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Betray Me, Kill Me, Save Me

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Heya^^~
Okay, so here is Chapter 4~
Who can guess who will have screen time in here? I hope at least some people get behind the meanings of the different Chapter titles... I will explain them at the bottom anyways, so, aw, whatever.

I wanna thank my Reviewer, those putting this on Story Alert or adding this to their favorite lists; or adding me to their Alerts/Favorites because of this story.

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"Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven"
Tryon Edwards

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Shi: Goodbye, Soul and Universe

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--Do you understand the pain? The pain of losing those dear to you?--

If so, then you can guess how much agony I went through in my long life. Because, despite what people may think, even though being stuck in the Royal Dimension, we members of the guard still get to keep track of our families in Seireitei or Rukon.

It's the only mercy the King has ever shown anyone.

And in my case it was everything but.

I had a little sister. The way we were I always thought I'd end up with more children than her but that was erroneous belief on my behalf. She had three kids with my brother-in-law – who was also the best friend I ever had.

They died shortly after they took Ichigo in.

I won't start on what I felt like when my wife died – before I got promoted to this goddamn division – it would only get suicidal thoughts into my head again... and I definitely won't start on the second time, good luck with trying.

All in all I could somehow cope with these losses, more or less that is. But Ichigo...

That was a whole other thing.

The first time I had him – gosh, that sounds so strange – he was to stay my only child until my second marriage granted with him (again) and my twins... oh, wait, I did end up with more children than her! Ha! Life goal achieved!

Anyways, back to the main story.

The first time I saw him I felt like time had ceased to exist. I felt like nothing could take away the enormous happiness I felt overtake my being. That very moment I was the proudest man existing.

100 years later my wife died and I was broken, Ichigo only being a shadow of his former self.

It was then I wanted to be by his side forever, so he wouldn't have to suffer even more.

But fate was being cruel. Only 20 years after I lost my wife I was forced to join the King's Army leaving my son all by himself.

You know, Soul Society does not know something like orphan's pension or the likes. There, you have to see how you deal with everything yourself. It's cruel yet... I don't know.

He was lucky he had his aunt, uncle and cousins. Well, that's what I thought. But my sister and brother-in-law, too, died shortly after they took him in, leaving him and his three cousins all by themselves. I'm still surprised how all of them survived – yet alone grew up to be respectable adults... well, at least Ichigo and Kaien did... Kûkaku is one hell of a lunatic woman and Ganju... is... well, he's Ganju.

--Every time you think life is becoming fair it throws another tragedy your way--

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--Some people have to suffer more than others, though--

101 years ago, night of September 29

--I just so happened to be one to endure more than most--

"No..."

My left hand was pressed flat against the huge mirror on one of my room's walls that allowed me to watch my family's life back in Seireitei. I hadn't cried since forever but that moment tears of emotional agony were running down my cheeks like crazy.

My hand was probing the reflecting material of the mirror where my son's corpse was being visible, desperately trying to reach him in any way.

It was of no use and I knew it.

Still, I didn't care.

All I wanted was to touch him once again. One last time.

I had watched him everyday. Every spare second I had. I was bursting with pride when he graduated and wanted nothing more than be able to be there for him. I was squealing about having a grandchild (FINALLY!!) when he adopted little Rangiku...

Of course I knew about the little pact he, Kisuke and Yoruichi made – seriously, I wished they could accomplish that – but whilst I knew what was needed to get promoted into this Division, they didn't. If it was just skill then Ukitake and Kyôraku would've been promoted before me. The King choose people after their character and growing rate, not their skill. Skill could be reached but one must be born with character.

I just knew none of them would ever reach heaven.

"What got you so upset, Kurosaki?"

I didn't answer for my voice would have shook too much to form coherent words. The person speaking came up behind me and took a look at the mirror in front of us. He made a hissing sound akin to someone burning his finger. "Ouch, your son, huh? Well, nothing you could do about it anyways. His fault for messing around with scientists. What a crazy guy for still being friends with him until his death. You sure he's related to you? You seem smarter than him."

"Back off Aizen."

He snorted. "Okay, then, drown to death in your sorrow for all I care."

Shortly after that (tactless) statement of his I heard my room's door close as he exited.

--Life is like a roller coaster ride, it has its ups and downs--

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--But whilst the downs feel like never-ending abysses the ups can let you forget too quickly how abruptly they tend to end--

20 years prior, Human Realm

I had gotten the mission to check up on the spirit-enriched land – this time Karakura – to check if anything gave reason to worry.

It was then I met her.

And it immediately reminded me in when I last saw her...

Flashback, 400 years prior, Seireitei

The orange-haired Captain of the 9th Division smiled as she bid her husband and son farewell. His face, on the contrary, was a grimace of worry as he tried to get her to stay. "Stay here and let me go with the other 5 Captains to catch that rogue Shinigami, please. If all hell breaks lose and the mission fails I'd have me die rather than you, Ichigo needs his mother."

"But he also needs a father. Don't worry, I'll be fine, there's no way that berserk will be able to defeat 6 Captains if we all go at him with Bankai." And turning back from the open front door she smiled warmly at him once more. "I'll be back to cook you two dinner, 'kay?"

Flashback End

Out of the 6 Captains sent to deal with Baishin only 4 returned, badly injured.

Masaki wasn't with them.

There hadn't even been a corpse. The huge amount of released Reiatsu extinguished her Konpaku from existence.

And yet, there she stood, right in front of me – as human.

I had known she was to be reincarnated but I wouldn't have thought she'd have to wait this long.

Let alone that I'd be able to meet her again.

--The rest is history--

The Shinigami stood in front of his son's childhood friend whose mouth must have been gaping open – Isshin wasn't sure for his fan covered the lower half of the man's face. "I want an untraceable Gigai, Kisuke."

Getting his act together the sand-blond cocked his head to the side. "Oh~? Why's that?"

The dark-haired man's eyes glazed over. "I found her again."

The younger man straightened, closed his fan and lay it down on the table in front of him. "Give me 2 hours."

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The thin lips of the man in front of her parted slightly, her eyes being locked on them even as her sight was temporary clouded by a thick fog of gray smoke from his cigarette.

She noted the way his fingers were holding the little string of tobacco enclosed by thin paper and her full lips curved into a wry smile as her eyes closed half-way, her right elbow resting on the table, her chin resting in the palm of her hand as her eyebrows rose and relaxed at the same time. "You know, you look cool the way you hold your cigarette, Isshin."

He leaned back as his eyebrows rose and a smile of his own came across his features. "Oh? You think so?"

Her smile became sly as she, too, leaned back, crossed her arms and her eyes looked off to the side. "Yeah, but don't get cocky, this will be the one and only compliment you'll ever get past these lips of mine."

He chuckled. She hasn't changed a bit.

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Roughly 16 years ago...

"WHERE IS HE??!" Isshin jerked as the two voices got carried to his ears. Miraculously, the little infant in his arms didn't stir but continued to sleep. Lucky bastard...

"Gosh, Kisuke, Yoruichi-chan, quiet down, will ya? This is an effin' hospital owned by a crazy Quincy so stay put."

The two paid him no heed as they rushed to his side, looking down at the tiny baby in his arms with wide, awestruck eyes. "Say this Reiatsu signature's kidding me."

Isshin smiled. "Nope, I couldn't believe it myself at first, but it's definitely him. First Masaki, now him..."

"Can I?" The father nodded and carefully handed his new-born son over to Yoruichi, who, upon holding him, immediately burst out into tears. The baby, seemingly aware of something being amiss, opened his amber eyes and fisted her tight, orange clothing with his tiny, right fist. By now Kisuke wasn't sure how he managed to not begin sobbing like a little boy having broken his favorite toy.

When the orange-haired infant yawned he couldn't hold back the tears anymore either, both former Captains sinking to their knees as they began grasping the fact that their best friend had been reborn.

Yoruichi, despite the huge tears rolling down her cheeks still, brought a small smile upon her features. "Promise me that we can train him later on, we want to kick his ass back in gear." Her best friend nodded in excitement, a maniac, scientific glint coming into his eyes upon the mental images forming in his head.

Isshin laughed. "Sure, but now I have to bring Masaki her son, she'll rip my head off if I hog him anymore."

--Those 2 decades passed in bliss – like a short-lived dream--

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Sometime during the present happenings...

The black-haired man sat in his dark office, the small room only enlightened by the artificial light the lamp on his desk provided as he stared at a family picture they took some years ago, a cigarette in his right hand as he breathed out some of the smoke in his lungs.

I really am curious as to why Ichigo got reborn as my son... I mean... how likely is it for his son to be chosen as my child's? Something's amiss...

Kurosaki Isshin drew another drag of the tobacco-filled paper-roll in his hands. Not to mention, why did it take so long for both of them to be reincarnated? In Masaki's case very nearly 400 years passed, that's abnormal...

Hm...

Flashback...

His Zanpakutô stood in the shadows of his inner world as Isshin stared at it with confused eyes. "Run that by me again, please."

"How much do you want to live, continue to live for the sake of those caring for you, waiting for you?"

The man frowned. "Why d'you ask?"

"Why are you changing the topic?"

"Hm..., well," Isshin was now rubbing his chin. "I'd say... if there were people I still had to take care for, people I'm not able to leave alone with a quiet conscience, then I'd probably say I'd be desperate to survive and carry on living. Why?"

"Well..."

Flashback End

Isshin's eyes widened as his Zanpakutô's words came back to his mind.

Right! He said if a Shinigami was desperate enough to live on for the sake of those he cares for his soul gets reincarnated in a fashion lining up perfectly for a reunion of his loved ones! Something about the Zanpakutô carrying on their master's last wish or some jazz like that.

The father smiled. Well, in the end I don't care, as long as he doesn't die on me again...

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Yeah, Aizen's dad belongs to the Royal Guard, I'm sick like that XD But don't you get any ideas, I just needed that fact for one of the later chapters as reference. He doesn't know about his son's plans since he doesn't even know that he is a father. He got promoted before he even came to know his (at that time) girlfriend was pregnant.

And now to how I portrayed Masaki. Back then she was in her early 20s, still young and whatnot old people find annoying in us teenage people. I'm just saying that she changed her demeanor around her children because she was an effin' mother, she can't act all cocky and, well, teeny.

Also, I realize this is pretty much my shortest Chapter as of now, sorry about that but there wasn't that much about Isshin and Masaki I thought of^^"
The following Chapter will probably be about the same length with minor exceptions.

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Coming to the Chapter titles as of far (for those who didn't get behind the meanings)

Chapter 1: Turn the Pendulum Back
Because we got a glimpse of the past settings and as an homage of the TBTP-mini-Arc in the manga/anime I watched when I got the idea for this XD

Chapter 2: Hello, there, little Chrysanthemum
'Rangiku' means 'Chrysanthemum' in Japanese, since it features Rangiku I thought it fit.

Chapter 3: The Crimson Princess Sings to the Night
This Chapter features Kisuke, Yoruichi.
Kisuke's Zanpakutô is called 'Benihime' meaning 'Crimson Princess'; the 'yoru' in 'Yoruichi' means 'night'.

Chapter 4: Goodbye, Soul and Universe
'Isshin' means 'Soul' or 'Spirit' and Masaki was described as 'the center of our universe' by Ichigo during the Grand Fisher incident.

Hope that clears things up a bit^^
I'll add explanations for the chapters under every following one so you get a glimpse of my way of thinking XD

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