Born to Darkness, Ascend to Light

by Nightshade4316

(AU)The Shinigami didn't restore Ichigo's Shinigami powers when Ginjō stole his Fullbring. Tsukishima never removed the influence of his 'Book of the End'. Yhwach is actually a good emperor to the Wandenreich. Mayuri is the usual mad scientist as always and the Gotei 13 will pay the price for his actions. A Sternritter Ichigo with a powerful Schrift and Hollow powers. Quincy!Ichigo

6. Interlude

Disclaimer : I do not own anything from Bleach. If I did... Well, I'm already running out of ideas. I think I would've made Aizen the real boss of the TYBW arc, and Yhwach as a fake.

Just in case you're wondering, the events of chapter 5 occurred on May 31 in this story. I figured since Ichigo's Sternritter ceremony was about 2 weeks after the conclusion of the Lost Agent arc, it should be somewhere near mid-May to end of May. Nothing really important, but anyway. The dates are going to be used in the interlude chapter.

I decided to go with the Multi pairing, mainly because I wasn't sure if I am going to write another story in the future with the Sternritter girls as the main pairing. Maybe I could go with the One-shots but no promises. I'm sorry if the direction this story is heading to doesn't suit your taste, since I should've decided on this way more earlier.

I know that some of you guys have been rooting for staying on IchigoXGiselle only, and I'm not that much of a Harem supporter myself, but the Sternritter girls just... demands my attention? Let's just put it at that.

Warning - There is a lemon before the end of the chapter, so skip right to the end if you do not wish to read it. It is my first attempt and could possibly be the last, so I won't blame anyone for skipping that part.

Also, the TYBW arc starts from the next chapter.

Main Pairing IchigoXGiselle, IchigoXMulti

---

Interlude

Kurosaki Clinic - June 1st

"Karin? Yuzu?" Isshin was unsure of what to think of the uncomfortable silence in the house, as it wasn't like his daughters to be absent for breakfast. Yuzu usually prepared the meal for everyone, so it really wasn't natural for them to be missing at this time. It was then, that Isshin heard the faint sobbing sound of his daughter, which was most likely Yuzu.

"Yuzu! What's wrong?!" Isshin ran up the stairs, only to find the door of Ichigo's room to be open. He really wasn't expecting them to be here, out of all places. "Yuzu...?"

As Isshin saw the sobbing form of Yuzu in the arms of Karin who was silently shedding tears unlike her twin, he knew that they were finally free from what the Fullbringer had done to them. It also meant that it was the time for his inevitable confrontation with his daughters, which was something he had been dreading ever since Ichigo disappeared from Karakura Town.

"Goat-chin... where is Ichi-nii...?" Isshin almost choked at Karin's question. How could he tell his daughter that he had no idea on where Ichigo was at the moment...? Alas, it was his own undoing, and no one was going to do this for him in his place.

"Ichigo is gone, Karin. We don't know where he is... I'm sorry, it's all my fault." Isshin never felt this disappointed in himself, until he saw the blame evident in Karin's eyes when he told her that Ichigo was gone, and he knew very well that he deserved it. The Kurosaki family once revolved around Masaki, and then Ichigo after her death. Yuzu tried to fill her place by doing the housework, while Karin decided to become stronger for the family. How would they change, now that Ichigo was gone?

"Bring him back, Goat-chin... We, we have to apologize. I remember the look Ichi-nii had on his face the day he left! I, I remember what I said to him. He's going to hate me now! How could I do something like that to Ichi-nii?! I just... I want to see him again..." Karin broke down into a sobbing mess as she remembered all the harsh words she said to her dear brother. She didn't yearn for her brother's love as much as Yuzu did, but he still was the most important person to her other than Yuzu. If Yuzu was someone she wanted to protect, Ichigo was the fence that protected them both. Their family would never be the same again without their beloved Ichi-nii.

Isshin almost panicked at the sight of his daughters crying their eyes out, as he had never imagined Karin out of the two to ever cry like this. He knelt down in front of the girls and pulled them into his arms.

"It wasn't your fault, Karin. You two weren't in your right minds... Ichigo could never hate you two, and you know it too. Calm down a little, okay?"

"We... we never had a cousin.. right? I don't remember you or mom showing us any cousins... Then just who is this Tsukishima person? Why did I think of him as my cousin?! He's everywhere in my memories, but I know that he couldn't have possibly been there! It, it's the same with Yuzu. What is wrong with us, Goat-chin?" Karin almost begged to Isshin, while Yuzu was just whimpering in Karin's arms.

"It's a long story... I, I'll tell you two about it when you calm down a little, please?" Isshin cringed at the thought of what was to come, but it was his duty to explain everything to his girls. It took almost five minutes for Karin to cease her sobbing, unable to stop the occasional sniffs and tears. It took another ten minutes for Yuzu, who didn't say a word even then.

"I suppose I'll have to explain from the beginning..."

The girls listened to Isshin's story of how Ichigo got involved with a group of people who called themselves Fullbringers, and decided to regain his powers after his friends were attacked. How the Soul Society wanted to use Ichigo as a bait to bring a criminal out into the open, and how he himself just watched everything from the sidelines. Yuzu gasped and started to tear up once more at this part. When they heard about how Tsukishima toyed with their memories and Isshin didn't stop him, Karin glared murderously at Isshin while Yuzu just hugged Karin tightly to find comfort. Isshin soon finished his story with how Ichigo lost his powers once more, and left about a week after that due to how all of his friends and they shunned him. Isshin braced himself as Yuzu burst into another fit of sobs while Karin got up and yelled at Isshin.

"How, how could you do that to Ichi-nii?! I can't believe you... You aren't my dad until Ichi-nii actually forgives you for what you did to him! You actually put the Soul Society above your own children... Mom would've never let something like that to happen!" Karin seethed in rage, while Isshin could only gawk at his daughter's rage.

"Poor Ichi-nii... I'm sorry..." Yuzu muttered.

Isshin looked down in shame at his daughter's words, while a black cat leapt away from the window, muttering 'Idiot' under her breath. She had absolutely no idea of what she would have to hear that day.

---

The Barracks of the First Division, Captains meeting - June 1st

"So, just in case I got it all wrong... You're basically saying that you were taken down by the Hollow as soon as you exited the Senkaimon, Captain Hirako? Seriously?" Tōshirō asked in disbelief.

"Yeah... But..." Shinji tried to say what was bothering him since he woke up, when he was cut off by Mayuri.

"His Denreishinki was destroyed as soon as he arrived at the World of the Living, and from what I could tell by my subordinates' reports, Captain Sui-Fēng took this to her advantage. She succeeded on landing a second blow with her released Zanpakutō on the Hollow, who retaliated with a Cero as a last attempt to take down Captain Sui-Fēng with it. Both the Hollow and Captain Sui-Fēng's reiatsu disappeared shortly after the Hollow released a Cero. In simple words, Captain Sui-Fēng was killed by the Vasto Lorde after she successfully landed a killing blow. Is there any more to say about the matter?" Shinji tried to explain how he had no memories of after he exited the Senkaimon which was strange in his opinion, but was interrupted once more this time by Kenpachi.

"Your lackeys should've just sent me instead of him... It's not like I was busy at that time! The Hollow would've put up a good enough fight if it beat two Captains that easily... My body's itching for a good fight ever since Ichigo became powerless!"

Shinji gave up at that point. It's not like the fact that he had absolutely no memories from the moment he stepped out of the Senkaimon was all that important... Well it was important but the other Captains obviously didn't want to know about it if they kept interrupting him.

"A Captain KIA by a mere Hollow... and there wasn't even a sample left of it at the site. How useless..." Mayuri muttered, earning another glare from the Captains, which didn't go unnoticed by Shinji. He most certainly was going to get some answers from one of the Captains today. He had failed in finding out anything from the senior Captains, so he would have to try his luck with the younger ones. The question was who would be more likely to give him the answers he want, the kid or the noble? 'Ah, I'll just ask them both if the other refuses. I hope Momo won't get mad if I end up skipping today's paperwork.' He really was trying hard to get on friendly terms with his lieutenant, another victim of Aizen's deceptions.

"It's not like you would've fared any better against a Vasto Lorde, Captain Kurotsuchi. Your disrespectful behavior towards the deceased Captain is extremely disconcerting... Urahara Kisuke should've left you to rot in the Maggot's Nest, the place where you truly belong." Komamura growled, disgust evident in his voice. They weren't on the best terms ever since the meeting that occurred after Aizen's defeat.

"This coming from a beast like you..."

"Silence!" Yamamoto slammed his staff, the temperature rising as the Head-Captain showed his rage at the display of friction between the Captains.

"Captain Mayuri, you shall show proper respect towards the Captain who fulfilled her duty to the moment of her death... I will not condone such behavior anymore... Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes... Head-Captain." Mayuri replied with distaste evident in his voice.

"We do not have any viable candidates for the position of the now empty Captaincy, more so if it is the the 2nd Division's... Captain Kuchiki, you are to seek out Shihōin Yoruichi in the World of the Living to inform her of Captain Sui-Fēng's unfortunate demise, and my orders for her to return and take up her duties as the Commander in Chief of the Onmitsukidō, and the Captain of the 2nd Division once more... We cannot afford to leave a seat of such importance absent." Byakuya's eyes widened at the Head-Captain's orders.

"Head-Captain, I highly doubt that she would return on her own will to take up the Captaincy again..." Shinji stated, completely flabbergasted at the Head-Captain's orders. 'Why did I ever return to take back my place as the Captain of the 5th Division again...? Oh, right. I accepted to clean up the mess Aizen made of my old squad as did Rose and Kensei... Should've known better and followed Hiyori's example... It's obvious that Yoruichi's gonna throw a fit when she hears of this without a doubt. Poor Byakuya.'

"She has no choice on the matter. She was exiled on false accusations along with Urahara Kisuke, which was given a full-pardon. It is only natural for her to return and take up her duties once more... As for you, Captain Kurotsuchi. Step out of line again, and you'll find yourself replaced with Urahara Kisuke... This meeting is closed." Yamamoto turned his back on the Captains, signaling that the meeting has come to an end. The Captains didn't utter a word as they left, not wanting to stir up the hornet's nest that was the Head-Captain. Mayuri looked absolutely livid at the mentioning of the name Urahara Kisuke, but didn't dare to show any kind of disrespect toward the Head-Captain.

Shinji had to wonder if the Head-Captain would've forced him to take up his old position again if he refused the offer he was given at the time, as he knew that Yoruichi had no choice but to accept. She was a member of the Shihōin Clan, and knew what the consequences would be if she were to refuse... Then again, his Captaincy wasn't as important as the 2nd Division since it was a position directly connected to the Onmitsukidō. Shinji sighed, and quickly caught up with Byakuya before he left to the World of the Living to carry out his orders. He could always ask Tōshirō after this.

"Captain Kuchiki, a word if you would?" Byakuya looked at him in confusion at first, but nodded a moment later.

"Do you happen to know the reason of the other Captain's animosity towards Kurotsuchi, including yourself? It seems that the reinstated Captains are missing something, which is obviously something important. The other Captains refused to give me an answer you see..."

"Captain Hirako... I'm sorry to disappoint, but I am not allowed to disclose that information. None of the Captains are, by the orders of the Central 46..." Byakuya replied, grimacing at the information he had the misfortune of learning. Ever since Rukia's rescue from execution at the hands of Kurosaki Ichigo, he always felt somewhat in debt to him. He didn't approve of what his lieutenant did eight years ago, but he was honestly disgusted at what the 12th Division did to Ichigo's mother.

"I suppose that the idiots of the Central 46 still holds that much power after everything they did, huh... Thanks for your answer, Captain Kuchiki. Also, I bid you good luck in confronting Yoruichi. You'll need it..." Shinji waved his hand at Byakuya and disappeared via Shunpo. Byakuya agreed that he will need some luck if he wanted to come out of this in one piece.

---

Ichigo's Personal Quarters, Silbern - June 9th

"I brought you some dumplings, Sui-Fēng. You really shouldn't skip lunch. Also a little bit of information you might be interested in..." Ichigo said, placing the plate of dumplings on the table Sui-Fēng was occupying.

"Thank you. What is this information about?" Sui-Fēng asked while picking up a dumpling from the plate, her eyes still fixated on the book she borrowed from Meninas. It was somewhat surprising to him that she actually enjoyed Meninas' romance novels, but everyone had their own tastes in literature. He wasn't one to judge really, since he had read the same book and found it entertaining enough.

"It's about your beloved Lady Yoruichi..." Sui-Fēng's head snapped up as soon as he mentioned the very name of her master, not even caring about Ichigo's teasing.

"It seems that she was reinstated as the 2nd Division Captain, along with the position of the Commander in chief of the Onmitsukidō... against her will if the bout she had with Yamamoto was any indication." Sui-Fēng quickly swallowed the dumpling, almost choking in the process.

"Oh... I suppose there wasn't anyone that would fit into the position, since my lieutenant was a joke if I'm being honest about it..." Ichigo understood where she was coming from, as one of the Lieutenants he took down with his bare hands during Rukia's execution just happened to be her Lieutenant. "Lady Yoruichi would've had to accept it for the sake of her clan, mostly for her brother Yūshirō. Hmm..." Sui-Fēng seemed to be deep in thought, so Ichigo sat across her and played with his Quincy Cross. It really was amusing to him, that how much of a pleasant person Sui-Fēng actually proved to be when he made her forget her loyalty to the Gotei 13. It probably had something to do with the fact that she was still alive here as the result of his debt to Yoruichi. They had the common ground of the experience of learning from the same person... Ichigo vowed to himself to never reveal how Yoruichi teased him with her naked body to Sui-Fēng, as it was obvious to him that she held a romantic interest towards her Lady Yoruichi.

"I've decided. You are going to train in the arts of Hakuda with me. I'm going to show her how much I improved when we meet again, even if it has to be on the battlefield. Come, Ichigo." Sui-Fēng stood up and walked towards the door, which gave Ichigo no choice but to get up and take her to one of the training grounds. Most of the Sternritter didn't welcome her presence even as a captive, and it wouldn't do him any good to let her roam around Silbern freely.

"You do realize that you are still my captive... right?" Ichigo asked while sweat-dropping. Sui-Fēng merely raised her eyebrows in response, causing him to sigh in resignation. "At least let me tell Gigi where I'm going first... She might become jealous if I don't."

"Oh? Should I teach her that I'm not into men... the hard way?" Sui-Fēng gave Ichigo a sly grin, causing his face to lit up as images of naked Giselle with Sui-Fēng invaded his mind. "No, no! It won't be necessary. Gods, I should've expected that from someone who learned from Yoruichi..."

Sui-Fēng let out a haughty laugh at Ichigo's uncomfortable expression. She could understand why Lady Yoruichi told her to tease the orange-haired teen when she gets the chance to do so, as it was much more amusing than she imagined it to be.

---

Bambietta's Personal Quarters, Silbern - June 17th

It wasn't a big secret to the Sternritter that their Sternritter 'A' was becoming more gloomy and moody as this particular date came closer. The Sternritter girls were worried about Ichigo, even though Meninas and Candice were a tad bit uncomfortable near Ichigo and Giselle. They knew that those two were keeping their physical interactions down to minimum near them, but still...

"You know, Gigi... You should just take him to see his mom's grave." Meninas suggested to Giselle out of concern about Ichigo. She would've wanted nothing more but to accompany him, but she respected Ichigo's decision regarding Giselle.

"Do you think Jugram or his majesty would approve...? Karakura is kind of a dangerous area for us to approach, considering how Ichigo's family would've regained their memories... There really is a high chance of compromising ourselves." Giselle answered in a resigned tone, obviously wanting to follow her advice.

"Well, I'm sure they can make a exception if it's for their favorite Sternritter... I mean, almost every Sternritter likes or respects him for his personality or power. There's even some rumors running around the soldats about how it's only a matter of time before Ichigo is named his majesty's successor." Meninas shrugged as she gave her answer to Giselle. If she were to be honest about it, she was pretty much expecting the emperor to name Ichigo as his successor before the war starts.

"Hmm... You know what? I'll go see Jugo first! It would be an insult to him if I don't ask his permission for something like this. Oh, you're the best friend I could ever hope for, Meni!" Giselle hugged Meninas, which made her to smile softly at the younger girl.

"By the way, Meni?" Giselle gave Meninas her usual dopey smile as she leaned in closer to her ear. "I approve... Just remember that I'm Ichigo's first and we won't have any problems, and same goes to Candi. Nothing more than kissing until I say so! And tell Candi that I'm sorry about how I was being mean to her, would you?"

"Gigi...? What..." Meninas could only stare in shock as the form of Giselle disappeared through the door. Did she just give them an okay sign to go for Ichigo? For real...?

"Candi...?"

"Yeah, Meni?" Candice looked up from her hand mirror.

"Is it April Fool's Day? Because Gigi just gave us her permission to date Ichigo." Meninas muttered, confusion evident from her voice.

Candice actually dropped her mirror at Meninas' words, blinking in surprise. Was she actually being serious?

"And she also said that she's sorry for being mean to you. You know, I think I kinda understand why she was so antagonistic to you now..." Meninas gave Candice a knowing smile, which made her eyes to widen. "No way, you mean to say that she was... jealous of me?"

"MmHmm..."

"That's... huh. That's actually a little cute..." Candice giggled at the thought. "So, she's letting us share Ichigo with her... because she feels confident in herself, now that he chose her over us. Am I getting this right?" Candice asked with a small frown.

Meninas nodded in response at that. "Gigi was probably insecure about herself, Candi. So I think she got over her insecurities when Ichigo chose to date her instead of us."

"I guess that makes sense. You know, I always thought that I did something wrong to Gigi without knowing... And she was just jealous of my looks all along...!" Candice started to giggle again.

"Well if it makes you all that happy... I feel jealous of you too, from time to time." Meninas said in a joking manner, even though she herself knew that it was probably the truth.

"Sure you do... I always knew it, Meni." Candice replied, obviously waving it off as a joke.

"I suppose we should be thankful to Gigi, since Ichigo really isn't the type to treat us any less just because we aren't his first. And if you think about how sweet he is to Gigi...!" Candice let out an uncharacteristic squeal, causing Meninas to blink in surprise at her giddy behavior.

"I'm not even sure if you're the real Candice anymore..." Meninas deadpanned.

"Face it, girl. You're just as excited as me, and stop trying to hide it! All of us knows about how you even dream of your 'darling' at night..." Candice teased Meninas, which made her blush madly.

"Fine... I almost fainted when Gigi told me to go for him. Happy now?" Candice gave Meninas a Cheshire grin at her admission. "Totally."

It was then, that the owner of the room woke up from her nap.

"What're you guys talking about...?" Bambietta asked, a cute yawn escaping her lips.

"Oh... It's nothing important. Gigi just decided to share Ichigo with us is all." Candice replied casually without batting an eye.

Bambietta's expression became a little awkward at the mention of them sharing Ichigo, but she hid it quickly... Not that the other girls didn't notice it. "Oh, good for you two... Or good for him? I suppose Ichigo would be overjoyed at the thought of having three girls to himself. Anyway, I'm gonna see if anyone is up for a fight..."

Candice and Meninas shared a knowing look as Bambietta left the room without another word.

"She has it bad for Ichigo, doesn't she?" Meninas asked.

"Well, who doesn't? Even Berenice admitted that Ichigo is hot, and that's saying something." Candice replied while smoothing out her outfit, not that there really was anything to smooth out as in literally.

"No way, but she's married...?" Meninas gasped in surprise at that.

"Just because she's taken doesn't mean she can't appreciate an eye candy like Ichigo..." Candice smirked, and added. "I'm going to bet that Bambi's gonna join us after the war starts."

"If you put it like that... I'll bet on before the war starts. What's the wager?"

"I dunno, maybe the winner becomes the official second?"

"Deal."

The two girls looked at each other, and broke into a fit of giggles.

-line break-

Karakura Graveyard - June 17th

Two cloaked figures stood in front of a grave that belonged to Kurosaki Masaki, the sun having set hours ago. It was to avoid any contact with the remaining Kurosakis, a decision made on Ichigo's part. It's not like he didn't want to see his family, but he knew that they were already pushing their luck coming here today.

"I really don't know how to thank you for doing this for me, Gigi." Ichigo muttered, touched at just how much Giselle cared about him.

"Don't bother, Ichi-chan. I'll do anything for you, as long as it's something I can do." Giselle replied as she tightened her grip on his hand.

"And I'll do the same for you, Gigi. Here, let me introduce you to my mom..." Ichigo pulled Giselle in front of him, facing his mother's grave. "Hey, mom. This is Giselle Gewelle, my girlfriend. She's a really nice girl... At least to me." Ichigo couldn't help but think about the last part to himself. Well, what really mattered was that they cared about each other deeply... right?

"You flatter me, Ichi-chan..." Giselle squirmed uncomfortably, as she knew fully well that she really didn't deserve such compliments or even her Ichi-chan to be honest. She wasn't even sure if his mother would've approved of them if she was still alive.

"Gigi was the one who saved me when I was dying on the insides, mom. I don't really know what I would've been doing right now if it wasn't for her, and I think you would've liked her too... if you just got to know her. I, I learned how you were a Quincy and I decided to follow your footsteps... I really can't believe how Goat-chin hid something like that from me, but I suppose it doesn't really matter now." Ichigo pulled Giselle into his arms, finding comfort at the familiar scent of hyacinth from his girlfriend's hair.

"I found out the truth behind your death... and even after that. I'm going to do things that you probably wouldn't approve, mom. I would've wanted to say that I'm going to do it for you, but I'm not. I can't lie like that. It's me who just can't bear the thought of the ones who let you die or made you suffer still breathing when you aren't. I'm sorry that I couldn't be the proud son you would've wanted me to become..." Ichigo almost choked at the thought of his mother being disappointed at him.

"Shh... your mom would be proud of you no matter what, Ichi-chan. Don't be too harsh on yourself, okay?" Ichigo nodded at her soothing words, smiling lovingly at the girl who became the light of his world.

"I love you, Giselle Gewelle. I really do. Don't you ever forget that..." Ichigo whispered to Giselle as he hugged her more tightly.

"Love you too..." Giselle said as she snuggled into Ichigo's embrace.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Ichigo decided to leave for the last business he had in the World of the Living.

"Let's go, Gigi... I'm going to leave a letter for my sisters before we head back."

'I'm not sure if I'll be able to come back next year, mom... but I'll make sure to come and see you after the war. Good bye.' Ichigo promised to himself.

The couple disappeared from the graveyard, completely unnoticed by anyone.

---

Ichigo's Personal Quarters, Silbern - June 18th

Ichigo stared at the girls in front of him in disbelief. Was he actually hearing things? Had he gone completely mad, from all the time he spent hanging out with the girls?

"So let me get this straight. Gigi decided to share me with you two... and you two accepted this?" Meninas and Candice nodded at his question without hesitation. "Okay, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised with that when you guys were willing to have a relationship with me at the same time in the first place. Gigi... Please tell me, why am I the last one to know about this?"

Sui-Fēng watched the drama with interest, as did Liltotto while Bambietta was both interested and bothered with the scene at the same time.

"Well, it was pretty obvious to me that you liked Meni... And let's be honest, Ichi-chan. You secretly enjoyed Candi's flirting and you know it. Hell, I even saw you check out Bambi-chan!"

Everyone could hear the clattering sound of a chair falling back, as Bambietta stood up hastily at Gigi's accusation. The girl's face was burning in embarrassment, although the other girls in the room noticed that there was a somewhat flattered look beneath it.

"I, I'm leaving."

Ichigo couldn't help but sigh as Bambietta abruptly left the room.

"You know, that reaction was surprisingly innocent, if you consider the fact that it came from Bambi-chan..." Giselle said with a giggle, the other girls except Sui-Fēng following suit. Even so, she did have an amused smirk on her face.

"Did you really have to say that in front of her, Gigi? And I didn't secretly enjoy Candi's flirting back then."

"Oh, back then? Do you mean to say that you'll enjoy it now?" Giselle teased him as she caught his slip of words.

"Gah! I get it, Gigi! I do like Meni and Candi to the point that I wouldn't be opposed to dating, alright? But are you really sure about this? You were being all jealous when we weren't together, and then you suddenly decide to share with them... You know that I'll treat all of you fairly if that happens, and what that would mean to you." Ichigo asked seriously.

Giselle merely smiled and leaned into him, her lips grazing from the corner of his mouth to his cheeks, and rested at his earlobe. "I'm fine with it because I know that you'll be fair not only to them, but also to me. Their happiness matters as much as mine to me, and they really deserve someone like you... As long as you don't cast me aside because I lack in my looks, I want this. And I know you won't do that to me, Ichi-chan." Giselle whispered to Ichigo, her smile never wavering.

Ichigo couldn't help but run his hand down her hair in appreciation, surprised at her thoughts. "Your looks don't lack in my eyes, Gigi. I find you cute and alluring at the same time. Don't sell yourself short, because I chose you before this. Okay?"

"Okay..." Giselle couldn't help but nod at his reassuring words. Ichigo turned to the girls who were smiling at the pair of lovebirds. "I really have no idea about how this would work out, but I suppose we could give it a try..."

"Oh, you won't regret it sweetie... I'm not gonna bite as long as you don't mess up my hair. Then again, I don't think I would care that much if it was you..." Candice sent Ichigo a sultry look. Surprisingly Ichigo chuckled in amusement at the comment. "I'll keep that in mind..."

"Don't worry Ichigo, I won't make you carry my shopping bags..." Meninas said with a smirk.

"And why do I get the feeling that I should consider myself extremely lucky?" Ichigo deadpanned at that.

"Because you should?" Meninas got up and stood in front of Ichigo, her hands coming up to hold his face. "Having three beautiful girls all to yourself... Shouldn't you count yourself lucky? I bet at least half the men in the world would envy you..."

"If you put it that way... I guess you're right about that. You know, I've been wondering how it would feel like to kiss you ever since I did it with Gigi..." Ichigo murmured, as his tongue came out and licked his lips. Meninas smiled softly and replied quickly with anticipation. "The thought is mutual... so why don't we find out?"

And find out, they did. Meninas captured Ichigo's lips with her own, closing her eyes to concentrate on the sensation of kissing him in reality instead of her dreams. She knew that the one she dreamed of couldn't even compare to the real one, as she melted into Ichigo's arms. Her hands touched his cheeks tenderly as she let her tongue tangle with Ichigo's. She never knew that a kiss could feel like this, her toes curling at the pleasure she felt from Ichigo's gentle touch. "Mmm..."

Ichigo let his hands rest on Meninas' waist, holding her close to him out of the thought of not wanting to let her go. Meninas was in pure bliss as Ichigo dominated her mouth, exploring everything within his reach. He noticed that Meninas was way more submissive compared to Giselle, and pulled away from the kiss. Meninas had a dazed look on her, although it soon changed into a pout as she realized that Ichigo had stopped kissing her. Ichigo really couldn't help but blurt out as he took in her pout. "You look really cute when you're pouting..."

"Don't tease me..." Meninas blushed at his compliment, and was about to lean in for another kiss when Candice butted in. "Don't leave me out, sweetie. You said you'll treat us fairly, remember?" Candice purred with a predatory grin, and smashed her lips with Ichigo's, much to Meninas' chagrin of being interrupted.

"I'm just glad that I don't have to keep it down anymore when we're with you guys..." Giselle said with her trademark smile, which made Meninas send a grateful look towards her. "Thank you, Gigi. I didn't know that you cared about us that much..."

Giselle let out a small laugh and replied. "I didn't either, so you can thank Ichi-chan for that."

Ichigo wasn't all that surprised of how much of a good kisser Candice was, but he was surprised at the unique sensation that came from the kiss. He wondered if this was how it would feel like if he kissed a battery, as he became putty in her hands from the mind-blowing kiss. Ichigo couldn't help but to lean in for more, his head tilting downwards in an attempt to take the reins from her hand. Despite his attempt at taking control, Candice easily dominated him without breaking a sweat. Ichigo knew that she would've had a smirk on her face if her mouth wasn't occupied. Ichigo tried again, and found himself leading the kiss as Candice let go of the reins on her own.

"Whores..." Liltotto muttered out of habit, a faint smile on her face. Sui-Fēng disappeared with a step of Shunpo for a walk, as the image of her and Lady Yoruichi making out filled her head. She needed some well-deserved alone time...

"Wow... That was electrifying." Ichigo muttered as they broke the kiss, causing Candice to giggle. He raised his hand to lift her chin, and leaned in to taste some more of the green-haired beauty.

It really wasn't a surprise to the foursome that they spent the whole day enjoying each other's company.

---

Karakura High, June 20th

Chad and Uryū approached Orihime who had a far-away look while standing on the edge of the school rooftop. All of them were devastated when they found out that Tsukishima had toyed with their memories, and Ichigo had left because of it. Orihime was taking it the worst, if the loss of her cheeriness was any indication of it. It wasn't all that surprising to the others as Orihime's crush on Ichigo was plain as day to them, while the said person was oblivious to it.

"We know it hurts, Inoue-san... But you shouldn't be so harsh on yourself. You know that you can't be blamed for what you did to him while being affected by Tsukishima's Fullbring." Uryū tried to comfort Orihime which didn't work all that well.

"If someone were to blame, I was the one who got involved with Excution in the first place so..." Chad started, only to be interrupted by Orihime.

"Sado-kun, don't say something like that! I, I'm just worried about Kurosaki-kun, is all... He must've been lonely with no one on his side when all of us were being mean to him. And we don't know if Kurosaki-kun left on his own, or if he was abducted by someone! I mean, it's been a whole month..." Orihime gasped at this point. "Do you think he...? Oh no..."

Uryū sighed as Orihime teared up. He himself was worried about Ichigo, even if he didn't admit it out loud.

"Kurosaki isn't that weak, Inoue-san. I think he was the one who solved the situation. It would explain the reason he disappeared, and how we were all released from the effects of Tsukishima's Fullbring at the same time. But that makes me wonder... How? They stole Kurosaki's powers that night." Uryū wasn't sure if he was on the right track or not, but he had a feeling that it had to do something with Ichigo.

"Oh... Ishida-kun, maybe it was Kurosaki-kun's... you know..." Uryū understood what she was talking about from the way she shivered just at the thought of it.

"Maybe, but we'll never know for sure until Kurosaki comes back. And I think he will return sooner or later... but if he doesn't, we don't really have a choice but to ask the Soul Society for their help." Uryū replied with a small frown. Just because he wasn't against the Soul Society didn't mean he was overly fond of them.

Chad looked down at his clenched fist as Uryū comforted Orihime. He had promised to always keep Ichigo's back, and failed to uphold his words. He had a gut feeling that everything couldn't go back to how it was, but didn't voice it to his friends.

"I'm worried about Tatsuki-chan, too. She became depressed ever since we were released from the Fullbring, and she won't tell me why..." Orihime sighed at the thought. Everyone was feeling the absence of Ichigo, some harder than the others including herself.

"If Ichigo doesn't return until the next month, we should ask for the Soul Society's help. We can only hope that the police do their job for the time being." Chad spoke as he vowed to never fail his best friend again, if given the chance.

'Please stay safe, Kurosaki-kun...' Orihime thought to herself, as she held her treasured hairpin to her chest.

---

Interrogation Cell, Silbern - July 1st

Ichigo walked into the interrogation cell which was unoccupied for decades, until it became active recently due to one of their captives. While Sui-Fēng was of the same status, she was basically under his protection. Tsukishima on the other hand...

"Hello, Tsukishima. How's life been treating you?" Ichigo asked out of courtesy, although its main purpose was to mock his current situation.

"Kurosaki... Just end this torture already..." Tsukishima groaned out, the pain being too much for him to retort with a snide comment. Ichigo almost laughed as he noted that Tsukishima still didn't know the word 'death'. It's not like the other tormentors would've bothered to teach him anyway.

"Oh... I thought my fellow Sternritter were supposed to treat you well. Were they doing a bad job on keeping your company?" Ichigo asked in mock-concern, obviously enjoying it.

Ichigo didn't really think that torture was something he would enjoy in the long run, nor would have a positive effect on his person. So he had come to the conclusion that he would just leave the job to the other Sternritter. He wasn't sure if they would be up for it at first, but he was proven to be wrong soon enough when Quilge showed up on an almost daily basis. He didn't know if anyone other than Quilge and Giselle had been visiting the interrogation cell, but he really wasn't eager to know about it.

Even Giselle had stopped visiting after about a week or so, which was something he couldn't help but to ask the reason. Giselle gave him her usual dopey smile and said, 'I just decided that it isn't worth my time. I have better things to do, after all!'. It didn't take a genius to know what she was talking about, if the way she latched onto him after saying that was any indication.

"Just... shut the fuck up, if you aren't going to let me out..." Tsukishima said while gritting his teeth. Ichigo had to give some credit to Tsukishima, if he was this lively even after spending so much time with Quilge...

"What's this? You sure are full of energy today... I can already see that today will be quite the enjoyable day for both of us." Tsukishima froze as he heard the voice of his most frequent visitor, his body responding in reflex at the fear of what is to come. Ichigo easily recognized the voice as Quilge's, and couldn't help but wonder exactly what he did to Tsukishima if he became that afraid just by hearing his voice.

"Good afternoon, Kurosaki. I really should thank you for bringing him to Silbern, as spending my time in this cell has become my favorite activity as of recently. It saddens me greatly that my time with him is limited, if what I heard from Giselle is true... Is there a chance you could convince her out of making him one of her zombies?" Quilge asked as he wiped his glasses.

"Good afternoon to you too, Quilge. Well, I promised to let her make him one of her collections so..." Ichigo trailed off, causing Quilge to sigh in disappointment.

"I suppose it would be quite rude of me to ask you to revoke a promise you made to your lover. Ah, well. I should enjoy what I can, until the time comes. Oh, are you interested in observing how I work on him? I could give you a few pointers if you want..."

"I'll pass on that offer, since I don't really think I'm the type to enjoy such activities... Although I suppose I could ask Giselle to give you some more time before she makes him a zombie. It's not like we really need him anytime soon or ever."

Quilge put his glasses back on, and replied with a small grin. "Ah, That would be splendid! You have my gratitude, Kurosaki. If you need a favor from me, feel free to ask."

"I'll keep that in mind... Have fun." Ichigo muttered and left the cell, not wanting to know what Quilge was going to do with Tsukishima.

"Wait, Kurosaki...! Wait... Please!"

Ichigo couldn't help but find the situation humorous as he heard Tsukishima's desperate calls. It was him who was saying 'please' to Tsukishima just a few weeks ago, but their situation was completely reversed at this point. Ichigo had to suffer through Tsukishima's mental torture, while Tsukishima was subjected to physical torment.

Revenge wouldn't bring back what he had lost, but it was much more sweeter than he had expected. Ichigo was really looking forward to the war.

---

Sternritter Training Ground, Silbern - July 7th

Bazz-B was sprawled on the ground with bruises all over his body, the obvious sign of defeat as clear as day. Ichigo held out a hand which Bazz-B took hold without hesitation. Bazz-B groaned as he pulled himself up with the help of Ichigo, his body aching from being thrashed badly by Ichigo's hands.

"You know, your Schrift is annoying as hell. I mean, you actually made me forget how to use Flugbildschritt! Wait a second, Don't tell me that this is permanent. If I have to learn how to use it again from scratch, I'm going to bring a girl to your quarters. You'll never be able to sleep without thinking about me having sex with a girl on your bed." Bazz-B threatened, which Ichigo responded with a scowl.

"No, it isn't permanent, but I could make it permanent though. Maybe I should make you forget about anything related with sex and let Jugram give you the talk?" Bazz-B's expression turned into a one of pure horror at Ichigo's threat. "Oh, hell no! I'll never hear the end of it from Jugo. I swear I won't bring up my sex life again!"

"You mean to say your non-existent sex life, right?" Bambietta said to Bazz-B as she made her presence known to the two. Ichigo laughed as Bazz-B looked like he had swallowed a lemon at her words.

"As if a hot guy like me would..."

"Yeah, right... I said it a hundred times and I'll say it again. The fact that your Schrift is 'The Heat' doesn't automatically make you hot... As far as I know, there aren't that many hot guys in Silbern and it sure isn't you." Bambietta rolled her eyes as she cut off Bazz-B's usual antics. What she wasn't expecting was Bazz-B's retort.

"Is that so? Then tell me, who are these supposed hot guys?" Bazz-B said with a smirk. It seemed like he would finally get one over Bambietta.

"Wha, what kind of question is that?! You don't have to be such a sore loser just because I didn't include you in my list, you know?!" Bambietta spluttered, and Bazz-B caught her eyes shifting to a specific direction... exactly where Kurosaki Ichigo was picking up a towel to wipe his sweat off his body.

"Oh... Oh, oh! I see, so that's your definition of hot! Well I must say, someone gets all the luck! Now where's Jugo when I need him to say something philosophic about luck and balance and all that shit?" Bazz-B said with a smug look painted on his face. Bambietta looked at Bazz-B in horror, and was about to silence him by removing his existence from the world when Ichigo interrupted their small bout.

"Catch, Bazz-B. And what's this about luck and balance? It sure sounds like something Jugram would say." Ichigo said as he tossed a towel to Bazz-B, obviously unaware of the earlier part of his remarks.

"Thanks, Ichigo! That's because it is exactly what Jugo would say! You see, I needed Jugo to say something like that. I mean," Bazz-B ducked in surprise as Bambietta's reishi sword slashed through the air. "Hey, wait a second! I can't fucking use my Flugbildschritt yet!"

"Too bad for you, 'cuz I fucking don't care! Just die already, you bastard!" Bambietta yelled, the sounds of explosion following. "Oh, shit! Burner Finger One!"

Ichigo was fascinated in their fight, mainly in the use of their respective Schrifts. They were basically wreaking havoc on the training grounds with their destructive abilities, 'The Heat' and 'The Explode'. He was surprised with how well Bazz-B was avoiding any clean hits even without the use of Flugbildschritt, everything around him being blown up into dust.

"Stop moving and face your death like a man!" Bambietta said, as wings made out of reishi flickered into existence behind her. Ichigo spotted her left hand moving towards the right one, which was where she wore her Leiden Hant. Ichigo sighed and appeared behind her with a masterfully executed Flugbildschritt, and grabbed her hand.

"I think that would be enough, Bambietta. His majesty wouldn't be happy if you actually use your Vollständig. You aren't actually trying to kill him, right...?" Ichigo tried to calm her down, a little surprised at just how much she was riled up by Bazz-B for whatever reason. Her reishi wings could be triggered on their own if her emotions got out of control, although it didn't really give her any powers that comes with the Vollständig. The Quincy: Vollständig was a technique completed with the forming of the Heiligenschein, which needed the Leiden Hant to be used on her own will.

"I, I got a little carried away. Sorry..." Bambietta mumbled in shame of letting her temper get the better of her. Bazz-B let out a sigh of relief as he really wasn't in the condition to survive Bambietta's Vollständig.

"You know, I would've welcomed it if it wasn't for the fact that I can't use my Flugbildschritt. Seriously, when does this thing wear off?"

"At least another ten minutes?" Ichigo did the math in his head, and replied. Bazz-B groaned in annoyance upon hearing that.

"Kurosaki, don't you ever use your Schrift in our spar... Ever again. I know that you really don't need it to match my Schrift anyway." Ichigo shrugged nonchalantly, not really caring. "Sure, I already had enough experience using it against Jugram anyway. I really can't forget the look he had when I made him forget about how to wield his sword., although I was a bit surprised when he used his Schrift to redirect it against me afterwards."

"You've gotta be kidding me. He can actually do that?!" Bambietta asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. So I made him forget how to use his Schrift in our next fight. I think it kinda pissed him off, since he placed an only swords rule in our training afterwards." Ichigo said casually, which made Bazz-B to clutch his stomach while cackling like a madman. Bambietta let out a giggle at that part, surprising Bazz-B who had never seen her giggle like a girl.

"Anyway I think I'll take my leave, since the girls should be expecting me soon. You coming, Bambietta? They wanted to play some games, and they ordered me to ask you if you want to join in, in case I met you by chance." Ichigo asked.

"Uh, no. I came here to train, in case you didn't notice..." Bambietta said, and quickly added as she realized that it came out a bit more rude than she intended. "I'll see you guys at dinner, okay?"

Ichigo scratched the back of his head and nodded. "Sure, see you later."

As Ichigo left the training grounds, Bambietta turned to Bazz-B and smirked. "Enjoy your last ten minutes... You're so dead today."

"Yeah, whatever. I suppose I should go soft on you, or your pretty face might get all ruined with burns!" Bazz-B taunted, causing Bambietta's temper to lit up. "Not my face you bastard!"

"Wait! I said ten minutes!"

"Just die!"

Bazz-B was nowhere to seen for the next few days as he mourned for his ruined hair, which took a few months to return to its full glory.

---

Urahara Shōten - July 21st

Four people were gathered around a table in Urahara's shop, for the purpose of discussing a matter that has been bothering them for quite some time, namely the disappearance of Kurosaki Ichigo. They had initially thought that he would return by the time of his birthday, only to be proven wrong.

Chad, Uryū and Orihime were determined to find out the whereabouts of Ichigo, which lead them to seek Urahara Kisuke for his help... More specifically, Kisuke's help in contacting the Soul Society to ask for their help. If Ichigo's disappearance was involved with something related to the afterlife, the Soul Society should know about it. The fact that most of their time was free as yesterday was the end of their first semester, made the decision much more easier.

"Urahara-san, where is Yoruichi-san? She hasn't been around recently..." Orihime asked out of curiosity.

"Oh, Yoruichi-san? She got called back to the Soul Society to be reinstated as the 2nd Division Captain, which was about... a little less than three weeks ago. She informed me that Captain Sui-Fēng was killed in action by a lone Vasto Lorde class Hollow, right after dealing a fatal wound to it. Both the Hollow and Captain died as a result, which is the official story from the Soul Society." Kisuke answered in a way more serious demeanor than usual. He wasn't overly fond of the deceased Captain if he was being honest, considering her antagonistic behavior towards him. But that didn't mean he would show any disrespect towards the deceased, even if he thought that there was more to the situation than it seemed.

"Oh..."

The three teenagers blinked in surprise at the information. They weren't really expecting to hear such news from Orihime's innocent question, and it surprised them greatly.

"But let's put that aside for now. I have a suspicion of where Kurosaki-san could be, or who he might be with at the moment. It isn't solid, but I can't think of a higher possibility than this. Ishida-san, how much do you know of the history of the Quincy?" Kisuke asked.

"History of the Quincy? The furthest event I know of is the massacre at the hands of the Shinigami, which would be two-hundred years ago... I haven't heard of anything important that happened before the massacre." Uryū replied, confused of where Kisuke was heading with this.

"I see, Ryūken-san probably didn't explain it to you then... as did Isshin-san..."

Uryū couldn't help but mutter. "What was Ryūken hiding from me this time... And, Isshin? That sounds kind of familiar..." Uryū's eyes widened in realization as he remembered that Isshin was Ichigo's father, being mentioned often in Ryūken's business calls. "Urahara-san... Don't tell me, that Kurosaki is a Quincy? I, I don't really get where this is coming from."

"Perceptive as ever, Ishida-san! You see, Ishida-san, Kurosaki-san's mother Kurosaki Masaki was actually a Quincy. If Kurosaki-san was here this wouldn't be my story to tell, but since he's absent I suppose there won't be any problems. It all happened about twenty-two years ago or so when Shiba Isshin, who was a Shinigami Captain at that time fought with one of Aizen's pet projects. Isshin-san could've defeated the Hollow easily, as he was a Captain-class Shinigami... But he was ambushed by a third party, which could only be one of Aizen's subordinates or Aizen himself. Long story short, Kurosaki Masaki defeated the Hollow while receiving a wound in the process. The problem was, that it wasn't a normal wound." Kisuke paused for a moment, and looked into Uryū's eyes.

"The Visoreds are the result of Aizen's Hollowfication experiments. You can guess what Aizen's experiment did to Masaki-san... And you'll know what that would mean, Ishida-san." Uryū's face lost color as he realized what would happen should a Quincy be subjected to the Hollowfication process. "It would've killed her without a doubt. Just receiving a wound from a Hollow is dangerous enough, but Hollowfication? No Quincy could even hope to survive that."

"Yes, you're right about that if it wasn't for me. I used a special Gigai to bind Masaki-san and Isshin-san's souls together in order to save Masaki-san's life. Needless to say, it was successful since Kurosaki-san and his sisters were born... So yes, Kurosaki-san is in fact a Quincy from his mother's side... And a part-Shinigami from his father's side at the same time."

Uryū took a glance at his Quincy Cross as he took in the unexpected information, quite unsure of what to think of it. Kurosaki Ichigo, a Quincy? It was the most unorthodox combination he could ever think of. But still, the thought of another Quincy other than him and Ryūken being alive... No, three if all the Kurosaki siblings were the same.

"Kurosaki-kun was a Quincy like Ishida-kun?!" Orihime exclaimed, her usual self returning a little at her favorite topic, mainly about Ichigo.

"If what we always heard about the Quincy from Ishida is true, Ichigo really isn't a person that fits the description of a Quincy." Chad said while looking towards Uryū.

"Well... you see..." Uryū sheepishly looked away before muttering, "It's about the Ishidas, not necessarily the Quincy as a whole... All Quincies pride ourselves in being one, but all I've learned came from my grandfather. I wouldn't be surprised if there were Quincy who were more like Kurosaki, rather than me. Kurosaki's lack of control comes from his immense reiryoku, and also his lack of proper training. If he was trained in the way of the Quincy, I doubt that his control would've been that horrible, even if it wouldn't be as perfect as it could've been with a normal reiryoku reserve."

Kisuke snapped his fan shut to gain the attention of the teenagers. "Putting that matter aside, there is a reason Kurosaki-san's heritage as a Quincy comes into the picture as an important piece. Ishida-san, your mother Katagiri-san died... or rather, when did she fall into a comatose state?" Kisuke asked in a dead serious tone. Uryū who was about to retort at the mention of his mother's death noticed the seriousness and replied somewhat hesitantly. "I think... It should be about eight years, and maybe one or two months?"

"The day she lost her consciousness was exactly the same day when Kurosaki-san's mother died at the hands of a Hollow... But did you notice? Masaki-san was an Echt Quincy before she was involved with Aizen's Hollow, and became a Gemischt after that incident which was explained to me by Ryūken-san... Not that I know anything of what defines an Echt and Gemischt. As far as I know, she could've easily won against a low-level Hollow considering how she took down Aizen's pet Hollow. Don't you find it odd that she died to a mere Hollow, not even on the level of a Menos? The fact that both yours and Kurosaki-san's mother basically died on the same day?" Kisuke paused for a moment, and spread his fan to give himself some dramatic effect.

"What you didn't know about the history of the Quincy, is that there was a war between the Shinigami and the Quincy a millennium ago. The King of the Quincy, Yhwach declared war on the Shinigami... Only to be completely annihilated by the Shinigami. But there is an old Quincy folklore that prophesies the Quincy King's return. The sealed Quincy King would regain his pulse after 900 years. Another 90 years and he would regain his intellect. After 9 more years he would regain his strength. No one in the Soul Society believed it even if they knew the existence of it, and neither did I... Until that day, when Masaki-san and Katagiri-san were struck by the Quincy King's Auswählen. Ryūken-san said that the Auswählen was something only the Quincy King could use, which strips the Gemischt Quincy of their powers to make them his own." Kisuke explained grimly, causing Uryū to clench his fists while Orihime gasped in horror. Chad stayed silent, focusing on Kisuke's story.

"You are saying... That this Quincy King was the one who killed my mother..." Uryū gritted his teeth as Kisuke nodded in reply. "I think I understand where you're going with this. The Quincy King obviously returned, and is going to wage war against the Soul Society once more. Urahara-san, you think that Kurosaki is currently with him on or against his own will. Am I correct in my assumption?"

Kisuke nodded. "I think 'on his own will' would be a little more likely, if you consider Kurosaki-san's situation before he disappeared... And this is where Captain Sui-Fēng's death comes in as well. You see, Yoruichi-san found out that Captain Sui-Fēng was in the World of the Living to capture Tsukishima Shūkurō, whom they have been keeping track of due to the dangerous potential of his Fullbring. Yoruichi-san also said that they had lost track of Tsukishima after that day. I found it odd that the date when Tsukishima's Fullbring lost its effect was just a day before Yoruichi-san was called back to the Soul Society, which made me to think about the possibility... That Kurosaki-san was at the same place during that day. Yoruichi-san was able to relay the location, which was about fifty miles north from Karakura Town. This is the residue Hollow reiatsu sample I was barely able to recover. Ishida-san, do you recognize it by any chance?"

It wasn't Uryū who answered Kisuke's question. Orihime gasped as she recognized the reiatsu, which was almost similar to the one she had felt at the dome of Las Noches.

"It... it's Kurosaki-kun's Hollow's reiatsu... It is a little less menacing than what I felt that day, but I know that it is the same... Urahara-san, please don't tell me...?" Orihime plead, her eyes watering at the realization.

"If the official story was true, Kurosaki-san would be dead..." Before Kisuke could finish, he was interrupted by Orihime who had burst into a fit of sobs. Kisuke signaled Uryū to calm her down, which took a few moments.

"As I was saying, Kurosaki-san would be dead if the official story was 'true', which Yoruichi-san believes to be wrong. They only assumed the situation from the conversation they heard from the Denreishinki, which was destroyed immediately after the Vasto Lorde fired a Cero. Hirako-san who was sent as a reinforcement also had his Denreishinki destroyed, which means that Kurosaki-san probably didn't want his identity to be known to the Soul Society." Kisuke concluded, which prompted Orihime to let out a sigh of relief.

Uryū was deep in thought for a few moments, before he asked Kisuke a question. "Urahara-san, do you think the Quincy King will attempt to recruit me to his cause...?"

"I don't know, Ishida-san... I really don't."

"Then we should scratch the thought of asking the Soul Society's help. The best we could do for now is to train ourselves until the war actually comes. I sincerely hope that Kurosaki knows what he's doing." Uryū muttered.

"We're talking about Kurosaki-san, who really isn't the type to do something wrong, Ishida-san." Kisuke said, while keeping his thoughts to himself. 'If I were to bet, the Soul Society would do more wrong in a month compared to what Kurosaki-san could do in his lifetime.'

Uryū wasn't expecting to hear anything remotely close to the information that was disclosed today, when they decided to come and ask for Kisuke's help. The truth of his own mother's death, Ichigo's heritage as a Quincy, the Quincy King... He really was given a lot to think about from Kisuke today.

---

Ichigo's Personal Quarters, Silbern - December 25th

Warning - Lemon

Ichigo woke up at a tickling sensation to find his sight full of luscious light-green hair. The owner of such vibrant hair buried her head to the crook of his neck, mumbling her greetings.

"Hey stud..."

Ichigo blushed mildly at Candice's murmurs, a trait that never disappeared even after all those intimate moments he shared with the girls. It was a trait apparently the girls loved greatly, finding it to be cute.

"Hey yourself, gorgeous... Did you sleep well?" Ichigo asked as he ran his hand down her hair, which caused Candice to mewl in response.

"MmHmm... I don't wanna get up though..." Candice said as she tried to mold herself onto Ichigo's body.

"As much as I would love to oblige, Meni and Gigi won't appreciate you having me all to yourself today." Ichigo chuckled, and asked a moment later. "How did you convince them to let you sleep with me alone last night anyway? I thought it was only Tuesdays and Fridays?"

"I won with a Scissor... You're mine until noon, so less talk, more cuddle... A quickie before and during a shower would be a great way to start a day." Ichigo couldn't help but feel thankful that their relationship was surprisingly working out, for more than five months at this point. The thought of the girls having a game of Rock Scissors Paper to decide who gets to have him on the night of Christmas Eve was quite endearing, really... although it made him feel bad for leaving Giselle and Meninas out for a day like this.

"I want your full attention on me, sweetie..." Candice whispered seductively, and suckled on his lower neck, adding another hickey to his skin for display.

"Who am I to refuse if you ask so... nicely?"

Candice gasped as she felt Ichigo's hand snaking down her back, lingering on her ass for a few seconds to grope the divine ass that now belonged to him, and him only. Soon Ichigo's hand settled down on a spot where his fingers could easily gain access to her pussy, which was wet and sticky from his own cum still present from their last night activities. His fingers tread around her slit, intent on teasing her.

"C'mon... Stop being mean, sweetie... Oh!" Candice arched her back as Ichigo flicked her well hidden clit, which was an extremely sensitive spot to her. Ichigo usually didn't play with her clit as it only served in cutting down their time by tiring her out. He was a stamina freak after all, even in bed.

While Candice's libido was the highest out of the three girls, and the only one with past experiences of sex, her preference was a long sensual and loving sex rather than intense fucking. It actually came to his surprise that the most kinky one was Giselle, while Candice was a big fan of lovemaking, second to Meninas who loved sweet talking while they never parted their bodies for hours.

Ichigo slid a finger into her slit, followed by a second. Candice purred in pleasure as Ichigo pumped her pussy with his fingers, and leaned up to nibble on his lips. It soon evolved into a full out battle of tongues, the two lovers moaning into each other's mouth. Candice on her part was going crazy with the way Ichigo occasionally touched her clit with his thumb, while Ichigo was enamored by the toe-curling electric kiss. He thought that it was something that came naturally with being 'The Thunderbolt' and all, which wasn't the truth in the slightest. Girls needed a weapon up their sleeve to keep the men in check, after all... Although it was more like keep up with her lover, in this case.

Candice never expected Ichigo to become a god of sex when they had their first time together, only to be proven wrong as the first was followed by the second, third, and many more. Ichigo himself was surprised as well, which was replied by a smug looking Zangetsu later on with a single word, 'Instinct!'.

"Ohh... I fucking love you, sweetie...!" Candice's voice hitched as Ichigo's cock filled her up completely and more. Ichigo was the best out of her few past lovers, and the absolute best. It wasn't only because of how gifted he was in the size department, not that it didn't count as a valid reason. It was the love and attention he showered her with during their sex... no, lovemaking.

Ichigo kissed her intensely as he started to move in and out of his very own goddess, noticing the way she was basically flooding with love juice. Candice broke the kiss as his cock bumped into her cervix, moaning at the pleasure. Every time Ichigo slid out she moaned, and mewled as he filled her again.

"Say it, sweetie. I want to hear iiiiiit!" Candice gushed around his thick girth as she peaked for the first time, asking him to say the words she loved the most. It was her habit before reaching her first climax, something Ichigo found absolutely adorable.

"I love you the most, my love. Now cum for me..." Ichigo whispered in her ears and nibbled on her earlobe, quickening the pace of his pistons.

"OH! Gods, I'm cumming!" Candice saw white as she bit on his shoulder, flooding the bed sheets with her cum. Ichigo's hand wrapped around her waist to keep her close to him, while running his free hand down her hair. "That's a good girl..."

"I wanted you to cum inside me..." Candice pouted about a minute later, as she finally descended from cloud nine. Ichigo kissed her again as he lowered the hand that held her waist to her ass. "That. Can. Be. Arranged..." Ichigo said between the kisses, only for another voice to interrupt Candice from answering.

"So, you make Ichi-chan say he loves you the most when you have him all to yourself...?" Giselle teased, the mirth showing from her chipper than usual smile.

"Gigi! We agreed that the winner gets him until noon...?" Candice blinked as she followed Giselle's finger which pointed at a clock, which read ten past twelve.

"Ugh, why do you have to be so comfy? I didn't know that we slept that late..." Ichigo laughed at Candice, who seemed confused at his reaction. "Candi, she changed the clock... There was at least an hour until noon the last time I checked."

Giselle's eyes lit up in alarm at being caught so easily, sweating bullets as Candice's glare was directed at her. "Eh... Merry Christmas?"

Ichigo pulled Candice up over his body before she could electrocute the poor girl on a day like this. Candice squealed as she found herself on top of Ichigo in a perfect cowgirl position, his still hard cock sending another wave of pleasure during the process. Ichigo smirked at the girl as he pulled her into another toe curling kiss, addicted to the taste of the Thunderbolt.

"Candi, you wanted me to cum inside you... Why don't you finish the job?" Ichigo said while groping her marvelous ass.

Cowgirl was Candice's second favorite position, right behind the missionary which became her favorite thanks to Ichigo's extremely passionate style of sex. She just couldn't help but love it when Ichigo showered her with his attention, intent on pleasuring her. Who would've known that such a passionate lover was hiding under the mask of a prudish teenager? But anyway, Cowgirl was still one of her favored positions, because she could see Ichigo's face succumb to pleasure as she rocked his world.

"But she... Oh...!" Candice started, only to be cut off by Ichigo's thrust of his hips. "Come now, Candi. Gigi's been pestering me to let her have a threesome with you for months... I know that you really don't like a third person on the bed, but a little Christmas present for Gigi should be a good enough thank you for her decision to share me. Wouldn't you agree? I promise I'll make it up to you if it's any consolation." Ichigo tried to convince her as he peppered her neck with light kisses, not enough to leave a hickey.

"Oh, to hell with it! Fine, but it's a one time thing Gigi! Don't ever ask me to do something like this again." Candice said, persuaded by Ichigo's kisses. She wasn't sure if she could go against anything Ichigo suggested, if he did something like this to convince her each and every time she refused.

"Thank you Candi!" Giselle squealed, cupping Candice's breasts with her tiny hand. Apparently Giselle was bisexual, as was Meninas. Ichigo had to admit that he did enjoy the threesomes they shared on occasions, but Candice never partook in such activities. She wanted his attention directed to her and only herself, even if it cut down the time she got to spend with him. He really loved the more affectionate and clingy side of Candice which was reserved only for their private moments.

"Gigi!" Candice gasped in surprise at the sudden contact, seemingly uncomfortable with it. Ichigo really wasn't sure about how she intended to share him with Meninas initially, but pushed the thought out of his mind. "Gigi, come here. And... I think you were in the middle of something, Candi."

Candice was reminded of the fact still had Ichigo's hardened member inside of her, as Ichigo twitched his cock by tightening his PC muscles. She sighed in disappointment when her sight of Ichigo's handsome face was blocked by Giselle's body, but started to roll her hips in order to bring him to his peak. He had made her cum intensely as he always did, and she wanted to return the affection he gave to her... Even if it was in the midst of an unwanted threesome.

"Ohhh, Ichi-chan! You like lapping up my pussy, don't you? I know you love it, you horny dog! Oh, FUCK!" Candice was surprised by two facts. One being how Giselle didn't even bother to wear her undergarments. The second was the way Giselle was dirty talking with Ichigo. She would've imagined something like this from Liltotto if she had a more mature body... But then again, would it be all that surprising if Giselle was extremely perverted?

Candice had to admit, Giselle's dirty talk was actually turning her on. She made a note to try some dirty talk the next time they had some alone time, and started to ride Ichigo's worship-worthy cock. Ichigo groaned into Giselle's lower lips as Candice rode him like a stallion, occasionally adding his own movements that brought her to new heights.

"Oh fuck! You're so good at eating me out... I'm cumming, Ichi-chan! Drink it all for me, drink your bitch's cum! Oh, FUCK!" Giselle almost shrieked as she came, gushing her juices all over Ichigo who eagerly drank it all without any complaint. Giselle slumped down next to Ichigo, and watched in heated fascination as Candice leaned down to kiss him.

"He just drank my cum, you know... Would that count as you eating me out indirectly?" Giselle couldn't help but ask, and giggled when Candice froze in shock.

Candice stared at Ichigo's eyes with her own wide open in shock, only to be soothed by the look of concern he gave to her. She broke the kiss, and muttered. "I don't care. I want you to fuck me hard, sweetie. Fuck me into the bed so I can't even think of walking out of it today, and use my pussy as your cum dumpster..."

Ichigo was surprised at the girl's dirty talk but found it more than enough enticing to comply. He swiftly changed positions with Candice laying on the bed on her front while he embraced her from behind. Candice was about to protest that she wanted to see his face, when Ichigo turned her face and kissed her deeply.

Candice felt like she was on heaven as Ichigo's cock slammed into her cervix again and again, as if trying to achieve the impossible and penetrate into her womb. The fact that he was kissing her all the time, as he fucked her at a pace that could only leave her sore afterwards only served to quicken her climax.

Ichigo almost came when Candice's pussy tried to coax his cock to paint her insides white as she reached her peak, but pushed the urge down and kept up the pace. Candice soon lost the strength to keep up with the kiss and collapsed to the bed, mewling incoherent words every time he plunged inside her. Ichigo knew that he wouldn't last long before he came, so he was determined to make her cum at least once more before he did. He slid a hand down to her breasts and played with her nipples while the other hand trailed her spine.

"I, love! You! You, fucking! Oh, god! You're my god! Ohhhh!" Candice almost fainted at the most intense orgasm she had ever had, and Ichigo groaned as he thrust one last time balls-deep into her, releasing rope after rope of his sperm. Ichigo collapsed besides Candice, feeling a little exhausted at the intense sex. Candice let out a small snore when Ichigo was about to kiss her, causing him to chuckle and plant a kiss on her brows.

"Wow... That was hot." Giselle muttered in an obvious state of arousal at watching such lovemaking. She couldn't help but think back at the time when they lost their virginity to each other, when they made love hesitantly instead of fucking each other's brains out like they did nowadays. She still liked the kinky sex they had with or without Meninas very much, and that was something which wasn't going to change sooner or later. But the loving sex Ichigo and Candice shared made her yearn for the same attention for the first time in months.

"You got all wet while watching that, didn't you?" Ichigo asked, still a little out of breath.

"Well, yeah... but I think I'd like to hear some sweet words today. Can you do that for me, Ichi-chan?" Giselle asked, surprising Ichigo as the last time they had sex without any dirty words running around was probably at least three months ago. He realized that watching him and Candice making love had pushed her in the mood for some non-hardcore sex.

"I suppose I could give you that, my light..." Giselle mock-gagged at the use of the 'l' word, something she thought to be a bit too cheesy for her taste. "I thought we had this talk months ago...?"

"Right, right. Sorry, but I couldn't help it." Ichigo chuckled, not mentioning the fact that Meninas absolutely loved it when he called her 'my light' when they were alone. It really was their secret as he honestly thought that if Giselle actually heard him saying that to anyone else than herself, she would never let him hear the end of it. And probably make him swear to never call anyone other than herself 'my light' or something remotely close to that...

"Ichi-chan? Sweet talking, starting now." Giselle ordered her boyfriend with a sweet voice, causing him to roll his eyes in mock-exasperation.

Ichigo pulled Giselle on top of him, and started to peel off her clothes which was surprisingly still on her body, He had thought that she would've stripped it off when he ate her out, but apparently he was wrong."I think your tits grew a little."

Giselle burst into a fit of giggles, smacking his chest in a playful manner. "Ichi-chan, you sly dog! That wasn't sweet talking...! But I suppose I'll take it."

Ichigo gave her a warm smile and cupped her cheeks like he always did when he said something romantic or sweet to her. Giselle blushed lightly as Ichigo stared at her eyes wordlessly, knowing just how much he liked her eyes. "You've been getting a lot more softer since we started dating, did you know that? The other Ritters don't avoid you blatantly like they used to..."

"No... But is that a good thing? We're his majesty's knights, you know..." Giselle replied, not realizing the small change.

"I guess it isn't if you only think about that part... But have you thought about our future? You know, our kids, our family? I think it's a good change... a welcome one." Ichigo said, surprising the older girl greatly. She was the older one in their relationship even if it didn't look like it, and here was Ichigo thinking about their future... She became giddy just at the thought of spending her life with Ichigo.

"I guess you're right if you say it like that..." Giselle said while treading her hands through Ichigo's hair which became noticeably longer than when they first met. She liked the way he grew his hair, a shared sentiment within their group of girls. Hell, even Sui-Fēng seemed to agree with that part, and that was really saying something.

"Do you really need me to sweet talk you? I'm kind of having a hard time with thinking up something to say, in case you didn't notice." Ichigo complained, which received a sharp glare from her. "You didn't have any problem saying 'I love you the most, my love.' to Candi. Does it have something to do with the fact that you like her the most?"

"No! I mean, no Gigi. You know that I love you all the same... Well, everyone knows that I have a favorite regardless of me being fair. You really shouldn't make me say that in front of Candi, even if she's sleeping." Giselle smiled as she knew fully well who his favorite was, and felt a little sorry for making him uncomfortable.

"Sorry, Ichi-chan. But really, can't you think of something sweet? I want it so badly..."

Ichigo huffed as he understood that he had no way out of this. "Fine..."

"Ichi...?!" Giselle squeaked as she became trapped under Ichigo, his face barely an inch away from her own.

"I love the way you shiver when I touch you." Giselle shivered as Ichigo's hand touched her side.

"I love the way you melt when I kiss you..." Giselle couldn't think of anything as she became a puddle of goo from the heated kiss.

"I love the way you look at me when you want me..." Giselle saw the reflection of herself in Ichigo's eyes, breathing heavily while yearning for his love... lusting for his touch.

"Most of all, I love the way you call my name when you need me." Giselle finally succumbed to her need of her lover. "Ichigo...!"

"Much better..." Ichigo murmured into her ears and nibbled on it, eliciting a gasp from his lover.

Giselle let the thought of hearing anything sweet slide away, as she knew what she really wanted... no, needed. She needed to be loved the same way he made love to Candice, and he was giving her just that. Who needed a threesome with Candice, when she could have Ichigo all to herself? Kinky was good, but love was something better.

Needless to say, the three were late for lunch by a whole two hours. Surprisingly Meninas didn't seem to care that she was left out, which was explained later that night with how she won with a rock...

Lemon End

---

The Assembly Hall, Silbern - June 12th

"The time has come, my children. Sternritter 'A', Sternritter 'I', Sternritter 'O'. The three of you will be heading to the Soul Society the following day, while escorting one of the Arrancar Vanguard who will carry the message... the declaration of war. Sternritter 'I', and 'O', you two are to assault the North Gate of the Soul Society where the 1st Division will be on guard duty during that time. Kill the Lieutenant of the 1st Division after stealing his Bankai, a present for dear Yamamoto..." Yhwach ordered, which the three Sternritter quickly complied. Ichigo and Cang already knew that the task of killing the Lieutenant would be Driscoll's task with or without their consent. They weren't really happy that an Arrancar would be carrying their declaration of war, but that was the purpose of the Arrancar Vanguard. Doing the dangerous tasks in the Sternritter's stead, and to be disposed afterwards. No one would bat an eye should they perish while carrying out their task.

"Also, there is another announcement before the war commences. Sternritter Kurosaki Ichigo, you are hereby named as my successor."

---

Interlude chapter over! Well, I'm not exactly sure if this chapter counts as an interlude but I think it does in a broad sense... Correct me if I'm wrong about this...

I wrote a lemon for the first time in my life, and I must say... I didn't have a hard time with it, but I'm not sure if it is readable. I doubt it, but if there are positive responses, I suppose I'll try to bring one into the story naturally. If I were to write one, next would be Giselle without a doubt.

I didn't write Ichigo and Giselle's first time or sometime after that, because I would've had a much more awkward time writing the lemon if I tried to write two virgins... If you guys actually like the lemon, I'm definitely going to try and write some more for Giselle in that case. She is the main pairing regardless of the fact that Candice had the first lemon scene. I mean, if you guys don't like the lemon part... There's no real loss for Giselle, right?

I've gotta say I'm a little sorry for the IchiXGigi only supporters. But I'm writing in my spare time and as I said earlier, I'm not sure how much more I could write... So a hell lot of pairings in my mind, little time to write. The multi pairing seemed like a easy choice, especially when this isn't a Romance only fic. I think I'll go with the One-shots later on, though. Again, sorry for changing my mind.

Ichigo's sisters know that Ichigo is safe and still cares about them, via the letter Ichigo left. They didn't tell anybody including Isshin as Ichigo requested. I really didn't have the heart to make them worry about Ichigo for a whole year after I wrote their breakdown...

Uryū isn't going to be joining the Wandenreich any time soon. Don't get me wrong, I know that Yhwach has no reason to recruit Uryū to his cause. But I'm going to go along with 'There is no point in trying to recruit him while Kisuke is already on his guard with Ichigo's disappearance.', and that he thinks Uryū will join after the first invasion.

I thought about the Arrancar part, and came to a conclusion, why not? Ichigo really shouldn't care about the Arrancar, other than Nelliel who saved his life from Nnoitra. He does care about the Shiba siblings, although I don't think it would come in as an important part anytime soon.

Yhwach's successor in this story is Ichigo, and it obviously isn't a move that was made with second intentions.