[The Substitute Shinigami Arc] Part 14: Unexpected Start

Just like in the manga, Ichigo decided to get some answers from Rukia, taking her to a place away from the school. The difference is that this time I was dragged along…

Rukia: "Where are we going?"

Yato: "Is everything okay, Ichigo?" - I asked pretending not to understand the situation.

Ichigo: "Don't give me that! I want to know what's going on here. Is this some kind of joke of yours, Yato?"

Yato: "But what are you talking about?"

Ichigo: "I'm talking about this shinigami story! Are you a shinigami too?!"

Rukia: "Of course he isn't."

Yato: 'Now there's no use pretending anymore.' - I thought while looking at Rukia.

Ichigo: "But you at least know-"

Yato: "I know she's a shinigami, Ichigo." - I said interrupting him. I wasn't really in the mood to listen to his questions.

Yato: "I know she's a spirit and I know you see them too."

Ichigo: "And why didn't you ever say anything?"

Yato: "You never asked. And it didn't seem like the kind of subject you wanted to discuss either."

After grimacing, Ichigo seemed to think a little about what I had just said and just sighed.

Ichigo: "But what about you? Isn't your job over!? Why are you in my class!? Didn't you go back to that Soul Society place!?"

Rukia: "You fool. Only Shinigami are able to return to Soul Society. At the moment I am unable to go back, after all, I lost my Shinigami powers."

I just watched the rest of the conversation, which was more or less like the original story… except for a few things, like when Ichigo refused Rukia's request and then proposed that I do the job.

When Rukia used that glove to take Ichigo's spirit out of his body, because I already knew what was going to happen, I only suggested that I would take his body to a safe place while Rukia presented the shinigami work to him.

Yato: 'Now where do I take him…?' - I thought while carrying Ichigo's body with some difficulty. Physical exercise was never my strong point.

Yato: 'I can't take his body to the infirmary. If they check his pulse, they'll think he's dead…'

As I walked through the school, I noticed that there was someone who seemed to be waiting for me.

For a moment I hesitated because I didn't want them to question that I was carrying Ichigo, but it seems that this time I wasn't so lucky, since the person was coming towards me and what surprised me the most was seeing that it was Tatsuki.

Tatsuki: "What's going on, Yato?"

Yato: 'What should I say at a time like this?'

Tatsuki: "I came because I thought it was strange the way Ichigo brought you and the new student here."

Yato: "I know this sounds really weird but-"

Tatsuki: "And what surprised me the most was seeing him a few seconds ago wearing a black kimono while carrying the new student away and I feel like this has to do with the weird people with chains I've been seeing lately."

That information…it scared me. Tatsuki shouldn't be able to see spirits, at least not until she had direct contact from Hollow attacks and even then it took her a while to see spirits clearly.

Tatsuki: "I didn't know how to start this kind of conversation with Ichigo so I waited…but you know something, don't you?"