Not a Mob: Psycho

After seeing the girls off at school, Ohta returned to the hotel, making use of the well-equipped gym for a solid six-hour workout before rinsing off in the shower and heading to the steam room to relax and exfoliate.
Stepping into the steamy chamber, Ohta briefly tensed when he noticed someone was already inside. However, when he saw who it was, his face formed a half-lidded expression as he asked, "Are you back, or is this just a social visit..?"
Returning a smile, Yoruichi, sitting on the lowest bench in the steam room with her legs spread and voluptuous body on full display, replied, "A little bit of both. The old fogeys back at the clan compound are being a pain in the ass, so I came to check your progress and blow off some steam."
In response to Yoruichi's words, Ohta raised his right fist, opening it to reveal a tiny black sphere that instantly sucked up nearly all the steam in the room. Even the sweat and condensation from Yoruichi's body were drawn into it, but her tantalizingly brown still appeared to glisten as she stared back at him with narrowed eyes.
"Not bad," mused the dark-skinned woman, drawing her feet up onto the bench to sit with her heels together as she teased, "But that isn't exactly the progress I came to check. How are things going with Rukia and your big-tittied pocket healer...?"
Crushing the black sphere in his palm, Ohta quipped, "You say that as if the Onmitsukidō haven't been reporting every detail of our relationship to you..."
Raising her brows, Yoruichi asked, "Should I recall them? You might not trust them, but they're a lot more trustworthy than anyone you'd be able to find on short notice."
Shaking his head, Ohta said, "Forget it..." before making his way over and sitting next to the grinning succubus, placing his arm around her shoulder and permitting her to nestle closer to him. She attempted to grab his junk as she did, but Ohta stopped her with a light swat, saying, "I came here to relax..."
Though she turned her eyes up at him with feigned annoyance, Yoruichi didn't make a second go at Ohta's dick. Instead, she eased into his hold, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes as she remarked, "I can wait..." a clear reference to her past remark about 'claiming' him in the near-to-distant future.
Exhaling through his nose, Ohta was half-tempted to say she could go as well, but unless he deliberately antagonized her and told her to leave him the fuck alone, he doubted Yoruichi would take him seriously. He also felt comfortable when she was around, so unless she stabbed him in the back or purposely harmed someone close to him, he didn't feel like 'making' her go...
Interrupting a twenty-three-minute silence, Yoruichi playfully commented, "You should prepare yourself the next time you're alone with Soifon. There is a non-negligible chance she'll attack and bite you..."
Furrowing his brows, Ohta asked, "What did you say to her...?"
"I told her you had a piece of my soul embedded within your own," said Yoruichi. "As such, I told her I expect her to treat you the same way she treats me. But don't worry. She might react reluctant and hostile on the outside, but the moment you push her down, she'll immediately become docile..."
"Sounds like someone else I know..." remarked Ohta, staring at Yoruichi from the corner of his eye. She could be exceptionally aggressive when allowed to lead, but she became meek and borderline submissive while on the receiving end. Especially if he was forceful and managed to get a grip on her ponytail...
Narrowing her eyes, Yoruichi was tempted to demonstrate that she wasn't so easily cowed but restrained herself. She didn't think Ohta had forgiven her for what transpired at Kukaku's, so she didn't want to provoke him too much.
Abruptly changing topics, Yoruichi's expression became serious as she said, "Aizen has started to move a lot sooner than we were expecting. In preparation, the Soul Society is preparing to send an advanced squadron to the human world..."
"And let me guess, they reached out to you to ask if they could stay here, right?" asked Ohta.
"On a positive note, they're offering you a Captain's wage and substantial remunerations for each room you lease out," replied Yoruichi. "The biggest downside is that this place would temporarily become the Gotei's Forward Operating Base in the human world. When Aizen's forces attack, this hotel will be one of their primary targets."
"I would be very surprised if it weren't..." replied Ohta. "But here's what I don't understand. We have at least some idea of where Aizen is located, right? Why doesn't Yamamoto lead a strike team into Hueco Mundo? Even if he can't cook Aizen directly, he should be able to reduce their numbers and deal a fuckton of damage to the enemy base..."
"That would certainly make things easier..." admitted Yoruichi. "However, because of the Quincy's invasion a thousand years ago, Yamamoto took on a pseudo-non-interference policy to conserve his strength and allow his allies a chance to grow. Unless the other Captains of the Gotei have been defeated or killed, he won't take proactive action. The same can be said for the Four Great Noble Families..."
"Then, why don't I go?" proposed Ohta. "I might not be able to produce flames as hot as the sun, but if I go all out, I should be able to devastate their forces easily. If not, well, we're fucked..."
Adopting a faint smile, Yoruichi remarked, "After seeing what you did to the Sokyoku Hill, I have no doubt you could inflict considerable damage to Aizen's base and forces. The problem with that, beyond the fact you would most certainly die, is that the enemy would retaliate and launch a counter-offensive on the human world."
"Then, what's the plan?" asked Ohta, furrowing his brows at the notion of, once again, leaving things to 'Kisuke.'
Catching Ohta a little off guard, Yoruichi revealed, "The 12th Division is preparing a 1:1 scale replica of Karakura Town. Once it's ready, they will bait Aizen using the exact method of launching an offensive against his base and forces. If you want to volunteer as part of the attack squadron, that can definitely be arranged."
Shaking his head, Ohta grumbled, "Whatever...just tell me what I need to do once the time comes. Talking about shit and strategizing aren't really my things..."
Rolling her eyes, Yoruichi retorted, "So you say. Yet, if we don't reveal our plans and talk things out, you'll be butthurt about being kept in the dark..."
"..."
Looking down at the purple-haired woman, Ohta was tempted to 'warn' her, but Yoruichi responded to his intense stare with a dauntless smile. She wasn't even remotely afraid of him, not because he lacked the power to harm or kill her, but because she knew he wouldn't do so without some form of justification or benefit to be had.
Rising to her feet, Yoruichi positioned herself in front of Ohta with her back to him, spreading her legs a little more than shoulder width apart before abruptly bending down to touch the floor.
"What are you doing...?" asked Ohta, staring at Yoruichi through her legs as he did his best not to gawk at the voluminous ass and glistening pussy right in front of him.
"Oh, me? I'm just stretching..." replied Yoruichi, narrowing her golden eyes seductively as she asked, "Would you like to help? I've been having some trouble stretching a certain muscle group, specifically this one..."
Reaching up with her left hand, Yoruichi parted her flawless slit to reveal picturesque pussy folds and a seemingly untouched entrance pulsating in tune with the beating of her heart.
Though his eyes were inextricably drawn to the sight, his throat tensing to the point he almost felt compelled to swallow, Ohta stated, "I said once a month and told you to get permission from Rukia first..."
"Today is the 1st, and I already did," retorted Yoruichi, narrowing her eyes as she teasingly challenged, "Did you think I would come unprepared? If you don't believe me, I'm willing to wager all our future interactions on the premise I'm speaking the truth..."
As he could easily imagine Yoruichi strolling into the school in her cat form to request Rukia's permission, Ohta closed his eyes and exhaled a tired sigh. At the same time, however, he sat up, placing his hands on Yoruichi's ass and grasping it firmly as he asserted, "You really know how to piss me off..." before pulling her toward him, lowering her onto his awaiting, almost painfully erect cock...
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With Yoruichi warning him of an impending attack, Ohta felt restless once night fell, staring out the window of his penthouse in a bathrobe, a listless look on his face. He doubted an attack would occur that very evening, but he had a growing urge to go out, patrol, or do 'something'...
As it had been a while since Ohta left their bedroom, Rukia came looking for him, similarly garbed in a bathrobe. When she noticed him standing at the window, she strolled over with a curious and slightly concerned look, staring up at him and asking, "Is everything okay?" once she reached his side.
Though he would ordinarily turn to meet Rukia's gaze, Ohta extended his hand, placing it against the cool surface of the glass as he continued to stare forward, a faint red glow emanating from his eyes as he said, "The enemy is out there, preparing an attack that could destabilize this world, uprooting its very foundation. I know it's better to wait and prepare, but I can't help feeling I should take the fight to them..."
"I see..." replied Rukia, extending her hand to mirror Ohta's actions. She didn't know what purpose it served, but it felt like the right thing to do at the moment.
Earning Ohta's attention, Rukia softly remarked, "Well, if you go, be sure to take me with you. Before you rescued me, my brother told me that from the moment we decided to love one another, our lives were no longer our own. Afterward, he told me to cherish the time we have and live every day as though it might be our last. Because a day 'will' come when we have no choice but to part. If we're not walking together at that time, the one who lives on will walk alone from then onward..."
"It sounds like he's been through some shit..." replied Ohta, the image of Byakuya appearing in his mind. The man seemed like an uptight prick at a glance, but you didn't go against your family's wishes, marry a commoner, and then adopt her younger sister in honor of her last request if you were a genuinely cold, uncaring bastard.
Grabbing and pulling Ohta's sleeve, compelling him to turn and face her, Rukia ushered an abrupt end to the conversation by standing on the tips of her toes to kiss him. Actions often spoke louder than words, so instead of allowing Ohta to stare out a window, brooding over a city he didn't truly care about, Rukia forced him to focus on her.
Though he was surprised by Rukia's actions, that didn't stop Ohta from habitually grabbing and lifting her up by her ass cheeks, allowing her to link her legs around his waist and making it much easier for them to kiss. He would doubtlessly feel the urge to do something about Aizen and his plans the moment things calmed down, but for this brief moment in time, the only thing he cared about was the woman in his arms...
Emerging from the bedroom in one of Ohta's button-up shirts and a pair of lace panties, Orihime scratched her belly with her left hand, covered her mouth with her right to stifle an adorable yawn before asking, "What's going on...?" in a half-asleep tone. Her arrival caused Ohta to feel slightly exasperated, but he didn't get upset. Instead, he said, "Go back to bed. We'll be there shortly..."
"Okaaaaay~" responded Orihime, turning around and retreating through the door she had just emerged. She hadn't even noticed that Rukia was clinging to Ohta like a koala, so she returned to their bed, curled up in her usual spot, and immediately dozed off...
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(A/N: Ohta be like, "All of Hueco Mundo shall know pain...")

After seeing Rukia and Orihime off at school, Ohta half-expected to find Yoruichi waiting for him when he returned. Instead, he found himself with a large, luxurious hotel to himself. The members of the Onmitsukidō were given orders to stay 'out of sight, out of mind,' so unless he flared his spirit energy to signal them, Ohta's path only really crossed with Ayame.
Deciding it was a waste of time being moody, Ohta went to the pool on the first floor, choosing to swim as his daily exercise. The water was cool and invigorating, so Ohta was able to get in a good workout before taking a seat on the pool's edge and thinking about how nice it would be to relax with Rukia and, as she was likely to remain with them, Orihime at the pool during the next Summer Break.
Picturing the two girls in their swimwear, a wry smile developed across Ohta's face as he immediately imagined Rukia in a traditional, sukumizu-style school swimsuit while Orihime appeared in a bikini that could barely contain her massive breasts and ass. As much as he had come to love the petite and caring Shinigami, it didn't change his preference for curvaceous and 'malleable' women...
As the image of Yoruichi crept into his mind, Ohta concluded he had too much time to think. His words the previous night may have made it seem he was looking forward to combating Aizen and whatever other threats might appear, but they were stepping stones to obtaining what he truly desired: peace, quiet, and a good woman to share it with. If Aizen choked on a single ramen noodle and never poked his head out of Hueco Mundo's ass crack, Ohta would feel no great loss of purpose...
*beep* *beep* *beep* *beep*
Hearing his phone's alarm go off, a smile developed across Ohta's face as he Shunpo'd over to it, seamlessly transitioning from his physical form to his spiritual one in a burst of bluish-white light. His alarm only went off for two reasons, the materialization of a Hollow within 100km or an important message from the Soul Society. Either way, it should give him something to do.
'The Delegation and Advanced Attack Squad personnel will arrive at 1400 JST. On-site Point of Contact: Yamada Ohta. Contacting Representatives: Captain Su&igrave;-Fēng and Captain Hitsugaya. Attending Personnel: Lieutenant Lieutenant Aburai, Lieutenant Matusmoto, 3rd Seat Adjutant Ikkaku, 5th Seat Sub-Adjutant Yumichika.'
"They're early..." noted Ohta, having been informed by Yoruichi that the group would be arriving between the 5th and the 7th. The arrival of 'Su&igrave;-Fēng' was also unexpected, though, considering what they had discussed in the steam room, Ohta felt he 'should' have anticipated it.
"Whatever..." muttered Ohta, slipping his phone into his breast pocket and heading to his penthouse to get ready. It was currently 1:18 PM, 1318 JST, so he had a little over half an hour to prepare before making his way over to the coordinates listed at the end of the text. He wasn't too enthused by the idea of playing host, but since this was an official contract and he had more than enough rooms to spare, he had no reason to refuse and quite a few to accept...
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After finishing his preparations, Ohta, accompanied by Ayame, the latter wearing a men's chauffeur outfit, made his way over to the shrine denoted by the coordinates, the same location his group had emerged during their return trip from the Soul Society.
At precisely 1400 JST, a circular set of bamboo doors materialized a few meters away from Ohta, parting to reveal a blindingly white light that made it difficult to make out more than the silhouettes of the individuals standing within. Fortunately, as they promptly emerged, Ohta got to see each of them clearly, starting with an angry-looking, Chihuahua-like girl who frowned the moment she saw him.
Emerging behind Soifon, notably shorter than even the characteristically petite woman, was a young-looking boy with short, spiked, silvery-white hair, piercing blues eyes, and a Zanpakuto that almost appeared too long for his tiny body strapped to his back. He also wore a sleeveless Captain's Haori, but even without it, Ohta would have recognized him as Hitsugaya Toshiro, the youngest Captain in the history of the Gotei at the tender age of 88.
Seeing who emerged from the Seinkaimon behind Toshiro's, Ohta's pupils dilated instinctively as the voluptuous, playfully flirtatious blonde with the ashen Zanpaktuo poked her head out, immediately followed by a crimson-haired asshole with facial tats and two people Ohta didn't recognize. The first was a 'remarkably' bald man with tanned skin and red markings near the corners of his eyes, while the second was a man with neatly trimmed black hair framing his arrogant-looking face, embellished with a weird feather decoration on at the corner of his right eye and interior of his right brow.
Being the most sociable among the group, the buxom blonde, Matsumoto Rangiku, reacted with feigned surprise upon seeing Ohta, raising her right and waving as she mused, "We meet again, handsome~" in a playful tone, a naturally seductive look adorning her face.
Seemingly offended by Rangiku's words, Soifon scowled and said, "You forget yourself, Lieutenant Matsumoto. Do not disgrace the Soul Society with your shameless actions."
Causing Soifon's right eye to twitch, Ohta said, "Calm down, kitten. She was just being nice. Also, welcome to the human world. Looks like I'll be your liaison/host this time around. Just one word of advice before we set out and get you situated. Don't fuck up your rooms unless you want to be sent back to Soul Society with your Zanpakuto sheathed in your ass."
"Oh, I like this guy," said the bald man, Madarame Ikkaku, grinning like a mad dog as he sized Ohta up with the eye of a challenger.
Responding to Ohta's 'greeting,' Toshiro bowed his head slightly, eyes closed as he said, "Thank you for allowing us to stay in your hotel during our hopefully brief stint in the Human World, Yamada-dono. My name is Hitsugaya Toshiro, presiding Captain of the 10th Division. For the duration of this mission, I am also the Commander of the Advance Attack Squad..."
Impressed by Toshiro's manners, even though the 'young' boy was older than his combined ages, Ohta, standing with his arms crossed, gave an approving nod, saying, "Good to meet you, Pintsized." before shifting his gaze to Soifon and asking, "What about you? What brings you here, bee girl?"
While Rangiku was covering her mouth and holding her gut to avoid laughing aloud, Soifon frowned deeply, asserting, "It's classified. I will inform you once we're in a private location."
("So long as you didn't just come here to fuck...") thought Ohta, turning his gaze to Renji, raising his right brow as he questioned, "We going to have a problem, lightning brows...?" referencing the man's bolt-shaped eyebrows.
Clicking his tongue, Renji crossed his arms and looked away, refusing to dignify Ohta's words with a response. Luckily for him, Ohta didn't give a shit, half-turning and thumbing in the direction of the shrine's entrance gate as he said, "Enough chattering. Let's get this dog and pony show on the road."
Nodding his head, the serious-looking Toshiro took the initiative to follow close behind Ohta, prompting Soifon and the others to do the same. This included Rangiku, but instead of lingering in the back and following in her Captain's wake, she caught up to Ohta, asking, "So, what's it like being a Hero? Did the Princess give you plenty of rewards~?" with a mischievous smile on her face.
"Don't tempt me..." warned Ohta, more for his own sake than Rangiku's. She was a remarkably alluring woman and, in some ways, even more his type than Yoruichi. If Anpu thought he was 'holding himself back,' the temperamental hound would invariably get moody and deny him access to his Zanpakuto...
("Don't tempt me...") parroted Anpu, his voice echoing within Ohta's mind. He had mellowed a bit after revealing his name, but he was still a massive pain in the ass, at least from Ohta's perspective. Zanpakuto Spirits were a more 'primal' reflection of their users, so Anpu had far fewer 'reservations' than Ohta, at least when it came to women and doing as he pleased.
Undaunted by Ohta's warning, Rangiku narrowed her eyes and teased, "If you say things like that, it'll only make me want to tease you more. You're exactly my type, you know? Handsome, young, powerful, and willing to do whatever it takes to protect your woman. I envy Kuchiki-chan..."
Believing Rangiku was a classic femme fatale, potentially even given the mission of trying to seduce him, Ohta made a show of rolling his eyes as he said, "I'm also 'taken.' If you can't respect that, don't expect even a lick from me..."
Though he meant a lick of respect, an idiom denoting a very small amount of something, Ohta failed to account for the fact that Rangiku spent most of her time in Soul Society. Even Rukia needed to study modern language to communicate without sounding like she was someone's granddaughter from a small village in the mountains. Rangiku had no understanding of modern idioms, so when she heard Ohta's words, she appeared genuinely surprised as she remarked, "Oh, my! Has Japan developed the custom of licking people as a greeting? How salacious~."
Borrowing a page from Renji's book, Ohta decided not to dignify Rangiku's words with a response. Unfortunately, unlike him, who didn't care about being ignored, Rangiku was similar to Yoruichi. The more she was ignored by someone, the more she wanted that person's attention...
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With Orihime choosing to visit Tatsuki, Ohta and Rukia finally had some time to themselves, relaxing in the bath together as he recounted what had transpired earlier in the day.
Even without Ohta mentioning her by name, Rukia remarked, "That sounds like Matsumoto Rangiku of Squad 10. There are countless rumors about her being a serial man-chaser, but curiously enough, I've never heard of a single man testifying to having slept with her. Some speculate she's in an illicit relationship with her Captain, but I doubt it. Captain Hitsugaya might appear immature, but he's a very serious and dutiful young boy."
"Young...?" questioned Ohta. "Isn't he like a hundred and some change...?"
"That has to do with how non-native souls age," replied Rukia. "Similar to myself, Captain Hitsugaya was a human who died at a very young age. He might be over a hundred years old, but his brain and body were stunted in their developmental period. That allows him to absorb knowledge quickly, but knowledge doesn't equate to maturity. As far as I'm aware, he hasn't even started puberty yet."
"That...reeeally fucking sucks..." whispered Ohta. However, it also got him thinking about something...worrisome. Before he could consider asking, however, Rukia looked up at him with narrowed eyes and asserted, "I am a proper adult, even by modern standards..."
"I wasn't going to say anything..." claimed Ohta, prompting Rukia to roll her eyes before reclining against his chest and whispering, "If anything, you should be relieved. It's highly unlikely, but there's a chance I could become one of the shapely beauties you're so fond of..."
As he knew she wasn't truly angry, Ohta didn't try to convince Rukia she was fine just the way she was. He had done that plentily in the past, so all he had to do was kiss her crown and caress her belly to return her smile...
Shattering the pleasant atmosphere that was building, Rukia smacked Ohta over the head with a metaphorical brick as she stated, "If you have the opportunity to do so, do not hesitate to accumulate some 'experience' with Lieutenant Matsumoto. I'm interested to learn if the rumors about her are true, and I 'know' she's your type. Just tell me how things go after the fact so I can determine whether I should 'warn' her like Orihime."
"You're really killing the vibe..." remarked Ohta, his expression and tone as unmotivated as his previously hardening dick.
"Eh, we can't have sex 'every' day," contended Rukia. "In fact, I should be using this time to train or go on patrol. Summer Break is over, and I have a job to do..."
As Rukia was usually the one attacking him, Ohta asked, "You're not just saying that to make me feel less guilty about sleeping with other women, right...?"
"Even if I am, it doesn't change the facts," asserted Rukia. "I 'do' need to train, and you 'should' get to have fun and make mistakes. Because once we get married, it will probably just be me, you, Orihime as my attendant, and Yoruichi-sama as your patron and periodic resonance partner..."
Staring up at Ohta, Rukia's expression was deadly serious as she said, "You're an attractive and truly remarkable young man, Ohta. You could have had any woman, yet you chose to love me. Before we finalize things with marriage, I'd like you to gain experience with at least ten women. If you restrain yourself now, it might not encumber our marriage short-term, but it will ten, twenty, or a hundred years down the line..."
Though he shook his head and exhaled a sigh, Ohta didn't try to argue with Rukia. She had considerably more life experience than him, and he couldn't deny that he had innumerable prospects due to his appearance and the fact he was one of the most powerful beings in the three realms at sixteen. A hundred years from now, he might very well be the Captain Commander of the Gotei 13...
Placing a heavy burden on Ohta, Rukia's expression and tone softened as she said, "Do it for me..." pleadingly. Ohta would have readily accepted if she asked him to do just about anything else, even throwing himself into the heat of Yamamoto's flames. However, as she was asking him to sleep with at least seven other women, he had an almost overwhelming urge to sink beneath the water and stay there...
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(A/N: Rukia has the best of intentions, but damn...also, daily reminder that this is not a harem novel.)

Though he couldn't be bothered to explain in detail what happened during his time in Soul Society, Ohta did provide a general overview of what had transpired for Karin's benefit.
"So, basically, you beat up a bunch of 'Death Gods,' saved your woman, and returned home without any real consequences? That's...pretty cool..." remarked Karin, seated with her feet together atop Ohta's bed, observing him pack.
"Well, I 'am' a badass..." remarked Ohta, sparing his would-be apprentice a glance as he asserted, "And you can be too, so long as you don't give up halfway. The surly strawberry has already become decently powerful, and it hasn't even been that long since he started training."
"Ichi-nii...?" asked Karin, instantly correlating the words 'surly strawberry' with her brother.
"Yeah," replied Ohta. "He managed to pick up a technique even the most powerful Shinigami supposedly take a hundred years to master. Though, seeing how some of those bastards are super weak despite being ancient, I can't imagine them actively training."
"Maybe," admitted Karin, adopting a fairly cheeky smile as she added, "Or maybe you and Ichi-nii are just too strong."
"There's no such thing as 'too strong' when it comes to guaranteeing your way of life and protecting those you care about," contended Ohta, vesting the grinning tomboy a smidge of wisdom and shouldering a total of seven duffel bags.
Understanding that Ohta was about to leave, Karin's mood diminished as she questioned, "Are you really planning to carry those things out in broad daylight? Why not wait for nightfall...?"
"Because I have better uses for my time than sitting here chatting with you, boku," teased Ohta, hoisting two final duffel bags before turning to depart. Karin was a little annoyed with his parting words, but instead of trying to stop him, she sat atop his bed, staring in the direction he had departed for three full minutes before exhaling a defeated sigh...
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As they didn't know when Aizen would attack, Ohta, Rukia, and Orihime didn't spend every waking moment of every day lazing about or having sex. Instead, while Rukia taught Orihime the basics of Kido and Zanjutsu in preparation for becoming a Shinigami, Ohta spent between six and ten hours a day meditating, training to hone his focus and shift into his Kūsho state as quickly as possible.
"I am...immovable..." muttered Ohta, exhaling a stagnant breath that caused the surrounding space to 'bulge' outward, inverting when he took in another and added, "All things revolve around me..." in a state of deep focus. Mental imaging and belief in oneself were critical when developing and mastering psychic powers, but Ohta was taking things a step further by creating 'mantas' to stir his power quicker, similar to the chants used in Kido.
In response to Ohta's manta, a sphere of brackish purple energy formed around his body, persisting for several seconds until he canceled it of his own accord, repeating, "I am immovable..." and he replicating the same results over, and over, and over again, determined to be able to trigger the state instinctively in the future...
Waiting for Ohta to finish his training, Rukia, followed closely by Orihime, almost as if the latter had become her lady-in-waiting, approached with a canteen, presenting it with a smile as she said, "Good work today."
Downing nearly the entire contents of the canteen in a single go, Ohta exhaled a refreshed sigh before adopting a smile of his own and saying, "Thanks. How did your girls' training go...?"
"It went well," assured Rukia, shifting her gaze to Orihime, prompting the bubbly ginger to raise her fists excitedly and exclaim, "I managed to use all the way up Bakudo #16 today~!"
"Hooooo...not bad..." muttered Ohta, making a come hither gesture so he could pat the grinning girl's head. Positive reinforcement was good for mental and spiritual development, but too much could make the recipient dependent on it to make progress. 'Balance' was key, so while his words were generally dismissive or casual, Ohta ensured Orihime felt gratified in other ways.
After permitting Orihime a few seconds of Ohta's undivided attention, Rukia revealed, "We just received word from the Urahara Shoten. The Gigai we ordered are ready, but he'd like us to test a new product he's been working on. They're on their way as we speak..."
Furrowing his brows, Ohta questioned, "What kind of product?" He was tempted to say they weren't Urahara's test subjects, but the sad reality was that most of their clothes and equipment came from the damnable candy store uncle.
Adopting a frown of her own, for obvious reasons, Rukia replied, "He said it uses spirit particle conversion to allow the user to transition between a physical and spiritual form without the need for a Gikon."
Blinking in surprise, Ohta asked, "Seriously...?" before shifting his gaze to Orihime. She tilted her head to the side as he did but quickly understood the reason for Ohta's surprise when he pointed out, "It's that thing that allowed you, Chad, and Uryu to transform your physical bodies into spirit form. If it actually works...that would be extremely convenient..."
"Oh, wow!" exclaimed Orihime. "Does that mean I can become invisible whenever I want...!?"
"Among other things..." replied Ohta, shifting his gaze back to Rukia as he asked, "Did he say what he wants for them?"
Shaking her head, Rukia momentarily closed her eyes, calmly revealing, "They were arranged for by Yoruichi-sama. She also sends you a message from the Soul Society. Would you like to hear it...?"
Though he was tempted to say no, Ohta replied, "Hit me..." with a slight frown.
Exhaling a faint sigh through her nose, Rukia opened her eyes and said, "She said, and I quote, "Just accept them. This way, you won't have to worry about your Gikon running wild or your Gigai falling into the wrong hands." End quote."
As he hadn't been looking forward to another version of himself walking around, substituting him in various situations, Ohta was secretly relieved by this development. However, Rukia's behavior was a little unusual, so he didn't insist they accept them. Instead, he asked, "Do you not want to be further indebted to Yoruichi...?"
Blinking in surprise, Rukia offered a confused "Huh...?" before shaking her head and explaining, "I've already accepted that Yoruichi-sama will be an 'inescapable' element in our lives for the foreseeable future. My...vexation has nothing to do with her..."
"Want to talk about it...?" asked Ohta, prompting Rukia to shake her head a second time, asserting, "No, it isn't anything worth discussing. Rather, if it never comes up in the future, that would probably be for the best..."
As the thing concerning her was the disappearance of her original Gigai, Rukie 'couldn't' discuss it with Ohta. If he knew there was a carbon copy of her floating around, potentially concealed in someone's closet or being piloted by an artificial soul, it would definitely bother him. It, sure as Hell was real, bothered her. If for no reason other than the fact, should Ohta find out about its existence and disappearance, he would 'definitely' hold those responsible accountable...
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While Tessai and several members of the Onmitsukidō unloaded large shipping crates from the back of a moving truck, Ohta read over the long list of items Kisuke was having him sign for. Yoruichi hadn't just footed the bill for the Gigai, but several other things, most notably a bunch of seeds belonging to plants that typically only grew in the Soul Society.
Preempting Ohta's questions, Kisuke fanned himself with his bamboo fan as he casually explained, "They're plants that are nourished by Reiryoku and, as a result, release trace amounts of it once they mature. Plant a few of these bad boys in your garden, and you'll always feel refreshed and full of vitality. Periodically mix some into your tea or grind them into a medical paste, and they can indefinitely extend the lifespan of a human."
Raising his brows, Ohta remarked, "Sounds like some Chinese cultivation shit..."
Exhaling a light chuckle, Kisuke mused, "You're not wrong. Until just a few thousand years ago, and for thousands before that, China was one of the regions that Soul Society had a strong influence over. Back then, humans weren't the only species occupying the planet, and the boundary between the Spiritual and Physical World was much easier to cross. Unfortunately, as you can imagine, certain people weren't satisfied with being ruled over by the 'Heavens.' There was a major push to oust all spiritual entities from the Physical World, eventually resulting in a massacre that saw most non-human races slaughtered or forced into hiding."
"Sounds about right..." muttered Ohta, frowning deeply. China was the principal instigator of the Third World War, gradually encroaching on the territorial waters of other nations in the 'South China Sea' until they had no choice but to defend themselves. After that, all hell broke loose as the Communist Superpower accused virtually every other country of violating their sovereignty, using it as an excuse to incite a war that left more than half the world's population in shallow, unmarked graves...
Noticing Ohta's serious expression and sudden loss of focus, Kisuke's usual smile faded as he asked, "You okay...?" in an ostensibly concerned tone.
"I'm fine," responded Ohta, signing the inventory list and handing the clipboard it was attached to back to Kisuke as he added, "But, even if I wasn't, it's none of your business..."
Regaining his smile, Kisuke mused, "Speaking of which, it was a pleasure doing business with you and the Shihouin Clan, Mr. Yamada. You take care now~."
Finished with his farewells, Kisuke turned around, waving the clipboard as he casually departed. Ohta also had no reason to stick around, so instead of watching the hat-and-clogs-wearing creeper walk off, climbing into the moving truck he had arrived in, he turned around and went inside to check out his new Gigai...
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[September 1st, 2001]
With Summer Break ending, giving way to a new school semester, Ohta rode with Rukia and Orihime to their first day, sandwiched between the two girls as they rode in the back of a 2001 Toyoda Century, chauffered by the purple-haired Ayame.
"What will you be doing while we're at school?" asked Rukia, tracing her thumb over Ohta's as they sat hand-in-hand.
"I'll either be training, sketching, or managing my stock portfolio..." replied Ohta, hesitating for a moment before asking, "What about the two of you? are you sure this is the best use of your time...?"
Squeezing Ohta's hand, Rukia mused, "It might not be the 'most efficient' use, but experiences like this have their value..."
Nodding her head, Orihime happily chimed, "Rukia's right! It might be boring sometimes, but school is the best place to meet and make new friends~!"
"You're not wrong..." conceded Ohta. However, as he had no intention of returning to school, he preceded the duo's invitation by stating, "I might consider giving it a second go a few hundred years from now. For now, I want to focus on getting stronger. Besides, as it stands, I have more than enough companionship..."
Raising his hands, each holding one of theirs, Ohta earned smiles from Rukia and Orihime. Sixteen days of cohabitation had brought the three of them much closer. Ohta still had no intention of settling down with more than one woman, even if it was a common practice in the Soul Society, but he had gradually opened the idea that Orihime would be with them for the long haul. She had even proposed becoming Rukia's attendant, so the odds of them shaking her off became increasingly slim with each passing day...
With the car stopping at the school's front entrance, Ohta shared a kiss with Rukia, planting another on Orihime's forehead before watching the duo disembark, his eyes naturally gravitating toward their asses and the tantalizing gap between the hem of their skirts and stockings. Then, as the pair passed through the front gate, stopping to take one final look in his direction, smiling and waving as they did so, Ohta narrowed his eyes and returned a smile of his own as he thought, ("You are so fucking dead, Aizen...")
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(A/N: To live and die for a smile...)

Chapter 58: Longing for Action