Not a Mob: Psycho

With Ichigo showing up between the second and third periods, Ohta no longer felt obligated to check on him after school. Instead, he hung back a bit as part of his usual changing things up, loitering for nearly an hour in the school library before making his way home.
*Rwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah-*
"Hmmm...?"
Halfway through his detour, Ohta heard the tell-tale sound of a masked monster screaming, its eerie reverberation resonating with his core even though it sounded fairly far away.
"It's pretty rare for them to show up during the day like this..." muttered Ohta. However, as he had long ago decided not to go out during the day, he ultimately ignored the sound and continued on his way. The year was 2001, and while cell phones hadn't been upgraded to have HD/megapixel cameras, it was better to be safe than sorry. Even more so since he was in his school uniform...
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After spending the previous evening conducting finesse training with his psychic abilities, constructing a 3668-piece lego diorama of a traditional Japanese house, Ohta made his way over to the Arisawa household with a bored look on his face.
Reaching a decently-sized, walled-off house with white walls and a red roof, Ohta made his way up to the front door and pressed the buzzer. A few seconds later, the faint reverberation of someone running down a set of stairs could be felt and heard, followed by Tatsuki opening the door in a light blue t-shirt that exposed part of her belly and black sweatpants.
Seeing that it was Ohta standing outside, Tatsuki blinked in surprise and remarked, "It isn't even 10 AM yet. Did you have something going on this afternoon or something?"
"Not really," replied Ohta, stepping past Tatsuki and making his way into her home as if it were his own. She gave him a side-eye as he did so but waited until he removed his shoes before scratching her head and saying, "My mom won't be back until 2. She had a shoot this morning..."
"Is that your way of telling me to leave and come back later?" asked Ohta, sizing up the petite tomboy with raised brows.
Frowning, Tatsuki replied, "That isn't what I'm trying to say. But still, you should have called before coming over..."
Before Ohta could ask why, an orange-haired girl appeared at the top of the stairs in yellow, mushroom-patterned pajamas, appearing even more surprised than Tatsuki when she first answered the door.
"Ohta-kun...?"
"Ah, I see..." remarked Ohta, shifting his gaze to Tatsuki and adopting a teasing smile as he teased, "You had a sleepover last night."
Punching Ohta in his rock-like shoulder, Tatsuki winced before shaking her hand and threatening, "Cut it out, or I really will make you leave..."
Turning his attention to Orihime, still standing at the top of the stairs, Ohta raised his plastic bag, exhibiting the meat and melon he had purchased the previous evening as he said, "We're going to have a barbecue. Care to join us?"
"Can I..!?" exclaimed Orihime, her eyes glistening with expectation and excitement. Ever since her brother had died three years prior, she lived on a meager allowance provided by the Life Assurance Association. Her diet generally consisted of bread, rice, and discounted goods, so premium-cut meat and fruit were rare commodities for the bubbly ginger.
Returning his gaze to the exasperated-looking Tatsuki, Ohta asked, "Can she?" with a teasing smile.
"Of course, she can," replied Tatsuki, crossing her arms as she asked, "But what about mom? Did you bring enough for four people?"
"When have I not brought extras?" asked Ohta, making his way past the short-haired teen as he added, "I'll be borrowing the kitchen. You should get changed. Your stomach is showing."
Though she typically wasn't self-conscious, Tatsuki pulled down the front of her shirt in response to Ohta's comment. Not even 3cm of skin was on display, but having him point it out made her panic when she really didn't need to...
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While Tatsuki, now wearing a somewhat baggy shirt, set up a portable grill, Ohta worked on preparing the steamed rice, miso soup, and veggies that would accompany their meal. Tatsuki offered to assist him once she finished setting up the grill, but Ohta shot her down since she was usually the one who prepared food for her and her mom. Her mom, Fubuki, was a Professional Photographer and the breadwinner of the family even before her father's death, so Tatsuki had willfully picked up the slack, making her adept at house chores and cooking despite being a notorious tomboy.
Once everything was ready, Ohta began carrying the ingredients to the dining room, finding the two girls seated next to one another as Tatsuki fussed over some bruises on Orihime's arm.
"You really need to start paying more attention," stressed Tatsuki. "It's not normal for a girl to be hit by multiple cars in just a few weeks..."
Clearly not taking Tatsuki's advice to heart, Orihime exhaled an airheaded
'Ehehehe~' type laugh before musing, "Guess I'm just lucky."
"That isn't luck!" exclaimed Tatsuki, abruptly shifting her attention to Ohta to appeal, "Can you talk some sense into this girl?"
Setting the ingredients on the table, Ohta glanced at Orihime's injuries before remarking, "If you're that worried, get Ichigo or someone else to walk her home. And no, that isn't an invitation to get me to do it. I live in a completely different direction."
Answering in Tatsuki's stead, Orihime raised her hands, waving them from side to side as she stammered, "T-That really isn't necessary. I don't want to trouble anyone. E-E-Especially Ichi&ndash;Kurosaki-kun..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta looked to Tatsuki as he asked, "Hear that?"
Furrowing her brows, Tatsuki briefly glared at Ohta before adopting a far gentler expression as she turned to Orihime and said, "Come on, Orihime. It would only be for a few days. I'm worried about you."
"He'd definitely do it," remarked Ohta. "Ichigo might be a broody edge lord, but he's a genuine goody-two-shoes. If he learned you kept getting injured on your way home, he'd probably stalk you just to ensure you get home safely."
Realizing that Ohta was backing her up, a faint smile developed across Tatsuki's face as she appended, "See, what did I tell you? If you just ask him, Ichigo will definitely walk you home."
"Y-You really think so?" asked Orihime, shrinking into herself and adopting an awkward smile. She wasn't good at being put on the spot, and though she denied it to everyone that asked, it was fairly evident to everyone but Ichigo himself that she had a crush on him. The thought of walking home together was exciting but also terrified her greatly...
"If he doesn't, I'm sure Ohta will," replied Tatsuki, seemingly disregarding his previous statement as she looked at him with a silent plea in her eyes.
"Wow, way to throw your childhood friend under the bus..." remarked Ohta, subsequently looking to Orihime as he added, "But, sure. If you can muster up the courage to ask Ichigo to walk you home, I'll bite the bullet and accompany you if he refuses."
"I...I really don't want to be a bother..." replied Orhime, looking down to avoid Tatsuki's and Ohta's gazes.
"Then stop getting hurt," replied Ohta, turning to retrieve the meat from the kitchen. He honestly didn't care how many cars Orihime got hit by as a result of her carelessness, but he was indebted to the Arisawa family until he became independent. Tatsuki would become moody if he stood by and allowed something to happen to her best friend, so if push came to shove, he could at least make sure someone wasn't intentionally hitting Orihime with their car...
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"Is this really necessary...?" asked Orihime, smiling awkwardly as Ohta held up his hand for the umpteenth time, preventing her from stepping onto a crosswalk.
"You've been hit by three cars in the past month," replied Ohta. "Most people don't get hit once in their entire life. Do you know why that is, Inoue-san?"
"Because they look both ways before crossing the street...?" replied Orihime.
"Because they look both ways before crossing the street," parroted Ohta. "Now, follow my lead..."
Though Ohta treating her like a child was starting to annoy her, Orihime emulated his actions as he looked left and right, confirming there weren't any incoming cars before walking her across the street.
Upon reaching their destination, Ohta clapped his hands, saying, "Great job, Inoue-san. Yet another successful crossing."
"..."
Seeing the ill-tempered pout on Orihime's face, Ohta raised his brows and asked, "What's wrong? Feeling constipated...?"
"That's not it!" exclaimed Orihime, stamping her foot and balling her hands in indignation. She had rarely spoken with Ohta in the past, so she had no idea he could be this frustrating.
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta contended, "This wouldn't be necessary if you hadn't caused Tatsuki and her mother to worry. It's fine to get angry, but don't forget 'why' I'm annoying you."
Puffing out her cheeks, Orihime poutily replied, "You don't have to be such a jerk..."
"It's effective," asserted Ohta. "Now, let's continue. There are only a few blocks remaining, so I'll give you an opportunity to show me what you've learned."
Though she kept her cheeks puffed, Orihime followed along when Ohta resumed walking. She wanted to tell him off for being a meanie, but she couldn't refute his words. She really had been getting injured a lot lately, so for the sake of her and Tatsuki's friendship, she bore her grievances in silence...
*thump* *dink* *thump* *dink* *thump* *dink* *thump* *dink*
Drawn by the incessant thumping and dinking sound, Ohta and Orihime gazed into the park they were passing to find Ichigo furiously swinging a baseball bat, deflecting balls from a rapid-fire pitching machine.
"Orarararararara-!" shouted Ichigo, striking every ball that came his way. Curiously enough, nearly every time he hit one, a cloud of black pepper would be released, forcing him to constantly move around to avoid being caught within its plume.
("What the hell? Is that some kind of special training...") pondered Ohta, his expression largely unchanged except for a curious raise of the brows. At the same time, Orihime's eyes widened as she asked, "Is that Kurosaki-kun...?" in a confused tone.
"Besides yourself, how many other people do you know with orange hair?" retorted Ohta. However, instead of focusing on Ichigo, his gaze shifted to the raven-haired woman seated nearby, her nose buried in the pages of a manga.
("She feels different than the last time I saw her...") thought Ohta, shifting his gaze to Ichigo as he noted, ("Both of them do...).
Turning back to Orihime, Ohta was about to tell her it was her lucky day but found the orange-haired girl had abruptly vanished. Looking further down the sidewalk, he found her sprinting away, momentarily stopping at the crosswalk to look both ways before resuming her escape...
"Well, at least she's learning..." muttered Ohta, returning his attention to Ichigo and the raven-haired girl to find the latter staring back at him with narrowed, suspicious eyes. He doubted she recognized him, but her gaze made it clear she noticed something unusual about him.
Raising his right hand, Ohta gave a casual two-fingered salute before promptly turning and walking away. He was tempted to probe the girl for answers and information, but the presence of Ichigo complicated things. The less his classmates knew about him, the better. Thus, even though it was fairly obvious that Ichigo was somehow involved with the girl, Ohta decided to confront her at a more opportune time, specifically when she was alone. Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long as the girl appeared to block his path, eyes narrowed as she asked, "Who are you?"
"That depends," replied Ohta, adopting a fearless smile as he appended, "Who's asking?"
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After staring at Ohta for several seconds, the raven-haired girl answered, "I am Lieutenant Kuchiki Rukia of the Thirteen Court Guardian Squads. Now, tell me, you're the one that appeared the other night, right? The one who took down a Hollow in a single blow?"
"And if I am?" asked Ohta, maintaining a smile as psychic energy began to exude from his body.
Seemingly oblivious to Ohta's threat, Rukia caught him a little off guard by abruptly bowing her head and responding, "Then, please, help me protect this town. Just one month will do!"
"That depends on you," replied Ohta, earning a confused, "What do you mean?" from Rukia as she raised her head.
"Well, you can't expect me to work for free, now, can you?" asked Ohta. "I may lend a hand every now and then, but I'm ultimately just a high school student. Fighting monsters seems more like the schtick of these 'Thirteen Court Guardian Squads' you mentioned."
"Ah..."
Though she was tempted to lecture Ohta about benevolence and doing the right thing, Rukia knew it would be somewhat hypocritical of her as even the members of her organization got paid. Asking him to put his life on the line without compensation wasn't exactly reasonable...
Crossing her arms and closing her eyes, seemingly in deep thought, Rukia remarked, "I don't have any money. But I can promise that, when you die, glory awaits you in the afterlife..."
"And I'm meant to trust you on that?" asked Ohta. "For all I know, you'll throw me under the bus and skip town the first moment you get."
"I would do no such thing!" responded Rukia, staring up at Ohta with a serious, ostensibly offended look on her face.
"Maybe," admitted Ohta. "But have you ever met a conman who admitted to being a deceiver? I know nothing about you other than your name and affiliation with a mysterious organization. Also, even if you wouldn't betray me, there's a chance your superiors might see things differently. What will you do if they determine your promise holds no merit?"
Unable to respond to or refute Ohta's words, Rukia hung her head and remained silent for several seconds, only offering a faint "Please..." when the former turned to leave.
Staring back at Rukia over his shoulder, Ohta found her bowing a second time. Her blue and white spaghetti string dress made the position a little compromising, but she didn't really have anything to exhibit, even if Ohta snuck a peek.
Catching Rukia off guard, Ohta teased, "You're really bad a this. Don't you know that knowledge and information are as good as currency in high-stakes situations? If you agree to tell me what I wish to know, I don't mind helping you take care of those masked monsters. What did you call them again, Hollows?"
Raising her head, Rukia adopted an assured smile as she remarked, "You would truly lend me your assistance? I knew you were a noble soul...!"
"I have my moments," replied Ohta. "Also, my name is Ohta, Yamada Ohta. I'd say it's nice to meet you, Kuchiki-san, but my intuition tells me you're going to bring me a lot of problems."
Realizing that Ohta was teasing her, Rukia playfully retorted, "You're free to run away if you get scared."
("Cheeky...") thought Ohta, adopting an amused smile as he asked, "So, what now? I'm assuming you're the reason Ichigo was at the park, hitting pepper-filled balls like a madman. Don't you need to watch over him or something?"
"That idiot..." muttered Rukia, smacking her head as she revealed, "The pepper-filled balls are duds. He's 'supposed' to be hitting the ones with faces on them..."
Exhaling a tired sigh that belied her appearance and made her seem much older, Rukia looked up at Ohta and said, "It's a complicated story, but that boy, Kurosaki Ichigo, has inherited my powers as a Shinigami. He's agreed to take on my duties until my powers have returned, but I fear he may not be cut out for such a responsibility. He complains at every opportunity he gets..."
"Well, yeah," replied Ohta, leaving Rukia at a momentary loss for words as he asserted, "You're a Shinigami of the Thirteen Court Guardian Squads, or whatever you called them. I assume it's your duty, and you've received all kinds of training to help prepare you to fight against Hollows. Ichigo and I are ultimately just High School students. Expecting him to take your job as seriously as you do is unreasonable."
"..."
"Anyways, I'm going to take off," said Ohta, turning to leave as he added, "You should probably get back to Ichigo and actually pay attention to his training. I would also complain if the person who asked me to do their job read manga while I busted my ass..."
Blinking in surprise, Rukia opened her mouth, looking like she wanted to defend her actions but couldn't find the words to say. Instead, she called out to Ohta once he was about ten meters away, shouting, "I'll come and find you once Ichigo is finished for the day!"
"Knock yourself out," replied Ohta, raising his hand without turning to look back at the self-proclaimed Shinigami. He had quite a few questions for her, but he would rather not be caught discussing the supernatural in the middle of a public sidewalk on his only day off...*
Following Ohta's departure with her eyes, Rukia softly remarked, "What a strange human. I'm not sure if he's conscientious or simply enjoys putting people in their place..."
Shaking her head, Rukia decided to save her investigation into Ohta's nature and abilities until later. Now that he had pointed it out, she felt a little guilty about leaving Ichigo to his own devices. She wouldn't ignore her subordinates in the 13th Division, so she definitely shouldn't neglect the person who had agreed to take on her duties and responsibilities...
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Though he wasn't sure when, or even if, Rukia would come to visit, Ohta took an afternoon nap, waking up around 7 PM and taking a cold shower to ensure he was fully awake. Fortunately, his efforts weren't for naught as, in the midst of drying his hair, a soft knocking emanated from his front door.
Slipping on a pair of track pants, Ohta elected to answer the door without a shirt, earning a wide-eyed stare from the much shorter Rukia, dressed in a white, blue-trimmed camisole with a sunflower on the chest, blue-jean shorts, and bunny-eared slippers.
"Why do all your outfits look like you stole them from a prepubescent girl's closet?" asked Ohta.
Though it was only for a brief moment, Rukia's left eye twitched as she deflected, asking, "Why are you shirtless?"
"I just got out of the shower," replied Ohta. "Besides, this is my home, and I'm perfectly secure. Now, do you wanna keep standing out in the cold, or do you want to come inside?"
Exhaling a sigh, Rukia made her way into the interior of Ohta's apartment, surprised by how clean and spartan it was. Other than a neatly made bed, a dresser, a simple wooden desk, a wooden chair, a rug, and the diorama Ohta had completed the previous day, there was nothing of note.
"This is where you live?" asked Rukia. "It looks more like a prison cell than a proper dwelling..."
"It's just a temporary residence until I finish High School," replied Ohta. "I hate having to relocate a bunch of stuff when I move, so I'll worry about furniture and decorations once I lease a proper house."
While responding to Rukia, Ohta moved over to his dresser, retrieving a black tank top. He doubted Rukia actually minded seeing him shirtless, as he was fairly athletic and muscular, but it would make conversing easier if she weren't distracted by his abs.
Noticing that Rukia was staring at him, Ohta adopted a teasing smile and asked, "Disappointed?"
"Hardly!" replied Rukia, crossing her arms and taking another look around the room before making her way over to the bed and taking a seat. She expected Ohta to sit a respectable distance away from her, but he made things simple by pulling out the wooden chair and staddling it backward, allowing him to rest his crossed arms on the backrest.
"Hardly doesn't mean no," teased Ohta. "No need to be ashamed. I know I look good."
"You're very arrogant," remarked Rukia, adding, "Also, I didn't come here to play games. Like you, I have many questions. Chief among them being, how were you able to defeat that Hollow? I didn't sense any Spirit Energy within your attack."
"And you call me arrogant?" asked Ohta. "You haven't even answered my questions, yet you're probing me for answers. I told you that information is a form of currency, so what makes you think I would reveal the details of my power all willy-nilly? It benefits me in no way."
"I see..." replied Rukia, furrowing her brows as she admitted, "There is certainly some truth to your words. But if we're going to work together, there should at least be 'some' trust between us..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta replied, "Then feel free to tell me one of your weaknesses. Something that would ruin you if it became known to others. Because that's basically what you're asking of me when you ask for an explanation of my power."
"..."
Taking advantage of Rukia's silence, Ohta added, "All that matters is that I'm capable of killing those monsters called Hollows. That's the reason you approached me, right?"
"Right..." replied Rukia. She felt compelled to learn more about Ohta's power, but the most important thing was that he was able to get the job done. Everything else was secondary, so she sat straighter, adopted a serious expression, and questioned, "Then tell me, Yamada Ohta, what knowledge do you seek in exchange for your services?"
"Nothing major," assured Ohta. "I mainly want to know about Shinigami, Hollows, and the Thirteen Court Guardian Squads you mentioned earlier. I'll likely have more questions after, but that's a good start."
"And how do I know you'll help me after I answer your questions?" asked Rukia. "You can't seem to trust me, so why should I trust you?"
"To set the example?" replied Ohta, adding, "You're the one that needs my help, so you kind of 'have' to trust me. Then, based on your actions, I may come to trust you. That's generally the way things work when you petition someone to fight and risk their life on your behalf."
Taken aback by Ohta's words, Rukia remained silent for several seconds before asking, "Are you really a high school student? Your nature is even worse than my supplier..."
"I'll take your word for it," replied Ohta. "Now, are you going to answer my questions, or did you come all this way for nothing?"
"I'll-"
Before Rukia could answer, a high-pitched alarm began to ring, emanating from the phone in her pocket. She casually pulled it out, but when she saw what was displayed, her eyes widened as she abruptly leaped toward Ohta, shouting, "Move...!"
Though Ohta moved out of the way just as a mask-wearing monster rose up from his chair, things didn't play out as Rukia had pictured them in her mind. She expected to tackle him to safety, but Ohta dodged back at the same speed as her leap, catching her out of the air and hugging her to his chest as he evaded the creature with ease.
"You're pretty light," remarked Ohta, holding Rukia with his left hand as he extended his right toward the red-skinned monster with messy black hair, a humanoid bone mask, and a snake-like lower body. It tried to charge at him with an open mouth, revealing a second, much smaller mouth within its abyssal black maw, but it didn't get far before a tri-colored aura spread across its body, freezing it in place.
"You were curious about my power, right?" asked Ohta, releasing Rukia from his hold as he said, "Then pay close attention..."
Punctuating his statement, Ohta began closing his hand, compressing the red-skinned monstrosity into a tiny ball. This time, however, he continued the process until the Hollow had vanished completely, sparing himself the possibility of spending the evening cleaning up blood and gore...
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After fleeing the scene and making a long detour around the outskirt of the city, Ohta returned to his apartment, moving aside his rug to reveal a floorboard he had pulled up shortly after moving in. Inside was a journal, thick stacks of native and foreign currency, gold coins, six passports, and a fairly modern map of Karakura Town.
"So, Ichigo can see the same things as me..." muttered Ohta, making a tiny red x over the location of Ichigo's home, marking it as the kill site of one of the masked creatures. Green circles designated emergence points, but as he hadn't been around when the creature appeared, he couldn't be certain it had materialized in the area.
Folding up the map, Ohta returned it to the compartment before carefully opening the journal and confirming there were five grains of shaved rice in a flower pattern behind the cover and several more stored along the spine joint.
Though he was always fairly cautious, Ohta, or, more accurately, his past self, suspected that someone had been entering his apartment while he was away. Thus, whenever he was done with the journal, he created a unique, non-repeating pattern with shaved and marked rice grains behind the cover. It was possible that one of Japan's periodic earthquakes would disturb it, but as they were held in place by the journal's cover and further weighted down by gold coins, it was a fairly reliable security measure.
Flipping to a blank page within the journal, Ohta uncapped a ballpoint pen and created a fairly accurate sketch of the monster he had slain. He didn't know if it was because of his psychic abilities, but his short-term memory was nearly photographic. Thus, on the opposite page, he drew a sketch of the black-haired girl, complete with her antiquated outfit and the peculiar, thick clump of hair that parted the center of her face...
"That would get on my nerves..." remarked Ohta, wrapping things up by adding some finishing touches to the girl's eyes. She looked fairly young at a glance, but the more he looked at her eyes, both on his page and in his mind, the older she appeared.
"She could also see the monsters..." noted Ohta. "Rather, she seemed to be there to fight it..."
As his past self had tried killing one of the monsters with his bare hands, Ohta knew how tough the masked bastards were. Conventional weapons were completely useless against them, so the simplest explanation was that the girl's sword was special in some way. More importantly, she was supernaturally fast. So much so he hadn't even noticed her approaching the monster before she was slicing into its forearm with an attack that left a visible trail of bluish-white light...
"How would I deal with such speed...?" pondered Ohta aloud, his brows creasing in serious contemplation. His past self had researched all kinds of kinetic abilities on the internet, including neurokinesis. However, as he had determined that messing around with his neurons was a good way to end up braindead, he had never actively tried to mess with his processing speed and reaction time...
"Well, she can't be that powerful if she only managed to slice through half of that monster's arm..." concluded Ohta. Speed might be king in martial arts, especially when weapons were involved, but it didn't matter if his opponent couldn't break his psychic barrier. More notably, as he could sense the woman's aura, nothing prevented him from outright crushing her if push came to shove...
Convinced of his assessment, Ohta carefully arranged eight pieces of rice into an S, memorizing the arrangement of the ink markings before closing the cover and carefully returning it to the secret floor compartment. Once everything else was in place, he replaced the floorboard, covered it with a rug, and began his meticulous preparations for bed...
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Around the same time Ohta was preparing for a cold shower, the cat he had dubbed 'Susu' remarked, "That boy would make an excellent member of the Onmitsukidō." in a deep, manly voice.
"Yeah, it's almost uncanny. If I didn't look into his background, I would think he was a wayward soul that had possessed a human..." remarked the man with a green and white fisherman's hat, staring into a crystal ball that displayed the interior of Ohta's apartment while Susu perched lazily atop his head.
"He could be a reincarnated soul," postulated the black cat. "They're rare but not unheard of."
"His soul 'is' a lot more powerful than normal..." remarked the man. "But in all other instances of reincarnation, the reincarnated spirit had enormous spiritual energy. Our little psychic friend has next to none. The energy he possesses is almost entirely mental..."
"Then he's an anomaly," remarked the cat. "We should just get rid of him before he becomes a threat or interferes with our plans further. We don't need any extra variables..."
"Wow, someone's feeling feisty," mused the haggard man. "Are you that annoyed by the name he gave you?"
Clicking its tongue, the cat descended from the man's head, departing the traditional Japanese room they were seated in as it said, "Whatever. Just don't come crying to me if things go South..."
"Be safe out there, Yoruichi-san~" mused the man, unperturbed by the cat's parting remark. He was already gambling the fate of the world on one fifteen-year-old. It shouldn't matter if he formed a contingency plan using another...
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Feeling uncharacteristically tired, Ohta only needed to consider skipping his usual routine before doing precisely that. Changing things up included 'not' doing anything at times, so he took an extra long bath and spent the morning checking over his homework and reading his textbook.
Though he knew college degrees were pretty much pointless unless you had an 'in' into the industry you were shooting for, Ohta intended to finish High School near the top of his class and go on to a prestigious university. It was important for the profile he was trying to build, something that may or may not become incredibly useful further down the line.
Hearing his watch alarm go off, Ohta stretched his body and performed a protracted yawn. Afterward, he packed his textbook and prepared to set out, biting into an apple as he walked with his handbag over his shoulder, enjoying the cool Spring air.
"Hmmm...?"
Spotting a familiar black cat, this time perched atop a vending machine, Ohta remarked, "Well, hello there. It's unusual to see you so soon after a previous encounter. Should I consider this good or bad luck?"
Though his expression didn't change in the slightest, Ohta was more than a little surprised when the black cat, Susu, replied, "Things are starting to get serious. If you want to keep attending school and maintain the illusion of an ordinary person, I advise you to stop playing Vigilante and meddling in the supernatural."
"That would be a lot simpler," admitted Ohta. "Unfortunately, I was born into a world with ghosts, giant monsters that most people can't see, and talking cats. Pretending things are normal when they aren't is a good way to lose your mind."
"You could die," warned the cat. "The living and the dead aren't meant to mingle with one another. The further you delve into this world, the closer you get to your end."
"Every day we live brings us closer to death," mused Ohta. "I'd rather live and make the most of my time than die in obscurity like a coward. Running away is a reliable tactic, but living on the run is just dying slower."
Raising its brows, the black cat remarked, "That's an interesting way of viewing things," before leaping down from its perch and adding, "My name is Yoruichi, by the way. The next time you call me Susu, I'll claw your eyes out."
Seemingly finished with what he had to say, the black cat, Yoruichi, began to turn around. Before he could leap away, however, Ohta asked, "Is that it? No expositional dump or an explanation about what's going on? I don't mind being truant if it will provide answers."
"Too much trouble," replied Yoruichi, shrugging its feline shoulders. "If you want answers, wait a few days without going out. Everything will become clear once that girl you saw last night appears at your school..."
"Hoooo? Did I interrupt something last night?" asked Ohta, adopting an amused smile as he added, "I thought something was up with how hazy my senses were."
"We'll talk again later," said Yoruichi, disappearing into thin air as if he had teleported.
("Fast little bugger...") thought Ohta, immediately continuing on his way as if nothing strange had occurred. He had a lot of questions, but so long as he 'waited' a few days, he should be able to receive some answers. If not, it didn't actually matter. He just wouldn't trust anything the cat had to say from that point on...
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While the rest of the class was abuzz with the news that a 'truck' had run through Ichigo's house, Ohta had a bored look on his face as he sketched a picture of Yoruichi in his notebook. Before he became a mercenary in his previous life, he was an art student at the Rhode Island School of Design, one of the most prestigious art schools in the United States. He ultimately failed to break into the industry due to being drafted into the Army during the third World War, but he had graduated with honors.
("Such a waste...") thought Ohta, creating a far more 'realistic' version of Yoruichi than the comparably simplistic cat he had encountered earlier that morning. Now that he apparently lived in a cartoon universe, all the effort he had put into being able to create photorealistic drawings made his artwork appear strange and uncanny to others...
Disrupting the 'serenity' of Ohta's art process, Tatsuki approached him to ask, "Hey, Ohta. Did you hear about what happened to Ichigo? They say a truck ran through his living room."
"So they say..." muttered Ohta, setting down his pencil and turning to face Tatsuki, adopting a teasing smile as he asked, "Is this your way of asking me to go check on him after school?"
Though she furrowed her brows slightly, Tatsuki ultimately asked, "Can you?"
"Sure, why not?" replied Ohta. "It's only a few stops from my place, and I owe Ichigo's dad for treating me when I was younger."
"Yeah, you used to get messed up pretty badly, huh?" remarked Tatsuki. "It's insane that people came all the way from Hokkaido to challenge you when you were just a middle schooler..."
"Age is important, but if it were the ultimate determiner of strength, the centenarians on Okinawa would be unstoppable..." remarked Ohta. "Those who willfully choose to become delinquents have a lot to prove, so if they hear about some 'monster' from another school, they can't help picking a fight..."
"Speaking of which...I heard an upperclassman had his arm dislocated and his tendons severely damaged. Didn't you promise my mom and the caretakers at the orphanage that you wouldn't get into any more fights?" asked Tatsuki, concern evident in her expression and tone.
"They attacked and attempted to extort me," argued Ohta. "It was self-defense, not a real fight..."
Having heard similar excuses, Tatsuki exhaled an exasperated sigh before whispering, "Just be careful you don't take things too far, okay? You nearly ended up in a Detention Center after you paralyzed those three guys from Kōryō High..."
("Ah, yes, the rapists...") thought Ohta, recalling the incident where his past self had discovered three high school boys attempting to strip and take advantage of a middle school girl near an arcade he frequented. The girl he had saved was too frightened to provide a statement, so he nearly ended up in a correctional facility for three years. If not for the caretakers at the orphanage vouching for him, the result of carefully building rapport over several years, he would have been fucked over pretty hard...
"I'll be careful," replied Ohta, adopting a faint smile as he added, "Also, tell your mother I'll be coming over tomorrow. I'll bring over some premium meat, and we can have a barbecue. You know, to thank her for everything she's done."
Regaining her smile, Tatsuki replied, "Sure, I'll tell her. But isn't this a little sudden?
"I like being spontaneous," replied Ohta. "Just make sure you're home, or we'll eat everything without you."
As he had done so in the past, Tatsuki frowned as she held up her fist and threatened, "You better not...". Then, as their teacher had just arrived, she returned to her seat, leaving Ohta to resume his drawing...
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Chapter 5: Chivalrous Spirit