It was the day Rukia became captain of Squad Thirteen. On this day, she, Renji, and their daughter, Ichika, went to the World of the Living to visit their friends, who would be watching another fight in a boxing match. Although, there was a problem when they arrived at the Kurosaki's residence.

Ichika went missing.

Rukia didn't appeared worried, for she knew her daughter could take care of herself. However, Ichigo was worried about how careless she was being about her child.

While the two old friends were bickering, Renji felt a familiar spiritual pressure in the house. "Hold up a sec." He turned his head to the stairs and shouted, "Ichika!"

Almost immediately a little girl appeared at the top of stair case. She has red hair like her father, pulled back in a spiky ponytail, violet eyes like her mother, and a beautiful light blue dress with a white snake design on the bottom. Her bright smile made everyone think she could be Rukia's look-a-like.

"Hi Daddy!" Ichika exclaimed as she suddenly disappeared and then reappeared in her 'daddy's' arm, who gave her a loving kiss on her cheek.

Even though Ichigo was upset about the parent's carefree attitude, he couldn't deny the fact that Ichika was adorable. "You must be their daughter." Ichigo said as he tried to start a conversation with her. "I'm there old friend, Ichigo Kurosaki."

The little girl looked away from her father to look up at the man that was talking to her. Almost immediately, she buried her head into her father's shoulder. Renji could feel his daughter crying on him.

Cradling the back of her head, Renji explained, "There was an incident a few days ago. Arrancars attacked while I was training Ichika. I hid her before they got to us, but she could still feel their spiritual pressure from the fight. I was taken to Squad Four soon after the fight ended. Byakuya found her in the hiding place and brought her there."

Ichigo nodded his head in understanding. "So she's afraid of me because my spiritual pressure is like an Arrancars."

Before Renji could agree, a younger version of Ichigo with Orihime's eyes came running through the room. He stopped right beside his older version and asked, "How are you so fast Ichika? I couldn't keep up!"

Ichigo placed a hand on the boy's head. "This is my boy Kazui and apparently the kids have already met."

Kazui, after getting away from his father, moved to Ichika to inspect her arm. "Why do you have a weird drawing on your arm?"

Ichika moved her head to stare at the boy, her eyes still watering, but she didn't answer. Ichigo got a better view of the girl's arm and stared at her parents in shock. "You let her get a tattoo?! Why?"

Renji switched Ichika to the other side of him so he could show Ichigo his arm. There was a scar identical to Ichika's tattoo. "I got this when I was fighting the Arrancars that day." Renji acknowledged. "Ika wanted to do something something special so she'd remember that I protected her when she got older. If you don't like it, then I'll have her cover it up the next time we visit."

Ichigo sighed, but he dropped the matter for the moment. They went into the living room to watch the fight while Ichika fell asleep in her daddy's arm-

The only place she feels completely safe.