"Will you be taking your daughter, Isshin, or will I be left handling my niece all night?" Kirio murmured, shifting the small weight of the girl. One of her assistance stepped up and gently took the girl from her, so she could manage things with the traitor.

XOX

Only two members in his room were worthy of any notice, as they were ornately dressed and lacked the ninja-esq clothing that the others wore.

Leaning against the wall beside his desk was the most elegantly dressed women he had ever seen. Her long purple locks were pulled neatly into a half ponytail- save her front parted bangs and side swept hair which hang delicately down her to frame her doll like face- where the locks twisted into a unique bun, pinned back into the center with a jewel encrusted golden lotus comb. From there, the bright curls twisted down her back like an oozing cloud to graze her hips. Upon the door opening, the woman twisted from looking at her female companion on the bed to who had entered the room, her large blue eyes blinking softly and wide, her long eyelashes accentuated by the deep gold dusting her sun-kissed flesh had taken, as her chrysanthemum red lips open to relinquish a smile. "Kurosaki-sama!"

Finding herself unable to move in the obviously ornate eight layer kimono, the woman settled for dipping down into a deep bow.

Yoruichi sat, one leg crossed before her on his bed, head in a similar manner to the other woman, save her serious expression. Her hair had been cut off it appeared, short and framing her face in a defiant manner which opposed her comrade. Her kimono was a single layer mannered so that it just barely covered her, but a one piece black spandex tube shorts and top covered her down to her knees, making the Princess the image of relaxing protests.

"What the hell're you doing in my room, huh? Shouldn't you be at Urahara's, Yoruichi?"

Continuing along the room, Ichigo took in the group gathered near the window. It wasn't until now that Ichigo noticed that his sisters were being held within the group of face covered men. None of them looked particularly dangerous, save the one with his back to him, appearing to be talking to Karin, who looked to have stopped fighting her captors for the man.

The spiritual pressure the man was seeping made Ichigo falter, but his resolve was set knowing this unknown captain had his sisters captured.

Just as Ichigo moved to make his first attack, the target had moved across the room to stand at his side, and thrust his arm against Ichigo's thin shoulder, using his momentum to throw him against the wall.

The rough treatment made his head hurt, but Ichigo knew he had to be on his toes with someone with this power, especially if he had his sisters. His hand went to rub his orange haired head as he got up stubbornly before a harsher gust of reitsu hit him back to the ground.

"Stay right where you are Ichigo!" a familiar gruff voice admonished him as the power waned gently.

Immediately Ichigo looked up to the intruding man and the delicate doll that stood idly by beside him, the sound of tinkling bells echoing as she slid purposely to her spot beside him, dropping slowly yet elegantly to her knees, her warm hands touching his head where it had cracked against the wall and then floor.

A pair of thick geta filled his vision, followed by flowing hakama and a long tattered white hakama. Burly, hairy arms folded across his chest where a soul reaper badge sat proudly on his left arm. Continuing on, Ichigo faltered as his eyes met the eyes of his father, the harsh look and deeply crossed eyebrows making him twinge darkly.

"Rest, Kurosaki- sama," the tinkling voice called to him as she drew his face to her breast just as his vision blurred, "all will be explained all too soon. For now, rest, and know yourself truly. When you awake, I wish for you to be truly happy, for once in your life."

Her gentle hand touched his face once more before Ichigo blacked out completely.

"Captain?" she inquired softly, drawing herself from Ichigo as she settled him upon the floor delicately. She drew her eyes directly to Isshin's for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, "What would you have us do?"

Isshin sighed deeply before reaching deeply into his haori and retrieving a lighter and cigarette, pressing the unlit roll to his lips before igniting the paper and inhaling deeply responding, "You're to watch him until the time comes for things to fall into place, like I've been doing for the last seventeen years."

"I'll be honest, Kirio, I had hoped that you of all people would have left things be. Or maybe that you would lack the power to have found us until it was too late." Holding out the pack of cigarettes to the delicate doll-like woman, he smiled as she took one of the remaining six sticks and accepted his lighter with a similar attitude. "I always did love it when you took the initiative, you know? It made it hard for me to choose Masaki over you, but it's a choice I would make again if given the opportunity."

"How long do you expect us to wait until we tell him the secrets you have held, Isshin?"

With a dark look away, it took him all he had to utter, just for the delicate creature beside him, "It shouldn't be your burden to bear, lovely Hikifune. The decision was mine and mine alone. But if things are so serious as you say, I suppose sooner is better in this case, and while I would have liked to explain things to him and his sisters, I think it be best that you do it as soon as he awakes."

Nodding her acceptance, Kirio moved to lift the boy from the floor, making to walk out the window, "Zane."

"Yes, Hikufune-sama?" one of the shrouded figures inquired softly.

"Break Kurosaki-sama's soul sleeve. Then return the rest of our forces to Soul Society. I want four guards stationed in this house. No one is to leave or come inside but me."

Reaching to touch the sleeve of her kimono, Isshin paused the woman just long enough to glance back at him soulfully. "Thank you."

She nodded softly, "I expect you to explain to the girls what is happening before they come for you."

And with that Kirio as well as the forces in the room were gone, leaving Isshin with only Zane, Yoruichi and his daughters.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Ichigo awoke several hours later under several watchful sets of eyes.

Kirio had sat next to the boy since she had brought him there. As the highest ranking official in Soul Society, it was her responsibility to watch over the boy until he was conscious once more.

She had little over a month to prepare the boy for his royal duties. Too soon would the Spirit King fail and he would need to be replaced by someone from his own bloodline. With the death of the first son, the king had been weakened drastically. Now he was down to only a few choices- a bastard son, a half line that had been incarcerated in the Maggots Nest; a son he had not set eyes upon for nearly sixty years; a child she had bore the youngest prince; and the likeliest of candidates, the boy lying before her now.

He was the likeliest to be accepted, but was unlikely reliable enough to put all her faith in.

As he began to rise, Kirio moved closer, ready to aid him in any manner. He woke slowly, by small measurements until suddenly; she was gazing into the amber eyes of her brother.

He stared blankly for several minutes before closing his eyes once again. Then he worded his fears, "What happened to Ginjou? To my friends under Tsukishima's influence?"

"Only time will tell what will befall them but for now, they are safe. As for Ginjou," Kirio said softly, "He found an unfortunate end that was by no means unavoidable."

Ichigo nodded softly, still half drugged, "And what about me?"

"You're here to fulfill your destiny."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Several hours later, Ichigo was absorbing all he had been told. This woman before him, Kirio, was the closest thing he had to extended family, and was telling him he had until the next harvest moon to seize control of the Spirit King's throne, a position which was his birthright.

Likewise, she urged him to seize control of Soul Society first, as that was the major source of power and chaos he would have to face as an unrecognized member of the crown.

He would have to marry someone and produce serious evidence of an attempt at an heir, something he had never eve really thought about, as the only girls he ever had any experience with was Tatsuki and Orihime and both of those were barely accountable.

He had a lot to absorb in a very short time. Kirio was not about to allow him to question his destiny either. As soon as he was able to move, she had him on his feet and moving to squad one's barracks for a meeting with Yamamoto Soutaichou.