Chapter 2
Ichigo sighed as he lay on his bed. Staring up at the white plaster of his ceiling, the night’s events playing in his mind as he lay there. Letting out another sigh this time a deeper longer one, he put his being over his eyes and said, “You know if you had just done your job, this would never have happened.” He was not expecting an answer, thinking Rukia had already fallen asleep. So it came as a mild surprise when she spoke up, “Yea, well, if you did not let your reiatsu leak so much that hallow would not have even been here. That and I honestly did not think you would take all of it. I just thought it would be enough to save us, and then it would fade.” She sounded a lot more than a little sad about that, and Ichigo did kind of feel a bit sorry for her. He did after a long talk; he agreed to go to her job at least until someone came for her. That and she did sound extremely upset about the whole situation like she had been on the verge of crying for the entire time they talked about it. So Ichigo stopped berating her about it and just let come what must from this whole thing. He was going to train with Urahara to learn the new powers that he knew he had but never bothered to unlock, seeing as he did not need them. That being said, he just found out about his powers not too long ago after an intense meditation session. Being as aware as he was of just what demons could do to one’s mindscape, he made sure to know the ins and outs of his mind, refreshing it every month and making sure his mind was as protected as it possibly could be—having been on the receiving end of a demon who could control him using his mind at one point.
So now he lay in bed, contemplating where he should move himself to homeschool, seeing as his father would not care either way. It would help him, in the long run, to keep up with his school work with everything going on in his life at the moment. It would also make it so he would not have to lie to anyone about why he was leaving in the middle of the school. So deciding he got out of bed and started looking up what he needed to move to homeschool himself. Not even caring if his father would have said no. The man gave up his right to tell Ichigo what to do the moment he put him in the mental ward as a child.
So that in mind, Ichigo took the last few hours of the night looking up and signing up for online classes. Using the card, he got himself and his father’s name, not caring if the act w, as illegal, he could convince his father he had been his idea in the first place. And if he could not it would not matter he was already signed up for everything, and there was nothing Issen could do about it.
When dawn broke over the horizon, Ichigo gathered his things and started out the door before Rukia stopped him.
“It is time to train, are you ready?” She looked like she was feeling better about what was going on and even looked a little angry for some reason.
Ichigo just smiled and shook his head, and in a tone, he would use for a particularly dumb person, he said, “No now is for food and then work. When I am done with what I am going to be doing today, then I will go to Urahara and train. I am sorry if that is not what you want, but that is how it is going to go. If you want to train yourself, you can go before me and serif he is willing to spend up you gaining back your powers.” Putting his hands on her shoulders, he gently moved her to the side and started to walk down the stairs to the kitchen. He could already smell the food his sister was cooking, and he loved her for being up this early just to make him and the rest of their family food. On that thought, he knew what he wanted to do for her, as a think you gift. She had been eyeing a new kitchen aid that had an ice cream maker attachment on it, and hers was getting a bit old, so he thought. Seeing as he would be on that side of town, he could pick one up for her. In her favorite color as well.
That plan in mind he walked up to her and patted her head gently as he said “Morning, I hope you slept well, my dear sister.” A soft smile on his face as he spoke to her. Making her turn around on her stool, brandishing her wooden spoon at him a glare on her face. It was meant to look intimidating, but Ichigo just thought it made her look even cuter. He would, of course, never say it out loud. He did not want her wrath on his food again. Having spent a week eating the spiciest food in his life the last time he tried.
“Ichi-nii, I will not...not this time you are going to have to tell him yourself. Whatever it is you did, I will not be a messenger person. I still have yet to forgive you for the last one.”
Ichigo winced at that but gave her his best puppy face as he said, “But, “Yuza-Imoto-san You are the best at dealing with his crazy, and you know what he is going to do when he finds out I signed up for online school this year.” Yuza rolled her eyes, not wanting to concede in this fight, but she did know what would happen, and she knew it would end up with Ichigo with no place to live yet again. Though this time, it might not be just for a few weeks like it was last time. She might not be able to save any of his things this time as well. So patting her brother on the head a sad look in her eyes nodded and said, “Fine Ichi-nii, but you owe me for this one big time.”
Ichigo smiled at her and nodded and said “Oh, I know, and I have an idea, a surprise if you will that will make you extremely happy and will even have you forgive me for the last one as well. I am sure.” Yuza giggled as she matched him out of the kitchen so she could finish cooking. And planning on how she was going to handle her father.
After that, it did not take long for the food to be done and people to eat. No one spoke at the table anymore, not after the last time Ichigo asked about ghosts and had gone away for a long time. So it gave Yuza just that much more time to come up with something and gave Ichigo an escape before it all blew up in his face.
As he walked down the street with Rukia following him for some reason, he told her what he was going to be doing.
“There is an old lady not too far from here who just took in her grandchild after the whole family was murdered. However, strange things have been going on around the house, and the child has been speaking in a language that the grandmother knew she did not know. So I am going to go over there and see if there is anything I can do to help out.”
She made a sound of surprise as he spoke, “But what would you do if something was in possession or whatever it was you called it?” Ichigo huffed in irritation as he said “The demon possessing her will be deported back to hell where he came from if it is a weak one. If not, I will just outright kill it and be done with it. I will get paid, however much the grandmother can spare if she can pay. Then I will be on my way. Like always, it never changes, but everyone agrees never to tell my father what I do for them just that I was helpful. Most say I fixed something. Older people say I went shopping for them or something like that. They all know what would happen if Issen knew what was going on, and no one wants that to happen.”
Stopping, he looked right at her and said “That being said, I explained this to you. Are you intentionally obtuse, or are you just that slow on the uptake? Because I would like to know now so that I know how often I have to explain things to you.” The genuine look of concern paired with the sound of it in his voice had Rukiea stopping before she could rage on him for being an ass to her. She shook her head and said, “I am neither. I just do not understand how a demon could possess a human and why only you can make it leave the poor person alone. Or even why you have to deport it or kill it.”
“Well pre the agreement between heaven and hell nither side is allowed to interfere with the mortal world to try and sway than to either side. However, some demons more so lower-level ones feel that the deal is not something that should have happene4d and or they just want to gain more power so they possess humans to gain that power. So they can gain more in the underworld and even some just want to try to pass for humans to leave the wasteland behind and have fun playing with human lives.” Ichigo explained as they walked into the building. It was a mostly run-down apartment complex. It had four floors, and the brown paint on the outside looked like it was at one point a soft beige, but it had been neglected so much it turned to a dark mud brown. The inside was not much better the once white walls were mostly black with only a few sparse patches of white peeking through. The carpet on the stairs was so thin you could see the concrete underneath it and the railing was covered in drying laundry as well as the space in between the spiral staircase as to make every little space count. Children were running here and there and at least five infants crying and the constant sound of the low bus of fans going to try and stave off the heat. Almost every door was open and the children were allowed to go in and out each one as if they lived there. It reminded Rukiea of what it was like growing up. She had lived in the poorest district in the Rukongai. Where only the strong lived, but she had wished for a community like this. One that would help each other just because everyone was in the same boat, and it would benefit everyone to make sure everyone was taken care of.
When they made it to the door, Ichigo gave a low bow to the older woman by the door, and in a low soft voice, he spoke to her. “I am here to help you, Miyabe-Sama. Let me and my friend take a look at your grandaughter and see if there is anything we can do.”
The old lady, now known as Miyabe, nodded and said her voice ruff as if she smoked her whole life. “Oh, Kurosaki-san please she has gotten worse in the short time I have called you. I have no idea how much longer she can hold out.” Her face showed how much pain it caused her for her family member to be in such a way, and it made Rukiea wish she could help more.
Ichigo patted the women on the shoulder and nodded. Without saying another word, he motioned Rukiea to fallow him as he entered the apartment. Seemingly knowing were to go without having to ask. Though when they entered the girl’s room, Rukia could tell why it was so easy. The feel of just how dark the presence that possessed the girl; was overwhelming and Rukia could almost not breathe. However, Ichigo looked as he was just found. He looked down at the girl and frowned as the thing in the girl pushed it’s face out from inside the neck, making the girl arc off the bed and make a pained moaning sound.
Ichigo reached into the inside of his jacket and faster then the eye could see he perused his had to the girl’s neck right above the hoarding face pressing out of it and started to chant something low under his breath. The whole thing took only five minutes, but by the time he was done, Rukia was on her knees with the sheer force of the spiritual pressure that collected in the room. It made it hard to breathe, and it also made her wonder how no one from the Soul Society could ever not know what was going on in this town.
Ichigo smiled down at the girl who now being free of the demon looked to be around the age of seven and quite pale and thin. He leaned down next to her ear and whispered something to her making her cry and nod a soft hiccup passing her lips just before she passed out.
Sighing Ichigo looked to Rukia, who found her feet again albeit a little shaky and said, “That is what I do for my town and the reason I do not need what you gave me.” He walked passed her and said, “Though I will help you deal with whoever they send, do not forget I will not try and stand in the way of their laws if I can not get them to lesson to me.” Not that he would let them execute her, he believed he could at least get them to let her be excommunicated from them for her crim, if anything.
As he walked out he explained everything to the old lady and she wept on his shoulder for a good long while before calming down. She offered not money but a dish he could bring home for his family and the promise of spreading the word without saying anything to his father. However, as they walked out of the building people would stop him and offer him small amounts of cash, knowing he would do anything to keep them safe. He would only take half of what they provided, making them promise to call him for anything even if they could not pay.
After that, he took the dish with him to Urahara’s Shoten. He would share with Urahara and whoever else might be there. Wanting to talk to the man to see what exactly would the training ental. Ichigo wanted to work it into what he was already doing, so that meant making sure both of the other people involved would know under no condition would he be forced to do something that would not work for him and his life.
By the time they made it to Urahara’s place, the sent of the onigiri was making Ichigo’s stomach growl. And seeing as it was well past noon and he only had a small meal at the beginning of the day. He was quite hungry and ready to get the training underway.
Walking into the shop, Ichigo looked around for the first time he had been in there and was surprised at the amount of candy in one place. He was more shocked when the number of children in it as well as a few who looked as if they were taking and not paying for it. However, it did not look as if anyone cared that they stool the candy. So he made his way to the back to see if Urahara was in the living protein in the shop. Rukia looked a little jittery at the act of just walking into someone’s place, but Ichigo did not care. He had told Uraharahe would be coming by and he knew for a fact the man already knew they were there.
Huffing Ichigo snapped “Oh, stop it he knew I was coming over and he also knows we are here and if he did not he really needs to up his security because if I could walk in with how much my powers leak then there is something wrong with this whole place.”
A moment later they walked in the living room portion of the shop, and Ichigo was proven right, seeing as there was tea waiting for them on the low table. Ichigo, despite everything, did give a small bow as he walked in.
“I got a snack for us so we can talk and eat. Well, you are going to talk because I want to know more about just how this training will work and just how long I will need to be here to get to the level I should be at.”
If Urahara was in any way surprised by this he hid it well behind his fan and bucket hat. “Oh well, I do believe that is a reasonable request.”