Kazuya never expected to be visited by Kisuke Urahara of all people. Then again, Kisuke could have come seeking Lisa and stumbled upon him. Or maybe Kisuke detected an anomaly in him during their last interaction and had returned for further investigation.
There could be a million reasons for Kisuke to be here.
Slipping into his clothes, he looked at Kisuke. “Your clothes are similar to traditional Japanese clothes. Are you a Shinigami?”
He chose an icy demeanor over his usual frivolous self. Being playful would lead him nowhere against Kisuke.
“Nope. I would never sail the same boat as them.” Kisuke chuckled. “The worth of a person is not found in the threads of their clothing, but in the fibers of their character. Mine is incredibly pure and lovable.”
Kazuya never thought he would find someone more shameless than himself, yet here he was, getting swept into Kisuke’s incredible bullshit.
“You are not a Shinigami, then what are you?”
“Just a handsome merchant in possession of the most useful shop~.” Kisuke fished out a silver card from his sleeve and waved it around cheerfully. “Here, feel free to visit when you find yourself in trouble. Of course, our excellent service comes at a cost~.”
Helping people that intrigued him then owing them a favor — Kisuke Urahara’s motto was simple yet very effective in making backup strategies for the backup strategies.
“...I asked about your race.”
“That's dangerously close to racism. Should I report you to the spiritual realm’s civil rights authority?”
Kazuya furrowed his brow. “Since when asking about someone's race become a violation?”
Kisuke pressed a hand against his chest. “I already told you I’m just your merchant who happened to have a shop in this town. My race and background are irrelevant. Any further inquiry is an attack on my privacy.”
“...How long have you been peeping on me?”
“...The moment you opened the closet.”
They exchanged an awkward glance before Kazuya took a sigh of relief. It would be problematic if Kisuke saw his regeneration — a skill mostly possessed by Hollow, not Quincy. It would be challenging to explain the origin of his regeneration skill to the guy who knew almost everything about all the races.
‘I’ll need a different approach. I gotta open his old wounds.’
Looking out of the window, Kisuke said, “I’m afraid our conversation ends here for today. I need to retire for the night and open my shop early in the morning.”
“Kisuke Urahara, you have changed,” he whispered, a serene smile on his face. “The former Captain of the 12th Division. The groundbreaking innovator behind Seireitei's Research and Development Institute. I heard you’re now known as the ‘Exiled Shinigami’ in Seireitei.”
Gone was the laid-back Kisuke, his lazy eyes replaced by a focused stare. Kazuya seemed clueless about the spiritual world in their last meeting, now he seemed to know things most Shinigami of this era wouldn’t. The stark change was completely out of Kisuke’s calculations.
“I’m sorry about acting like that on that rainy day. I had to make sure you were the real Kisuke Urahara, not some fake illusion made by that guy.”
Narrowing his eyes, Kisuke gripped his cane, which happened to be his Zanpakutō in disguise. “Where did you get this information?”
The information about Aizen’s betrayal was only known to Visored, Yoruichi, Tessai, and him — none of them were foolish enough to divulge such information, apart from the young lady living in this mansion.
“Nobody.” Kazuya shook his head. “I don’t feel safe talking about him here. Can we go somewhere more private?”
“Are you talking about—”
“Aizen, yes—no, not now. Fuck!”
He grimaced as he sensed the formation of a garganta not far from his location. A Hollow had breached the Living World to prey on innocent souls; it was significantly weaker than the Menos Grande, a Hollow yet to evolve from its base state — still a challenging foe for average Quincy.
Kisuke sighed and waved his hand. “Take care of it and meet me at my shop in the morning. The address is on the card.”
Kisuke said his piece and phased through the wall like a ghost, leaving behind no trace of his Reiryoku.
He clicked his tongue. The mention of Aizen's treachery had fully captured Kisuke’s interest. Despite being a scientist, Kisuke was far from a heartless individual. He banked everything on Kisuke being understanding of his fabricated circumstances. If he played his cards right, Kisuke might just help him and his Hollow companions. Even getting Hōgyoku for Harribel and others wouldn’t be out of the question.
‘I have to be patient.’
Izumi barged into his room, her face solemn. “You need to come with us.”
He held her shoulder and looked right into her eyes. “Onee-chan, go to bed. I’ll take care of it.”
She shook her head defiantly. “This Hollow isn’t weak. Akira and Katsumi have already left. I’ll support them while you can observe the battle.”
She gave him the observer role in his ‘first’ meeting with a Hollow, despite having full knowledge of his abilities. Her overprotectiveness towards him was on another level.
“You’re so stubborn.” He sighed, massaging his forehead. “I prohibit you from fighting.”
She crossed her arms and met his stern gaze with her own. ”On what grounds are you ordering me, the Matriarch of Ishida Clan?”
“Stop with the bullshit, baka Onee-chan.”
“I will let you fight on one condition… prioritize your safety. If things go wrong, flee at the first moment.”
“As if I’ll let it escalate that far. Have some confidence in your pupil, Izumi-sensei.”