Bleach: Gazing Mirage

Chapter 43

"So, what this?" asked a livid Yourichi as she stared at the two individuals kneeling before her

A tied up Urahara who had a sheepish grin on his face said, "Uh... this is Ururu. Say hello, Ururu."

"H...h...hello." said the shy-looking girl kneeling next to Urahara

"Well, now Kisuke she looks like a human. Which is impossible because you said you wouldn't do that right? I must be mistaken correct?" said Yoruichi in a very exaggerated manner

"Uh... well, you know me I can't resist testing out such an interesting theory." answered Urahara

"You also couldn't resist trying to leave her on my doorstep and running away. Luckily, I caught you. So what were you trying to do?" asked a clearly irritated Yoruichi

"See the thing is, she needs a place to stay, and my place isn't really kid-friendly. Besides the little boy is here, so I thought they might be friends." said Urahara

Yoruichi walked over to the tied up Urahara grabbed his face and said, "Kisuke, I'll warn you once, tell me everything or I'll beat you within an inch of your life."

Urahara's grin faded, and he looked at Yoruichi with a look of resignation. "Well, you see, it's like this...Mei and Yuichi came to see me eariler. I'm sure Mei has reported it to you by now including the fact that I sensed someone following them to my house. What she couldn't tell you is that I had a talk with Yuichi about the things he was hiding."

Yoruichi released her grip on Urahara's face and listened intently as he explained the situation. "So what did he say? Did he confess what he was hiding or pretend to play dumb?"

Urahara sighed, his expression resigned. "Neither. He said he was hiding things, but refused to say what they were. The situation with the Ankoku seemed more pressing, so I warned him to keep his nose out of it, or I would be forced to take action against him. I don't think he has malicious intent toward us, but we can't trust him yet. It's better if he stays where we can see him and doesn't make any moves."

Yoruichi crossed her arms and frowned, clearly displeased with the situation. "You're telling me you sensed someone following Mei and Yuichi, had a talk with Yuichi about his secrets without informing me first. You also decided to bring this artificial human girl to my house without proper precautions?"

Urahara scratched his head sheepishly having broken out of the ropes. "Well, when you put it that way...it sounds really bad. Don't worry though, I made sure no one saw her and that we weren't being followed."

Yoruichi sighed in exasperation. "Honestly, Kisuke, you never change. Alright, first things first. We need to figure out what to do with this girl, Ururu. Then we can address Yuichi and the potential threat he may or may not pose later."

Yoruichi's stern expression softened slightly as Urahara assured her that he had a plan. "Don't worry too much, Yoruichi. I've got a plan and if you cooperate with me, it's simple. Just keep them here for a few days. I'll come up with a way to store them safely. Then, when you or I have a mission in the human world, we can take them there. We'll find a suitable place to relocate them, and the problem will be solved."

Yoruichi's narrowed gaze remained fixed on Urahara as if trying to gauge whether he was an idiot or not. "Haa, so you're dumping her on me while you go experiment. Fine, whatever, just make it quick. You never know when someone will decide to visit. I won't be able to hide her in that case, so don't waste too much time."

Urahara chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his, seemingly aware of the situation he had put them in. "Understood, Yoruichi. I'll do my best to come up with the solution as quickly as possible. I promise. Just a few days will do."

Yoruichi shook her head, a mix of annoyance and resignation in her expression. "Just, don't make this more complicated than it needs to be, Kisuke. You know I won't hesitate to put my foot down if things get out of hand. On another note, I'll still have Mei keep tabs on Yuichi because whoever followed them was more than likely following him."

Before Urahara could respond, Ururu grabbed his sleeve and pointed to her stomach showing she was hungry. Urahara rubbed her head, turned to Yoruichi, and said, "Sure, that's fine. Now, let's get this little one something to eat."

Yoruichi rang a bell calling a maid. She then said, "Prepare a meal for five. Yūshirō should be back soon. Have Hui bring Jinta."

"Jinta?" asked a confused Urahara

"The boy didn't have a name, so I gave him one. If you don't like it, then you can change it," explained Yoruichi with a hint of amusement.

Urahara chuckled. "Jinta it is then. Thank you, Yoruichi."

Yoruichi waved off his gratitude, her tone softening slightly. "Just remember to handle this situation properly, Kisuke. We can't afford any slip-ups or unnecessary risks. Let's just hope for all our sakes that your plan works out."

Urahara nodded, his playful grin returning briefly. "As always, Yoruichi, I thrive on the hope that things will work out just the way I intend."

As the preparations for the meal were being made, the maid soon returned accompanied by a young boy with a scowl on his face. Yoruichi gestured towards Ururu and introduced, "Jinta, this is Ururu. She's going to stay with us for a while. You'll be sharing meals and living here together so get along."

Jinta looked at Ururu, his scowl not fading as he crossed his arms. "Whatever. I don't care."

Ururu smiled shyly and waved at Jinta. "Hello."

Jinta glanced at Ururu and then quickly looked away, his cheeks turning slightly red. "Yeah, whatever."

Yoruichi shook her head with an amused smile at Jinta's reaction. "Jinta, you're just as friendly as always. It's only been a few days but he turned out like that. I don't know where he got it from."

Urahara chuckled softly, finding the interaction between the two children rather entertaining. "Come on, Jinta. Ururu seems nice. You'll get along just fine."

Jinta grumbled but didn't protest further. The tension seemed to ease a bit as they waited for the meal to be prepared, and Ururu and Jinta exchanged a few more glances, each showing a hint of curiosity.

The maid soon returned with the meal, setting the table for the five of them. Yūshirō arrived just in time, looking slightly tired but eager to join the gathering. As they all sat down to eat, the atmosphere became more relaxed, and Ururu started to look more comfortable.