Chapter 8

 

Toshiro was silent beside me as we walked to Kisuke’s shop; his new sneakers lit up with each step. I was still unsure about Kisuke and his story, but he was the only option I had if I wanted to understand what was happening to my brother and me. Toshiro was on edge as well, knowing how I acted around Kisuke.

 

“Why are we going back to see that man? You don’t like it there,” Toshiro asked.

 

“Because I want to understand what’s happening to us, and what I can do to stop it,” I answered, my voice sharper than I had intended. I internally cringed, but Toshiro seemed unaffected by my tone, like he’d expected it.

“Why didn’t Mr. Ishida tell us what happened before?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

My voice was softer this time and I sighed softly. There were a lot of things I didn’t know and it scared me to think of how Toshiro could be hurt because of it. I didn’t want that to happen. If I wanted to protect my brother, I’d have to trust Uryuu and his friends. We soon arrived at Kisuke’s candy shop, where I found two teen sweeping the front porch. One was a timid girl with black hair that fell down the middle of her face. Her eyes were downcast and I could only guess she had very low self-esteem. The other child was a boy with messy red hair and tanned skin. He was much more outgoing, but crude. In fact, as my brother and I neared, the red haired boy was verbally abusing the girl.

 

“Don’t be stupid, Ururu!” he yelled and raised his broom. Before he could bring it down on her head, I grabbed the handle and pulled it from his hands. The boy looked up at me with a glare. “Who the heck are you?”

 

“I’m here to see Mr. Urahara. Who’re you two?” I asked sternly, using the tone I often used when Toshiro was in trouble.

 

“My name is Jinta and she’s Ururu. We help manage the shop.”

 

“Well, Jinta, do you mind telling me why you were about to hit Ururu with this broom?” Jinta glared at me and tried to grab the cleaning instrument from my hands. I held it above my head, where he couldn’t quite reach.

 

“You can’t tell me what to do!”

 

“That certainly doesn’t make it right for you to hit her.”

 

“Why don’t you mind your own damn business?!” Jinta demanded, jumping up and grabbing the broom from my hand. At that moment, the front door opened to reveal Kisuke Urahara.

 

“Now, Jinta, is that any way to treat a guest?” he asked lazily, almost as if he were joking. “Miss Kitamura, Toshiro, please come with me.”

 

I glanced at Jinta and Ururu before nodding and following Kisuke inside, Toshiro close behind me. We were led to one of the back rooms, where I could see a group of familiar faces gathered around a small table. Ichigo was seated nearest the door and turned to greet us. Uryuu and Orihime were on the left side of the table and across from them was a muscular, very tan man with messy brown hair that covered his eyes. There was an empty seat next to him, which Kisuke motioned towards for me. Reluctantly, I took a seat with my legs crossed and set Toshiro in my lap with my arm wrapped around him. Kisuke sat across from Ichigo, at the head of the table.

 

“Good to see you’re doing well, Toshiro,” Ichigo said with a smile. He was trying to lighten the atmosphere, I could tell.

 

“Now that everyone’s here, we can begin,” Kisuke noted, glancing my way. I wasn’t sure exactly what he expected from me, but I figured it was as good a time as any to begin asking questions.

 

“Mr. Ishida, Orihime, why didn’t you tell me any of this if you knew what was going on?” I asked, staring directly at them.

 

“I didn’t know if you saw the Hollow. I thought it had been a coincidence that you were attacked last week,” Uryuu answered earnestly. Ichigo scoffed.

 

“Then an Arrancar showed up yesterday with a pet Hollow,” he muttered.

 

“Well, we’ve figured out this isn’t an accident, but why are they targeting my brother and me?” I asked.

 

“I can answer that,” Kisuke said. “You see, your brother has a very high spiritual pressure, but he has no control over it. Because of that, his spiritual pressure basically expands to those he is closest to. You live with him, so it’s only natural your own spiritual pressure was stimulated by Toshiro’s.”

 

“And… what about that wall of ice that appeared yesterday?”

 

“That would be Toshiro’s spiritual pressure at work. Toshiro, what was going through your mind as the Hollow attacked?” My brother shied away, leaning further into me.

 

“You mean that giant snake?” he asked. Kisuke nodded. “I just wanted Mina-chan to be safe. She’s still hurt from last time.”

 

“That’s why the ice barrier formed. Toshiro wanted to protect you, Miss Kitamura, so his spiritual pressure did what it could to carry out that desire. Your ability is a bit different and I’m not sure exactly how it works.”

 

“I was so scared,” I murmured. “I thought we were going to die.”

 

“But you didn’t. Looks like you were pretty lucky,” Kisuke said with a grin, his tone less serious than before. My eyes narrowed.

 

“This is hardly a laughing matter, Mr. Urahara.”

 

“Who said I was laughing? Calm down, Miss Kitamura. Now, do you know what happened when the Hollow attacked the first time, just before Uryuu showed up?”

 

“Only what you told me; that it was sent flying backwards.”

 

“I saw the Hollow stop in mid-air and then move in the opposite direction, but I didn’t see what caused it,” Uryuu answered.

 

“Then it would seem as though Miss Kitamura’s ability is invisible.”

 

“Or it isn’t hers at all, but Toshiro’s,” the man beside me suggested, speaking for the first time.

 

“What makes you think that, Chad?” Ichigo asked.

 

“She’s only been attacked while her brother was with her. What if everything done in defense was Toshiro’s actions?”

 

“But that man that escaped… He said something about the both of us having very high spiritual pressure,” I offered.

 

“You saw an Arrancar?” Uryuu asked in shock.

 

“I don’t care what it’s called, just that he tried to kill me with an overgrown snake!” Toshiro flinched in my arms and I glanced down at him with softer eyes. I hated seeing him scared, even worse when I was the one scaring him.

 

“Less humans are able to see Arrancar than Hollows. This only makes it more likely that it was your power the first time,” Kisuke explained. “We’ll have to do some tests to be sure.”

 

“What kind of tests?” I asked apprehensively.

 

“Nothing too dangerous. We’ll just have to see what triggers your abilities.”

 

“I’d say fear does the trick,” Ichigo said, leaning back on his hands.

 

“I want to learn too!” Toshiro exclaimed, sitting up straight in my lap. I stared at him incredulously, though it seemed like the others were only mildly surprised.

 

“W-What?!” I demanded. “Shiro-chan, what are you thinking? You’re only ten years old.” Toshiro turned around and looked up, into my eyes. His held determination I’d never seen from him before. He’d always been mature for his age, but now I saw something more.

 

“I want to protect you, Nee-chan, like you’ve always protected me,” There was innocence in his words, but he held a tone that seemed to imply wisdom far beyond his years. I was speechless.

 

“Toshiro…”