Ichigo sat on a tall grassy knoll near the outskirts of Rukongai his black shinigami robes rippled against him in the wind. His amber eyes scanned the vast residence of the departed it was truly like an enormous feudal village captured in time.
Ichigo felt the weight of Zangetsu pressed against his memories of his first adventures in the land of the dead flickered through his mind as the lush leaves of the trees whispered overhead.
He remembered sitting on that kind elder's rooftop that gave him and his friends shelter for their first night in Soul Society. Back then he had only seen a small portion of the residential districts populated by the departed that encircled the walls that stood between him and his ultimate reason for trespassing on the grounds of the dead, Rukia.
Back then, he was not taken in by the ethereal beauty of the sunset that bathed Soul Society in a golden glow of the evening. His thoughts were focused on closing the gap between him and wherever they were keeping her. He did not care if he had to face more captains like Ichimaru Gin (who much later turned out to be more of an ally of sorts against Aizen than an enemy) and he did not care if he would have to break into every building of the Serretei either.
In fact he while he was on that roof he had planned to force every shinigami involved with Rukia's to get on their knees and beg for Rukia's forgiveness after properly introducing them to Zangetsu's edge.
But now he sat high above the city of souls he laid siege to in his youth now as one of its leaders.
He can not remember how many times he has crossed the bridge between life and death or pressed forth with sword drawn in the worlds between them.
Everything seems to have passed by in a blur of speed that even Tensa Zangetsu can not match.
…So, this is what adulthood's like?
While reminiscing, Ichigo suddenly felt a familiar sensation of reiatsu and barely noticed the sound of a twig snapping behind him before being tackled from behind by a young girl in an Academy uniform.
"I got you Dad!"
Speaking of adulthood…
The sound of unrestrained laughter filled his ears as he felt a warm pair of hands grip his shoulders as his attacker sat triumphant on his back as he lay knocked to the ground.
"Oh? Is that so?" Ichigo grinned as he caught the wrist of his daughter and lifted her over head as he got back on his feet.
(AN) This fic has been in my folder for years and I might as well dump it now that Bleach is over forever since last year.
#IchigoshouldhavestayedinSoulSocietyandmadeitabetterplace