Author's Note: SORRY for not updating sooner. My computer suddenly got a fucked up and it took forever to fix it. Anyways, better late then later. So here are TWO chapters for you guys today. OH! And thanks again for the reviews!
Some drama is going to happen here so be prepared! Although there's nothing that will make you guys cry, but it will bring new light into what's been happening.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach
Chapter 9: The Un-peaceful Peace
"What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked.
Urahara looked up and gave the Kurosaki family his usual goofy smile. "Just passing the time."
"ICHIGOOO!" But before Isshin could even touch his son, Ichigo quickly punched him in the guts, leaving him wheezing for breath on the ground.
Ichigo and his family just got back home from the park only to see Urahara sipping tea in the living room with Isshin. Knowing now would be the best time to talk about what happened, Ichigo gently set Keitaro down before turning to him and saying, "Kei, take your siblings and go upstairs."
"Why?" Keitaro asked
Ichigo gave him a serious look. "Just do it."
Keitaro sighed as Rukia returned from the kitchen and handed him a bag of ice. With the cooling agent in his hand, Keitaro motioned his two siblings with his head to follow him. And during the entire time, Urahara's shadowed eyes followed him.
As soon as they were gone, Ichigo and Rukia sat on the couch across from Urahara. Ichigo glared at the shopkeeper. "Speak."
Urahara took one last sip of the tea and set it down. "We felt the huge party you guys had at the park."
Ichigo nodded. "I figured as much."
Isshin soon joined the others, but this time in a more serious manner. "Ichigo. We believe it might have been Keitaro that called out those Hollows."
Both Ichigo and Rukia visibly stiffened. "W-why would…why would you think that?" Rukia stuttered.
Isshin ran a hand through his hair, much like how Ichigo does when something is bothering him. "Seconds before the Hollows appeared we noticed a sudden shift in Keitaro's reiatsu. We're not entirely sure what happened to him but it started and suddenly stopped. Yoruichi quickly left to Hueco Mundo just incase it had any affect over there."
"So you're saying Keitaro's called out those Hollows?" Ichigo asked, "That something might be targeting him?"
The two older men looked at each other before shaking their heads. "There's no proof that something or someone is targeting Keitaro," Isshin replied, "His reiatsu might have just attracted the Hollows, that's all. But we just want to make sure and not take any chances."
"And let's just say it's a good thing you guys are going to Soul Society next week," Urahara commented.
Rukia sighed. "Has Soul Society gotten this information yet?"
"I'm sure they did by now, especially with the twelfth Division tracking Ishida-kun all the time," Urahara said. When no one responded, he stood up and opened his fan. "Well then, now that we said everything, I should get back to the store before Jinta decides to break everything." Without waiting for a 'goodbye' he slipped his feet into his sandals and left the Kurosaki residence.
Silence ensued throughout the house.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, Isshin stood up and walked over to the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Ichigo asked.
Isshin stopped before replying, "I just want to talk to Keitaro for a second." He resumed his walked upstairs where the boy in topic was sitting around, watching his siblings torture Kon. Like always, Isshin entered without knocking.
"'jiichan!" Aiko squealed as she jumped and hugged Isshin's leg. Isshin let out a small chuckle and that was when the three knew something was wrong. "'jiichan have problem?" Aiko asked.
Isshin nodded before looking at his grandson. "Hayato, can you take Aiko and go to her room? There's something I need to ask Keitaro."
Hayato nodded before prying his sister's finger off of Isshin and went to her room next to his. When the door closed behind them, Isshin walked over to Keitaro and sat on the chair in front of his bed.
"Ojiisan?"
Isshin sighed. "Keitaro."
A heavy cloud surrounded the two as they sat in silence for a few minutes.
A small plushy lookled back and forth between the two people. "Ahem," Kon lightly coughed, "Can someone please break this mood? It's really bothering me."
Isshin eyed the stuffed lion before chuckling. "You're right. I should get to the point." He sat up straight and crossed his arms across his chest as he looked straight into Keitaro's eyes. "Next week, as soon as you and Hayato gets out of school, your parents are taking you to Soul Society to conceal your powers again."
"…" Keitaro just stared at his grandfather without a sound before exploding. "WHAT?!"
Isshin nodded. "I know it might sound exciting to finally go there but—"
"Exciting?!" Keitaro cut in, "What's so exciting about going to this place if I'm going to get my powers cut off?!" He jumped off his bed and began to pace around behind his grandfather.
"Keitaro—"
"NO! Don't 'Keitaro' me!" he yelled, "And what do you mean by 'again'?! So this isn't the first time it's been done on me?!"
Isshin silently nodded.
Keitaro was furious, his head ready to blow up. "I knew something was wrong with me since I could remember!"
Isshin stared intensly at the pacing person. "What do you mean by that?"
"Oh, come on! Don't tell me you didn't notice something was different with me. Even I could tell things were happening as more time passed by!"
Isshin didn't respond for a second as he thought. So his powers have been increasing.
"It's just not fair! Why are my powers getting sealed without asking my opinion?!"
"Then what is your opinion?" Isshin asked.
Keitaro stopped pacing and let out a long breath. "I want to become a shinigami," he said, looking up at his grandfather.
Isshin stared at his grandson for a second before jumping up and hugging him tightly. "AW! My grandson wants to be a little fighter just like me!" he squealed, "How sweet! I feel so honored! Oh, Masaki! Did you hear him? He wants to be just like me!"
He's making shit up again, Keitaro thought as he allowed his grandfather to hug him. Knowing Isshin, once he returns to his usual, stupid personality, there is no way he'd answer anything seriously. I guess this means I don't have a choice in the matter.
--
Rukia cuddled closer to her husband as the two sat up in their bed, staring off into space in utter silence. Six hours have passed since the incident in the park and almost five hours since Urahara came with unwanted information. Rukia slowly looked up to see Ichigo's eyebrows nearly touching each other as his scowl deepened. "Ichigo?"
"Hm?" he grunted in response.
Rukia sighed. "Do you think something's happening to Keitaro that we don't know about?"
Ichigo remained silent.
"I'm starting to wonder a lot more about what Urahara said during Keitaro's first birthday," she continued.
"What are you talking about?" Ichigo asked.
Rukia sat up and looked at her husband with a dreaded expression. "About the possibility of Keitaro also having an inner Hollow."
Ichigo visibly stiffened.
Flashback
"Ominetou!" they all cheered as Ichigo and Rukia helped their son blow out his single candle.
Everyone had gathered at the Kurosaki residence to celebrate the first birthday of Kurosaki Keitaro. Presents were stacked high and several varieties of food, in courtesy of Yuzu, were laid out for everyone to enjoy. Even Yamamoto and most taichos of the Gotei 13 were present, all of them stuffed into gigais. Of course Ichigo had to promise to fight Kenpachi later in order to make sure he wouldn't wreck havoc during the party.
"I can't believe you're already one!" Isshin squealed as he twirled his first grandchild in the air.
"Stop that!" Ichigo kicked his father aside and caught his son in time.
Isshin quickly rebounded, kicking his son's back, causing him to toss Keitaro whom Isshin caught this time. "Don't try to spoil this special 'grandfather-grandson' bonding time! Oh Masaki!" he ran towards his wife's picture and held up Keitaro to her face. "Look at how much our grandson has grown! Although there is the possibility of him adopting our son's ugly looks at least he won't be so pessimistic like him! Not when Rukia-chan is here!"
Ichigo glared at his father.
"Kozo."
Ichigo cringed, like he always does when he hears that word. "Eh?"
Byakuya stood next to him, staring at Isshin shaking Keitaro in front of the poster. "Might I suggest you keep my nephew away from that insane man or else he'll grow up like him."
"Don't worry. I'll never let that happen." Ichigo scoffed.
"For your sake, I hope you're right." Byakuya walked off leaving behind an enraged strawberry.
Rukia was cutting off pieces of the cake and passing them around. She still couldn't believe how happy she was. Only one year ago she gave birth to her beautiful son. Then, after several months in recuperation, she was reunited with her lover and son. Three months later, when Keitaro was eight months, Byakuya finally gave the 'OK' to marry Ichigo. It took place in Sereiteri with only a handful of humans attending. It was a traditional Japanese style wedding in the Kuchiki garden. The snow-like sakura petals only made the wedding even more beautiful and memorable. Now, only four months later, they were celebrating the first birthday of their first son, who was growing up to be a happy and bouncy baby.
"Rukia! I can't believe Keitaro is already one!" Orihime squealed as she hugged her petite friend.
Tatsuki appeared right next to her and nodded. "I know what you mean. I remember when Keitaro first came here: he was so little but now he's so big."
Then, several other girls from their high school came over. "Ano, Kurosaki-san?"
It took Rukia a moment to remember she was now a 'Kurosaki' and no longer a 'Kuchiki.' "Yes?"
Michiru fidgeted in her spot as she nervously looked around. "W-who are all these people? Not everyone is from school." She mumbled.
Rukia, Orihime and Tatsuki looked at each other before letting out a nervous chuckle. There were several friends from high school so they knew a few people like Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, and Renji, but the others just looked too intimidating to be students. "F-family friends," she stuttered.
Ryo pushed up her glasses as she eyed several people around them. "Are you sure about that?"
"Why should you even care?" Tatsuki reasoned.
"I agree," Chizuru said as she drooled over several gigai-trapped shinigami girls in one corner of the room, "As long as I get their number and they allow me to rub my face against their valley of breasts—"
"Shut up!" Tatsuki punched her across the face.
Rukia continued letting out a nervous chuckle. Kon and Chizuru are so alike. I bet they'd be instant friends, she mused. She then looked across the room to see Keigo getting smacked over the head by Matsumoto. And Keigo, she added.
Orihime watched with worry as her two friends kept fighting. She tried to stop them by trying to change the subject. "Please stop. Um, how about we talk about—oh, Tatsuki-chan! Don't break her glasses!"
Rukia sighed before looking at her busty friend. "Orihime, why don't you tell me and the others about how well your date went yesterday with Ishida."
Silence ensued around the small group of high school girls.
"Oh! It was so wonderful!" she clapped her hands with a cheerful smile, completely forgetting about the fight. "He took me to a really nice restaurant and then we went to the fabric store where we shopped for something to make Keitaro-kun for his birthday!"
"WHAT?!" Chizuru shouted before hugging her 'hime' around the waist. "HOW DARE THAT FOUR-EYED MONSTER WITH A PENIS TOUCH MY HIME!"
"I can hear you!" Uryuu shouted from the living room.
"Ara, are you busy Kuchiki-san?"
Rukia turned around to see Urahara smiling at her as he fanned himself. "Not really. But you do know I'm a Kurosaki now, don't you?"
"Ah ha," he chuckled, "Old habits die hard. Anyways, would you mind joining me for a moment? There is something I need to ask you."
"Sure." Rukia excused herself from her group of friends before following Urahara outside. There, Yoruichi, Isshin and Shinji were already waiting with Ichigo. "What's going on?"
Ichigo shrugged his shoulders. "They just pulled me out here without saying anything."
The two stood next to each other, facing the other four in front of them.
"What is it that you guys need to talk about?" Rukia asked.
The four looked at each other before giving each other a single nod. Urahara stepped up. "How is Keitaro-kun? Has anything suspicious been going on lately?"
Ichigo and Rukia looked at each other before shaking their head. "He's fine. Why?"
Urahara snapped his fan shut and talked in a more serious tone. "The four of us have been discussing about Keitaro-kun and what he might have inherited from his father."
"You mean his crazy reiatsu?" Rukia asked, earning her a small glare from her husband.
"Something like that. But more about the possibility of Keitaro also inheriting …a Hollow."
The two parents stopped breathing. Keitaro…has a Hollow?
"What are you basing this off on?" Ichigo nervously asked.
"What else? You," Yoruichi stated.
Ichigo took a nervous step back. "You mean… I might have done something so horrible as give my son a Hollow? Is that even possible?"
Again the four looked at each other.
"That's what we're trying to figure out," Shinji said, "With someone like you, who was also born differently, it might be possible. And if your son has indeed inherited a Hollow, we must train him as soon as possible."
"But, he's only a baby!" Rukia exclaimed.
Shinji nodded. "I know that. Thus it's making things harder for us to find out if he has one or not. And knowing you guys, we won't be allowed to test him in anyways."
"You bet your ass you won't!" Ichigo glared.
Yoruichi walked over and smacked him on the head. "Stop being so overprotective. We're trying to help your son but at his tender age, there's nothing we can do."
"Then…what can we do?" Rukia asked.
"Simple." Urahara pointed his fan at the window where Keitaro was visible, being held by his only uncle, who was still wearing his cold expression. "We wait until Keitaro-kun grows up. And at the first sign of trouble, we move in."
"And don't worry," Isshin smirked, "Yama-jii has agreed to help us out by keeping this information to himself and away from Central 46. Who knows what those bastards might do when they find out."
Ichigo glared at the ground in complete silence. After a few seconds, the four adults returned to the party, looking as if they didn't just have a serious conversation. Ichigo finally released a depressing sigh as he slumped onto the ground. "It's all my fault," he muttered, burying his face in his hands.
Rukia knelt next to him, rubbing his back in comfort. "It's nobody's fault—"
"Then how would Keitaro have a Hollow?!" Ichigo yelled into his hand. "The only way he could have one is because of me. Don't try to deny it, Rukia."
His wife opened her mouth to say something but in the end only ended up biting her lower lip.
The two newlyweds remained in their position for some time. And it would be days before Ichigo could look at his son properly again.
And during those times he could hear his Hollow laughing menacingly in the back of his mind.
End of Flashback
Ichigo closed his eyes. Ever since that conversation, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about the possibility. And things kept getting worse with the birth of Hayato and Aiko. Yes he loved his children, but does he really have the right to father them when he might have ruined their lives since the moment they were born?
Ever since the end of Winter War, Ichigo hadn't needed to use his Vizard powers and he could tell his Hollow was getting impatient. He was able to master the damn Hollow so he wouldn't have to hear his bitching 24/7 with the help of the other Vizards. But whenever he thought about his kids possibly having a Hollow too, it made it seem like maybe the Hollow did have the last laugh afterall.
You bet your ass, King.
Rukia could tell what Ichigo was thinking. Heck, they've been married for over twelve years. And besides, the two were able to read each other like a book since they first met.
With a sigh, she leaned again her husband's chest again. Ichigo instinctively wrapped his arms around her and also sighed.
This was going to be a long night.
So, how was it? Interesting? Stupid?
I was SO excited to write this chapter because I noticed how I didn't say anything about Ichigo's Hollow in the prequel. Also, this will take a big role if u guys remember how in Keitaro's dream, a few chapters ago, about another's presence. I really don't care if I spoil too much of my story right now because i'm sure you guys already figured it out.
Anyways, to the next chapter!