Ding dong!
The bell rang loudly signaling the end of school.
Many students got out of class eagerly. While chatting lively to each other, some boys ran to the field where sport club members prepared to start their routine.
The sun was shining brightly overhead creating shadows everywhere around them, reflecting light off the windows of the building nearby.
Keigo, one of Ichigo's friends, was walking toward Shirou and Ichigo's desk.
"Hey, do you want to go to karaoke?" He invited the siblings. "Mizuiro told me about this cool new song today! I'm sure we'll enjoy singing along too. What about it?"
"Ooh! I am going." Ichigo accepted enthusiastically.
Shirou, however, politely declined. He already planned to visit Urahara Shoten today for more training.
"Sorry, but I can't come. Have fun you guys."
"Eeeeh~ Shirou-kun is absent again..." Keigo pouted slightly as he looked disappointed. "You never hung out with us! You don't like to hang out with us?!"
"Hahaha, it's not like that. I have part time work to do. See ya tomorrow!"
With that, Shirou bid his friends farewell and went his separate way. He grabbed his bag and headed downstairs to the exit.
Running down the street, he passed through a shopping district full of people carrying shopping bags, children playing soccer on empty lot, old men gathered around mahjong tables and smoking pipes, women gossiping idly near the local park.
Seeing the peaceful sight eased him somehow.
Finally, he reached the front door of his destination—a run-down looking old shop called Urahara Shop.
"Hello!" He greeted while entering.
"Oh! Young master, welcome! Please make yourself comfortable." Tessai greeted him with a warm smile.
Shirou looked around and didn't see anyone else.
"Is it just you here, Tessai-san?"
"Yes. Urahara-san is with Jinta and Ururu while Yoruichi-san is... being somewhere."
"Hahaha, is that so?" He chuckled lightly. "Is there something I can help?"
"Oh right!" Tessai perked up. "Actually the fan makes a strange noise. Can you help me fix it?"
"The fan?"
Tessai pointed toward a standing fan on the side. It was old but clean because it had been maintained regularly.
When turned on however, it emitted loud buzzing noises which annoyed customers who visited this store.
"Sure." Shirou nodded.
He sat next to it and activated his magecraft.
"Trace On."
After activating it, he understood the inner structure of the fan and identified the problem.
Then, he took the fan apart carefully to reveal its inner components.
With dexterity honed by years of working with machinery parts that earned him the title of janitor, he began to repair it one by one.
It took him less than thirty minutes before everything was completed. He assembled it back into its original form and tested it again.
There were no longer any unusual sounds emitted from the rotating blade when it spun around rapidly.
Everything functioned properly now. Even dust accumulated inside the motor unit vanished after thorough cleaning.
"Done!"
"Thank you very much." Tessai expressed gratitude.
"It's nothing." Shirou shrugged modestly. "By the way... Have you seen any strange stuff happen around town lately I've heard the Shinigami tasked in Karakura has disappeared."
"The Shinigami disappeared?" Tessai blinked in surprise, pondering a bit. "Ah, yes... You're right. Recently there are a lot of Hollows appearing. I wonder why..."
"So it is true, huh..." He let out a tired sigh as he heard the answer.
"But you don't need to worry. The Soul Society will send another Shinigami to oversee the town. Maybe they will send the replacement today and everything will return to normal."
Well, it would be ideal.
"Right, let's hope so. Thanks for helping me earlier, Tessai-san!" He smiled at him gratefully. "Do you have any job for me?"
"There's some that need to be moved. Follow me."
"Okay."
Together they left the shop and went into the warehouse behind it.
They stacked large cardboard boxes and refilled the store.
The job was mundane and simple, but Shirou enjoyed it.
Urahara and two kids that suddenly appeared out of nowhere, Shirou only got introduced to them one day, and arrived at the store when the sun was about to set.
"Ah, Shirou!" The red-haired kid called Jinta greeted excitedly. "Are you finally ready for round three?"
"Playing with Shirou?" Ururu asked softly and tilted her head to one side curiously.
"Not today, Jinta. It's almost dinner and I have to cook for my family. We can play catch tomorrow." Shirou shook his head firmly.
Jinta gritted his teeth, clearly unhappy about missing his chance to beat Shirou while Urara seemed dejected upon hearing that but nodded nonetheless. Meanwhile, Urahara put his palm over his cheek while smirking teasingly.
"Eh~ Not playing baseball with me today~"
"Well, sorry, Hat and Clogs."
Shirou rolled his eyes exasperatedly at Urahara's dramatic display before ruffling his hair tiredly.
He finished putting the last cardboard box before bidding goodbye to the crew.
"See you, everyone."
***
While walking back home, Shirou decided to stop by a convenience store to buy pudding on the way home. His little sisters, the tomboy Karin and cute Yuzu, really liked desserts, and his father adored sweets. As for his mother, she'd eat everything delicious.
When he returned to Kurosaki clinic, however, he found something strange. A single black butterfly fluttered outside his house. At first he thought it might be an out of season butterfly, but the way it moved was peculiar.
It actually moved toward spirits.
What if it was a certain butterfly that only spirits could see?
Carefully approaching it, Shirou extended his index finger to touch the butterfly. When he was inches away from reaching the insect however, a strange gate suddenly appeared and someone leaped out.
A girl wearing black shihakusho with a sword strapped across her waist jumped through the gate. Her face was beautiful yet emotionless, giving her an elegant beauty beyond comparison.
She had short jet-black hair.
Her icy eyes observed her surroundings with alertness and caution. Then, she followed the butterfly as the gate behind her disappeared into thin air.
Shirou's hand hovered in the air as everything happened within mere seconds. He couldn't believe what transpired in front of him just now.
'A gate appeared out of thin air! Could that woman be the Shinigami replacement?' Shirou blinked slowly, trying to absorb everything that occurred before him.
The outfit, sword, and the way the lady acted. If what Isshin, Kisuke and Tessai taught him was correct, then she might be the Shinigami sent to replace whoever disappeared earlier.
"So the Soul Society is sending reinforcement," Shirou said aloud. "If she was sent to replace the lost Shinigami, the Soul Society must be aware of the abnormal increase of hollow attacks lately."
But that woman was alone.
It would be hard for her to fight the hollow alone, not to mention when there was an increment in their numbers lately.
"Well, she should manage."
Slinging his bag over his shoulder, Shirou decided to return home. His dad and mom had plans tonight, so it would only be him and his siblings. He would cook them something delicious and tasty, a hearty meal.
Then, he suddenly felt a shiver running down his spine.
'What the-!'
His instinct told him there was an enemy nearby.
A hollow. Very close to him.
And to the direction of his house.
'Damn!' Shirou cursed loudly as he quickly got his bag into his hands and dashed away toward home.
He didn't care about suppressing his reiatsu anymore. He strengthened his body using reinforcement and raced across the road like wind, pushing away random passersby who came in his way without batting an eye.
When he finally reached home, he saw something unbelievable. A hollow stood in front of his house. And then, Karin sprawled on the ground with injuries.
Worse, Ichigo somehow stood in front of the soul reaper he saw earlier while gripping her sword.
Shirou's blood turned cold at the sight. His eyes widened at the sight.
His reiatsu flared, ready to be used. Thousands of swords answered his call, ready to be called.
However, as he traced the twin swords he always used to kill the Hollow, Ichigo suddenly pushed the Shinigami's sword into his body.
"Ichigo!"
An intense light burst forth as the sword pierced Ichigo. Heavy reiatsu filled the area instantly as the boy was struck.
That reiatsu—
'Shinigami?'
Shirou's eyes widened. He could see Ichigo's figure as the light disappeared, revealing a tall figure wearing a black Shihakushō with orange hair like a candle flame.
The large sword rested on the boy's shoulder while he cracked a grin on his lips.
"Yo, monster! It's my turn."
***Chapter End***
No matter where, Shirou will always be a janitor. smh
Rukia arrived, and the story started.
Also, Heroes always come late. This time he regretted it because his brother became a Shinigami.
Is that truly the case? Or is there someone out there planning something? (I am looking at you respectfully, hidden mastermind.)