1

Ichigo woke once more lying on a futon in the Urahara shoten. He immediately probed for his zanpakutou spirits. Tension he hadn't even been aware of evaporated when he got two responses to his inquiry. A slight, relieved smile shifted across his features before his usual frown settled into place. The expression looked strange on his nine year old face.

He was surprised to still be at Urahara's since he had gotten the man to admit to conspiring toward his mother's death. He had expected to wake up at home safe in his own bed. Ichigo pushed back the blanket covering him and walked to the shouji door. He stopped with his hand on the door uncertainly. Urahara had said that his mother was still alive. He did not know if he could face her right now; after all that he had done. Would she be proud of him? He already knew that he could not be the happy, innocent son he had been only yesterday to her.

Only one way to find out. Ichigo took a deep breath and opened the door. He walked slowly down the hall to the common area where his mother and father sat across from Urahara at the low table. He stopped at the door unable to go any further. His mother really was alive, worried and clearly uneasy with the current situation but alive. His dad was wearing an unfamiliar scowl that rivaled Ichigo at his best. It was a bizarre experience to see it. Urahara looked his usual unflappable self, but he had pulled his hat low over his eyes, a clear indication that he was hiding his true emotions.

"Morning," He croaked just to break the silence that was pressing down on him. All three adults had turned toward him.

"Afternoon," His father said staring into his eyes, searching. "You were out for quite some time."

Before anything else could be said Masaki stood and rounded the table at a speed that could have been considered a shunpo. Before Ichigo registered what was happening she was on her knees in front of him pulling him into an embrace. Ichigo froze in shock. It had been a long time since anyone had hugged him like that. He was not used to being the one being comforted. Hesitantly he hugged her back.

"You okay?" Masaki asked her son.

Ichigo nodded unable to speak. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes, and he almost started crying. Masaki lifted him up and sat him on her hip. Ichigo did not protest the action. It was all he could do just to control himself. She made her way back to her seat at the table and situated him on her lap. With Ichigo technically being a young man this made him somewhat uncomfortable. He sat stiffly hoping this would be over soon.

Urahara was staring at him openly, and his father was sipping at his tea with a thoughtful frown on his face.

Urahara broke the silence. "Kurosaki-kun, your parents and I have been talking since you fell asleep. I have my own theories, but it would probably be best to hear your side of the story."

Ichigo blinked at the man. He was damned if he was going to poor out his soul in front of this man. Besides, Urahara was so smart he had probably already figured it out.

"You know that I am an inventor, correct?" He went on when Ichigo did not take the the bait and start talking.

"Yes," Ichigo said after a long moment. He stared at the blond until Urahara started to sweat.

"I have a theory as to how you could possibly know that." Urahara licked his lips slightly nervous. "There is a device that I have that could, if it worked, explain your recent behavior and knowledge."

Ichigo thought carefully for a moment about how manipulative he knew Urahara was before answering. "The last thing I saw before a bright flash of light was you throwing something at me." He said carefully.

"Mm, did it look like this?" Urahara reached into his haori and pulled something out. He sat what looked like a palm sized crystal ball that you see fortune tellers use on the table. It even had a smoky center that flashed periodically.

Ichigo glanced at it. "Yeah, that's it."

"Really?" Urahara asked unsuitably interested in the answer given the current situation. "If it had even worked you would have only had a split second to see it."

Ichigo stared at him some more.

"Anyway," Urahara continued sensing yet another dead end to the conversation. "As I was explaining to your parents before you woke, which you have just confirmed, you are from the future."

Ichigo looked down at his too small hands, "Sort of," He conceded.

Urahara smile in that mysterious way that Ichigo had learned to dread. "Well it was only meant to send a soul back not a living body."

"How far into the future are you from?" His father blurted.

Ichigo puffed out his cheeks. "Nine years." He said.

They all stared at him. "Nine..." He heard his mother whisper.

"Only eighteen and you are already dead and achieved shikai?" Isshin said voice raising in pitch. He coughed uncomfortably after his voice cracked. "It shouldn't be possible for such a thing to happen."

"I am kind of a special case," Ichigo said as his mother's arms tightened around him.

"Special case?" Urahara asked interest peeked once again.

"Yes," Ichigo said moving his arms to get his mother to loosen up her grip. "I am still in my body, so sort of ... not dead?" He scratched his head not really knowing how to explain the circumstances he had lived with for the last three years.

"What are you talking about?" Masaki growled.

Ichigo froze in shock. His mother had growled? He could not for the life of him remember a time when his wonderful, smiling mother had growled. Isshin was sweating and even Urahara looked uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"Ah, honey," Isshin said rubbing the back of his head nervously. "You see, our sweet baby boy was very single minded about getting his zanpakutou back."

Masaki pinned her very brave and very stupid husband with a withering glare. "And this leads you to believe that my son is dead, how?" She said voice dripping venom. Her arms tightened painfully around Ichigo. He squirmed, and Masaki immediately loosed her hold, but did not let him go.

Ichigo sighed as soon as he was able to breath and answered the question for his petrified father. "I had Urahara remove my soul from my body and cut my chain of fate."

"What!?" Masaki shrieked causing Ichigo to go momentarily deaf. She rounded on Urahara reaching across the table and grabbing him by the collar. Ichigo was pushed painfully into the edge of the table, but was ignored by the woman intent on choking Urahara to death. "You said you did not want to hurt my son," She snapped twisting the fabric in her hand. Urahara struggled trying to regain his balance from the surprise attack. Ichigo noted that the man looked as if he wanted to flee or maybe simply to breathe.

"Mom, it's alright," Ichigo wheezed. "I've done this before."

Masaki let go of Urahara and fell back into her chair. Everyone was looking at him in surprise. "From the future remember?" He glared at Urahara and rubbed his side where it had been shoved into the table. "We need to talk."

"You say that as if we wont be there," Isshin said. "And you are the one who said he was at least partially responsible for the hollow attack on Masaki, your mother. Why are you willing to trust him?"

"I don't trust him, not now. I did before..." He looked Urahara in the eyes. "You helped me out when I needed it the most."

Urahara blinked in confusion before pulling down his hat once more to shade his eyes. Must kill hat, Ichigo thought vindictively. He really hated that thing.

"When I saw you standing with Aizen in the King's Realm-"

"We were in the King's Realm?" Urahara demanded.

Ichigo over road him. "I want to know why; why him?"

"But the King's Realm-" Urahara pouted. The man actually had the gall to pout.

"I have no intention of telling you of future events," Ichigo snapped. "Why?"

"I do what I do for the good of the Soul Society."

"You don't do anything without a personal reason."

Urahara shrugged. "You wont tell me about the future, and I will not give you my reasons. Let's just stick with what we are trying to change, hmm." He tapped his fan on the table decisively.

"Fine," Ichigo said. "Just tell me when you feel I need to know. But really, you are working with Aizen. How do you know he isn't lying to you?"

"Pardon?" Urahara asked piercing Ichigo with his eyes.

"Aizen's zanpakutou is an illusion type and more than capable of making you believe anything he wants you to," Ichigo elaborated.

Urahara frowned at the extent of the boy's information. How well had he known each of them anyway? If Urahara had doubted his time travel theory before, he did not now. That young face did not match the level of knowledge the boy possessed. To know Kyouka Suigetsu's true nature...

"Aizen has a way of immunizing people to his illusions. You can still see them of course, but they are translucent and easily identifiable," Urahara answered breezily.

Ichigo scowled. Urahara had given that information up way to easily. "Liar," Ichigo said with an air of confidence.

Urahara shrugged unrepentant. "His hypnosis wont work on me," he paused considering for a moment. "Though if there is anything I can do to help you, Ichigo-kun, let me know. We will work something out."

"That's enough," Isshin said standing abruptly. It had been difficult for him to sit and watch his son verbally spar with another ex-captain centuries older than he was. "We don't need anything. We are a normal, human family as far as the Shinigami are concerned. Let's go." Masaki stood with him. Each parent grabbed one of Ichigo's hands and lead him toward the front of the shop. "I don't want you anywhere near my family Urahara," Isshin threw over his shoulder. Hustling his wife and son out the door. "Stay away."

"Ma Kurosaki-san," Urahara called after them. "Your son is already much too powerful to hide, and in your current state you cannot protect him or your family from those who will come after him."

Isshin glared at the man.

"He's right," Ichigo said softly. "They will come after me eventually."

"We will talk again later once everyone has cooled down," Urahara said.

Before Isshin could reply Ichigo jumped in. "Yes, we will."

Isshin looked back and forth between the two at a complete loss as to what to do. In one day his happy little family had been torn apart. This Ichigo was so cold and distant, constantly frowning. That was not the little happy boy he knew. As he and his wife and son started to walk home he felt a small tug on his hand where it was wrapped around his son's. "I'm sorry," The boy said in a small voice looking at the ground. Inside his chest he felt his heart break.

2

Ichigo clung to his mother as he watched his father thank the elderly woman he vaguely remembered used to watch his sisters and him if both of their parents had to go somewhere. Evidently Karin and Yuzu had been put down for an afternoon nap and had not woken as yet.

"Are you hungry, sweetie?" Masaki asked brushing back his hair with her hand. He leaned unconsciously into the touch. Unable to speak, he just nodded his head. By his estimate he had not eaten anything in at least a day. He was famished. He gratefully sat at the table dangling his off the edge of the chair. Having to hop up into the chair did dampen his mood a bit though. Both of his parents shared a significant look at the near perpetual frown their son had gained since the hollow incident.

Once his mother sat a plate of rice balls out that had been in the fridge, she and Isshin sat across from their son, so that they could better observe him. Ichigo stopped woofing down the rice balls well aware of what the two wanted to know.

"Your father explained what happened with the hollow," His mother began. "I assume it is safe to say that Urahara-san did not help us the first time?"

Ichigo forced down the rice in his throat and nodded numbly. He had hoped to not have to talk about this part. He gazed steadily at the table and cursed himself for the tears he could not stop from running down his face. "You died," He said barely above a whisper.

His mother was kneeling beside his chair, arms wrapped around him once more before he registered what was happening. "It's okay, baby; I'm here."

Ichigo cried. His mother held him tightly and looked at her husband pleadingly.

Isshin had no answers for her. Time travel did explain Ichigo's sudden change in behavior though. The scowling face, the closed off behavior, all the things a young man with a loving family should not be expressing. Isshin wondered for a moment what he would do if Masaki had died yesterday. All he could think was that he was glad that he did not have to find out. It made him feel guilty that his son had indeed experienced that loss.

Ichigo sniffed loudly and pulled back from his mother. His eyes were puffy and tear streaks trailed down his cheeks. He also, for some reason neither parent could fathom looked angry with himself. "They want to come out," He said suddenly.

"Who does?" Masaki asked confused.

Isshin wasn't confused, though he was surprised that Ichigo could keep an open channel to his zanpakutou even in an emotionally distressed state. Isshin himself had never been nearly as close to Engestu.

"Zangetsu," Ichigo answered. The two spirits that Isshin remembered from Urahara's basement materialized behind Ichigo's chair. Masaki jumped back surprised. She stared at them wide eyed, obviously sensing the reiatsu the two individual spirits emanated. The younger of the two flashed a wide smile that would have scared small children, and the older nodded in greeting.

Masaki whipped around to face Isshin. "Is this normal?"

"No," Isshin answered plainly. "He shouldn't be able to manifest them." He blatantly ignored her real question. "It's a part of learning bankai. Manifesting your zanpakutou spirit outside your inner world is a test of spiritual strength and knowledge of self. You are this close to learning bankai?" he asked his son.

"I already have bankai."

Both Isshin and Masaki gaped at him. The hollow giggled. "Ya know Aibou, ya may wanna learn ta drop th' big ones with a bit more subtly."

Ichigo took the time to stick his tongue out at the hollow. Shiro giggled some more while Ossan shook his head in exasperation.

"Why did they want to come out?" Masaki asked faintly trying to keep the conversation going. Part of her wanted to be a good hostess to the two strange beings in her kitchen, but the larger part of her wanted to start screaming for the world to make sense again.

"Ossan hates the rain, and Shiro probably just wanted to tag along."

"Rain?"

"I- it rains in my inner world when I am sad."

"Oh, well, why don't you introduce us then?" Masaki prompted. She was completely mystified by her son's zanpakutou.

"Ichigo blushed at the subtle reprimand for not performing proper introductions. He cleared his throat. "Mom, dad, this is Zangetsu." He pointed at the Quincy. "I call him Ossan and that's Shiro." His finger moved to the hollow.

"Pleasure to meet you," Ossan said with a short bow.

"Hi," Shiro said. Ichigo eyed his suspiciously well behaved zanpakutou.

"Hello," Masaki said with a warm smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."

"Hello," Isshin coughed. He had never been introduced to a zanpakutou spirit before. The blades plenty of times of course but never the spirits themselves. Usually Shinigami kept their zanpakutou's abilities a secret and never ever introduced the spirit to anyone.

And Ichigo's spirits revealed so much about him and his heritage, too much really. He would have to caution Ichigo about that. His wife bless her, completely oblivious to the significance of this situation, invited the two to sit at the table. Shiro accepted the seat next to Ichigo, but the other zanpakutou spirit declined and chose to stand behind his son like some dark guardian or a devil ready to consume his soul. It was a disturbing thought that between the two it wasn't the hollow that made his hair stand on end.

Surprisingly Shiro nudged the plate of forgotten food closer to their son in an unsubtle silent command to eat. Ichigo frowned at Shiro and the hollow glared back. Ichigo huffed and began to eat once more.

"So a hollow and a Quincy zanpakutou?" Masaki asked.

Ichigo blushed uncertainly. He knew his mother was trying to understand more about him and reconnect with him but opening up had never been one of his strong points. "Yeah," he said and went back to eating.

"Son," Isshin began deciding that now was as good a time as any to warn Ichigo. "You do know that you shouldn't be manifesting your zanpakutou spirits on a whim. Especially those two."

Shiro and Ossan frowned at the implications.

Ichigo went still for a moment before answering. "Yes, I do. And Zangetsu does agree with you on that point. Ossan almost never manifests unless it is necessary, and unless we are alone Shiro wont manifest either."

"So this is necessary?" Isshin asked.

"I hate the rain," Ossan said voice flat and emotionless.

"Yes it is," Ichigo elaborated. "Besides both of them are fine with manifesting with you two around."

Masaki smiled at her son. She was happy that he still trusted them that much. "They are the reason you chose to die?"

"I can't live without them," Ichigo said very quietly. "But there are many reasons I cannot live a normal life." He looked at Isshin determined. "I will be going back to Urahara's."

"No," Isshin said instantly.

"It's not up for discussion Goat-face."

"Don't call your father that, Ichigo," His mother interrupted sternly. "Where do you even come up with a name like that?"

Ichigo blinked and examined his clean shaven father. "Eh... well in the future he has a goatee," He said embarrassed. He had been calling Isshin Goat-face on reflex.

Masaki raised an eyebrow at her son, and tried real hard to fight a smile and remain stern. "Well, he is your father regardless and you will show him respect."

She turned to Isshin making sure her back was to Ichigo before mouthing triumphantly: two to one.They had had the argument over him growing a goatee just the other day. Isshin grunted in acknowledgment.

Ichigo was oblivious to this as he tried to figure out how to react to the situation. His first impulse was to say he would call Isshin whatever he damn well wanted to. He was eighteen years old and had fought in two wars.

On the other hand, this was his mother. Masaki had long ago reached a state of godhood as far as her family was concerned. He turned to his zanpakutou for support. Shiro was no help as he was trying extra hard not to burst into laughter and probably point at him. Ossan had a look on his face that clearly said: 'listen to your mother.'

"Fine, I'll be nice," Ichigo gave in gracelessly. "But I meant what I said."

"Ichigo," Masaki warned her son.

Puffing out his cheeks and ignoring the fact that Shiro was practically vibrating in his seat with silent laughter, Ichigo rephrased his earlier statement. "Tou-san, I will need to go back to Urahara's."

"Why do you need to associate with that man so badly?" Isshin demanded of his son.

Ichigo chewed on his lip. He did not want to explain his complex relationship with Urahara with his mother. He could care less what his father thought of him, but he did not want his mother to think badly of him. And so much of what happened over the last few years looks bad at first glance.

"He is the only one in the world of the living, maybe anywhere at all, that can get me what I need, and he has a place where I can train. Zangetsu wont have me going soft just because I'm nine again."

Masaki opened her mouth to say something when suddenly, both Zangetsu spirits jerked up and looked at the stairs. They faded away re-entering Ichigo's inner world.

"Mommy, daddy, who you talking to?" Karin asked coming into the kitchen. Yuzu followed hand firmly grasped by her sister's.

It was Ichigo's turn to be shocked. Both of his little sisters were... well little.

"Hey, girls," Masaki said going over to her daughters and giving each a big hug.

"I will be going back...tou-san." Ichigo whispered eyes never leaving the two little girls. The Karin and Yuzu that he knew were so different from these two.

Isshin stood up from the table and put his hand on Ichigo's shoulder. He bent down so that only Ichigo would hear him. "You may be older than you look now, but you re still my son. It is my job to protect you. Let me do my job."

Ichigo surprised them both with his response. He wrapped his arms around his dad in a hug. "I wish I could," was the whispered response. Isshin frowned as Ichigo let go and jumped off his chair to go see his sisters.

3

Later that night Ichigo lay on his bed staring at the ceiling, trying to process everything that had happened that day. His room was much the same it had been when he was a teenager. The only differences were the toys strewn across the floor and the colorful anime posters on his walls. He felt a gentle brush against his consciousness. Zangetsu wanted to talk. He did not feel as if he could enter his inner world in his current state so he pulled them into his room. He sat up and both spirits sat to either side of him on the bed.

"Has it stopped raining at least?" Ichigo asked just to break the silence. He knew he had not been in any state that would make living in his inner world comfortable since they had been sent back and was felt guilty about it.

"Yes, it has," Ossan assured him. "Ichigo, We need to plan how to proceed from here. I see that it will be an uphill battle to do as you wish with your father trying to interfere."

"What do you mean dad? Mom is the terrifying one," Shiro said with a snort.

"I don't remember any of that," Ichigo said. "Her being so aggressive, I mean. I'm not going to get between her and anyone she wants to kill ever again." He glanced at Shiro. "You were being surprisingly good tonight."

Shiro shrugged. "I don't want her mad at me either, and well, She kinda is my mom too..." He trailed off looking at his feet.

Ichigo smiled in understanding. "You were trying to make a good impression." His hollow hunkered down and grumbled under his breath clearly embarrassed.

"Anyway," Shiro said loudly changing the subject. "What 're we gonna do?"

"Stop Aizen for one," Ichigo said firmly.

"Easier said than done, Aibou," Shiro said.

"We may be from the future, but we have already made waves. Everything we know is probably useless at this point. Once he finds out you are not an ignorant child, he may not go forward with his original plan. And he will know through Urahara at the very least."

"So we kill them both?" Shiro asked hopefully.

"I bet Urahara is trying to contact Aizen as we speak," Ichigo said ignoring Shiro's default plan for everything.

"I believe so," Ossan said. "We must prepare and attempt to find out what his plans will be from here on."

"Much the same. I doubt he will completely scrap the arrancar. He and Urahara may be working together, but Aizen wants power, and he doesn't seem like the sharing type," Ichigo said.

"Are ya sure of that?" Shiro asked.

"I am sure that if he isn't already at that point he will be," Ichigo answered. "We have to destroy the Hougyoku," Ichigo decided. "Whatever plans either of them have we can't let Aizen get a hold of it again."

"Great plan, but how are you going to destroy the Over-powered Marble of Doom?" Shiro crossed his arms.

"Just me?"

"I got nothin,'" Shiro admitted. "It's got a crazy amount of reiryoku in it."

Ossan shifted his position on the bed drawing the attention of the other two. "Ichigo, if you wish to destroy the Hougyoku, then it is time for you to learn how to use more of your Quincy powers." The older man's mouth twisted oddly. "Besides, the unconscious use of Blut Vein."

"Huh?" Ichigo blinked dumbstruck. "I can use more Quincy abilities?"

Ossan grunted. "I speak of the basic reishi gathering technique every Quincy learns to create their weapons. You will merely be doing it on a much larger scale. And you will have to learn to draw only from a specific source."

"The Hougyoku," Ichigo said suddenly getting what Ossan was trying to say.

"Yes, you used Mugestsu the first time around, and the Hougyoku drained itself trying to keep Aizen alive. It's power is great but finite. If you use your Quincy powers to draw off that energy and use us to discharge it-"

"Um, safely?" Ichigo interrupted.

"We just have to make sure that no one is standing in the way," Shiro said grunting. Then he grinned. "But anything in the way will most likely be incinerated." Ichigo rolled his eyes. Leave it to the hollow to find the destructive lining in every cloud.

"Fine, lots more work for me. But that still leaves Urahara's part in all of this. What does he want?"

"To screw with everyone," Shiro answered promptly.

Ichigo scowled at him. Shiro was just so helpful sometimes. "First things first though: destroy the Hougyoku."

"Another reason to go back to Urahara's." Shiro pointed out, bringing them back to their original problem. "Your parents are goin', ta tie ya up before letten' ya go back."

Ichigo yawned. "Then I guess I'm a bit of a problem child." he said. He had every intention of sneaking out his window if he needed to. He yawned again. "I'm going to bed." He announced. "Stay with me?" He asked Shiro.

"Awww. Little King afraid of the dark?"

"Bastard, I just don't want to be alone right now."

Shiro snorted, lay down and curled around Ichigo. "G'night Ossan," Ichigo said. Drifting off.

"Good night, Ichigo." The spirit replied before disappearing back into his inner world.