Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Bleach characters…

Chapter 2: Starting backwards…

Two years prior to Byakuya entrance into the past…

"Hime, you must wake up now."

"I can't belief what I am saying but yeah, do what the old man says."

"Ichigo…"

"Queenie! Wake up now or I am taking over your body this very minute!"

A young girl mumbled as she turned to her side, "Shut up Shiro. Just let me sleep for 5 more minutes."

"QUENIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"

"Hime, you must wake up now. You have been sleeping for 2 months already."

Zangetsu's last statement managed what Shiro's shouting hadn't done; she shot out of bed so fast that she almost fell face flat on the floor if not for Zangetsu materializing just in time to steady her. Vertigo was no fun.

In the next half second, with her in bed and back to the wall, "Hime, conserve your strength a bit, I will see you in your Inner World."

Back in her world of skyscrapers…

"What is going on guys?"

"We have only been able to hear glimpses here and there. It seems that you were found by your father…and no wait, we are not in the Human World…uhm, how should I say this…"

"Move aside old man," Shiro pushed Zangetsu out the way, but he did make sure Ichigo was seated before continuing, "Quennie, here is the breakdown. We are back in the past, as in more than a century from our time."

"WHAT?"

Before Shiro could say anymore, Zangetsu intervened, "We awoke a few days before you did. It seems that Urahara-san's time machine was not as accurate as he had hoped."

"At least a century back…", repeated Ichigo in a daze.

"Well, that's our theory seeing as how your father is known as Shiba Isshin."

Silence reigned for the next few minutes as Ichigo try to process the overload of information. They were back to the past alright, but it was at least 100 years from the intended timeline. What was she going to do? What was going on? What…what…what…

"Chill out Quennie. We can hear your thoughts you know. Old man and I have been thinking while your lazy self was sleeping that the best way to proceed was just to pretend you don't know what happened in your past, while observing and and learning for now."

The only word that she could mutter was a, "Huh?"

"It seems that your father found us as he was meandering about District 64's forest. Your Reiryoku was so weak it was almost non-existent. But your father ID what was left of your Reiryoku as having the pattern of a Shiba. And not just any Shiba, but someone who has quite close familiar ties with him."

"I heard them teasing your father about you being his illegitimate child," cackled Shiro.

With just a silent glare from Zangetsu, Shiro shut up and let the old man continued.

"The Shibas here don't know who your parents are, but do know you are not a distant relative. Our plan is…"

Nearly two years later…

"Kukaku-neechan, do I really have to wear this?"

"Hm…don't you like it?"

"It is pretty, but I can't move much around in this thing", to demonstrate she shuffled a few steps as a penguin.

Coughing to cover up a laugh, "It is not so bad. And the cloth's color matches you."

"The problem is not how beautiful the kimono is, it is that it is too embellished and constrictive for me to move much."

"You are the Shiba Hime, you don't have to do anything but seat quietly and let everyone wait on you."

The words were barely out of Shiba Kukaku's mouth before she expertly caught the apple that Ichigo had aimed at her head. "And I see that you can move."

"Kukaku-neechan!"

Ruffling her hair when she flopped down onto one of the floor cushion next to Kukaku , "I am only teasing you. I just wanted to make sure it fit you properly before the banquet."

Growling about the aforementioned banquet, "Do I really need to go?"

"It is not so bad. Everyone from Gotei 13 and their families must attend to celebrate the 1000 year anniversary of Gotei 13's foundation."

"But there would be tons of people."

"I know, and I promise we would leave once you can't handle the crowd anymore."

"I am only going there to support Kaien-nii and dad."

"That's my girl, and the banquet is months away. Now shoo and go change. Isn't Kaien taking you out for a stroll this afternoon?"

With a whoop of laughter, Ichigo sped away and left Kukaku to continue working on her sketch of the latest prototype of one of the fireworks she wanted to re-work.

On the Shiba's Manor front garden…

Humming to herself in happiness, Ichigo swung her legs back and forth over the tree branch she was on while she waited for Kaien to arrive. Many things have happened during last two years since she had woken up in the past. Per Zangetsu's and Shiro's suggestion, when the Shibas asked her is if she remembered what had happened to cause the many injuries she had when Shiba Isshin found her, all Ichigo said was that she couldn't remember.

Even the 4th Division captain, Unohana-san (who knew that she was a friend of her father's?) had blamed her memories lost as her brain's coping mechanism to block out whatever horrors she had seen and experienced. They had looked through records of Soul Society, made quiet inquiries at the District where she was found, and without any more information and no one knocking down the Shiba's door to demand her return, the Shibas had of course declared her theirs now.

With Shiba Isshin as Clan Head, they had decided to make it all official and have her father adopt her as his daughter. Ganju-nii had whispered in a not so quiet voice that they were finally getting a girl into the family. And Kukaku's response was to swiftly kick her younger brother in the stomach before welcoming Ichigo warmly into the family, "It is nice to finally have someone besides me who is not a Neanderthal in the family!"

"If only they knew that you could be three times the trouble-maker those can be", Shiro gleefully pointed out.

Ichigo couldn't say more but "Shut it Shiro", before Zangetsu told her that Kaien was approaching. Getting back on level ground, Ichigo slipped her sealed Zanpatou through a loop she made out of the sash at her waist. She tightened her sash and waved goodbye to Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko, who were standing as guards outside the main gates of the Shiba compound, as Kaien reached them.

Outside the 12th Division…

"Hime, no matter what, don't leave my side, okay?"

"I know Kaien-nii, I won't."

Giving the young girl another glance to make sure she meant it, he pushed the door open and walked into his division. He just hoped he didn't regret his decision to bring her along. If anything happened, not only would his younger sister and brother be after him, but he would also have to deal with his uncle Isshin.

He gulped aloud and hoped to heaven he didn't regret letting her talk him into doing this. He greeted the few 12th Division members they met along the way while ushering Ichigo deeper into the division. They finally stopped outside a building that had a huge sign hanging above proclaiming it the Technical Research Bureau.

Without any qualms, Ichigo walked inside and after asking one of the members for their captain, they were able to locate Urahara-taichou working in one of the building's room. The man had some goggles on while he was bending down looking at a small black box one of his subordinates was showing him. There was a downcast look on the Shinigami who was holding the box for his captain's inspection, but it was quickly replaced with hope and determination as Urahara took off his goggles and spoke a few words to him. His subordinate placed the box carefully back on the desk before dashing out the door as he muttered something about "…scent…more flies…"

Finally catching sigh of them, a smiling Urahara bounced to them.

"Ichi-chan, you finally came to visit me!"

"Of course, Urahara-taichou, I promised."

"Urahara-taichou", greeted Kaien respectfully.

Waving all the formal greetings away, "I told you guys to stop being so formal."

"Urahara-san what does that black box do?"

He guided her back to the workbench, and pressed the box into her hands. It was small enough to fit in her palm, "Here, press the lever on the left for me."

"Would something go boom if I press this?...or would weapons needles fly out? Or would I be releasing some kind of lethal smoke….or", asked Ichigo excitedly as she turned the box this way and that way in an effort to see what was inside it.

"Urahara-taichou I will do it", protested Kaien as he made to grab the box out of her hands.

"Don't worry, Kaien-kun, it is safe."

Giving the captain an unsure glance, Kaien reluctantly let her keep the box. Urahara-taichou might be a bit of an oddball among the Gotei 13, though to be fair, who wasn't an oddball?, but at least he was a close friend of his uncle and wouldn't outright put Ichigo in danger despite promising not to do it. And it wasn't as if Urahara-taichou was crazy dangerous *cough* like the Division 11th Captain*cough*, thought Kaien.

"Okay here goes nothing," said Ichigo as she pressed the hidden button on the side.

At first nothing happened, so Ichigo pressed again on the button. Suddenly, the bottom of the box popped open and a small ball dropped down and rolled around them before landing a couple of feet away from them. It did nothing for a minute before it deflated into an almost flat ball. Ichigo and Kaien looked back at Urahara.

"Well that was supposed to actually cause a loud noise and then explode into smoke that would cause the people who inhale it to laugh uncontrollably thus making it impossible for anyone to chase after you. However, as you can see, we are having a bit of a problem with the noise and the laughing gas. It is just in the beginning stages."

"Oh", murmured Ichigo.

"But enough about that since you guys are here and I am free, let me give you a tour of this place."

An hour later…

"That was quite fun," remarked Ichigo happily as she hugged a medium size package the 12th Division Captain had given her.

"Don't let Kukaku see what's inside or she would come after Urahara-taichou".

"Don't worry Kaien-nii, they are not dangerous. In fact, I can use them if I am ever in danger. I have…"

Raising one of his hands palm up, Kaien said, "It's okay, as long as they don't hurt you, I don't need to know exactly what's inside that package. The less I know the more blame I can shift to Urahara-taichou when Kukaku finds out."

Sharing conspiratorially grins, both headed to the 13th Division. "Okay, now that we are done here, time to head over to my division. You would like everyone there, especially my taichou and Rukia. Rukia is one of the officers I took under my wing and is a very hard worker…"

But before more could be said, a Jigokucho, also known as a Hell Butterfly, headed directly for Kaien. When he cupped his hands around it, a man's kind but tired voice spoke "Kaien-kun, I am sorry to interrupt you on your half day off, but can you please choose a team and meet the 5th Division team outside District 25's gate, North Rukongai. Hollows have been sighted nearby that district. Thank you."

Frowning at the fact that more than one Hollow had made an appearance so close to Seireitei (which was a rare occurrence), and at the fact that his captain must be feeling ill again, Kaien held onto Ichigo's right arm to make sure she was following as his sped up. Thank goodness they were no more than 100 feet away from his division's headquarters.

A/N: Hi again,

Since I already got this done, thought I would share it with everyone too. How many of you had guessed from last chapter that Ichigo was sent much further into the past than Byakiya?

Don't think that it is true in the real Bleach World, but at least for my story, not only can Shinigamis sense the strength of someone's Reiryoku, but also actually identify/label someone as family through their Spiritual Energy signature, thought they can't do it for anyone else who doesn't share the same blood. Everyone has their own signature Reiryoku, but members of a family who share the same blood can detect something like an extra wavelength of the Spiritual Energy as family; the closer they are related father to children, uncles to nieces and nephews, the easier it is to identified as oppose to an eighth cousin once removed.

Ichigo's father had found her in one of the forest that are scattered around District 64. She had already been physically injured before she had poured almost all of her Spiritual Energy into the Time-Returner. She passed out due to physical and mental exhaustion during the transfer back to the past. Her Reiryoku was so depleted at the time that unless you were within a feet of her, no one could tell she had any power, and at the time she woke up, it was still quite a bit low. But before it flared back up to the insane amount she had in the future, Ichigo was taught to control and rein it in so that it wouldn't leak like a faucet that had been fully turned on. Therefore, to anyone who was sensing for it, they could only tell that at most her Reiryoku was at average level.

Enjoy this chapter, share your thoughts and see you next time!