Beneath the blanket of the Garganta's pitch-black sky, Kazuya's group strolled without a rush, their casual pace showing their relaxed mental state.
"Yo, why are you still in your Resurrección? It's gonna drain you dry," Mila Rose asked, her voice echoing in the darkness.
Sung-Sun shook her head. "I can't run around naked. My skin is not as thick as yours."
Her base form also left her naked like Mila Rose. The dark-skinned Arrancar was still running around in Kazuya's shirt.
Mila Rose rolled her eyes. "Fuck you."
Yoruichi let out a soft laugh. The playful banter between them was light, a sharp contrast to the stern interactions among most Shinigami groups. Yoruichi found herself understanding why Kazuya risked so much to save them. "You're quite a close-knit group, aren't you? How did you manage to welcome a man into your fold?"
She knew of Mila Rose's obvious bias towards men and this intrigued her even more.
"My integration went more smoothly than I expected," Kazuya said. "Only Mila Rose showed some resistance in accepting me."
"Oh, what did you do? Saved her life? Charmed her with your voice?"
Shaking his head, he replied with a playful tone, "I waved my magic wand and cast a love spell. Now she is even ready to have my children. I went overboard…"
The shocked outcry of Mila Rose echoed across the void. "Who would have your kids? This guy can't stop spouting lies!"
"Hahaha," Yoruichi laughed and pointed at the egg held by Harribel. "What's the story of that egg?"
"It's the byproduct of Mila Rose's intense passion for me."
"So it's her egg."
"He is spitting bullshit again!" Mila Rose retorted. "It's his egg. His Zanpakutō. I got this sword after I became an Arrancar. He got a friggin' egg."
Yoruichi's eyes widened. "You are telling me you defeated the King of Hollows without your Zanpakutō?"
"It was a tough fight, though. I couldn't have done it without you. So, thanks, Shihōin-san."
His sincere smile and smooth voice were a disastrous combination that made her heart flutter. Having the thick skin of a crocodile, she stared at him without any emotion. "Don't mention it."
Feeling left out, Apacci nudged Kazuya's leg with her horn. "You haven't told us about your time in the Living World. What were you up to?"
He observed the obviously jealous deer walking by his side and placed a hand on her head. "Should I summarize it?"
"Sure…"
"Well, I was adopted by a beautiful sister, who wants to slay Hollows but is restricted from killing them by Shinigami. I found a friend in a maid, who loves every piece of romance literature." His words painted a vibrant picture, each detail more intriguing than the last. "Then, I awakened new powers which let me kill Baraggan for good. To top it all off, I made allies with a genius Shinigami outcast and his childhood friend who, interestingly enough, loves shape-shifting into a cat form. That's an apt summary."
***
"Otouto-kun hasn't been back for eight hours."
The prolonged absence of a certain someone had a huge impact on the matriarch of the Ishida Clan. Izumi was on the verge of a mental breakdown when Lisa couldn't find Kazuya. The maid had scoured the entire Karakura Town in search of his Reiatsu but to no avail.
He had vanished out of thin air, leaving Izumi in a broken state. To her, Kazuya wasn't just a shining beacon of hope for their Quincy race, he was also someone whom she treated like a real brother.
Collapsing onto a chair, Izumi buried her face in her hands. "My sweet, sweet Otouto… it's all my fault. I should have been more vigi—"
"Stop!" Lisa interjected, unable to handle Izumi's exaggerated reaction. "You're making a mountain out of a molehill, Izumi-sama. He isn't a child. He's capable of taking care of himself."
"No, you aren't understanding the gravity of this. He could have been kidnapped by the Soul Reapers because of his potential."
Lisa couldn't find a reply to Izumi's hypothesis. Shinigami weren't very trusting of the leftover Quincy from the massacre. Heck even she was here to monitor Izumi and her friend who was mostly missing from home.
A part of Seireitei thought of Quincy as a nuisance and the other part was indifferent towards them.
"Izumi-sama," Lisa tried to reason. "We didn't sense any combat. He might have just wandered to another town."
"Soul Reapers have many spells. Don't you know that?!"
"They certainly do."
Lisa had to admit that Izumi had a point. As a Shinigami herself, Lisa couldn't even list all the countless Bakudō and Hadō spells classified under Kidō spells. As for casting them, she could only manage less than a handful of sealing and destruction spells.
Regret gnawed at Lisa for not keeping a closer eye on Kazuya. What could have been the worst outcome? Getting found out? It seemed far more tolerable than witnessing a strong woman like Izumi break down into tears.
Seeing Lisa's silence, Izumi wiped away her tears, putting on a brave face. "I shouldn't lose hope so easily."
"Yeah. Let's—"
"We'll drive through the nearby towns. Lisa, we'll find him at any cost."
Lisa let out a heavy sigh. "Izumi-sama, rest here. I'll contact my friends who can help me locate Kazuya."
Izumi clasped her hand, a grateful smile illuminating her face. "Thank you, Lisa. I don't know how to repay this gratitude."
"Don't worry about it, Izumi-sama."
Lisa managed to plaster a polite smile on her face, all the while recalling Kisuke's cautionary words. Kisuke had been right all along. She should have severed her connections when she had the chance. Instead, she found herself more entangled in Quincy affairs than ever. Moreover, with Kazuya privy to her secret, she couldn't exit her job until all loose ends were tied.
'Ugh, why am I a completionist?'
She mentally berated her compulsive need for completion, a habit cultivated from persistently finishing books regardless of their quality.
…
Minutes later, Lisa stepped out of the car. Beyond the open shutter laid a warehouse filled with junk. She lingered at the edge, a little uncertain about asking for help.
"Hey, Lisa!" Shinji's voice echoed from the warehouse's cavernous interior. He emerged from the shadowy interior, a crease forming on his forehead as he spotted Lisa. "Why are you still wearing that? Are ya here to say goodbye and leave us for that—"
His words were abruptly silenced as a swift kick sent him sprawling onto the ground.
Hiyori, the instigator of the sudden attack, darted out of the warehouse, her gaze falling on Lisa. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be on cleaning duty in that mansion?"
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Lisa's lips at the sight of Shinji and Hiyori's display of sibling love. "Where is Hachi? I need his help in tracking down someone."
Hachigen Ushoda, former Vice Captain of Kidō Corps, had numerous Kidō. One of them could certainly take care of her problem.
Hiyori stomped up to Lisa, her arms crossed as she frowned up at the maid. "Weren't you instructed to act like a human maid? Why are they sending you out on search missions?"
"I'm a human maid who can't manifest her Reishi gathering ability," Lisa corrected Hiyori, her tone matter-of-fact. "This isn't the time for an interrogation. This is urgent."
"Ugh, alright." Hiyori looked over her shoulder, calling out to the man still within the warehouse. "Hachi! Hey, Hachi! Get out here!"
Moments later, a rotund man with short pink hair came out. He exuded a gentlemanly aura, emphasized by his olive-green tuxedo and neatly trimmed mustache. "Lisa, you're back."
"Hachi, help me out. Just a small task."
Hachigen interlocked his fingers as he raised a brow, a little skeptical about Lisa's request. "I have nothing on hand. I suppose I can help you out. Don't give me too hard of a task."
"Let's go then."
Lisa drove while explaining the task at hand.
Hachigen placed a hand on his chin. "I can cast Bakudo #56 'Motomeru (Seek the Shadows). There is a drawback. The trailing mechanism of this spell isn't very quick."
"I knew I could count on you, Hachi."
Upon their arrival outside the Ishida Mansion, Hachigen immediately picked up on the remnants of Kazuya's Reiatsu. He began forming symbols in the air, his golden Reiatsu conjuring words. "Chase them, you black spirit of the night! Gaze upon this with curiosity and then seek the traitor out with your howls!"
As Hachigen's words echoed in the air, Lisa saw black trails come to life. "That was easier than I thought."
Hachigen closed his eyes, giving her a soft smile. "Most things in life are easy, but we needlessly complicate them."
Lisa chuckled at his wise quote. "Yeah. Yeah. Let's chase this guy."
She broke into a dash, following the trails. She was following familiar streets, the route giving her a feeling of deja vu. After weaving through narrow alleyways and bustling main roads for several minutes, the reason behind her sense of deja vu fell into place. She skidded to a halt in front of a building she knew all too well — Kisuke Urahara's Shop.
***
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