The Double Edged Sword

02

I caught Ichigo's smile out of the corner of my eye as we stood side by side. The fight was over before it even began. I stood quietly while he lectured the thugs. 

At the moment I felt at ease, no rouge thoughts, no painful tremors, and no sour memories flooding my brain. The only thing I was focusing on was what was right in front of me and that was a boy named Kurosaki. 

"Question number one: Why do you think there's a vase here?" Ichigo growled pointing at one of the thugs who looked like he was gonna piss himself. 

I raised an eyebrow while glancing around at the area wondering what could have set Ichigo off now. He boy had a quick temper and looked at everything with so much emotion; it was refreshing, so much so that I'm drawn to it even after all these years.

Looking around the area there was only one thing that really caught my attention or looked out of place. There was a little vase knocked over to our left, and a visitor who really didn't belong lingering around Ichigo. 

A little girl had died here recently and had yet to pass on. The little vase was probably one of the only things left to memorialize this area for her. 

The boy had always been a magnet for the paranormal, and was notorious for having too big of a heart. I'm convinced he's gonna really get hurt one of these days and it'll be my job as his best friend to pick up the pieces afterwards. 

Crossing my arms and shaking my head I sighed heavily before looking back at the attackers in front of us. These guys weren't intentionally harmful, seems they were just hanging out in the streets but Ichigo didn't care. He always led with so much empathy; even for the dead. 

"Ah um, it was an offering to the kid who just died here recently..." the guy mumbled out shakily making me raise an eyebrow. At least he knew what was here, even so, they could have picked up the vase after knocking it over. 

'Ah that must be the kid over there' 

I thought about how she could've died while glancing over at the young child hiding behind Ichi's back. In a selfish way I was a little annoyed with her clinging to him. Sometimes I wished these spirits would find a different outlet; there were others with abnormal spiritual pressures in this world. I wish they'd find someone else to cry to. 

Ichigo's spiritual pressure was abnormally high for a human, though knowing his father I could guess why that would be; however when all these spirits flock to him it makes him stand out even more. The last thing I want is some Shinigami appearing and sniffing around here. 

I'm not ready to face anyone from that place just yet. I want answers; answers to questions that I don't know quite yet. And some unseated officer wouldn't be able to answer for the feelings of betrayal that I feel.  

It's been years here in the mortal world, but I'm sure that it's been even longer in the Soul Society. Isshin and Kisuke both have warned me about the dangers of being around Ichigo, especially with him having such a high spiritual pressure but at this point I have my own reasons of staying in the boy's life. 

I know that I can't hide from my thoughts for forever. Though luckily Grandfather hasn't sent anyone out to find or kill me; just banished me the way he did Uncle Kisuke. Only difference is I wasn't stripped of my abilities. Wounded and left to die, but not powerless.  

On top of that I doubt that anyone that I would even know would make an appearance for something so trivial as a semi strong spiritual pressure. No one from the Soul Society needs to take notice of Ichigo; I want to keep him away from that life as much as possible. 

Being around me and uncle Kisuke is enough of an issue in itself.  

"Great answer!" Ichi round house kicked him in the face sending the guy flying snapping me out of my thoughts.