Belonging

Ch.6 Training

"There, I'm done."

"Emi, you only had to fix the hole and repaint that spot. Not repaint the whole outside of the house!"

"But...it wasn't perfect."

"You damn perfectionist!"

The sun is currently setting when I finish the house. I put all the tools away and admire my handiwork.

"You actually did a good job." Nagi praises me.

"Of course I did. Everything I do has to be, and always will be, perfect."

"Hey, you two."

We look to find Ichigo arriving home from school.

"Hey, Strawberry." Nagi greets.

"What do you think?" I asked my brother as I point to the house.

"It's...perfect... It looks brand new... Wait, did you spend your whole day on this?"

"Yes. Perfection doesn't take minutes."

"...That's not the point."

"How was your day?"

"Right, listen to this. Rukia is going to our school. She was acting all nice in front of the others."

"The others could see her?"

"Well, she was wearing a Gigai."

"Gigai?"

"It's like a temporary human body soul reapers use. Anyway, she shows up and tells me I have to do her work because I took most of her power and she barely has any left."

"Did you accept?"

"At first, no. But then I had to fight a Hollow and save a little boy. I agreed after I had time to think."

"Well, do your job well."

"I will."

"Emiko! Dinner's ready!" Yuzu calls for me.

"Look at this house!"

Isshin had stepped out to see my handiwork.

"It's like we got a new house! Good job, Emiko!"

"It was nothing. This doesn't even begin to cover the huge debt I owe this family."

"Stop talking like that."

Isshin puts his arm around my shoulders as he pulls me into a big bear hug.

"You're a part of this family too. So stop sounding like an outsider."

"...Sorry, Mr. Isshin."

"You mean dad, right?"

"...Sorry, Mr. Kurosaki."

"You just took a step back!"

~~~~Time Skip~~~~

It's currently the weekend and Ichigo and Rukia were in the park doing some kind of training. I sit on the sidelines as I watch Ichigo swing a bat around. There was a machine that was shooting out small balls. Ichigo had to hit the correct ones.

Rukia was supposed to be supervising him, but she was reading a scary manga instead. Irritated, Ichigo walks up behind her and shouts in her ear. This startles her.

"Hey, what the heck are you doing?!"

"Ahhh!"

She faces my brother.

"Oh! You scared me! I'm studying the contemporary vernacular of this world!!"

"You were not. You were reading  a stupid horror manga while I'm training my soul reaper butt off. Where'd you find it, anyway?"

"Never mind that! Are finish with your training?"

"I had to hit these dumb pepper balls a hundred times, right? I'm done then."

"Fool! Only the wrong balls had pepper in them!"

"Wrong balls?"

"That's right!"

"Oops."

"You idiot! I told you to hit only the balls with heads! What's the point of the exercise if you don't?!"

"How should I know?!"

While yelling at Rukia, Ichigo picks up two of the balls.

"It's impossible to tell the head from the hands with the way you draw!"

Rukia takes one and shows it off.

"Listen! The head is a Hollow's weak spot! One good whack will split it open like a melon! This training will help you crack heads with precision, whatever the situation!"

"Why do I gotta do that? I've been beating them just fine."

"Fool! When did you ever defeat a Hollow with one blow?! Approaching a Hollow from behind and killing it with one blow is the essence of Hollow hunting. It's a miracle that you've survived fighting them as you have!"

"But hitting them from behind is unfair, I can't do it!"

"Fool!"

She really likes the word fool a lot, huh?

"Save the code of bushido for human foes! Hollows are your prey! Fairness doesn't apply here! That kind of thinking will get you killed."

"Easy on him." I speak up as I walk over to them. "Ichigo's always been this way."

"Hi, Ichigo!! Hi, Emiko!!"

A sudden happy shout scares my brother and Rukia half to death. I just stare at the long, orange-haired teen with a big smile on her face.

"O-Orihime! W-What are you doing here!?"

"Me? Oh, I was shopping and happen to be walking by."

Orihime happily shows us her bag of groceries.

"I bought leeks, butter, bananas, and bean jam jelly!"

...Gross.

"It's been awhile, Emiko."

"Yeah..."

"Are you coming back to school soon?"

"...I don't think so."

"Are the bullies still bothering you? Tatsuki said she'll defend you if you come back. I promise to protect you too."

"That's nice of you two. But, I'm happily continuing my studies at home. I find it more peaceful that way. Plus, it give me more time to search."

"...I see. S-Sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up."

"It's fine."

"Anyway, I hope you find your birth family really soon."

"Thanks." I smile a bit.

"So, what are you two doing here?"

"Um...well..." Ichigo struggles to answer.

Orihime looks behind us.

"Rukia?!"