Tatsuki X Ichigo

Chapter 9

The street lights were incapable of cutting through the oppressive darkness saturating and permeating the entire environment as Tatsuki's feet carried her autonomously towards the Kurosaki residence.

In one hand, she held her phone, scrolling through it, absentmindedly despite knowing that no one had texted her since Isshin had called; in the other, sightly trembling hand, she held the her ticket to soul society.

Despite the light gauge of the paper, it seemed to grow heavier and heavier with each step she took. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped it harder and she took a deep breath before putting it in her pocket to take her mind off of it, but only briefly before she withdrew it again as though she was afraid it had fallen out of her pocket.

The Kurosaki family stood in front of the house, all dressed somewhat formally with the exception of Isshin, who had shed his body in favor of his shinigami form and was on the phone with someone when Tatsuki walked up.

"Who's he talking to?" she asked the girls, who gave her sad smiles upon seeing her.

"That stupid shop owner called him and that's why he's in that form, too," Karin explained as she stood with her arms crossed. "You knew, didn't you?"

Tatsuki scratched the back of her head as she avoided eye contact.

"He asked me not to tell you guys," she explained feebly.

"I understand," Karin said with a sigh. "I just wish he had told us. I mean I'm sure he's known about Ichigo this whole time too."

Isshin hung up the phone before withdrawing his zanpakuto.

"Is everyone here?" he asked, nodding to Tatsuki.

"You didn't call Keigo or Mizuiro?"she asked as she checked the clock.

"I don't have their information, first of all, and second of all, I only knew you had a ticket," he said with a dismissive shrug. "All well. We need to move. Stay with me while we pass through. Get a grip on my captain's coat so you don't get separated, just in case."

Tatsuki nodded her understanding and the three girls grabbed a habdful of his coat.

As they watched, Isshin stabbed his zanpakuto straight forward, but, mysteriously, it disappeared up to the hilt before he turned it like a key and a feudal style Japanese gate materialized before them before opening with a blinding white light and smoke or steam. As the light dimmed they saw the hideous world of the Dangai and Isshin stepped forward with all of them following.

"Don't go too far to the sides," he explained, pointing to the slimy black goo running in a constant waterfall around them. "That stuff is a physical manifestation of time itself. If you touch it it could instantly age you to death or de-age you until you're an embryo."

The younger girls have a collective "Eww" while Tatsuki stayed lazer focused on their movement forward.

"So what happened?" she asked the man before her.

He glanced over his shoulder at her before sighing and his eyes looked wistfully forward.

"There's been an emergency summons for captains and the heads of each of the clans," he answered as he returned his gaze forward.

"What for?" Yuzu chimed in.

"They didn't say," Isshin said, his gaze growing somber. "Whatever it is, it can't be good."

"Why?"

"The last time all of the clans were called upon like this, they had to choose a soul king," he answered, looking at them and watching their eyes widen as they realized what that might mean.

"You're saying they're going to make Ichigo the soul king?" Karin asked.

"It's possible," he answered.

"Whoa! Ichi being a king?!" Yuzu said loudly. "Would that make me a princess?"

"Let's hope we don't have to find that out," Isshin answered stiffly as they kept waking.

Tatsuki gave him a cautious glance.

"What does being the soul king entail?"

"It doesn't necessarily entail anything, except that his spirit pressure will be used to holding all of the worlds of the living, soul society, hell, et cetera in their place."

"That doesn't sound so bad!" Yuzu said hopefully.

"If that diverts his spirit pressure, wouldn't that make it so he can come home?" Karin asked.

Tatsuki felt a chill up her spine.

"You said it doesn't necessarily entail anything..."

Isshin cast his eyes towards her.

"The last soul king they dismembered, disemboweled and stuffed into a crystal in the palace where he could never leave. However, no matter what way I look at it, he'd have to stay at the palace if they choose him."

"Doesn't he get a say in-" Tatsuki began to yell until she saw the knowing look in Isshin's eyes.

"He would take that responsibility, even if it isn't his to take and even if it isn't necessary, if he thinks it'll save all of us," Isshin said, stopping for a moment. "They'll use that to their advantage at Central 46, I'm sure."

"Is that why we're all going?" Tatsuki deduced.

He replied with a silent nod before they continued on their quest to see Ichigo and save him.