Not a Mob: Psycho

Waiting for him within his soul space, the vestige of Yoruichi's Zanpakuto Spirit, which he had taken to calling Susu, bumped her head against Ohta as it said, "I'm sorry for your loss..."
Caressing the oversized cat on its snout, Ohta assured, "It's fine. I just need to go and get her back, right?"
Instead of responding to Ohta with words, Susu shrunk to roughly the size of a cow, rubbing her body against him and nearly knocking him over. She was similar to Yoruichi in the way she 'required' skinship, so Ohta let her do as she pleased, spreading his arms and rubbing his face against Susu's body as she used his like a grooming post.
Once Susu had gotten her fill, lying down, pulling her paws under her, and forming a 'cat loaf' next to him, Ohta scratched behind her ear and asked, "Seen my shadow recently...?"
"The shadowy one only comes out when you're present..." replied Susu, purring as she leaned her head into Ohta's scritches, effectively nuzzling his entire body.
"Then I'm gonna go looking for him," said Ohta, scratching under Susu's chin as he added, "Be a good girl and stay here. I'll come and play with you before I leave."
Though she wanted to go with him, Susu knew she was half the reason the 'shadowy one' wouldn't converse with Ohta. People weren't meant to be compatible with two Zanpakuto Spirits, but due to Ohta's regular Soul Resonances with Yoruichi when he first received his power, his soul was a half-step between a human's and a native-born soul. Those with attuned spiritual senses would even note he had a similar aura to a member of the Shihouin Clan.
"Okay, but don't take too long..." said Susu, nuzzling Ohta once last time before walking past him and leaping onto the boulder she usually napped on. There was no sun within Ohta's soul space, but a warm light radiated from above the Japanese-style palace, contrasting the perpetual twilight and gloom that loomed on the horizon...
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By roaming aimlessly through the battlefield surrounding the palace, allowing his instincts to guide him, it only took Ohta a few minutes to locate what he believed to be his Zanpakuto Spirit, a massive, shadowy jackal with wispy white eyes and an inverted triangle emitting a red light between its pointy ears.
As the jackal never allowed him to approach closer than twenty meters, Ohta stopped short of this, raising his hand and offering a curt "Yo," while the 4.5m tall canine observed him with an almost 'pouty' expression.
Exhaling a faint sigh through his nose, Ohta waited a few seconds before expressing, "You know, I can't tell why you're upset if you don't talk or try and communicate with me some other way..."
Like a tired dog throwing a tantrum, the shadowy jackal turned away from Ohta, lying its head atop its paws and exhaling a snort from its long snout.
"..."
Understanding the futility of trying to approach the shadowy beast, even with Shunpo, Ohta sat down and simply observed it in silence. According to Rukia and Yoruichi, he needed to earn its trust by overcoming a trial or coaxing it in some way, but even after weeks of trying, Ohta felt no closer to winning the damnable thing's trust...
"You know, I could really use your help..." grumbled Ohta. "Something important was taken from me. I want it back..."
Catching Ohta completely off guard, the shadowy jackal turned to face him as it asserted, "It was not taken...you relinquished it. You let others make decisions for you and must now suffer the consequences of your passivity. You are not worthy of my power..."
Furrowing his brows, Ohta argued, "If I had enough power, I wouldn't need to follow the plans of others..."
"Do you take me for a fool?" asked the shadowy jackal. "I know you better than you know yourself, John Alexander Doe. You do not seek power. You do not even possess the courage to 'live.' You merely exist, conducted by fate and the will of those you presume your superiors..."
"..."
Though he was tempted to ask what was wrong with simply existing, Ohta remained silent, locking gazes with the shadowy jackal for six full minutes before asking, "And what about you? What do you accomplish by refusing to lend me your power...?"
Without hesitation, the jackal replied, "I am your pride, the 'purpose' you have discarded. When you find me in the real world, my power will come to you naturally. Now, go. Your presence, as you are, sickens me."
"Yeah, well, you ain't exactly sunshine and rainbows yourself..." replied Ohta, rising to his feet and dusting himself off as he added, "I'll be back tomorrow..."
"And I'll be back to ignoring you," retorted the shadowy jackal, averting its eyes and exhaling a huffy, disdainful snort...
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With Yoruichi informing him that they would be departing on the 8th of August, Ohta had twenty days to prepare and gain the acknowledgment of his Zanpakuto. Unfortunately, after their previous discussion, the jackal had returned to ignoring him, covering its ears and eyes with its paws and disappearing if Ohta got too close.
"This fucking sucks..." muttered Ohta, staring at the ceiling above his bed, his motivation at an all-time low. He had gone out patrolling the previous night, but as a byproduct of the bait Uryu had used, it was expected that no Hollows would appear for weeks, maybe even months. In other words, he had nothing to take out his anger, frustration, and boredom on...
*tok* *tok* *tok*
Though he had sensed someone wandering around and walking past his apartment numerous times, Ohta didn't expect them to stop and knock on his front door. Since he was in soul form, he could easily just ignore them, but once he sensed who it was, he sat up and frowned.
*TOK* *TOK* *TOK*
After several seconds of silence, the person outside Ohta's door knocked much harder, shouting, "Hey, I know you're in there! Open up, already...!"
"I'm not in the mood for this shit..." muttered Ohta. However, despite this, he made his way to the front door, startling the person standing outside by sticking his head through and asking, "What do you want, bokukko...?"
Recovering from her initial surprise, the person standing outside, none other than Ichigo's little sister, Karin, adopted a serious expression as she replied, "My brother refused to talk, so I came here for answers. Open the door."
Exhaling a scoffing chuckle, Ohta mused, "You're a plucky little shit. I can appreciate that. But if your brother refused to explain things to you, what makes you think I will?"
"That's not the only reason I came here," revealed Karin, adopting the most serious expression she could manage as she said, "I want you to teach me. I've noticed that things seem to be getting more dangerous every day, and I don't want to have to depend on others to save me...if you hadn't shown up the other day, I would have died..."
"Unlikely," retorted Ohta, having previously learned that Yoruichi was nearby while Karin was being attacked, ready to intervene if he hadn't shown up. However, as Karin had no way of knowing that, not unless he told her, he added, "But, you're not wrong. Without power, you're fated to be a victim or a damsel in distress."
Dipping his head back inside, Ohta unlocked the door to his apartment, stepping aside as he said, "Come on in. I'll at least hear you out before telling you to fuck off."
Frowning, Karin was tempted to ask what was the point if he was just going to send her away, but she suppressed the urge and made her way inside. A sweet, somewhat musky aroma hit her nose when she stepped inside, but instead of concluding what most adults would, she gave the room a cursory inspection, remarking, "Nice place..." before setting her backpack on Ohta's desk. She didn't actually believe that, but she felt it would be rude to give her actual opinion...
Following behind Karin, Ohta said, "Start talking. You have until I finish making and drinking some hot cocoa to convince me..."
"Oh, you have hot cocoa?" asked Karin. "Make me a cup while you're at it."
Raising his brows, Ohta half-turned to give Karin an 'are you for real' look, prompting her to raise her own and question, "What? It's just a cup of hot cocoa. Do you not offer drinks to guests?"
"You're pressing your luck, boku..." muttered Ohta. However, instead of grabbing a single packet of cocoa, he grabbed two, pouring them into a pair of cups and mixing in hot water as Karin said, "Anyways, I took your advice and tried talking to Ichi-nii, but he completely blew me off. Now, he's run off to god-knows-where without telling any of us. Like, I get that he wants to keep us safe, but how does he expect to do that if he's gone and keeps us in the dark...?"
"I'm not a therapist," replied Ohta, handing Karin her cocoa as he added, "I'm also not inclined to explain things to people who have nothing to do with what's happening behind the scenes. Wanting the power to protect yourself is fine, but nosing around in shit unrelated to you is a good way to die young..."
Taking a sip from her cocoa, Karin frowned as it was more bitter than she was expecting. It didn't have a medicinal taste to it, though, so she didn't think Ohta had spiked it or anything, forcing herself to take another small sip before saying, "You say that, but I've seen your file. No one who minds their own business shows up at a family-owned clinic with cuts, puncture wounds, and bullet holes starting from when they were ten..."
Exhaling another scoffing chuckle, Ohta asserted, "You went through my medical file. Is that how you found me...?"
"My dad did you a ton of favors back in the day," said Karin. "Now, all I'm asking for is a few lessons so I can protect him, myself, and my sister. Is that so difficult...?"
Crossing his arms, Ohta didn't immediately respond to Karin's half-assed attempt at emotional blackmail. It was true that her dad, Isshin, had done him a lot of favors back in the day. However, he had made sure to pay the man for his services, depositing packets of money in their mail slot. Karin had no way of knowing that, but Ohta had long since paid his dues to the Kurosaki Clinic...
Seeing Ohta stare at her in ostensibly judgmental silence, Karin's mask of resolution began to crack. She was nervous just being in the same room as him, so her palms became sweaty, her heart racing as her fear of being turned away manifested as a suppressed panic attack...
Just as Karin looked like she was about to start crying, Ohta adopted a smile and said, "Fuck it. You want me to teach you? Sure. But whether or not you can learn anything depends on you. If you can't, don't blame me for your lack of talent."
Feeling tremendous relief, Karin exhaled a sigh that made her seem much older before adopting a pissed-off expression as she accused, "You enjoy messing with people, don't you?"
"You don't get shot in Japan without having a gift for pissing people off," replied Ohta. "Now, be specific. What, exactly, do you want me to teach you?"
"Well, what can you teach?" asked Karin. "I don't even know what's going on, so how can I know what to ask?"
"Hmmm...good point..." replied Ohta, moving over to the bookshelf Rukia had forced him to install. He still had the fairly detailed journal she wrote to explain Shinigami and the structure of Soul Society, so he tossed it at Karin, saying, "That should give you a general idea of what's going on with your brother. But don't think I'm giving it to you. Once you make a copy, I expect you to return it..."
Noticing the severity in Ohta's gaze, Karin swallowed hard and replied with a meek, "Right..." before placing the notebook in her backpack. Once done, she turned to Ohta and pointed out, "That still doesn't explain what you can teach me." in a marginally more confident tone.
"Then clear your ears and listen closely because I'm only going to say this once," said Ohta, subsequently explaining the basics of mental, spirit, and physical energy while Karin listened attentively and took notes...
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(A/N: Ichigo is not going to be happy...)

After finishing his explanation, Ohta waited for Karin to finish writing in her notebook before saying, "I'm not sure how much mental energy you have, but your spirit energy should be decent since you can see those monsters called Hollows. Lucky for you, spirit and mental energy aren't too different in the things they can do. Spirit energy is better at suppressing those who are weaker than yourself, and mental energy is easier to control."
Nodding her head, Karin tried to transcribe Ohta's words, but he stopped her, saying, "That's enough note-taking. Utilizing spirit and mental energy is intuitive. The more you try to understand and define it, the further you get away from its essence."
Recalling what Kisuke had said during their first encounter, Ohta added, "The younger you are, the easier it should be to tap into both forms of energy as your way of thinking hasn't been 'polluted' by modern thought and rationales. Science, mathematics, and logic all have their places, but there's a reason you don't see Nobel Laureates and Physicists moving shit with their minds and blasting lightning from their fingertips."
Raising her brows, Karin asked, "I'll be able to shoot lightning from my fingers?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta replied, "That's on you. I'm in the former category. Here, check this out."
Pointing his index finger at the contents of his cup, Ohta flicked upward and made a little swirl with his fingertip. As he did, the cocoa in his cup came out, resembling a snake rising from his mug before swirling around in the shape of a ring.
Staring wide-eyed at the fantastical display, Karin's excitement increased at the notion that she, too, would be able to perform such feats.
"Don't get too excited," said Ohta. "Shit like this might look simple, but it's a lot harder than pushing or crushing objects. I'm a natural psychic, and it still took me a decade to reach this level. In the process, I suffered more headaches and nosebleeds than you have hair...in your eyebrows. Since I only have about ten to twenty days to teach you, our primary focus will be strengthening your body and learning the absolute basics."
Trusting that Ohta knew what he was talking about, Karin gave a curt nod and said, "Just tell me what I need to do."
"Ever heard of failure training...?" asked Ohta.
Shaking her head, Karin replied, "No, what is it?"
"It's repeating an action or exercise until you can't continue," said Ohta, further explaining, "When your body and mind are completely exhausted, it becomes easier to notice even minute changes in your condition. It also helps you understand and overcome your limitations as a human. Without the will to continue where others would break down and quit, you'll never be able to obtain the type of power you're looking for."
"Is that how you got so strong?" asked Karin, staring intently at Ohta as she awaited his response.
Adopting a cheeky smile, Ohta replied, "I was born exceptional, but yeah, even I had to bust my ass. Your old man can attest to that..."
"Then it's a good thing I brought my gym clothes," said Karin. Her current outfit, consisting of spats, a jersey, a white tee, socks, and running shoes, was also suitable for physical exertion, but they were also the clothes she would be walking home in. If they got dirty or stiff with sweat, it would be hell walking several kilometers in the summer heat.
"I'm using your bathroom," said Karin, grabbing her backpack and making her way over without waiting for Ohta's response. Instead of immediately entering, however, she looked back as if she had something to say.
"I'm not going to peek..." said Ohta, adopting a deadpan expression. The reason he and Tatsuki never started dating was because she was far too underdeveloped back in middle school. It could be said that his baseline had shifted after entering a relationship with Rukia, but he had no interest in peeping on an 11-12-year-old brat...
"You better not..." muttered Karin, entering the bathroom without another word while Ohta rolled his eyes. He could tell Karin had a bit of a crush on him, but even if Rukia died and he managed to hold off on entering a new relationship for a couple of years, the plucky tomboy wasn't in the running to become his partner. A 3-4 age gap wasn't too big a deal, especially in a country like Japan, but Ohta would rather shoot his dick off than date one of Ichigo's sisters...
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"Are you for real...?" asked Ohta, staring directly at Karin's face. Her gym uniform consisted of a short-sleeved t-shirt with blue trim and dark-blue shorts known as buruma. Such uniforms were fairly common, especially in elementary schools, but he expected Karin to come out in a tracksuit, not wearing pedo bait...
Feeling a little self-conscious, Karin avoided Ohta's gaze, holding her right arm in a closed posture as she quietly asserted, "It's 37 degrees outside and really humid this time of year..."
Though he shook his head and exhaled a faintly exasperated sigh, Ohta decided not to press the matter, rising to his feet as he said, "There's a park with a paved trail near here. When training your body, your primary focus will be cardio. After that, it's almost all core and leg workouts. I'll teach them to you when we get back."
Regaining a bit of her vigor, Karin responded with a curt "Understood." before following close behind when Ohta departed, leading the way to a park she had passed on her way to his apartment. The journey was super awkward, as Ohta didn't speak a word, but when Karin later learned the reason for his silence, she felt like a complete idiot. After all, if they had a conversation en route, it would have looked like she was speaking to the air...
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Watching Karin run several laps around the track, Ohta muttered, "She has good stamina..." while simultaneously pondering to himself, ("What the fuck am I doing here?")
Though he empathized with Karin's situation, Ohta had no obligation to instruct or train her. Hell, he didn't even need to save her when she was being attacked by a Hollow. That responsibility should have been Ichigo's, but while the orange-haired Hero was off training to rescue his lover, here he was, babysitting the annoying youth's sister...
Thinking back to what the shadowy jackal had said, Ohta felt like he was starting to understand the reason for its frustration. Because of Kisuke's plot to turn Ichigo into a weapon, he had been biding his time and going with the flow, effectively waiting for shit to happen. He could have easily prevented Rukia's capture by fleeing the country with her. Instead, he let her be taken from him, and for what? To advance the agenda of a man he wouldn't entrust a fucking ficus to...
Understanding 'why' he had behaved in such a way, the frown on Ohta's face became a conflicted glower. He hadn't been with Rukia then, so he simply didn't care what fate awaited her. He 'let' himself be used because it permitted him to fuck Yoruichi and secure a place for himself within the upper echelons of Soul Society. The moment he got with Rukia, however, that immediately changed. So why the fuck was he still doing the creepy uncle's bidding?
Interrupting Ohta's self-reflection, Karin abruptly collapsed, tripping and lying still on the pavement. Rather than the 37 degrees she said it was, it was closer to 39(102&deg;F). Thus, even though it had only been about half an hour since she started running, it wasn't too surprising he would collapse from heat exhaustion.
Shunpoing over to the hyperventilating girl's side, Ohta calmly inquired, "Can you continue...?"
Furrowing her brows, Karin did her best to push herself to her feet, but her body refused to listen. The most she could manage was getting to her knees, sweat dripping from the tip of her nose and forehead like raindrops that disappeared when they touched the hot pavement.
"Then this is your limit as a 'human,'" said Ohta, taking a knee and placing his hand on Karin's head as he instructed, "Continue taking deep breaths and focus on the changes in your body. You're going to feel like you want to pass out, but don't allow it. When that moment comes, you 'will' get up and keep going..."
Heeding Ohta's instructions, Karin continued gasping for air even when her blood was oversaturated with oxygen, causing shadows to creep in on the edges of her vision as a tingly, strangely pleasant sensation filled her head. Her body slumped forward, and she nearly crashed face-first into the ground, but an invisible force caught her at the last moment, arresting her fall and allowing her to push off the ground like a sprinter, releasing a loud shout akin to a war cry.
"She's definitely got pluck..." remarked Ohta, watching Karin sprint faster than most Olympians. His psychic powers had awakened during a similar form of training, so he was mildly curious to see if Karin could emulate his results. The odds were slim, but if he kept channeling power into her and healing her at the exact moment she wanted to collapse, she was bound to learn 'something.' If nothing else, he would vest her a will stronger than even the most seasoned veterans...
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After running for hours, the only thing preventing Karin from collapsing in the streets was an invisible force supporting her up like a harness as she dragged her feet. Her voluminous sweat made it look like she had dipped in a pool, but instead of feeling cool and refreshed, she felt like her brain and body were being baked in an oven...
"We're here," said Ohta, causing some focus to return to Karin's as she gazed into his apartment and felt the cool rush of airconditioned air hit her face.
"When we get inside, you should take a lukewarm shower and slowly, 'very' slowly decrease the temperature until it is completely cold," said Ohta. "Also, keep in mind that if you collapse, I'll have no choice but to come in and slap some sense into you..."
Regaining even more of her faculties, Karin glared at Ohta and said, "You wouldn't dare..."
"The entire process should take around an hour," said Ohta, his expression serious as he said, "Don't come out before then."
"..."
Though she was tempted to point out she would get hypothermia if she stayed under cold running water for an hour, Karin dragged her feet into the bathroom. She believed that if she started doubting Ohta's words, it would negatively influence her training. Thus, while she felt his methods were completely ludicrous, she stripped out of her gym uniform and took the lengthiest shower of her life, doing her best to ease into the cold as slowly as possible...
Seeing Karin emerge from the bath with pale skin and blue lips, shaking to her core, Ohta gave an approving nod, saying, "Good job. You did well not to pass out."
"I-I-Is a-a-a-all the t-t-training go-going to b-b-be like this?" stammered Karin, barely able to speak due to the clattering of her jaw.
Nodding his head, Ohta calmly asserted, "Cultivating mental energy and willpower requires enduring various extremes. Your body and mind 'will' want to quit on you. If you want to survive and become strong, you can't yield, even if you want to cry."
Though her teeth continued to clatter loudly, Karin did her best to appear resolute as she nodded in understanding. Fortunately, Ohta rewarded her by patting her head and infusing more of his psychic energy into her body, quashing her shivering nigh-instantaneously. Unfortunately, her relief was short-lived as they immediately transitioned into core exercises, primarily squats, crunches, and planks, but also a few unorthodox training methods like duck walking and something Ohta called 8-count body-builders. The exercises weren't that difficult to perform, but Ohta had her do each until she couldn't continue. Thus, by the time of her second long shower, Karin really wanted to go home...
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(A/N: Ohta over here training an 11-12-year-old girl like a Special Forces Operative...)

"That's one big bastard..." remarked Ohta, referring to the giant Hollow that had plunged from the crack in the sky. It was easily between twenty and thirty meters tall, wore a white mask with beady eyes and a pointed nose, and its massive frame garbed in a black robe from head to pointed toe, giving it an appearance reminiscent of a demonic Nun.
"It's called a Menos," revealed Yoruichi, perched upon Ohta's shoulder. "More accurately, it's a Gillian-Class Menos. Their power allows them to go head to head with weaker Lieutenants, but their intelligence is low, and they're easy to avoid so long as you have a decent mastery of Hoho."
"Then, how's Ichigo supposed to defeat one?" asked Ohta. "From what I've seen, he can barely airwalk, much less execute a proper movement technique..."
"We've been over this before..." muttered Yoruichi. "Similar to you, Ichigo also possesses monstrous reserves of energy. Unlike you, however, his is spirit energy. If he could tap into and utilize it as he pleases, he'd surpass most Captains..."
Snorting through his nose, Ohta sardonically remarked, "Then let's hope he doesn't die..."
"He'll be fine," assured Yoruichi. "Just wa-oh, it's already over? That was much faster than expected..."
As Yoruichi noted, the defeat of the Gillian-Class Menos didn't even take twenty seconds from its emergence to its departure. All it managed was to fire off an energy blast eerily similar to the lasers Ohta unleashed in his Kusho state. Ichigo managed to tank the shot with his sword, and before the Gillian could fire a second one, he sent it fleeing with a slash from his blade that caused a penetrative energy wave to run up the Hollow's entire body, chipping its mask.
"How is this over?" asked Ohta, promptly pointing out. "The damned thing is getting away..."
"Just let it," said Yoruichi. "There is a functionally infinite number of Menos inhabiting Hueco Mundo. If you chased after it and somehow ended up on the other side, even you would be fucked."
"Whatever..." replied Ohta, adding, "I'm going to go find Rukia. If this ends up being our last night together, I'm putting it to use..."
"How enviable..." muttered Yoruichi, primarily as a joke, but there was a tell-tale glimmer in her golden eyes. It had been a few weeks since she and Ohta had 'resonated,' and it was starting to bother her...
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*pa* *pa* *pa* *pa* *pa* *pa* *pa* *pa* *pa* *pa*
"You're...being...too...rough...!" moaned Rukia, her brows furrowed and face contorted in vexation and pleasure as Ohta railed her from behind. She also knew their time was limited, but Ohta's passion left her feeling like her brain was going to melt, expelling her Soul from her body...
Pulling out of Rukia's tight snatch, Ohta turned her around, picking her up and slipping his cock inside her as she clung to him like a koala, trembling violently. He had told her they were fucking until the sun came up, so that was precisely what they did...
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"Haaaa....haaaaa...haaaaaaaa..."
Lying against Ohta with a completely blank expression, his hand, as usual, holding her ass, Rukia found it difficult to focus her gaze or form coherent thoughts. She felt like she was going to 'break' numerous times during the passionate intercourse, so the fact she hadn't scared her a little...
Alleviating Rukia's muddleheadedness in an instant, Ohta whispered, "I love you..." in a faint but deep tone that caused the diminutive Shinigami to tremble from her core. He often remarked that he loved specific parts of her, but this was the first time Ohta had affirmed his love directly.
Tearing up, Rukia buried her face into Ohta's chest, meekly whimpering, "You idiot..." in a sobbing tone. She was still hoping that Ohta wouldn't follow her into the Soul Society, but if her execution was announced, she knew he would find a way to reach her...
Cradling the crying Shinigami in his arms, Ohta found the idea of whisking Rukia away to safety increasingly difficult to suppress. Over the past few weeks, he had even started to suspect they were soul mates. However, as the person who most frequently appeared in his mind when it roamed was Yoruichi, it was difficult to be certain...
After deliberating for five minutes, Ohta attempted to lighten the mood by asking, "Want to go another round...?"
Hearing Ohta's question, Rukia slowly raised her face from Ohta's chest, revealing tear-stained cheeks, a lonesome expression, and watery eyes. She wanted to chastise him for making light of the situation, but after a moment of silence, she gave a slight nod, replying, "I want to feel closer to you..."
"There's no one else even half as close..." assured Ohta, adopting a faint smile as he teased, "But I'm certain we can become even closer if we put in the effort..." Then, even though they had already been going at it from around 8:18 PM to 5:49 AM, they made slow and gentle love until hunger compelled them to get up and eat...
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"Good, you're both here," said Yoruichi, phasing through the front door of Ohta's apartment in her cat form. Rukia covered her body with a sheet as she did so, but Ohta immediately got up, grabbed his boxers, and started to get dressed, asking, "Is it time...?" with a solemn look.
Nodding her head, Yoruichi directed her gaze at Rukia, revealing, "The Soul Society dispatched your brother, Kuchiki Byakuya, and his recently appointed Lieutenant, Abarai Renji. It won't be long before they discover this location."
Hearing that her brother, of all people, had come to retrieve her, Rukia's body started to tremble. She knew Ohta was powerful, but if he were to cross paths with Byakuya, he might not even be able to react before he received a fatal blow. Inversely, if Ohta turned out to be a match for her brother, seriously injuring or killing him, the Soul Society and the Kuchiki Clan would hunt him to the ends of the Earth...
Noticing Rukia on the verge of a panic attack, Ohta's expression softened as he said, "Relax...I promised I wouldn't intervene unless they attempted to harm you, remember? If their only objective is to arrest you, I'll stay out of it..."
As Ohta was 'usually' pretty good about keeping his word, Rukia exhaled a sigh of relief. She liked, even loved, Ohta, but she also felt an irremediable debt of gratitude toward Byakuya and the Kuchiki Clan. Renji was also a 'colleague' from her days as an impoverished youth stealing to survive in the Rukon District. They hadn't talked for more than forty years, but Rukia didn't want him to die at the hands of Ohta. As for the opposite occurring, she couldn't really imagine Renji harming Ohta in the slightest...
"Once you're ready, we'll set out and wait for them at a local shrine," said Yoruichi. "It's best if the Soul Society doesn't know the exact location of Ohta's apartment."
Directing her gaze to Ohta, Yoruichi narrowed her eyes and added, "As for you...I suggest you wait here. They definitely won't attempt to kill her, but there's a chance they will rough her up a bit. If you leap out to try and put a stop to things, everything comes crashing down..."
"..."
Glaring at Yoruichi with a fierce expression, Ohta was about to ask if she had gone senile in her old age when Rukia placed her hand on his arm, her expression soft and loving as she whispered, "I'll be fine..." in a faint, soothing tone. Soul Society wouldn't have dispatched her brother and someone she knew from her childhood if they intended to kill her. Rather, as Byakuya was the one coming to pick her up, Rukia believed the odds of her being placed under house arrest weren't zero...
("This shit better work out...") thought Ohta, responding to Rukia's words with a chaste but lingering kiss before whispering, "Then I'll see you on the other side..."
Though she returned a loving smile, Rukia caused Ohta's smile to cramp as she replied, "Just remember what I told you before..."
Understanding that Rukia was referring to 'permitting' him to see and sleep with other women if she was placed on house arrest, Ohta's smile faded as he asserted, "If you can wait, so can I..."
Standing on the tips of her toes, Rukia gave Ohta a quick peck on the lips before musing, "Then I'll see you around, dog boy..."
"Take care of yourself, spider-bunny..." replied Ohta, releasing his hold on Rukia and allowing her to depart alongside Yoruichi. Her departure made his small apartment seem much larger, like a barren and lifeless void, but Ohta did his best not to let his feelings show, stripping out of his clothes to take a long, scaldingly hot shower...
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Arriving a few hours after her departure with Rukia, Yoruichi found Ohta at his desk, his expression completely lifeless as he sketched the image of a familiar Shinigami in his sketchbook.
Exhaling a faint sigh, Yoruichi furrowed her feline brows and remarked, "You look like shit..."
"And your breath smells like rotten tuna..." retorted Ohta, adding a bit of detail to the sketch's eyes. One of the mistakes he had made in his past life was failing to keep a record of what little happiness he had been able to find. Thus, while the memory was fresh in his mind, he was attempting to preserve the image of Rukia's potentially final smile...
Realizing that Ohta didn't want to be disturbed, Yoruichi made her way over to his bed, leaping onto it before curling up near where he usually placed his head. The entire bed smelled of sex, but the scent of Ohta's pheromones served to both calm and excite her...
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"So, what did you come here for?" asked Ohta, interrupting Yoruichi's catnap.
Stretching her body like an actual cat, Yoruichi replied, "I figured you'd be relieved to learn that Rukia returned to Soul Society without sustaining so much as a single injury."
Though he was genuinely relieved, causing him to fall silent for several seconds, Ohta eventually questioned, "Is that all? I'm certain Ichigo got dragged into things somehow..."
"You're right," replied Yoruichi. "Since Rukia didn't attend school today, your favorite strawberry intended to come looking for her. Along the way, he happened to encounter Rukia being 'accosted' by two Shinigami, so he reacted exactly how you might imagine."
"He got his ass kicked...?" asked Ohta.
"Indeed," replied Yoruichi, adopting a catty smile as she added, "Not only that, but his Hakusui(Soul Sleep) was destroyed, and his Saketsu(Binding Chain) was severely completely. In other words, he no longer possesses the power of a Shinigami."
"..."
Before Ohta could ask what the point of having Ichigo lose his powers was, Yoruichi teased, "You should be pleased. I can't imagine you were particularly enthused, knowing a boy your age was running around with your girlfriend's spirit essence empowering his body..."
Though he had never thought about it before, Ohta did not attempt to refute Yoruichi's words. Instead, he asked, "So, what now? Kisuke makes Ichigo his pawn by offering him power and goading him into launching an attack on Soul Society...?"
"Something like that," replied Yoruichi. "However, Ichigo isn't the only one who will be participating in Rukia's recovery. During yesterday's incident, several of your former classmates awakened unique spiritual powers. One of the reasons I came over was to ask if you'd like to help me train them?"
Furrowing his brows, Ohta remarked, "If you tell me that Tatsuki's going to be there, I'm going to punt you..."
Exhaling a scoffing chuckle, Yoruichi flatly retorted, "You can try," before promptly evading Ohta's foot, landing atop his left shoulder as she added, "But no, Arisawa Tatsuki is not among those who awakened powers. She did receive a considerable boost to her spirit energy, but her 'rationale' is too grounded in reality. The duo who awakened abilities, becoming High-Spec Humans, are Inoue Orihime and Sado Yasutora."
"Hard pass," replied Ohta, not wanting anything to do with training the bubbly ginger. His limited interactions with Chad made the inordinately tall and taciturn Japanese-Mexican seem like a bro, but they had never been friends.
Shrugging her feline shoulders, Yoruichi remarked, "I thought you would say that." before leaping off his shoulder. "Anyways, I'm going to be out for a few days. You should use the time between now and our departure to center yourself. You have more than enough power to go toe-to-toe with most Lieutenants, and if you got serious, even Captains would have difficulty defeating you. If you can learn your Zanpakuto's name, you'll be a force to be reckoned with..."
Staring at the weapon resting on Ohta's desk, resembling a fairly modern bayonet, Yoruichi prompted the former to do the same.
"Right..." replied Ohta, his brows creasing to their limits. Alongside the cat he accompanied whenever he slept, an abyssal black shadow resembling a jackal had appeared in his soul space. The terrain outside the Japanese palace had also become a wasteland, bearing traces of ancient and modern battles. Unfortunately, no matter how he tried to coax the jackal into speaking to him, it immediately ran away...
Before turning to leave, Yoruichi narrowed her eyes and said, "If you need me, call Rukia's phone. She entrusted it to me before leaving, requesting that I look after you in her stead..."
"Just leave..." growled Ohta, not in the mood to deal with Yoruichi's antics. Fortunately, she did exactly that, disappearing through his front door and leaving him to his thoughts...
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(A/N: Poor Ohta (U ^ U)...)

Chapter 32: Giving Meaning to Existence