Ok, first I want to clear up, I am NOT abandoning ToM (Team of Misfits). I've been reading a lot of ff about Ichigo going back in time to stop a long war with Aizen from happening, and an Idea popped into my head and I really wanted to write it down. Whether I continue or not depends on whether you guys like it. However, ToM will be my main focus, and I will only update this one when I can, or when ideas spring into my head. Capiche?

So yeah, this is my little take on this trope. I read one from Reign of Ryane titled Rewind and Rift. Both are really amazing, and I urge you guys to check it out. So yeah, I got this idea from reading those =w='. Also, I will not do pairings. I can't do any of that stuff; and there will be grammar and spelling mistakes. Just try to ignore them, I'm typing on a really small keyboard on my phone =w=# OOC-ness.

Old Man (Zangetsu/Quincy power) is in italics

Zangetsu/Shiro (Hollow/Shinigami power) is bolded

Anyway, DISCLAIMER!!

I do NOT own Bleach. You should know this.

-GH-

Ten years. Ten long years, and all of it just came down to this stand off. I had watched my friends die right before my eyes, seen my enemies tear apart my family until there was nothing left. I watched the very man- no- monster infront of me raze the Seireitei to the ground. Only a handful of the captains remain, though gravely wounded, but still persist to hold of the opposing army. Most of the shinigami perished on the battlefield.

My two blades in hand, a trench knife which symbolized my Quincy abilities, and a large khyber knife, which symbolized my shinigami/hollow abilities. My two sword spirits staying by my side no matter what, giving me comfort and becoming my eyes and ears within battle. A hollow mask on my face.

The monster infront of me, is the entire cause of all of this destruction. He is Sosuke Aizen, an ex-shinigami, a traitor, and a murder. He "evolved" into something grotesque, not even human like anymore.

"You are the last obstacle in my way of creating the new world, Kurosaki Ichigo. Your attempt at stopping me is noble, however, it is useless. Let us end it here!"

"Ten years of war, because of you, Aizen. I swear, I will stop you, so yeah. Let's end it here and now!"

I raised my blades, my reishi flowing around me and into the blades. Aizen got into a stance, and charged at me, and I retaliated. We clashed, and the force caused a crater to appear in the ground bellow us. What was left of my shihakusho and my long hair (that reach to the nape of his neck) being blown back.

Sparks flew as we parried each other. Our energy fighting against one another to gain the upper hand. I felt it though, a small shift in his reishi. I could feel it reaching out to me, and I didn't like it one bit.

'I'm not going to let you win! I'm not going to let you destroy everything!'

His energy reacted to mine pushing back on his, and what resulted a blinding light.

Next thing I know, I was pushed back, and had the wind knocked out of me. Instantly knocking me unconscious.

-GH-

Kisuke watched, in the barren area where Ichigo Kurosaki was battling Sosuke Aizen. He was originally not going to interfere, however, just when Ichigo was about to land the final blow with Mugetsu, there was a blinding flash of light.

When the dust cleared, all he saw was Ichigo, who looked like he did before he did Mugetsu, except with X tattoos on his arms and chest, and a trenchknife by his side.

'Where did he get those?"

On the other side was, what he believed to be, the remains of Sosuke Aizen. Charred patches of flesh, deep lacerations upon his (it's??) body, and a large hole where the hōgyoku was.

Kisuke's eyes widened, 'the hōgyoku! Where is it?!'

Reluctantly he went over to "Aizen's" body layed. He had check before he came for his reishi signature, but found none. Signifying that he was indeed dead.

Kisuke looked everywhere, but couldn't find any trace of the destructive sphere anywhere. Not even an energy print, meaning that it must have been destroyed...

"How..."

"URAHARA!"

Kisuke looked behind to see Rukia, Renji, Uryu, Yasutora Sado (or just Chad), and Orihime running up to him.

"Mr. Abarai, what can I do for you?"

"Cut the crap. Where's Ichigo, is he alright?"

Kisuke could see the worry is all of said shinigami's friend's eyes. Of course, he too, was worried for the kid. Ichigo was his student, and they had a sorta friendship. It was hard not to like him.

Kisuke tried to pacify their worry, "calm down, he's right over there," he pointed to a unconscious Ichigo, just a few meters away.

Renji, Orihime, and Chad rushed over to their fallen friend, while Uryu and Rukia stayed. They looked at the charred for of Aizen.

"Is he really..."

"Yes, Ms. Kuchiki, Aizen's dead. It seems that Kurosaki has struck him down and it overwhelmed the hōgyoku. Thus killing both the host and the parasite."

"Wait, so the hōgyoku is destroyed?"

Kisuke gave a kurt nod. Though it was hard to believe, both causes for this Winter War were gone. It seemed surreal.

"Rukia! Uryu! We're going to take Ichigo to the Fourth Squad barracks!"

Chad was holding Ichigo bridal style (to not make any of his wounds any more serious than before) while Renji held Zangetsu, and Orihime carried the trench knife.

Uryu and Rukia nodded, then Rukia turned to Kisuke, "you coming?"

Kisuke gave another nod, "yeah, let me just clean up here. I'll meet you all there."

The two gave a nod, and then followed the rest of their friends to the barracks.

-GH-

Ichigo opened his eyes, to the dark and broken sight of what his inner world had become. The once proud and tall skyscrapers were now almost completely torn down, with one or two standing almost as tall as before, but still broken. Thunder and crimson lightning roaring in the dark black and red sky that replaced the beautiful blue sky that it had once been before the war. Before he had lost everything.

"Ichigo."

Said Shinigami turned around to face both his blade spirits.

"Old Man, Zangetsu, what happened?"

Ichigo and Zangetsu had a rough start, but eventually he came to accept the spirit as his true shinigami power. Though it was a bit strange to call him Zangetsu instead of Hollow. Though occasionally he did call him Shiro, a little nickname sort of.

"Someth'n happened with your fight with Aizen, King. Some power forced ya back, and set some major burns on your body. Though most of them are healed."

"As for Aizen, we do not know. The blast seemed to have meesed with our senses. We cannot confirm, nor deny that Aizen had suffered from the blast as well, or if he is alive at all."

Ichigo nodded in comprehension, "anything else?"

Zangetsu scowled, "you better watch yourself king. I managed to get some small readings on the reishi out there, and it seems like we are back in the Seireitei. The Fourth division's barracks. Some shinigami might've found you, so we don't know how long you've been out. Keep your guard up, and prepare for an attack at any moment, you know how the hollows tend ta target the healers."

Ichigo nodded again, before he regained consciousness, fortifying his mind for what was to come.

—Meanwhile—

During the time Ichigo was conversing with his spirits in his inner world, his friends stayed beside him. Waiting for him to wake up.

Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Isane had spent most of their energy healing his burns, even though it seemed like his hollow side was helping, it still took a while and a lot of energy.

Rukia had one of Ichigo's hands in her's. Tracing her thumb over the black X tattoos, "how do you think he got these. I don't remember him ever having tattoos, let alone dual blades."

"Maybe it was part of the final Getsuga Tenshō?"

"I don't think so, Orihime. Though it would have put a strain on his body, I don't think a move like that would miraculously give someone tattoos that stay, even when that person is not using the attack."

"You have a point, Uryu, however, that seems to be the only option."

"Not true Chad. He's still in Shikai, and he has two blades. He might've gotten some new power."

Rukia hummed, "maybe, Renji, But I don't know."

The room fell into a silence, until Rukia stiffened slightly. She had seen glinting metal underneath Ichigo's sleeve and was curious about it, so she pulled (what seemed like a bracelet) up to his wrist to inspect it.

She looked at the charm from the bracelet, on her hand. It was a cross, a Quincy cross to be exact. It looked exactly like Uryu's, except less in terms of luster, and had tiny chips of dried blood on it.

"What'cha got there Rukia?"

Renji moved closer to see, and his eyes nearly popped from their sockets, "holy crap."

"What?"

Everyone else came closer to see, and looked extremely shocked. Uryu looking confused, as he took his own cross to compare the differences.

"A Quincy cross. Strange, but how did he get one, and more importantly, why is there blood on it?"

Rukia looked to Uryu, "you know anything about this?"

"No, I never knew Kurosaki had one. Much less be able to hide it from the rest of us, considering the first time we met, he had no idea what a Quincy even was."

Renji sighed, "geat, this is getting stranger and stranger. First, Ichigo gets a makeover, then his clothes change, not to mention the dual zanpakto, and now he has a Quincy cross. I'm starting to think that we missed something."

"You forgot that he also has numerous scars littering his body and a reishi seal at the nape of his neck. However, you might not have seen that, as he is now covered in bandages."

They all turned to see Captain Unohana. She and Lieutenant Kotetsu had spent a lot of time healing Ichigo's wounds and burns.

"Scars?"

"Yes, some of them appeared to be years old, others seem fresher; but they all look like hollow marks. Though, there are some that look like blade wounds."

Renji rubbed his head as he could feel a migraine coming on, "Things just keep getting more and more complicated."

Just then, the alarm went off, and a roar shook the barracks, "all captains report to Sōkyoku hill. A level nine breach has appeared upon Sōkyoku hill, I repeat, level nine breach!"

Captain Unohana looked towards them, "you should come along too, if it is a level nine breach, we might need all the help we can get," she then turned to her lieutenant, "let's go Isane."

"Hai."

Rukia, Renji, Chad, and Ūryu were all up, they looked to Orihime with a questioning stare, "I'm going to stay with Ichigo and see if I can speed up his healing."

They nodded at her reply and ran quickly to Sōkyoku hill.

—Time Skip—

When the group arrived at the execution site, they all stood by the Captains, and Lieutenants, of the Gotei 13. Even Head Captain Yamamoto was there. Everyone was staring and, some, openly gaping at the large rift. It was a garganta, and a large one at that.

"How the hell did a garganta open up here?!"

Everyone, silently, agreed with the third division lieutenant. The Soul Society was guarded by wards and kido thay prevented any garganta to form. Yet, here was one, and the sheer size of it perplexed everyone.

"However it came to be, we must destroy it!"

Everyone nodded in agreement to the Head Captain, and got ready. Even Ūryu and Chad had their power ready, to lend a hand in case things they needed it. Though, they really seemed to need it, because as soon as all of the zanpaktos were released, hollows, menos grande and adjuchas (large adjuchas), were crawling through the rift.

"Hurry, we must take them out, before they destroy the Soul Society!"

"Hai!"

All of the captains and lieutenants charged at the hollows. Trying to take them down, one by one.

—0o0o0o0o0–

Orihime was now walking back to Ichigo's room, carrying a small tray of snacks and tea, in the squad four barracks. She had heard the roars of hollows and stepped out to check if any were going to pose a threat to Ichigo's health. Luckily, they seemed to be all around Sōkyoku hill. Far away from Ichigo.

As she was walking, she couldn't help but be nervous, Ichigo looked almost entirely different from when she last saw him. Maybe it was a result of his three month training in the dangai, or maybe it was a side effect of the Mugetsu technique. Either way, she was a little apprehensive to be there when Ichigo awoke.

But she shook her head. This is Ichigo Kurosaki she was talking about. He's still the protective, caring person she has known throughout high school. At least, she hoped.

When Orihime slid open the paper door, she dropped the tray. The room looked a mess, and most importantly, Ichigo was missing.

Almost immediately Orihime ran out the door, and started to search for him.

—0o0o0o0o0–

Rukia, along with Renji, Byakuya, and Ukitake were battling a small, but really large in size, group of adjuchas. They were proving more troublesome and had reaulted in calling for back up. It didn't help that one seemed hydra-like, and grew a two new heads every time on was cut off.

"Dammit! This is going to take forever! Where the hell is that back up!"

"Calm down Renji. We need to come up with some sort of strategy, and bait them towards us."

"Rukia is right. Byakuya and I shall buy you two time to find an opening and cut off the masks. Be careful of the multi-headed one. It appears to regrow it's heads in large numbers."

Both lieutenants nodded, "hai."

They took off in a shunpo, while Byakuya calmly turned towards the 13th Captain, "you are trying to get them out of danger, aren't you."

Ukitake just looked at him with tired eyes, "if something were to happen to us, at least they have a chance at escape."

Byakuya just looked at the three adjuchas, and shunpoed towards them, "scatter Senbonzakura."

Ukitake followed not far behind in unleashing his zanpakto.

Renji and Rukia calmly waited, while there was still no sign of back-up. They watched their captains battle

"Dammit, this isn't good, I've got a bad feeling."

Just as he had said that, Captain Ukitake had faltered, as he had been overcome with a coughing fit.

The adjucha, seeing his mistake, swung a clawed arm at the 13th Captain.

"Captain Ukitake!"

However, before Rukia and Renji could interfere, the arm was cut off. An albino, more like bleached, shinigami holding a large Black khyber knife pointed at the hollow.

"Damn hollow, I'll send you to hell and back!"

The voice was familiar, but distorted. The albino, charged at the hollows and cut them all down with one hit. After finishing the last one, the multi-headed one (ugh), the albino flash stepped (it sounded more like a sonido though) to the next mass of hollows and eradicating them as well.

Rukia and Renji immediately forgot about the strange shinigami in favor of checking Captain Ukitake's health.

"Captain Ukitake, are you alright?"

Byakuya had met up with them, to get a brief check over on his colleague.

"H-He had a haori."

"What?!"

"The albino, he had a Sixth Division Captain's haori."

Everyone looked to Byakuya, who was wearing his haori, and saw the confusion on his face. What the hell is going on?

—0o0o0o0o0–

Uryū and Chad were still at Sōkyoku hill, trying to keep hollows, they were all basic low level ones now, from climbing out of the giant garganta.

Uryū had his bow out infront of him, and fired another barage of arrows at an incoming hoard. Chad using his arms on and off of defense and offense.

"Dammit, we need to close the garganta. We're being overwhelmed!"

Chad nodded solemnly, he was tired but kept on fighting. Ichigo, his friend, needed him; he isn't going to leave Ichigo unguarded and unprotected while he is in a vulnerable state.

It was then a group of hollows got the best of the Quincy and Fullbringer and had pinned them to the ground. Uryū and Chad's powers receding as they lay exhausted and powerless underneath the large beasts.

Just as the hollows were about to bite into them, a black arrow shot at the masks, killing the hollows instantly. More and more arrows were shot and the hollows disintegrated.

Chad and Uryū looked up to see who it was, only to be shocked. Ichigo stood, right hand up and a black bow, tinted red, made of reishi in his hand.

His eyes were closed, brows furrowed in concentration as he shot another hollow that was coming up behind him.

Ichigo then took a deep breath and pointed his bow towards the garganta. He pulled his arm back, and held the arrow. A red ball was forming at the tip of the arrow, slowly getting bigger until it was the size of a ping pong ball.

Ichigo exhaled and spoke in a low voice, "cero."

He let go of the arrow, and the red cero engulfed the arrow, and collided with the garganta. The collision resulted in a mass explosion, and when the dust was clear, the garganta was gone and all surrounding hollows were killed.

A violent cough brought Uryū and Chad back to reality after what had happened. They turned to look at Ichigo, reishi bow gone, on his knees, one hand on the ground keeping him steady, the other covering his mouth. Blood dripping out of cover of his hand.

"Ichigo!"

Uryū and Chad started to run towards their friend, but stopped when they sensed hollow reishi. Getting their weapons ready to defend their friend.

They heard the sound of running footsteps towards Ichigo and a distorted voice calling out, "King!"

They saw an albino kneeling besides Ichigo as he continued to violently cough. More blood coming out of his mouth.

"Dammit King, you idiot! You know you shouldn't use your own energy when using the bow! Not to mention the cero was just going to take an even bigger toll on you! Dammit!"

By now, some random soul reapers had come to Sōkyoku hill, to assess the damage and report back to their captains. The ablino looked at one, and pointed a finger at them, "you! Go get the lieutenant of the fourth division now! Quit gaping around and go!"

The soul reapers left fearfully, and left to report back to the captains. Both the reapers and albino ignoring the Quincy and Fullbringer.

"Dammit, this is some mess you got yourself into King."

Chad then took a step forward, making his presence known to the albino. The Albino then turned to look at them, and the two nearly realed back in shock. The guy looked like an exact carbon copy of ichigo, except with shorter hair, and had golden irises upon black sclera. They recognize that voice now, it was the distortion Ichigo's hollow mask made his voice sound like. The eyes are the eyes of his hollow mask. That is Ichigo's inner hollow!

Uryū and Chad immediately got into an offensive position, powers activated and ready to take action if this hollow turned violent.

The hollow narrowed its eyes at them and unwrapped the bandages from Ichigo's zanpakto, and got into a defensive position above Ichigo.

"Uryū! Chad!"

The three stopped glaring at eachother to see some of the captains and lieutenants, some seated officers as well, around them. All eyes on them. The albino hollow growled at their presence and bristled with anger.

"Heh, so you're all here. Well, this is going to make my job easier."

It's voice dripping with malice as it looked at everyone. Though, still in a defensive position over Ichigo, as said shinigami was now slightly trembling and coughing a bit less violently now.

All of the shinigami got their zanpakto out, and poited their blades at the hollow. Though a few were perplexed when they saw it wore a Captain's haori.

"Hand over Kurosaki Ichigo, hollow, or we will take him by force."

"Sorry old man. Not happening."

The two sides were about to clash when they heard someone shouting.

"Stop!"

It was Captian Unohana, alon with Ukitake, Byakuya, Rukia, Isane, and Orihime.

The hollow saw three of Ichigo's friends in the small group and glowered at them.

"Captain Unohana, what is the meaning of this?"

"Captain Yamamoto, there is something strange going on here, and I believe that the hollow knows what's going on."

"Oh yeah? Why's that? What makes you think I'd tell you anything."

Unohana looked towards Ichigo, who was now trembling on the ground, a small stream of blood dribbling out of his mouth and onto the ground. His breathing was ragged and harsh, his eyes clenching in pain.

"You called for the lieutenant of the fourth division, am I right?" At a curt nod Unohana continued, "then you must want to heal Mr. Kurosaki, which is why you called for a fourth division member. So why do you want to heal Ichigo?"

The albino growled, "none of your damn business."

Rukia then got out from behind Byakuya and looked at Ichigo in horror at his state of being, "Ichigo!"

She started to run towards him, but stopped when the ablino growled threateningly and pointed Zangetsu at her, "Not. Another. Step."

All of Ichigo's friends got ready to fight, the hollow was taking a defensive position over Ichigo again. Almost looking like he was protecting the orange haired shinigami.

The albino was about to make the first move, when Ichigo's arm reached out and grabbed the bottom of the ablino's stolen haori.

"W-Wait. T-They aren't, t-they're n-not dolls."

The hollow faltered at what Ichigo had said, "what the hell ya talk'n about King. Of course their dolls!"

Dolls?

Ichigo weakly shook his head, "no, the reishi, i-it's real."

The hollow growled, "get some rest King, your not in your right mind."

Though he looked like he wanted to argue, Ichigo passed out from exhaustion.

"What do you mean dolls?"

The albino growled at the sixth captain, "stop playing coy, you know what I'm talking about! I'm not falling for that trick again. You may have fooled the King into thinking that you're real, but I'm not fooled for one second!"

"Stupid hollow! We don't know what you're talking about! So quit talking like you know us and tell us what you mean!"

The hollow nearly flinched at the oh-so-familiar reply from the red headed lieutenant. He and Ichigo had grown closer and closer over the years of war, and seeing this impersonation of his king's friends hurt him almost as much.

"Dolls, shells, whatever you want to call them, they are all the same; puppets controlled by Aizen's army to infiltrate and destroy the Seireitei!"

Some were taken aback bu his answer. He didn't care though. The fact that they were using these familiar faces was like rubbing salt into the wound.

"Now I believe there has been a misunderstanding."

Urahara was now strolling up to the albino calmly, Yoruichi walking right behind him. Said hollow, seeing the King's former teachers made him tremble in anger. It was one thing to use his deceased friends, but the King had broken down completely when he had heard that Kisuke and Yoruichi had fallen during the war. It rained for weeks in Ichigo's inner world. For Aizen to use them as puppets was just insulting.

"What the hell do you want."

"Nothing more than an explanation. For, you see, Aizen is dead."

The hollow flinched, and everyone saw that.

"What the hell do you mean?!"

"I mean exactly as I say, Aizen is dead," Urahara looked at him from underneath his hat, "you and Ichigo killed him."

That brough shock to everyone, that hollow killed Aizen?

The hollow bristled with confusion and anger. What the hell is he getting at?!

"But of course you wouldn't know that. The blast from the Hōgyoku must have distorted your senses, and you wouldn't have been able to sense him. But try it now, as you can feel, Aizen is no longer of this world."

Even though he didn't want to, the hollow did it anyway. Only to still, the puppet- Kisuke- was right. He couldn't feel any trace of Aizen anywhere. What the hell is going on. He hadn't even realized he said that out loud.

"Aizen is dead, the Hōgyoku is destroyed. That, is what's going on. Listen, I don't know what caused you to act like this, but let us help."

"And why should I trust you?!"

"For the same reason I know that you are Ichigo's inner hollow."

The hollow stilled at that. Not even Aizen knew that he could leave and enter Ichigo's inner world as he pleased. It was a closely guarded secret.

Though everyone else looked at Kisuke in shock, that's Ichigo's inner hollow?!

"But you're more than that, aren't you. After all who else, besides Ichigo, can wield Zangetsu, besides the zanpakto spirit himself?"

The hollow growled, "what the hell do you want."

"Come with us, and let us heal Ichigo. We might be able to help eachother."

The hollow reluctantly nodded in acceptance. Urahara smiled and walked up to carry Ichigo, but a bade was put to his throat, "I'll carry him."

Urahara nodded, as much as he could with a blade being pressed to his throat, and waved a hand to placate the officers with their blades drawn.

The albino wrapped the large khyber knife in its bandages, and placed up upon his back. He then turned Ichigo over, and carried him bridal style, his hold was firm and protective. His black and gold eyes daring anyone to betray them.

Urahara nodded, then turned to the officers, "we'll meet you all at the barracks," then shunpoed along with the hollow to the squad four barracks. Leaving a hunch of confused and shocked shinigami, and humans behind.

-Time skip-

When Ichigo opened his eyes, everything was blurry, and he could make out a white blob next to him.

"Shiro?"

His voice was scratchy and hoarse. He needed water.

"I'm here king."

"Water?"

The spirit nodded and sonidoed to get water. When he came back, he helped Ichigo lean forward to drink it all. When he finished, he leaned back upon the futon and closed his eyes again. It was useless to keep them open anyway, every time his shinigami/hollow spirit left his inner world, his vision would be like this. Has been like this for five years now.

"Shiro, where are we? We aren't in the barracks anymore."

"Nah, Kisuke decided it would be better if you got moved to the Kuchiki house hold. The hollow attack caused a lot of people to get injured, and there wasn't enough space for everyone in the barracks."

"There's more, isn't there."

The spirit sighed, "the head captain didn't trust me, cos of my hollow reishi, and decided that they could better monitor us within the Kuchiki compound."

Ichigo sighed, "Shiro, they're real. I know their reishi signatures, it has to be them."

"I know, just, don't get too comfortable King, we don't want a repeat of last time."

Ichigo winced, but nodded. Last time he believed that his friends were real, he nearly got killed and gained a new scar from his jawbone to his hip.

"What else happened?"

Zangetsu sighed, "I told them."

"Told them what exactly?"

"Well..."

—Flashback—

They now just finshed moving Ichigo to the Kuchiki compound. When Zangetsu and Kisuke arived at the Fourth's barracks, it was nearly full of shinigami who got injured in the hollow invasion.

Zangetsu was now sitting by Ichigo's side, zanpakto sitting on his lap and khyber knife laying beside him. The Old Man is still upset at Ichigo for leaving him behind in the barracks during the hollow attack. He hadn't moved since Ichigo had been settled into the compound.

"So, Zangetsu, we have a few questions we want to ask you. If you don't mind answering."

Said spirit looked at the shop keeper and scowled, "I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"Now now, don't be like that, it's just a few. We'll be out of your hair in no time."

"'We'?"

Just then, the door slid open to reveal captains Soi Fon, Kuchiki, Kyōrakū, and Yamamoto.

"We just want a little explanation."

Zangetsu scowled at them. He still didn't like the idea of trusting them, but right now, he was in no place to argue. So, he told them. About the war, about Aizen, and how long it took.

If they were shocked, they didn't show it.

"So you are from the future, this is most troublesome. As Aizen is now defeated, that future no longer exists. So we are going into an unknown territory."

"I have one question," eveyone turned to Byakuya, "why do you have my division's haori."

Zangetsu scowled, but looked away, "during the eighth year of the war, you died. You gave your captain's haori to Ichigo, who gave it to me so that way it would be easier for our allies not to mistakenly attack me because of my hollow reishi."

That seemed to surprise the Kuchiki Clan Head a little, "and, pray tell, how did I die."

Shiro stiffened. The deaths of his King's friends wasn't something he liked to talk about. Sure, they may not have been his friends, but he could feel the pain his King felt when he lost them.

"I'm not answer'n that one."

Before an argument could break out, Jushiro brought up a question he was waiting to ask, "Unohana said that you asked for the Lieutenant of the Fourth Division, not the Captain or a seated officer. Why would you specifically ask for Isane Kotetsu?"

Shiro scowled, "When I asked for the Lieutenant, I didn't ask for that girl. I was talking about Hanatarō Yamada. From what I heard, the previous Lieutenant perished on the battlefield trying to heal an ambushed group of shinigami. Not to mention that the little squirt has healed the King before, so he knows what he's doin."

"What happened in the future?"

He scowled, again, not something he liked to reminisce on, "Aizen won, basically. Kisuke's seal didn't work and Aizen escaped more powerful than ever. We, the Soul Society I mean, tried to fight back as much as they could. Though, it was useless. For every fight, we lost more than we gained, and eventually the Soul Society became nothing more than a pile of rubble. The King managed to corner Aizen and take 'im down. Then, next thing we know, we ended up 'ere."

The captains looked like they were going to ask more questions, but Yamamoto got up and looked at the albino, "I believe that is enough questions and answers for now. Though we will be back for more."

The zanpakuto spirit just scowled and nodded, opting to sit beside his King and make sure he is safe. The captains left and Urahara gave Ichigo and his spirit one last look before they headed out. No doubt to make sure they were secure within the estate.

—Flashback End—

Ichigo just nodded his head in acceptance, no point in trying to tale it all back now.

Suddenly the orange haired shinigami sensed reishi signatures that he couldn't tell who due to his fatigue and blood loss. Not to mention exhaustion.

"Shiro, who is it."

"Ichigo?"

Said shinigami flinched at Rukia's voice. He remembered when she died. He watched her die right in front of him.

"R-Rukia? W-Who else is with you?"

Rukia, and everyone else gave a confused look, "just open your eyes dumbass."

Rukia punched Renji, and the red head received a growl and glare from the albino.

"Listen you little-"

"It's fine."

Ichigo grabbed Zangetsu's arm before he could punch Renji. It's not his fault that he didn't know about Ichigo's impaired eyesight.

"Ichigo, what happened."

Ichigo turned to Uryū, eyes still closed, and sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"Your hollow told us everything. We want to know about everything. We want to know what happened in the future where you came from."

Ichigo stiffened. So he really was sent back to the past. He sort of figured when he realized that his friend's reishi signatures were real and not fake, but to actually confirm it felt sureal.

Ichigo sighed in defeat and nodded they deserved to know, "alright. In the, future, Aizen created a war that lasted ten years-"

"No, we know about that part. What we want to know is about you." Rukia pointed and accusing finger at Ichigo as she sat beside him.

"Huh?"

"Come on idiot. Like, 'how did you get two zanpakutos? Why do you look different? Why are you eyes closed all the time? Where the hell did you get a quincy cross and learn how to use it', stuff like that."

Ichigo's lips pressed into a thin line as he thought about it, "alright, fine. What do you want to know?"

Ichigo expanded his senses to know who everyone in the room was. So far there was Renji, Rukia, and Uryū in the room. He idly wondered where Chad and Orihime were, but thought better of it. They were most likely with Unohana or talking with Kisuke.

Rukia spoke first, "first of all, what happened to your eyes? You haven't opened them since you woke up. Did something happen?"

Ichigo sighed, "I can't remember exactly where it happened, or what, but I remember going out to dispatch a couple of Arrancars that had been getting close to the camp we were in. It was at least four years into the war and most of the Seireitei had been turned to rubble.

"I was just about finished when I got ambushed. The eighth espada, Szayelaporro I think his name was, came out and splashed some poison at my face. Luckily, Shiro," he gestured to the hollow beside him, "took out the remaining and the epsada while I was incapacitated. He took me to the Fourth's barracks and I mostly got healed. Though, the poison had damaged my eye sight and eyes.

"So, from then on my eye sight has been impaired. Though, whenever I use my hollow mask my eyes are fine since I'm essentially looking through Shiro's eyes."

The shinigami and Quincy were silent at this. So, essentially, Ichigo has been practically blind for almost six years. During war at that.

Uryū spoke next, "the Quincy Cross, where did you get it?"

Ichigo stiffened at this, and Shiro growled. Shiro was about to tell the Quincy to back off, but Ichigo spoke before he could.

"You gave it to me before you died."

That put an uncomfortable silence within the room. Ichigo balled his fists, almost shaking when he recalled the memory. It wasn't very pretty.

Ichigo was about to say more when Shiro put a hand on his shoulder, "I think that's enough for now."

He pointedly glared at the three visitors and tried to calm Ichigo down.

Rukia nodded, "he's right. You should rest up. We'll be around if you ever need us."

Rukia hurried the other two out and closed the door. Shiro then turned to Ichigo, "you alright King?"

"Y-Yeah, I just need a moment to clear my head."

Shiro nodded, then smiled, "you know, how long has it been since we enjoyed the sun?"

Ichigo smiled and slowly stopd up with his spirit helping him, "too long."

With that, the two went out the doors off to the side and went out into the garden. Just enjoying the feel of the sun on their skin, and the moment of peace they have acquired.

—Changing Time—

(Quick note: Sorry for changing Zangetsu to Shiro. I'm used to the hollow/shinigami side being Shiro/Hichigo/Shirosaki/etc. and Old Man being Zangetsu. So, yeah, I apologize.)

Yo! Guardian Hyren here, uhhh, yeah. I'm stuck with Team of Misfits right now. (Writer's blocks a bi—) anyway, I thought that I would post this as a sort of... thing to read while I continue to write the next chapters.

Also, I need you guys's choice (I was going to write this in the newest chapter of ToM, but writing it is taling too long and I need an answer). In ToM, I keep referencing to a "last time", I was wondering if y'all want me to elaborate more on that with a Prequal, or a detailed explanation in a chapter of ToM. so, yeah.

Anyway, hope Y'all enjoyed and have a great day!

-GH