"That's pretty much the situation." As soon as he got home and set his backpack down, Muten Natsu was already preparing to head out. "If a Hollow really is using that parakeet as bait, then we can't rush to perform Konsō on Yūichi Shibata. We have to wait until the Hollow shows itself."
Otherwise, letting a Hollow operate outside Soul Society's surveillance meant there was no telling how many souls would be devoured.
"If it were anyone else, they'd probably be dead twice over by now." Rukia Kuchiki swallowed the Gikon Pill and transformed into a Shinigami. "To avoid making too much noise, the Hollow will most likely act while Chad is asleep."
"That's what I think too. Still, just to be safe, it's better to go over early and keep watch from a distance." Muten Natsu tapped his chest, but unlike usual, he didn't break free from the Gigai. "Hm?"
A translucent light screen appeared before his eyes:
[Chest wound healing progress: 83%]
[Unable to break free from the Gigai by stimulating the wound]
Rukia Kuchiki noticed something was off as well. "What's wrong?"
"My injuries are mostly healed. I can't use the old method anymore." Muten Natsu handed the Gokon Tekkō to Orihime Inoue. "Can you help me out?"
"No problem!" Orihime Inoue looked a little excited. "I'm grabbing you now~"
"Go ahead."
"Heave-ho!" Wearing the Gokon Tekkō, Orihime Inoue reached over Muten Natsu's head and pulled his soul out. "Wow! It really worked."
Only then did Rukia Kuchiki realize what was going on. "You used to just smack your wound to get out?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"You're asking me what's wrong?" Rukia Kuchiki glared at him. "If Captain Unohana ever found out you've been abusing your body like this..."
"She won't find out..." Muten Natsu rubbed his ear. "Anyway, there's something I don't quite understand."
"Can't figure out how to change the subject?"
"No." Muten Natsu shook his head. "I don't understand the Hollow's goal."
Before, the Shadow Hollow and the Strong Hollow used people as bait to lure in those with high spiritual density.
This time, the Hollow was using a parakeet as bait. What exactly was it trying to catch?
Rukia Kuchiki offered a guess. "Could it be that the soul of Yūichi Shibata is somehow special?"
"Yūichi Shibata..." Orihime Inoue repeated the name. "That sounds kind of familiar."
"Does it?" Muten Natsu checked the time. "Orihime, can you look into it? Let me know if you find anything. We'll head over first."
"Okay!" Feeling like she was finally being useful, Orihime Inoue waved happily as she saw them off.
"Where have I heard that name before?" Orihime Inoue tilted her head, thinking hard. "I'm sure I remember it..."
"Is this what the world looks like from 1.4 meters tall?" Ririn said as she stretched Rukia Kuchiki's Gigai. "Orihime, you're really tall."
"Not really... Ririn, help me think too."
"How would I know?" Ririn opened the fridge and took out a drink. "You'd be better off asking one of your classmates."
"Oh, right!" Orihime Inoue's eyes lit up. "I'll ask Tatsuki."
She was just about to call Tatsuki Arisawa when Tatsuki Arisawa called her first.
"Orihime, are you home?"
"Yeah. I was just about to call you."
"Then no need. I'm almost at your place already," Tatsuki Arisawa said. "My family sent some rice from back home. It's really good stuff, so I brought some for you."
"Huh? That must be really heavy. I'll come meet you."
"I told you I'm almost there... just open the door."
Orihime Inoue opened the door to find Tatsuki Arisawa standing there with a huge grin, a sack of rice slung over her shoulder. "Hurry up!"
Orihime Inoue quickly helped her set the rice down. "You really should've told me ahead of time."
"I did call you, didn't I?" Tatsuki Arisawa glanced around. "Where's Muten? He's usually collapsed on the couch."
"Muten and Rukia went out."
"With... Kuchiki?" Tatsuki Arisawa looked toward Ririn, who was controlling Rukia's Gigai.
"Ah..." Ririn blinked and set her drink down. "I'm Rukia's fallen stocking~"
Tatsuki Arisawa felt her head spin a little.
"We... we're role-playing!" Orihime Inoue blurted out an excuse, pulling Tatsuki Arisawa down to sit. She opened the fridge and poured her a drink. "Detective role-play! This isn't Rukia. This is Detective Lady Rukia Kuchiki!"
Ririn: "..." There was no way that excuse would fool anyone.
Tatsuki Arisawa stared at Orihime Inoue, deep in thought.
Orihime Inoue's eyes darted around, her guilt painfully obvious.
Ririn: "..." See? No way that was going to fool her.
"So..." Tatsuki Arisawa's eyes narrowed, sharp as a blade. "You're Doctor Lady Orihime Inoue now?"
"That's right!" Orihime Inoue nodded hard. "Obviously a detective should be partnered with a doctor!"
Ririn: "..." She actually bought it.
"Oh, right." Orihime Inoue suddenly remembered what had been bothering her. "Have you ever heard the name Yūichi Shibata?"
"Yūichi Shibata?" Tatsuki Arisawa took a sip of her drink. "It does sound kind of familiar."
"Right? Same!" Orihime Inoue scratched her head, embarrassed. "I'm sure I've heard it somewhere, but I just can't remember where."
"Is it someone important?" Tatsuki Arisawa asked. "Like someone you haven't talked to in a long time?"
"My only friends are you, Muten, and Rukia. How would I not keep in touch?" Orihime Inoue waved that off. "Besides, I think it's the name of someone who's already passed away."
"Don't say something that heartbreaking like it's nothing!" Tatsuki Arisawa rubbed Orihime Inoue's head hard, then froze mid-motion. "Wait. Passed away?! I remember now!"
"Really?"
"No wonder you couldn't place it. That was four or five years ago."
"Four or five years ago?" Orihime Inoue tried to think back. "But we didn't even know each other then. How would we both know the same name?"
"Because it was on TV." Tatsuki Arisawa's expression darkened. "There was a murderer back then. I think he killed eight or nine people. The last one he killed was Yūichi Shibata's mom. The kid's name was kept confidential at first, but not long after that, the kid died for some reason, and that's when it got reported."
"That murderer..." Orihime Inoue remembered. "He died too."
According to the news, the killer stabbed Yūichi Shibata's mother more than a dozen times. In the end, Yūichi Shibata, who was still just a child, grabbed his shoelace. He lost his balance, fell from the balcony, and died on impact.
A chill of foreboding crept up Orihime Inoue's spine.
Could it be...