A New Noble
Chapter 13
Ichigo was still seething as he left the practice grounds and headed towards Jidanbo's gate. Not bothering to notice his surroundings he sped quickly keeping to the roof tops in order to not be noticed. Finally reaching the gate, he stopped and put his hand on the gate, directing a little bit of his reishi into the door. Standing back a little when it began to open. Passing through, he waved at Jidanbo.
"All done for today, spikey-head?"
"Yes, although not all went according to plan. I will see you tomorrow, Jidanbo."
Ichigo walked halfway through the Rukongai, just enjoying the semi-quiet compared to the Seireitei. When he had had enough he used flash step the rest of the way to Kukaku's house. Arriving he slid the front door opened and walked to the kitchen to receive himself a cup of coffee. Being cautious, he knocked on the door and waited for an answer.
"Who is it?", the voice of his youngest sister was heard from the other side of the door.
"I was wanting a cup of coffee, but didn't want to interrupt. Could you get me one, please Yuzu?", asked Ichigo with a smile.
"Yes, of course, nii-san. Wait just a minute, I have to put dinner in the oven.", she replied before sliding the big pan into the oven and then walking over to the coffee maker.
The door slid open a little bit, showing Yuzu who held a cup of coffee in her hands.
"Thanks, Yuzu. I had a kinda rough day today. I will retire to my room, would you have someone wake me when dinner's ready?", Ichigo said while using his unoccupied hand to run through his hair.
"Of course, nii-san. Please rest, you look beat. Make sure to avoid dad while going to you room."
"I'll try, but you know how he is.", muttered Ichigo while turning from his sister to make his way to his bedroom.
Yuzu looked after her brother with a frown, before stepping out of the kitchen, shutting the door and walking down the long hallway to find her father. Maybe he would know if something happened during Ichi-nii's training class. Finally finding her father in the library, she knocked on the door before entering. Not wanting to interrupt whatever her father was reading, she waited patiently before clearing her throat once to catch his attention.
"Oh, Yuzu. What can daddy do for you?", Isshin asked while turning from the multiple books laid out before him.
"Dad, can I ask you a question?", Yuzu asked while moving her hands behind her back.
"Of course, what would you like to know, sweetie?"
Yuzu looked nervous at first before gathering enough courage to look her father in the eye with a determined look and asked, "Would you happen to know whether or not something happened today at Ichi-nii's training class?"
Looking startled, Isshin looked down for a moment before bringing his gaze back up to meet his daughter's, answered, "Yes, something happened. He had an altercation with a Lieutenant and his Zanpakuto. Ichigo was only trying to help since the other two don't understand each other, but it seems they don't want your brother's help, although he really is the only person that could help the two." Yuzu looked between being upset and angry so Isshin quickly said, "Don't be upset Yuzu, they will come back. Ichigo was only trying to help. While the Lieutenant may be hardheaded, he will ask for Ichigo's help again, although I don't know about the spirit or not. Just relax, everything will work out, alright?"
Yuzu felt confused, but felt relief also so she merrily skipped over to her father, kissed him on the cheek before waving and hurrying out to check on supper.
She never heard a deep sigh come from the room she left or the closing of the many books on the table before a chair was scooted back. Isshin decided that he himself would have a talk with the 9th's Lieutenant before supper. Walking down the hallway, he knocked on the kitchen door waiting for a reply.
"Yes?"
"Yuzu, dad is going to go out for a little bit but I will be back before supper, okay?"
"Alright, dad. Supper will be done in a hour and a half."
"Okay."
Walking outside the Kukaku's house he made his way towards one of Seireitei's many gates. Which he believed Jidanbo guarded. Finally reaching it he asked the gatekeeper for entrance, before walking into the Seireitei. Turning the way where he believed the 9th's squad barracks were, inclining his head to many people he passed made his way quickly first to the squad Captain's office.
Knocking on the door he waited for an answer, before asking, "Captain Muguruma, may I talk to you? This pertains to your lieutenant and what happened this afternoon with Ichigo."
Isshin didn't have to wait long before the Captain called for him to enter. He slid the door open, looking around before his eyes settled on the 9th's Captain. Walking in he took a seat on the chair in front of the Captain's desk and started the conversation. "While I know that my help in this is not needed, I was wondering if there was not some way that we could get your Lieutenant to understand the situation with Ichigo. Do you think it would do any good for Hisagi to witness a fight between two visards? I know that you as visards have had many troubles and have even fought against yourselves. Maybe if he seen how you have battled yourselves; your basic instincts and won, then maybe he would be more susceptible to the help that was offered to him. What do you think?"
Captain Muguruma sighed before taking on a thoughtful expression, after a while he answered, "While I think it is a good idea, we would have to get the Head Captain's permission since the Visards can be a little destructive, especially if we use hollow powers. Don't want to wreck the Seireitei if we don't have to. I will ask the Head Captain, then we can figure out who can fight your son. While you might not know this, the visards do; your son is more powerful than any of the visards, even more so now that he has accepted his hollow. None of us can match him, Shinji would last the longest out of all of us but would probably also push your son the hardest. I will get the visards together if the Head Captain agrees and see what they think." He looked Isshin straight in the eye and said seriously, "If you don't want Ichigo in a bloody fight then this is not the fight you want. Our hollows are very touchy and territorial. Against each other it will be a blood bath, each trying for dominance; it might be different with Ichigo in full control of his, but Shinji doesn't have control he suppress his. I want you to understand that our full instincts are dangerous to those around us if we can't control them. Do you understand the consequences of this match should it get approved?"
Isshin shuddered with comprehension of the situation, but this may be the only way. "I understand. As you have said, Ichigo is the only one that has control of his hollow. I trust him not to go out of control and to suppress Shinji should the other loose to much control. You know Ichigo loves to protect and he wouldn't let others get hurt if he could prevent it. Go ahead and talk to the Head Captain, then the rest of the Visards and you Lieutenant. I will go talk to Ichigo about all this, see what his opinion is. I know he is upset with how things turned out." Isshin got up and walked to the door, but before he left he said, "Thank you all for looking after my son when I could not. You don't know how much I am grateful to all of you." With that he was gone, leaving the door open so a warm breeze flowed throughout the office in his wake.
Muguruma sighed, before summoning a hell butterfly recording a message and sending it to the Head Captain. While that was taken care of he leaned back in his chair, put his hands behind his head and thought about the battle to come. 'Maybe instead of just one of battling Ichigo we could take turns like we did that one time. That would probably be better for everyone in the long run.' After a time he summoned another butterfly that he sent to Shinji asking his opinion on the option that Isshin offered.
While he waited on an answer from either the Head Captain or Shinji, Captain Muguruma started on the piles of paperwork he had been working on before Isshin's arrival.
Meanwhile Ichigo was laying in bed trying to come up with a way to solve the unresolved issue concerning Hisagi. While he was thinking, going through pros and cons of certain strategies with the help of both his hollow and the old man; a hell butterfly flew through his window and waited patiently in front of his face to be noticed. A few minutes passed before he noticed the thing, extending his finger the butterfly sat and relayed it's message was from Shinji, something about a battle between all the Visards and him. He sent a message back to him asking what he was talking about because he had no idea. Maybe his dad would know. He reached out his senses to see if the old goat face was in the compound but could not find him, then he stretched his senses out and found that his father was on his way back. Leaving everything aside while his dad made his way home, Ichigo decided to take a nap before supper.
Isshin was hoping that his plan was going to work, since it seems no one else has come up with anything as of yet. He sighed as he made his way to the Shiba compound. 'I need to tell him about Masaki, but how can I do that when so much else is going on.'
'You need to stop stalling. His Quincy abilities have already begun to appear and take a different form from his Shinigami. Before long you know that his power will surpass even the Head Captains, and at that time the Royal Guard will come and that does not bode well for anyone. He already blames himself for his mother's death, you can set him free with the information that you have kept from him.'
'I just don't know. This information is crucial for his development, but should I burden him with more things now. He didn't take kindly to finding out about the Shiba's. Maybe I should talk to Ryuken about this, after all it was his cousin.'
'Isshin come now, this is only putting off the inevitable. He was only upset about you hiding it from him. He had a bad experience with the noble Byakuya Kuchiki and while that conflict is resolved he does not hold much faith in the noble system. The Head Captain knows of Masaki and what she was, he is receptive of the powers your children received. You must hurry and tell them before they begin to notice and try to experiment on their own. Please Isshin, if you come clean with everything now it will not cause you heartache in the long run. They have a right to know of their heritage, both hers and yours.'
'I know, I will tell them soon. Maybe after the matchup with the Visards would be a good time. Thanks for being patient with me, Engestu.' Isshin sighed as he finished the conversation with his Spirit. Before he had realized it he had arrived at the Shiba compound. Putting on a calm facade, he made his way into the compound. As he got further in he could smell the wonderful aroma of food, making a goofy grin appear on his face. Soon he stood in front of the dining room door, pushing open the screen, he took in his family sitting around the table waiting on him before helping themselves. He decided then that he would tell his family everything after Ichigo's and the Visards fight. He had no right to keep such secrets from them, especially now and especially from Ichigo.