Chapter 22

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(General P.O.V)

"Before we get to that..."

Urahara begun only for Ash to slap the small tea table placed between them.

"No." Ash countered.

"Tell me, everything. From the top."

Urahara's eyes narrowed from underneath the hat. Ash started feeling uncomfortable from the intense look the shopkeeper was throwing his way.

"Alright." He finally agreed, making the teen sigh in relief.

"I suppose you have noticed that this isn't exactly a...what you might call 'normal world.' The fact that I pulled you from wherever you were using an invention of mine that tore through space and time should have been indication enough."

Ash nodded at the words.

"What you might not know, is that none of this was planned. I had no way of knowing who would come through the rift."

Ash frowned.

"Wait, that does not make sense. How then did you have a contract waiting for me to sign?"

Urahara waved his fan in the air, then gave a weird answer.

"Cthulhu."

Ash blinked.

"What?"

Urahara smiled.

"Ara Ara Ash Kun don't tell me you don't know who or rather what Cthulhu is."

Ash shook his head, getting annoyed at the snide remark.

"No, I do know what you mean. I just find it hard to believe that you had a contract in hand for a Lovecraftian horror...thing to sign. You can't expect me to believe that!"

"Let's look at the facts Ash-kun," Urahara insisted.

"I just pulled you through dimensions. In comparison, having a contract ready for an eldritch abomination is not the most unbelievable thing you have ever heard of right?"

Ash looked at the former captain of the 13 divisions as if he had grown a second head.

"Yes! Fuck yes. It is the most outrageous and insane thing I have ever heard!"

He yelled, spreading out his hands. What the fuck was Urahara playing at? And why was he insisting in pulling Ash in?!

"Apples to oranges."

Urahara added smoothly, making Ash throw his hands up in the air in defeat.

"In any case, what were you doing ripping holes in space and time?"

The teen decided to give up discussing logic with Urahara. The man was most likely crazy.

When Urahara heard his question, the air in the room changed and Ash noticed right away. Immediately the teen leaned forward, attentive.

"One of...ours, was lost in the in-between while fighting a creature that hunts the souls of dead humans called a hollow."

Ash's heart skipped a beat. That...did not sound good.

"This particular instant, he was facing of against a high tier hollow called a menos grande and..." Urahara stopped, his eyes looking far away.

"He was dragged into Hueco Mundo."

Ash's breath hitched.

He tightened his palms into fists.

"And...can you get him back?"

He asked, already knowing who it probably was. If 'he' was stuck in Hueco Mundo, then supposing that this was during the first part of canon, things were not looking good. There would be no one to go after Rukia when Renji and Byakuya took her back to the Seireitei.

Urahara shook his head.

"It is complicated. During the transition, he released a wide burst of power that caused cracks in the portal and...we do not where he might have ended up."

It was as he feared. Ash looked up, having one last question.

"What is his name?"

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Karakura was strange. For a town, it had a lot of people. The streets at this time of the day were crowded with people moving from one place to the other.

Ash could feel their gazes stare at him curiously. For starters his eyes and looks clearly outed him as a foreigner and the t shirt he was wearing saying 'men don't cry' was torn in some places. He followed behind a silent Tessai, having accompanied the stoic man grocery shopping as well as clothes shopping for Ash.

A lot of thoughts were going through his mind. Realizing that he was in a loop in a world where the main character was missing had worried him. It meant that there was no one to face the scary shit coming. The bad guys who would do anything to achieve their motives. Ash shuddered everytime he pictured Aizen's softly smiling face.

He would look around worriedly, thinking that the evil soul reaper chasing after godhood was watching him. Tessai has noticed but hadn't said anything, to which Ash was grateful.

They hit a few shops before going to the market for fresh produce. Ash was able to get a few pairs of tshirts and pants and an amazing pair of hiking boots that fit him snugly. He also grabbed a heavy jacket with many deep pockets that he could use to hide the Plasma knife he still had on hand.

He had used the damn thing on two separate occasions to succeed in the loop missions. Infact, the way Kaecilious and Lancer died had been eerily similar. By beheading. It seemed as if people did not notice the small object up until it sprang to life with a hum and supercharged plasma energy. It was his small light saber.

After that, Tessai led him towards the market where he bought a few things, carrying what he could and having the rest sent over to the shop.

"Here, let me help."

Ash offered, grabbing one of the three grocery bags that Tessai had.

The man nodded in thanks and they left. A few short minutes later, they were inside a ramen shop, grabbing a bite to eat. Ash had never tried Rishiri Miraku ramen before but he ended up loving the texture and taste of the soy sauce based dish. He cleaned up his bowl faster than Tessai.

Then Ash turned to the stoic man. There were a few things he needed to know to understand the situation better.

"So I bet I'm not whet you were expecting when Mr. Urahara used the 'Void Extractor.'"

Ash thought of the name as weird. He was curious about the device though, especially if it had the capability to hijack him from wherever, in the middle of traversing space.

Right now Ash could have been playing with his godhood after successfully holding up the sky. Then again...that didn't sound a much better prospect than being in the bleach universe with Ichigo nowhere to be found.

"Mmh."

Tessai grunted, using his chopsticks to cleanly and slowly eat.

Ash leaned in closer, already knowing he would have to work to get anything out of the silent man.

"I mean I guess he was trying to bring back Ichigo but it seems like a shot in the dark. How would he know where he was if he couldn't track him down?"

Tessai grunted.

A thought occured to Ash.

"Unless he can track him using his energy?"

Ash guessed.

Tessai looked up.

"Reiryoku."

Ash leaned back. It made a lot of sense.

"But it failed and you got me instead."

Tessai grunted. Another concern made itself known to Ash. He looked around the ramen shop and made sure no one was paying attention to the two of them.

"Is there maybe a plan to return me to where I was before you guys pulled me to your world?"

"Urahara brought you here. He is responsible."

Tessai spoke up, saying more than he had ever before. His eyes, underneath the glasses he wore, established contact with Ash and the teen looked away after only a few seconds.

"Fine."

Ash finally sighed. There was not much more he was going to get from Tessai. It was better if he just waited until he was done eating so that they could leave. Tessai paid and they left the Ramen shop. Outside the sun was already dipping into the horizon and dusk had arrived.

Ash heard the rustle of the grocery bags as Tessai begun to walk away without a word. He looked at the former Soul Reaper's back and breathed out, quickly taking measured steps to keep pace with Tessai.

The streets that had earlier been crowded now looked deserted and intimidating. There was an aura. A certain weight that Ash could feel was placed on his shoulders that hadn't been there before. It only got worse the more they walked on. 

After taking a corner, Ash stopped, breathing heavily and looking at the ground. Tessai similarly stopped, as if waiting for something.

"Do...you feel that?"

Ash asked, not even knowing what he was talking about.

He brought his hand to his chest and blinked with wide eyes.

"It feels like something is gripping me by the neck. Like I can't breathe. A weight that I cannot cast off."

Tessai looked back at the teenager with his face set in an expressionless state. Within him however, he was a little surprised.

"You're sensing their spirit energy. The reiryoku they leave behind when hunting for pluses."

"Plus?"

Ash asked, looking up. Tessai adjusted his glasses and motioned with a twitch of his chin towards the sidewalk. Ash looked towards that direction and saw a basket of dried flowers placed near a street light.

"Someone died here..."

He realized.

"Yes."

Tessai confirmed.

"A child playing with his ball was struck by a vehicle moving at high speeds. Their soul could not move on, tethered to this world by sentiment. They were devoured by a hollow before a Soul Reaper could get to them."

Ash's heart broke down at the sad news. 

He should have expected it really. Bleach might have seemed like a tale about triumph but for every battle Ichigo and friends won and for everyone they saved, there were others who were not so lucky. Ash shook his head. And he was now here. And to make matters worse the Main Character was missing.

"Let's go."

Tessai decided, turning to walk away. Ash stared at the dried up flowers and tightened his hands on the grocery bag. There was nothing he could do. He forced himself to place one foot before the other and left.