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Post by Kita Miyamoto on Sept 15, 2024 23:04:42 GMT -6
Kita’s grip on her cup tightened slightly, her eyes narrowing. "What does the Hogyoku have to do with any of this?"
“Everything, as it turns out,” Kisuke replied, his grin never fading but his tone growing more serious. “Mayuri seems to think there’s a connection between the Espada’s sudden interest in his lab and Hogyoku being taken from you. They weren’t just after his research for kicks, you know. They’re looking for something—or someone—that can help them with their little… endeavors.”
“Endeavors…” Kita repeated, her voice trailing off. She knew where this conversation was heading, and it made her stomach knot. “So they think the Hogyoku can enhance whatever they're working on?”
Kisuke nodded, his expression softening, though his usual playful demeanor remained intact. “Bingo. And, well, with you being the Hogyoku’s last host--and your Godly powers--Mayuri's deluded himself to think you can bring the lab back."
Kita’s eyes darkened, her voice dropping to almost a whisper. “And what makes him think I’d help with something like this?”
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Post by Urahara Kisuke on Sept 15, 2024 23:08:52 GMT -6
Kisuke’s grin faltered slightly as he set his cup down, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees. "Mayuri doesn’t exactly think you’ll help willingly. But he’s convinced that with your godly abilities, you’re the only one who can bring his lab back to Soul Society. He needs access to the Godly Gate to make it happen."
Kita’s eyes widened, her grip tightening even more. “The Godly Gate? He can’t be serious.” She shook her head, trying to suppress the rising anger in her chest--that for some odd reason was causing pain. “That kind of power… it’s not something you just tap into for convenience. The consequences—"
“Mayuri’s well aware of the risks,” Kisuke interrupted, his voice uncharacteristically firm. “But that’s never stopped him before, and it certainly won’t now. He’s desperate. Losing his lab to the Espada wasn’t just a blow to his ego—it’s a threat to everything the Twelfth Division’s been working on. The Espada have access to all his research, all his projects… they’re ahead of us in ways we don’t even fully understand yet.”
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Post by Kita Miyamoto on Sept 15, 2024 23:15:23 GMT -6
Kita stood up abruptly, pacing the room as her mind raced. “You’re telling me he wants me to use divine power, something that could rip a hole between realms, just to bring his lab back?”
Kisuke watched her, his eyes following her every movement, though his expression remained calm. "It’s not just about the lab, Kita. You know how Mayuri works—everything is a stepping stone to something bigger. He sees this as a chance to recover, he believes rebuilding would take too long and with what is going on with the Hogyoku he needs to create something to counter, something that can outmatch whatever the Espada are cooking up."
"And what if I refuse?" Kita stopped pacing and turned to face him, her voice cold. "What if I decide that Mayuri’s ambitions aren’t worth the risk?"
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Post by Urahara Kisuke on Sept 15, 2024 23:45:26 GMT -6
Kisuke let out a soft sigh, standing up with an almost casual stretch, hands resting behind his head as he looked at Kita with that ever-present, mischievous glint in his eyes. “You’re absolutely right. You have every right to refuse. But I figured I’d give you the courtesy of hearing it from me first.” He lowered his hands, his tone light but laced with underlying concern. “Mayuri was banking on me using our ‘history’ to sway you—manipulation by proximity, you know how it goes. But honestly? I know what happens when you play with forces like this, and it’s not exactly a picnic.”
He moved closer, a small, knowing smile tugging at his lips. “Mayuri’s probably going to hit you with the classic lines: ‘For the greater good,’ and ‘If the Espada get what they want, they’ll tear everything apart. You, me, Soul Society—it’s all doomed.’ Dramatic, right? But you know how he operates. He’ll make it sound like the only option, like you’ve got some moral obligation to put the pieces back together.”
Kita’s hands trembled slightly, the weight of the Hogyoku, the Godly Gate, and everything she’d endured flashing through her mind. Kita closed her eyes for a moment, drawing in a deep, steadying breath. “This isn’t just another one of your games, Kisuke. If I do this… if I open the gate and bring back the Twelfth Division's lab..." She paused, looking at him sharply. "I could be the one responsible for the end of everything.”
Kisuke stepped closer, his expression softening in a rare moment of sincerity. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder, his voice dropping to a quieter, more personal tone. “That’s exactly why I’m here, Kita. Not just to give you a heads-up, but to be on your side in this. Mayuri sees you as a means to an end, a tool. But I see you for more than that. Whatever happens, you’re not going through it alone.” Kisuke’s grin faded slightly, though his voice remained steady, almost soothing in its honesty. “And Mayuri knows the stakes, alright. But the difference is, he’s willing to roll those dice. I’m not."
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Post by Gin Ichimaru on Sept 16, 2024 0:14:57 GMT -6
“Glad to know that, but right now, I don’t care about that decision,” Gin growled from the doorway. He sent a pointed look towards Kita. “We can think about dealing with whatever this is when you’re sitting down. If you pace any faster, you’re going to trip and tear your wound open again, and I don’t want to see that.”
Kita huffed. “I’m not going to trip, and I thought you were with Soji?”
Gin didn’t back down, walking up to her. “Soji wanted to talk to Evita and then meditate alone, so it was a short session of sparring. I left him to check on you, and I’m glad I did. My lover is prowling around like a fox which happens to be part of my job.” He reached up and gripped her arm. “Sit, dearest. I don’t want to risk anything more with your current track record.” She resisted. He looked into her eyes. “Your burn is healing, too, Kita."
He looked to Kisuke for a moment longer than usual than back to Kita, still keeping a hold of her. "Please."
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Post by Kita Miyamoto on Sept 16, 2024 0:23:59 GMT -6
Kita sank into the chair, her gaze softening as she looked up at Gin. "I'm fine," she said, her voice steady but distant. "I really am. I just need time to process this." Her eyes shifted to Kisuke, an idea sparking in her mind. "What if we went to the lab—wherever the Espada have it—and destroyed it? That way, they couldn’t get any more information from it."
Kisuke shook his head with a slight sigh, the brim of his hat casting a shadow over his eyes. "I’d love to say that’s an option, but it’s been over two weeks since they took the lab. By now, they’ve likely stripped it clean. Any useful data is already in their hands." He paused, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "We'd be a bit late to the party."
"Sounds like the freak needs a pity party not a godly party," Gin snarked. "It's far too late to do anything about his lost lab, and if he's not already working on creating counters for every piece they took, he's not as smart as he lets people think. What's the point of bringing it up now? They got it and have used it, and he's got it all in his quacked up brain."
She glanced between the two men, her voice filled with uncertainty. "It’s not just that I don’t want to do this—I can’t do this. I don’t believe my powers are strong enough for something like this. We’re talking about an entire building, not just a crowd of people."
"It's not even something you should consider for that very reason," Gin added, waving a hand. "So again, what's the point of this? This is a foolish discussion, even coming from him."
"Because the last thing she needs is to be blindsided by this mess," Kisuke said, tilting his head slightly, his tone almost casual. "And trust me, Mayuri’s not one to take ‘no’ for an answer. Once he catches wind that she’s not on board, he’ll be knocking at her door, ready to charm her with his unique brand of persuasion."
Gin’s eyes narrowed at that as he grinned at the shopkeeper. “Well then, if he wants to try his brand of persuasion out here, then he’ll get to partake in mine. His sounds like a pain in the ass, something that will take up valuable time for nothing, not that I’d have to worry about the actual words from his crooked mouth. He’s nothing like his sly predecessor or his charming brother."
Kita sighed, her frustration evident. "I don’t care who tries to convince me—I’m not doing it. Even if I was strong enough, it’s way too dangerous. Mayuri can build a new Research and Development lab. Honestly, it’s probably overdue. The one they took was likely over a thousand years old anyway."
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Post by Urahara Kisuke on Sept 16, 2024 1:25:23 GMT -6
Kisuke chuckled softly, tilting his hat back with a playful glint in his eyes. "You make a good point. A fresh coat of paint wouldn’t hurt, right? But you know Mayuri—he’s sentimental about his toys. The lab’s more than just bricks and mortar to him; it's his twisted little playground. And rebuilding it? Well, that’s just not dramatic enough for him."
He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a mock conspiratorial whisper. "But between you and me, I think he'd love the excuse to build something even more outlandish."
"Well, he’ll have to get through you to find me," she said, tilting her head and giving Kisuke a pointed look. "Unless, of course, you’ve already spilled the beans on where we’re living."
Kisuke’s eyes twinkled with feigned innocence. "Not a chance."
"Then when he comes knocking for an answer," Kita said firmly, "just tell him I said no. And that he should focus on rebuilding so he can design the lab exactly to his liking."
"And if he comes looking," Gin added, also in a jesting tone, "he'll get a smile for his trouble. On his stomach. If this snake doesn't like the visitors, he bites."
Kita giggled. "I thought you were pretending to be a fox now."
"Oh, but dearie, it's much more fun to be the snake with these intruders."
Kisuke shook his head with a bemused smile as he watched the couple. "I have to hand it to Aizen—he was right about you. Turns out, he knows you better than I gave him credit for. Who would have thought?"
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Post by Gin Ichimaru on Sept 16, 2024 2:25:16 GMT -6
“Oh?” Gin quipped, tone still light. “Did you think that?” His voice dropped. “How utterly sweet of you, shopkeeper.” Kita said something but Gin didn’t hear her. Setting Kita’s hands on her lap, he rose from the couch. “As sickeningly kind as the shop itself, with its candies and gigais that no one will ever know if they’re safe or one of your limited death traps for the greater good. But then again,” Gin continued, tone lightening in spite of the crimson flickering in his narrowed eyes, “there’s too much credit going around here, isn’t there?”
In the next moment, a window somewhere shattered as Gin disappeared from view.
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Post by Kita Miyamoto on Sept 16, 2024 2:46:07 GMT -6
Kita glanced from the window back to Kisuke. "You could have kept that bit of information to yourself. Gin's already struggling with all of this."
Kisuke adjusted his hat with a nonchalant shrug. "Well, he needs to find an outlet. His little outbursts aren’t doing anyone any favors. Better he channels that frustration into something productive, don’t you think?"
Kita crossed her arms, her frustration evident. "You think provoking him is going to help?"
Kisuke’s eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief. "Sometimes a bit of provocation is just what someone needs to snap out of their funk. Besides, Gin’s got his own way of working through things. He’s just a little… unconventional about it."
Kita sighed, rubbing her temples. "It’s not just about Gin. There are bigger issues at play here, and we need to stay focused."
Kisuke’s expression softened as he took a step closer. "I know, Kita. And I’m with you on that. But sometimes, the best way to deal with the big issues is to address the smaller ones first. Gin’s got his demons, sure, but he’s also got a knack for surprising us when it counts."
Kita gave Kisuke a skeptical look. "I hope you’re right. Because right now, it feels like we’re juggling crises with one hand while the other’s tied behind our backs."
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Post by Urahara Kisuke on Sept 17, 2024 18:05:23 GMT -6
Kisuke chuckled, tipping his hat back with a playful grin. "Well, that's one way to put it," he mused, his eyes glinting as he looked at Kita. "I’ll pass your message along to Mayuri and hope he takes the hint. Though, with him, you never know."Kita shook her head, determined. "If he insists on hearing it from me, I’ll stop by Division Twelve after I visit Dr. Kusumoto and make it crystal clear—I'm not doing this."
At the sound of the front door opening, Kita’s attention snapped toward it. She relaxed when she saw it was Sojiro."Wow, mom. Good to see you too," Sojiro teased as he shut the door behind him. Kita sighed softly, apologetically. "Sorry, sweetheart. I thought it might be your father. He stormed out of here pretty upset.""Ah," Sojiro replied knowingly, making his way to the kitchen."I thought you were visiting Eve?" she asked."I did," he called back. "She’s out with Ichigo."Kita nodded, her focus shifting back to Kisuke. "That's another thing we need to deal with."Kisuke raised an eyebrow, his expression a mix of curiosity and confusion. "Ichigo? What’s wrong with him now?""Not Ichigo. Gin." Kita corrected, exasperated. "You should talk to him. He’s mad, and you're the one he's mad at."Kisuke gave a quick nod, a mischievous glint returning to his eyes. "He’ll show up at the shop sooner or later to chat with V-man. I’ll corner him there."As Kisuke made his way to the front door, Kita walked alongside him. "Just… don’t make it worse."Kisuke stopped, tilting his hat down to cover his eyes with a mock look of innocence. "Me? Make things worse?" he teased, smirking. "Gin will be good as new when I’m done with him. Trust me."
Kita rolled her eyes at his remark, but before she could respond, Kisuke leaned in and kissed her cheek with a playful smile. "Until next time," he said, tipping his hat before stepping out the door.--END RP--
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