Categories > Anime/Manga > Bleach > Stray Cat Strut
3 - Home Ground Arc - Hook, Line and Sinker (part three)
0 reviewsOnce upon a time, a boy who was met a cat that wasn't. Things sort of snowballed from there ... but hey, he's not complaining. A freewheeling, madcap story co-written with Fosfor.
0Unrated
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Stray Cat Strut
Home Ground Arc
three-three: Hook, Line and Sinker (part three)
produced by
Two Greedy Losers Without A Fairy
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Wood.
It always, _always_ smelled like freshly cut wood with a hint of something alive behind it, tinted with equal parts exotic spice and the
particular brand of tobacco cut with herbs of some sort.
It was like ... well, not quite home, but familiar and relaxing.
Damn, but that had been one _weird_ dream ...
His hand twitched. The rough, familiar, and not all that welcome texture under his fingertips made him reconsider that statement.
'Bandages?'
He raised it, wincing at the odd twinges as muscles protested.
Yup. Whole arm, it looked like, and considering the smell ...
'Yuuko's herbal painkillers?'
That meant he'd been in a pretty bad way, and considering that he could feel that same sort of restrictive sensation pretty much covering his torso and other arm and hand ...
"Tatsuki!"
He jerked almost violently, propping himself up as best he could and trying to ...
"Easy, Ichi. She's okay," hands grasped his shoulders from behind. "Better off than you, at least. Yuuko's talking to her. Now lie the hell
down and hope you didn't reopen anything."
The voice was both alien and familiar at the same time, but he didn't protest ... much. Not that it would have done any good, since he could feel his reiatsu, what was _left_ of it, working on speeding up the
patch-up job.
Okay, this was new.
For the first time he could remember, his reserves were almost completely depleted. That hadn't even happened in the wake of Yoruichi's more ... intense ... bits of instruction.
Waitasec ...
"Yoruichi?"
He looked 'up'.
He blinked.
Familiar amber eyes set into an altogether unfamiliar face. Dusky skin. Bangs framing the face and a high, trailing ponytail. Hair such a dark and rich purple that it almost seemed inky-black. An outfit that wasn't quite a bodysuit, and showcased a lithe, athletic body.
Equally familiar reiatsu.
"Yup. Feeling flattered that a supremely hot babe like me lets you hang around with her yet? "
Equally familiar smug expression.
He blinked again. Thought for a bit.
"You know, somehow, this isn't nearly as surprising as it should have
been. So ..."
"So?"
A bit of semi-awkward silence.
"Shinigami, huh? How's that working out for you?"
*
"Poor thing," Yuuko tsked, fingertips gently applying another dose of salve.
Tatsuki stared off though the open screen-door, into the drizzle.
The past few days ... it really was like that time, years ago. She remembered looking out the window, and for some reason feeling like something sad had just happened and the sky was crying.
She shook the morbid thoughts off.
"It doesn't really hurt," she said, as the witch wrapped a fresh set of clean badages around her most prominent injury.
"No, it wouldn't. You really did a number on them, chibiko," the woman shook her head with a rueful expression. "So much passion. Maybe too much. You will heal, but that sort of passion marks you."
"There's always a price, isn't there?" Tatsuki flexed her fingers. No pain, still. Just an odd sort of tightness there, as the scarred skin stretched in ways that strained it. "For everything."
"Hoo ... you understand, little joker. It's not an easy path to walk, and these ... as much as they're your price, they'll be his. It's worse for you when he's hurt, and worse for Ichi-chan when you are, that's just the way you are," Yuuko said with an uncommonly solemn expression to her usually smiling face. "Hitsuzen. Or nakama. Either. Both."
The words, the expression, the incense smoke winding its way through the air and the gloomy weather ... for a moment, there was a sense of gravitas to the situation that hadn't been there before.
"Saaa, but we get so serious when we really should be celebrating!" Yuuko exclaimed suddenly, shifting moods and faces like they were little more than two prisms in a kaleidoscope.
Maybe that's just what they were, in fact.
"It's your birthday after all, so I got you a little something,
Tatsu-chan. I do hope you like it."
Tatsuki looked at Yuuko. Then down at the pair of soft velvet gloves in the box the woman had handed her.
*
He should feel odd. He really should. Uncomfortable maybe.
Even as she helped him to get up gingerly and slip one of the loose shirts Yuuko so delighted in giving him, he should have felt some twinge of embarrassment.
But as he felt her hands on his back, as he saw the dusky skin, he saw also the golden eyes. The mischievous eyes. The cat eyes. They didn't change.
So it should be odd. But it wasn't.
It was just weird that way.
He tightened his hand into a fist, wincing slightly as the muscles protested.
"None of that, Ichi." She tsked. "You're recovering. Don't mess up my job, hmm?"
"What are you, my nurse?" He grumbled, touching his bandages.
"And what a supremely hot nurse I am." She grinned. "Aren't you glad?"
"I suppose." He nodded slowly, stretching gingerly. "Hurts a little. But ... Less than I thought."
"Painkillers and power make wonders." Yoruichi shrugged. "Just be careful now."
"Ain't I always?"
She smirked.
"Not a word." He muttered, heading for the door.
"Moi?" She blinked innocently. "Why, Ichi, would I do something like that?
He frowned.
Something felt odd.
He shifted, trying to discern the odd feeling of ... well, wrongness.
It wasn't his reiatsu, nearly depleted as it was. Not bandages.
Not kinks and pains and strains.
"Something the matter. Ichi?" She looked at him curiously.
Ah. Right.
No Yoruichi on his shoulder.
Amazing how man can get used to some things.
"Nah. Just off balance, that's all." He muttered, resuming his walk. He let his eyelids drop a little and took a deep breath as he walked to the hall. He liked the smell of Yuuko's shop and her odd tobacco.
Almost made him consider taking up smoking more than once. Almost.
The suddenly the smell hit him full force. He stopped, startled and looked up, only to freeze.
There was Yuuko, a small smile on her face, her pipe lit in her hand.
But next to her...
"You look ..." He started, looking at the bandages, shiners and half-healed cuts.
"... like hell." She finished.
They blinked.
He stood there uncomfortable, his eyes chasing each scar, each line and squirming, dying a little more with each mark even as her eyes did the same.
He would have said something, asked how she was feeling but ... That'd have just pissed her off.
"Nice gloves." He said after a long silence.
"Thanks." She flexed her palms. "Yuuko says that they'll protect my hands. Next time." She frowned watching him squirm a little.
"That's ... good. I guess." He said, shifting slightly.
"Yeah." She looked to the left and blinked.
The woman was ... exotic. Lithe, but clearly athletic - the almost-bodysuit showed more than enough. Hair were a little weird. Purple. And looked natural on her, too,oddly enough. The golden, slightly mischievous eyes fit the beautiful face perfectly.
"Oh. Hey Yoru-neko." She nodded simply.
"You don't have to act surprised all at once that the cat is the babe. Really." Yoruichi grumbled.
Yuuko chuckled.
"Well then, shall we get the celebration started, then?" She clapped happily.
"Uh ... celebration?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow.
*
"And then he goes and just ... sinks it in the bastard's eye!" Yoruichi grinned. "Man, that was a CLASSIC!"
"It wasn't all that great." The boy muttered. "I could barely see straight. If not for that knife..."
"Now, now. Don't be a stick in the mud, Ichi!" She handed him a glass of sake. "Here, have a drink! You earned it!" She handed another to Tatsuki. "You too, Tatsu-chin! Bottoms up, relax and have fun!"
The duo eyed the alcohol dubiously, before shrugging and chugging it down.
"Whoa ...!" Ichigo inhaled the hair with a hiss. "That's some ... nice stuff." he said slowly.
"No arguing here." Tatsuki eyed the bottle. "Strong, though."
"Amaterasu's Tears. That's it's name." Yuuko smiled. "Sake fit for the Emperor, brewed by the Tengu spirits."
"Yup. And kicks like a dragon. A golden one." Yoruichi smirked, seeing both of her charges developing a slight coloring on their cheeks. "Will wake up a dead man, tho'."
"I can believe that." Ichigo muttered. "Any more of that?"
"Sure. Just pace yourself." The dusky skinned woman nodded, pouring them another round.
"Well, now that we are here, congratulations are in order." Yuuko exhaled the smoke from her pipe. "You've handled yourself beautifully, Ichigo, Tatsuki. We are very proud of you both. That's certainly a nice feather in your cap."
"That said, don't get cocky." Yoruichi warned them. "There are things far bigger and far nastier lurking in the world and beyond it. You've just made a one step. But a big one." She smiled. "I'm pleased. You've grown, both of you. Congratulations."
"Thanks." Ichigo said, a little bit uncomfortable. It wasn't like Yoruichi, really. She praised him, from time to time - but never like that. And he could see that she meant it, with her eyes shining like that. Though it could have been the booze.
"Bigger, nastier ... Feh!" Tatsuki snorted. "Grand Fisher was big too. Look where that got him."
"Oh?" Yuuko's up lit up. "So confident, are you, hmm?"
"Sure. I mean ... We kicked his ass." The girl shrugged. "So it wasn't a cakewalk. Sure. I'll be the first to admit it. But come on. The bastard killed some Shinigami. Several of them. And we just took him apart!"
"There are stronger things, chibiko. Stronger, bigger things." The witch cautioned her. "You would do well to remember that."
"Yeah ... Maybe there are ..." the women looked at Ichigo, who had a thoughtful look on his face as he swirled the sake in his glass. "But ... We're going to get stronger too, right?" He looked at them. "Since that time, three years ago ... We get stronger. Every day. Just a few years ago shunpo ..." He took a sip of sake. "That kind of thing would be ... Damn, it would be like something out of a manga. Now? I use it daily. Tatsuki can already cast some big-ass hado ... Shit. And that was what, three years?"
"Stronger, hmm?" Yuuko looked at the both of them thoughtfully. "Yes. But strength has a price."
Tatsuki squirmed, flexing her gloved hands.
"Yes, chibiko knows it well." Yuuko smiled knowingly, before looking at Ichigo. "Have you ever considered the price you pay, Ichigo?"
"Price?" He blinked. "Like Tat-"
"No." Yuuko said firmly. "Think about it. As a child you saw ghosts. You could sometimes speak with them. Be annoyed by them. That was about it. Ghosts were out there, but spirits were things of fairytales. Magic was a thing of fable. Shinigami a myth. The world was simple. Moving 60 minutes per hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Is it now, I wonder? Can you you tell me that, Ichigo? Tatsuki?"
The blond frowned, clenching his hands, while Tatsuki simply looked at her gloves.
Yoruichi and Yuuko looked at the two teens carefuly, like hawks.
'Do I? Can I?' Ichigo lowered his head. 'I ... Shit, I never really thought about it, did I? She's right. The world ... Hell, even my own neighborhood ... It had gotten big. The ghosts, the spirits ... Even the trees. It's big. So. Damn. Big. I never stopped to think about it. I always had the power and with Yoruichi around ... It was ...fun.' He froze. 'Fun. Yeah. Scary ... Possibly, but ... I'm never bored, am I? It is just ... how would the life without Yoruichi look?'
His frown deepened.
He knew how it'd look. He'd go to school. He would see a ghost or two. Learn. Get some friends, aside from Tatsuki. Eat. Sleep.
'Kinda ... empty, isn't it?'
There would be no midnight runs on the rooftops, no tag at speeds that defied description, no crackling power of Hado that would misfire, making Tatsuki and Yoruichi laugh their assess off. No exhilaration as the pure essence of power flowed through him as he exploded into movement. No talks until dawn, exotic locales or Yuuko's odd little shop and her quirky, but fun personality.
'I... I've gotten spoiled, didn't I?' He realized slowly. 'I halways had Yoruichi around. Day in, day out. Sure, sometimes she left, but she was always back. And she took me with her. I got used to Yuuko's advice and little oddities of her shop. I got used to those treks with Yoruichi and Tatsuki and all that weird-ass stuff... I'm ... I don't know how to be bored, anymore? Or ...' he felt a sudden realization dawning. 'No. I don't WANT to be. I want this big, scary and FUN world ... I WANT it. I want to keep on going. I don't _ever_ want to stop.'
"Yeah ... I don't want to stop." He muttered.
"What was that?" Yoruichi asked curiously.
"I said ... I don't want to stop. Bigger. Nastier. Meaner. I don't give a FUCK." Ichigo raised his head. "I won't stop for any of those bastards. This world ... I don't fuckin' care how big it is. If you think I'll let go, that I'll stop ... Well you can stop right the hell now." He said firmly.
"Yeah." Tatsuki smirked. "I mean, we've come this far, right? Why stop now?"
"Fu fu fu," Yoruichi chuckled. "Confident, aren't you? That's good. That's VERY good!" She laughed.
"Indeed." Yuuko smiled. "I'm glad that you are but ..." She leaned in. "Who says you've got a choice?"
"Huh?" Ichigo scratched his neck. "What are you talking about?"
"There is something you should know, Ichigo." She smirked. "It is a rule of sorts. You may call it a natural law. Like is drawn to like. Magic draws magic. Power draws power. And you had enough of power to kill a being that gave Shinigami serious trouble."
Ichigo and Tatsuki stared.
"Well shit." Tatsuki summed up.
"No kidding."
There was a long period of silence.
"Wel, enough glum and seriousness!" Yuuko clapped her hands happily. "It's your birthday! Let's drink and do silly things!"
Ichigo just palmed his face and Tatsuki sighed.
"And she built up the mood, too ..." Yoruichi chuckled. "Nice one."
"Thank you." Yuuko bowed slightly.
"Anyway, where there is birthday, there are presents." Yuuko said, pulling a moderately sized box. "Tatsuki-chan got hers, time for you, Ichigo." She pushed the box to him. "Open it."
"Oh, hey. that's a ... sheath?" He frowned. "Leather too. Looks cool but ... what's it for?"
Yoruichi smirked, pointing at his belt.
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
Ichigo blinked, his eyes going to his belt.
True to form there was a moderately sized piece of metal by it.
'Odd. I didn't notice it before. What can it ...' His eyes widened.
"Oh you're shitting me!" He said opening up the mechanism, revealing a large balisong knife. "Is it ...?"
"The same." Yoruich nodded.
"Cool." Ichigo muttered, twirling the weapon, opening and closing, fanning the blade. He was not one for weapons - what the hell you need one for when your fists can pulverize a tree with one blow? But the balisong ... It felt right. Familiar. And it WAS a cool knife. "Nice. I think I'll keep it."
He raised an eyebrow at Yoruichi's snicker.
"What?"
"Oh nothing." She said innocently. "Nothing at all."
"Thanks Yuuko." He nodded to the witch. "That'll be really useful."
"Oh no, no." She shook her head. "The sheath is for your knife. Your present is still in the box.
He peered into the container, noticing a strange packet.
'What the hell can it be? A little small, but ...'
He unrolled the velvet covering, to see ...
'A deck of cards? What the hell?'
He reached tot he top, drawing the card and sighed.
"What is it?" Tatsuki leaned in curiously.
Ichigo showed her the card, the well know picture of The Fool on it.
"Verrrry funny. Ha ha." Tatsuki drawled.
"Why, I thought so, too." Yuuko beamed and Yoruichi snickered. "You'll get some new shirts from me, too."
"As for my present... Well, you'll have to wait a little. But trust me, it'll be worth it." She grinned.
"Anyway, since the presents have been given and all ... let's get to more profitable matters, shall we?" Yuuko looked at the teenagers.
"Profitable?" Tatsuki raised an eyebrow questioningly. "What do you mean?"
"Elementary, my dear chibiko." Yuuko raised a finger. "If you're good at something, keep on doing it and find it fun ... Why not profit from it?" She smiled. "It so happens that I heard about a certain haunted house ..."
*
"A little bit to the left... A liitle up aaaaand...."
The TV lit up showing up a flushed, cute blonde engaging in some highly entertaining liplock with more naked than clothed brunette.
"Success!" Kisuke waved his fan happily. It didn't matter that nobody was around. He was Urahara Kisuke. It was enough. "Ah ... My greatest achievement ...!" His eyes got misty. "No more paying for my sweet, sweet yuri-porn... I'm ... I'm so happy." He grinned, eyes glued to the screen just as-
"Holy shit! Strawberry! The hell?! You look like you lost a fight with a steamroller!"
Kisuke blinked.
'Why is Jinta so lo- Strawberry?'
That would mean Ichigo. But unless Yoruichi pushed him more than usual...
"Won, actually." Came the seemingly bored but with that smug little undertone he learned to recognize oh-so-long ago.
Seems the boy was picking more than just asskicking skills from his dear killer kitty.
'A male Yoruichi...'
"Hell yeah!" Ah. Smugness in female edition. Only gleeful one and non-Yoruichi.
'Ah. And a female one, too. Yoruichi v 2.0 double type.' A lesser man, would shudder and look for a bomb shelter. Urahara Kisuke grinned. 'Oh. Interesting times ahead. Very, very interesting.'
"So, whaddaya want? Another of those weirdass spirit restraints? Hado practice targets? Boosters?"
"None of that, actually." Came Yoruichi's voice.
'Oh?' Kisuke raised an eyebrow. About every time Yoruichi was in his shop was to pick up some small training aid or something along those lines or to use his underground chamber. Each time she also had that 'touch-my-student-and-die' look in her eyes, too.
'What a shame. Such and interesting boy, Kurosaki-kun is, too.'
Yoruichi sounded damn smug. And amused. Whatever it was, it was bound to be interesting. Especially if it tied with the orange haired True Blood.
He glanced as his sweet, sweet yuri.
He looked at the door.
'AAARGH! I can't decide! I must have them both!'
He hated his curiosity sometimes.
'I wonder if Tatsu-chin and Yoruichi would reenact the scene from 'Sweet older sister seduction' Volume 2 if I asked them nicely?'
*
"Welcome, welcome, my wonderful clients!"
Walk in with flourish. Sweep his fan.
He SO loved his fan.
Of course, Benihime the pimp cane was better, of course. Yes.
Benihime was sweet, cute, hot, beautiful and just above and beyond.
Really. So no need to get snarky.
'I love you the most, baby. But you must admit, fan is fun, too.'
Why did he have a feeling he'd be getting a very could shoulder in his dreams for some time?
Ah, no matter, no matter.
"Welcome to my fine little establishment! Anything I can interest you in? We just got a fresh batch of-"
"Cut the crap, Kisuke and let's go to your office." Yoruichi jumped out of Ichigo's arm and he straightened up, giving the teens behind Yoruichi a careful look as they walked to the back of the store.
'Oh. Oh my, my.' His eyes narrowed slightly. 'And just what have you been doing, hmm?'
Ichigo's usual Le Mat shirt was open partially, probably not to irritate the bandaged ribs too much. His arms were bandaged and occasionally a bit of red still seeped through. And if his nose served, the boy had a smell of Yuuko's ointments on him. All over him. If they didn't manage to do the job completely, the injuries must have been quite serious. Even his face was cut and bruised, though mostly healed.
Tatsuki, walking next to her friend, was in no better condition.
'Worse, actually.' His eyes widened slightly as he spotted the gloves. Being an artificer himself he saw it for what they were - a spirit buffer of sorts, preventing the whatever injuries that were under them from being aggravated further. 'Oh my ...' He thought sadly. If the injuries were severe enough to warrant such measures ...
Still, they looked smug. Too smug. Too smug by far. Add a little bit and it would be Yoruichi-level of smug.
"So what brings you two beautiful ladies and fine gentleman to my humble little shop, then?" He asked curiously, closing the door behind them.
There was a brief hiss of power and Kisuke's eyes widened.
He KNEW that particular energy pattern. Oh he knew it VERY well.
The reiatsu decompressed, growing and filling out, as did the silhouette, shedding the fur, leaving behind the dusky skin, a lithe body and the same golden eyes glinting in mischief.
Kisuke noted at once that neither Tatsuki nor Ichigo seemed particularly surprised by the change.
'She told them?' Hr thought with surprise. 'Oh my, my, my ... This might be even more interesting than I suspected.'
Yoruichi opened her mouth, only to close it as Tatsuki coughed.
The dusky skinned woman gritted her teeth and extended her hand to the teen, who calmly gave her a small duffel bag.
Yoruichi discarded it a second later, pulling on the familiar orange and black bodysuit Kisuke knew so well.
She threw Tatsuki an annoyed look.
The brunette just grinned, whistling innocently.
Ichigo ... Didn't say a word.
And his eyes were looking a little bit glazed there for a second, Kisuke noted with amusement.
'Well, he IS a young boy. Though Yoruich's body has that effect on anybody. Why, the poor little Soi Fong blush-'
He blinked.
'Wait. Did she just say what I think she said?'
"Excuse me?" He said carefuly.
"Grand Fisher bounty, Kisuke." Yoruichi grinned smugly. He was sure she took her original form jsut to grin. Yoruichi was like that. "I'm here to cash it in."
"Oh. So you destroyed the bugger?" He nodded. "Sure, I can-"
"Me? I didn't lift a finger, Kisuke." She pointed her thummb at two teenagers behind her. "The kids did it all."
Kisuke just ... stared.
"Uh ... what?"
Yoruichi's grin got even wider.
"I said it was all them. Went all medieval on his hollow ass with no mercy and kicked it six ways from Sunday." She said gleefully. "Now, the cash?"
"You?" He pointed Benihime at Ichigo. "And you?" Behihime pointed at Tatsuki.
"Yup." the girl nodded nonchalantly. "Wanted to use his skin as a rug ... But it got all fried with Raikohou."
"That hair was shitty looking anyway." Ichigo shrugged.
"Ah. I see." Kisuke nodded slowly.
Grand Fisher had killed Shinigami. Several of them.
That hollow was no Arrancar, but it was old, powerful and cunning.
He knew that Yoruichi had been teaching them a thing or two, but he never really took it seriously. Sure, get a little training, no problem.
It would be good for the kid in the long run. Yoruichi knew her stuff. The girl? Well ... Why not. Not like they'd really go anywhere near the real stuff, though. The boy had power, but no control. And it was still immature. The girl? Well, Ichigo might have bled power like a leaky faucet, but the last he had seen her she barely registered.
Now, though ...
To fight an actual Shinigami-killer hollow and terminate it ...
'What the HELL is she putting those kids through? Onmitsukido's training regimen?'
"So, cash?" Yoruichi said with a smirk
"I'll transfer it right away." He reached for his rei-phhone, only to stop as Yoruichi gave him something.
He blinked.
Small piece of paper, resembling a calling card with a subtle The Fool design and odd, brass-looking lettering.
"'Fool's Errands'?" He read aloud. "And what is that supposed to be."
"Why, a calling card." Yoruichi said innocently.
"A calling card - that I can see. But what FOR?" He scratched his head, looking at the card curiously.
"Well, every business service has a calling card." Yoruich shrugged. "Thought we should get one too. Nice, ain't it? Yuuko made it. Never knew she was so handy with art."
"Why yeas, it is quite n- Wait." He halted, looking at his longtime friend. "What business?"
Yoruichi smirked.
*
"This is one freaky looking place." Tatsuki muttered, raising an eyebrow.
To say the house was odd, would be an understatement.
It looked like somebody started building a traditional Japanese residence, a large one at that, and suddenly decided he wanted to have a western style mansion instead near the end.
The general layout was Japanese, but the additions were so Western that it hurt.
Oddly enough, the odd mix of styles, similar a little to Yuuko's own place, gave a strangely out-there feel. But a pleasant one.
"You know ... I kinda like it." Ichigo muttered.
"Hmm? That's good." Yoruichi mused from her perch on Ichigo's shoulder.
"Good?" The blond blinked.
"I'll tell you later."
Ichigo's eyes narrowed. When she was this smug, she ALWAYS had something up her sleeve.
Always.
"Eh. Let's go." Tatsuki cracked her glove-covered knuckles. "Ghosts to exorcise, haunted house to clean up, cash to be earned. She grinned. "And if we're lucky a dumbass Hollow to kick around."
Ichigo smirked, cracking his neck.
He'll worry about his sometime-feline mentor later.
He had a job to get to.
'Exorcise the spirits. Get to kick Hollow ass and get paid for it. Sweet or what?'
The duo plus cat walked into the building.
Second later, the large gate closed behind them with an ominous and final sound.
There was a long silence.
"Ye Lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man, Inferno and Pandemonium! The sea barrier surges! March on to the south! Hado #31: SHAKKAHOU!"
The air screamed with raw explosive power, only to return to silence.
"Geez, on shot? That was ... kinda pathetic."
"Yup."
"I wonder what Yuzu is cooking for dinner tonight ..."
*
END hook, line and sinker
*
Stray Cat Strut
Home Ground Arc
three-three: Hook, Line and Sinker (part three)
produced by
Two Greedy Losers Without A Fairy
---
Wood.
It always, _always_ smelled like freshly cut wood with a hint of something alive behind it, tinted with equal parts exotic spice and the
particular brand of tobacco cut with herbs of some sort.
It was like ... well, not quite home, but familiar and relaxing.
Damn, but that had been one _weird_ dream ...
His hand twitched. The rough, familiar, and not all that welcome texture under his fingertips made him reconsider that statement.
'Bandages?'
He raised it, wincing at the odd twinges as muscles protested.
Yup. Whole arm, it looked like, and considering the smell ...
'Yuuko's herbal painkillers?'
That meant he'd been in a pretty bad way, and considering that he could feel that same sort of restrictive sensation pretty much covering his torso and other arm and hand ...
"Tatsuki!"
He jerked almost violently, propping himself up as best he could and trying to ...
"Easy, Ichi. She's okay," hands grasped his shoulders from behind. "Better off than you, at least. Yuuko's talking to her. Now lie the hell
down and hope you didn't reopen anything."
The voice was both alien and familiar at the same time, but he didn't protest ... much. Not that it would have done any good, since he could feel his reiatsu, what was _left_ of it, working on speeding up the
patch-up job.
Okay, this was new.
For the first time he could remember, his reserves were almost completely depleted. That hadn't even happened in the wake of Yoruichi's more ... intense ... bits of instruction.
Waitasec ...
"Yoruichi?"
He looked 'up'.
He blinked.
Familiar amber eyes set into an altogether unfamiliar face. Dusky skin. Bangs framing the face and a high, trailing ponytail. Hair such a dark and rich purple that it almost seemed inky-black. An outfit that wasn't quite a bodysuit, and showcased a lithe, athletic body.
Equally familiar reiatsu.
"Yup. Feeling flattered that a supremely hot babe like me lets you hang around with her yet? "
Equally familiar smug expression.
He blinked again. Thought for a bit.
"You know, somehow, this isn't nearly as surprising as it should have
been. So ..."
"So?"
A bit of semi-awkward silence.
"Shinigami, huh? How's that working out for you?"
*
"Poor thing," Yuuko tsked, fingertips gently applying another dose of salve.
Tatsuki stared off though the open screen-door, into the drizzle.
The past few days ... it really was like that time, years ago. She remembered looking out the window, and for some reason feeling like something sad had just happened and the sky was crying.
She shook the morbid thoughts off.
"It doesn't really hurt," she said, as the witch wrapped a fresh set of clean badages around her most prominent injury.
"No, it wouldn't. You really did a number on them, chibiko," the woman shook her head with a rueful expression. "So much passion. Maybe too much. You will heal, but that sort of passion marks you."
"There's always a price, isn't there?" Tatsuki flexed her fingers. No pain, still. Just an odd sort of tightness there, as the scarred skin stretched in ways that strained it. "For everything."
"Hoo ... you understand, little joker. It's not an easy path to walk, and these ... as much as they're your price, they'll be his. It's worse for you when he's hurt, and worse for Ichi-chan when you are, that's just the way you are," Yuuko said with an uncommonly solemn expression to her usually smiling face. "Hitsuzen. Or nakama. Either. Both."
The words, the expression, the incense smoke winding its way through the air and the gloomy weather ... for a moment, there was a sense of gravitas to the situation that hadn't been there before.
"Saaa, but we get so serious when we really should be celebrating!" Yuuko exclaimed suddenly, shifting moods and faces like they were little more than two prisms in a kaleidoscope.
Maybe that's just what they were, in fact.
"It's your birthday after all, so I got you a little something,
Tatsu-chan. I do hope you like it."
Tatsuki looked at Yuuko. Then down at the pair of soft velvet gloves in the box the woman had handed her.
*
He should feel odd. He really should. Uncomfortable maybe.
Even as she helped him to get up gingerly and slip one of the loose shirts Yuuko so delighted in giving him, he should have felt some twinge of embarrassment.
But as he felt her hands on his back, as he saw the dusky skin, he saw also the golden eyes. The mischievous eyes. The cat eyes. They didn't change.
So it should be odd. But it wasn't.
It was just weird that way.
He tightened his hand into a fist, wincing slightly as the muscles protested.
"None of that, Ichi." She tsked. "You're recovering. Don't mess up my job, hmm?"
"What are you, my nurse?" He grumbled, touching his bandages.
"And what a supremely hot nurse I am." She grinned. "Aren't you glad?"
"I suppose." He nodded slowly, stretching gingerly. "Hurts a little. But ... Less than I thought."
"Painkillers and power make wonders." Yoruichi shrugged. "Just be careful now."
"Ain't I always?"
She smirked.
"Not a word." He muttered, heading for the door.
"Moi?" She blinked innocently. "Why, Ichi, would I do something like that?
He frowned.
Something felt odd.
He shifted, trying to discern the odd feeling of ... well, wrongness.
It wasn't his reiatsu, nearly depleted as it was. Not bandages.
Not kinks and pains and strains.
"Something the matter. Ichi?" She looked at him curiously.
Ah. Right.
No Yoruichi on his shoulder.
Amazing how man can get used to some things.
"Nah. Just off balance, that's all." He muttered, resuming his walk. He let his eyelids drop a little and took a deep breath as he walked to the hall. He liked the smell of Yuuko's shop and her odd tobacco.
Almost made him consider taking up smoking more than once. Almost.
The suddenly the smell hit him full force. He stopped, startled and looked up, only to freeze.
There was Yuuko, a small smile on her face, her pipe lit in her hand.
But next to her...
"You look ..." He started, looking at the bandages, shiners and half-healed cuts.
"... like hell." She finished.
They blinked.
He stood there uncomfortable, his eyes chasing each scar, each line and squirming, dying a little more with each mark even as her eyes did the same.
He would have said something, asked how she was feeling but ... That'd have just pissed her off.
"Nice gloves." He said after a long silence.
"Thanks." She flexed her palms. "Yuuko says that they'll protect my hands. Next time." She frowned watching him squirm a little.
"That's ... good. I guess." He said, shifting slightly.
"Yeah." She looked to the left and blinked.
The woman was ... exotic. Lithe, but clearly athletic - the almost-bodysuit showed more than enough. Hair were a little weird. Purple. And looked natural on her, too,oddly enough. The golden, slightly mischievous eyes fit the beautiful face perfectly.
"Oh. Hey Yoru-neko." She nodded simply.
"You don't have to act surprised all at once that the cat is the babe. Really." Yoruichi grumbled.
Yuuko chuckled.
"Well then, shall we get the celebration started, then?" She clapped happily.
"Uh ... celebration?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow.
*
"And then he goes and just ... sinks it in the bastard's eye!" Yoruichi grinned. "Man, that was a CLASSIC!"
"It wasn't all that great." The boy muttered. "I could barely see straight. If not for that knife..."
"Now, now. Don't be a stick in the mud, Ichi!" She handed him a glass of sake. "Here, have a drink! You earned it!" She handed another to Tatsuki. "You too, Tatsu-chin! Bottoms up, relax and have fun!"
The duo eyed the alcohol dubiously, before shrugging and chugging it down.
"Whoa ...!" Ichigo inhaled the hair with a hiss. "That's some ... nice stuff." he said slowly.
"No arguing here." Tatsuki eyed the bottle. "Strong, though."
"Amaterasu's Tears. That's it's name." Yuuko smiled. "Sake fit for the Emperor, brewed by the Tengu spirits."
"Yup. And kicks like a dragon. A golden one." Yoruichi smirked, seeing both of her charges developing a slight coloring on their cheeks. "Will wake up a dead man, tho'."
"I can believe that." Ichigo muttered. "Any more of that?"
"Sure. Just pace yourself." The dusky skinned woman nodded, pouring them another round.
"Well, now that we are here, congratulations are in order." Yuuko exhaled the smoke from her pipe. "You've handled yourself beautifully, Ichigo, Tatsuki. We are very proud of you both. That's certainly a nice feather in your cap."
"That said, don't get cocky." Yoruichi warned them. "There are things far bigger and far nastier lurking in the world and beyond it. You've just made a one step. But a big one." She smiled. "I'm pleased. You've grown, both of you. Congratulations."
"Thanks." Ichigo said, a little bit uncomfortable. It wasn't like Yoruichi, really. She praised him, from time to time - but never like that. And he could see that she meant it, with her eyes shining like that. Though it could have been the booze.
"Bigger, nastier ... Feh!" Tatsuki snorted. "Grand Fisher was big too. Look where that got him."
"Oh?" Yuuko's up lit up. "So confident, are you, hmm?"
"Sure. I mean ... We kicked his ass." The girl shrugged. "So it wasn't a cakewalk. Sure. I'll be the first to admit it. But come on. The bastard killed some Shinigami. Several of them. And we just took him apart!"
"There are stronger things, chibiko. Stronger, bigger things." The witch cautioned her. "You would do well to remember that."
"Yeah ... Maybe there are ..." the women looked at Ichigo, who had a thoughtful look on his face as he swirled the sake in his glass. "But ... We're going to get stronger too, right?" He looked at them. "Since that time, three years ago ... We get stronger. Every day. Just a few years ago shunpo ..." He took a sip of sake. "That kind of thing would be ... Damn, it would be like something out of a manga. Now? I use it daily. Tatsuki can already cast some big-ass hado ... Shit. And that was what, three years?"
"Stronger, hmm?" Yuuko looked at the both of them thoughtfully. "Yes. But strength has a price."
Tatsuki squirmed, flexing her gloved hands.
"Yes, chibiko knows it well." Yuuko smiled knowingly, before looking at Ichigo. "Have you ever considered the price you pay, Ichigo?"
"Price?" He blinked. "Like Tat-"
"No." Yuuko said firmly. "Think about it. As a child you saw ghosts. You could sometimes speak with them. Be annoyed by them. That was about it. Ghosts were out there, but spirits were things of fairytales. Magic was a thing of fable. Shinigami a myth. The world was simple. Moving 60 minutes per hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Is it now, I wonder? Can you you tell me that, Ichigo? Tatsuki?"
The blond frowned, clenching his hands, while Tatsuki simply looked at her gloves.
Yoruichi and Yuuko looked at the two teens carefuly, like hawks.
'Do I? Can I?' Ichigo lowered his head. 'I ... Shit, I never really thought about it, did I? She's right. The world ... Hell, even my own neighborhood ... It had gotten big. The ghosts, the spirits ... Even the trees. It's big. So. Damn. Big. I never stopped to think about it. I always had the power and with Yoruichi around ... It was ...fun.' He froze. 'Fun. Yeah. Scary ... Possibly, but ... I'm never bored, am I? It is just ... how would the life without Yoruichi look?'
His frown deepened.
He knew how it'd look. He'd go to school. He would see a ghost or two. Learn. Get some friends, aside from Tatsuki. Eat. Sleep.
'Kinda ... empty, isn't it?'
There would be no midnight runs on the rooftops, no tag at speeds that defied description, no crackling power of Hado that would misfire, making Tatsuki and Yoruichi laugh their assess off. No exhilaration as the pure essence of power flowed through him as he exploded into movement. No talks until dawn, exotic locales or Yuuko's odd little shop and her quirky, but fun personality.
'I... I've gotten spoiled, didn't I?' He realized slowly. 'I halways had Yoruichi around. Day in, day out. Sure, sometimes she left, but she was always back. And she took me with her. I got used to Yuuko's advice and little oddities of her shop. I got used to those treks with Yoruichi and Tatsuki and all that weird-ass stuff... I'm ... I don't know how to be bored, anymore? Or ...' he felt a sudden realization dawning. 'No. I don't WANT to be. I want this big, scary and FUN world ... I WANT it. I want to keep on going. I don't _ever_ want to stop.'
"Yeah ... I don't want to stop." He muttered.
"What was that?" Yoruichi asked curiously.
"I said ... I don't want to stop. Bigger. Nastier. Meaner. I don't give a FUCK." Ichigo raised his head. "I won't stop for any of those bastards. This world ... I don't fuckin' care how big it is. If you think I'll let go, that I'll stop ... Well you can stop right the hell now." He said firmly.
"Yeah." Tatsuki smirked. "I mean, we've come this far, right? Why stop now?"
"Fu fu fu," Yoruichi chuckled. "Confident, aren't you? That's good. That's VERY good!" She laughed.
"Indeed." Yuuko smiled. "I'm glad that you are but ..." She leaned in. "Who says you've got a choice?"
"Huh?" Ichigo scratched his neck. "What are you talking about?"
"There is something you should know, Ichigo." She smirked. "It is a rule of sorts. You may call it a natural law. Like is drawn to like. Magic draws magic. Power draws power. And you had enough of power to kill a being that gave Shinigami serious trouble."
Ichigo and Tatsuki stared.
"Well shit." Tatsuki summed up.
"No kidding."
There was a long period of silence.
"Wel, enough glum and seriousness!" Yuuko clapped her hands happily. "It's your birthday! Let's drink and do silly things!"
Ichigo just palmed his face and Tatsuki sighed.
"And she built up the mood, too ..." Yoruichi chuckled. "Nice one."
"Thank you." Yuuko bowed slightly.
"Anyway, where there is birthday, there are presents." Yuuko said, pulling a moderately sized box. "Tatsuki-chan got hers, time for you, Ichigo." She pushed the box to him. "Open it."
"Oh, hey. that's a ... sheath?" He frowned. "Leather too. Looks cool but ... what's it for?"
Yoruichi smirked, pointing at his belt.
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
Ichigo blinked, his eyes going to his belt.
True to form there was a moderately sized piece of metal by it.
'Odd. I didn't notice it before. What can it ...' His eyes widened.
"Oh you're shitting me!" He said opening up the mechanism, revealing a large balisong knife. "Is it ...?"
"The same." Yoruich nodded.
"Cool." Ichigo muttered, twirling the weapon, opening and closing, fanning the blade. He was not one for weapons - what the hell you need one for when your fists can pulverize a tree with one blow? But the balisong ... It felt right. Familiar. And it WAS a cool knife. "Nice. I think I'll keep it."
He raised an eyebrow at Yoruichi's snicker.
"What?"
"Oh nothing." She said innocently. "Nothing at all."
"Thanks Yuuko." He nodded to the witch. "That'll be really useful."
"Oh no, no." She shook her head. "The sheath is for your knife. Your present is still in the box.
He peered into the container, noticing a strange packet.
'What the hell can it be? A little small, but ...'
He unrolled the velvet covering, to see ...
'A deck of cards? What the hell?'
He reached tot he top, drawing the card and sighed.
"What is it?" Tatsuki leaned in curiously.
Ichigo showed her the card, the well know picture of The Fool on it.
"Verrrry funny. Ha ha." Tatsuki drawled.
"Why, I thought so, too." Yuuko beamed and Yoruichi snickered. "You'll get some new shirts from me, too."
"As for my present... Well, you'll have to wait a little. But trust me, it'll be worth it." She grinned.
"Anyway, since the presents have been given and all ... let's get to more profitable matters, shall we?" Yuuko looked at the teenagers.
"Profitable?" Tatsuki raised an eyebrow questioningly. "What do you mean?"
"Elementary, my dear chibiko." Yuuko raised a finger. "If you're good at something, keep on doing it and find it fun ... Why not profit from it?" She smiled. "It so happens that I heard about a certain haunted house ..."
*
"A little bit to the left... A liitle up aaaaand...."
The TV lit up showing up a flushed, cute blonde engaging in some highly entertaining liplock with more naked than clothed brunette.
"Success!" Kisuke waved his fan happily. It didn't matter that nobody was around. He was Urahara Kisuke. It was enough. "Ah ... My greatest achievement ...!" His eyes got misty. "No more paying for my sweet, sweet yuri-porn... I'm ... I'm so happy." He grinned, eyes glued to the screen just as-
"Holy shit! Strawberry! The hell?! You look like you lost a fight with a steamroller!"
Kisuke blinked.
'Why is Jinta so lo- Strawberry?'
That would mean Ichigo. But unless Yoruichi pushed him more than usual...
"Won, actually." Came the seemingly bored but with that smug little undertone he learned to recognize oh-so-long ago.
Seems the boy was picking more than just asskicking skills from his dear killer kitty.
'A male Yoruichi...'
"Hell yeah!" Ah. Smugness in female edition. Only gleeful one and non-Yoruichi.
'Ah. And a female one, too. Yoruichi v 2.0 double type.' A lesser man, would shudder and look for a bomb shelter. Urahara Kisuke grinned. 'Oh. Interesting times ahead. Very, very interesting.'
"So, whaddaya want? Another of those weirdass spirit restraints? Hado practice targets? Boosters?"
"None of that, actually." Came Yoruichi's voice.
'Oh?' Kisuke raised an eyebrow. About every time Yoruichi was in his shop was to pick up some small training aid or something along those lines or to use his underground chamber. Each time she also had that 'touch-my-student-and-die' look in her eyes, too.
'What a shame. Such and interesting boy, Kurosaki-kun is, too.'
Yoruichi sounded damn smug. And amused. Whatever it was, it was bound to be interesting. Especially if it tied with the orange haired True Blood.
He glanced as his sweet, sweet yuri.
He looked at the door.
'AAARGH! I can't decide! I must have them both!'
He hated his curiosity sometimes.
'I wonder if Tatsu-chin and Yoruichi would reenact the scene from 'Sweet older sister seduction' Volume 2 if I asked them nicely?'
*
"Welcome, welcome, my wonderful clients!"
Walk in with flourish. Sweep his fan.
He SO loved his fan.
Of course, Benihime the pimp cane was better, of course. Yes.
Benihime was sweet, cute, hot, beautiful and just above and beyond.
Really. So no need to get snarky.
'I love you the most, baby. But you must admit, fan is fun, too.'
Why did he have a feeling he'd be getting a very could shoulder in his dreams for some time?
Ah, no matter, no matter.
"Welcome to my fine little establishment! Anything I can interest you in? We just got a fresh batch of-"
"Cut the crap, Kisuke and let's go to your office." Yoruichi jumped out of Ichigo's arm and he straightened up, giving the teens behind Yoruichi a careful look as they walked to the back of the store.
'Oh. Oh my, my.' His eyes narrowed slightly. 'And just what have you been doing, hmm?'
Ichigo's usual Le Mat shirt was open partially, probably not to irritate the bandaged ribs too much. His arms were bandaged and occasionally a bit of red still seeped through. And if his nose served, the boy had a smell of Yuuko's ointments on him. All over him. If they didn't manage to do the job completely, the injuries must have been quite serious. Even his face was cut and bruised, though mostly healed.
Tatsuki, walking next to her friend, was in no better condition.
'Worse, actually.' His eyes widened slightly as he spotted the gloves. Being an artificer himself he saw it for what they were - a spirit buffer of sorts, preventing the whatever injuries that were under them from being aggravated further. 'Oh my ...' He thought sadly. If the injuries were severe enough to warrant such measures ...
Still, they looked smug. Too smug. Too smug by far. Add a little bit and it would be Yoruichi-level of smug.
"So what brings you two beautiful ladies and fine gentleman to my humble little shop, then?" He asked curiously, closing the door behind them.
There was a brief hiss of power and Kisuke's eyes widened.
He KNEW that particular energy pattern. Oh he knew it VERY well.
The reiatsu decompressed, growing and filling out, as did the silhouette, shedding the fur, leaving behind the dusky skin, a lithe body and the same golden eyes glinting in mischief.
Kisuke noted at once that neither Tatsuki nor Ichigo seemed particularly surprised by the change.
'She told them?' Hr thought with surprise. 'Oh my, my, my ... This might be even more interesting than I suspected.'
Yoruichi opened her mouth, only to close it as Tatsuki coughed.
The dusky skinned woman gritted her teeth and extended her hand to the teen, who calmly gave her a small duffel bag.
Yoruichi discarded it a second later, pulling on the familiar orange and black bodysuit Kisuke knew so well.
She threw Tatsuki an annoyed look.
The brunette just grinned, whistling innocently.
Ichigo ... Didn't say a word.
And his eyes were looking a little bit glazed there for a second, Kisuke noted with amusement.
'Well, he IS a young boy. Though Yoruich's body has that effect on anybody. Why, the poor little Soi Fong blush-'
He blinked.
'Wait. Did she just say what I think she said?'
"Excuse me?" He said carefuly.
"Grand Fisher bounty, Kisuke." Yoruichi grinned smugly. He was sure she took her original form jsut to grin. Yoruichi was like that. "I'm here to cash it in."
"Oh. So you destroyed the bugger?" He nodded. "Sure, I can-"
"Me? I didn't lift a finger, Kisuke." She pointed her thummb at two teenagers behind her. "The kids did it all."
Kisuke just ... stared.
"Uh ... what?"
Yoruichi's grin got even wider.
"I said it was all them. Went all medieval on his hollow ass with no mercy and kicked it six ways from Sunday." She said gleefully. "Now, the cash?"
"You?" He pointed Benihime at Ichigo. "And you?" Behihime pointed at Tatsuki.
"Yup." the girl nodded nonchalantly. "Wanted to use his skin as a rug ... But it got all fried with Raikohou."
"That hair was shitty looking anyway." Ichigo shrugged.
"Ah. I see." Kisuke nodded slowly.
Grand Fisher had killed Shinigami. Several of them.
That hollow was no Arrancar, but it was old, powerful and cunning.
He knew that Yoruichi had been teaching them a thing or two, but he never really took it seriously. Sure, get a little training, no problem.
It would be good for the kid in the long run. Yoruichi knew her stuff. The girl? Well ... Why not. Not like they'd really go anywhere near the real stuff, though. The boy had power, but no control. And it was still immature. The girl? Well, Ichigo might have bled power like a leaky faucet, but the last he had seen her she barely registered.
Now, though ...
To fight an actual Shinigami-killer hollow and terminate it ...
'What the HELL is she putting those kids through? Onmitsukido's training regimen?'
"So, cash?" Yoruichi said with a smirk
"I'll transfer it right away." He reached for his rei-phhone, only to stop as Yoruichi gave him something.
He blinked.
Small piece of paper, resembling a calling card with a subtle The Fool design and odd, brass-looking lettering.
"'Fool's Errands'?" He read aloud. "And what is that supposed to be."
"Why, a calling card." Yoruichi said innocently.
"A calling card - that I can see. But what FOR?" He scratched his head, looking at the card curiously.
"Well, every business service has a calling card." Yoruich shrugged. "Thought we should get one too. Nice, ain't it? Yuuko made it. Never knew she was so handy with art."
"Why yeas, it is quite n- Wait." He halted, looking at his longtime friend. "What business?"
Yoruichi smirked.
*
"This is one freaky looking place." Tatsuki muttered, raising an eyebrow.
To say the house was odd, would be an understatement.
It looked like somebody started building a traditional Japanese residence, a large one at that, and suddenly decided he wanted to have a western style mansion instead near the end.
The general layout was Japanese, but the additions were so Western that it hurt.
Oddly enough, the odd mix of styles, similar a little to Yuuko's own place, gave a strangely out-there feel. But a pleasant one.
"You know ... I kinda like it." Ichigo muttered.
"Hmm? That's good." Yoruichi mused from her perch on Ichigo's shoulder.
"Good?" The blond blinked.
"I'll tell you later."
Ichigo's eyes narrowed. When she was this smug, she ALWAYS had something up her sleeve.
Always.
"Eh. Let's go." Tatsuki cracked her glove-covered knuckles. "Ghosts to exorcise, haunted house to clean up, cash to be earned. She grinned. "And if we're lucky a dumbass Hollow to kick around."
Ichigo smirked, cracking his neck.
He'll worry about his sometime-feline mentor later.
He had a job to get to.
'Exorcise the spirits. Get to kick Hollow ass and get paid for it. Sweet or what?'
The duo plus cat walked into the building.
Second later, the large gate closed behind them with an ominous and final sound.
There was a long silence.
"Ye Lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man, Inferno and Pandemonium! The sea barrier surges! March on to the south! Hado #31: SHAKKAHOU!"
The air screamed with raw explosive power, only to return to silence.
"Geez, on shot? That was ... kinda pathetic."
"Yup."
"I wonder what Yuzu is cooking for dinner tonight ..."
*
END hook, line and sinker
*
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