𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒍𝒚 (𝑲𝒖𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒂𝒌𝒊) 𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 »« 𝙱𝙻𝙴𝙰𝙲𝙷/ᴋɴʏ

ix.

    "Moshi, moshi? Yumiko, are you here?" Ichigo calls out from the entrance of his estate. He toes off his shoes before walking in, followed by his friends, Geta-bōshi, and Yoruichi.

  He hums quietly, hands hidden in his haori. "Yumiko~! Eda-kun? Kon-kun! Iwasa-san? I've brought something new~!"

  "Who are you calling?" Uryū asks, confused by the names save for one. Ichigo hums again, smiling brightly as he continues to walk through the maze of hallways.

  "Some of the attendants that work in his estate here. Yumiko-chan helps as a nurse and Iwasa is the recovery training instructor," Tatsuki answers for Ichigo while he calls out the names once more.

  "And Eda?"

  Tatsuki shivers at the name, her face going white with terror and dread. She rubs her arms, hissing under her breath.

  "Be on your guard. That damn psychotic bird will try and kill you. He doesn't like sharing Ichigo," She warns instead of an actual answer. She hates that damn bird.

  "Ara, ara, Tatsuki! You're so mean to Eda-kun! He's just protective!" Ichigo pouts over his shoulder, only to receive a scowl from his childhood friend.

  "That bird attempted to suffocate me in my sleep."

  "Okay... he's a bit overprotective... but Eda-kun's not psychotic!" Ichigo defends his Kasugai Crow before sighing quietly. Eda just tends to get... jealous.

  Ichigo doesn't dodge when a black blur rams into the side of his head. He barely even stumbles back from the force nor does he wince from the screeching caw right next to his ear.

  "Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!" Eda caws loudly, pecking roughly at Ichigo's ear. Ichigo sighs quietly and reaches up to halfheartedly grab his crow. Eda dodges by jumping up on top of his head.

  "Moshi, moshi, Eda-kun! How are you?" Ichigo asks brightly, stopping in the middle of the hallway. Eda makes a noise similar to a growl and pulls at Ichigo's hair before sitting on top of his head, facing the somewhat shocked group.

  "The bird... is talking..." Uryū states, calm and barely collected. First a cat and now, a crow.

  "Oh! Everyone, this is Eda-kun, my Kasugai Crow! Eda-kun these are–"

  "Enemies! Enemies must die!" Eda squawks with a sharp glare pointed directly at Tatsuki.

  "Damn psychotic bird! If you wanna be enemies, then we'll be enemies! I'll roast you like a hotdog on a stick!" Tatsuki shouts with a deadly glare of her own. Both the crow and the tomboy growl at each other, making Ichigo laugh cheerfully.

  "I'm so happy you're both finally getting along! After we save Rukia-san, this is a call for a celebration!"

  "Enemy! Enemy!"

  "I'd rather die by that psychotic bird than be friends with it!" Tatsuki and Eda declare at the same time.

  "Oh my gosh! He's so cute!" Orihime gushes loudly, rushing forward with stars in her eyes. Eda squawks in panic and flaps away before the orange haired teenager could grab him.

  "Don't let the bow fool you. Eda is fully capable of killing a person," A young voice speaks up from behind the group. "We still haven't found where he buried the last two bodies."

  Everyone had whirled around at the statement to face whomever spoke. They all blink when they see no one directly in front of them before they look down.

  "Yumiko!" Ichigo exclaims brightly, happy to have found at least one person he was looking for.

  A young girl, no older than ten years old, with flaming gold and red hair, spikey and incredibly long, stood with her arms crossed and her forked black eyebrows furrowed into a suspicious scowl. She wore her hair into two french braids, the hair reaching her lower back, with two pink butterfly clips attached to the ends. She wore a black sleeveless, button up blouse tucked into a black knee-length pencil skirt, a purple tinted unbuttoned vest, black pantyhose, and a black tie. A white fading to black haori with a spring green butterfly outline hung over it all.