Disclaimer : I do not own anything from Bleach. If I did Ichigo wouldn't be such a prude and Mayuri would've died in a hell lot of pain in the Thousand Year Blood War.

(2021-05-11) I have decided to inform the differences between canon and my story at the start of the chapter. Thanks for the suggestion, Antex-The Legendary Zoroark!

(2021-05-25) The pairing is now IchigoXMulti with Giselle being the main. The other pairings are Meninas, Candice, and Bambietta.

1. Tsukishima's Book of the End isn't all that different from canon. If he dies, the effect will wear out. But this time, there was no Ginjō to explain that so no one knows about it. Kinda like how if Gin didn't explain anything no one would've known that one can be immune from Kyōka Suigetsu's effect if you touch the blade. I don't know if canon Book of the end's effect reduces over time... So it won't in this story. It won't be an important factor in the long run, but it is a major part of Ichigo's character building in this story.

2. There will be some differences to the characters mainly to the Quincies. Other than that, I'll try my best to stick to the canon personalities, but I'm nowhere near perfect so expect some OOC moments.

3. This Ichigo isn't the same Ichigo from canon. Ichigo is subjected to more emotional distress in the span of a day compared to what canon Ichigo experienced. I'm sorry if you were expecting the same brash, trustworthy, getting beaten up all the time until someone saves his ass, not even bothering to use his above average intellect Ichigo. This Ichigo will be thinking a lot more, his perceptive side won't be limited to combat, he won't need someone to save his ass, and he is going to put some use to his head.

Main Pairing IchigoXGiselle, IchigoXMulti

The Zombie and the Strawberry

"Kurosaki..."

Ichigo could recognize that rather annoying voice anywhere. As he turned around Ichigo spotted a fully healed Ishida Uryū forming his Spirit Weapon, Ginrei Kojaku and instantly thought he was screwed. While Ichigo didn't know exactly who attacked Uryū earlier, he suspected it to be Tsukishima Shūkurō. It was only logical since every one of his friends and family except Uryū were affected by Tsukishima's Fullbring. Ichigo knew that Inoue Orihime was also under Tsukishima's influence, so it was either that Uryū was healed before Orihime fell under Tsukishima's Fullbring or Uryū was on the same boat with them. And the fact that he didn't have all the pieces to put the situation together meant he needed to keep his guard up, whether Uryū was a friend or not. Right now the only person he could trust was Ginjō Kūgo, who seemed to be unaffected by Tsukishima's Fullbring.

"So Ishida... You are on his side too? Well, fuck. This just gets better and better I guess." Ichigo said while eyeing Uryū warily. The overwhelming feeling of dread was catching up to him. Just what did he do to deserve this shit? Where were Urahara-san, Yoruichi-san, and his goddamn father when he needed them the most?

"Kurosaki, just shut up and come here. I already checked downstairs. I'm on your side so stop worrying and hurry up!" Uryū yelled to Ichigo in a no-nonsense tone, but Ichigo was still skeptical of the situation.

"As if I'll fall for that..."

"Kurosaki you idiot! Don't you understand? The one who cut me is the guy right behind you!" Uryū tried to reason with Ichigo once more, only to realize that he was already late and quickly started to fire arrows at Ginjō, who was smirking right behind Ichigo. Ichigo's eyes widened in shock, but it was already too late for him.

Ginjō easily swatted the arrows away with one swift slash, and brought his broadsword down. It easily cut through Ichigo, and left a deep gash from his left shoulder to his stomach. Ichigo who barely took in Uryū's words responded a little too late, and received a wound which wasn't fatal, but more than enough to make him fall down to his knees.

"Kurosaki!"

Ichigo couldn't believe himself.

He lost, but not because he lacked the power nor skill.

He goddamn lost because he trusted Ginjō, a man who he barely knew about.

He was too naive.

He never should've trusted someone who came out of the blue one day and told him that they intend to restore his long-lost shinigami powers.

He was a fucking idiot who didn't know to think first before he leapt.

Ichigo saw Uryū getting cut down from the behind by Tsukishima out of the corner of his eyes. Now that Uryū also received an injury from Tsukishima, was he going to turn his back on him too? How could an ability like that exist? This was almost as ridiculous as Kyoka Suigetsu's complete hypnosis. Maybe not on the same level, but still...

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Ginjō erupted in full-blown laughter as he watched Uryū slump down to the ground. He had done it. A plot that he masterminded was executed flawlessly. And now... It was time to claim the prize!

"Why...? Ginjō... I thought you..." Ichigo barely squeezed out the words. It wasn't the matter of his physical injuries. Anyone who happen to lay their eyes on him could see that his will was completely broken at the moment. The steel like resolve that pushed him to invade the Soul Society without a second thought. The stubbornness that refused to leave a friend in Hueco Mundo at the mercy of the enemy. The determination to willingly make a sacrifice that would change his life, if only to defeat a threat to his friends once and for all.

At that time it didn't matter if it meant he would be left in the position to need to be protected, because he could never sit aside and watch as everything he cherished burnt down. When he was powerless, it was the same problem that made him seek power once more. But now, Ichigo was lost in his own world pondering about exactly what he had done wrong, or rather since when everything started to go wrong.

"Tsukishima's Fullbring worked perfectly as intended, Kurosaki." Ginjō stated in a matter of fact tone, looking down at Ichigo. "Just so you know, I didn't become your enemy because Tsukishima cut me." Ginjō added before Ichigo could retort. The fact that he was played like a naive idiot all along from the start made Ichigo want to kill himself. He should've stayed on guard. He never trusted Ginjō when he first approached him. Just when did it change? Why?

"If you seriously believed that only I was immune to Tsukishima's Fullbring or something like that, you really are a masterpiece Kurosaki. If you could beat Aizen and be praised as the hero of the Winter War, then maybe destroying all those Shinigami might be easier than I first thought. Tsukishima cut me twice Ichigo. The second cut returned me to my original self again! Do you get it now? Everything was a part of the plan I made." While Ginjō was busy ridiculing him, Ichigo noticed the difference in his demeanor. Ginjō became arrogant, sinister, and cruel compared to the Ginjō he started to trust before he got cut by Tsukishima, apparently not for the first time. So this was the kind of man Ginjō truly was behind all the acts. His real self was closer to the man he acted like when he trained Ichigo in his Fullbring.

"I'm gonna tell you something, Kurosaki. Now I'm taking your Fullbring. You're going to be powerless once more. I wonder how you'll feel when all your powers get sucked out from you." Ginjō looked down at him, as if he was pitying Ichigo. Ginjō placed his Substitute Shinigami Badge on the guard of his sword. Ichigo watched silently as the badge was fused into the sword, turning into a skull-like form. Soon Ichigo was interrupted by another spike of pain, this time from the center of his chest.

Ichigo stared blankly at Ginjō's Sword of Scaffold which was piercing through his chest. He wanted to laugh so badly, but couldn't find the strength to do so. Although Ichigo knew that his intelligence was nowhere near the level of the kinds like Urahara Kisuke, Aizen Sōsuke, and Kurotsuchi Mayuri, he honestly could say he was never this stupid. Of course, he had a penchant to jump in situations without thinking. Maybe it was an understatement if he put it like that. But getting played like this like a puppet in a child's doll play? He couldn't believe that his desperation for power actually blinded his eyes enough to make him believe the words of some jackass whose words were never straightforward from the beginning.

'Oh how the mighty has fallen.' Ichigo thought to himself, noticing his powers shifting uncomfortably as he felt the pull of the blade sticking in his chest. 'But then again, was I ever worthy to be referred 'mighty' in the first place?'

Ichigo won against Zaraki Kenpachi only because the brute enjoyed fighting too much that their fight dragged on longer than it should've been. Zaraki could've cut him down in the first 5 minutes. Hell, it couldn't even be called a win since he lost consciousness right after Zaraki, right in the middle of the enemy territory. It was more of a draw, but Ichigo strutted around spewing that he defeated a captain when the truth was Zaraki was never serious in fighting him to begin with.

The fight against Kuchiki Byakuya ended up as his victory only because his Inner Hollow took over and bought him the needed time. He was still losing even when he was using his Bankai, not even noticing the fact that he was tiring out while Byakuya easily saw through it.

While it took him three life-threatening fights to overcome Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, he could have gotten himself killed anytime in the first fight and only lived because of sheer luck, or probably Aizen's amusement.

It was his Inner Hollow that defeated Ulquiorra Schiffer, not himself. He actually died at that time if his memories served him correct. He was being thrashed badly the whole time regardless of Ulquiorra's state, be it his unreleased form, or his Resurrección form.

He sacrificed his powers to defeat Aizen Sōsuke, but it wasn't enough at the end. Urahara Kisuke's brilliance was the only reason Aizen was successfully sealed and imprisoned right now. Ichigo realized that he should've died a long time ago for being such an idiot, and he was paying the price of his stupidity now.

But it was too late to change anything that already happened. During the seventeen months there was no contact from Soul Society, and he could feel that the people of Urahara Shōten were distancing themselves from him. His father didn't even bother to show his ass when Tsukishima was meddling with his own daughters' memories. Now that he thought about it, even the Visoreds never bothered to make any contact with him. Honestly? It stung. Maybe he was being overly dramatic with all the emotional stress, but could anyone really fault him?

"We were allies from the very start, Kurosaki. When Tsukishima cut me for the first time, we became enemies who were supposedly betrayed by each other. And it was all for this very moment! Your friend with the glasses was attacked by me, and only because it would've been too boring if there was nobody on your side. I mean, a battle we can't lose? Come on, where is the fun in that! Your fate depended on you noticing the difference between him and your other friends... but obviously you failed." Ginjō was having his time of his life monologuing to Ichigo, not that Ichigo could do anything about it.

"My Fullbring the 'Book of the End', its first strike allows me to carve my existence into the victim's past memories in any way I choose to. A friend, mentor, family... Everything is possible. And the second strike removes that effect. Quite the ability won't you say?" Tsukishima joined Ginjō and properly explained his Fullbring.

'So, the only way I can remove its influence from my friends and family is if he cuts them once more... Or maybe if I kill him...' Ichigo thought his situation was so fucked up, and it was practically his fault for falling into this trap. Or was it really? He made the choice to seek Xcution for power, because his friends were being harmed by someone. He hated being powerless, because he was forced to sit back and watch as his friends dealt with the afterlife.

'Urahara-san always seemed to know what was happening in Karakura Town. Was this event any different from the others? Did Urahara-san and Yoruichi-san know what was going on, observing from the sidelines like they always did? But then why didn't they interfere yet? There has to be some kind of big plan in this situation, right? Am I being suspicious for no reason, trying to find a excuse that could lift this unbearable guilt? They will come up with some fancy plan to solve this mess, right?' No, this wasn't like him. Just what was he doing, trying to shift the blame to other people? Ichigo clenched his gut in disgust and spat out a lone curse. "Shit..."

"Shit, Indeed. Since I would be in close contact with you for quite some time, in order to prevent you from suspecting me we used Tsukishima's Fullbring to make me consider him as an enemy..." Ginjō said while he fiddled with the skull on his sword.

"Hey, that's not true. Your acting skills were just too horrible, so that we had to do it." Tsukishima retorted in a joking manner.

"Oh, shut up. My acting mere minutes ago was on par with any of the Hollywood actors."

"As soon as I cut you, you started to call him 'Kurosaki' again. And you didn't even notice it 'till I told you just now."

"Well, Fuck you too."

'They seems like they're enjoying themselves. I guess they can't really help it when they made this day probably the second to the worst day in my life.' Ichigo mused somewhat calmly. He knew what was coming, and there really was nothing he could do that would change the outcome. He didn't even bother to try and strike a conversation with them, seeing it as pointless.

And then he felt it. It felt like a part of the dam withholding his powers broke down. In a mere few seconds, every last drop of his Fullbring powers was lost, sucked out from him. His Fullbring was now completely absorbed by Ginjō. Ichigo dropped his Substitute Shinigami Badge, the source of his Fullbring now probably being an ordinary piece of wood.

It felt like he used another Mugetsu, except that there was no loss of Zangetsu this time. Oh, how he missed Zangetsu. Ichigo suddenly felt tears running down his cheeks. Or was it the rain? When did it start to rain anyway?

"Ahhh... This feels great! I couldn't thank you enough, Kurosaki Ichigo. I can have my revenge at last, and it's all thanks to you!"

"Kurosaki..." Uryū glanced at Ichigo with sympathy. He knew the feeling of losing his powers, for he had lost his Quincy powers once when he used Quincy Letzt Stil. And now Ichigo had to go through it again. He noticed the tears and shut his eyes. Uryū did not want to watch his ally... No, friend. Yes, his friend's weakest moment. And it seemed that Tsukishima and Ginjo noticed it too, obviously not sharing his sentiment.

"Oh... Is he crying? Now I feel so horrible. He is just a kid after all." Tsukishima mocked Ichigo with fake concern.

"Well, Let him cry it all out. It's not like we have any use for him anymore. The chances of us crossing paths again is almost non-existent. Hmm, maybe I should tell him about how he was deceived by the Shinigami too? It would be good for him to at least know all the truth. I was the predecessor of his role after all?" Ginjō rubbed his chin with his fingers, and Tsukishima sighed. "Whatever, the faster you do it the earlier we take our leave. Your call."

"Well, I suppose I could tell you! Kurosaki, do you know the purpose of the badge? The one that the Shinigami gave you? Well you probably wouldn't since you're all so trusting that you'd never have any kind of suspicion. It's a device used to track us, and control our reiatsu if they need to! They never trusted you, Kurosaki. And the most juicy part of the story you see, is the identity of the person who came up with this device. His name..." Ginjō's face lit up with a malicious grin. Ichigo instinctively knew that he probably wouldn't like what he was about to hear.

"Ukitake Jūshiro... Captain of the 13th Division. The most peace-loving, seemingly harmless Captain of the Soul Society was actually the one who thought of this idea! Do you see now, Kurosaki Ichigo? The Shinigami aren't the kind that deserves to be trusted. Even the most peaceful Captain can be crafty when he needs to be. If that is the case, just what would the other Shinigami be hiding behind their back?" Ginjō seemed to be dead serious in his words that it wasn't even funny. Ichigo pieced the facts together and understood the reason why Captain Ukitake had to give this to him. If the Substitute Shinigami before him was this asshole, safety measures were needed to be made, and he could respect it. To be honest, he was expecting the badge to be something like that almost right from the start.

"Kurosaki, don't listen to him!" Uryū desperately cried out, not wanting his friend to vent his anger of the moment at the Shinigami. It was Ichigo who made him change his mind that the Shinigami and Quincy just might be able to work together, and he didn't want Ichigo's relation with them hindered by this piece of information. The Ichigo he knew would jump to conclusions right there without a second thought. But to his surprise Ichigo laughed bitterly, albeit being almost inaudible.

"I expected it from the start, Ginjō... Its not like I trusted the Shinigami as a whole anyway. I trust only my friends in the Soul Society... nothing less, nothing more." Ichigo replied, but he couldn't hide the bitterness as well as he would've liked to. Uryū noticed it and frowned, but acknowledged the fact that Ichigo had the right to feel a little bitter.

"Well, you're taking this better than I expected. But it doesn't matter. I'm gonna get my revenge, and you can't stop me." Ginjō said while the smug smirk not leaving his face not for a second.

Ichigo inwardly sighed and clenched his fist. He had lost, so it was no use in trying to oppose Ginjō at the moment. But there was something he had to do. He had to do this, no matter how it sucked. His pride and ego wasn't worth his friendship and his family. It was something he dragged them into, so it was only right that he was the one to fix it.

"Tsukishima-san..." Ichigo choked out the honorific. To show respect to the bastard who tortured him mentally by messing with the memories of people close to him? It was way harder than he first thought. He could almost hear his Inner Hollow's furious voice.

'Ya sure stooped low, Kingy! Lemme out an' I'll just kill'em all and be done with it! No king of mine begs to a goddamn backstabbing weakling! Ya don't even deserve to be called a King!'

But he wasn't here anymore. He couldn't believe himself, but he actually missed his Inner Hollow... and it wasn't just because of the power that came with him.

"Hmm?" Tsukishima tilted his head with a rather confused expression. The Ichigo he knew would have already started to curse him and demanded to give his powers back. What was with the sudden change in his attitude?

Ichigo clenched his fist. He had to do this. This time he heard Zangetsu, repeating the words he spoke in the past.

'Abandon your fear. Look forward. Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate.'

'Sorry, Zangetsu. I fear for being left alone. I shouldn't have looked back, and now I don't have the will or strength to move forward anymore. I pulled back again. I am already dead on the inside.' Ichigo was unsure of what Zangetsu would think of him as of now. He really didn't want to see Zangetsu's disappointed expression directed at him.

"Please, cancel your Fullbring that you used on my friends and sisters..." Ichigo felt self-loathing at how pitiful he sounded. He vowed to never let something like this happen again, no matter what. He'll be damned if he acted before thinking once more. From now on he was going to think at least twice before he makes a decision.

Uryū's head snapped up in shock. Was this really the Kurosaki Ichigo he knew? Although Ichigo always did try his best to protect the people he deemed precious to himself, but to completely discard his pride and beg to the very people who caused the situation and stole his powers? The sudden change in his behavior was disconcerting to say at least. Uryū blamed himself for not being strong enough to stop this... He had never wanted to see Ichigo in such state. Kurosaki Ichigo never bowed to anyone in this humiliating manner. He was a person who would never back down, no matter what he was facing. If only he was stronger, Ichigo's pride wouldn't have had to be ripped to shreds.

"Oh my... That was quite unexpected! What should I do, what should I do..." Tsukishima seemed to be enjoying his current standing, on the receiving end of the famed Hero of the Winter War's plea. Having Kurosaki Ichigo at his complete mercy? The sensation was exhilarating to him!

Time slowly passed, and after a hour-like minute of silence, Tsukishima turned back and started to walk away again. Ichigo tried to say something, when he barely heard Tsukishima's words through the downpour at the same time.

"Nope."

Ichigo bit his lower lip. He was clenching his fist so hard that blood started to seep out from his palm where his nails dug in. All the anger he bottled inside finally exploded outwards. If he still had his powers, he would've Hollowfied completely because of the boiling rage he was feeling at the moment.

"Fuck! Goddamn you! I'll make you pay! No matter how long it takes, I'll kill you! I'm gonna completely destroy everything remotely involved with you! I'll make sure that your death is going to be the most painful one that ever happens in this world!" Ichigo screamed in fury, in rightful rage, and promised to himself that Tsukishima Shūkurō and Ginjō Kūgo were going to regret ever approaching him. It was a vow, that he would keep even if he had to make a deal with the devil. Sadly, the people on the receiving end of his rage didn't even bother acknowledging his outburst.

"By the way, your Quincy friend is going to feel the effects of my Fullbring soon enough. You have nothing left to you, Kurosaki. Your friends. Your family. I'll make sure to have them ignore and hate you. You don't have the power to stop me, Kurosaki. You have absolutely nothing! Do you want to know something really hilarious? There were some Shinigami watching us for quite some time! They abandoned you!" Ichigo's face paled at the revelation. He had to be lying. They would never abandon him like this. But he knew that it was the truth.

"Oh, well. I think we've over stayed our welcome, so we should really get going. Goodbye!" Tsukishima soon disappeared through the rain, Ginjō's form following without another word.

Tsukishima's words struck him hard. Did he really have nothing left to him? The Shinigami were here, and they didn't even bother to interfere? And to think he sacrificed his powers to clean up their mess... Only to get involved in another mess of the Shinigami once more to be the one left to suffer the consequences. Ginjō obviously had some bad blood with them, and now he was caught between them as a victim or some kind of bait. Oh, maybe he was a bait if they really were watching him all this time.

"Arrrrrrgh!"

Ichigo shut his eyes, not wanting to see anything he wouldn't like.

Ichigo hated the sound of rain around him. He didn't want to hear anything.

'Ichigo, I hate the rain. It rains in this world too. When you're upset, the skies grow cloudy, when you're sad, it rains. I can't stand it. I wonder if you can grasp the terror of being rained on in this lonely world.'

'Yes. I understand now, Zangetsu.'

'To be able to hold back the rain, I'll give you everything I have. Should you place your trust in me, I won't let any rain fall on this world.'

'You did give everything you have. But maybe I didn't trust you enough. It probably is flooding in there now, huh? I'm sorry Zangetsu. I don't want to see what you would think of what I had become. But at the same time I miss you terribly, and hope to see you again...'

It was always raining when something bad happened to him. That was when Kurosaki Ichigo realized that he hated the rain too, just like Zangetsu.

-line break-

A black haired girl with light-blue eyes wearing some sort of white colored military uniform was hastily making her way through the halls of the frozen palace. She followed the footsteps of a blonde haired man who held a Stoic expression that made it hard for people to approach him.

'But in reality he's just a big softie inside...' The girl thought to herself, barely suppressing a giggle from escaping. Almost everyone in Silbern knew that Jugram Haschwalt cared deeply about his fellow Quincy, although he would just blankly stare back at them if someone were to say that in his face. While she knew that Jugram wasn't a big fan of friendly chats, her mouth was twitching for some conversation.

"So! Any ideas about why his majesty wants to see me?" The girl asked while eyeing her blonde comrade's face, trying to read what he was thinking through his expression. Unsurprisingly his expression never changed in the slightest.

"No. His majesty merely asked me to inform you of your summon, nothing more." Jugram said while maintaining his demeanor. If he was being honest, the girl was relatively pleasant to strike a conversation compared to the others. The point being relatively, as she still was irritating.

"Oh... I know! Maybe I'll be assigned a special mission that concerns the future of the empire! I hope it's gonna be fun... Maybe it'll be a chance to add something new to my collection!" The girl giggled. Jugram actually had a hard time trying not to roll his eyes. If his majesty really did give a mission to the girl who certainly wasn't the most sane person in Silbern. He tried not to think about how messed up the outcome would be. It was a guaranteed failure. But on second thought, she would never fail something if it was a direct order from the emperor...

The two Quincy's rather one-sided conversation came to an end when they reached a large door, which lead to the throne room of Silbern. Jugram almost sighed aloud in relief, for he would be free at last from the annoying Sternritter. The door slowly slid open, and Jugram actually rolled his eyes at his majesty's dramatics. Where was the usual soldats on guard duty anyway? Were they slacking off? He tuned out the girl's rambling as it was starting to bother him too much.

"Since we are here, I shall take my leave. His majesty asked for your presence alone..." Jugram said, a little saddened by the fact that he was being left out of the details of the very first mission since his majesty woke up from his near thousand-year-long slumber. As the Sternritter Grandmaster, he really wasn't used to being left out like this. But who was he to question his majesty's decisions? While it was true that his majesty didn't want his subordinates to follow his orders blindly, Jugram wasn't about to doubt his majesty just because he felt left out.

"Ehh... Alright! See'ya Jugo!" As Jugram was about to retort about her blatant use of his pet name(at this point he cursed Bazz-B for it was him who spread it among the Sternritters for the sole purpose of pissing him off), he noticed that the girl already took her leave and let out his long overdue sigh. She really did know how to get on his nerves. Jugram didn't notice the way the end of his lips curved upwards as he unknowingly made a small grin.

-line break-

As the girl entered the throne room, her almost trademark-like dopey smile on her face faltered for a second. She noticed the sight of the emperor who seemed no different from the usual resting pose on the lone throne, except for the fact that he was actually smiling! Seriously, she didn't even know that he could make that kind of expression.

The girl's dopey smile returned as she knelt down on one knee respectfully, showing her respect for the monarch. The Father of the Quincy, once Quincy King and now the Emperor of the Wandenreich, Yhwach. He was the only person she respected, and she would be damned if she showed any less respect than the emperor deserved.

"I have come to answer your summon, your majesty." She spoke in a way probably no Sternritter other than Jugram knew she was capable of, not even her friends. She always made sure to draw a line between her public appearance and formal behavior which was reserved only for the emperor.

"Ah. Yes, my Sternritter. Let's skip the pleasantries and the usual verbal whippings, for I have summoned you with a matter of great importance. Also, I do know that your little hobby won't hinder our strength due to your schrift, unlike your sister." The emperor said with a hint of amusement which the girl caught on quickly.

"Hmm... Yes, I guess Bambietta can be quite volatile. But the only reason she is allowed to continue her rather disrespectful actions is the fact that her strength will more than make up for it when the time comes, is it not?" The emperor chuckled at the girl's response as it was the truth. But at the same time he knew that if he didn't correct her thoughts properly their behavior would likely continue as it is, and if it comes to that he would have to resort to unnecessary means. He most certainly did not want to resort to unnecessary means.

"Yes, although I hope she'll stop killing off the soldats whenever she is in a nasty mood. While I do admit the fact that the Sternritters' strength and usefulness aren't something that is remotely comparable to the soldats', they still are my children all the same. I would rather not have them killed by my own children's hands because of their distasteful habits, if possible. If her behavior actually was as lewd as she feigned to be, her status as a Sternritter would've been revoked a long time ago. But enough of that. Before I have gotten sidetracked, I was going to inform you that I've summoned you to assign an urgent mission which involves the Human World."

The girl almost gasped in surprise, as no one was assigned a mission to the Human World since his majesty awoke from his slumber. The last one was something about convincing the Ishidas to return to Silbern and prepare for the war, which was ordered by Jugram that resulted in a failure. She also kept the unspoken warning in her mind, that even though her schrift was a different case since it did not result in a permanent loss to the empire, his majesty was not pleased about them killing their own just because their status was above them. His majesty always did disapprove conflicts in his empire, after all. She also noted to herself about passing on the warning to her friend Bambietta, since it was most likely what his majesty wanted her to do if the way he mentioned the said person was any indication of it.

"I am yours to command, your majesty." The girl lowered her head and awaited her emperor's words. It was a rather rare moment for her to be so serious, which Yhwach noticed and nodded in satisfaction. While not every subordinate held him in high regard, most of the Sternritters did, and he tried his best to gain it from the ones who didn't. All Quincy were his children, and he wished to be respected by his sons and daughters as any self-respecting father would.

Yamamoto would've never imagined in his dreams for him to get this soft... But then again, Yamamoto wasn't the person to say something like that as he himself had gotten much more softer, even to his enemies. The way he refrained from using his Bankai when Aizen betrayed the Soul Society? The Yamamoto he knew wouldn't have cared about the backlash and used his Bankai to reduce the traitors to ash. Yhwach on the other hand, he was more than willing to do the very worst to his enemy. The victor of the past war would learn soon enough that he had lost the right to be called a victor, at the cost of his own life.

"The mission you will be given concerns the most important part of our war preparations. You will be sent out to recruit one of the Special War Powers. Are you up for the task, Sternritter?" Yhwach asked, already knowing her answer.

"Yes, your majesty. Rest assured, for I shall not fail you in any way." The girl replied with the exact answer the emperor wanted to hear, and it satisfied him to no end.

"Good. Here are the details you will need in order to succeed your task. The identity of the one you are to recruit is the Number One Special War Power, Kurosaki Ichigo. I shall cover the background roughly in case you haven't read the Daten about him. Also, if you didn't read it, make sure you do before you head out. His mother was an Echt Quincy who was infected by an experimental Hollow of Aizen Sōsuke, another one of the Special War Powers. Due to this incident she was degraded to a Gemischt, and thus was subjected to the Auswählen at the time of my awakening. Sadly, at that moment she and her eldest child were being targeted by a Hollow. Immediately after losing her Quincy powers, she was consumed by the Hollow while protecting her son, Kurosaki Ichigo. Because of this incident, attempting to recruit him was never a part of my plan. Initially I had thought he wouldn't react well to the fact that I unknowingly had a hand in his mother's death, regardless of the fact that it was never my intention. Even if he joined us, it would've been most likely an attempt to oppose us from within. His rather rash personality would make it hard for him to see reason, and his friendship with the Shinigami was another I had initially dismissed the idea... but there was a change to the situation in the recent events." At this point the Sternritter was curious about where this story was leading to. It was getting quite interesting after all.

"It all started from the reports from the Soul Society's R&D department. The very information that would not only allow my son to see the light, but more than enough to make him despise the Shinigami possibly more than any of the Sternritter was acquired... And the events that occurred to him a few days ago presented us the perfect opportunity to approach him. Yes. My son born in the darkness shall finally see the light." Yhwach chuckled.

He was ecstatic about the fact that the scales of the upcoming war had tipped greatly to their favor, but that wasn't all. The son he thought he would have to face and inevitably put down with his own hands on the battlefield would soon see the truth. He didn't have to paint his hands with his own son's blood and that alone was enough to improve his mood.

"You are to leave tomorrow for Karakura Town and make contact with him, while using a device specifically made for this mission to keep the operation discreet. There is another Special War Power in the area, so your movements must stay unnoticed. Again, you will be given a device that will mask your reiatsu. Let my son know that I shall lend provide some assistance in solving his current situation. If he doesn't seem to be convinced even after that, inform him that there are things about his mother that he needs to know. You are allowed to tell him the information recorded in the daten about him minus the ones that were added in the period of seventeen months. While there isn't a time limit to the mission, keep in mind that the earlier it is done our chances of victory will increase drastically. Now you may leave." Yhwach waved his hand in dismissal and closed his eyes, leaning back into his throne. 'Soon, father. The time for your liberation is near.' He thought to himself.

"I shall take my leave, your majesty. Failure is not an option." The emperor smiled at his daughter's words and replied softly. "Yes, I have my utmost faith in you my daughter."

The Sternritter stood up and bowed before leaving, while pondering about just what exactly was the information that would make the Shinigami's hero hate them more than the Sternritters already do. 'It must be something really horrible, I guess. Oh well, I'll know for sure when I read the Daten.'

Her hatred for the Shinigami actually doubled that night.

-line break-

Ichigo was walking through the streets, almost on the verge of a mental breakdown.

It had been a week since that painful night. Tsukishima did keep his word, and left a letter stating that he didn't want Ichigo to be bothered by his presence when his dislike was as clear as crystal to him. And it had done exactly what Tsukishima intended. Karin was giving him the cold shoulder, as if he wasn't even worth it to waste her time. Yuzu always looked at him disapprovingly, and reminded him about three times a day how she was disappointed with him.

It hurt his heart, a lot.

After his mother's death, his sisters were practically the world to him. To see them turned against himself was just too much painful for him to withstand or feign ignorance. Just how much influence did Tsukishima give to himself when he meddled with their memories? He was going to kill that bastard, even if it was the last thing he could do in his life.

Then, there was the matter of his father. He really couldn't believe that bastard. He actually let his sisters get caught in this whole mess, and had the gall to avoid him! Ichigo loved his father dearly even if he didn't like to show it that much. But this cowardly behavior was getting on his nerves. He should've explained his reasons for letting things come to this stage a long time ago. Just why didn't he protect them? They were his own children for fuck's sake!

And now thanks to Tsukishima, his home didn't feel like one anymore. No more of his father's childish morning antics to annoy him. No more pleasant talk between them when they ate their meals. The tension in Kurosaki household was reaching an almost unbearable level, which actually made Ichigo to consider leaving for good. But the problem was that he had nowhere to go.

His friends. When he got nailed in the gut by Tatsuki, he gave up all hope of his friends forgiving him. The sorrowful eyes of Inoue when she asked him why he hated Tsukishima so much. The disappointed deep baritone voice of Chad, his trust that ran deep between them now turned against him. Keigo who told him in the face that he didn't want to be friends with an asshole like him. There was no exception. None of his friends would let him in their homes, and even if they did the fact that they were at odds with him would make it no different from his home.

Uryū.

Even Uryū was cut by Tsukishima at the end, and was actively against him now, like the time when he challenged him to a stupid competition for just having Shinigami powers. What made it worse, was the fact that it was his fault. If only he trusted Uryū over Ginjō. He should've listened to him when Uryū was telling the truth about him being on his side. If he trusted him like he deserved, there was a chance they could've won, and everything would've been fine.

When his thoughts went over to Urahara-san and Yoruichi-san, he almost punched the wall beside him. He knew that Urahara-san... no, Urahara was waiting for him to come and ask for his help. He didn't know why he hadn't approached him yet like he used to do so, but Ichigo was running out of options. Actually, he had no options from the beginning.

And then there was the matter of the Shinigami.

They were there that night, and just watched from the sidelines as he suffered. He knew that it all happened because it was allowed by the Shinigami and Urahara. If even one Captain had come to help, everything would've played out differently. Hell, Urahara probably could deal with Ginjō and Tsukishima on his own, considering how much of himself he hides under his hat. They probably had their reasons, Ichigo tried to convince himself. But it was getting much harder as time went by.

He felt used. They discarded him because he was no longer useful to them. 'No, they're just trying to keep humans out of their business.' Ichigo tried to convince himself. But then why were Inoue, Chad, and Uryū dealing with Hollows all the time since he lost his powers? At this point he really couldn't understand anything.

Ichigo soon noticed where his feet carried him. It was the same river where his mother died almost 8 years from now. The place where he last saw his mother's loving smile, albeit a little strained. He sat down at the riverbank and started to throw the stones within his reach.

Sometimes when he felt moody he would come here and throw some stones at the river, counting how many times they skipped before sinking into the river. When he was in a relatively good mood, he could make it skip more than ten times.

Seven, he counted.

Ichigo sighed as his thoughts returned once more to the more important matters. There wasn't really a choice at this point. He had to visit Urahara Shōten, sooner or later. He didn't have the means or power to find a solution on his own, as much as he loathed to admit it. 'But then again, when did I come up with a solution to anything on my own?'

"I don't really have a choice at this point, huh." Ichigo muttered while throwing the last stone he held. It barely skipped five times.

He most certainly did not know that everything was about to change from that moment.

"Well, you actually do! Only if you hear me out, that is." Ichigo was about to stand up when he heard an unfamiliar voice. It belonged to a girl who looked about his own age, give or take a year, her voice full of mischief and mirth. She was wearing some kind of uniform, a long-sleeved white trench coat with matching white shoes. The black leggings she wore showed off her slim legs quite well, and her waist-long black hair had two long strands tied upwards which resembled antennae. The girl had a black-peaked white cap with a pentacle-like symbol on the side, the hat being probably about the size of his fist. It was sticking out from the side of her head, completely defying gravity which was really bothering him. She had a heart shaped buckle on her waist, which seemed to be holding something inside. And then her light-bluish eyes...

'Gods, it's beautiful...' Ichigo found himself lost in the mesmerizing pools of blue that demanded his attention. He didn't know why, but Ichigo couldn't tear his sight away from those pair of beautiful cerulean orbs. While he was completely captivated by her eyes, the girl tilted her head wondering why Ichigo seemed to be staring at her with such fervor. She soon came to the hopeful conclusion that he just might be attracted to her. It was probably the first time anyone gave her that kind of look, since she had a rather bad reputation in Silbern. It gave her a warm feeling she had never felt before and made her yearn for more. But still, she was here on orders and she knew better than to put aside his majesty's orders for her own need. And he just didn't know her true nature yet. If he did, she doubted that he would look at her like that again. As she pushed out her stray thoughts her cheery demeanor returned once more.

"Hellooooo? Are you there? Is there something on my face?" The girl stared back at Ichigo for a while, and then came to the conclusion that if he was given an appropriate external stimulation he would come back to his senses. So she lazily walked up to Ichigo who kept his gaze locked onto her eyes. She stopped right in front of him and stood on her toes, for their height difference was about nine to ten inches. When she closed her eyes and leaned forward Ichigo lost the sight of her eyes and came back to his senses, only for him to almost drop his jaws in shock as her soft lips made contact with his cheek. If it was on his lips he would've freaked out like he usually did, but this somewhat innocent form of affection actually made his heart flutter.

Although the girl actually was going to kiss him on the lips at first, she changed her mind at the last minute as she remembered the line in the Daten about him being a prude. 'And it probably was a good decision too. But I wonder how it would've felt like if I didn't stop...' Her cheeks blushed a little at the thought.

"Okay... Not that I didn't like it, but what was that for?" Ichigo asked sounding a little dumb, causing the girl to giggle and sneak another peck on his opposite cheek.

"Well, you were staring at me quite intensely, so I decided to wake you up... And slapping someone in the face when we just met would be quite rude of me! And then you looked so adorable that really I couldn't help it!" The bubbly girl gushed, with a rather goofy smile on her face. Ichigo thought it was adorable and wondered if he was actually attracted to her. In all honesty it was something he had never felt before.

"It is a valid reason I guess. And if I'm being honest, I shouldn't complain when I did like it..." Ichigo's cheeks flushed intensely, which made the girl giggle once more. Ichigo cleared his throat and continued speaking. "So, what was that about me having a choice and hearing you out? It's not like I said anything aloud you know?" Ichigo questioned in doubt. It wasn't possible for her to know his situation, right? If it was nothing important, then he could probably live with the fact that a cute girl did cheer him up a little at his worst hour. And maybe he could gain a new friend who didn't hate him for something he didn't do.

"Of course, I'm talking about you having a choice other than going to Urahara Kisuke for help! Let's move on to the business. We can have our fun later... If you want to, that is!" The girl teased Ichigo lightly, but he could see the clear blush on her face. Added with the coy smile she had at the moment, Ichigo could only nod dumbly as he really didn't trust his mouth to form coherent words. The very reason of his stupid reaction seemed to be amused at his response, which was something he could tell easily from the sound of her soft giggles.

"I'm the Sternritter 'Z' of the Wandenreich, Giselle Gewelle. I'm here on a mission to recruit the 'Number One Special War Power' Kurosaki Ichigo under the orders of his majesty! His majesty promised to provide his help on your current situation under the condition that you are to join the Wandenreich." As Giselle stated her purpose more and more questions popped up in Ichigo's head. He was missing too many pieces to understand everything she said, but Ichigo tried to use his head a lot more than he used to do before the incident.

"Okay, first off. If your objective is to recruit me, I need to know exactly what I'm getting into. Since you know my name and also know about Urahara, you and your... Well, you did say 'his majesty' so I'm gonna guess that there is some kind of empire I'm clearly unaware of. Your empire is obviously consisted of people who are spiritually aware, but seriously. An empire in the 21st century?" Ichigo thought it was a bit outdated, but then again there was this supposed Soul King in the Soul Society, so it's not like he was supposed to be surprised that much.

"Sternritter of Wandenreich, The Star Cross Knights of the Invisible Empire which probably isn't a public knowledge... And then another cool name like the Espada, but I'm not sure which one is more fancy. The Espada or the Sternritter? Anyway, from the word Special War Power I can deduce the fact that you're obviously going to wage war, but to whom? Who exactly are your people? And if you're here to recruit me, am I right to guess that you have the means to restore my powers?" Ichigo asked.

As he thought more about it, a part of him was worried about what would happen should he refuse. He obviously didn't know about Giselle's presence until she revealed herself, so if she wanted to harm him in any way then he was currently at her complete mercy. He didn't think she would harm him, but then again was this any different from how Ginjō approached him?

'Giselle was way more upfront about it though... Whether I think her company is pleasant or not doesn't really matter. She's here on someone else's orders, so I should keep my guard up for now.' Ichigo did not want a repeat performance of what had occurred barely a week ago.

"Ehh? The information about your intelligence in the Daten was wrong... Lower than average my ass! To answer your question, we are the sworn enemy of Hollows and protector of Human kind, the Quincy." Giselle said with a hint of pride about being a Quincy.

Ichigo's eyes widened at the unexpected answer. Then what was that about Uryū's claim of him being the last Quincy? At first, Ichigo thought it was a lie. But as he thought more about it, it didn't add up. Why would they lie to him about them being the Quincy when they probably knew about his friendship with Uryū? 'Uryū doesn't know about the existence of these Quincies of the Wandenreich!' Ichigo wanted to facepalm at the thought of his friend learning that he most certainly wasn't the last Quincy.

"As far as I know, the Quincies were wiped out at the hands of the Shinigami about two hundred years ago... I heard it from Uryū who thinks he is the last Quincy." Ichigo frowned. It wasn't that he didn't believe Giselle's words. She really didn't have any reason to lie about it after all. It really was an unexpected answer that caught him off guard, but he did believe her.

"Well you're right and at the same time wrong. You see, about a thousand years ago the Lichtreich, our kingdom at the time declared war with the Shinigami. We Quincy prided ourselves for being honorable, and gave the Shinigami the time to prepare for war before we attacked. But the Shinigami took advantage of it and launched a sneak attack on us with the intention to wipe us out. It was a miscalculation on our part, considering how the members of the Gotei 13 at that time were animals full of bloodlust with no sense of honor. We fought hard despite the fact that we already took too much damage when they first struck, and we lost badly. The Quincy that survived hid in the shadows with our king to bid our time. While his majesty took a near fatal wound from the leader of the Gotei 13, he used most of his strength to bind us with the realm of shadows, thus the start of the Wandenreich. The massacre you probably know about was the Quincy that were currently living in the Human World at that time. I don't know how much you know about the Shinigami, Quincy and the Soul King but do keep in mind that the history is always written by the victors." Giselle answered in a dead serious tone. Somehow, Ichigo could tell that she really wasn't lying to him. He also had a weird feeling when he saw that her eyes were burning with hatred for the Shinigami. Was he... sympathizing with her?

"Oh god, all this shit is really starting to give me a headache. So, the Wandenreich is going to wage war against the Soul Society again. Which means there is a way to restore my powers if you want me to be of use in the war, and... Oh, fuck." A sudden realization struck Ichigo. If the Quincy were here to recruit him, didn't that mean... "I'm a Quincy?"

"Ohh, hole in one! You really are way smarter than you let on, Ichi-chan!" Giselle said while maintaining her dopey smile. Ichigo's eyebrow twitched when she called him Ichi-chan, but didn't comment about it. While it was hardly appropriate between them considering the fact that they barely knew each other, it didn't bother him as much as he thought it would be. Seriously, his infatuation was getting ridiculous at this point!

"So you're saying that I'm a Quincy... and I know that my dad was a Shinigami. So if I really am a Quincy... Oh, mom..." Ichigo smiled softly, as he learned an important piece of information about his mother. Anything new about his mother was something he always yearned to know about, but it was more than just that. It felt like he had finally found out about something important to him that was missing all this time. If his mother was a proud Quincy, then he would gladly follow her footsteps and become a Quincy she would've been proud of.

Although new questions came up as he gained more and more information which he didn't know about, he had the feeling that he probably could get the answers he so desperately wanted from Giselle. Unlike Urahara or his father who always tried to hide things from him, Giselle seemed to have no such qualms. A moment later, Ichigo let out a small growl and muttered under his breath. "And he kept something like this from me all those years... You're so dead Goat-chin."

The fact that his father hid something like this wasn't all that surprising, since he also hid the fact that he was a Shinigami. He didn't think of revealing it to him even when he had gotten himself involved with the afterlife. He knew just how much Ichigo beat himself up about his mother's death being his fault when she died, and he didn't tell something of this importance to him? The nerve of his old man...

"Yup, your mom was a Quincy. Kurosaki Masaki was the last Echt Quincy of the Kurosaki line. Kurosaki is your mother's maiden name, not one she took after her marriage with your father. It was probably a measure to hide your father from the Soul Society, if I were to guess. And I think the rest of the story is his majesty's to tell, so forgive me if you have more questions about the matter. Anyway, if you choose to join us his majesty will provide you the help you would need to reach your goals, awaken your Quincy heritage which is rightfully yours, and you'll get to see me every day! Sounds appealing?" Giselle fluttered her eyelashes at the end, which was more cute than sexy in Ichigo's opinion. But he wasn't completely convinced yet. The fact that his mother was a Quincy was pretty much all they needed to convince him to accept the Quincy heritage. But fighting against the Shinigami was something he simply wasn't ready to participate in.

"Sounds great and all, but I don't know if I can fight against the Shinigami. I'm not really that comfortable with the idea when my own father was one, and I do have my friends in Soul Society..." Ichigo was deeply conflicted. One side was his father's kind while the other was his mother's. He was on friendly terms with the Shinigami and his human friends were also close to them. On the other hand, he wanted to become a proud Quincy like his mother. If someone actually asked him to choose between one of his parents, his answer would be always his mother. Not that his father meant that little to him, but it was just that his mother always held a special place in his heart. And even if Shinigami powers were more familiar to him, he didn't know how to regain it nor did the Shinigami wanted to help him on the matter. If they were silent for a year and a half, the answer was quite obvious, wasn't it? He really wanted to become a Quincy, but didn't want to fight the Shinigami. Just what was he supposed to do?

"But didn't the Shinigami abandon you when you were no longer useful to them? You sacrificed your own powers for them, and what did they do for you in return? You probably know already that they were watching that day when you lost your powers a second time. But did you know that everything was just a plot to draw Ginjō Kūgo out into the open? Right now at this moment, he's currently held in a cell in Soul Society waiting for his trial. They didn't even bother to capture his allies, especially the one that tortured you mentally. Shinigami don't care shit about us humans, Ichi-chan. They eagerly slaughtered children when they set Lichtreich ablaze. The Gotei 13's founding members were bloodthirsty murderers who slaughtered thousands with their Zanpakutō." Giselle exclaimed with heat, trying her best to persuade Ichigo.

"That is kind of sick..."

"Do you know what happened to the Quincy that were slaughtered 200 years ago? Their souls found themselves in the Soul Society after their death, and all of them were captured for experimentation purposes by the 12th Division. If it wasn't for the fact that his majesty was still recovering at that time, a full-out war would've started because of it. Your loyalty is admirable Ichi-chan, but it shouldn't be placed at the Shinigami as a whole. If you wish no harm to your friends in Soul Society, join us and fight. Spare them on your own terms." Ichigo listened to Giselle's words and came to the conclusion that she was indeed right.

Who knows if any Kurosakis were killed at the hands of the Shinigami? What if his own ancestors were experimented on, by the hands of them? Considering the fact that his mother was the last Quincy of the Kurosaki line, it was a distinct possibility. He was too deep in thought that he completely missed Giselle muttering 'As if any of them deserve to be spared anyway...' under her breath.

"I'm still not entirely certain about this, so I want to know about the Special War Power part first. What does that exactly mean?" Ichigo asked, quite curious about what it was, and why he was labeled as one.

"The Special War Power, is what his majesty considers a individual who is capable of changing the outcomes of the war. His majesty named five that is a certain or possible enemy with each of their own strength. Zaraki Kenpachi's Combat Strength. Aizen Sōsuke's Spirit Pressure. Hyosube Ichibe's Wisdom. Urahara Kisuke's Means. And the one his majesty placed as the most potentially dangerous one. The Number One Special War Potential, Kurosaki Ichigo's Latent Ability." Giselle replied, making Ichigo's eyes widen in shock. Why the hell would he be placed as the most dangerous one when he was no more powerful than the weakest Hollow?

Ichigo could easily understand why Zaraki Kenpachi was listed as one of them. If he actually drops his restraints, he becomes a force to be reckoned with. But even then, he didn't take his fights seriously. If he actually went full out in a fight, Ichigo never wanted to be on the receiving end of his sword. Ichigo actually shuddered when he thought about the possibility of Zaraki succeeding to learn his Zanpakutō's name. Zaraki Kenpachi with a Shikai, or even a Bankai? It would be a living nightmare for his enemies.

Hearing Aizen's name wasn't that surprising at all. Although he wondered why a man who was imprisoned in Muken was on the list in the first place, he knew just how strong Aizen really was. He had felt Aizen's reiatsu for the first time while rescuing Rukia. Back then he wasn't fused with the Hogyoku, and yet his reiatsu was on a whole different level. Now fused with the Hogyoku he could survive a clean hit with Mugetsu, the strongest technique in his arsenal when he was using the Final Getsuga Tenshō. And now he couldn't even use that anymore. If Aizen were to be somehow become free once more, no one in Soul Society could defeat him. Ichigo himself couldn't use the Final Getsuga Tenshō again, and even if he could, he would think twice before using it for Soul Society anyway. Ichigo couldn't help but wonder if the emperor of the Wandenreich could defeat Aizen at his full strength...

Urahara Kisuke was the only one Aizen admitted to be in equal terms of intelligence, which probably meant that the other was actually above him in Aizen's case. Aizen truly did have the biggest ego he had seen, after all. Urahara Kisuke's inventions were something else, and he always seemed to have some kind of solution at ready about almost every possible situation. He truly was an unpredictable man, who could very well be the joker of the Shinigami's side.

"Hyōsube Ichibē? That's a first. Can you tell me who that person is?" Ichigo asked, wondering if he was a retired Captain or something like that.

"Well, He's probably the first Shinigami to ever exist in this world. The Daten recorded about him states that he was said to be born at the same era when the Soul King was born and that would make his age above one million years. A living fossil if you ask me. You do know about the Royal Guard, right?" At this question Ichigo nodded his head, shocked by Giselle's revelation of the Oldest Shinigami.

"The Royal Guard's leader is Hyōsube Ichibē. He has the knowledge of all the history and secrets of the Soul Society, hence his immense wisdom. Other than that, nothing is really known. We never did see him fight for real during the first war." Giselle replied while tinkering with a small metal cube. Giselle noticed Ichigo's curious gaze and held up the cube. "This is a tool that was provided for the success of this mission. It essentially blocks all attempts at eavesdropping or spying. It doesn't give away any reiatsu while activated too. Without anything like this, I doubt his majesty would allow anyone to set foot in the same area where Urahara Kisuke resides in."

"Well, I guess you're right about that. You never know when a certain black cat will try to listen in to a conversation after all." Ichigo chuckled, quite surprised at the Wandenreich's readiness. But it was to be expected when they were preparing for war.

"Hmm... Shihōin Yoruichi! Her ability to shift into a cat is well known to us. She was spotted sneaking around the Soul Society in her cat form every few years. The Wandenreich knows almost everything that happens inside the Seireitei you know. When you first infiltrated the Soul Society, your growth of strength did surprise a few of the Ritters! Starting from a mere lieutenant level at most, reaching the level of a lower captain in short of a week! It was something unheard of, and when you fought against Aizen... Well, actually they were more surprised at the similarity between our ultimate technique and your Final Getsuga Tenshō. It was quite the gamble for us to gain that information since the fight occurred outside the Seireitei, but it was totally worth it. We gained some insight of what to expect from the battle between two Special War Powers thanks to you. The Sternritter who saw the extent of your powers at the fullest won't underestimate you even if you are currently weaker than a soldat." At that point Giselle had Ichigo's full attention, not because of her small jab at his strength. They had a technique like the Final Getsuga Tenshō? Giselle seemed to catch on his interest at the topic and gave him a mischievous grin.

"I'll tell you about it later! Just know that our technique doesn't have the loss of powers as a consequence now, and let's leave it at that! Back to what I was saying, when you used that sacrificial technique his majesty named you the most dangerous of the Special War Powers. I think it had something to do with the potential to become a transcendent being... Oh, I wonder..." Suddenly Giselle's eyes glazed over as if imagining something, and soon started to giggle madly. Ichigo had no idea what brought it up, but smiled anyway. Even if it was somewhat perverted, she was still cute all the same.

Ichigo thought about what he would do should he choose to join the Wandenreich. He would have to train harder than ever, since if he was going to become a Quincy he wouldn't settle for anything less than the absolute best. He didn't know if he had any talent regarding archery, but if he wasn't good at it... He was going to train until he WAS good at it. Unlike the time when he was a Substitute Shinigami, he wanted to do the very best in his capability to make his mother proud.

Then there was the matter of war. He didn't know exactly what they were trying to achieve, but his belief in the Shinigami dwindled just enough for him to actually consider fighting against them. He would have to kill, but it probably would be the same if he was on the opposite side. And honestly, after hearing about how the Shinigami wiped out the Quincy he didn't feel like participating in the war against the Quincy. There was also the fact that if he were to choose one heritage over the other, he didn't want to choose the one that discarded him easily when his use was done. While the Quincy could do the same, it didn't happen yet and that was a good enough reason for him to take their side over the other. There wasn't the choice of not participating in the war. He knew that one way or another he'll get dragged into it just like how everything started in the first place.

There was also the fact that the emperor promised his help on the current situation. He wanted to kill Tsukishima in the most painful way possible and remove the effects of his Fullbring. Then another problem struck him. If he was to participate in the war, would his sisters stay out of it? If the 'Book of the End' was canceled, and they found out that he was missing they would demand answers from his father. And then it will eventually lead into his sisters getting involved with the Shinigami. He knew that Karin was already somewhat acquainted with Urahara as he had seen his sister exiting the very shop Urahara owned. He would have to ask for help on that matter. If he was a Quincy, then his sisters wouldn't be any different right? Maybe they could be provided protection from the war if he requested it, or his friends on that matter? What should he do when he was confronted by his father during the war? Would his father choose the Shinigami over his family like Byakuya did?

"Hey, Giselle. Do you think the... err... His majesty would provide protection for my family and friends if I requested it?" Ichigo asked. If his family and friends' safety was guaranteed, he actually looked forward to joining the Wandenreich. He was unsure about his Shinigami friends, but he would try his best to make sure they live through the war if possible. They probably would see him as a traitor, that was for sure... But that was his burden to carry.

"Ichi-chan, Giselle is a bit too... cold...!" Giselle stuck out her lips that were quivering as if to prove her point. "You can call me Gigi like my friends do, Ichi-chan! And of course his majesty would grant your request. You are a Special War Power, Ichi-chan. The outcome of the war would change if only one of them chose not to stand against us, but if you actually join us the scales would be greatly tipped in our favor!" Giselle exclaimed while reaching out and grasping Ichigo's hands. "Now call me Gigi!"

"Alright Gigi... Satisfied much?" Ichigo replied while easily giving into her rather cute demand.

"Very! And I think we are about done with what I had to tell you. So... Have you made your decision Ichi-chan?" Giselle looked into his eyes intensely while tightening her grip on his hands. Although she thought that he would most likely join the Wandenreich, she really didn't want him to reconsider and choose to stay. And honestly it wasn't for the Wandenreich, but for completely selfish reasons. She wanted her 'Ichi-chan' as much as... No, probably more than 'Bambi-chan'. The reason she wanted 'Bambi-chan' to be hers, was that she wanted to watch her beg for her blood. Kind of a sadistic fetish, really.

But Ichigo was an entirely different case. No other male had given her the look he gave to her when they met earlier. It was a warm feeling she wanted to savor, and for that she wanted her 'Ichi-chan' to join the Wandenreich. No, not the Wandenreich, but to join HER. She didn't want him as a zombie like she would've normally preferred, but if he chose to be an enemy of the Wandenreich the only way she could have him was making him one. And if she did, he wouldn't look at her like he did earlier. No, Giselle definitely wanted Ichigo alive and healthy by her side. She could only hope that he wouldn't reject her when he found about her true nature.

"I can't believe this but... Yes, I did. I'll join the Wandenreich and serve under his majesty under one condition. I'm going to have a conversation with him about what his goals exactly are and how it'll influence the people I swore to protect. If the answer is satisfactory, his majesty will gain a loyal subordinate." Ichigo replied and closed his eyes. Giselle was quite thankful that she didn't have to mention about the 'information about his mother he needs to know' to quote his majesty's words. It would've disturbed Ichigo unnecessarily, and to be honest she really wanted to be nowhere near him when he learns the truth.

'If I remain useful, I won't be discarded without a second thought. I'll prove myself to be useful, if only to ensure my sisters' safety.' Ichigo vowed to himself. His sisters were supposed to be Quincy too, so they could easily belong there... But he still had his doubts due to the Shinigami and Ginjō. He didn't think Soul Society would protect her sisters if he was useless. Placing his bet on the Wandenreich would be a safer choice for his sisters when he succeeds in removing Tsukishima's Fullbring.

"Good! Now I'll get to see you every day, whenever I want to! I'm soooooo happy!" Giselle squealed and threw her arms around his neck, burying her head into his chest. A moment later Giselle's muffled voice could be heard. "We are going to leave for Silbern via the shadows. It's going to feel like taking a dip in a lake in the middle of winter, so brace yourself!"

"Wait a minute! We are leaving now?!"

"Well, I don't really have a time limit on the mission itself. But his majesty said that the faster I bring you the chances of us winning the war increases drastically... And I don't think staying in the same area with Urahara Kisuke won't do us any good. Do you need to take care of something before we leave?" Giselle asked, looking up at Ichigo's face admiring his looks. There really weren't many eye candies among the Sternritter and soldats always made sure to avoid her, so she was saving every second of this moment into her memory.

"I..." Ichigo wanted to say that he needed to say his goodbyes, but remembered that he really had no one to say his farewells at the moment. He didn't want to take any chances with his father or Urahara and Yoruichi-san so that left literally no one, and it's not like he had anything of worth to take with him. It made his choice all the easier. "I guess we can leave right now, Gigi. My life is so fucked up at this moment..." Ichigo sighed in frustration.

"Don't worry, Ichi-chan. Everything's gonna work out in the end you know? If you worry too much your handsome face will be covered with wrinkles!" Ichigo let out a small laugh and wrapped his arms around Giselle. "Thanks, I needed that. Let's go."

Ichigo steeled his resolve. Everything was going to be alright. He will make sure of it.

"It's no biggie! As I said, brace yourself Ichi-chan!" As soon as Ichigo complied to Giselle's advice, the shadows engulfed them. Soon there was no trace of the Sternritter and soon-to-be-Quincy left at the peaceful riverside.

(2021-05-26) Revised the whole chapter again! I found many parts of the whole chapter to be less than satisfactory, and I would like to think that it's because my writing skills improved at least a little while writing the other chapters. I think this is the best I could do with my current skills, if I'm being honest.

My first attempt at writing my own fan fiction only because I got pissed off when every Quincy!Ichigo stories I found are either discontinued or abandoned. This story will either go up in flames due to my lack of writing skills or I just might decide to share my pain and abandon it. I'll try not to.

Yhwach is going to be a bit different from canon and so is the history of the Quincy. Canon Yhwach doesn't really deserve to be called the emperor but the one in this story will.

Main pairing is Giselle and Ichigo, but due to Giselle's somewhat 'Unique' personality and Schrift I've come to the conclusion that normally Ichigo could never have anything remotely romantic with Giselle.

So Ichigo is going to have a major crush on Giselle and Giselle enjoys the attention.

If I decide to give Ichigo a harem, the members will be strictly inside the Female Sternritters.(Candice, Meninas, Bambietta.) No Liltoto, cuz that's just going to be weird.

The reason I won't include non-Sternritter girls in the harem no matter what happens is that there are a bunch of IchiXNel, IchiXYoru, IchiXHalibel and on and on... I've seen enough of them and I really don't want to write about them in this particular story. Maybe in the future, but I'm not even sure if I can finish this one. I'm not the type to write a bunch of stories for 10 to 20 k words and leave them abandoned.

Why is Giselle the main? Because I feel like it...?

There was a review about how I was being rude completely ignoring the canon and acting trans-phobic in this AN and I actually agree with the comment. After reading the review I did remember that Kubo confirmed Giselle as a biological male, meaning she actually is transgender in canon. I wasn't intentionally ignoring or offending the canon on that matter, it was just that I was more focused on the story line that some minor details that aren't in the official comic book slipped out of my mind. I own the comic books, but not the Shonen Jump magazine so I really can't remember all the extra information that wasn't released in the comic book itself. Anyway, I'm sorry if it seemed like I was offending Kubo himself on the matter by being rude. It really wasn't my intention to do so.

Also I do dislike the idea of 'Drawing a female and then saying that the gender of the character is actually male' because it is confusing as hell, not because I have anything against transgenders. In this case I looked over the fact that Kubo explicitly stated Giselle being biologically male and was being offensive by stating my opinion on the matter without stating my exact reasoning. I really don't have any negative opinions about transgenders and I apologize for my words that could be easily read as an offensive opinion to transgenders in general.

Giselle in this story will be biologically female and also in gender, 'cuz I'm straight. Okay, maybe not entirely since I don't think I'll terribly mind if she had a tiny dick as long as she doesn't get to stick it inside someone's ass. But still, she is going to be strictly female. This is my preference, and I'm not asking for anyone to agree or disagree on that matter.