Not a Mob: Psycho

"And why would I do that?" replied Ohta.
Adopting a faint smile, Urahara replied, "The pay might not be as great as plundering a bunch of gangs, but I can provide you with knowledge and information that can't be found anywhere else. I can also grant you access to spiritual items and training facilities that will allow you to hone your power without fear of discovery."
"And let you spy on me?" asked Ohta. "Hard pass."
"We've been spying on you for years," countered Kisuke, fanning himself as he added, "And we're not the only ones. Coming under my umbrella will at least prevent external parties from keeping an eye on you."
"Maybe, but there's a difference between being spied on and 'letting' yourself be spied on," contended Ohta. "Unless you have something more substantial to offer, my answer remains the same. Hard pass."
"At least hear me out," replied Kisuke, explaining, "I'm not asking you to tend the shop or run errands for me. All I really need for you to do is hone your power and stay out of the way of Kurosaki Ichigo's training. If things continue as they are, both he and Kuchiki Rukia are going to die."
"Continue," said Ohta, crossing his arms, curious to hear what Kisuke would say next.
"I'm not sure how much she has explained, but Ms. Kuchiki transferring her powers to a human is a capital offense," explained Kisuke. "I can't say with certainty when they'll arrive, but it's only a matter of time before Soul Society dispatches a Hunter or Execution squad to capture Rukia and take her back to be tried. If Ichigo's power is lacking at the time, he'll die."
"You say that like it's a pressing concern, but aren't you the ones who set the stage?" asked Ohta. "It sounds to me like you simply don't want me interfering in your plans."
"You're right on the second part but wrong on the first," asserted Kisuke. "I 'do' have a plan I'm working on, but I'm not the one that set the stage for Ms. Kuchiki transferring her power to Ichigo. I'm trying to bait out and stop the guy who set her up."
"I'm sure you are," replied Ohta, unconvinced. However, as both Kisuke and Yoruichi gave him the distinct impression he shouldn't fuck with them, he subsequently appended, "Just tell me, specifically, what you want from me."
"It's simple, really," replied Kisuke. "You're free to interact with them and deal with the Hollows appearing in and around Karakura Town, but don't get in the way of Ms. Kuchiki training Ichigo. The more you interfere, the more likely both of them will die."
"So, you want me to feign ignorance?" asked Ohta. "It's pretty obvious that washboard brat has been 'programmed.' You want me to play along and pretend I haven't noticed her brainwashing?"
"At least for the time being," replied Kisuke, explaining, "Until the person responsible for her brainwashing has been exposed, all you're doing by interfering is making things worse. The best thing you can do right now is consolidate your power and prepare for the mission to rescue Ms. Kuchiki and stay her execution. If that sounds too perilous, I suggest distancing yourself from this matter entirely."
"Man, I really hate people like you..." said Ohta, psychic energy exuding from his body naturally.
Though he couldn't see the tri-colored haze around Ohta's body, Kisuke could sense his aura increasing, causing tensions within the storefront to become tense to the point of palpable. Off to the side, Yoruichi narrowed his eyes in preparation, but Kisuke deterred him with a subtle shake of his head, confident that Ohta wouldn't attack. He might have if he was a truly heroic or selfless individual, but after observing Ohta for nearly ten years, Kisuke knew he was more of an opportunist than anything.
Matching Kisuke's expectations, Ohta gradually suppressed his aura, shaking his head and turning around as he said, "Whatever. I'll see how things play out and decide for myself how to handle things. If it seems like too much trouble, I'll just skip town."
"You're free to do so, but I would advise against it," replied Kisuke. "The world has become a dangerous place for High-Spec humans like yourself. Karakura Town is a sort of 'blind spot,' so if you venture too far, you'll draw the attention of secret societies and organizations the world over. Even if you seal away and never use your powers, someone will eventually track you down."
"How ominous," replied Ohta, looking over his shoulder and adopting a fearless smile as he added, "But until they track me down, I can't know for certain if you're telling the truth. People who allow themselves to be reined by news and information they haven't corroborated are no better than sheep. If someone wants to capture or try to experiment on me, they better be prepared for a fight..."
Adopting a smile of his own, Kisuke mused, "Well, with conviction like that, I'm sure you'll be fine just about anywhere. Just remember, if you ever find yourself on a dissection table being experimented on by a man with yellow teeth, blue hair, and black and white face paint, I 'did' try to warn you..."
"Noted," responded Ohta, exiting the store without looking back. He was curious about the man Kisuke was referring to, but his instincts told him the more he interacted with the ashen-haired man, the deeper he would fall into his schemes. Thus, while he failed to acquire the information he came searching for, Ohta departed without hesitation, fairly certain that any information he obtained from the man would be severely skewed to serve his ends...
Observing Ohta's departure, Kisuke and Yoruichi remained silent for several seconds before the latter questioned, "So, what do you think? Is he a threat?
"Oh, most definitely," replied Kisuke. "However, unless he can concretely determine that opposing us benefits him, he won't risk baring his fangs at us directly. This first encounter was probably to feel us out and see if we would threaten or try to strongarm him into doing our bidding. Now, just as he said, he'll most likely observe the situation and see how it plays out before deciding whether or not he wants to get involved further."
"Do you think he'll join the team to rescue Kuchiki?" asked Yoruichi. "If so, what ramifications might that have? We still don't know the limitations and scope of his power."
Instead of answering Yoruichi's questions outright, Urahara looked to his longtime companion and asked, "Can I entrust this matter to you?" with a serious glimmer in his eyes.
"You want me to get in the way of him and Kuchiki...?" asked Yoruichi.
"If they're left alone, there's a good chance an incident like what occurred this morning will happen again," said Kisuke. "If you can win his trust and separate him from Kuchiki, she'll have an easier time grooming Ichigo into the weapon we need him to be..."
"That doesn't sound particularly difficult," replied Yoruichi. "But are you sure this is the wisest course of action? It could backfire spectacularly."
"I'm confident in your skills as the former Captain of the Onmitsukidō," asserted Kisuke, adding, "The most important thing is that everything proceeds according to the plan. We won't get another chance at this..."
"Which is why it would have been better to scout or get rid of him years ago," said Yoruichi. "Now, even if we 'do' kill him, it could come back to bite us once Ichigo and his friends discover the truth..."
Adopting a sad smile, Kisuke muttered, "Sorry...but even if his power is a threat, every child has the right to life, right? It's too late to go back and change things. Even if I could, pulling Ohta to our side wouldn't be at the top things I'd like to fix..."
Exhaling a sigh, Yoruichi remarked, "You're getting old..." before leaping down and promptly exiting the store...
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After reaching his apartment on foot, Ohta intended to check on Rukia but couldn't sense her in her room. That being the case, he entered his own and took a long, relaxing bath instead of a shower. School started at 8:30 AM, so with more than two hours to prepare, he took his sweet time, only getting out once the water had become lukewarm.
"I was starting to think you had drowned," commented a familiar voice, drawing Ohta's attention to the black cat lying atop his bed.
Raising his brows, Ohta asked, "I'm guessing you're the 'insurance' to keep me from messing things up?"
"Something like that," replied Yoruichi. "More importantly, I'm going to be teaching you how to battle against Shinigami. Unlike Kisuke, I don't really care about the nature and origin of your power. If you're going to continue meddling, you should at least possess the knowledge to disguise yourself and be useful."
"Disguise myself? What do you mean...?" asked Ohta.
"I was listening when Rukia commented on how your power should allow you to mimic the abilities of a Shinigami," revealed Yourichi. "If that's true, I can teach you how to fight like and counter the abilities of any Shinigami you happen to encounter in the future. Better still, I can teach you to hide your presence and detect surveillance and spiritual probes. I imagine that would prove fairly useful if you choose to run away in the future."
"You're not wrong..." replied Ohta. Even now, he couldn't sense so much as a trace of Yoruichi's presence. The same could be said of Urahara but to a different extent. In his case, he exuded the aura of an ordinary human despite simultaneously giving the impression he was a monster...
Understanding that he wouldn't simply be able to chase Yoruichi away, Ohta pondered for a moment before replying, "Fine. But don't expect me to interpret what you say as gospel. I'll see what you have to teach and decide for myself if I should adapt it to my skill set."
"Fair enough," replied Yoruichi. "But if you 'do' decide to learn what I have to teach, I won't tolerate a half-assed resolve. You will give it your all, or you will die. Not to myself, perhaps, but definitely to the Execution Corps."
Adopting a dauntless smile, Ohta mused, "I'm quaking in my non-existent boots."
"Let's hope you can maintain that level of bravado when you encounter your first Captain," remarked Yoruichi. "The more likely scenario is that you shit yourself. If not before you die, then certainly afterward."
"Assuming they're an actual threat," retorted Ohta. "I'm not sure of the ranking system of Shinigami, but Rukia attested to being a Lieutenant. I'll concede that she was pretty light on her feet, but if push came to shove, I'm confident I could have defeated her."
"The Rukia you saw was limited to 20% of her spirit power and hadn't released her Zanpakuto," attested Yoruichi. "If she had, she would have been at least ten times as powerful as you observed. Beyond that, even the weakest Captains are at least five to tens times stronger, faster, and more skilled than their corresponding Lieutenants. And that's in their base form."
"Sounds convoluted..." replied Ohta. However, if Yoruichi's words were true, he had been underestimating the power of Shinigami by using Rukia as a basis. He didn't know what a Zanpakuto(Soul-Cutter Sword) was, but the name implied it had something to do with her weapon. If 'releasing' it truly made her ten times as powerful, that meant her strength with her 'Limiter' removed was fifty times what he had observed. If the weakest Captain was five to ten times as strong as that, he was dealing with foes 250-500x as powerful as someone whose initial movements he had been unable to follow...
"Looks like you're finally starting to understand how out of your depth you are," noted Yoruichi. "It might be difficult for you to imagine right now, but the leader of the Thirteen Court Guardian Squads, Captain Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, possesses a fire-type Zanpakuto whose flames burn as hot as the Sun. Your power is exceptional, especially for one so young, but it must be refined if you want to establish yourself at the pinnacle of this world. Against monsters that have lived for thousands of yours, all your arrogance will get you is killed."
Punctuating his words, Yoruichi rose from the bed, leaping onto the floor as he said, "Once you return from school, I'll give you a demonstration of what a Shinigami is capable of. You can decide for yourself how you want to progress from there."
Before Ohta could respond, Yoruichi stepped 'through' his wall, creating a shadow that lingered for a moment before abruptly disappearing like the image of an old television being shut off. In his wake, Ohta stared blankly at the spot he had departed before shaking his head, discarding the towel around his waist, and changing into his school uniform...
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Though he expected it, Ohta still deadpanned when Rukia was introduced as a transfer student during Homeroom. She smiled apologetically when their gazes met, but Ohta pretended not to notice, turning his attention to his notebook and behaving as if they had never met.
"That wasn't very nice of you this morning," said Rukia, following Ohta up to the roof during lunch.
"You should have figured this out by now, but I'm not exactly sociable," replied Ohta. "If I started behaving all chummy with a transfer student that looks like she skipped a few grades to end up in High School, people would begin to spread rumors."
"Haha, very funny," replied Rukia, eyes narrowed in disdain. Immediately afterward, however, her expression relaxed as she walked over, standing next to him and staring out of the courtyard below as she asked, "Where did you go this morning? And what was with that strange cat...?"
Raising his brows, Ohta asked, "You don't know? I figured he was one of your contacts."
Shaking her head, Rukia expressed, "Even in the Soul Society, talking cats aren't normal. I heard there are a few Bakeneko and Nekomata inhabiting the forests to the north, but I've never encountered one."
"Mmm...I see..." replied Ohta, taking a moment to organize his thoughts before revealing, "I ended up at the storefront of your Supplier, Urahara Kisuke. He wanted to warn me about getting involved in the affairs of the Soul Society and asked me not to do anything to worsen your condition..."
Furrowing her brows, Rukia remarked, "How strange...I know I'm one of his only customers at the moment, but I didn't think he would show such concern for my well-being..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta deflected away from the subject, asking, "So, what made you decide to come to school?"
"To be honest? I didn't much have anything else to do," replied Rukia. "I thought about asking you to lend me your power so I could hunt Hollows while you and Ichigo were in class, but I wasn't sure what kind of burden that would place on you. There's also the possibility they could cut out in the middle of battle, and that would pretty much guarantee my end."
"It's something to consider," contended Ohta. "I've never experimented with bestowing my powers to another for a long period. In the past, I mainly used it to prevent innocents from getting caught in the crossfire when I raided gang hideouts and packing plants..."
Hearing that Ohta used his power to protect the innocent, a faint smile developed across Rukia's face as she said, "Then, if you're willing to trust me, let's try it sometime."
"Maybe," replied Ohta, not committing to anything. If Rukia got used to using his power, she would eventually think it was 'normal' to borrow it from him. She might also begin to grasp how his power functions, so he would need to do something to undermine her willingness to depend on him before things got out of hand.
Directing her eyes to the front, Rukia revealed, "There's another reason I decided to come to your school. Due to his inability to control his power, Ichigo is constantly leaking Reiryoku(spirit energy) from his body. Being close to him should allow me to replenish my own..."
"That would explain why you were sneakily living in his home," teased Ohta. "You were treating him as a wireless charging station."
"Something like that..." replied Rukia. "Anyways, now that I'm no longer staying in the Kurosaki household, I need to spend as much time as I can around Ichigo during the day. If I can't recover my power before someone from the Soul Society comes to investigate..."
Staring down at the much shorter girl, Ohta asserted, "You don't need to explain yourself to me, much less receive my approval. Do what you need to do. I was killing Hollows even before you arrived."
Turning to meet Ohta's gaze, Rukia regained a faint smile and replied, "I wasn't seeking your approval. I simply felt obligated to inform you since you seemed so concerned about it before."
Making a show of rolling his eyes and turning away, Ohta muttered, "If you say so..." in a nearly inaudible tone. Rukia giggled in response, but instead of teasing him, she said, "I'll see you after class. If not, we can talk back at the apartments."
Nodding his head, Ohta continued to stare ahead until Rukia departed the roof, leaving him alone. In her wake, he looked around, half-expecting to find Yoruichi. Since he didn't, he set a forty-minute alarm before lying in the shade, planning to enjoy a short nap. One of the survival principles he had picked up in the Army was to 'sleep when you can,' so he intended to do exactly that when a weight abruptly pressed down on his chest...
Opening his eyes, Ohta found Yoruichi standing on his chest, staring at him with his golden eyes. Then, like an actual cat, he laid down, tucking his paws beneath him as he asked, "Did you know a cat's purring can help lower blood pressure and has many other health benefits?"
As if that was supposed to justify his presence, Yoruichi closed his eyes and started to purr, sending gentle reverberations through Ohta's chest. The latter was tempted to yeet him into space, but having already seen him fly and leap through the air with tremendous ease, that wasn't likely to work. His other option was to try and crush Yoruichi with his patented 'psychic compress' technique, but unless he knew with certainty it would work, the risks outweighed the potential benefits...
Earning himself a curious, half-lidded stare, Ohta closed his eyes and began caressing Yoruichi's surprisingly velvety fur. He suspected the latter was trying to get him to lower his guard by behaving like a cat, but two could play at that game...
"You stopped purring..." remarked Ohta.
"That's because I'm considering biting your nose," countered Yoruichi.
"Feel free," replied Ohta, continuing to run his fingers along Yoruichi's spine as he added, "But then you can forget about lying on my chest in the future..."
"..."
Though he was tempted to scratch Ohta and continue using his chest regardless, Yoruichi knew they didn't have that kind of rapport. He also didn't want to reveal his 'true form' just yet, so after several seconds of deliberation, he set his chin on Ohta's chest and closed his eyes, flatly remarking, "You're lucky I enjoy being caressed..."
"Try not to speak so close to my face," replied Ohta. "Your breath smells like tuna..."
Feeling a little annoyed, Yoruichi remarked, "I could turn around and stick my ass in your face..."
"It's honestly tempting..." retorted Ohta, causing Yoruichi to abruptly stand up, turn around, and sit on his face. Fortunately, while it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience, Ohta immediately noticed something, remarking, "Oh, you're a girl..."
"You insufferable little...!" exclaimed Yoruichi. Then, before Ohta fully comprehended what had transpired, he was sent flying through the air, crashing into the fence surrounding the roof upside down. Instead of sliding down and hitting his head, however, he remained in that position, staring at the place he had been lying moments prior, finding that Yoruichi had vanished...
("Looks like this round belongs to me...") thought Ohta, briefly lingering on the chainlink fence before drifting away from it, flipping himself right-side up, and lying back down...
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With Rukia dragging Ichigo out of class in the middle of the fourth period, screaming that the latter had anemia and that she needed to take him to the Nurse's Office, Ohta expected the class to be abuzz, but not even the teacher seemed to find it odd. Rather, she barely reacted, remarking, "Get him there safely," before immediately continuing the lesson.
"That was really odd..." muttered Ohta, recalling the scene as he took a detour to his apartment. It was like the cognition of everyone in the class had been altered, making them incapable of realizing how strange it was for Rukia and Ichigo to run out and not return...
"Well, at least I didn't have to walk Orihime home..." noted Ohta, turning into an alleyway to find a familiar cat staring at him with half-lidded eyes.
Raising his hand, Ohta said, "Yo, Su&ndash;I mean, how ya doin', Yoruichi-san? Did you run to the vet to see if you had gingivitis? It's not a good sign if your ass smells fresher than your breath."
Leaping from her perch, Yoruichi caused every nerve in Ohta's body to tense as she abruptly transformed into a petite, dark-skinned woman with a slender physique, a phenomenal pair of tits, and peculiar, waist-length purple hair fastened in a ponytail. Chin-length bangs framed her angular face, and her outfit consisted of an orange top with white padding on the shoulders, a black bodysuit that snuggly conformed to her voluptuous body, a beige sash that matched the material of her scarf and armguards, and custom, lightweight boots that resembled ninja tabi and shin guards.
Before Ohta's brain had time to process that incredible sight before him, Yoruichi's left fist was buried deep in his diaphragm, ignoring his psychic defenses and painfully ousting the air from his lungs as she said, "Lesson one, Hohō(Step Method)..." with a sadistic gleam in her golden eyes...
Though he fell to his knees and nearly keeled over, Ohta didn't pass out as Yoruichi expected. He almost did, but the moment his consciousness began to slip, unbridled fury surged from the depths of his mind, causing a smile to develop across his face as he said, "You...fucked up..."
Raising her brows, Yoruichi was about to compliment Ohta for enduring one of her blows when the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. At nearly that same moment, a hand obscured her vision, causing the pupils of her eyes to contract as she thought, ("He's fast...")
Demonstrating she was even faster, Yoruichi's promptly 'dissolved' like an afterimage, causing Ohta to grasp at the air.
"You had your chance," mused Yoruichi, standing several meters away with crossed arms and a teasing smile. "Now you'll have to work for it if you want to touch my body."
Ignoring the pain radiating through his chest and abdomen, a bright red aura surrounded Ohta's body as he exhaled a chuckle and retorted, "Now that I see you in this form, I kind of want you to sit on my face again..."
"That depends on you," replied Yoruichi, effortlessly evading Ohta's leap and follow-up lungs by disappearing and reappearing without any leading movements. "I only approve of strong or, at the very least, skillful men. A snot-nosed brat that lunges at his opponents like a wild bull is-"
Feeling the fabric around her chest contract, Yoruichi ceased speaking and disappeared, leaving her orange top to be compacted into a bundle. When she reappeared, Ohta learned that her form-fitting bodysuit didn't actually cover her entire body. Her back and shoulders were completely exposed, but that wasn't his focus as he aimed his left hand at the smiling vixen, grinning as he declared, "I can sense you..."
"Good for you," replied Yoruichi, the last word sounding in Ohta's ear as she chopped the side of his neck with enough power to force him to one knee, cracking the concrete beneath.
("His defense is increasing...") noted Yoruichi, evading the invisible surge of psychic energy that exuded from Ohta's body, causing his hair to flare up as he looked back at her with a crimson glow in his eyes.
"You're starting to look pretty scary," remarked Yoruichi, evading what she perceived as an invisible hand, presumably aiming for her scarf but just as likely to be aiming for her neck.
"But I'm starting to get the hang of sensing your power," she added, once again appearing behind Ohta. This time, however, her swift and seemingly casual karate chop left a visible indent on the muscles between his neck and shoulder, the energy gushing from his body abruptly dispersing as he slumped like a marionette with its strings cut...
"Tough little bastard..." remarked Yoruichi, staring at her hand to find it dangling just as limply as Ohta's body. At the very last moment, just when she was about to retract her hand, a tremendous repulsive force flowed back into her, snapping her wrist and breaking several of her fingers like twigs. Instead of being upset, however, she adopted a toothy grin, picked up Ohta's body, and disappeared with it...
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"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...
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"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...
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"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~?"
...
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Chapter 10: Machinations