CHAPTER TEN
Silent crows gathered as Isshin and the Privaron strode through Soul Society. The remaining Captains were well aware of what was going on, at least as far as the duo's approaching went. Not everyone recognized who Isshin was, and many were cruious as to how he could be carrying a Captain's cloak when no one had been promoted to fill the empty positions yet. Along the main path, Lieutenants began gathering, nervous and anxious all at once. Finally, beyond them, all the remaining Captains, including Yamamoto, were gathered together. Isshin and Neliel approached slowly, then Isshin went down to one knee, both fists planted by his sides.
"It's been a long time," He said simply, "Greetings!"
Zaraki was all a'grin, seeing his former adversary. Of course, he was the only one who didn't seem to have a serious look on his face. The most common thought between all of them was how Isshin was even still alive, given the previous conclusion to the manner was that Captain Kurosaki had been killed. None mentioned it. It was a moot point now anyway.
"What brings you back after all this time? With a Hollow no less?" Yamamoto wasn't pleased.
"Bad news from Hueco Mundo." Isshin answered solemnly, "My boy...he's being used against his will."
More thoughts...Kurosaki's boy? Many made the conclusion rather quickly that he was referring to Ichigo, though Kenpachi was the last since he wasn't paying too much attention to what was being said. Given the prior realization that Isshin hadn't been killed, and rather disappeared, it was easy to assume that meant he'd taken a life in the living world and created a family in the twenty some odd years he'd been gone from Soul Society. Most in Soul Society therefore assumed that Ichigo's last name was merely a coincidence and shrugged it off since at the time, there was no way the 'dead' Captain could've had a son.
"Aizen no doubt plans to turn Ichigo into an Arrancar." Neliel added, "He's been feeding him all the weaker Arrancar and Adjucas Hol-"
"You will speak when spoken TO, Hollow." Yamamoto growled, entirely uncomfortable with having a non-Shinigami speaking to the gathered Captains.
Neliel gritted her teeth, but Isshin put his hand out to imply she shouldn't get angry, "She's telling the truth."
Captain Kurotsuchi took interest, putting a hand on his chin, thinking to himself, "So that little upstart was a Vizard all along."
"Not quite the same." Isshin corrected, "I could sense the change in his reiatsu over the time Rukia was stuck in the living world. When she was taken back to Soul Society and her reiatsu vanished, so did Ichigo's Shinigami power. When he regained it, there was a taint about it. Urahara told me much later that Ichigo had regained his Shinigami strength at the cost of also creating a Hollow within him. He said the mask formed first."
"That's all lies, that exiled bastard was probably just making it up!" Kurotsuchi barked, "My studies on the Vizard are complete and none have ever gained their Hollow power in such a way!"
"You also assumed everything about the Quincy and was proven wrong then, weren't you? Don't think I'm completely out of the loop just because I haven't been involved in anything directly." Isshin glared, "Point being, while the Vizard gained their Hollows in ways Soul Society shuns, Ichigo gained his unintentionally and by accident. Chances are good that the Vizard did contact him at some point though. He disappeared for a while and came back much stronger than he had been before."
Byakuya remained silent, despite the option to mention his fight with the inner Hollow on the Executioner's Hill. All but Isshin were aware of it anyway at this point.
"When I found Ichigo, he'd been completely turned into a Hollow. He was already an Adjucas, and for miles around there were no others to speak of. The place was more of a ghost town than it already could've been. If Aizen gets his hands on my son and uses his strength..not to mention the fact that a Captain-level spirit appeared on the battlefield shortly after Neliel and I escaped it.."
"Captain level?" There were murmurs throughout the white-robed ranks.
"Gin or Tousen, more than likely." Isshin added, "But we were too far off to tell who it was...and it's been twenty years on my part. If that's all it takes to become a Vasto Lorde then Aizen may send more Adjucas Hollows here to devour other Captains. We should be prepared for that."
"So then why bring an Arrancar with you? Siding with Aizen and bringing her for a buffet?"
"She's an ally, wanting to help restore Ichigo to his senses. She also helped me escape before my son went into a rage."
Ukitake was probably the only one there who questioned why to himself. 'Hollows don't just berserk for no reason. They may be beings of anger but to enrage at the sight of a former Captain shouldn't happen. What upset it so much? Surely Ichigo would've been happy to see his father...unless..'
"Ichigo never knew you were a Shinigami did he?"
Isshin paused, and the whole congregation went silent. He lowered his head slightly, "..he also blames me for his mother's death. That's what set him off. The Hollow seemed to think it funny."
"So it falls to you to take responsibility for what your son may do to all of us soon." Ukitake didn't seem happy, "Ichigo probably feels you've betrayed his trust by never telling him the truth about who you are."
"That's enough." Isshin said quietly, "I have my own ghosts to deal with, yes, but the point behind my returning here wasn't to allow you to make me feel guilty for something I can't change now. We need to do something about Aizen, and the fact that an ally of Soul Society is being taken advantage of."
"Kurosaki went to Hueco Mundo despite being told he shouldn't." Yamamoto said, "He put Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai at risk by doing so, as well as the other outsiders. Something like that is considered treacherous and his safety should not be guaranteed on the battlefield."
"What are you saying?"
"Kill him before you save him." Yamamoto tapped the end of his staff against the stone ground, "That's an order to all of you here, and to everyone in Soul Society. If that boy's in posession of some derranged inner Hollow and cannot regain himself on his own, then he is to be killed outright to prevent him from harming anyone. He has brought this onto himself, Isshin Kurosaki."
"...He's my son..."
"No longer. He is an enemy to Soul Society. Now remove yourself from this meeting and take that wreched thing with you."
Yamamoto turned around and left the area, followed soon by other Captains until only Byakuya and Ukitake remained. Byakuya finally left after a moment's pause, leaving only Ukitake and the ex-Captain in that now empty stretch of road.
"Mr Kurosaki, with all due respect, your son.."
"I know what I need to do." Isshin said, "But that doesn't mean I'm going to kill my own son because that old fart said so. I told my family I'd save him and I intend to. I just don't know if I can do it alone anymore...I'm not as strong as he is."
"You have more allies here than you think." Ukitake said, pointing to himself and then waving his hand towards the rest of the city, "Many here feel a sense of obligation to aid Ichigo because of how his involvement with Rukia helped to expose Aizen as a traitor. Captain-General Yamamoto may not want to admit it because it goes against his beliefs of the law, but Ichigo was only doing for his other friend what he did for Rukia before. The only difference is that this time he didn't make it. Soul Society owes him one. I believe that many of the Captains would sooner try to help him than kill him. If not them, then every single one of their squads."
"I'm worried for him still. Maybe if I'd told him I was a Shinigami sooner, then he could've talked to me about his Hollow problem. I'm sure it's been an issue for him all this time."
"It's all in the past now. We need to find a way to help him. Worst case scenario, a shinigami slays him and his soul is cleansed, returning to Soul Society. He'll have to start over, but he'll be free of his Hollow."
"The Quincy can't be allowed to fight him for any reason." Isshin said, "If he or his father enter the battle then the both of them must be removed before Ichigo can be harmed. He MUST be defeated by Shinigami hands, and by none other."
"Understood."