Chapter three: "Is This Okay?"

He wasn't sure how long it was until the vision finally, and completely, vanished, but by the time he came to, Ywach's body was gone, only the black substance remaining as it too slowly began to dissipate. He lowered his body to solid ground, his eyes casted downwards, unsure of what to think after what he had seen.

"Sympathy for the person responsible for many tragedies, Kurosaki Ichigo?" Aizen asked, amusement in his voice, "I was told by Urahara that you were like that after our battle. Is this something you have a tendency to do?"

Ichigo hummed in disagreement, not quite ready to confront the present; not ready to face his friends who would have no idea what the future held for them.

Would Rukia really grow out her hair?

He had no doubts of her strength, but he had to wonder how she achieved her soon-to-be position.

Would Sado really become a boxer, going against his morals after all these years?

Would Ishida really become a doctor after telling him that he held no interest in pursuing it as a career?

Would Rukia and Renji really marry and have a child?

Would he really have a child with Inoue?

All these thoughts swirled in his head, taking up all of his attention, and making him almost miss Aizen's inquiries.

"Are you alright, Ichigo?"

He took a few seconds to register the question, and a few more for his brain to command a response from his mouth, "Yeah. Just... shocked."

"Shocked? How so?"

"I... I'm not exactly sure..."

"Does it, perhaps," the ex-captain started, "have something to do with the vision Ywach shared with you as you ran him through with your primitive Zangetsu?"

Ichigo snapped his head towards Aizen, his orange hair swishing, and making him question for a millisecond why he would ever cut his hair so short as predicted by the vision, "How did you?"

Aizen smiled slyly, "Ywach holds the power to peek into the future, to cause the future. I supposed it wouldn't be too shocking if you happened to catch a glimpse if he wanted you to."

He stalked closer, making Ichigo tense in caution, and showing no signs of discomfort for his wounds, "And if I were right, then I wonder: Was it really okay for you to see it?"

And that was the very same question that ringed in Ichigo's ears as he watched shinigami after shinigami return to what was left of Seireitei, some greeting the orange-haired hero, some moving quickly to assist with the injured, and some assisting with putting Aizen back away.

When his friends found him, all injured to varying degrees, he continued to wonder.

'Is this really okay?'


AN: Alright, see you when I have the next chapter.