Chapter 173 - Doubts.

If you want to read ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer

Discord Server: https://discord.gg/3dAF3qMP

———————————————————————————-

[Adam C. POV.]

The light of the evening sun had faded, painting the sky with hues of dusky purple and molten gold in Karakura Town. Right now, I found myself sitting on the old wooden steps outside Urahara's store, my thoughts as muddled and clouded as the twilight around me.

Had I made the right choice trusting him?

Trusting Urahara. 

I sighed.

That hat-wearing, sandal-sporting, ever-smiling merchant with an air of mystery always dancing around him. There was something so enigmatic about him, something I could never quite pin down. 

I remembered the first time I had met him, how he seemed to know everything, anticipating each move and question. It was almost unsettling. 

Despite already knowing him, due to the anime, he was still an enigma for me.

Deep down, I knew I couldn't fully trust him. 

Too many secrets, too many half-truths. 

The way his eyes sparkled with a mischievous light whenever I posed a question, it was as if he relished in the game of withholding just as much as he revealed. 

Every encounter with him felt like a mind dance, a balancing act of seeking the truth and being led astray. Yet, even with all these reservations, here I was, right outside his shop, desperate for his help.

It was ironic, to say the least. 

The one person I couldn't fully trust was also the one person who possibly held the key to my way back. A bittersweet pill to swallow. 

But then, wasn't life filled with these kinds of paradoxes?

Besides, while he wasn't the most trustworthy individual, he was the best option I had by a long shot. 

The other options were worst by many reasons.

Mayuri.

Aizen.

Those two were simply out of the question. 

I let out a deep sigh, the weight of my predicament pressing down on me. 

I missed home, the familiar surroundings, the voices of those I loved. This place, this world, was not mine, and the longer I stayed, the more I felt like a ghost, untethered and lost.

My worst fear wasn't being manipulated by Urahara, or someone else, was taking the monsters of this world to mine.

I gazed up at the darkening sky, stars starting to dot the vast expanse. "What would you do Mavis?" I whispered to myself. 

I had put my life on the line to protect them, I had died to protect them. Every breath I drew now was a gift, a second chance that I never expected, but received anyways. 

My fingertips grazed the rough grain of the wooden steps beneath me, reminding me of the tangibility of this world, this life. 

And, despite the cold distance that separated me from those I loved, from everything that had once been my universe, I didn't regret my choice.

If given the choice, I would do it again, without hesitation.

I was sad, sure, but I couldn't be resentful; to protect those I loved was an instinct as natural as breathing. I couldn't regret something so intrinsic to who I was, even if it led me down this labyrinthine path, so far from home, so entangled with the story of this world.

Fate had a strange way of intertwining lives and situations, weaving a tapestry that was sometimes too complex to decipher.

Drawing in a deep breath, I decided. Tomorrow, I would speak with Kisuke again. Because, in the end, no matter how much I questioned his motives, he was my only option, the only possibly bridge to the place and time I yearned for. 

That being said, I had to tread carefully, this world wasn't like the one I knew. 

I sighed, noticing midway a sleek black feline figure appeared from around the corner. Recognizing it instantly, I paused, surprise etched across my face.

I hadn't been able to feel her presence at all.

If she wanted to kill me, I would have a hard time stopping her. 

"Evening," came that unmistakably deep voice. Yoruichi, in her cat form, gracefully leapt onto my lap before I had a chance to say anything. Her yellow eyes gleamed with that same cunning and mischief I had come to associate with her thanks to the anime.

"Yoruichi," I greeted, offering a half-smile. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

On that note, isn't she roleplaying her character too much? I mean, sitting on my lap, honestly?

She stretched languidly, taking her time before replying, "Oh, just checking on a certain brooding kid who seems to have a penchant for dramatic inner monologues."

I raised an eyebrow. "I... what? Wait, were you watching me as I sat outside?"

She purred, rubbing her head against my hand. "Can't blame a cat for being curious, can you? Besides I thought you could use a friend, and I was the purrfect choice for the job."

I... I don't recall Yoruichi liking puns, please let this be a one-time thing.

That being said, the warmth of Yoruichi's gesture wasn't lost on me. For all her playful antics, she had an uncanny ability to be there when you needed her most, if the anime was anything to go by. 

"Thank you," I murmured, scratching behind her ears. If she was playing the part of the cat, I would play the part of the cat lover.

Not that it was hard, I loved cats, and she was a cat right now, one capable of killing me.

I really needed to get my power under control.

Yoruichi purred again, her contentment evident. "So, what's on your mind? Girl problems?"

I chuckled. "Girl problems? Hahaha, no."

"Oh, guy problems then?" She tilted her head, whiskers twitching. 

"No," I replied with a deadpan, I might not know her on a personal level, but I knew when I was being played. 

"Then talk to the cat, we are wise beyond comprehension mortal," Yoruichi said with a smirk and a flick of her tail.

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. Taking a deep breath, I took a moment, looking into her golden eyes. "I don't know what to tell you. It's just that...everything feels so complicated right now, and for the first time in years, I don't even know where to begin."

She leaned into my touch, forcing more pets, her eyes half-lidded in comfort. "You know, life is inherently complex, choices, and consequences. It's easy to get lost in the labyrinth of 'what ifs' and 'maybes'. But, amidst the complications, there lies a simplicity that we often overlook."

I shifted slightly, my attention fully on her. "And what's that?"

She nudged my hand with her nose. "That everything will be alright as long as you do what you can."

I chuckled. She wasn't lying about the wise part.

Yoruichi yawned, tilting her head. "That's life for ya. The moment you think you have it all figured out is often the moment life decides to throw you a curveball. It's like a game of cat and mouse; just when you think you've caught the mouse, you realize it's just a shadow of the real thing."

An assassin metaphor.

I nodded slowly, taking in her words. "And what if I make a mistake?"

Yoruichi stretched, her claws extending and retracting in a rhythm. "Every choice carries the possibility of a mistake. But mistakes are not always failures. They're opportunities for growth, for understanding. Life isn't about making the perfect choice; it's about learning, adapting, and moving forward."

There was a long pause as I processed what she said. "Thank you, Yoruichi. I think I needed to hear that."

She smirked, the corners of her feline mouth curving up. "Just remember, amidst the chaos and complications, sometimes the answer is simply to trust yourself. And if that fails, remember you've got a pretty awesome cat to back you up."

I chuckled. 

I knew she was trying to befriend me to gather information, but right now, I needed a friend, even if said friend was a fake one.

Chuckling, I continued to pet her. "That I do, Yoruichi. That I do."