An Arcanist in Karakura Town 45 (Patreon)

An Arcanist in Karakura Town

Chapter 45

-VB-

Now that I had the onmyouji off my back, I didn’t have to worry about anyone else… for now.

In this small window of time that I had, I focused on Orihime and Tatsuki, because I didn’t know when I might be able to give them more of my time so readily. I didn’t do research or experimenting. I just … spent time with them.

Sure, some of the time was spent having sex, but sex became secondary.

Tatsuki was still a little bit cautious around me. There was a bit of a lack of trust, because her trust in me was fiat-backed by Orihime’s trust in me. She also didn’t approve or understand half of what I did.

Orihime was the one who understood and approved … about half of what I did. Even she didn’t accept the shit I did with the Hollows. She did, however, completely understand why I made the bombs and the traps that I did.

Because she understood that I was not like Ichigo. I wasn’t a super-spirit. I was the tricky, cunning, yet blunt man. I used tools to improve, not plot-holes and bloodlines.

Speaking of which, what exactly was the ryouga doing?

-VB-

One question led to one thing and that led to another.

At the end of it all, I found myself in a meeting with Urahara Kisuke, Kurosaki Isshin, and Yoruichi.

They were the old guard and wanted a measure of me.

The only reason - the only fucking reason - that I was doing this was because Orihime asked me, if only to get me to be more comfortable around the neighbors. Otherwise, I would have blasted them in the face the moment they showed their face.

Except Isshin. The man hadn’t done anything to me. Yet.

“So,” Urahara smiled before pulling out his fan and covering his lower face. “We meet again.”

“We do,” I glared. “If you try something like last time, I’ll drop a bomb, aight?”

“Of course! We’re doing this under a truce! I wouldn’t want to break the trust of our only line of communication.”

He was talking about Orihime, and he really didn’t, because if he did, then I was going to fuck him over hard.

… I was in meetings with potentially hostile or hostile forces way too often.

Where were the days when I can punch punks without consequences?

Oh, right. I became a local power. I can’t go around punching punks without the rest of the local powers eyeing me in suspicion.

Ah, the bitter shackles of power.

All the more reason to have more bombs, because once I had enough bombs, then I would be free of those self-applied shackles, right?

Right.

“What did you want to meet me for?” I asked pointedly.

“Why, no hellos and how are you’s-?”

I glared at him.

“Can we get on with it?”

He huffed. “Fine. Essentially, Gotei 13 wants me to get a handle on you more than they think they do.”

“And what do they think they know about me?”

“A mad scientist on par with Mayuri.”

My lips twitched, and I noticed his eyes glint. Urahara probably thought that I had some informant or spy network in place within Soul Society. I wasn’t going to correct him, but I needed to keep them - especially Urahara - on their toes. If they start to think they could get comfortable with me, then they’ll start pulling shit again.

“The man you pulled out of prison and left in charge of your division due to reasons,” I hummed. “And the man most likely to antagonize me to try and get a sample to study.”

Urahara stared at me blankly.

“Damn, you do know stuff you shouldn’t,” Isshin whistled.

I looked at him for a moment before giving him a seated bow. “Good morning, Kursosaki-san.”

He looked surprised by my show of respect. “Oh, you know who I am? And you still bow to me but not them?” he asked while jerking a finger at Yoruichi and Urahara.

“Of course,” I replied blandly after pulling back up. “It’s not hard to bow to someone who hasn’t tried to kill or ambush me and it’s doubly not hard to respect someone who gave so much for love.”

Nothing I said was wrong and I did feel respect for him, but the fact that he seemed to like me more after that was also a good bonus.

Isshin turned around and gave Urahara a smirk. “I like this guy.”

Urahara almost glared at him.

Yoruichi scoffed.

“Look, kid,” the Shihoin princess spoke up. “I get it. I scared you last time and came in without permission. I wasn’t trying to do. Much.”

“And the first time we met?” I asked with a glare.

She shrugged it off. “You were skulking around and killing Hollows. I was just … scouting things out.”

“Usually, engaging someone in unwanted combat means you want to kill them. I wonder how you would react if I were to, I don’t know, engage you in unwanted violence right now with a few of my bombs. Or should I try to take your stuff like you two tried with mine?”

Isshin looked at the two with a raised eyebrow. “You really did this guy dirty, huh?”

“It felt justified at the time,” Yoruichi shrugged. “But then again, you proved that we were right to have at least tried. You got dangerous.”

An admission of guilt but not one of shame.

I let out a deep breath.

Really, Urahara and Shihoin were no different from the bastards in Gotei 13. Immortal (long-lived), rightfully arrogant, and uncaring of the mortals.

Not incorrectly, because from their perspective, all mortals became souls, which mattered more, but it didn’t change the fact that it grated against my mind. Every time we met, it ended in a clusterfuck for me.

Why did I agree to this meeting?

Oh, right. Orihime asked for one more chance. Well, I certainly wasn’t going to give these two any more chances after this.

“I’m going to ask again. What do you want? Gotei 13’s self-prophecized paranoia can’t be the only reason you asked to meet me.”

Urahara met my eyes for a moment before nodding. “You are sharp.”

I didn’t reply.

He cleared his throat after a while. “Honestly, there are no ulterior motives. Gotei 13 really does want that assessment, and we aren’t keen on … making you resort to your bombs or any other unscrupulous weapons.”

I sighed. “Alright. Well, here I am. How do you intend to do your ‘assessment’?”

“Ask you questions and hope you answer honestly!” Urahara grinned as he pulled out a clipboard and a pen.

The rest of us looked at him incredulously.