Not a Mob: Psycho

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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Though she was a little dazed after being manhandled, that didn't stop Rukia from staring in awe as Ohta crushed a fairly powerful Hollow into nothingness. She could sense its Reishi dispersing normally, meaning he hadn't 'completely' destroyed it, but there were no traces of its body by the time Ohta lowered his hand.
"Pretty neat, huh?" asked Ohta, turning to look down at the awe-stricken Rukia. She looked up as he did so, but because of their proximity, she felt compelled to take a step back, turning away from him as she replied, "It's a powerful ability..."
"And that's just the tip," mused Ohta. "If you're lucky or ask nicely, I might give you a little more."
Failing to understand Ohta's innuendo, Rukia turned to meet Ohta's gaze, asking, "How did you come to possess these powers? Were you born with them?"
"Were you born with yours?" countered Ohta, sticking together the pieces of his splintered chair before sitting back down.
Realizing that Ohta wasn't going to reveal information about himself or his abilities willfully, Rukia exhaled a sigh before returning to his bed, taking a seat before replying, "Not exactly. Many years ago, I was just an ordinary human. It was many years after my death that I attained Spirit Energy and cultivated my abilities to their current, well, previous level..."
"Many years ago?" parroted Ohta, raising his brows before adopting a teasing smile and asking, "Just how old are you?"
Snorting through her nose, Rukia retorted, "Have you never heard the expression that it's not polite to ask a woman her age? All you need to know is that I'm much older than you."
"You certainly don't look it," countered Ohta. "And that isn't a dig at your height or anything. I'm mainly talking about your clothes. You mentioned that you didn't have any money earlier, so I'm curious to know where you got them from."
"..."
As she couldn't admit that she had stolen her outfit from Ichigo's eleven-year-old sister, Rukia deflected by asking, "Is that really important right now? Weren't you curious about Shinigami, Hollows, and the organization I'm a part of?"
"I am," admitted Ohta. "But if we're going to be working together for the next month, I need to understand your situation. Like, how did you end up transferring your powers to Ichigo? You mentioned a supplier, but how do you pay for things if you're broke?"
Closing her eyes, Rukia exhaled a profoundly exasperated sigh before opening them and revealing, "That boy, Kurosaki Ichigo, possesses Spirit Energy far beyond the capacity of a typical human. Hollows are typically attracted to such individuals, so I was observing him and his family when they came under siege by an entire group. I ended up sustaining a serious injury as a result of my carelessness and transferred my powers to Ichigo as a last resort. I originally only intended to give him half, but, for reasons I've yet to understand fully, he was able to absorb nearly all of my power."
"Wow, that sucks," remarked Ohta, feeling just a smidge of empathy for the petite Shinigami. At the same time, however, he couldn't help feeling confused, compelling him to ask, "But if the Hollows were too much for you, someone with experience, how was Ichigo able to defeat them? He isn't bad when it comes to streetfighting, but his movements at the park were nothing to write home about."
Furrowing her brows, Rukia hung her head and seriously pondered over Ohta's words. The latter might not know it, but the position of Lieutenant was fairly high within the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. It was a position second only to a Division Captain, so she shouldn't have had any difficulty dispatching a group of Hollows, even with a Limiter restricting her to 20% of her total Spirit Energy. In fact, it was because she was strong that such a limiter was required...
"Did I hurt your feelings?" asked Ohta.
Shaking her head, Rukia replied, "That isn't it...I just don't know how to answer your question without making it sound like I'm making excuses. By all accounts, I should have been able to handle the Hollows that attacked the Kurosaki household with ease. Maybe..."
Not wanting to reveal the true reason she was keeping an eye on Ichigo and his family, being that he looked a lot like someone she deeply cared about, Rukia abruptly shook her head, saying, "Forget it. Next question."
"Sure," replied Ohta, repeating, "You mentioned a Supplier. How are you able to pay for things?"
"There is a currency in the world I come from, Soul Society, known as Kan," explained Rukia. "Members of the Thirteen Court Guardian Squads receive a salary, but it can only be used to purchase goods and services back in Soul Society. My Supplier serves as an intermediary between the Soul Society and Human World, so he's able to provide goods that would otherwise be unavailable to both..."
"And he can't set you up with some clothing?" asked Ohta. "I would understand if you're 'trying' to look like a kid, but your eyes are a dead giveaway..."
Similar to when Ohta had commented on her appearance at the door, Rukia's left eye twitched as she crossed her arms and replied, "It's not that simple...because of my circumstances, I had to use up most of my finances to secure a replacement body known as a Gigai. Without it, my Soul would become polluted by the natural energies of the Human World, putting me at risk of becoming a Hollow..."
"Ah, so you 'are' broke," noted Ohta. "Then, I'm guessing you stole those clothes from one of Ichigo's sisters?"
As he had hit the proverbial nail on the head, Rukia sweatdropped in response to Ohta's words. It didn't help that he immediately followed up by asking, "If you're broke, where are you staying right now? Ichigo's dad is pretty understanding, but I can't imagine him being okay with a random girl showing up out of nowhere and living with his family, especially when they're in the process of rebuilding."
"..."
Seeing Rukia avert her eyes, seemingly unwilling to answer, Ohta's brows perked up as he asked, "Are you homeless...?"
"Not...exactly..." replied Rukia. However, much like she was unwilling to admit she had stolen Yuzu's clothing, she couldn't just come out and say she was secretly living in Ichigo's closet. Even Ichigo wasn't aware of it, at least not yet...
"Not exactly...implying you're staying somewhere you shouldn't?" asked Ohta, subsequently guessing, "A local shrine, perhaps...?"
"Does it matter?" asked Rukia.
"It does," replied Ohta. "As you've no doubt realized by now, I treat most interactions as transactions. You know where I live, so it's only fair that I know where you stay. How else will I locate you if there's an emergency?"
"I'm staying with Ichigo..." replied Rukia, earning herself a skeptical and slightly amused look.
"I highly doubt that," replied Ohta. "Ichigo is a notorious busybody, but he wouldn't arrange to have you stay with him. He's much too overprotective of his family to allow that."
"..."
As it was Ichigo's desire to protect his family that allowed her to convince him to accept her power and take on her duties as a Shinigami, Rukia was unable to refute Ohta's words. She also didn't think he would be okay with letting her stay with him, or else she wouldn't have kept it a secret.
"Yeah, I thought so," appended Ohta. "That means you're either living in a storage closet or holing yourself up in their attic. In other words, you 'are' homeless."
"Yeah, and?" replied Rukia, getting a little defensive as she asked, "Are you saying all this to convince me to stay here?"
"You wish," replied Ohta. "I might consider it if you were ten centimeters taller and cast a shadow with your shirt off, but I'm not looking to get put on any lists."
Shaking his head, Ohta preempted Rukia's incensed response by stating, "You mentioned trust earlier, so how about this? I'll buy you clothes, food, and pay for you to have a place to stay. In exchange, once I die and go to this Soul Society you keep mentioning, you can return the favor. Now that I know there's a concrete afterlife, I might as well start investing."
Though she initially stared at Ohta as if he had completely lost his mind, Rukia eventually recovered her senses and replied, "Very well. However, I'll only be able to repay that debt if you enter the Shin'o Academy and become a Shinigami. Ordinary human souls are unable to enter the region of Soul Society where Shinigami and native-born Souls dwell."
"Sounds reasonable," replied Ohta. "Though, I'll have to see what Soul Society is like before making my final decision. If becoming a Shinigami means running around slaying Hollows, it sounds more like a punishment than a reward."
"There's a lot more to it than that," asserted Rukia. "Shinigami are charged with preserving the balance between the Human World, Soul Society, and the home of the Hollows, Hueco Mundo. Without our careful ministrations, all three realms would invariably collapse, resulting in unmitigable chaos."
"Sounds like the plot of a bad movie," replied Ohta, earning an accusatory glower for his troubles.
"What?" asked Ohta. "I didn't say your job wasn't important. In fact, it sounds like the 'most important' job in the entire world. I just can't know for certain if you're telling the truth, so I'll have to wait until I die before I make a decision."
Maintaining a pouty expression, Rukia asserted, "I have no reason to lie to you..."
"Maybe," admitted Ohta. "But I'd have to be incredibly naive to believe the words of someone I just met. Until I confirm things for myself, everything you've told me is little more than hearsay."
Rising to his feet, Ohta made his way over to his closet, pulling out a thick winter coat as he added, "Anyways, unless you intend to spend the night in an attic or closet, you should return to the Kurosaki household and get your things. The landlady here is pretty reasonable, so I'll talk to her and see if I can't arrange a place for you by the time you return. If not, I'll put you up at a nearby hotel."
Accepting the fur-lined jacket presented by Ohta, Rukia adopted a teasing smile and asserted, "Your personality is a bit rough around the edges, but you're truthfully a very kind person, aren't you?"
"What makes you say that?" asked Ohta, raising his brows out of genuine curiosity.
"We barely touched on the three subjects you initially wanted to discuss," replied Rukia. "Instead, you've pressed me for information about my living conditions and the circumstances surrounding my present predicament. I can't say I'm fond of your penchant for teasing, but I sincerely appreciate your willingness to lend me a hand in my time of need."
Adopting a deadpan expression, Ohta insisted, "You're reading too much into things. This is just a business transaction. Nothing more, nothing less. The moment you betray me or undermine my 'trust,' you'll never be able to regain it. Remember that."
"Of course," replied Rukia, maintaining a smile as she was unconvinced by Ohta's assertions. This wasn't her first time dealing with someone whose actions contradicted their words. Ohta may have a sharp tongue, but she was convinced he was a good person at heart.
Shaking his head, Ohta pretended to be more annoyed than he actually was, muttering, "Whatever..." in a muted tone. Rukia's misunderstanding was beneficial for him in the long run, so if she insisted on interpreting his actions as genuine kindness, he was willing to allow her delusions. After all, if she truly were a Shinigami, it would benefit him immensely to have a friend on the other side...
Donning Ohta's oversized coat, Rukia turned her eyes up at him and said, "I should return within the hour. If you fail to convince the landlady before then, prepare to sleep on the floor."
("The fuck...?") asked Ohta, albeit within his mind. Outwardly, he raised his brows, waiting until Rukia was about to step outside before warning, "You shouldn't take my previous remarks to heart. You may not be my type, but if you insist on sleeping in my bed, we'll be sharing it."
"Bold words," replied Rukia, slipping on her bunny-eared slippers as she added, "With a room such as this, it's fairly obvious you've never enjoyed the company of a woman. Don't force yourself to sound more mature than you actually are."
Turning back, Rukia expected to find Ohta with an offended look on his face. Instead, she found him staring at her with crossed arms and what could best be described as a wolfish, ostensibly amused smile...
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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...
...
..
.
"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?"
...
..
.

Chapter 6: Equivalent Exchange