1st A/N: ALRIGHT! MY FIRST (TECHNICAL) BLEACH FANFIC! (My Ouran-Bleach crossover doesn't count). It's AU and some events (the majority of the events) will be edited or cut out, to help my FANFICTION make sense (anything is possible in fanfiction!). Just wanted to say I'm sorry if there's something that confuses you or that doesn't make sense. (I'm only on episode 202 of the anime...too lazy to read the manga...and too lazy to hurry up and watch the anime). So, really, I haven't seen much of the Arrancar part yet. But that's OK! Because this starts at the very beginning, nya!~
Disclaimer: I do not own 'Bleach' in any way, shape, or form (if I did, Ichi would probably be a girl and with Byakuya. Though I support ByaXIchi in any way, shape, or form. heehee)
On another note, I'm sorry if anyone is OOC! For some reason, I feel like I totally messed up Yoruichi, Isshin, and Urahara. Especially Yoruichi. (-_-)
Chapter One:
It was a fateful morning. The sky was overcast with clouds, pregnant with the threat of a downpour of angel's tears. The birds refused to awaken from a seemingly pre-destined slumber. The dogs didn't bark, but instead clung to houses and safe places, whimpering quietly to any who would care to listen. And the Kurosaki Clinic was seemingly dead: a handwritten sign stating "Sorry, But We're Closed for the Day" taped to the glass in the door. There were no lights on in the clinic; it was nothing but a dark blackness.
It was a weekend day, meaning the Kurosaki children did not have to go to school. They were sleeping, all three figures breathing in a peaceful rhythm safe in their beds. But there was one member of the household who was awake, one Isshin Kurosaki, the only parent to the three children, sat at his dining room table, elbows bent on the oak and his bearded head resting on his clasped hands. Across from him sat Kisuke Urahara, and next to Urahara sat Yoruichi Shihoin.
"Are you positive?" Isshin asked in one of his rare fits of seriousness. His dark brown eyes shone with something unknown to the two: the parental need to protect their children.
"Unfortunately, yes." Urahara answered, his eyes masked by his bucket hat. He fanned himself as he stared at Isshin, wondering what his old friend was planning.
"Do they mean harm?" Isshin asked, leaning back in his chair. He ran a hand through his tousled dark hair, letting out a sigh.
"I am not sure of their motives." Urahara continued to fan himself.
"I-If they take me…make sure my children are taken care of. Urahara, in my will it dictates you as their legal guardian. If necessary, train Ichigo, but make sure my little girls stay safe. Yoruichi…make sure my girls grow up well…" Isshin bowed his head in his hand, leaning over the table once again.
"You don't know what they want quite yet, Isshin." Yoruichi answered with a frown. The were-cat continued to stare at her old comrade.
"What else would they call for but an execution? I abandoned the Soul Society. While abandonment by a plain Soul Reaper is punishable by a ten year probationary period; abandonment by an officer is punishable by a twenty year probationary period; abandonment by a lieutenant is punishable by a sealing of all spiritual powers. I was a captain who abandoned. Do you know what the punishment is?" Isshin asked them in a quiet voice.
"We know what the punishment is, Isshin." Yoruichi whispered.
"Answer me!" he hissed in return.
"Death. Captains who abandon their post are executed." Urahara said coldly.
"And not only did I abandon my position, I also married a human and had three children with her!" Isshin was becoming more hysterical by the second. "Oh god, what if they find out about my children? Death to all three! Death! Let the Gods of Death bring forth what they are best at, death!" Isshin allowed tears to flow down his cheeks. He could care less about his own safety and life, but when it came to his children…
"Isshin! You're going to wake up your children." Yoruichi chided softly. Isshin continued to allow tears to fall down his cheeks, but his eyes held a hard determination.
"I cannot let my children die. I will meet them when the senkaimon opens. They do not need to know about my children. Urahara…take care of my children." Urahara frowned at his old friend's words. His fan faltered in its fluttering.
"I will."
"Kisuke! Don't talk about this as if it has been decided Isshin will die!" Yoruichi hissed.
"Yoruichi." Isshin said seriously. "It's fine…I've been prepared for the inevitable since I abandoned the Soul Society. I have no regrets…only that I wish I could have watched my children grow up."
"Isshin, before you go off and die, there is something you need to know." Urahara murmured quietly; quiet enough that the duo could barely hear him.
"What is it, Urahara?" Isshin asked.
"Ichigo's spiritual powers are starting to awaken."
"Yes, yes, I know that. Ichigo's powers have always leaked out a bit." Isshin dismissed.
"Ichigo's binds are about to break, the special gigai I made for Ichigo as soon as the kid was born will be ripped apart soon." Isshin's eyes widened at the information.
"B-but…the gigai isn't supposed to break! Ichigo's half human!"
"That's where the calculations were wrong, Isshin. Ichigo, as well as Yuzu and Karin…your Soul Reaper DNA dominated over the human DNA, and well…all three of your children are pure Soul Reapers."
"I-Impossible!" Isshin spat out.
"Not quite. Your spiritual energy dominated over Misaki's human DNA. Your children have her DNA, but they do not have what makes them human." Urahara explained.
"Well…today seems to get better and better." Isshin grumbled lowly.
"We should head over to the shop. I need to cut your soul out from your gigai. You don't want to meet Yama-jii and the others in a gigai, right?"
Urahara had effectively broken the binds that bound the former Soul Reaper from his gigai. Isshin stood in Urahara Shoten's basement/training field, dressed in his old robes. His torn captain's haori, held in place on his shoulder by his division's lieutenant badge (that was once worn by his lieutenant, the lieutenant who challenged him to a duel and lost, ending his life), fluttered slightly. It was a remembrance of the past: all three former captains seemed to stare at the robes, different thoughts flitting through their heads.
"The senkaimon will open up at the park. Do you want us to go with you?" Yoruichi said sadly.
"No. You two will raise my children. I don't want Soul Society catching you." Isshin said with determination.
"Good luck, Isshin." Urahara said with an uncharacteristic frown on his usually cheery (and perverted) face. Isshin smiled at his old friends, who had spent the last few decades standing by his side and supporting him. It was a smile filled with sorrow.
"Take care of my children." he whispered hoarsely before flashing away. The two "traitors" watched the dust settle, frowns on their faces.
"We can only hope for the best." Urahara said before walking away.
Isshin Kurosaki stood in the park, drinking in the sight where he and his wife used to bring their children. The swings swung lightly, a breeze pushing them and forcing them to creak and groan. The sun had yet to appear over the horizon. Isshin wished he could see the sunrise one last time, witness the bright and lovely sight which his wife loved. But his hopes crashed as he turned and saw the beginnings of what was a senkaimon appearing.
He stood a distance away from the gate, facing it directly. His shoulders were squared and there was a determined look in his eyes. He face remained passive, as if he could care less.
A flutter of footsteps came out of the blasted gate. Several captains and lieutenants appeared. The majority looked surprised to see him there, faces full of shock. Strangely enough, the last one to enter the World of the Living was Yamamoto, the Captain-Commander himself.
The captains and lieutenants there lined up and faced one another. Too much organization for Isshin's tastes.
"Hi, Yama-jii." Isshin greeted his former commander sadly. The elderly head captain stared ahead at the former captain.
"Isshin Kurosaki. Former captain of the tenth squad of the Gotei 13. Your sentence has been decided." Yamamoto said as he opened his eyes.
2nd A/N: OK! That sucked, right? PROBABLY! (I'm terrible at Bleach fanfics). YA-HA! So, for the important part of the story...THE PAIRING! Unfortunately, this won't be yaoi. Or heck, should I just genderbend Ichi and force him on Bya? Or go with simple Ichiruki? NO ICHIHIME, sorry but I don't really support that. OH! I just reread this and realized I gave no hint to Ichi's gender! Heehee. So...right now I'm considering Fem!ByaXIchi; ByaXFem!Ichi; or Ichiruki. I'd like some opinions on this (although I might not listen to the opinions at all and just flip a coin ((a three-sided coin?)) or go up to a random stranger and ask them...) *sighs* I have preferences on pairings...but it's so hard to decide!
Sorry if I made anyone OOC! But this is AU, ya know? It's bound to happen.
-Aerie