The little group of people was now sitting around the table and enjoying the meal.
"Whoa! This food is delicious!" Exclaimed Fujimaru and gulped down the food like a vacuum cleaner. It is as if he would never get something like this again.
"I am happy that you like it. But slow down a little. There is still enough for you to eat. No need to hurry like that.", Said Lady Konoka with a smile. She ate very gracefully just the way a lady would behave.
"Did Lady Konoka make this?" asked Jin while looking at the food and analyzing it a little bit.
"I did. Why do you ask?"
"Nothing in particular. But the person that becomes your husband will be a delighted man."
"Hey, Jin. How can you say that! That is rude. Lady Konoka is probably already married.", interrupted Matsuri him while frowning.
"Huh? Why would that be rude? I just complimented her. And don't woman live at the house of their spouse after marrying? Lady Konoka is still here, isn't she?"
"Oh, my. You think so? Thank you, Jin." Contrary to Matsuris words, Lady Konoka just acknowledged his claim even though there was a slightly eerie atmosphere around her now.
Coughing lightly Seigen just tried to deviate the conversation. "I got a message that Urahara will come by shortly. He wanted to see you three in full health, so I invited him."
"Urahara?" Jin asked back and looked at him.
"Kisuke Urahara, Captain of the 12 Division. He was also there when we saved you." Seigen added more detail to his words because he remembered that Jin was unconscious at the time when they saved them.
"Until then...Hmm?" Seigen looked in a specific direction. "Well, looks like he is already here. Just continue to eat. I will bring him here." With those words, he stood up and went to get Urahara.
Jin watched him leave and then concentrated in eating his fill. He noticed the more he ate, the more he became hungry. Like a never-ending cycle, it repeats. So he slowly moderated himself not to become some glutton.
"Hey, there! It is nice to see you three in such health.", Came a cheery voice from the door that Seigen left previously. It was Urahara talking.
"As you can see, we are dining right now. You can join us if you want." Seigen invited him.
"Oh, then it would be my pleasure to join you. But I only have room for tea. I am still full and don't think anything more will fit.", accepted Urahara and also made it so that he couldn't stay for long.
"That is alright, Urahara-san.", smiled Lady Konoka at him.
"Lady Konoka." Urahara made a slight bow to her and then joined them together with Seigen at the table.
"So, how are you three kids feeling?" he asked them directly. "At least your appetite is great by the amount of food you eat." A chuckled came out from him after noticing their gluttony.
"I am pretty fine.", answered Jin.
"Yeah, thanks to Lord Seigen and Lady Konoka we can enjoy such nice things.", Added Fujimaru. Those were his first words since he began eating. He was already pretty much done with his meal.
"And you, girl? Your wounds look healed very well. I am impressed."
"I am fine, Lord Urahara. Lady Konoka was kind enough to heal everything.", replied Matsuri with a smile.
"Haha, don't need to be so formal. Just Urahara is fine." Then he looked to Konoka. Is that so? How did you do that, Konoka?"
"Urahara...", interrupted Seigen immediately. His face was serious.
"Sorry, sorry. Some things are better, not uncovered. At least they are up and well now. But what are you going to do with them from here onwards?", he said apologetically after noticing he overstepped a boundary.
"Lady Konoka?" interrupted Fujimaru now.
"Yes, Fujimaru?" She thought he would ask something about Urahara´s words, but what came after made her slightly flabbergasted instead.
"Can I also eat those apples there?" He pointed at a stack of red apples in the middle of the table. His question was really about food again.
"Stop being greedy!" scolded Matsuri him immediately and twisted his ear with her hand.
"Ouch! But I just asked. No need to be so angry."
"I am amazed how you can be so thick-skinned." She continued to twist it until it became red.
"Hehe, it is alright. Just make sure to share them.", answered Konoka now after letting their conversation unfold.
"Really!? Nice!" Fujimaru immediately grabbed one and started munching.
Matsuri just frowned and held herself back. But Jin also leaned over picked some up. He handed one of them to her. "If Lady Konoko says it is alright, then just eat them."
Matsuri smiled at him and nodded. Taking the apple, she also ate it. "Delicious!" The fruit was like honey water, sweet and juicy.
"I am not sure.", said Seigen now after looking at the kids and thinking about Urahara´s words.
"How about a suggestion?" Urahara replied instantly.
"A suggestion?"
"Yes, what do you think about taking these three in?"
"Here?"
Hearing those words, Lady Konoka became all smiles. "Of course, that was my intention from the beginning."
´Thought so.´ Jin followed the conversation and had that feeling already.
"Really? You sure it is alright?" asked Urahara once more.
Konoka looked to Seigen now. "You don't mind, do you, Seigen?"
"Well, allowing Rukon District residents to live in the Seireitei is technically prohibited..." Then he became all smiles as well. "But if that´s what you want, Konoka. Then I am more than willing to go along with it!"
"Isn't that a great outcome? Hey, you three. You do like Lord Seigen and Lady Konoka, no?", asked Urahara the trio now.
"Of course!" said Matsuri.
"They are great!" replied Fujimaru.
Now Urahara looked at Jin and saw that he was looking at both Seigen and Konoka.
"Hmm...I like Lady Konoka. I guess I am alright with it?"
That made Konoka chuckle a little bit. Seigen, on the other hand, just looked at him.
"Is it because I am the stricter one?" he asked him.
"Probably.", answered Jin with a smile.
"Good, then, it´s settled. You can live right here with us.", confirmed Konoka with a smile.
"Right, now that we are family. Do I need to change my family name?" asked Jin and wondered about that.
"No, since you already have family names you won't need to take our family name. But that doesn't mean you can go around now and do dishonorable things. It would be slandering our Suzunami name.", Answered Seigen with a cold tone in his voice. In that regard, he was very clear what he expected from them.
"Got it."
"How about you tell me how you saved matsuri now?"
"Oh, right. I used the #4 Hado spell."
"What!" Now Seigen, Konoka, and Urahara were shocked.
"How do you know the incantation of the spell?"
"I saw a Shinigami use it once. Well, I didn't remember everything about the chant. But in the end, you always spell out the name and number, no?" answered Jin nonchalantly as if this was the most normal thing to happen. He knew it wasn´t, but he also couldn't explain it himself.
"Very interesting. The only reason that you could perform it would be that you have an immense Reiryoku. Your spiritual pressure may be on the lower levels at the moment but could overflow in later years. To perform a spell without the incantation on the first try. And that by only seeing it used once is a very amazing feat.", Analyzed Urahara. He was interested in this boy now if he wasn't already.
"That makes my next words sound even more plausible. How about they enter the Shinigami Academy? Considering their appetite, they seem to have strong Reiryoku. Just look. They wolfed down all their food and those apples."
It was true. The trio was already finished with the food and not even the apples were spared.
"I am still kinda hungry though.", said Fujimaru.
"Me too.", Dittoed Matsuri now. It looked like she got infected with Fujimarus spirit now.
"It´s alright. There is still plenty to eat.", said Konoka and refilled their rice bowls.
"What do you think. Do you want to become Soul Reapers?" Urahara asked once more. It was up to them in the end to accept this proposal.
"Don't we need to take that test first that the other souls do?", intercepted Jin his question. "What if we end up not being good enough?"
"Then that is just that. You don't need to become Soul Reapers. But I am sure you will pass.", replied Urahara.
Jin looked at Fujimaru and Matsuri. "You guys already decided?"
"Hmm, I think we should take that opportunity. Even if it is to thank Lord Seigen and Lady Konoka.", Said Matsuri. Fujimaru just nodded to that.
"Alright, I will say yes to it as well then. School, huh?"
"Very well, then everything is settled. To make it up for your troubles, I will personally test you. There are some new prototype gadgets I would like to try out. If they are good enough, they will be even officially used, hehe."
Seigen lifted a brow. " Don't go and do something weird, Urahara."
"Don't worry. Now then. See you tomorrow." He stood up and said his goodbyes.
I am curious to put another question here.
- Can a Zanpakuto injure(kill) a Human when used against them?
I ask this because someone deliberately tells me I performed plot holes in the first chap.
My own knowledge about this is: Yes, they can. What do you think?
And as always, I hope you enjoyed it.