04:57 a.m. JST, 2 hours and 5 minutes Before Declaration of Winter War

Isshin Kurosaki, despite running on no sleep in the last 48 hours, greeted Ryūken with his normal carefree grin. "You sure you want to take the girls with you?" he asked the somber Quincy, his hand mindlessly resting on Karin's head. He could feel Yuzu's slow, rhythmic breathing on the back of his neck, her arms slung over his shoulders as she slept. "I wouldn't want to cause you any trouble."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Ryūken sighed. "You've cause me trouble since the moment we met, Isshin," he said, arms folded. "Not sure why you'd suddenly be concerned about that now." He glanced down at Karin, who watched him with silent, dark eyes. Even with Isshin's features, he could make out a little bit of Masaki in the child.

"You're right," Isshin said, laughing quietly. "But I do appreciate you watching the girls. I feel safer knowing they're in your hands."

Ryūken looked at Isshin again, shaking his head. "Don't drop dead on the battlefield, Isshin," he replied, taking Yuzu from him. "You really should have gotten some sleep." Isshin looked like hell. His skin was pale and his hair, while normally messy, was an absolute disaster. His clothes looked wrinkled and dirty. Same man as always, he thought. Not sure what Masaki saw in this Shinigami.

Batting his eyelashes in mock surprise, Isshin said, "Aw, are you concerned about me, Ryūken? How sweet of you!"

"Never mind," the Quincy said, adjusting his glasses. "I hope one of the Arrancar lodges a sword in your oversized head." No one could be sure, but the corners of Ryūken's lips tugged. Could he have been trying to smile, perhaps? He turned, Yuzu's body slumped over his shoulder and Karin by his side. "Take care of yourself, fool."

"Bye, sweetie!" Isshin called to Karin, still grinning. "Tell Yuzu to make us more soup when we get back, please!"

Silently, Karin walked forward. She didn't turn her head or say anything to acknowledge her father. The spiritual energy surrounding them suddenly turned sour, which caused Isshin to flinch a little. He'd never felt anything like that from his children, especially not Karin. His smile flickered, genuine concern flooding his dark eyes, but the smile soon returned and his hand kept waving like he was a robot. Ryūken, having witnessed Karin's cold shoulder, shot Isshin a confused look before taking off.

The streets were dead silent, the sky above a ripple of dark blue clouds blanketing over Karakura Town. Not a creature seemed to stir in the dark, thin alleyways that they passed. Even their footsteps were muted as they made their way down the street. The sun was due to rise for another hour or so, but in the darkness, a very dim, blue light improved their visibility.

"So, tell me, Karin," Ryūken said, breaking the silence at last, "what on earth were you and Yuzu thinking, coming all the way out here at such a dangerous time?"

For a moment, the silence settled over them again. Karin barely moved, her face hidden from Ryūken by her hair. He almost gave up on an answer before her small, tired voice startled him. "I didn't know," she said at last.

"Didn't know what?"

"I didn't know dad was like Ichigo, too."

This didn't surprise him one bit. Despite his constant attempts to be the best dad ever, Isshin was never an open book. He held many secrets, and even those who knew his secrets still found more secrets surrounding him. "I see," he said. "I imagine you're upset with your father, then?"

Karin turned her head, looking up at Ryūken for a moment. It was clear she was hurt, but she said nothing. Instead, she sighed, turning away.

"Does he know what you have in your pocket, then?" he asked.

The question startled Karin a little, her head snapping up in an instant. A ghost of a smile returned to Ryūken's face. "Is that why you two came out here?" he pressed.

Karin shook her head, reaching into her pocket and fishing out the small Quincy cross on its silver chain. It felt warm in her hand, not searing hot like it had been before when Ichigo's spiritual pressure was intense, but a comforting warmth like fireplace on a cold winter day. "We were worried about Ichigo and dad," she said. "They hadn't been around much, especially Ichigo." She glanced over at Yuzu, still asleep. "Yuzu wanted to stage an intervention, even though I told her now was not the right time."

"Well, I agree," Ryūken said, "this wasn't the right time. However, I agree with Yuzu as well." He met Karin's gaze for a moment, a glint of something mischievous dancing there. "Isshin has always needed an intervention. He's a mess of a man."

A small tug of a smile formed on Karin's lips for a moment, her eyes catching the small patches of color on the horizon. She huddled in her coat, feeling a small chill run through her and her eyes returned to the road, silent one more.

Yuzu stirred for a moment, mumbling something under her breath as she did so. Her brows knitted together temporarily, as if she were distressed. Then, softly, she settled once again, her hands curled up under her.

"Do you know what that thing is, Karin?" Ryūken asked at last.

Karin shook her head, her thumb tracing the five points. "I found it in mom's things," was all she could say.

"So, I assume Isshin never told you your mother was a Quincy either."

"A what?" Karin looked both confused and agitated. "What's a Quincy?"

A terse peal of laughter escaped Ryūken's lips, a puff of cold air filling the early morning sky. "Ah, I think Isshin might kill me" he said aloud. "Oh well." He held his hand out, wanting to inspect the Quincy cross. With slight hesitation, Karin placed it in his hand, watching as he inspected it with an odd look in his eyes.

It's been years since I've seen this cross, he thought, turning the delicate silver cross in his hand. At the center was a blue, translucent stone, glimmering a little as he turned it between his fingers. I never thought I'd see this again. Life works in mysterious ways.

"A Quincy," Ryūken began, "is a powerful force that once strived to rid the world of corruption. We were made to purify, protect the living from the dangers that lurked in the dark." His eyes met Karin's again as he handed her the cross once more. "We were once a strong people, humans who possessed the ability to wield spiritual energy."

"Were?" Karin said, her brimming with curiosity. "Why do you say 'were'?"

"Because the Shinigami all but wiped us off the face of the Earth nearly a thousand years ago, Karin." There was no hesitation as Ryūken explained, his words terse as he marched onwards.

It was like a punch in the gut for Karin. She stopped walking, staring at him with wide, terrified eyes. "Wh…what?!" she stammered, her voice a hoarse whisper. The Quincy cross grew a little warmer in her hand, pressing deep into her palm. "They were… wiped out…"

Ryūken looked at her, his eyes emotionless. "Don't be too upset, child," he said. "There are still a few Quincy that walk the Earth." His eyes looked down to the asphalt. "But I always assumed that, after I died, the Quincy would die with me."

They remained motionless for a moment, the sky overhead beginning to slowly turn lighter hues of blue. With a shaky breath, Karin finally asked, "So, our mom was… a Quincy?"

With a single nod, Ryūken said, "Yes, she was a pure-blooded Quincy."

"So, does that make me a Quincy, too?"

"Perhaps," he replied. "You certainly possess a fair amount of spiritual energy, and seem able to manipulate it slightly, although it is very rough and sloppy currently. It would be safe to say you could very well become one."

"What about Ichigo?"

He hesitated, thinking for a moment. Ryūken had never really considered Ichigo as a Quincy. His spiritual energy was far different from a Quincy's, but in all honesty, it was also different from a Shinigami's as well. Ichigo was a true conundrum. "He may have some hidden traits," he replied, "but he seems to display prominent Shinigami abilities, like your father."

"Yuzu?"

He shook his head. "I sense nothing from your sister. If she ever develops spiritually, I would imagine the best we could hope for is that she can see spirits. But that's not a guarantee."

Karin began walking again, her eyes glimmering, lost in thought. Ryūken was amused, following less than a foot away from her. She seemed intrigued, a fire lit inside her soul. Something had changed in the span of the few minutes they had spent together, and Ryūken knew that Isshin was going to be less than pleased when the battle was over.

But, then again, what did Ryūken care?

Suddenly, Karin whirled around, staring him deep in the eyes. It was a bit frightening, seeing the intense determination in in her eyes. "Tell me everything you can about Quincies," she said. "I need to know more."

Patting her on the head, Ryūken simply said, "Let's talk more when we get to the hospital."


06:53 a.m. JST, 9 minutes before Winter War Declaration

Visions of a time long past danced before Isshin's eyes, light brown hair and sparkling brown eyes flashed before him. It was blurry, a scattered image mixed with laughter he just barely remembered. It was like staring into the sun…

"Oi, Isshin."

He missed her, each and every day distancing him from her. Masaki Kurosaki had been his everything. He'd given up so much just to wake up next to her every morning. Every step, every argument, every misplaced cigarette and every second they locked eyes reminded him why he had stayed.

"ISSHIN!"

Every time he saw Ichigo, Yuzu, Karin, he was reminded of her. Every aspect of her had scattered and fallen on those three. Ichigo had her stubbornness and her strength, Yuzu her nurturing and kind nature, and Karin her patience and wit. For a while, he had been convinced that he could hold the family together when she passed. But as time passed, he realized just how dark the world had become… He loved them all dearly, but he felt like he had failed.

The stinging smack of a couch cushion woke him from his light, tense sleep. Isshin's heavy lids lifted, revealing an angry Hiyori standing over him, couch cushion in hand. "Would ya wake the hell up already, Isshin?" she shouted.

"I think I already did," Isshin groaned, rubbing his face as he sat up. "What's going on?"

Hiyori rolled her eyes, stepping off the couch. "We got a messenger from the Gotei 13," she said. "He's tryin' to tell us that the Espada have invaded and we're needed immediately." She shot him a knowing look. "'Specially Ichigo."

Isshin blinked a few times, swinging his legs over the couch and standing quickly. "Already?!" he said, stumbling as he followed her. "How long was I out?"

"An hour or two," Hiyori replied gruffly. "Figured ya needed yer beauty sleep. How long has it been since ya had a full night sleep?"

"Are the Gotei 13 here?" Isshin asked, ignoring her question.

"They are," she replied, "and they sent one of their men to regroup at Urahara's. He's a wimpy lookin' guy, too. Hard to believe he's a Shinigami." She scoffed, opening the door to the training room.

Quickly, they descended the steps, the dim light guiding them, reaching the final door. They were greeted by the haggard Visoreds and a small, timid Shinigami, stammering and explaining something to them. Isshin couldn't find Ichigo, his eyes adjusting to the bright lights.

"… and Mr. Urahara r-requires you all to meet at the shop a-at once," the Shinigami said, addressing Shinji. His eyes were bulging, his hands fidgeting. This kid is a mess of anxiety, Isshin thought. It really is a surprise the Gotei 13 brought him along. The Shinigami glanced over at Isshin and Hiyori, clearly surprised to see them. "A-are you Isshin Kurosaki?" he asked.

"I am," Isshin replied, arms folded. "Who might you be?"

"I-I'm Hanatarō Yamada," the Shinigami replied, bowing deeply, "seventh seat of the 4th division, sir!" He lifted his head, standing ram rod straight. "Mr. Urahara, as well as the Captains of the Gotei 13 have requested that you assemble at the shop immediately! We have received reports that the Espada will make landfall within the hour!"

"So the Espada have not made landfall yet?" Isshin asked, glancing at Hiyori. "I was told that they had already made landfall."

Hanatarō seemed to short circuit, a mess of stuttering and rapid motions. "I-I-I-I d-d-don't kno-ow wh-!"

Shinji placed a hand on Hanatarō's shoulder, silencing him. "It's obvious you got your information from an unreliable source," he said, glaring at Hiyori.

"Oi," Hiyori growled, spitting on the ground, "this kid here was stutterin' so damn much I could barely make out what he was sayin'. Don't blame me."

"If that's the case," Isshin said, "I'm staying here with Ichigo until they actually make landfall. You all should head to the shop."

"Isshin," Shinji said, sighing, "you need to come with us. This isn't the time to mess around."

Isshin shook his head. "No messing around," he said. "I want Ichigo to be as ready as he can be. This is the only way I can help him now." He looked to Hanatarō again, saying, "Tell Urahara I'll be there shortly." He pushed past the Visoreds, ignoring their protests as he looked for his son.

Behind one of the large rock formations, Isshin could see Ichigo standing at full height, his dual zanpakuto resting in his hands, his back turned. "Ichigo," Isshin called out, approaching, "time's running short. We need to cram in whatever there is left to teach you. Time to focus."

It was in the moments of silence that followed that Isshin realized that Ichigo was motionless. He hadn't so much as twitched or moved a muscle. In fact, he seemed a little too straightened up, his normal gait nowhere to be seen. "Ichigo?" Isshin asked, placing a hand on his son's shoulder. A look of worry crossed his face as he turned to look at Ichigo's face. "Ichigo, what's…?"

A blank, emotionless stare met Isshin. Ichigo's lips were slightly parted, the lower half of his front teeth showing. His face seemed calm, muscles relaxed. However, his eyes were by far the strangest thing that Isshin could see. They were glowing, the whites of his eyes, iris and pupil gone. Blue-green light poured out, fixated somewhere Isshin could never hope to understand. A surge of panic overtook Isshin, gripping Ichigo by his shoulders and gently shaking him.

"Ichigo!" he said loudly, the buried panic infiltrating his voice. "ICHIGO! SNAP OUT OF IT, WILL YOU?!"

"What's going on here?" Shinji called out, running towards them. Hiyori was by his side, grimacing, but her face betrayed her now growing worry.

"HOW LONG HAS ICHIGO BEEN LIKE THIS?!" Isshin bellowed at Shinji, turning Ichigo slightly so they could see his trance-like state, glowing eyes and all. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS WAS HAPPENING, SHINJI?!"

Hiyori had never seen Shinji's face go so pale in all her life. His eyes nearly bulged from his face as he realized what was going on. "He wasn't like that a few minutes ago, Isshin," he said, his tone serious, "I can promise you that. We had only just been fighting. Granted, he was still trying to get a grip on his new weapons, but… I promise you he wasn't like this when Hanatarō came here."

"I can attest to that, too," Hiyori said, running up to Ichigo. "The kid was just fine!"

The large, gentle form of Hachi approached, rubbing his chin pensively. He was calmer than the rest of the Visoreds, trying to understand what was happening, rather than how to bring Ichigo back. "I believe his zanpakuto spirits are behind this," he said at last, tapping a motionless Ichigo on the forehead. Sweat trickled down Ichigo's slack face, a small thunk resounding as Hachi's forefinger tapped his head. "It looks like there's some sort of internal conflict."

Isshin paused, trying to process what Hachi was saying. "So, he's back in his Inner World again, you say?" he said, trying to stay calm. Nothing good ever came of panicking, and he needed to make sure he was there for his son for this one. "What do you think's going on? Are they telling him how to use his new weapon?"

"I doubt it," Hachi replied. "I can't be sure, but there seems to be some… hesitance from at least one of them. Not fear, but there's some sort of fight going on." He glanced over at the Visoreds and back to Isshin. "I think we should let him work it out. I doubt it will take long."

Wanting to argue, Isshin took a deep breath. But he knew that Hachi was most likely right. If they tried to rush Ichigo, it could result in something bad. With a nod, Isshin said, "Alright. I'll wait here with him and we'll rejoin you guys when he… gets back."

Hanatarō opened his to protest, a small stammer forming, but he was stopped by Lisa. She adjusted her glasses before addressing him, saying, "Don't worry, we'll explain why Ichigo and Isshin are still here to your superiors. I doubt they will fault you." This seemed to ease Hanatarō a little, but he did seem worried for Ichigo.

"Very well," he said. "Let us join together with the others."

Silently, the Visoreds left, leaving Isshin with Ichigo. Isshin stared at Ichigo for what felt like countless minutes. He had no idea what he would do if Ichigo didn't snap out of this trance when Aizen arrived, but he knew it was best to focus on the moment. He was a dad, after all. The coolest dad that ever was, or at least that's what he wanted to believe. He'd had many moments where he'd felt helpless when it came to his children, questioning his parenting. But this moment was possibly one of the most trying moments he'd ever had.

"Ichigo," he whispered, his voice laced with emotion. "I hope you know what you're doing."


"Ya stupid old man!" White Zangetsu's eyes flashed with anger, finger pointing. "Why're ya hesitatin'?!"

Old Man Zangetsu remained silent, his dark robes flickering around him. The sideways sky marched silently onward, falling into the abyss of Ichigo's soul. This wasn't his first fight he'd had with the Hollow since Ichigo's conception, and he knew it wouldn't be their last. But this one was different. Much different.

"You know why I hesitate," the Old Man replied. "We had spoken about this countless times." His eyes turned to White Zangetsu, tinted by the orange shades he wore. "I refuse to put Ichigo's life at risk in such a way. You know what will happen if we let him know."

Clearly very frustrated, White Zangetsu roared, his palm on his head. "And by not usin' it, we're puttin' him at risk, too!" he retorted. "This isn't a normal fight, Old Man! Somethin's different, and ya know it!"

"Something is different, yes," the Old Man replied, turning away from White Zangetsu. "However, if we use this now, if we bring it to his awareness, we will never be able to undo it." A hard line formed on the Old Man's lips, thinly veiled worry painted on his calm face. "We may easily defeat Aizen with it, certainly…"

"THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYIN'!" White Zangetsu screamed. His normal, cocky demeanor had vanished. He was almost like a panicking teenager, scared shitless by something unknown. It was certainly an odd sight for the Old Man to behold, causing him to flinch a little. "SO WHY ARE YA HESITATIN'? DO YA WANT TO SEND THE KID OUT THERE DEFENSELESS?"

Something in the Old Man snapped, a dangerous fire igniting in his eyes. The Hollow had some nerve asking about his care for Ichigo. His form swelled in size, his dark robe nearly blocking out the light. A rumble went through Ichigo's inner world, like a terrible thunder. "You dare question my ability to keep Ichigo safe, Hollow?!" he demanded, his voice a low, terrible roar. It was filled with menace, a terrible threat that White Zangetsu knew all too well. He hadn't seen the Old Man this angry since…

"So, ya think ya can intimidate me, do ya?" White Zangetsu shouted, a feral grin on his face. "Yer ego's getting' too big, Old Man. All I'm askin' is why ya think that we shouldn't let Ichigo know?" His golden eyes seemed to shimmer in the darkness that the Old Man had created.

It almost seemed like a deep, troubling sigh when the Old Man slowly shrunk back to normal size. His face was calm once more, but his face was dark, conflicted. Dark, wavy brown hair flowed in the air, a thin veil covering his trouble expression. "With it, we would most certainly defeat Aizen," he continued, his voice soft and low, "but at what cost?" His eyes met the Hollow's. White Zangetsu felt his smile fall, realizing slowly what the Old Man was saying.

"There will always be bigger opponents," the Old Man continued, "and if they know exactly what Ichigo possess, they will grow in numbers. They will want to tear him to pieces, just like…" He couldn't finish his sentence, his eyes closing.

They stood in silence, the empty windows of Ichigo's inner world shimmering in the light. A heavy burden weighed down the shoulders of both zanpakuto spirits, their eyes taut with worry.

"Yer right," White Zangetsu conceded at last. "I know yer right. But… that thing" His eyes lifted, a dangerous edge to the golden discs shining in the darkness. "That thing is more dangerous than we'd believed it to be. When it entered the kid's inner world, it was like…"

"Yes," the Old Man said. "It was very much like him. A very broken, younger version of him, but still just as dangerous and wild. The fact that Aizen even made such a deal with that thing troubles me greatly."

"We need to crush it quickly," White Zangetsu said, his voice confident. "If we let that thing grow, it'll be hard to stop once it starts to devour everythin' in its path. If it gets Ichigo, then the World of the Livin' might as well give up."

The Old Man remained silent. He agreed with the Hollow, knowing that if they failed, the consequences to the rest of the world would outweigh their own. His face contorted, struggling to maintain his composure. He was in terrible mental anguish.

"We will not reveal it," he said at last. White Zangetsu hissed, eyes wide in anger. The Old Man extended his hand, saying, "At least, for now. We do not want to reveal our hand this early. When things take a turn, we will reveal it to Ichigo. But not before then."

With a shaky sigh, White Zangetsu calmed down, his brows furrowed. "Alright, Old Man" he conceded reluctantly. "Ya win." He looked to the sky, his lips tugged into a pensive frown. "But, outta curiousity, whaddya think 'bout that girl?"

"The girl?" the Old Man replied, glancing at White Zangetsu. "What do you mean?"

"The one that thing forced him to speak to? The Human-turned-Espada?"

Hesitation filled the air, the Old Man thinking now. He had thought about the girl, knowing that there was no way she was just human. There was something about her, something chillingly similar…

"She intrigues me," he said at last.

"I get the feelin' we'll be seein' her real soon," White Zangetsu said, grinning. "She seems fascinatin', like Ichigo's fate and her's are intertwined. Wonder if we'll get to fight her!" He laughed a little, his screeching voice echoing off the buildings.

"Yes," the Old Man said. His eyes never wavered from the clouds, watching them march onwards towards the abyss. The abyss he guarded well.

"I wonder as well."


07:25 a.m. JST, 23 minutes after Winter War Declaration

Ichigo blinked once, the ethereal blue-green glow leaving his eyes and revealing his normal, warm brown ones. His body leaned to the side, the muscles in his body finally realizing he'd been standing up straight for far too long with out a break. He felt a little sore, his zanpakuto duo weighing heavy in his hands.

Blinking again, he looked around the training room, realizing that the Visoreds and Hanatarō were gone. Funny, he thought, they were there just a second ago. What the hell? He felt confused, his head swiveling about a little more wildly now. His eyes landed on his father, who sat near the rock formation between him and the exit.

"Dad!" he called out, turning and approaching his dad with a small run.

Isshin lifted his head, his glazed-over eyes now snapping to attention. "Ichigo!" he called out, standing. "You're back!" He reached Ichigo, rustling his orange hair mercilessly. "What the hell was that all about?!"

Craning his head away from his dad, Ichigo shot him a confused look. "What are you talking about?" he asked, blinking. His brows furrowed, a small edge of terror in his voice. "What happened?"

Isshin stopped, staring back at Ichigo. "Y-You were stuck in a trance for at least a half hour!" he replied, shocked. "You don't remember?"

Ichigo shook his head, suddenly on guard. "No, last thing I remember was Shinji calling for me to join him," he said. "Hanatarō had just entered the room, saying we needed to head back to Urahara's. Something about the Espada arriving within the hour!" He seemed shell-shocked, looking around the room again. He couldn't believe he'd been out for half an hour. "A-are you sure I was out for that long?!"

"Yes, Ichigo," Isshin confirmed, his face serious. "But that doesn't matter for right now. We need to get to battlefield, ASAP. The Espada have already arrived."

Without another word, Ichigo followed, sheathing his zanpakuto quickly. He wanted desperately to grill his father, to know what the hell happened. But with the Espada here, he knew there was no time to grill Isshin. He'd just have to bite his tongue and prepare himself.

Dammit


A/N: Hello! So, first, I'm a bit early posting this, but that's fine. I'm just burning through chapters right now, I'm on FIRE with creativity! That break was amazing and I am once again thankful for everyone's patience as I had that small hiatus.

Second, no this isn't a fighting chapter. I realized I forgot a few things and had to add this. I know some of you will be disappointed, but hey, i will say the next chapter will be very, very interesting :] You'll see me soon (probably next week, but we'll see) Enjoy!