[Quincy Archer Hates You Arc] Part 46: Not So Needless Emotions

The break was over and all students returned to class except for one.

Rukia and Ichigo constantly looked at the empty seat next to them, wondering about Yato's absence.

Yato almost never missed classes and usually warned a teacher in advance if he really needed to be absent.

Ichigo: "Rukia, did you see Yato during recess?" - He asked in a low voice so as not to draw the attention of the rest of the students.

Rukia: "I thought he was with you as usual."

Ichigo: "No…He left before everyone else and didn't say anything to me. There on the terrace he didn't show up either…and even Ishida was there."

Rukia: "Strange…"

Classes continued normally, but some students were increasingly tense with Yato's disappearance. What worried them the most was that Yato had left his stuff in the classroom, which means he shouldn't have left. Something had happened to him.

With the end of classes for the day, Ichigo immediately went to Uryu, preventing him from leaving like the other students.

Ichigo: "Hey, Ishida!"

Uryu: "What do you want now, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo: "Did you see Yato after lunchtime?"

Uryu: "How would I know where he is? In case you don't remember you dragged me to your friends during the break."

Rukia: "But can you find him?"

The three stared at each other for a while without even noticing that Chad, Tatsuki and Inoue hadn't left the room yet and were listening to the conversation.

Uryu: "To be honest, I've always had a little trouble feeling Yasakani's spiritual energy and the fact that I don't know exactly what he is doesn't help me much." - He commented while trying to concentrate on finding anything that would lead him to Yato.

After a few minutes, Uryu felt something strange.

Ichigo: "What is it?"

Rukia: "Did you find him?"

Uryu: "I'm not sure but…for a brief moment I felt a spiritual energy in the school grounds…"

Ichigo: "Could it be Yato?"

Uryu: "I don't know if it's him…because the spiritual energy I felt…was the spiritual energy of a shinigami."

Ishida's words scared Rukia. She broke out in a cold sweat as she started to connect things. She passes her powers to a human, and after yesterday's incident, Yato's strange disappearance along with the spiritual energy of a shinigami.

Rukia: "No…"

Rukia's shock had the students present worried.

Ichigo: "What's the matter, Rukia?"

Rukia: "Ishida! Where did you feel that energy!?" - She asked desperately.

Uryu: "It seems to have come from the back of the school."

With just that information, Rukia ran out of the room without saying anything to anyone. Ichigo chased after her not long after.

Upon seeing that confusing scene, Tatsuki and Inoue went to Uryu while Chad left the room, probably following Ichigo in case he needed help.

Orihime: "Ishida-kun…what happened to Yasakani-kun?"

Uryu: "Honestly, I don't know…"

***

Ichigo: "Hey! Rukia! Hold on!" - He said as he ran in the same direction as her.

Rukia: 'I am such a fool! I should have left sooner! Please be alright, Yato!'

Both continued to run around the school, sometimes heading in different directions in hopes of covering more ground.

Rukia: "Yato!! Where are you!?"

Ichigo: "Show up, Yato!"

They continued searching for a few more minutes but there was no sign of Yato.

Rukia was breathless and frightened while Ichigo was frustrated. They took so long looking for their friend that in a moment, Chad, Tatsuki, Orihime and Ishida caught up with them.

Chad: "Any sign of him…?"

Ichigo: "None…"

Orihime: "What could have happened to Yasakani-kun…?"

As they talked, Ishida was thinking about the energy he had felt before. It didn't make sense for such energy to suddenly appear.

Before he could make any comment, Tatsuki started walking around the area without saying anything to anyone. The girl was strangely silent.

Orihime: "Tatsuki-chan...?"

Tatsuki: 'I felt his presence again…like it happened yesterday…' - She continued walking in a certain direction, until she turned to a space close to where the teachers kept their sports equipment.

The group found tomboy's actions strange and followed her.

The girl sighed, apparently relieved.

Tatsuki: "Found him."

Rukia ran off to see if Yato was all right and when she got close to Tatsuki, a small comical vein was pulsing in the little shinigami's forehead as she mumbled irritably.

The group soon caught up with her and everyone had a comical reaction, incredulous at what they were seeing.

What they were seeing was Yato, who was lying down with his arms behind his head and legs crossed, fast asleep.

Ichigo: "This whole time he was here sleeping…?"

Orihime: "Yasakani-kun seems to be a pretty heavy sleeper, huh?"

Chad: "Um…"

Uryu: "Unbelievable…"

Gradually, Yato began to wake up and saw the group staring at him.

Yato: "...Huh...? What are you all doing here?"

His response was a punch to the head, courtesy of Rukia.

Rukia: "You fool!!"

***

It was getting late. Each of us went to our respective homes after the school riot. I was still a little irritated by the punch Rukia threw at me, but decided it would be best to ignore it as I understand her concern.

Once we got back to the house, Rukia said absolutely nothing. The only thing she said was for me to deliver the letter she had written to Ichigo.

Yato: "Rukia…"

Rukia: "What is it?"

I don't know if I should intrude too much on this subject, but her face was making me uncomfortable.

Yato: "What is scaring you so much?"

She was surprised by my question but still refused to answer.

Yato: "To be honest…you've been like this since you passed your powers to Ichigo…"

Rukia: "What…are you saying…?"

Yato: "Rukia…the truth is, I know you're not being completely honest with me and Ichigo."

Rukia: "And what makes you think that?"

Yato: "Do you remember Inoue's incident with her brother? You said I seemed troubled by something."

That caught her attention for a brief moment.

Yato: "Hollows being the souls of normal people who got corrupted, you always taking orders from the Soul Society but never informing anything about your situation... there's still the story of the modified souls that Ichigo told me one day... and now you're desperate because you felt it shinigami spiritual energy close to where I was. Let's be honest, it doesn't take a genius to know that Soul Society isn't the wonders you tell every Plus you meet and it's pretty obvious that passing on your powers probably wasn't something you should have done. I have no doubt that these letters are your way of saying goodbye and asking Ichigo and I to stay away from you..."

Rukia: "Yato…" - Her eyes were wide and she couldn't find a way to answer me.

Yato: "By your reaction it means I got it right, doesn't it?"

Rukia: "Yato…you don't understand…I…"

Before she could say anything, I went over to the table and picked up one of the letters she'd left behind.

Yato: "I'm sure…as soon as I hand this to Ichigo you'll be gone…right?"

Rukia: "This is for your own good. Yato…please…" - She said trying to regain her composure.

I took the letter and headed for the front door.

Yato: "It may not seem like it but Ichigo isn't that stupid. As soon as he reads this he's obviously going to come after you." - I sighed.

Rukia: "Just answer me…if you already suspected all of this, why did you let me stay at your house? Why put yourself in danger like that?"

I stopped in front of the door, wondering how to respond to that.

Yato: "Rukia…what's the difference between a shinigami and a human?"

She didn't quite understand the question and stared at me for a while.

Yato: "The difference is that the soul of a human being is still inside the body. Other than that, we're just like everyone else. We're not machines. If I'm happy, I'll laugh. If I'm sad, I… I'll probably cry...I'm a bit emotional about certain things." - I commented on this ending laughing to lighten the situation. - "Love, friendship, companionship... just like anyone who has a soul, I want to be able to feel these things even if for few people."

Rukia: "...Yato..."

Yato: "The world is not a fairy tale. I'm not always going to be surrounded by good things. So at least I want to keep those good things close to me so when something bad happens... I have something to lean on... So if I decided to have you around, if I decided to risk myself the way you say... it's because you became important to me. So... I don't care if I take a little risk.