Not a Mob: Psycho

Contrasting what he had told Rukia, Ohta didn't actually need to procure her a place to stay. His past self had already negotiated with the landlady to have the rooms above and adjacent to his apartment leased, two to use as storage and the other to prevent people from living above him. Thus, in the wake of Ruki'a departure, Ohta pulled out a spare key and entered the apartment next door, relocating several duffle bags filled with money and supplies to the room on the opposite side of the building.
While it was true he worked many odd jobs, Ohta wasn't nearly as fiscally impaired as Tatsuki thought him to be. Many of the injuries she believed he sustained from fighting were from crushing local drug rings and Yakuza groups. Thus, while he lived fairly frugally, he had around &yen;80,000,000 in non-sequential bills and a few hundred thousand in foreign currency and gold bullion. He also had a shipping container filled with confiscated guns down at the docks, but that was primarily because he thought it would be a waste to melt them down or toss them in the sea...
Roughly forty minutes after her departure, Rukia knocked on Ohta's door, the latter opening it to find the petite Shinigami standing outside with a pink, rabbit-themed gym bag.
"I'm starting to feel bad for Ichigo's sister..." remarked Ohta, earning a snort in response.
"Were you able to work something out with the landlady?" asked Rukia.
"Of course," replied Ohta. "When I presented her with the funds outright, she didn't even ask questions. The room next to mine also happened to be empty, so here, your key."
"Oh, that's convenient," remarked Rukia, accepting Ohta's explanation and the proferred key without question. She originally planned to use a device that could alter the memories of ordinary humans to mislead the landlady into believing she had the proper documentation, but the device only had so many uses. Six had been used to alter the memories of Ichigo's family in the wake of the previous Hollow attacks, so she was a little worried she would run out before returning to Soul Society.
Following Rukia into her apartment, Ohta asked, "Should we go shopping now, or would you prefer to wait until tomorrow? Most department stores are closed by now, but there are a few 24-hour stores we can visit."
Adopting a smile, Rukia replied, "That's very considerate of you. However, I should have everything I require for tonight and tomorrow. As such, let's postpone shopping until tomorrow afternoon."
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta offered a dismissive, "If you say so," before baiting Rukia's response by attempting to leave.
"Where are you going?" asked the petite Shinigami. "Do you not still have questions for me?"
"I do," answered Ohta, subsequently musing, "But I'm honestly not fond of long discussions. I don't mind keeping you company, but it would save time if you wrote everything in a notebook. That way, I could reference it at a later date."
"I don't mind," replied Rukia, quickly clarifying, "Writing things down, that is. Relationships between Shinigami and humans are strictly prohibited by law."
"Oh? And in all your years as a Shinigami, you've never once violated these so-called laws?" asked Ohta. "For some reason, I seriously doubt that."
Furrowing her brows, Rukia wanted to protest, but her current plight was an egregious violation of several laws and statutes. If it were discovered she transferred her Shinigami powers to a human, it was conceivable that both she and Ichigo would be executed. The penalty for 'consorting' with a human was a simple ten-year ban on traveling to the Human World, so it was an infinitely lesser offense.
Crossing her arms in a closed-off posture and averting her eyes, Rukia responded with verbose silence.
Raising his hand in mock surrender, Ohta remarked, "Whoa, now. It was just a joke. Didn't mean to offend or upset you."
Shaking her head, Rukia softly assured, "You didn't...I just have a lot going on right now, and your comment reminded me of a personal matter. Still, I would appreciate it if you abstained from such remarks in the future..."
"Fair enough," replied Ohta, lowering his hands as he added, "Then I'll go ahead and leave you to your devices. If anything comes up, just pound on the wall."
Though she looked like she had more to say, Rukia didn't thwart Ohta's second attempt to leave. Instead, she waited for him to depart before sitting on her bed and exhaling a profoundly exasperated sigh. She had been doing her best to ignore it, but Ohta's teasing reminded her of how serious her predicament was. If she couldn't regain her powers before her month-long assignment concluded, Soul Society would invariably send a team to capture her, likely killing anyone that stood in their way. She could delay them using the excuse she was conducting an investigation, but, as a Lieutenant, she could only be away from her Division for so long...
Burying her face into her hands, Rukia, albeit only for a fleeting moment, regretted sending Ohta away. She knew little about him, but with a literal deadline approaching, being alone made her anxious...
...
..
.
*tok tok tok tok*
Opening his eyes before the second knock could reverberate through his room, Ohta briefly gazed at his alarm clock to find it was 2:19 AM. Instead of lamenting the disruption, however, he immediately parted with his bed, making his way over to the front door and opening it to find Rukia wearing his winter coat over a pair of pajama bottoms.
Holding up her cell phone, Rukia explained, "A Hollow is scheduled to appear near the riverbank at 2:30 AM, plus or minus ten minutes. How soon can you be ready?"
"Thirty seconds," replied Ohta, retreating to the interior of his room to retrieve a hoodie, a baseball cap, and a facemask. He had the habit of sleeping fully clothed after having one of his safehouses set ablaze in the middle of winter, so it didn't even take the full thirty seconds to return, earning a surprised, "You're an extremely prepared person, aren't you?" from Rukia.
"It's better than being caught unawares," replied Ohta. "Now, how are we getting to the riverbank? Can you run in that form?"
"I can," replied Rukia. "But I'm too slow to reach the riverbank in time. I'll need you to carry me."
Raising his brows, Ohta asked, "Like...a princess carry? Or should I throw you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes?"
Furrowing her brows, Rukia asserted, "I'll ride on your back. Turn around and get on your knees."
"Tempting, but no thanks," replied Ohta, surprising Rukia by placing his hand on her head. Less than a second later, a tri-colored aura that was invisible to the naked eye surrounded her body.
"What do you think you're doing!?' exclaimed Rukia, batting away Ohta's hand before taking a step back and adopting a defensive posture.
"I'm not fond of having to protect people," replied Ohta. "So I transferred some of my power to you. I won't go into the specifics, but you should be able to fly so long as you can form a proper image."
Demonstrating his point, Ohta abruptly leaped into the sky, hands in the front pocket of his hoodie as he looked down at Rukia from above. To his immense surprise, she immediately followed after him, a curious look on her face as she asked, "You can transfer your power to others? How long does it last...?"
"As long as I want it to," replied Ohta. "Though it does tend to fade after an hour if I don't willfully sustain it. Just do me a favor and stay out of the way, okay? I gave you that power to prevent you from being a liability, not so you could show off."
"Yeah, whatever..." replied Rukia, making a show of rolling her eyes before taking the initiative to speed off in the direction of the riverbank. Ohta had no trouble catching up to her, but it was clear at a glance that Rukia had a fair amount of experience with flying. Her method was different from his, involving condensing energy at the base of her feet and using it to propel herself forward like riding a platform, but it was efficient.
"Are Shinigami usually able to fly?" asked Ohta, keeping pace with Rukia despite flying backward. Curiously enough, even though there was a lot of wind whipping past them, communication wasn't affected&mdash;one of the many peculiarities of existing in a cartoon world.
Instead of immediately responding to Ohta's question, Rukia descended from the sky, touching down near the riverbank's edge. It was only when he touched down next to her that she responded, "It's a technique called Geppo(Moon Walk), typically used by high-ranking Shinigami. It involves gathering spirit particles at the base of the feet to create a platform, so it isn't true flight..."
Turning to look up at Ohta, Rukia added, "More importantly...your power is incredibly versatile. It functions similarly to Spirit Energy, but the feeling is completely different. It's a lot more responsive, requiring almost no actual control..."
"Neat," replied Ohta. "But I've had this power pretty much my entire life. I don't exactly need others to tell me how it's used."
Shaking her head, Rukia asserted, "That wasn't my intention. I was going to say that if you received proper training, you could potentially learn the movement and combat techniques of Shinigami. Your physical form would constrain you, but they could prove useful in a pinch."
Recalling how Rukia had moved faster than his eyes could follow during their first encounter, Ohta didn't hesitate to respond, "Sounds interesting. When we get some time, teach them to me."
Adopting a sly grin, Rukia teased, "You want me to teach you Shinigami techniques when you won't even explain your power to me?"
"..."
Resisting the urge to point out he could yeet her into space if he wanted to, Ohta responded, "You already agreed to tell me about Shinigami. Are their techniques not a part of what makes them special?"
"Perhaps," replied Rukia. "But there's a difference between telling you what we're capable of and teaching you our methods. Generally speaking, prospective Shinigami would need to attend the Shin'o Academy for three years before learning proper techniques."
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta mused, "Then I guess I'll just have to wait until I die before learning them. That is, assuming I don't create my own. I'm pretty astute when I want to be."
Exhaling a faint chuckle, Rukia replied, "I don't doubt that. Just try not to flaunt your power in front of other Shinigami. If it's determined you pose a threat to the existing balance, you could become a target for elimination. I know you-"
Interrupting Rukia's warning, several figures crashed into the river's bank, kicking up dust clouds or creating large plumes of water. From within, several animastic Hollows emerged, but before they could even unleash their characteristic screams, their bodies converged to a point in the sky, compacting against one another as Ohta flexed his fingers and made a grasping gesture with his right hand.
"Go ahead and finish your sentence," mused Ohta. "I'm curious to hear the rest."
Seeing five Hollows being crushed to a pulp without being able to resist, Rukia found herself at a momentary loss for words. None of the five were particularly strong, but their numbers would have proven an issue for the average, unseated Shinigami. Even Ichigo might have struggled against them if he were surrounded, so seeing Ohta handle them with a wave of his hand was awe-inducing...
Instead of awaiting Rukia's response, Ohta finished the Hollows with the ease of squeezing a stress ball, casually remarking, "Well, that takes care of that. Any other Hollows scheduled to appear?"
"Uh..."
Pulling out her cell phone, Rukia quickly skimmed through her messages before responding, "Not in the area I'm meant to patrol..."
"Then we have two options," remarked Ohta. "We can head back and get some rest or patrol until sunrise. Your choice."
"You're willing to patrol even though there are no Hollows scheduled to appear?" asked Rukia.
"I never knew when they would appear in the past," contended Ohta, adding, "And I doubt your cell phone is completely accurate if you were caught off guard while stalking Ichigo and his family. Since we're already out and about, we may as well do our due diligence."
Though her brows furrowed when Ohta accused her of stalking Ichigo and his family, Rukia summarily regained her smile and replied, "Sure. I'd also like to familiarize myself with your power, so shall we circle the city a few times?"
"Try not to lag behind," teased Ohta, taking off into the sky the moment he was finished speaking. Rukia did her utmost to catch up and overtake him, but unless he allowed it, she had absolutely no chance of surpassing him using his own power...
...
..
.

"It's quite beautiful, isn't it..." remarked Rukia, combing back a few strands of loose hair as she stared at the horizon, watching the Sun begin its slow and gradual ascent.
"It certainly has its charms..." replied Ohta, standing next to her with his hands in his pockets, unperturbed by the fact he was on a ledge thirteen stories above the ground.
Looking up at Ohta, Rukia found him staring straight ahead with a relaxed smile. Had she been a hundred, maybe even forty years younger, she may have found the scene fairly captivating.
"We should probably head back," said Rukia. "I still need to stop by the school to arrange my transfer."
Raising his brows, Ohta looked down at the diminutive Shinigami to ask, "Your transfer? How does becoming a student at our school benefit you in any way?"
"I need to keep an eye on Ichigo," asserted Rukia. "You can't move freely during the day, so if a Hollow appears, he'll need to take care of it."
"Yeah, and?" asked Ohta. "That doesn't explain why you have to become a student. Also, how can you and Ichigo move freely during the day but not me? That doesn't make any sense."
"..."
Though she was initially going to protest Ohta's words, Rukia, once again, found herself at a loss. Her plan was to enroll in Karakura High and use a device known as a Soul Apprehension Gauntlet to extract Ichigo's soul if a Hollow appeared, allowing them to mobilize and eliminate it. Since she would be accompanying him on these undertakings, it didn't make sense for her to enroll if she was going to skip classes...
Taking advantage of Rukia's silence, Ohta added, "Speaking of Ichigo, do you think it's a good idea to have him cut classes? His grades are pretty good, but this is our first year of High School. If he starts skipping classes all of a sudden, his grades are bound to suffer. Not to mention, once he gets in the habit of slaying Hollows, he won't be content to stand by and ignore them in the future. Won't future Shinigami who visit Karakura Town find it suspicious that a human is performing their duties?"
"..."
"Actually, now that I think about it, if you could transfer your power to Ichigo, why can't he transfer them back to you? Was there something special about the method you used?" asked Ohta.
"He lacks the aptitude and control necessary to execute the technique I performed..." replied Rukia. However, even as she said it, she wasn't too sure. Rather, now that she thought about it, she couldn't recall where she had learned the technique. It was forbidden for a Shinigami to grant their power to another, especially a human, so where and for what purpose did she learn to perform such a transfer? She didn't even complete her full six years at Shin'o Academy before being adopted into the Kuchiki family...
"Ah...!"
Feeling a sudden and intense migraine, Rukia keeled over and clutched her head. A loud buzzing sound, accompanied by a high-pitched ringing, filled her head, nearly causing her to fall from the ledge she was seated on before Ohta grabbed her arm, asking, "You good...?" with a confused look on his face.
"I'm...fine..." groaned Rukia. However, as crimson blood flowed from both her nostrils, her words weren't very convincing.
"Okay," replied Ohta. "But, hypothetically speaking, is there somewhere I could take you if you weren't fine? Also, what happens if your body dies? Do you just get ejected from it?"
"I hope you're not thinking of killing her," replied a deep, somewhat raspy voice, alerting Ohta and Rukia to the presence of a black, yellow-eyed cat occupying the same ledge as them.
"Your words have caused disharmony between her soul and the artificial body she is inhabiting," said the cat, Yoruichi, adding, "If her synchronicity rate falls below a certain threshold, her vessel will begin to decay rapidly."
In response to Yoruichi's words, Rukia pulled out a bottle filled with black, spherical pills known as Sōma Fixer(Inner-Soul Fixer), promptly ingesting two of them. Doing so caused her nose to stop bleeding, but her migraine lingered like a hangover.
Directing his gaze to Ohta, Yoruichi narrowed his feline eyes and said, "You're a curious one, aren't you? You remind me of a certain someone from the good old days. Unfortunately, much like him, you don't know when to leave things well enough alone..."
"Ominous," replied Ohta, adopting a teasing smile as he asked, "Is this where you reveal your true form and try to kill me?"
"It's very tempting," responded Yoruichi. "Unfortunately for you, you'll have to wait to see my true form some other time. For now, you need to carry that one back to her bed and then come with me."
"And if I refuse?" asked Ohta.
"Please do," replied Yoruichi, adopting an uncanny, almost human smile as he appended, "I don't get to have nearly as much fun as I used to."
"And this is why I'm a dog person..." remarked Ohta, surprising Rukia by picking her up in a princess carry.
"U-Unhand me...!" exclaimed Rukia. However, as her body was still weak from the near-desynchronization, she could barely form a fist, much less wriggle out of Ohta's embrace.
"It's this or the potato method," stated Ohta, stepping off the roof without waiting for Rukia's response. Then, even though it was significantly more demanding than his usual method of aviation, he materialized a spherical barrier around him and Rukia, propelling them through the air without the burden of wind pressure affecting them directly...
"You're pretty fast," remarked Yoruichi, resting atop the fence near Ohta's apartment.
"Is this where I ask how you got here so quickly?" asked Ohta, staring up at Yoruichi with a completely neutral expression.
"Just hurry and drop off the girl..." replied Yoruichi, ostensibly annoyed by Ohta's lack of a reaction.
"Yeah, yeah..." replied Ohta, carrying the silent Rukia to her door and undoing the lock with his telekinetic abilities. When he did, her pensive expression turned into a wry smile, but she didn't say anything until he laid her to rest on her bed.
"Thank you for carrying me," said Rukia. "You probably don't want my gratitude, but I appreciate it nonetheless."
"Just make sure to clean my jacket before you return it..." replied Ohta, turning to leave. Rukia attempted to grasp his sleeve as he did, but she was too slow due to the condition of her body. She then felt it would be awkward to call out to him, so she ultimately just watched him leave in silence...
...
..
.
"Oh? You're back quicker than I expected," remarked Yoruichi. "I thought you would have stalled to try and annoy me."
"You're one of those quick on their feet, slow in the head types, ain't ya?" asked Ohta.
"There it is," mused Yoruichi, climbing to his feet and stretching his body as he said, "You're going to regret speaking to me like that one of these days. And I don't mean that as a threat."
"I doubt it," replied Ohta. "Even if you 'do' have the power to kill me, I can imagine worse things."
Narrowing his eyes, Yoruichi replied, "You and me both, kiddo. Now, do try and keep up."
Punctuating his words, Yoruichi leaped into the air, this time at a speed Ohta could follow. The latter wasn't very comfortable with flying around during the day, but he didn't hesitate to give chase, pursuing the black cat through the air...
...
..
.
"Here we are," said Yoruichi, touching down outside an antiquated two-story shop made from bamboo and plaster, looking like a hold-over from the Edo Period.
Staring at the sign posted above the entrance, Ohta muttered, "Urahara Shoten(Shop)..."
"Looks like your schooling has paid off," remarked Yoruichi. "You read so well."
"You should consider it," retorted Ohta. "I'm certain there is at least one Obedience School in Karakura Town..."
Staring back and up at Ohta, Yoruichi asserted, "Trust me, kid, there isn't a person in this world that can make me obedient. Not without suffering serious consequences..."
"Neat," replied Ohta, adding, "So, am I supposed to go in, or what? Speak to me, oh unruly one."
"Unless you'd prefer to chat outside," responded an unfamiliar, scratchy, lazy-sounding voice. Immediately after, the front of the store slid open, revealing a man with messy, ashen-blonde hair, sunken features, and an overall unkempt appearance. He was dressed a bit like an antique store owner, wearing a green samue beneath a black haori, but the things that stood out the most were his striped, green-and-white fisherman's hat, his wooden geta, and his piercing black eyes.
"We meet at last, Yamada Ohta," said the man, removing his hat and placing it over his chest as he said, "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Urahara Kisuke, the proprietor of this here shop. I'm also the Supplier of our mutual friend, Ms. Kuchiki. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"You're a dangerous one..." asserted Ohta, adopting a fearless smile. It was their first time meeting, but he could immediately tell Kisuke was a wolf in sheep's clothing. He reminded Ohta of the Fixers he encountered in his previous life, individuals who mediated and played both sides of a conflict. They were often responsible for brokering peace, but only when it benefitted them or furthered their agenda...
Spinning his hat on the tip of his finger and returning it to his head, Kisuke mused, "Maybe a few hundred years ago. I've since gone into retirement."
"Ever heard the saying 'be wary of old men in a business where most die young?'" asked Ohta.
"No, but I'll be sure to keep it in mind," replied Kisuke, adopting a sly smile as he stepped to the side and gestured to the interior of his shop, musing, "After you, dear guest..."
Making his way into the cramped store, Ohta found it was filled with what looked like various types of candy stored in glass jars. There were also a few miscellaneous items, such as tourist maps and plastic water bottles, prompting him to ask, "Is your front a gift shop...?"
"Something like that," replied Kisuke, clarifying, "Most people who can see this place are children who've yet to have their imagination and spirituality quashed by modern society. I keep the actual merchandise stored away, but unless you know what you're looking for and can request it by name, I can't sell it to you."
"I didn't come here to buy anything," said Ohta, turning to meet Kisuke's gaze as he added, "I was promised answers."
"And you'll have them," assured Kisuke. "However, before that, I'd like to ask you something. Tell me, Yamada Ohta, what is it you seek? Better yet, where do you see yourself in ten, twenty, maybe even fifty years? How do you intend to use that power of yours to shape your life and the world you live in?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta half-heartedly replied, "I'm just living life as it comes. Planning ten, twenty, or fifty years in the future is a waste of time when there are invisible monsters, spirits, Shinigami, schemers, and talking cats roaming the streets..."
Understanding that Ohta was referring to him when he said 'schemers,' Urahara exhaled an amused chuckle. Afterward, however, he adopted a very serious expression as he asked, "Then you have no interest in honing that power of yours?"
"I do," replied Ohta. "Just not under the scrutiny of someone I wouldn't trust as far as I could throw them. I have no intention of becoming your, or anyone else's, pawn."
"Hmmm..."
Reaching into his haori, Kisuke motioned as if he were about to pull out a weapon, but Ohta stared at him without so much as batting an eye. What he eventually pulled out was a simple bamboo fan, snapping it open and adopting a sly grin as he proposed, "Then, rather than a pawn, how about becoming my employee~?"
...
..
.

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...
...
..
.

Chapter 8: Rendezvous Before the Dawn