Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, -insert witty comment here-. : ,(
"Bya-oji-sama, Tell me a story!"
Byakuya's lips twitched up into the ghost of a smile, assuring his niece that he would appease her demands in a moment.
Hisana's blinding orange hair swung wildly as she hopped into bed. She bit her lip, azure eyes gazing unseeing, the very image of deep thought. "Bya-oji-sama," she started, unsure, "Can you tell me a story about…my father?"
o0 & 0o
Rip.
The image of trees, dark evening sky, and serene clouds shifted, wavering, and then dispersed as the portal to a sand-barren dimension opened just big enough for an average-sized man to step through. A zori-clad foot emerged, followed by a slim, lean body and a head of shocking orange hair.
Ichigo took a deep breath. The air in Soul Society was thinner than in Hueco Mundo, but the familiarity of it soothed him. Before he could cause a commotion, he let the remaining part of his mask disperse, effectively masking both his hollow and human reiatsus.
He stood atop a grassy hill that looked over Seiretei and the closest districts of Rukongai. A subtle breeze passed over the knoll, stirring the man's white garments, shifting the collar of Ichigo's outfit, revealing a small, stark-black tattooed 1. He shoved his hands in his pockets and started down towards civilization.
o0 & 0o
"Your father was a brave man. He sacrificed himself for the whole of Soul Society." Hisana's eyes were wide with wonder. "Do you know who Aizen is?"
Hisana nodded, slowly at first, then with more enthusiasm. "He's the guy with too much gel!"
"Well, young one, he betrayed Seiretei because he thought that he could rule the worlds through evil-"
"But the good guys always win, right?"
"That's later in the story. Your father had to fight Aizen so that the balance of the worlds couldn't be overturned. At the beginning of the Worlds War, Aizen tried to capture Soul Society. All the captains were able to beat him back, but it was apparent that he and his army of Hollows were stronger than they seemed. When Aizen retreated, Soul Society tried to regroup and gather as much of a fighting force as they could. Your father and mother were living in the real world, so as soon as they heard the news of the attack, they hurried over to try to help. Your uncles Chad and Uryu tagged along, too. When they got here, Soul Society was crumbling. Some Rukongai districts were rebelling, and, in short, everything was in chaos."
o0 & 0o
Night had fallen on Rukongai District 3 and all sensible souls had retreated to their homes to get a night's rest and prepare for the coming day. Ichigo strolled the deserted streets, soaking in everything he could see. He ambled toward the great stone spires of his childhood that were Seiretei. At the edge of the district, a sullen stone wall towered over the simple huts of Rukongai.
In one nimble leap, hands still in pockets, Ichigo landed nimbly on the flat brick almost-walkway that was the top of said wall. Peering either way down the immense stone structure, he could see not of the gargantuan figure of Jindabo, the gate keeper, nor any of his comrades. Shrugging, he tumbled down and landed softly on the other side of the wall, unseen and ungreeted.
o0 & 0o
"Your father helped beat off some of the smaller hollow attacks, but then we noticed that while we were distracted, Aizen's troops and the Espada, their most elite, had moved and surrounded Karakura, your family's hometown. When they attacked, however, they were in for a surprise. Unbeknownst to us and them, your grandfather, who was a former captain, was residing in the city, and he was able to hold off the entire army until some shinigami were sent to help him out. I believe that around this time was when your Aunt Karin also started to develop the power to battle hollows.
"After a while of this guerilla-style fighting, Aizen and Yamamoto-sou-taichou prompted an all-out war. In the desert of Hueco Mundo, both armys assembled. The fighting didn't start for a while. Both parties weighed each other up for the longest time. When some rookie Eleventh squad began to protest, the fighting abruptly started. Nobody knew who struck the first blow, but it erupted from there. A few of the Espada had already been killed and their positions hadn't been replaced, so it was mostly one captain to an espada."
"Who did you fight, Bya-oji-sama?" The young girl's eyes were misted over in awe as she tried to comprehend the grandeur of the fight.
"I had to fight the 9th and 7th Espadas, but they weren't as powerful as some of the Espada in existence. Soul Society was faring badly, even with some traitors joining our side, like your Aunt Nel."
"She's a hollow?"
"Yes, and a former Espada as well. Moving on, young one, Soul Society wasn't doing to well, but the Vizards finally put aside their grudge and joined the fight. While they took on the Espada, your father, the current Sou-taicho, and Yamamoto-sou-taicho all headed into Los Noches, Aizen's Headquarters, to go head-to-head with him. It took all three of them to beat him down, and, in the end, Yamamoto was mortally wounded. He could not be cured, and so, passed on his title to the one he thought was most able."
"The Sou-taicho today?"
"That's right, young one. Hitsugaya-sou-taicho. Once Aizen had fallen, his troops fell into confusion. The Shinigami beat down the rest of the confused hollows easily. We had won the war."
"…What happened to my father?"
o0 & 0o
Ichigo strolled through the squad compounds, recognizing the 10th and 11th squad offices, the ones he had visited most frequently. He vaguely wondered if Zaraki was still up for a death-match or two. He passed though the division offices and ambled around the living areas. Sakura petals floated gracefully downwards, landing silently on the impeccably-cut lawn. A square of light caught his eye, so he made his way over.
Inside, he glimpsed the always-stoic, apathetic face of Kuchiki Byakuya turned soft as he spoke to a small, orange haired girl whose eyes held the innocence and wonder only a child's could contain. Something was famillier about this girl. Her eyes were a deep amythest, twinkling in the soft light of her room.
As he raised his hand to the glass, his sleeve shifted down, and hole in his wrist was exposed to the increasingly-chilly air. He winced, shoved his hand back into his pocket, and glanced once more at the young… familiar child. He tapped the air once and the ever-hated ripping sound filled the quite evening. He stepped through the hole and back into Aizen's Domain.
Please reveiw, every Author knows that it always gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside when your Inbox is full of reveiws. Anywho, if flaming's your thing, go at it, but for my self-esteem's sake, I really prefer it if it is in 'Constructive Critisim' format. Thank you for Reading!
-Veny
