Karakura Town, Urahara Shōten
In a small, old room with tatami flooring and a small round table in the center, three people sat facing one another.
"A way to resurrect the dead... huh..." – Urahara let out a sigh upon hearing Yoruichi's words – "Are you sure Ren-san asked you about this?"
"Yes, it seems that boy is still obsessed with Masaki." – Yoruichi nodded, her gaze shifting to the third person—none other than Isshin.
A heavy silence filled the room for a mont before Isshin offered a faint, sorrowful smile and lowered his gaze to the teacup before him, his hands folded on his knees.
"I didn't expect this… I knew Ren was obsessed with his mother, but I didn't think he'd go this far." – he muttered softly, the tone of his voice echoing an old regret – "I thought he just wanted the truth… not to fight it."
Urahara tilted his head slightly, slipping his hands into the sleeves of his white coat.
"My knowledge of Ren is limited to him being a talented and mysterious boy… but you, Isshin, you know him better than anyone, don't you?"
"I raised him under my roof." – Isshin replied, glancing up at the cracked wooden ceiling as if searching for a lost answer – "I thought I was hiding the truth from him, but it seems… he's always seen it in his own way."
"Sotis..." – Yoruichi said as she calmly watched them – "People don't need the truth. They need a reason... sothing to fill the void death leaves behind."
"And that's exactly what scares ." – Isshin said, his tone sharper this ti – "Motivations born of pain… lead to paths with no return."
Urahara nodded slowly.
"Do you know what exactly he's planning? What kind of resurrection is he looking for?"
Yoruichi closed her eyes for a mont before answering.
"Nothing specific… but he said sothing odd yesterday. He asked about spiritual frequencies. And whether it was possible to trace a dead person's presence through the lingering reiatsu where they died."
Urahara frowned slightly. The creak of wood beneath his seat was the only sound breaking the silence.
"...That's not just curiosity. That's research."
Isshin leaned forward, his eyes flashing with concern –
"We can't let him walk down that path. It's impossible to bring soone back if their soul was devoured by a Hollow. If he keeps clinging to this, he'll destroy himself out of obsession."
"Do you have a way?" – Yoruichi asked, watching Isshin with curiosity – "From what I saw, it doesn't seem like he has any intention of giving up on reviving Misaki."
"There is a way… but it depends on what kind of obsession Ren has." – Isshin stared into his teacup and spoke – "If it's the idea of having a mother that haunts him, we can fix that. But if it's Masaki herself he's fixated on… then it's far more difficult."
Yoruichi and Urahara exchanged silent glances. Both understood the deep aning behind Isshin's words.
"You're saying there is a way?" – Urahara finally said, his voice calm but weighty, as if calculating every outco in his complex mind.
"Yes." – Isshin replied firmly, lifting his eyes to et theirs – "If we can't convince him to abandon this path, then we must offer him an alternative… sothing to satisfy his heart without destroying his soul."
Yoruichi raised an eyebrow.
"Are you planning to marry again?"
"..."
Urahara also stared at Isshin with mild surprise but quiet understanding. Shortly after Masaki's death, he had once proposed the idea to the black-haired man—having a woman care for the children seed like the best way to help heal the broken family. But Isshin had firmly refused back then, unwilling to give up on his love so soon, especially since she died protecting the fruit of their love.
"I've been thinking about it for a while now." – Isshin nodded, not denying Yoruichi's words – "The kids need a mother figure, especially Karin and Yuzu. I've relied on them too much—especially Yuzu. She's still in elentary school, yet takes care of the house all on her own."
A short silence followed Isshin's words, as if ti itself had paused for a mont, before Yoruichi sighed slowly and said:
"I didn't expect to hear this from you, honestly."
"People change. Or maybe… circumstances change them." – Isshin murmured, his voice now more mature and less evasive – "I'm not saying I've forgotten Masaki, or that I'm ready to replace her… but I'm human. And so are my children. We can't keep living in the shadow of the dead. I'm certain Masaki wouldn't want Ren to destroy himself for her."
Urahara nodded slowly, pulling out a small fan from his sleeve and opening it in front of his face as he spoke with a light yet precise tone:
"Psychologically speaking, a new maternal presence might gradually heal what Ren is going through. But… if the roots are deeper—if he's begun to see Masaki as an untouchable ideal—then even marriage won't help. He might see it as betrayal."
"I know." – Isshin replied imdiately, without hesitation this ti – "But I can't sit still. If I can't stop him from digging through the ashes of the past… then at least, I'll plant sothing living in the present."
Yoruichi closed her eyes for a mont, then spoke with a sharp but sincere tone:
"Just rember… what you're about to do won't help him unless he's willing to change. Ren isn't a child anymore. He's been through things even we don't know. You can't save soone who doesn't want to be saved."
"And that's where our role cos in..." – Urahara said as he stood up, his expression turning more serious – "To maintain the balance... give him a choice, not a path. Sothing to touch, to see, to ponder—but not to drown in."
"In fact, I've been watching Ren's condition for a while, and I've had this solution in mind… but I've tried to avoid it, hoping he'd wake up on his own. But his unexpected awakening seems to have pushed him further into extres." – Isshin sighed, taking a sip from his now-cold tea – "But it seems I'll need to introduce them to Tsukiko-san first… and see how they react."
A heavy silence fell over the room at the ntion of Tsukiko-san.
Yoruichi stared at him with a strange expression, while Urahara's gaze froze for a mont, as if the na had recalled an old mory he never expected to revisit.
"...Tsukiko?" – Urahara muttered as he folded his fan slowly – "You an… that young woman who used to work in the dical division of the Gotei 13?"
Isshin nodded silently.
"She was my fiancée when I was heir to the Shiba Clan. She knows my situation and has been through sothing similar." – he added in a calm voice, with sothing unspoken beneath it – "She has children as well but has been divorced from her human husband for so ti now."
"I've been thinking about it for a while." – Isshin continued – "I raised my kids, and I know they won't oppose my decision. In fact, they've ntioned multiple tis that they wouldn't mind if I wanted to remarry. But I always refused because of my attachnt to Masaki. Still, it seems the ti has co to move forward."
'I see... he's truly beco human now,' Yoruichi thought silently, but didn't say it aloud. It was better this way. After all, Isshin was no longer Shiba Isshin, Captain of the 10th Division. He was now just a human who cared for his family and himself.
"Seems you've made your decision, so I won't say much more." – Urahara replied with a carefree smile. He didn't really care whether Isshin remarried or clung to Masaki's ghost. What mattered most was that Ren didn't end up siding with Aizen. That would be a disaster—and might even force Urahara to kill Ren, a move that would irreparably damage his relationship with Isshin.
"Since it's been decided, we'll leave the observation to Yoruichi-san while she trains him and tries to guide him away from the darkness."
Of course, Urahara had no intention of revealing his plan to eliminate Ren should he side with Aizen. He knew that saying such a thing would shatter his relationship with Isshin—and he had no desire to lose such a valuable ally, especially while still being a wanted criminal in Soul Society.
"Even though that kid seems to open up to on the surface, it's clear he's cautious around ." – said Yoruichi suddenly, her gaze locking on Isshin – "That's why I've decided to stay close to him in my cat form. Do you mind?"
"I don't." – Isshin replied calmly, looking at her seriously – "In fact, I think it's a good idea. You know how attached Ren has been to cats since he was a child… maybe that alone will bring him comfort in the middle of his ntal storm."
"Exactly what I thought." – Yoruichi smiled softly, leaning back slightly – "I don't expect his trust, but at the very least… I want to keep the darkness from devouring him."
"..."
Urahara glanced at Yoruichi beside him from the corner of his eye. His thoughts were unreadable, but in the end, he said nothing.
...
To get more chapters please visit my p@treon :
/Akasaki_Ryujin
For support :
sko-fi/akasaki_ryujin
Reviews
All reviews (0)