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Chapter 37: The Watchers
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'Fuck no I don't,' Akashi leaped to his feet and flashed away, escaping to the end of the world... God, this world is making him feel so insecure and unsafe.
A blur of sleek black fur zipped across the dim-lit rooftops of Karakura Town, silent but swift, almost invisible under the night sky.
The figure moved in graceful arcs between structures, scaling and descending with acrobatic ease, her golden eyes glinting under the moonlight.
When she finally came to a halt atop a tall utility pole, the feline's body heaved in a sigh and her tail flicked.
"Phew," The cat muttered aloud to no one in particular, her voice surprisingly human, feminine, and confused, "That was close."
It was no ordinary cat. This was Yoruichi Shihōin; former commander of the Onmitsukidō, exiled noble of the Shihōin clan, and longtime ally of Kisuke Urahara.
She had been watching the new Shinigami stationed in Karakura Town; Akashi, the tenth seat of the Fifth Division.
Just observing from a distance, that was the idea. But then… she'd let her thoughts spiral a little too deep.
Thoughts on what kind of pawn Aizen had sent this time. Aizen doesn't do things without purpose, and it's only a positive to be overly cautious against someone like him.
Even if he had sent someone random, she'd still not dare underestimate him, yet even with that knowledge, she found that she'd still underestimated Aizen's pawn.
For just a moment, her scrutiny had grown too intense; and in wondering about his purpose in being here, her thoughts delved into countermeasures which included silencing the pawn.
That would of course be something she'd only think about as moving Aizen's pawn may have unintended consequences, and they'd rather lay low..
However, in that instant, the young man turned. His face, adorning a frown, snapped toward her position like a wolf catching a scent.
Had she not been who she is; Had she not been the woman who holds the title of "Flash Goddess"; she would've most certainly been seen.
Her prowess in Shunpo is so formidable that she can appear in several places at once, and can easily close tremendous gaps of distance in the blink of an eye while remaining undetected.
That's why she was able to vanish the moment she saw him turning his head in her direction.
Then… he vanished.
A sharp, jarring Shunpo, fast and wild. A curse tossed in the wind. Gone, like a startled deer.
"That Scared me," Yoruichi murmured, her ears twitching, "So sensitive… no wonder Aizen's taken him as a pawn."
She turned and raced off into the night, moving swiftly back toward the safe familiarity of the Urahara Shop.
"Back already?" Kisuke Urahara's voice rang from behind the counter as Yoruichi padded into the store and leapt onto the wooden platform.
"I spooked him," She said simply, scratching her paws.
Urahara raised a brow beneath his striped hat, flipping a page of the book he pretended to be reading, "I assume you weren't trying to be seen?"
"Of course not," She replied, frowning. "Don't know how, but he somehow sensed me, And then bolted like a damn ghost. He hadn't seen me, I'm sure."
Urahara narrowed his eyes, "Aizen is interested in him, so it's no surprise that he's special."
"I still don't know why he was sent here, and I didn't see much from watching him," Said Yoruichi.
"Mmm…" Urahara hummed, setting his book down, "Well, considering he's under Aizen's wing, let's just assume the worst."
"I agree, but something's not adding up," Yoruichi noted, "He acts weird. From what I saw; he's not confident. He seemed afraid. Always alert. That's not how Aizen's people behave."
Urahara raised a brow, one hand resting on his cane, "Afraid? That's either a trap or he hasn't fully joined yet. Maybe Aizen is still only in the interested phase?"
"Do we interfere?" She asked.
He shook his head slowly. "No. Not yet. I feel like Aizen would know. And we still don't know what he's doing in Karakura, so let's just watch."
It's indeed Urahara who understands Aizen the most.
Akashi had returned to his duties like nothing had happened. He said nothing to anyone; partially because there was no one to talk to, and partially because there was no one to trust
He wasn't sure who had been watching him, but he had a sneaking suspicion about who it might be. He was, however, unwilling to look into it.
'I've got enough problems on my own, add Urahara and Yoruichi and I might as well date death.' Akashi rubbed his temple in annoyance as he walked the quiet streets of Karakura.
He had a headache just thinking about having someone like Urahara as his enemy.
His days blended into one another: Konso after Konso. He found the lingering souls of the dead, Pluses who had yet to pass on.
With quiet words and the butt of his Zanpakutō, he sent them on; either to Soul Society or, if they were evil beyond redemption, to Hell they fall. Those were rare, however.
He also encountered the twisted ones; Tsukirei and Jibakurei. Spirits who had become bound by regret or rage, refusing to move on.
A Jibakurei is a spirit who is not able to leave the Human World that easily because he or she regrets leaving something behind.
They aren't too uncommon as he found a few Jibakurei clinging to various things, from the ruins of a burnt-down house, a basement, or even vehicles. They're odd.
The most twisted, however, were Tsukirei, spirits very similar to Jibakurei, as it is also unable to leave the Human World because of something they regret leaving behind.
The difference is that a Tsukirei, instead of being bound to a place, is bound to a person, with the Chain of Fate being wrapped around said individual.
They're a lot more common as people are more likely to be obsessed with other people than places.
But the real treasure; was the Hollows.
Akashi must have worked harder than any other Shinigami in hunting them, seemingly desperate to feed Kurayami and have some more sources of security.
He also trained obsessively when he wasn't hunting. Zanjutsu, he trained against hollows, focusing purely on speed, how to cut faster.
His Shunpo grew too. If talent was lacking, repetition would compensate.
Over and over, he flashed through Karakura Town; between lampposts and alleys, over water towers and behind convenience stores, drilling movement until it was muscle memory.
He was preparing for rainy nights, but unease still poisoned his days.
The sensation of being watched never left him. Most of the time it was subtle, like pressure at the edge of his consciousness.
It's the occasional malicious eyes that drive him insane, making him feel as if he was treading on thin ice.
He knew Tokinada was still out there. Watching. Waiting. And he knew he wasn't the only one watching.
'Fuckin' perverts…' He would love to call them to their face.
Til it finally happened, on one faithful evening, after sending off a Plus who'd died in a car crash, Akashi sat on the edge of a tower crane, sipping vending machine coffee like a tired salaryman.
Just watching the stars while contemplating life.
And then… he felt it.
Pressure. Heavy. Cruel. Malicious. Like iron dripping blood into his bones.
It wasn't the same as before.
Akashi frowned, letting out a weary sigh.
More than one.
They were here.
He stood, drawing Kurayami slowly from its sheath.
His voice came quiet, soft, steady.
What is destined is bound to come, "Show yourselves, you fucking perverts."
Akashi felt so much more relaxed after saying so. Being watched for a whole month did a number on his mental, and he was losing his patience.
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