster said, but he did catch the significance behind the word dinner. The big ugly thing wanted to eat them! He was scared. Never had he seen something this terrifying. He only managed to remove his sight from the beast, because Uryū grabbed his hand, demanding Ichigo played with him.
The dark-haired boy's behavior served to further confuse Ichigo. Couldn't Uryū see the big creature not far from them? Shaking on the spot, Ichigo tried to point with his finger at the monster, only for Uryū to get upset because Ichigo wouldn't play.
'Hmm. It seems only one has Reiatsu. No matter, the other will make for a good desert. I do love living souls, especially the young ones. They tend to be juicy. Now, I just have to grab them, but there is a Shinigami barrier blocking my path. Ha! I couldn't have stumbled on a better treat than this! It's a good thing that creepy Shinigami tweaked my energy. Thanks to whatever he did, I am undetectable by others. Should thank him by returning later and devouring him too.'
Using the substance, it had accumulated, the spider-like creature aimed for the entire house. The sticky substance was able to penetrate any energy-based barriers and traps by dissolving them into nothingness, while it simultaneously absorbed the energy and fused with it, turning into a glue-type liquid which instantaneously solidified.
With the barrier around the house gone and the superglue attached to it, leaving no escape routes open, the children were easy picking. That is, unless they wanted to run head first into its waiting limbs.
Ichigo saw what happened, though he didn't understand some of it, he did get it that the monster was bad. Taking Uryū by the same hand which had been pulling on his arm, Ichigo tried to rush them both to the house. It didn't take long for the boy to realize, he couldn't enter. Thus, he did what any other kid would have done and called for help.
The grown-ups finally heard the commotion and they too ran to the back door, only to be unable to go through. Tessai did a quick mental check and confirmed that they were stuck inside, while the children where out. Frustrated primarily at themselves for not having sensed any danger until it was too late, Ryuken, Katagiri and Masaki all went into Quincy mode and shot a myriad of arrows at the back door and windows, praying they would make it in time. Urahara and Tessai, were assisting on the side with Kido, but were careful not to destroy the house or involuntarily harm the frantic parents. Isshin too was giving his best short at breaking out via human methods, with a metal chair and banging relentlessly on the nearest window. If they didn't find a way out, and soon, there was no telling what was going to happen.
Uryū sensed that something was wrong. He didn't know what was going on and he was terrified out of his mind. Seeing his cousin and friend bang and cry at the door, made him sniff and wail in turn.
Watching his friend's tears made Ichigo even more desperate and frightened. He wanted his mommy… He didn't like the big creature, it wasn't nice like Zan-kun… That's when an idea hit him… Zan-kun could help! Ichigo had never seen Zan-kun standing straight, but he was sure the gentle giant was huge. He was bigger than daddy when Isshin when on all fours, so he could probably chase the evil thing away.
Concentrating hard on his connection with Zan-kun, he was astonished and horrified when he couldn't reach him. Normally, it was easy like breathing and he didn't actually know how they spoke to one another… they just did…
Since the monster was coming and there was no one to help, Ichigo placed Uryū behind himself and closer to the door. Something within was telling him to shield the smaller boy from the evil being. He was beyond scared, sad, angry and all sorts of other emotions were welling up from within. He did not want to be someone's meal and he refused to let anything bad happen to his first friend.
Still trembling and shaking in fear, Ichigo made sure to keep Uryū at his back. Watching the monster, he raised his head to monitor its movements and was trying to think of anything to keep it away. He raised his hands, as if saying: "Stop! You can't get him!"
His futile attempts made the Hollow laugh out loud at the pathetic display. Getting impatient, the Hollow descended on its targets with two of its appendages, ready to impale both boys and devour their delicious souls, when a startling light erupted and blindsided it. What came out of the brightness, made the Hollow take a surprised gulp of air and take an unsteady step back…
"What the fuck are you?!"
Looking forward to any and all criticism.
Reminders: English is still not my mother language. If I made a mistake along the way, please let me know. Sorry for repeating the same parts all over again xD
*Junrinan* – as mentioned above, this is the 1st District of the West Rukongai. Funny that Junrinan is translated as 'Lush Forest Peace'. This is the place where Hitsugaya Toshiro, Hinamori Momo, Ikkanzaka Jidanbo came from. The spirit of the boy Yūichi Shibata, who was trapped inside a parakeet, also resides in this district and has made his new family.
*Aoi* – is commonly a Japanese baby-girl name, but it also means 'bluish'.
*Riku* – is a male Japanese name meaning 'Wise Sky'. Don't forget Masaki helped Ichigo with the naming and since the frog is mostly 'dressed' in green like a certain scientist, hence the reason why Ichigo associated green with smart. He gave the frog to Urahara because of the green color, not because he thinks Urahara is intelligent. As for the rhino, since Tessai hugged Ichigo to near suffocation, he gave the toy which 'liked' hugs the most. Blame Isshin for this one x3 x3 x3
*Joro spider* or Nephila clavate – a member of the golden orb-web spiders. It can be found throughout Japan except a few places. As you may guess from its lovely coloration, this spider is dangerous and venomous. Personally, you wouldn't see me anywhere near this thingy, unless I was fully equipped with a potent water-type vacuum cleaner or a sturdy shoe I have no intention to keep after getting rid of the unwanted guest. Sorry for any spider-lovers out there… Not a fan, but not a lover nor phobic either, just don't like them in my house or immediate surroundings. Most of the time, when I deal with bugs, spiders and other tiny creatures, I catch them in a transparent glass, cover the bottom with paper and then send them off back in nature, where they belong. There are, of course, those days and times when I have no patience to deal with them and in that case…well…the methods I mentioned before work wonders.
Until next time, enjoy! :D