Shiba Clan – Outskirts of Rukongai
The air carried the scent of burnt ash and dried bamboo leaves, drifting lightly between the walls of the house that stood out with its vivid colors and peculiar details. The Shiba residence looked like a chaotic blend of a fireworks workshop and a folk mansion, crowned by a massive cannon that nobody seemed to know when—or if—it would ever be used.
And yet, despite its strangeness, Ichigo—for the first time since entering the Soul Society—felt like he was in a place that resembled a home.
Not because he knew they were his relatives… but because Kūkaku welcomed him and his companions as though they were her family, regardless of her fickle temper and her violent way of "disciplining" anyone who dared raise their voice.
"How many times have I told you two to stop acting like children?!!" Kūkaku shouted as she slammed a giant wooden mallet onto both Ichigo's and Ganju's heads, sending them crashing to the floor in uncanny unison. Two enormous lumps instantly formed, as if they were her personal signature.
"Aaah!! Stop it already!!" Ganju yelled, rubbing his head, while Ichigo snapped angrily:
"He started it first!"
"You're the one who raised your voice at me!" Ganju shot back immediately, igniting another round of bickering—until Kūkaku sparked a tiny flame from her fingertips, threatening to blow them both up if they didn't shut up.
Everyone soon gathered in the backyard training grounds, where the floor had been layered with a special mix of sand and Reishi particles—a unique invention of Kūkaku's designed to stimulate spiritual energy control.
Inoue sat quietly under a tree, her eyes closed, hands resting on her knees. Her breathing was slow, and the air around her shimmered with a soft golden glow. She had learned to focus on harmonizing her body with the flow of reiryoku, rather than trying to forcefully control it.
Chad, on the other hand, stood in the middle of the field, pressing his palms against scattered stones as he attuned himself to the Reishi in the air. His muscles were tense, his body completely still. He looked like a statue carved from stone, though the energy surrounding him pulsed with life.
Ishida, meanwhile, observed from a distance, scribbling notes with meticulous precision. He didn't need to train in the same way—the mastery of Reishi manipulation had been ingrained in him since childhood. Even so, he wasn't arrogant about it; instead, he offered sharp, if somewhat harsh, feedback to the others.
"Ichigo… your control over reiatsu is a disaster," Ishida remarked, pushing his glasses up with an exasperated sigh. "You're releasing irregular waves that disrupt the flow of Reishi around you. How do you expect to pierce through a Sekkiseki barrier like that?"
"I'm not trying to release waves!" Ichigo shot back in frustration, standing in the center of the field, panting heavily. "I'm just… trying to gather it all together!"
"Damn it!" Ichigo cursed, slamming his fist into the ground, leaving a dent in the dirt. "Every second we waste here, Ren could be in danger!"
Even though the Shiba residence gave him a rare sense of comfort, Ichigo hadn't forgotten about his younger twin brother—not for a single moment. Worry gnawed at him relentlessly.
"Don't you think that this obsession of yours is exactly why you can't focus on controlling your reiatsu?" Ishida retorted, fixing his gaze on Ichigo. "I haven't interacted with your twin much, but I have seen him a few times in the past couple of months, dealing with Hollows. Believe me, his power far exceeds what you imagine."
"He doesn't need your protection right now, Ichigo." Ishida's voice softened as he closed his notebook and walked slowly toward the center of the field. "What he needs… is for you to be strong enough when the time comes for you to meet again."
The wind whistled through the bamboo grove surrounding them, as though nature itself was listening, the leaves scratching softly against the ornate surface of the Shiba home.
"I know that…" Ichigo muttered as he rose from the ground, brushing dust from his palms. "But I can't shake this feeling… like something terrible is already happening."
"That applies not just to you," Ishida added, adjusting his glasses before casting a glance at the dark-haired beauty wreathed in violet flames. "It applies to you as well, Arisawa-san."
Tatsuki froze for a moment. She stood at the edge of the sand circle, arms raised in a defensive stance. Her breathing was steady, but her expression betrayed that she had been listening closely to everything.
"I know…" she whispered, her voice lacking its usual strength. Instead, it carried something raw… vulnerable. "I've been dreaming of him every night… Ren. But I don't see him fighting. I see him bleeding. Alone, in the dark."
Silence fell for several seconds.
Inoue looked at her with obvious worry but said nothing. Chad lowered his head slightly, as if her words stirred something deeply familiar within him.
"That's why I've been training like crazy since we got here." Tatsuki continued, her reiatsu flames flaring brighter around her. "I won't be a burden. I won't be just another girl waiting to be rescued."
She stepped forward into the center of the grounds, standing beside Ichigo.
"Whether Ren is safe or not… whether we catch up to him or save him… I won't get there weak."
"That's the Tatsuki I know." Ichigo muttered with a faint smile, lifting his fist slowly toward her.
"Together, we'll break into Seireitei," he said, pressing his fist against hers.
"And no matter what… we'll bring everyone out alive," Tatsuki answered firmly.
"…." A faint smile spread across Kūkaku's lips as she watched the bond between them, nudging Ganju discreetly while whispering: "Show them how it's done. With their current control, they shouldn't have trouble using the Reishukaku—they just don't know the method yet."
"Alright, Nee-chan." Ganju nodded reluctantly. He didn't like it, but defying Kūkaku was pointless. Either way, she'd beat him into submission and make him do it, so better to avoid the extra pain.
"I didn't expect you to be this softhearted," Yoruichi teased in her cat form.
"Don't mess with me," Kūkaku shot her a sideways glance. "I'm doing this for you too. It's obvious you're way too worried about my cousin, even if you're trying not to show it."
"…." Yoruichi fell silent at that. The words were true, though she hadn't expected anyone to notice. She had hidden her concern well—or so she thought.
"Seeing you like this makes me curious to meet this little guy named Ren," Kūkaku added with a mischievous grin, her curiosity about her cousin she had never met burning stronger than ever.
...
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