Ichigo had been standing frozen in the same position for a good half a minute. At that point, Rukia was getting worried. She shook him. Shoved him.
Slapped him.
"Ow!" His hand shot up to his reddened cheek as he glared at her. "What the hell, Rukia?" That brought him back down to earth and got his attention for sure. Shaking his head. He came down from feeling anger at her slapping him and took a seat. Once his mind settled, everything that happened crashed down on him, making him weak in his knees.
Rukia waited to hear him respond to her repeated question. "What happened… Ichigo?"
What happened… Explaining it was a lot to make sense of. Ichigo couldn't wrap his head around it. In that moment, he felt that the pentacle was in his palm still. A slight shiver ran through his body. The mystery man was not so much a mystery man. His name was Kenji. He apparently…
"I have a son…" Ichigo finally said something to her.
It didn't sound like anything new to her, though. She folded her arms, arching a brow. "Yeah, you do… Kazui."
Ichigo's head shook again, eyes closing tight for a second. "No. I mean. Yeah, I know I have a son. Kazui. I mean, that guy…"
"What guy?"
"The mystery guy! The guy that gave Byakuya this pentacle! I somehow zoned out into his inner world and met him…"
Rukia was not following at all. How was he related… to…
No.
Oh…
Slowly, but surely, the realization was hitting Rukia hard. Like an oncoming train from afar, but for some reason she's just standing there like a dear in the headlights, knowing, the closer it gets, it's obvious she would die…
Well. If she was alive. But she's dead, so would it be like an oncoming strong hollow? Rukia's mind was running far off track. Her eyes widened. She swallowed hard. "Oh…"
Ichigo saw the look in her eyes. He knew that she finally caught on. He nodded slowly. "Yeah…"
"He said Byakuya was his uncle…" Her finger slowly raised to point at Ichigo. "And now you're saying he's your son…" She pointed at herself. "Oh god… No, no, no, no! What?!"
"I know!"
"You! And me?!"
"Oh god…"
They both were on the verge of panic attacks. Rukia lost feeling in her legs. She collapsed to the floor.
The door to the house opened. Kazui strolled in, whistling. Seeing his father and Rukia, who he acknowledges as an aunt, in total distraught, he paused. Concern came over his soft eyes. "Ah… something wrong?"
Ichigo bobbed his head up. A nervous chuckle rising from him as he made eye contact with Kazui for a moment. "I am… not entirely sure."
"Aunt Ru?"
"Don't worry about me, Kazui. I'm just… remembering something… about this floor…"
Hearing both their responses, and still noticing their off-body language, he knew something serious was wrong. But dangerous serious? That he wasn't sure of. Rukia and Ichigo always fought a lot. Maybe they were having a recoil from fighting? Whatever it was, if it was serious, they'd eventually tell him more. If not… he'd start hearing them argue in no time. "Okay…" He started heading upstairs to his room, but stopped short. "Oh, Aunt Ru. Are you going to stay long?" He wanted to show her how much progress he made in his soul reaper abilities since the last time she visited them.
Orihime entered the house then, a happy smile on her face with a grocery bag. Suddenly, it was like a sword sliced through Rukia, making her jump up in a startle. Orihime's eyes connected with Rukia, who couldn't hide the guilty look on her face. Rukia didn't know why. Why did she feel guilty? She didn't do anything. She knows that and yet, everything that she just found out was screwing with her on a high level.
Rukia made a fast break to leave out the door. "I'm sorry, I have to go."
The second Ichigo heard the door close, he sighed. Orihime went close to him. He didn't have to look at her to know she showed a worried face. "Ichigo. Is she okay?"
Kazui had stuck around. He couldn't tell himself it was possibly nothing anymore.
Serious, Ichigo looked at Kazui, then Orihime. What he was going to say was not going to settle well with her. "We need to talk."
"What's wrong?" Orihime asked. Kazui stepped away from the steps, making himself more in the conversation.
Ichigo hesitated.
"Dad?"
It had to be said eventually, so get it over it, was the mind set running through him. "Apparently, there's going to be a big threat to us soon." He paid close attention to the change in Orihime and Kazui's expressions. Orihime's eyes went a bit dull, while Kazui for the first time, had an unsure look of what to make about information like that.
"Who told you this? Was it the soul society?" Orihime had lost all calm in her voice.
Ichigo rubbed at the top of his head a single time. "Uh… no."
"No? Then how…"
"Okay, I'm going to say something very unbelievable, and please don't freak out."
"If it's unbelievable why would you say it…?" Orihime countered.
At this point, Ichigo was subconsciously stalling. He didn't want her to read too much into the fact of him and Rukia being… together in another world. But how could he hope for her to not do what he was already doing? He shouldn't be reading too much into it. Knowing that wouldn't change anything that's real in his reality. His life. He dated Orihime. He fell in love with her. He married her. They had a child together that they both love greatly. One of the happiest memories of his life. He didn't date Rukia. He didn't marry her. He didn't have a child named Kenji with her, and he doesn't…
Well he does. He does but not like that!
Oh, god…
Orihime gently put a hand on his shoulder. Kazui and her both were seeing him unravel in complete stress over something. "I'm guessing," Kazui started, reading the tension, "that the rest of this conversation should be without me…" He waited a moment, receiving a nod from Orihime, and then after left upstairs to his room.
Once alone, Orihime sat next Ichigo. "Ichigo, pull yourself together. Talk to me."
He took a deep breath. Her touch always made him calm. "I was told this by my son from another world…."
Give it a minute. Let it sync into her. Confusion came over her heavy. She almost looked upset. "What are you saying? Kazui from another world told you this? Another world? What?"
And this was the part she wasn't going to like. "Not Kazui. Umm. His name is Kenji."
"Okay." She nodded slowly once. "In another world we have a different son named Kenji…"
"Not we." Her face remained frozen with confusion. It didn't hit her fully in the moment he said it. But after a minute of running everything back, she understood and looked away.
"He's not mine." Her eyes went back to him, a slight, uncomfortable smile on her face. "Okay, so you were with another woman before me. What's the big deal about that?"
Ichigo grabbed her hand. He needed her to stay leveled with him and not go off the fritz. Not like him. "Ah… In this other world, I'm still with her. Married."
Smile falling, her eyes went wide with disbelief. "What, am I dead in this other world or something?"
Ichigo shrugged. "I don't know. He didn't fill me in on everyone's occupation in that world. Only the one that mattered—"
Crap. Wrong words. Wrong choice of words. He was afraid to look her in the eyes. The second he did, she was clearly hurt. Upset. "My occupation in another world doesn't matter to you? But you and this mystery woman does?"
"Orihime, please, that's not what I meant. I just meant—"
"I need some time to think about all of this." She stood up. "It's clear that you do as well." She left him then.
Great. Great! Groaning, he ran his hands down his face. He chuckled bitterly. Yeah, two days to think of it all.
Second Bleach Realm
On the floor, Kenji shot up, nearly colliding with his brother, Karuchi. Karuchi fell back on his butt, yelling, "Ahhh, you scared me!"
Kenji scared him? Really… He was the one that was hovering over his unconscious form. How could he not have been prepared for him to wake up? Kenji shook his head at him. "Why were you kneeling over me?"
"Mom said to make sure you still showed signs of living," He explained. "I gave my full effort."
Kenji looked around them. Their mom wasn't around. How long had he been out? Talking to Ichigo didn't feel that long… "How long was I unconscious?" Asking that question, he could see it on his brother's face then. He was honestly worried about him.
"For almost a full three hours, Kenji…"
Three hours… Well… As he thought back on the many warnings and precautions that Kurotsuchi went over with him, the potential risk of being temporally in a coma from connecting his soul cross realms was one of them… Lucky for him, it wasn't longer than three hours. "It was expected, don't worry about it."
"Right. If you say so." He looked excited then, "So! What did not-dad-Ichigo say?"
The look of distraught over Ichigo's face came to Kenji's mind. "I don't know his answer yet. I'm giving him time to think it over. Two days."
His brother deflated. "Aw. Two days. Hey…"
Kenji already knew what he was going to ask him. He was going to ask could he tag along, and that was a straight up no. It was already a risk for him to cross over to another realm, he couldn't risk his brother's wellbeing, too. Their mom for sure wouldn't want that. And their dad… Well, he wouldn't approve. Maybe if Karuchi was older…
And so, it begins. He's starting to think like an overprotective adult…
"No." Kenji cut him short.
Karuchi looked to have many words of protest. "Come on, Kenji!"
Kenji stood fully, and slowly… He felt a bit light headed. Also a side effect? "No. Seriously. Forget it." Kenji left him alone.
Karuchi hated that he was being sidelined. Traveling to another world sounded like nothing but fun. In the world he knows, there wasn't a guarantee of living to see the next day. If he got to venture to another world, all would be forgiven for the crappy hand of luck he was dealt. Him and his family… He decided he was going to go to the other world. Whether Kenji approved or not. All he had to do was get that bracelet and easy stuff from there.
Karuchi smirked. Good thing he knew exactly where his brother kept it. He'd leave at night and would be back in the morning before Kenji found out what he'd done.
Waiting an hour, night fully rolled around. Karuchi snuck into his brother's room. Kenji was out for good. Karuchi went to the dresser in the room and pulled open the bottom drawer. A box was the only thing inside. He picked it up and opened it.
Bingo.
Holding up the bracelet, it gleamed in the moonlight. He smiled.
Karuchi left the house, his Zanpakuto strapped to his waist. He left a far distance from the house, just in case there would be a loud noise from the bracelet transporting him. Lucky for him, the coordinates and right timeline was still inputted. "This is going to be awesome."
"What do we have here?" A male voice spoke out loud from above him.
Karuchi felt his heart speed up. This was not going to be awesome. Slowly looking up, Karuchi faced the man. He was a Quincy. What was he doing roaming about out there? They usually don't come down to the world of the living. Too busy enjoying the corrupted world they made their home in the soul society. It took everything for Kenji not to sneer at the man.
"A soul reaper kid?" The Quincy's eyes observed the Zanpakuto at Karuchi's waste. "What are you doing out at this time of night, boy? Mommy and daddy don't have a leash on you?"
"I'm passed the leash stage. Just let me be and go back to whatever the hell you're doing out here." Karuchi responded back with a little more bite than he should have.
The Quincy did not appreciate his tone at all. He frowned heavy and his dark, grey eyes glared. He let himself fall to the ground to be on even field with Karuchi. Stepping towards him, he grabbed at Karuchi's wrist. The wrist wearing the bracelet. "And what if I'm out here looking for a fight?"
Karuchi's eyes shot to the bracelet. It turned on… The Quincy's thumb was dangerously close to pressing the surface to activate it. What would be worse? Karuchi had to think in that moment. Fighting a Quincy in his world and his family coming to his aid, then scolding the hell out of him? Or… Fighting a Quincy in the other world, taking care of him, and proceeding to do what he originally intended?
Karuchi had to say. The latter? Sounded so much better. "Then I guess you're going to get that and a lot more." Karuchi smirked. The Quincy raised a lost, annoyed eyebrow, all while pressing his thumb down on the bracelet.
A bright flash shot off. The next thing Karuchi knew, he was in the same area, but... Everything around him wasn't destroyed. Buildings were still intact and lamp post lit up the street in a dim yellow. Karuchi smiled. It worked!
The Quincy had no clue to what just happened. He let go of Karuchi and frantically looked around. "Why is everything different?"
"You mean," Karuchi was glaring at him. "The way it should be?"
The Quincy grimaced, shooting a deadly look at him. "You did something. What?!"
Karuchi gripped the hilt of his sword. "You don't need know that."
"Then I guess I'll have to beat it out of you!" His fists sparked in a reiatsu like flame.
Apparently, this Quincy manifested his Reishi through his fists. Karuchi unsheathed his sword. He had intentions on ending the fight quickly. The sooner he did, the sooner he could explore.
Soul Society
The research and development department detected another high spike in reiatsu, but this time, there was a second one along with it. Akon nearly jumped out of his seat. The readings on the scanner showed that the reiatsus were clashing with one another. That could only mean one thing...
A battle in the world of the living.
Akon was quick to inform the captain commander. All the captains were assembled to meet. Everyone waited patiently to hear what was the problem. The air was heavy with suspense. Yamato had finally spoken.
"There are new readings of high reiatsu in the world of the living. There's a possibility that there is a fight going on."
"You want one of us to put a stop to it?" Sui-Feng spoke then. She seemed on the ready to volunteer. Body language and facial expression wise.
Yamato nodded. His eyes scanned the captains. Thinking on who to send. One captain should be enough to handle it. His eyes went back to Toshiro. "Toshiro—"
Kenpachi grunted, folding his arms in disappointment. "And he's going to send the pip-squeak."
Toshiro ignored his comment. He kept his gaze on the commander. Giving full attention to hear what he would ask of him.
"I want you to go to the world of the living," Yamato continued, "use force if you must to put an end to it." Toshiro bowed a moment, indicating he'd take on the task. "And… if you can, put them in custody. Bring them back here."
"Yes, commander." Toshiro showed him a reliant look. He wasn't going to disappoint him. Or fail to stop the two unknown reiatsus.
Karuchi blocked a fist to the face with his sword. The Quincy's fighting was very fast paced, but it still was no problem for him to keep up. Karuchi kicked him back. The Quincy smirked as if he was enjoying himself.
"Nice, kid. You have some skill to you."
Karuchi didn't like the tone in his voice. Was he patronizing him? At this point, he should be wanting to back off. Karuchi felt slightly ticked off. "Wish I could say the same to you."
The Quincy didn't seem fazed by his stabbing comment. He only chuckled as he shook his head. Clenching his fist tighter, the flames flared wilder. "You have no idea what my ability is… You haven't figured it out yet?"
What was he talking about? The only thing Karuchi had notice about his ability, was the fact that it makes his fists flare a blue flame. Nothing special about it so far. "Are you trying to bluff me?"
"Why don't you go all out and see?" He challenged him.
Karuchi gladly took it. If he wanted to be stomped so bad, then why not grant his request? Karuchi decided to activate his Zanpakuto's release form. He focused deep within him, feeling his Zanpakuto's soul.
Baningusuta!
But nothing happened. His sword didn't change form. What was going on? Karuchi started shaking his sword, wide eyed, appalled. "Hey! Baningusuta! Release!"
The Quincy chuckled at him. Something was wrong. Karuchi's gaze went to him, wondering. Could it have something to do with him? Was he stopping his sword from releasing? How would that even be possible?
"The flaring of Reiatsu engulfing my fists, is actually your Reiatsu. I can take away Reiatsu from you, little by little. You don't have enough of it to release your sword. You don't feel it? You should. Now that I've told you."
What Karuchi was starting hate? The way bad guys always seem to blind side you. Like a really, bad lead on. They let you feel like you've got the upper hand. They act helpless. Well, in his case, act like they're having fun with it all. Then, just to reveal, 'OH, BUT NOOO, I'VE ACTUALLY HAD YOU TRICKED ALL ALOOONG—'
Shut it. He's sick of it. It's stupid. They sound literally stupid. Even stupid to him, because this guy thought his ability was going to affect him. Well news flash. He didn't need his release form or much of his reiatsu to handle a scumbag like him.
Karuchi sheathed his sword. "Fine. So I can't use my sword." He held his right palm out, letting a staff manifest in the form of white. He gripped it. "Doesn't mean I can't use my Quincy abilities to kick—your—"
"Rain over the frosted heavens, Hyorinmaru!"
Karuchi Shunpo'd away from the attack, just before two ice dragons raised a frozen hell down on the Quincy. He was frozen in ice completely. His smug expression didn't have a chance to fall before he was frozen. It all happened so fast. Karuchi barely escaped being a popsicle himself.
Even with a white hoodie on, Karuchi shivered as he blew out a whistle. The dragons went away, as well as the low temperature that came with them. He walked close to the frozen Quincy and tapped on the block. "Wow." His staff still in hand, he jabbed it into Toshiro's chest, just before he could get close enough to raise his sword to him. "You can stop right there." Karuchi backed away from him. Eying him skeptically. "You didn't need to do," He lifted his staff up and down the frozen Quincy—"That. I had it handled, Hitsugaya." Even though he knew he was trying to freeze them both…
An instant show of bewilderedness came over Toshiro. "I actually did. Maybe I went overboard, but I have a bad… history with their kind."
Ouch. Karuchi was only half Quincy and still… even though he knew he didn't hold ill feelings towards him directly, hearing him say that made him feel some of the back lash. He was half part of that kind. The staff as proof in his hand. Karuchi shared the feeling all the same, however. He didn't know if he could ever forgive them for what they did to his world.
"How do you know me?" Toshiro spoke again.
"It would be too hard to explain."
"Then explain it to me in the soul society. I'm not asking."
Karuchi could see in his eyes that he didn't trust him in the slightest. Karuchi had to think his next move over. Choice one, he could easily blind him, then escape. But then he'd be hunted down and left no chance to enjoy himself while he's in their world. Choice two, go with him without a fight and hope he doesn't end up chained in a cell somewhere. Or choice three, the one he didn't want to do, go home.
Of course he was going to go with choice two. Karuchi sported a friendly smile. His staffed dispersed. "Okay, I'll go. But I'm not helping you lug that guy with us."
Toshiro sheathed his sword and sighed.
Second Bleach Realm
Kenji woke up in the middle of the night. Sitting up, he groaned. He wasn't feeling light headed anymore. That was good. He looked out the window, thinking about the other world. What would his dad say? If he said yes, would it make a difference? He hoped so.
Gazing down, he sees that his bottomed drawer wasn't completely closed. It was odd, since he was sure that it was fully closed when he came in the room… bending over, he pulled it open. Heart dropping in his chest, he saw that the box he kept the realm-traveling-bracelet in was empty. Which could only mean one thing…
Karuchi took it while he was asleep. It was bad to wake up to. If their parents knew about it, he'd never hear the end of how careless he'd been with keeping it hidden from Karuchi. But he's 16. He should be smart and respectful enough to understand "no" means "no." But when he really thought about it, thinking back to when he was his age, and went behind their dad's back, leaving to the other world, he had the same thinking process…
He groaned louder. Well… At least there was a two-hour time limit on it. He should be smart enough to stay safe until then… hopefully.
