Ichigo dragged Makoto up the stairs and out onto the terrace as Rukia followed behind. There were a few students up there but as soon as they caught sight of the enraged Ichigo they quickly left, not wanting to get caught up in the scuffle they knew was going to happen.
"Alright asshole, what's going on?!" Ichigo said as hurled Makoto a few feet into a wall, knocking the wind out of him.
"Ow~" Makoto wheezed out as he slumped against the wall, gasping for air. He knew Ichigo was strong but, man! That hurt worse than when all those guys beat him up on the first day of school, and he was sore from that for at least a week after the incident!
"Last night that girl showed up at my house and all hell broke loose. Now she shows up claiming to be your girlfriend," Ichigo said, his eyes boring into Makoto.
"You're not the only one who wants answers, Ichigo," Makoto replied, finally regaining his breath and standing up, before turning to Rukia, his voice cold. "I'd like to know that myself. Start talking."
"What's wrong Makoto?" Rukia asked, her eyes, filled with mirth at the idea of toying with the two a bit longer. "Did you need me to give you a kiss after that bad Ichigo beat you up?"
"Shut up!" Makoto yelled, his face turning red from a mixture of both anger and embarrassment. "Why the heck are you here?! And who told you to act that way?! On top of that, how can everyone see you?!"
"Hey! Answer my question!" Ichigo yelled at Makoto, his fury building by the second. "What kind of twisted story have you made up this time!"
"You think I have a clue?! You act like me almost losing my life and then getting engaged to a Soul Reaper happens every other day!" Makoto yelled back. "I'd say that you need to chill out and be quiet so I can get some answers! Not to mention why are you so mad at me?! What did I do?!"
"It sounds like one of your fantastical stories that you like to brag about so much," Ichigo growled out, "And she being your girlfriend I thought you had something to do with this. Are you one of these Soul Reapers too?!"
"Of course he isn't," Rukia scoffed almost as if the idea of Makoto being a Soul Reaper was even more absurd than the fact they existed.
"Then how the heck do you know her?!" Ichigo yelled at Makoto.
"Apparently she was concerned about me after my ree-es-two spiked in front of that Hollow that she saved us from…" Makoto was cut off.
"Wait?! You saw that thing?!" Ichigo exclaimed, taken aback by his friend's claim.
"Yes, Ichigo. I saw it," Makoto stated as if it was completely natural. "And before you ask, yes I know it is a spiritual being that normal people can't see. I also know that Rukia is a Soul Reaper sent from this Soul Society and that she transferred her powers over to you last night so that you could protect your family from that Hollow."
Ichigo stood there a moment dumbfounded by the revelation his friend just gave him. "You can see spirits?"
Makoto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. I can and I know you can too."
"Since when?"
"You know when I caught you giving flowers to that little girl on the first day of school?" Makoto said, "I saw her. I could tell from the moment I first laid eyes on her she was a spirit. And the way you acted around her, it was impossible to deny that you could see her too." Ichigo remained silent, staring at his friend. "For goodness sake, Ichigo, say something. Your silence is even more unnerving than when you're coming for my head."
"So you've known for that long, huh," Ichigo said, his tone even, yet his face somber. "Why did you never say anything?" Makoto looked up at the sky, his eyes distant as he seemed to watch the far off clouds blow steadily by.
"Fear," Makoto replied simply, his tone melancholic. "I was afraid that I was wrong. I am only human and we humans tend to see what we want, not what is truly there. And I was afraid to admit that what I was seeing was real. After all, how many people would believe that they can see the dead and not think they've gone insane." His voice held a weight that Ichigo knew all too well.
He then turned back to Ichigo and smiled. "Besides, would you have even believed me after all the absolutely ludicrous stuff I've said."
"Geez. You sure know how to ruin a moment," Rukia said with a smirk.
"No one asked you!" Makoto exclaimed, crossing his arms over his chest and turning to the petite girl. "But I think it's time that you start answering our questions. And you can start with the most important." His voice was ice cold as he glared at Rukia, though she seemed entirely unaffected. "Who the hell told you to act that way?!"
"Why the heck is that what you focus on and not the question of why she's here in the first place?! Shouldn't she have gone back to that Soul Society place or whatever it was?" Ichigo exclaimed, turning to Makoto with a startled look.
Makoto opened his mouth to answer but Rukia interrupted before he could say anything. "The Soul Society is a place for Soul Reapers, and right now I am not a Soul Reaper since last night I transferred almost all of my powers into you. Right now I haven't the power to return and am stuck in this useless Gigai form."
"I'm confused," Ichigo said.
"Get a grip, Ichigo," Makoto said, rolling his eyes. "Right now, you have all her powers and abilities, including those to return her home, and without them she is stuck here with us until she regains her powers."
"When the hell did you become such an expert on this stuff?" Ichigo asked his friend, slightly stunned.
"Since a bucket hat wearing psychopath left me to clean up his mess," Makoto deadpanned.
"I'm sorry what?" Ichigo replied, now much more worried about the company Makoto kept.
"You shouldn't give Urahara such a bad wrap," Rukia replied, "After all he is the one that gave me this Gigai so that others would be able to see me."
"Honestly I would prefer no one saw you," Makoto snarked, before realization dawned in his eyes. "Wait a minute. If he's the one who gave you this Gigai, does that mean that asshole also gave you that ring and told you to act this way."
"Of course," Rukia said as she smiled back at him. "He said it would help you to better accomplish your duty."
Makoto clenched his fist as his face turned red with anger. "That's it. I'm going to kill that guy the next time I meet him."
"Tough luck for you," Ichigo smirked. After the way Rukia had acted at his house last night he didn't envy Makoto having to pretend to like Rukia. "She's a real piece of work, that's for sure."
Rukia narrowed her eyes before punching Ichigo in the gut causing him to crumple to his knees. "Now let's get back on topic, shall we?" she said.
"We were off topic?!" Makoto deadpanned which earned him a punch to the gut, courtesy of Rukia.
"As already aforementioned I have lost all my powers and so until they return," said Rukia, "It is natural that you, Ichigo, should fulfill the duties of a Soul Reaper."
Both Ichigo and Makoto stared at Rukia like she had lost her mind. "What?" Makoto asked, thoroughly confused.
"It's only natural," Rukia started saying to Makoto, her eyes alight with enthusiasm. "Ichigo now possesses the powers of a Soul Reaper. Therefore it is his duty to…"
"No way," Ichigo said, crossing his arms in the shape of an X in front of him, his reaction causing Makoto and Rukia to turn to him, Makoto's even more confused than before.
"What do you mean, no?" Rukia asked.
"Exactly what I said. I'm not doing it," Ichigo said, laying emphasis on every word in that last sentence. "Last night was a one time deal because my family was in trouble. I'm not about to go putting my life on the line for complete strangers. My monster fighting days are over. Now that all of that is settled we better get back before Keigo starts frothing at the mouth."
Makoto stood up as he watched Ichigo start to leave. This was the great hero that was supposed to save this world? He was acting like a selfish child! He won't even fight to protect those who can't protect themselves. How can the world's fate rest on him? He had to do something.
"Ichigo wait," Makoto called out, causing the taller boy to look back at him. "Do you think those things will stop just because you killed one of them?" Rukia looked at him, her eyes wide out of shock from Makoto's outburst. Ichigo opened his mouth to say something but Makoto continued to speak.
"When I first felt a Hollow's spiritual pressure I couldn't imagine what I was running towards," he continued, his voice grim and his expression serious, "It started out weak but the closer I got the more I felt and I'll tell you, those things care nothing for humanity! They don't care if you're alive or dead, old or young, all they care about is the strength of your soul. They will devour every last soul that wanders the Earth. But they won't stop there. Maybe it won't be today, or tomorrow but eventually those things will come again and when they do it won't be others, they'll come after. It will be you and me, and Yuzu and Karin! Everyone you know and love will DIE if you do nothing!"
Ichigo rushed over to Makoto grabbing him by the collar, his eyes filled with an uncontrollable rage as he stared deep into Makoto's soul but he didn't flinch under Ichigo's gaze. Bringing up Ichigo's sisters could lead to his funeral, but if Ichigo didn't realize what he had to lose then there was no way he would do anything. He needed to convince Ichigo to fight no matter what. He may not belong in this world but he was here now, whether he liked it or not, and if he wanted to survive he needed to get Ichigo to fight. To become that hero that his friend had admired so much.
All of a sudden a strange presence started to creep over him. A spine chilling aura that curdled the blood in his veins. Fear and regret started to rise in his chest as he tried to remain aware of his surroundings. His legs buckled as he slipped out of Ichigo's hands and fell to the ground limp.
"Makoto?" Ichigo said frantically as he recoiled from his friend who lay there gasping for air, "What's wrong?"
"A Hollow," Rukia gasped quietly, not wanting to believe that Makoto's reaction was correct. "But I haven't gotten…"
A small phone beeped in the pocket of Rukia's jacket. "Huh!" She stared at the screen in shock. On it read the words '20 meters, Yumisawa children's park, 12:00, 15 minutes.' Rukia turned her attention from the screen then to Makoto.
"How is this possible," she thought to herself, "This boy can sense the presence of a Hollow even before the Soul Society sensors can pick it up!"
"Hey what's going on with him?!" Ichigo exclaimed as he bent over to help Makoto up.
"Wait Ichigo," Rukia said as she donned a red glove with a flaming skull motif.
"What? Ack!!" Without a second of hesitation Rukia charged Ichigo and shoved him with her now gloved hand, causing him to fly backwards several feet. Or at least a part of him.
"Ah Crap! What the heck happened to my body!" Ichigo yelled as he pointed to his now limp body that lay next to Makoto.
Makoto managed a weak gasp between his labored breaths. There were now two Ichigo's before him. One lay at his feet limp as if he had passed out, the other stood a few feet to his right now wearing the same Soul Reaper attire that he had seen Rukia wear before. However there was one main difference that Makoto did note and that was the huge sword that currently resided in its sheath on Ichigo's back.
"What the heck," Makoto said weakly as he looked between Ichigo and Rukia. "How did you do that?"
"I'll explain later," Rukia said, turning on her heel and walking towards the door. "Ichigo, follow me." She took one last look at the paling Makoto, before walking over to the door and opening it.
"Hello," a nervous Keigo said as Rukia opened the door. "Where's Ichigo and your boyfriend?"
"I need to go," Rukia said, pushing her way past Keigo.
"Wait," Keigo whined, "Where…" His question was cut short as Keigo looked through the crack of the already closing door. "What the heck happened to them?!"
"Nothing," she replied in a gentle tone, "And if you don't want the same thing to happen to you I suggest you keep quiet about that and leave them be." With that she turned on her heel and ran with Ichigo following behind.
"I can't believe it," he said looking back at the frantic Keigo. "He really didn't see me standing next to you."
"Of course," Rukia replied as she ran through the halls. "I ejected your soul from your body, normal humans can't see you anymore. I still wouldn't go around making faces at them. Now hurry up!"
________________________________________________________________________________________
Makoto looked up at the sky from where he sat. The air was heavy and the taste of fear was still very much there, yet for some reason he felt at peace. "Heh," he weakly laughed to himself, "I guess my ability to sense Hollows really did come in handy, though I'm supposed to keep Rukia away from them not let her run straight to the jaws of death. But I suppose if Ichigo is with her then I shouldn't need to worry too much about it."
Makoto looked at Ichigo's lifeless body that lay near his feet. "I can barely believe that a normal high school boy like me could become a Soul Reaper. Ichigo really is a lucky guy." He once more returned his gaze to the passing clouds, a wistful expression on his face.
"To think it could have been me instead of Ichigo who became a Soul Reaper last night," Makoto continued, "Imagine that. Rukia was in my house when I felt the Hollow but the one who obtained her powers was Ichigo. Life really is cruel. But then again that's my luck, and I guess they do say bad luck is better than good luck. At least I'm not being lied to thinking life is easy. Watching Ichigo from the sidelines is better than being oblivious as he fights a Hollow right above my head."
Makoto's eyelids drooped as he retreated peacefully into himself. Was it the fact that Ichigo was on his way that he felt safe? Perhaps it was the force of the Hollow's power finally knocking him unconscious? He felt the wind blow past. A gentle breeze that carried the knowledge and history of the ages long ago atop its lofty gales. A formless memory of the world we stand upon. One that comforts and cares for all that breathes her air, whether they think themselves worthy or not. And it was that quiet voice that drew Makoto into his own world.
"Well, well, Tsukiyo-kun," said a playful voice as its owner dropped down from above the door that Rukia and Ichigo had run through, his wooden shoes barely making a sound as they landed on the hard roof. "Tell me, how are you doing?"
Nothing. "Come on, Makoto. Don't give me that," Urahara said, a good natured smile on his face. "We're all friends here. Makoto?" Still no response. Urahara took his cane and gently tapped the boy on the shoulder.
"Wow. You are really out of it. Not surprising though with a Hollow being nearby," he remarked, standing back up and adjusting his hat. "But that's not the true mystery I'm curious about. Though I guess you can't really answer that question for me now either, can you?"
Makoto remained motionless and unresponsive. "You really are a strange one, aren't you Makoto?" Urahara said as he adjusted the hat atop his head, revealing his gray eyes to the sunlight. "Tell me. When did you gain the courage to charge a Hollow? Or perhaps you could tell me when you finally obtained the ability to send someone back through time for a brief period? Can you answer that for me?" Makoto remained quiet.
The shop owner looked down at the unconscious boy, the normal playful smile replaced by a look of seriousness. "Just when I begin to understand you, you adapt once more. Tell me, what are you Tsukiyo-kun?"
________________________________________________________________________________________
"Hey, Rukia, hold on!" Ichigo yelled as they ran down the sidewalk. "Where are we going?"
Rukia slowed her pace and pulled out her Soul Pager from her jacket pocket. "We're close," she said as she continued walking in the direction they had been going.
"Close? Close to what?" Ichigo asked exasperatedly.
Rukia looked up from the phone carefully scanning the area, finally coming to a halt and leaning on the fence right next to the sign of Yumisawa children's park. "Rest for a bit," she said to Ichigo.
"Then why don't you tell me where we are going and what the heck is going on?" Ichigo retorted, clearly annoyed about being kept out of the loop. "Makoto collapsed and then you shoved my soul out of my body and told me to follow you. We should be back there getting him to the nurse's office for that panic attack he's having."
"It's not a panic attack that he's having," Rukia replied, turning to Ichigo, "Or at least not in the same sense that normal humans do."
"What do you mean not in the same sense?!" Ichigo exclaimed, "He collapsed to the floor sweating profusely with unfocused eyes and shortness of breath! Unless, was he faking it!"
"No he wasn't faking it," Rukia replied with an even tone, "That reaction seemed entirely genuine but besides that it's not the first time I've seen it."
"It's not!" Ichigo yelled, utterly shocked. "How long have the two of you known each other?!"
"I first encountered the two of you yesterday, when I defeated that Hollow saving Makoto's life," she responded, "That was the first time I saw it. However I was worried something had happened to him due to a spike in his reiatsu right before he collapsed. I proceeded to follow him home to make sure nothing was wrong with him. That is when I discovered he could see me. Not long after that same occurrence happened again, and that's when he pointed me in the direction of your house. You know the rest."
"Now that you mention it, it did seem similar to yesterday, but then what was it that caused that reaction?" Ichigo asked.
"It's quite simple," Rukia said, turning to Ichigo, her expression hard as she stared into his eyes. "He reacts that way when Hollows are nearby."
Ichigo's eyes went wide at Rukia's declaration, and he was about to ask another question but there was a loud crash followed by a child's terrified shout from inside the park that drew Ichigo's attention.
In the center of the park was a terrified little boy with a chain in his chest running from a monstrous six-legged hollow, and unfortunately it was gaining on the boy! Ichigo moved instinctively, placing his left hand on the fence and his right hand on the handle of the giant sword on his back ready to hurdle the fence. But before he could, Rukia called out stopping him in his tracks. "Wait! Why are you going to help him? Isn't he a stranger?"
Ichigo looked back at the petite girl with stunned eyes. What was she talking about?! That boy is moments away from being mauled by a Hollow and she is worrying about that?! "What the hell are you talking about?!" Ichigo shouted back at her, "That boy is in trouble. How can I not help him when he's right there?! If I don't…"
"What does that change?" Rukia interrupted, her eyes fixed on him with a steely gaze that caused Ichigo to be taken aback. "It doesn't matter that he's near or far, on the way or in an inconvenient spot. A soul in trouble is a soul in trouble, whether a good friend or your worst enemy, they are still being attacked and in need of assistance."
Ichigo gritted his teeth and looked back at the boy. "Don't help him!" Rukia shouted, stopping Ichigo once more from charging in. "If you don't become a Soul Reaper it won't matter if you save him. He will just be attacked once again and that time no one will be there to save him. Why not save him the pain of waiting and let his suffering end now."
Let his suffering end now? Isn't it a worse fate to be devoured by a Hollow? How could he stand by and let that happen? "What about Makoto?!" he retorted, his eyes filled with rage, "That thing is the reason he collapsed. So…"
"So what?!" Rukia once again admonished, rage steadily growing in her face by the second. "This Hollow isn't attacking Makoto, it's attacking that boy! Makoto is only reacting to its reiatsu! He's not in any danger! You cannot just make an excuse to save them because something can happen to your friend! He can learn to live with that! Do you care at all for the souls of those who would be devoured by that monster?!"
"Of course I do!" Ichigo retorted.
"Then don't mask the safety of that boy with concern for another!" Rukia screamed back. "A Soul Reaper's duty is to save all souls, not just the few you see. If you want to save him now then you must vow to save all spirits, no matter where they might be or who they are! Pledge that you will go anywhere for them and do anything, even if it means you must sacrifice your own life for their sake."
Ichigo turned back to look at the little boy as he continued to run, his teeth gritted. He watched the boy trip and fall to the ground, the Hollow bearing down on him. The words Rukia had just spoken ran through his head. Was he truly powerless to stop this from happening?
'They care nothing for humanity!' The words of Makoto filled his mind as he stood there watching. 'They will devour every soul that wanders the Earth.' Why now? Why was he thinking back on Makoto's words at a time like this?
'It will be you and me, and Yuzu and Karin!' He watched the Hollow step closer and closer to the frightened boy that lay on the floor. 'Everybody you know and love will DIE if you do nothing!' That last word hung in his mind like a man sentenced to the gallows. He wasn't powerless. In fact he was the only one with the power in the first place! If he wanted to save this boy, so what?! It was his choice and no one could make it for him. Save this boy now and suffer the consequences or forever regret that he stood there and watched.
He hurtled the rail charging the Hollow, his eyes filled with a righteous fury. "Who are you?" the Hollow asked, never to receive an answer as Ichigo charged forward, slicing one of the legs from its body and sending the Hollow hurtling through the air.
"Ichigo," called out Rukia calmly from behind him, "So you've accepted…"
"Nothing!" Ichigo yelled back at her, plunging the giant sword he had just used to cut off the Hollows leg into the ground in front of the little boy causing him to jump. "I haven't accepted jack about anything. I saved this kid because I wanted to, ya hear me!"
"Wha…" Rukia exclaimed, but Ichigo didn't stop there.
"What about you?! Were you thinking about any oath or duty when you sacrificed yourself to save me yesterday!" Ichigo continued, "Of course you weren't! That's what it means to sacrifice yourself for someone. You didn't do it because of any code or obligation, you did it because deep down you knew it's the right thing to do, not because it was your duty!"
The wounded Hollow recovered and stood back up, roaring at Ichigo before charging in fury, but Ichigo didn't care. He would drive this point into Rukia no matter what. "If being a Soul Reaper means watching as others suffer around you, then I choose to be different!" With those words he drew the blade from the dirt and stabbed the Hollow in the center of its mask, slicing it clean in half.
The two watched as the massive Hollow dissolved into ash, then Ichigo turned to the kid that sat up. "Hey kid," he said, his voice stern causing the frightened child to jump back. "If you don't want another one of those creatures to come after you you better hurry up and pass on." With that he placed the bottom of his sword handle onto the boy's forehead then lifted it back up. There was a strange ethereal glow as the boy sank into the ground and when it finished a small black butterfly rose from the spot the boy had been sitting, flying off into the sky.
"Good job," Rukia said, walking up beside Ichigo. "You handled that quite well for your first time." They stood there in silence for a moment, neither one sure what to say after the exchange that they had just had.
"Will Makoto be alright now?" Ichigo asked.
"I believe so," Rukia replied calmly, "He seemed fine when he rushed over after you defeated the Hollow yesterday."
"That's good," Ichigo said. There was another moment of silence before Ichigo finally spoke again.
"Listen, I'm not committing to anything yet," Ichigo said, his face bearing his usual scowl, "And I'm still not about to run headfirst into anything for some stranger or sacrifice my own life for theirs, but I do owe you a debt for saving me and my family. So I'll help you with this Soul Reaper business, but don't expect me to like it." With that he turned around and started walking back towards school, allowing Rukia a brief moment to smile before she quickly followed after him.
"Thanks Ichigo," she said to herself quietly.