The Real Ichigo

Telling Them

Urahara POV

"Is this true?" Captain Byakuya questioned me. They all turned to me at the question. Yoruichi had calmed down but looked ready to murder the man lying behind me.

'Shouldn't someone have taken him away by now? I wonder if Ichigo defeating him left him with any trauma... He did think that with the Hogyoku he'd be a god and win, but nooo~. A Substitute-Shinigami made him like this. Well~ work with me here brain, cause this story is gonna satisfy every costumer!'

I suddenly felt a little foxy.

Plus for Byakuya to be the one to ask it was a surprise. I thought it would rather be Rukia, Uryu, even Renji or Chad.

'Guess he respected him more than I'd thought.!'

"Sadly, it is. I arrived here before Yoruichi-san to scout out the fight only for it to be already over. Aizen was like this, so I restrained him just to be sure. He no longer held the Hogyoku by then. Ichigo, when I found him, however... was whizzing out of existence like dust and in pain. I tried, but couldn't help him. His Reiatsu was exhausted and turning into nothingness. He told me that he had used a technique taught to him by his Zanpakuto
-at the cost of his own powers-
to overpower and defeat Aizen.

He sputtered blood and by then didn't have his legs anymore. Nevertheless he asked me to tell you he was thankful. Thankful for living his live, having us as his friends, for teaching him, for bringing this adventure into his live and not feel responsible over this. For every time you were together, even the absurd ones; like holding a gathering of death god captains and leutenants in a teenage boys room who they once fought to the death with! Being shot in a cannonball into enemy territory. Talking to a cat! And -this one surprised me, did you know about this headcaptain?- finding out he's the grandson of the Headcaptain cause of his old man. Wether he grinned at those memories or the irony of it, I don't know and he started to have watery eyes. He barely had the spirit pressure of an ordinary animal before he turned to dust in a big cloud. Before it he said: "I'm coming, mom".

Wow, I dished that out like a chef. I don't know if I should pat my back later or question my traitor-ready qualities and lying skills.
'Then again I guess it fits for being a business man.
So everything alright there, no need for a bad conscience'.

I really shouldn't have thought that and instead opted to look at them. There are quite a lot of the worst expressions I've ever seen on them! Headcaptain Yamamoto's took the cake however! He didn't have eyebrows anymore, so high that they are like tufts of hair (that he doesn't have, should I start a cabinet for wigs?) and looks at Isshin eyes wide!
His cane is trembling and some are looking at him. Captain Unohana laid a supporting hand on his weary and uninjured shoulder.
Toshiro is blinking owlishly, trying to remain impassive, but failing as he doesn't have an anchor, like Rangiku usually is, around.
You could see tears down Rukia and Chad's face, balling their fists or slumping onto the ground.
Uryu keeping a poker face, his eyes perfectly hidden by the tint in his glasses.
Renji had a smirk on his face and tears in his eyes, but hid them with his headband.

Orihime had no expression on her face. Others would think she's frozen or gone into shock, but I see relief and miniscule regret.

'The last 3 are definitely suspicious'.

The rest seemed, otherwise.
Guess I could tell them. First off was Yoruichi as she isn't seen around often or could hide as a cat. The others' would show a change in behaviour that would alert the rest that something was wrong.