Ren closed his eyes in thought as he sat on the train to Shibuya Station. Morgana was in his bag, lying across his lap and sleeping away. Probably dreaming of tuna, based on his mutters.
So much made sense now. He wanted to cheer and celebrate and tell everyone. But at the same time, he knew that it was not something he could articulate properly. He tried to explain the thought to himself and got lost in a loop. He decided it wasn't something he needed to talk to others about right now. It wasn't dangerous.
Just scary.
The understanding was branded onto his soul.
It always had been.
But he genuinely could not put it into words.
'Mon ami, you're spiraling again,' Arsène said. 'Focus on the positives.'
'You are one without a set fate. Others can force you onto the path. But once you're on it, they can't interfere as much,' Byakko said.
'No more,' Arsène said suddenly. 'This is not fruitful. Trust yourself. Your bonds. And the truth you have grasped.'
Ren fell asleep for a moment, the train's gentle rocking lulling him to sleep.
---
Orihime boarded the train and saw Morgana and Ren asleep. She got over to them as quickly as she could and relaxed when she saw that nothing seemed to have been stolen from him. She looked at him briefly.
She loved his eyes. She thought they were beautiful. But she had never really taken in his face. She blushed very hard as she glanced at him before poking him in the cheek.
"Jerk. Dummy. Bastard. Womanizer," she muttered as she kept poking him.
Ren's eyes snapped open in shock. Before his heart rate calmed down, he saw his friend and immediately relaxed.
Orihime had frozen with her hand mid-poke.
Then she blushed.
"Uh. I was worried because you fell asleep alone. And Morgana, and..."
Ren laughed. "It's okay, Orihime. Really."
Orihime smiled and nodded her head.
Ren gave her a moment to relax before standing and saying politely,
"Please, my lady, sit."
"Thank you, Ren," Orihime whispered with a blush.
'Does he not notice he's flirting?' she thought in panic.
---
'Horrible flirting attempt. Worse than Morgana,' Byakko said.
'I wasn't trying to—'
'I am thou, dumbass.'
Ren just shut his brain off for the remainder of the ride.
'I'll pretend to be drowsy.'
---
Byakko was annoying as fuck. That was Ren's current thought, anyway. It was like talking to everyone who had ever annoyed the shit out of him, but whom he couldn't bring himself to dislike.
'Metal is hard. Slaughter direct. Stop being stupid and just do what you want.'
'Eh, the big kitty has a point,' Pixie said.
'Fuck off.'
'Noted. Subsequently ignored.'
It almost never stopped unless he was zeroed in on something. He appreciated it, but—
'Please shut the fuck up, you two.'
Ren slumped in his chair in annoyance and looked at the ceiling.
---
"Ren, you've been out of it all day. You good?"
The team was sitting on the roof, eating their lunch. The door was locked today, but the lock had been expertly picked by their strange friend who was shaped like a cat.
Ren waved his hand dismissively.
"Metaphysical bullshit."
"New word, huh?" Shiho raised her brow, and Ann giggled.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I can't help thinking about it. And with these Hollows, my whole original theory went to shit!"
"Ah, relax, Joker. We trust ya. I don't understand this crazy shit. Just tell me what to beat up and who's a bad guy, like it's a video game."
"Ryuji, that's a horrible way to live life," Morgana said in shock.
"Oh, you know I'm not seriously like that," Ryuji scoffed with a grin.
Ren nodded. "I wouldn't let him. He has his own choices and principles. I can suggest things, but it's up to him to choose. I don't force anyone to do anything."
The team took that in and smiled.
"And that's why you're the leader," Orihime smiled.
---
Rukia felt guilty.
She had spied on her friends again.
This time, she had woven a Kidō spell around herself to create an illusion so Ren wouldn't notice her. He seemed at ease in certain areas of the school, particularly the roof. So she ejected herself from her Gigai and lay against the roof, listening in on them.
But she was happy she did.
Despite her guilt.
These people, her new friends, the ones who treated her kindly, were getting involved in things they knew nothing about.
Not only that, they seemed to be involved with something else, judging from Ren and the cat's weird powers.
'He called out, Persona,' she thought, thinking back to when he summoned that red-and-black demon thing. She would have assumed it was from Hell if not for the clear lack of Hell-tainted, miasmic spiritual energy.
'Those things... are they sentient? Let's discuss this with that woman later. I don't wanna see that old man again.' She couldn't help but shiver.
---
Urahara sneezed and was surprised.
"I haven't sneezed in two thousand years... Is someone talking about me?"
He'd believe any superstition at this point.
---