Well, at least the man wouldn't pester him about Hakuran anymore.
Hopefully.
:You are my wielder's son.:
Ichigo sprayed half a mouthful of water all over his desk, earning startled cries and alarmed looks from the classmates sitting around him, including a raised eyebrow from Hirako.
"Kurosaki-kun, are you alright? What on earth are you doing?"
Ichigo scrambled for a tissue and hastily mopped up the liquid, shooting an apologetic look at his teacher. "Sorry, choked on my water."
His gaze slid sideways at the figure dressed in red, flickering flames dancing along the hemline of the spirit's overcoat.
:Ah, so you can see me; I did wonder. A word in private then, if you please. I assume you cannot talk freely in front of other Humans.:
Ichigo sighed under his breath, put down his pencil, and waved a hand in the air, already getting to his feet. "Sensei, I need to go to the bathroom."
"What? Class just started! Why didn't you go at lun- Kurosaki-kun!"
Ichigo was already making a beeline for the door, ducking out into the hall and zooming off for the nearest bathroom.
He clattered into the men's room, checked that no one was inside, and quickly closed the door behind him.
And then he turned to take in his father's Zanpakutou spirit.
This was the most corporeal Ichigo had ever seen him, decked out in a dark red, long-sleeved, flame-edged overcoat, with strands of fire whipping about his head in place of hair. The spirit had no distinct physical features though, more like a solid shadow with eyes that glowed like hot coal and a similarly coloured ember mouth. The rest of him – or at least what Ichigo could see – was night-sky black from head to toe.
"Um, hi," Ichigo greeted awkwardly. Already, this spirit reminded Ichigo of Isshin in the rare occasions when the man was serious.
The spirit inclined his head. :Good afternoon. You are Shiba Ichigo, correct?:
Ichigo blinked. "Uh, yeah, I guess, but our family goes by Kurosaki now."
If the spirit had eyebrows to raise, he probably would have. :I see. I have only just recently fully awoken, and most of my energy has been expended towards rebuilding Isshin's reiatsu; you will forgive me if my knowledge at this time is outdated.:
Ichigo shrugged. "No worries. Uh, by the way, what are you called?"
The spirit seemed taken aback. :Isshin has been remiss, I see. I am Engetsu, and you, little guardian, have the extraordinary ability to interact with the soul spirits around you.:
Ichigo scowled a little at the nickname but overlooked it in favour of nodding. "Yeah, I've been able to since I first met a Shinigami."
Engetsu gained a thoughtful air. :Interesting. Isshin has never shown such an ability, nor has any Shiba that I know of.: A measured, burning look. :Does your father know?:
Ichigo stiffened. "I- No, he doesn't. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell him."
Engetsu cocked his head. :May I ask why? I can assure you, Isshin would not turn you onto the street for being unique.:
Ichigo scratched his head awkwardly. "That's not it; I know he wouldn't do something that drastic, or even anything at all beyond some surprise at first. It's just- I don't know, we've always been like this – I don't really tell him my business, and he doesn't tell me his. It works."
Except it doesn't, at least not anymore, not since Ichigo had stormed into the clinic to demand some answers. Of course, all he'd gotten in the end was a confirmation, but still, he now had a promise from Goat-Face about receiving some answers in the future.
"Goat-Face is keeping some things from me as well," Ichigo countered, and he hated how defensive he sounded. Honestly, he didn't even know why he wanted to keep this to himself for at least a little while longer; it wasn't as if his father would sell him out or anything. Still...
"When he tells me the secret about my mom," Ichigo compromised at last. "I'll tell him mine."
This time, Engetsu studied him long enough that Ichigo almost started squirming. :...Very well; it is not my secret to tell anyway.: He paused. :It pains me to hear that you are not close with your father.:
Ichigo only shrugged dismissively. "Eh, I'm the independent sort; I can take care of myself. The girls – my sisters – they're closer to Goat-Face than I am. I was always closer to our mother."
Even a month ago, Ichigo probably wouldn't have been able to say something like that so candidly, but all he felt now was a wistful pang of nostalgia. He took that as a good sign.
:It is still a shame to see such a distance between you and your father,: Engetsu remarked disapprovingly. :The Shibas have always been family-oriented; their loyalty is to each other first and foremost. Even those who became Shinigami would not hesitate to place the wellbeing of their family above the Gotei 13 or political prestige. In this, the Shiba Clan was always far more unorthodox than any other clan in Seireitei.:
A spike of curiosity coursed through Ichigo. Aside from the information he had gleaned from the library, he didn't know anything else about the clan he was apparently part of. He simply could not imagine anyone he was related to to act like Byakuya or something, so it was nice to hear that the Shibas seemed to have been the black sheep of nobility so to speak. "Hey, do you think you could tell me more about the Shiba Clan? I mean, not now – I have to go back to class – but later?"
Engetsu inclined his head, fiery hair throwing flickering shadows against the bathroom walls. :Of course. If you have to enquire about your own background at all, then Isshin must have been rather negligent in your education. It is only right that I correct this mistake for him.:
Ichigo blinked. Wait, what? Did he just inadvertently nab himself a history teacher?
Before he could backtrack and maybe convince Engetsu that he would be more than satisfied with just a few tidbits about his Shinigami lineage, a sharp burst of foreign reiatsu reached them, smog-like and heavy and powerful.
Ichigo straightened, already heading for the door. "What the hell is that?"
He glanced back at Engetsu. "I'll see you later, Engetsu. Get back to Goat-Face just in case he needs you."
And then he threw the door open and hurtled out, almost colliding with Hirako who had just turned the corner at a fast jog.
"Hell were ya doin' in there?" The blond grumbled, producing Ichigo's badge which was already squawking noisily in their ears. Hirako tossed it to him. "Switch out; there's trouble."
"What'd you tell the teacher?" Ichigo glowered a bit as he caught the badge, knowing Hirako had most likely pick-pocketed his bag.
Hirako gestured at the men's room. "Bathroom."
Ichigo snorted, stepping out of his body just as Chad and Inoue rounded the corner at a dead run, both of them yelling over their shoulders that they also had to go to the bathroom.
"Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue called out as they rushed up. "Is it another Hollow?"
Chad cut in before Ichigo could answer. He was studying Hirako almost guardedly. "Is he on our side?"
Ichigo remembered how Hirako had drawn the lines. "He's on his own side, but for now, that side's the same side as our side, so yeah."
Hirako grinned slyly, giving Ichigo a hand as they both hid their respective bodies under a dusty stairwell. "Good way of puttin' it."
Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Come on, and be careful."
Hirako snorted as they hastened for the school entrance. "You're a hundred years too early ta be tellin' me that."
"Don't worry," Ichigo assured him, straight-faced. "I was only talking to Chad and Inoue. We can use you for bait."
Ichigo dodged a half-hearted swipe of Hirako's sword with a smirk. The blond wasn't so bad when he wasn't trying to recruit him.
"Chad!" Ichigo shouted, swearing as he swerved to avoid one of the giant Arrancar's punches. A dozen feet away, Chad went crashing back through a crop of trees after taking the brunt of another punch courtesy of-
"What did this guy say his name was?" Ichigo asked distractedly as he and Hirako sped forward, slashing simultaneously at the Arrancar's head.
"The hell am I supposed ta know?" Hirako fired back, flipping away as the Arrancar bellowed in pain and swiped at them when they managed to land a few relatively deep gouges in its face. "Wasn't it monologuing at ya?"
"I wasn't paying any attention!" Ichigo defended, and then disappeared in a flit of Shunpo to scoop Inoue up just as one of the Arrancar's fists slammed down in the spot she had been standing on half a second ago.
"S- Sorry, Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue stammered out, fear and determination warring for dominance on her face as Ichigo carefully let her down. "I should've seen him coming!"
Ichigo offered a bracing smile. Damn, they were just teenagers. His friends certainly shouldn't be apologizing for not getting away from an attacking monster fast enough.
"Don't worry about it, Inoue," Ichigo assured, before nudging her in the direction that Chad had fallen. "Listen, you're our healer; could you make sure Chad's okay? You're the only one here who can patch him up if he's injured, and that last attack looked like it hurt. Hirako and I will hold the Arrancar here."
Inoue brightened, straightening resolutely as she nodded. "I'll make sure he's okay. You can count on me, Kurosaki-kun!"
"Oi!"
Ichigo turned back to the battle as Inoue sprinted away towards the general area where Chad had been struck down. Hirako had already sliced off one of the giant Arrancar's arms but was currently in the process of avoiding another much smaller Arrancar's attacks.
"Finished chattin'?" Hirako hollered over the big Arrancar's howls of enraged pain. "I could use an extra sword here!"
Ichigo scoffed, darted forward, and came very close to skewering the smaller Arrancar as he materialized behind it.
"Thought you could handle it, old man!" Ichigo taunted, and then almost got beheaded when the black-haired Arrancar appeared practically on top of him, sword glinting in the sunlight.
Hirako hauled him out of the way just in time, Shunpoing both of them back to the relative safety of the tree line. "Old man my ass; keep your guard up, idiot!"
"Ulquiorra, they're mine!" The larger Arrancar roared, beady eyes trained on Ichigo and Hirako. "How dare that one cut off my arm?! I'll flatten him!"
The smaller one – Ulquiorra – didn't look at all perturbed, expression cold and blank as a wall. "Our orders were to evaluate the boy's strength, Yammy. Nothing more."
Ichigo's eyes narrowed. Evaluate him? He was pretty sure these guys were sent by Aizen but why would the madman want to evaluate him?
Well, he'd have time to think about that later. For now...
Ichigo dashed off again, circling around Ulquiorra who – while smaller – seemed more dangerous than Yammy, and Hirako had already injured the giant Arrancar; Ichigo might as well finish the job.
Weaving between the stream of ceros that came flying towards him, Ichigo ducked into Yammy's blind spot, spun around, used the Arrancar's chest as a push-off point, and with a swing of his Zanpakutou, cleaved Yammy's other arm in half, severing it from the elbow down.
The Arrancar bellowed at full volume, all but deafening Ichigo as he retreated back to Hirako's side, eyes on both Arrancar to see how they would react.
"Nice," Hirako commended appreciatively.
Ichigo smirked, but was more interested in the fact that, while both Arrancar clearly had Shinigami powers, neither had spirits hovering around them.
"Are their Zanpakutou like ours?" Ichigo asked as they leapt away from a barrage of ceros.
"No," Hirako shook his head as they landed in a tree. "Arrancar are still Hollows in the end, just with Shinigami powers. Unlike us, their Zanpakutou are part of them only in terms of power. Ya could say they're sort of self-wielding Zanpakutou. Right now, they're in a sealed state. If they release their Zanpakutou, they'll be at full power. They don't have Shikai and Bankai like we do. If ya want somethin' more scientific than that, ask Kisuke."
Huh. So Arrancar were sort of spirits themselves, except... not.
Well, either way, they were strong, and Ichigo figured beating them as fast as possible was probably the way to go. He reached for Hakuran, who was already chomping on the bit to come out and play.
"Speakin' of which," Hirako tacked on, grabbing his arm. "Don't do that."
"What?" Ichigo stared at him, and then shoved the blond down when one of Ulquiorra's ceros incinerated the top of the tree they were standing in, reducing the leafy branches to smithereens. "Why not?!"
"Didn't ya hear 'em?" Hirako made a face at him. "They're here ta test ya. In battle, Ichigo, ya don't reveal your trump cards until ya have ta, especially when your enemy is Aizen Sousuke."
Ichigo paused at this, searching Hirako's tight expression. "You knew him pretty well then?"
A humourless smile flickered across Hirako's face right before the Visored took off. "Ya could say that. He was my lieutenant."
Ichigo watched the blond disappear into the fray again.
Man, all these dead people – in Ichigo's opinion, they were a messed up lot, and coming from him, that was saying something.
"Don't move," Urahara ordered as he wrapped up Ichigo's torso in gauze. "You took quite a beating."
Ichigo shot a sour look at Hirako who had a cut on one cheek, a dislocated (now fixed) arm, and bruised ribs but had otherwise come out unscathed. "It's his fault."
Hirako snorted. "Would ya rather have whipped out every last trick ya've got and shown Aizen every single strength and weakness ya have?"
Ichigo griped wordlessly under his breath as Hakuran took up his favourite pastime of stabbing Hirako in the face again. Zangetsu sighed at both of them and gave them pointed looks that said Hirako was right.
Ichigo scowled at him too, just because his head felt funny and every muscle in his body ached from getting smashed into the ground by Ulquiorra.
Benihime perched elegantly on the table, examining Ichigo's injuries critically. :You need more training. Even in Shikai, you should have lasted longer than that. You looked quite pathetic lying on the ground like road kill when we arrived.:
The words came automatically and Ichigo couldn't censor them before they were out. He blamed it on the concussion. "Well, sorry to disappoint, Hime."
Urahara's hands paused mid-knot. Hirako looked up from where he was pouring himself a cup of sake.
"I beg your pardon, Kurosaki-san?" Urahara sounded confused.
Ichigo closed his eyes, muttering incoherently under his breath before voicing more loudly, "Nothing. I'm just tired."
He blinked open his eyes again, grudgingly accepted the faintly semi-apologetic look on Benihime's face, and leaned forward to rest his head on his arms on top of the table.
"How're Inoue and Chad?" Ichigo asked drowsily, voice muffled.
Urahara started working on Ichigo's bandages again. "They will be fine. One of Inoue-san's spirits was... damaged but she is otherwise unharmed for the most part. Both she and Sado-san are exhausted but some rest will see them back on their feet again soon."
"That's good I guess," Ichigo sighed, his brain moving sluggishly through what 'damaged' meant in terms of whether or not Inoue's spirit would be okay. He gave up after a few seconds; his head was too fuzzy. He'd worry about that later. The important thing was that both his friends were alive.
He spared a moment to think – terrible of him – that it was rather convenient that none of them had parents who cared enough or parents at all to forbid them from running into danger like this every other day. Things would be a lot more difficult if they were grounded for this and had to sneak out in the dead of night to protect Karakura.
Then again, Ichigo had to do that anyway, if only because of his sisters.
His eyes drifted shut to the quiet murmurs of Hirako and Urahara holding some conversation over his head, Hakuran's steady presence at his side as the Hollow lounged back against his shoulder, Zangetsu standing vigil in one corner of the room, and Benihime's ghostly fingers running through his hair.
He was asleep between one breath and the next.
"-weird kid. Ya sure ya haven't been showin' him some extra moves? He fights like ya and Yoruichi combined, with his own more straightforward mix thrown in. A touch of Tessai's Zanjutsu style too, ta be honest."
"Yes, when I sparred with him, he was moving differently from what I expected. It wasn't until after he left that I realized it was almost as if I had been fighting a weaker version of myself. Yoruichi-san helped him achieve Bankai, and you know what I did, so I'm not too surprised if he's picked up a few moves by watching us. But Kurosaki-san has never fought Tessai-san before, nor has he seen him fight."
"Well, however he learned it, his fighting style's got major potential. For all that it takes after yours, it's still unpredictable since he's incorporatin' it inta his techniques and creatin' somethin' new. Kid's a battle genius if I ever saw one. Better than Kaien, I'd even wager. His growth rate's phenomenal."
"And there's the matter of his Hollow..."
"At this point, I'm pretty certain he's made friends with it. It's ridiculous! And he lasted forty-five seconds!"
"Yes, you've told me-"
"Yeah, well, I haven't finished rantin' about it. I didn't expect him ta last five seconds! Aizen would have a field day if he ever got his hands on Ichigo."
Ichigo stirred, sleep-fogged brain struggling to absorb the conversation happening several feet away. The voices fell silent when he rolled over, blanket sliding down to his lap as he sat up.
Someone had moved him to the couch because he clearly remembered falling asleep at the table.
"Whaz'a time?" Ichigo yawned, feeling a lot better than before his nap.
"Almost nine," Urahara reported, bustling over to inspect Ichigo's injuries and make sure he hadn't torn anything open. "Inoue-san and Sado-san have gone home. I called your father; you may stay here tonight if you wish."
Ichigo grunted his thanks, rolling the crick out of his neck and back muscles before planting his feet on the ground.
:King, I wanna try some sake!: Hakuran whined from where he was hovering greedily over the alcohol cabinet in the far corner. :The old man won't give me any.:
Ichigo rolled his eyes as he ran a hand through his hair. "Then I'm definitely not giving you any either."
:King!:
"Give who what?" Hirako asked at the same time, instantly looking suspicious.
Okay, this time, Ichigo had no excuse for the blunder. He offered an awkward shrug. "Nothing, don't worry about it. Now where-"
"Oh no ya don't," Hirako railroaded him, brown eyes shrewd. "That's the second time ya've been mutterin' random sentences. Who're ya talkin' to?"
:Go with a vague truth,: Zangetsu advised. :It's usually the best lie.:
Ichigo inwardly snorted. Wonderful, his own spirit was teaching him how to lie.
"My Hollow," He said blithely. "He likes to talk. Jabbers on nonstop."
:I do not!: Hakuran protested, and apparently decided to be petty as he lashed out with one leg, his foot making the entire alcohol cabinet shudder.
Ichigo's eyes widened as the other two occupants in the room turned to look at the piece of furniture now rocking unsteadily against the wall.
'I'm gonna string you up by your entrails,' Ichigo cheerfully promised in his head.
Hakuran flipped him the bird.
Benihime drew her sword and clunked the Hollow over the head with the hilt.
Ichigo surreptitiously gave her a thumbs-up.
Zangetsu heaved a long-suffering sigh and looked ready to wash his hands of all of them.
Ichigo ducked his head to hide a grin. When he glanced back up, both Hirako and Urahara were staring at him again.
"What do you see, Kurosaki-san?" Urahara murmured softly, tilting his hat back as he scrutinized Ichigo with intelligent eyes.
Ichigo inwardly winced, shifting uneasily in his seat. "What are you talking about?"
Urahara cocked his head, a cunning smile curling his lips. "Did you know, Kurosaki-san, that I have cameras planted in a handful of places in my underground training area?"
Ichigo froze.
"They've always been there of course," Urahara assured. "They're good for reviewing spars at the end of the day, as well as monitoring the place for intruders just in case. Imagine my confusion when I spotted you on a few recordings, talking and arguing with... nothing that I could see."
Ichigo glanced at Benihime, who suddenly looked very guilty. :I swear I forgot, Ichigo. I've long stopped paying close attention to what Kisuke gets up to around here. And Tessai was the one who set up the cameras.:
Ichigo sighed, waving a hand in her direction. The secret was out anyway, and at least it hadn't come out when he had still been in Seireitei. He didn't really trust Shinji yet, but – despite how secretive the shopkeeper could be, and even accounting for that one time he had attempted to screw them all over for his own plans for the Hogyoku – Ichigo did trust Urahara. That would have to be enough.
"Earlier, you said 'Hime'," Urahara prodded, looking between Ichigo and the space where Benihime was floating beside Hakuran with an intrigued expression. "As much as I'd like to tease you about it, Inoue-san was in an entirely different room, and the two of you are not that close anyway. On the other hand..."
The shopkeeper's hand dropped to the handle of his shikomizue, and if Ichigo ever needed proof that Urahara was an open-minded genius, this was it.
Ichigo raised an eyebrow at Benihime. The spirit shrugged. :If there is one thing I am certain of, Kisuke will not betray you. He is simply fascinated, as he always is when he stumbles upon something new. You are one of his friends' son, his own student, he does like you, and he understands betrayal more than most. He will keep your secret if you do not wish for anyone else to know. He keeps enough of them himself as it is.:
Ichigo quirked a wry smile. Right, Urahara and his secrets.
"Can you see her?" Urahara's eyes were bright with uncharacteristic excitement even as his expression stayed calm.
Ichigo rolled his eyes before nodding somewhat warily. "I've been able to since I first met her. First spirit I met though was Sode no Shirayuki."
:But I am better, naturally,: Benihime interjected loftily, and Ichigo snorted, focusing on the crimson-garbed spirit.
"Well, I suppose so," Ichigo allowed with a smirk. "But only 'cause I've had to put up with you longer- ow!"
Benihime had promptly kicked him off the couch, though Ichigo knew that to Urahara and Hirako, it had probably looked like Ichigo had abruptly jerked himself out of his seat.
"See, that's what I'm talking about!" Ichigo scowled, hauling himself upright again as he rubbed his shoulder. "Forget Aizen; that violent temperament of yours is gonna get me killed one day! At your hands, woman!"
:Manners, brat!: Benihime bristled, though the twitch of her lips gave her away. Their banters had long since lost any real antagonism. :Even after all this time, you still have not learned to curb your tongue.:
Ichigo made a face at her. With Benihime nagging at him all the time, he actually had become a bit more polite. A bit. "I'm a teenager; we practically invented bad manners."
"Kurosaki-san."
Oh, he'd forgotten the Shinigami – and Visored – again.
Ichigo wondered, not for the first time, if he was spending too much time with spirits.
He rubbed the back of his neck, glanced at the undisguised wonder on the older men's faces, and then gestured at the space Benihime was occupying. "Hime- I mean, Benihime's over there. Hakuran's beside her. And Zangetsu's over by the door."
There was a moment of astonished silence.
"...Hakuran?"
"What about Sakanade?"
Ichigo hesitated, and then answered the less troublesome question first. "Hakuran's my Hollow."
He looked over at Hirako, missing the disturbed frown on Urahara's face. "And... well, I'm assuming in your inner world. I haven't really seen... her?"
Hirako nodded tersely, expression taut. "She's not here?"
Ichigo shook his head. "Spirits don't always hang around out here though. I mean, most of them do, most of the time. I think there are only so many hours they can spend in their inner world before they get bored to tears, especially since Shinigami don't need them to fight all the time, and you guys can only have long conversations with them when you sit down and meditate properly."
He paused. "I've seen her once before, when you first showed me your mask; not very clearly though. She reminded me of a pharaoh except kind of like a... cat too?"
The few remaining lines of disbelief on Hirako's face towards Ichigo's claim of being able to see spirits faded completely, replaced by an odd smile. "Yeah, she takes the form of a sphinx."
Ichigo mulled that over. Somehow, he thought it suited Hirako. It matched his mask at the very least.
"And Benihime is the one who has been training you?" Urahara interjected next.
"Uh, yeah," Ichigo speculated whether or not the shopkeeper would be upset that his Zanpakutou had been hanging out with Ichigo for weeks, arguably months. "At first, she said she'd teach me strategy. I refused but she wouldn't take no for an answer because apparently," He shot a half-hearted glare at Benihime. "She thought I couldn't strategize my way out of a paper bag."
:I stand by my opinion,: Benihime said stoutly. :And now, after numerous lessons with yours truly, you can. Be grateful, child.:
"Don't call me a child!" Ichigo sniped back.
"Are you two always arguing?" Urahara enquired, looking bemused.
"She always starts it!"
:That is your worst lie to date!:
Ichigo traded a glance with Benihime who shook her head in fond exasperation. And then her gaze darted towards her wielder, whose eyes had gone distant. With a sigh, she faded away, returning to her inner world in an instant.
"Ichigo."
Ichigo glanced back at Hirako while Urahara remained largely out of it, conversing silently with his Zanpakutou. "Yeah?"
The blond's jaw worked for a moment. "...Ya really can't see Sakanade?"
Ichigo frowned. "No. Maybe she doesn't want me to see her?"
Hirako raised an eyebrow. "Ya sayin' she's shy?"
Ichigo scowled. "Knowing you? Hell no. But there are spirits like that. Tessai-san's spirit likes me well enough but it prefers staying out of the way so I almost never see it. And I honestly don't know what Yoruichi-san's spirit looks like. I've only seen glimpses of it, and it's always gone by the time I try to take a closer look, not to mention she's not always around anyway. Uh... then there's Katen Kyoukotsu but I haven't seen them since I left Seireitei, and Sougyo no Kotowari who pay me a visit every few days for our play date-"
"You have play dates with Ukitake's Zanpakutou?" Incredulous couldn't even begin to describe Hirako's eyebrows and tone of voice.
"They won't leave me alone!" Ichigo protested defensively. "Back before I came home, I promised them that I'd play with them if they came to me when no one else was around-"
Hirako scoffed. "Moron."
"-and they took it as an open invitation to drop in every time my family's out," Ichigo finished with an irritated glare. "The first time I tried to refuse them, they dumped a bucket of ice water on me."
Hirako guffawed. Ichigo directed a rude hand gesture at him, and then swore when Benihime flashed back into existence and cuffed him over the head. "Ouch, dammit! Hime, stop doing that!"
:I will when you learn to stop being so vulgar,: Benihime sniffed, drifting down to sit on the couch beside him. :Honestly, do try not to descend to your Hollow's level.:
:Oi, what's that supposed ta mean, bitch?!:
Benihime shot him a 'see what I mean' look before tearing towards Hakuran with murder in her eyes, blade drawn. Hakuran grinned, equally bloodthirsty as he whipped out his own sword as well.
Ichigo leapt to his feet, grabbed his Zanpakutou from where it was leaning against one end of the couch, and lunged forward as well, slipping between them just in time to deflect both incoming swords in a rain of sparks that could probably be seen by the others. "Hakuran, Hime, settle down! Jeez, can't you go one conversation without getting into a fight?"
"I," Urahara announced stridently, interrupting them even as Hakuran and Benihime glowered spitefully at each other. The shopkeeper was literally pouting. "Am very jealous right now, Kurosaki-san."
Ichigo gawked at the man for a moment. "Er..."
Urahara's eyes acquired an unsettling glint. Ichigo twitched and leaned away guardedly. Neither of them expected Hirako to chuck a balled-up napkin at the shopkeeper's head.
Urahara yelped. "Shinji-san!"
"Knock it off," Hirako drawled. "No experimentin' on the poor kid."
Ichigo blanched, levelling his sword at the shopkeeper. "Just try it, Geta-boushi. I'll kick your ass six ways to Sunday."
Urahara looked positively woeful but raised his hands in a placating gesture. "But you'll at least tell me what they're saying when you can, right?"
Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Can't you just ask Hime?"
"I could do that too, but that would take longer," Urahara considered him with an almost baffled smile. "...You do understand that Benihime is a reflection of my soul, don't you, Kurosaki-san?"
Ichigo blinked. "Yeah... and?"
Urahara looked almost exasperated. "I should know better than anyone that she isn't very nice. In fact, she can be downright vicious at times, yet you seem to have... tamed her."
:He has not!: Benihime instantly shrieked in indignation. :Tamed me?! Oh, perhaps I have been too lax in your training recently, Ichigo! I will be sure to correct this mistake next time! Tame?! I'll show you tame!:
Ichigo was horrified. He glared at the shopkeeper. "You just had to go and say that, didn't you? My spars with her are already torture; now she's gonna step it up just because you can't keep your mouth shut! I'm gonna die!"
Urahara blinked, and then a pleased smirk flitted across his face. Ichigo wished he could smash it.
:Oi, King, stop paying so much attention to the bitch!: Hakuran complained noisily, ducking the sword-swing Benihime aimed at his head. :I want sake!:
"I already said no!" Ichigo snapped cantankerously. "If Zangetsu's not giving you any, what makes you think I would?"
The alcohol cabinet shook again as Hakuran proceeded to throw a mini temper tantrum.
Hirako cocked an eyebrow. "It- He wants sake?"
Ichigo pinned the man with a sharp scowl. "Don't encourage him."
Hirako snickered before the humour in his expression faded and turned speculative. "Ya have two spirits? Like Ukitake and Kyouraku?"
Ichigo frowned. "Sort of; one's my Zanpakutou, the other's my Hollow. Isn't it like that for you?"
Hirako looked puzzled. "No, Sakanade was Hollowfied when I was. She's a reflection of my soul after all, and my soul was put through the Hollowfication process. Technically speaking, Sakanade is my inner Hollow. Ya could say she now has a... dual personality. Sorta."
Ichigo's frown deepened and he tossed a glance back at Zangetsu, who looked about as placid as ever.
"Souls manifest in different ways," Urahara interjected mildly, tugging his hat down to shadow his eyes. "Ukitake-san's Sougyo no Kotowari is a single katana in sealed form, but from what you've said, I take it he has a pair of spirits to match his Shikai?"
"Yeah..." Ichigo nodded slowly. "I guess that makes sense. Renji's Zanpakutou is a single blade too but his spirits are split into two personalities."
"Exactly," Urahara beamed at him in a very suspicious fashion. "Don't worry about it so much. Now, since Tessai-san has already retired for the night, how about I cook us a late dinner-"
"Hell no!" "Over my dead body!"
Ichigo blinked a startled look at Hirako who smirked back as Urahara sulked in front of them.
"Tasted his food, have ya?" Hirako enquired rhetorically, clambering to his feet and rolling up his sleeves. "Don't worry; I'll cook. I'm much better at it than
he is."
"Not hard to do," Ichigo muttered, ignoring Urahara's protests as he trailed after Hirako into kitchen. "I-"
He stopped, eyes immediately drawn to the open window as a swirl of snow whooshed in – invisible to all eyes but his – and solidified to reveal the delicate-looking figure of Sode no Shirayuki.
:Good evening, Kurosaki-san,: She greeted serenely as if she appeared on windowsills every day.
"Hey," Ichigo returned as Hirako and Urahara both spun around to watch the one-sided conversation. "Bit late for a visit, don't you think?"
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Benihime bristle with inexplicable hostility and... something else he couldn't quite place. Odd; as far as Ichigo knew, she and Sode no Shirayuki had never met.
The snow spirit inclined her head in apology, cool gaze never wavering from him. :My apologies for the late hour. However, I find it prudent to inform you that you have, once again, caused quite a stir amongst the senior ranks of the Gotei 13. Word of your fight against two Arrancar – most likely sent by Aizen – has reached their ears. A team will be dispatched to Karakura tomorrow morning. Rukia-sama will be amongst them.:
Ichigo brightened a little. He hadn't seen Rukia in a while, and if she was coming, then Renji would probably be sent as well. "How many are coming?"
:Excluding Rukia-sama, five – Abarai Renji, two Shinigami from the Eleventh, the lieutenant of the Tenth, and led by the captain of the Tenth.:
Ichigo mused on that for a moment. He had guessed right about Renji, they probably wouldn't send anyone weaker than a senior seated officer so most likely Ikkaku and that Yumichika guy (Ichigo couldn't imagine anyone sending the tiny pink-haired lieutenant anywhere, at least not without Kenpachi) from the Eleventh, that dark blonde lady (Matsumoto or something?), and that Toshirou guy.
"Cool," Ichigo nodded. "Thanks for letting me know; you didn't have to."
Sode no Shirayuki dismissed this with a graceful shrug, snow already circling around her once more. :This is your town after all, and I had little else to do.:
Which was probably the refined version of 'I was bored and I felt like it'.
"Okay," Ichigo waved. "See ya tomorrow."
The snow disappeared, taking Sode no Shirayuki with it, and Ichigo tuned back into the physical world where Hirako and Urahara were still staring avidly at him. The shopkeeper looked ready to whip out a pen and start taking notes.
"What was that about?" Hirako asked casually, reaching for one of the kitchen cupboards. It didn't do much to hide his curiosity.
Ichigo pulled out a chair, plopping into it with little poise, which made Benihime sniff. "That was Sode no Shirayuki, Rukia's spirit. The Gotei 13 heard about the Arrancar in Karakura so they're sending a team here tomorrow. Rukia's coming, and so is Renji, probably Ikkaku and Yumichika from the Eleventh, that Matsumoto lady from the Tenth, and that Toshirou guy, uh, captain of the Tenth."
This information earned him twin looks of disbelief.
"Spirits can relay top-secret information to you?" Urahara looked downright devastated that he didn't have Ichigo's ability.
Ichigo eyed him with no small amount of alarm. "It's not like it's top-secret; we'd all have found out tomorrow anyway."
Urahara waved a hand. "Semantics. So they can jump between worlds, but only between their respective wielders and you. And I have seen that they can only affect non-living objects, with you being the only exception. They would make singularly unique spies..."
The scientist went off on a tangent, muttering under his breath as he whipped out a notebook and began scribbling in it.
Ichigo watched the man dubiously before glancing at Benihime. The spirit rolled her eyes. :Now you understand what I have to put up with on a daily basis.:
"I think ya broke him," Hirako commented, passing Ichigo a pot. "Know how ta make udon?"
"Who doesn't know how to make udon?" Ichigo retorted as he picked up the frozen pre-packaged noodles, and then huffed a laugh when Hirako smirked and jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at the shopkeeper.
They worked in a comfortable silence for a while, with Urahara's indistinct mumbles as background music.
"So about Sakanade," Hirako spoke up ten minutes in, voice a little jarring in the previous lull. "Is that why ya didn't trust me at all when ya met me? Cuz ya couldn't see her?"
Ichigo shrugged, removing the lid from the pot to keep the water from bubbling over. "Kind of, but you attacked me out of nowhere, and you were a weirdo in class. I mean you look young but you don't... Well, I've met enough Shinigami to tell that they're just a bit off from regular Humans. You don't seem young, if that makes any sense.
"But souls," Ichigo flicked a glance back at the three currently stationed in various positions in the kitchen. "From what I've seen, souls don't... they don't lie. Heck, I'm half-convinced they can't lie. I think that makes sense if you consider the fact that they're manifestations of who you really are on the inside. So I got used to gauging people by their souls, as creepy as that probably makes me sound."
Hirako offered a sardonic smile at this.
"Ukitake-san is really nice," Ichigo added on a whim. "And I think he's a good guy, but you know that badge I have? He gave it to me. Told me it was just a license, nothing more, to make things official and all."
Ichigo smiled sharply. The expression felt a little bitter on his face. "Smiled right through the entire lie; never even twitched. If Sougyo no Kotowari hadn't looked so guilty, I would've taken him at face-value. At least until I bumped into that Shinigami who didn't know what the badge was anyway."
Hirako was silent for a long minute after that, absently checking on the soup.
"Ukitake," He said at last, looking a little weary. "Is a good man. So is Kyouraku for that matter. But they didn't get ta where they are by not gettin' their hands dirty, and they're wise enough ta acknowledge that ya could be a very dangerous enemy if given the right incentive."
"Yeah, I know," Ichigo cleared his throat. "And it's not like we're friends or anything; hell, I was an enemy up until that point, so I understand. I mean I don't like it, but I can understand them wanting to keep an eye on me or something through the badge. I still don't know what it does."
Hirako glanced at the item in question hanging from Ichigo's belt. "...It's for monitorin' ya. Analyzes your reiatsu and restricts it if ya go off the deep end or become an enemy of the Gotei 13. Again."
Ichigo almost dropped the bowl he had just picked up. "What?!" He hissed.
Hirako paid his rising temper no mind. Instead, he craned his head around. "Oi, Kisuke, give the kid somethin' more convenient than Gikon to separate his soul from his body so he doesn't have ta use the badge, will ya?"
Urahara glanced up from his notes, pencil tapping thoughtfully against his chin. "It might take a few days but I'm sure I can figure something out."
"Great," Hirako turned back to the stove. "There, now ya don't have ta fret, Ichigo."
Ichigo gave him a deadpan look, anger receding. "You couldn't have done that earlier?"
"Ya could've asked him yourself," Hirako pointed out. "Besides, any earlier than these past few days and I honestly could not have given more than a rat's ass about ya."
Ichigo sweatdropped. He should probably be insulted, but then again, it wasn't as if he had felt any different about Hirako when he had first met the guy.
Besides, the blond was... refreshingly candid.
"Thanks," Ichigo said grudgingly.
"No problem. Anyway, back ta Sakanade," Hirako seemed strangely obsessed with the topic. "Ya couldn't see her, so ya couldn't tell if I was lyin'?"
Ichigo nodded. "Basically, yeah. And I could barely feel her through your Zanpakutou, like she was muted or something. ...Didn't you say that she was Hollowfied as well?"
Hirako nodded curtly.
Ichigo stopped all movement, turning to stare at the blond with growing horror as realization dawned. "But you... you locked away your inner Hollow."
Hirako slouched against the sink, silent. Even Urahara was watching them with solemn eyes now.
"So you can... use your Zanpakutou's powers and Hollowfied form but..." Ichigo glanced at Hakuran who was scowling sinisterly at the far wall. "When was the last time you communicated with your Zanpakutou spirit? Like, as in communicate without the whole stabbing each other and fighting for control thing?"
"One hundred and one years, three months, and five weeks ago, but who's countin'," Hirako released a rusty bark of bitter, mirthless laughter as he pushed off the counter and went back to work. "I can still feel her, she's still there, but there's always a chance that the inner Hollow part of her will take over if I confront it in any way besides lockin' it up even after I accepted it. Since I've... stayed away from it for the most part, it hasn't attempted mutiny again, so I haven't tried. None of us have. Safer that way."
"...Oh." Ichigo was suddenly very grateful that he had hashed things out with Hakuran. He wouldn't know what he'd do if he couldn't talk to Zangetsu anymore. Or would nothing change since his soul had manifested into two spirits, and only Hakuran would disappear (until Ichigo lost it big time or something and the Hollow tried to fight him for control again, because knowing himself, that would've more than likely happened sooner or later)?
"There are eight of us," Hirako continued, back turned. "Visored, I mean, excludin' ya, exiled from Soul Society. We used ta be officers of the Gotei 13 but... well, Aizen happened, enough said. I'll have ta talk it over with the others – some of 'em might not want to – but I do."
The blond shifted, brown eyes glittering eerily with resolve and just the faintest hint of Hollow. Ichigo got the feeling that they had finally reached the crux of the issue.
"I wanna try it your way," Hirako told him bluntly. "I've kept my inner Hollow down for over a century now; d'ya think Sakanade and I could still make it work?"
Outwardly, Ichigo gaped at him. Inwardly, he had a colossal panic attack. Why the hell was Hirako asking him? It wasn't like Ichigo had a handbook to refer to when dealing with spirits and inner Hollows! When he'd dealt with Hakuran, he had only done what felt right. That didn't mean he automatically knew what to do for someone else!
"I-" Ichigo clicked his mouth shut. For lack of anything better to do as he wracked his brain, he reached over and turned off the stove. At least dinner wouldn't burn. "I guess? I mean I don't see why it wouldn't if you-"
He stopped again. He hadn't the faintest clue how to go about doing this. Did Hirako want him to play mediator?
He was good with spirits though, or at the very least, he could talk to them and they usually liked talking to him, even the arrogant ones.
"Okay," Ichigo ran a hand through his hair before motioning at Hirako. "Could you... bring her out? Put on your Hollow mask and just- concentrate on Sakanade."
At Hirako's acquiescent nod, Ichigo hoped he could do something. After all, he was making this up as he went along, and really, the best decision here was to refuse, turn down Hirako's implied request for assistance in the delicate matters of the soul.
But he hadn't, and if Ichigo screwed up, then this was completely on his head because he had been the one to decide to help.
So basically, he couldn't fuck this up, or Hirako would fuck him up.
Ichigo just stopped thinking about it as Hirako's mask formed and the air above the man's head warped like a mirage.
For a moment, Ichigo thought it wouldn't work, that he wouldn't be able to see Sakanade again, but then the faint outline of a sphinx shimmered into existence, alive in a way that the stone sphinxes in Egypt weren't.
The spirit looked more like a cross between a regal queen and a lioness, and Ichigo realized that the white armour he had glimpsed before was actually the bone fragments of a Hollow.
And she was staring straight at him like he was her next meal.
Literally. There was something almost starved in what he could make out from her expression.
"Ichigo?" Hirako was regarding him intently as if he could see what Ichigo could see if he stared hard enough.
"Right," Ichigo nodded as confidently as he could. Damn, he wasn't cut out for this convoluted version of therapy. Therapist had never even touched his list of potential future careers. "She's there. Just let me-"
He concentrated on the ghostly spirit again. "Hi. Uh, you'd be Sakanade, right? I'm Ichigo."
One couldn't go wrong with introductions.
The sphinx didn't so much as blink. Her tail lashed behind her but that was the only indication that she had heard him at all.
:Keep talking,: Zangetsu encouraged from behind him. :I doubt she has had any conversation in the past century.:
'I don't know what to talk about!' Ichigo lamented in his head. 'Hime's right; I charge into things headfirst way too much.'
"So how're you dealing with your, uh, Hollow side?" Ichigo enquired lamely. If he was going to charge in, then he might as well do it properly.
Besides, that got a reaction.
The sphinx sprang to her feet, fading in and out as her slate grey eyes narrowed. :Are you mocking me, boy?:
Her voice was barely above a whisper – Ichigo suspected that she couldn't speak louder than that – but the vitriol was the same as it would've been had she shouted.
Ichigo hastily backtracked. "Of course not! But Hirako's missed talking to you-" He glanced at the aforementioned Visored who nodded a go-ahead. "-and he wants to-"
Ichigo almost flinched back when Sakanade growled – he didn't even know cat-women could growl – and lunged forward. At once, Hakuran's blade was out and Benihime had also reached for hers. Ichigo guessed that they would've rushed the sphinx if it wasn't for the fact that Sakanade's form still looked more like an illusion than a solid entity, and the large clawed paw she had just swiped Ichigo with passed harmlessly through his head.
Ichigo really didn't want to know how that would've felt if it had connected.
"Whoa," Ichigo raised his hands, wishing someone up in Soul Society had deigned to write a book on How to Calm Spirits 101. "Easy. Look, I just want to help, but you have to talk to me, not try and kill me."
Hirako shifted from foot to foot, fingers braced against the bottom of his mask as if waiting for a single indication from Ichigo to take it off. Urahara looked equally tense.
:You see that, boy?: Sakanade was also looking at her wielder as she prowled between them. :He doesn't trust me anymore.:
"That's not true!" Ichigo objected, and then figured he should at least relay what the spirit was saying to her wielder. Translator was what he was here for after all.
"She says you don't trust her anymore," Ichigo informed the blond.
Even just from the eyes, Ichigo could see Hirako's vehement denial. "That's not true; why would she think that?"
:'Why'?: Sakanade snarled, female face twisted into something more intimidating as her fangs – honest to god fangs – flashed under the kitchen lights. :'Why'?! You cannot hear me anymore! You can sense my presence within you but you cannot hear me! What good is a bond like that? You've completely shut me out after what happened! The Hollowfication was not my fault so why are you punishing me for it?!:
Ichigo cringed a little from the anguish in her voice, and before he could say anything, the spirit had withdrawn, air rippling again as Sakanade departed.
Beside him, Hakuran pulled a disgusted face and disappeared as well, returning to their inner world without a word, and Zangetsu vanished a second after him.
"She's gone," Ichigo said, needlessly since Hirako's mask was already shredding away.
"I felt it. What'd she say?" Hirako demanded, the edge of the counter creaking from where the Visored's hand was curled around it in a white-knuckled grip.
"She says you can't hear her anymore," Ichigo relayed reluctantly. "That you can sense her, like you said, but not hear her, and a bond like that is... well she... she doesn't like it. She says that you've completely shut her out. And..." He rubbed the back of his neck in discomfort. "She said something about the... Hollowfication? That the Hollowfication wasn't her fault so she wants to know... she wants to know why you're punishing her for it."
Hirako recoiled minutely as if Ichigo had stabbed him. Before he could blink, the man had departed from the kitchen in a rush of Shunpo.
"...Guess he's lost his appetite, huh?" Ichigo sighed wearily, eyeing the cooling udon. Even he didn't feel much like eating anymore.
He glanced at the table where Urahara should be, only to scowl when the shopkeeper was nowhere to be found either.
:I told you,: Benihime's mouth twisted cynically. :Kisuke has his guilt, even now.:
The spirit faded away a moment later, leaving Ichigo alone in the kitchen.
Ichigo heaved another sigh before pulling out the plastic wrap. None of them were eating dinner tonight.
Whatever had happened a century ago, Aizen must've screwed them over good.