Victim's of Fate Spoiler

As she approached the old-fashioned shop, Rukia paused and debated whether she should truly do this or not. Instinctively, she closed her eyes and concentrated, entering into a light meditative state as she listened carefully... Only to feel nothing.

... Oh, yeah. That was why.

Steeling herself, she resumed her walk as she buried the hurt. 

How long had it been since she had felt the presence of Shirayuki? Well, she knew the answer to that. Ever since she had given her powers to Ichigo. She didn't regret it - had she not done it, then he would have died, as well as herself. Yet that did little to comfort her. 

She was grateful that he didn't make an even bigger fuss than he did when she slept in his closet. She never told the real reason, but she was hoping that close proximity would maybe decrease the amount of time till she regained her powers. 

It didn't work. In fact, if she wasn't mistaken, they continued to decrease. And that terrified her. 

She had barely walked into the remarkably ordinary store when a man in old fashioned clothing with a green and white striped bucket hat greeted her enthusiastically, "Why Rukia! What a surprise to see you today! I wasn't expecting you for another week at least. Don't tell me you need more supplies already?" 

Rukia took a deep breath, ignoring his exuberant attitude, "Urahara. Can you get a letter to somebody in the Soul Society?" 

The man's expression faltered, and she felt a flicker of amusement that she was able to break his mask like that. 

"A letter?" He asked, looking puzzled. "Now why would you want to do something like that? Need I remind you that if the Seireitei find out what you've done then..." 

"They won't be in the Seireitei, so there's no danger of that." She cut him off curtly, scowling when he gave her an inquisitive look. "Can you do it or not?" 

He looked at her carefully before nodding, "While such a request is unusual, you are quite lucky in that a normal shopkeeper such as myself does indeed have access to such resources." His grin returned, "Now who's the lucky person?" 

She felt reluctant to share, but he really was the only person that she could go to that could get a letter to him... "Shirou Emiya." She replied, folding her arms. "He should be somewhere in Eastern Rukongai right now, District 113. If you go to the town hall in District 105 and ask for him, they should be able to direct you to him."

It hurt to have to ask like this, but right now... She was getting desperate. 

Normally if she or Shimuru or Homura needed Shirou's help they could just ask their Zanpakuto spirits to visit him and he would come, no questions asked. It was a safety net, a level of comfort that she hadn't even realized until she no longer had it. Without it... Without Shirayuki's presence...

She didn't realize how truly alone it actually felt until now. 

If something happened to her, then they would never know. If something happened to them, she. would. not. know. 

Kisuke Urahara was smart, that much she knew. And yet she found herself beginning to doubt when he said that she would regain her spiritual power. Abandoning that avenue, she would put her faith in Shirou once more, much like they had done all those years ago. 

If anybody could help her, it would be him. Either he could do something, or he knew somebody that could, she no longer cared. 

She was brought out of her thoughts when Urahara made a humming noise, "Well, that sounds doable." He stated brightly, "Though it might take some time for us to locate him." 

"That's fine." She replied, handing over the letter she wrote. 

He would come, she was sure of it. He would find a way to come to the Land of the Living. She just needed to wait a little longer. 

Watching as she left the shop, Urahara let his smile drop, the letter in his hands now feeling heavy. 

"I'm sorry Miss Emiya." He murmured to the departing Rukia once she was far enough away, and he gave a great sigh. 

He truly felt bad for this, for the situation that he placed on her, but he truly saw no other choice. He had thought through hundreds of scenarios, and this one had the greatest likelihood of success. 

And letting a letter such as this get passed on... 

He sighed, quickly muttering a Fire Kido and burning the letter. 

 For the greater good, it wouldn't do to let anybody be aware of Rukia Emiya's current state until the Hogyoku had been fully drained. Which meant that he couldn't afford to let any letters be sent. 

... Sometimes he truly hated what he had to do.