Ichigo Awakens

Asking out

(Urahara's shop)

It was the next day, another day of living a human life in a world she had no place residing in. However, with her only link to her home of Soul Society being the orders she is given, she still had to make due with supplies. Thankfully the former captains residing in Karakura seem to have a consistent supply of necessary materials. Here she was now, loading up on those materials.

"Okay, will that be all Kuchiki-san?" Urahara asked his current customer, filling her request form of Soul Reaper equipment and supplies.

"Not yet." She replied, getting to what she felt was the most crucial piece. "I need some Gikongai for Ichigo. Assuming you have yet to give him one." She did have a few complaints about her body but the former captain did tell her prolonged use might bring up some bugs in the gigai.

"That was handled a while ago." The eccentric inventor told her. "But he doesn't like using him."

"Why? If he does he could just slip out of his classes no problem if a hollow shows up during school? He wouldn't even need to worry about his body then." She fished for more information about her stubborn and forced partner's life.

"All he said about that soul was, 'he's an annoying useless pain.'" He told his customer. Trying avoid telling her about the soul in question.

"Fine," She responded, "I'll get him to tell me then." She turned to leave before remembering some details from the earlier night. "By the way, that boy Sado said he was one of Ichigo's training partners and he has some strange power. Anything else you'd like to tell me?" She glared at the jovial man. Urahara brought out his fan and laughed.

"Ichigo has some good friends! Let's leave it at that." He remembered that talk with Chad. Even now he didn't know everything about it, just that it was hollow based reishi and power. Everyone involved agreed to keep the nature of his abilities a secret for obvious reasons. She had to confront a certain strawberry about certain details.

(Karakura High)

"So that's the end of that huh?" Keigo asked Ichigo after they discussed the exorcism of Chad's new bird.

"Yeah, poor kid didn't have any friends when he was alive. So we filled that void with a day of fun." Ichigo responded, drinking his juice while Mizuiro and Chad feed the little bird. They agreed to not relay the real story. Those two didn't need to be dragged into that world of ghosts and monsters.

"Ichigo!" They heard someone cheer happily. They turned to see Rukia, finally at school, waving at Ichigo and smiling.

"Hey look, it's your girlfriend Ichigo." Mizuiro said casually as the petite Shinigami made her way towards them.

"WHAT!" Keigo cried out. "Ichigo, when did this happen?!" He said, tears comically running down his face as he pleaded to the young Soul Reaper. "How could you go around, picking up chicks, without me!? Get me a date too Ichi-!" Keigo was promptly quieted with a swift punch to his chest as Rukia finally reached her target.

"What do you need Rukia?" He asked her.

"I just have some questions I need to ask you in private." She said, smiling and acting cutesy to keep up appearances. Ichigo noticed some of the subtle signals she was trying to send to him to recognize that she means Soul Reaper specific questions.