Disrupted🪭

3 - Same Difference

Ichigo stared at the young boy for a moment and then burst into obnoxious and deep resounding laughter. He couldn’t stop laughing because every time he looked at the boy, it just got funnier and funnier.

Byakuya, on the other hand, was not very happy to have this strange Soul Reaper laughing at him and so took his wooden sword that he was practicing with and he whacked Ichigo hard in the knees.

“Will you quit laughing at me? I can have you arrested, you know?” he said, narrowing his eyes at him.

Though in pain, Ichigo was still chuckling.

“I’m sorry… But, could you just say something for me? Like in your most serious voice?”

“Okay…”

“Just say, in your most serious voice now, ‘scatter, Senbonzakura’, and go like this with the sword.” Ichigo said, taking his own sword and showing him.

Byakuya turned his head at the intruder but he hadn’t gotten much entertainment lately and playing by himself was becoming quite cumbersome so he shrugged and moved the wooden sword. He put it in front of his face like Ichigo had done and stared seriously.

“Scatter, Senbonzakura.” He said in the most serious voice he could find.

Ichigo thought it would be another laugh but his face fell as he looked at the young boy with the wooden sword at his face, the sword acting as a line, the serious expression set in his gray eyes… It was all too familiar to be coincidence.

Byakuya looked up at Ichigo. “Did I do it right?”

Ichigo put his zanpakuto up and nodded a little.

“Yeah, kid, that was great…”

“Why did you make me do that?”

“You remind me of someone that I know… So you said that your name is Byakuya? Is that you father’s name or something? Uncle?”

Byakuya frowned. “No… I’m the one and only. Who are you anyway, Mister? Why are you in my courtyard?”

“Oh uh… my name’s Ichigo Kurosaki. I’m a Substitute Soul Reaper and I was running away from Yoruichi.”

Byakuya laughed. “Why? She isn’t that bad. I mean, she’s annoying and a stupid girl but she’s not mean.”

“Usually she’s not but she was set on killing me…” Ichigo said, looking up automatically to see if the Stealth Force had somehow suddenly found him.

“Why?”

“I don’t know… You ask too many questions.”

“How am I supposed to learn if I don’t?”

Ichigo smiled a little at that as Byakuya watched him for a moment. He took in the tall teen with the humongous zanpakuto, the shihakusho with the strange red cord that went across his chest as well as the bright orange hair.

“I’ve never heard of a Substitute Soul Reaper. What is that?”

Ichigo pulled out the skull badge and showed it to the boy.

“Captain Ukitake gave this to me. It allows me to eject my soul from my body so I can become a Soul Reaper.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m from Karakura Town… the World of the Living… Why am I explaining everything to you?” Ichigo said with a face.

Byakuya shrugged. “I dunno. I’m just asking questions.”