Storm and fire, a blast of heat that flooded down from the heavens washing over all who remained alive. Ichigo's heart sank as his exhausted head turned to look in the direction of Naruki City, the place was...gone-burning piles of slag with only one single building still standing. A million people, perhaps, died because of this...Keigo, Mizuiro they lived in...no he could sense them. They had come to school, but gods their families, and here he was with his Mother. His eyes were drawn down to a hard black orb inside of which he could feel his Mothers Soul.

Above him the sudden blue fire coalesced around his Father taking the form of blue white bandages, wrapping around his neck, flowing under and over his shoulders and down his arms. Leaving his chest bare, the lower half of his Robe held in place by a blazing belt of blue fire. On his back the symbol of the Shiba family burned white-hot as blue flames licked up off of his body, the air shimmered with heat haze as Ichigo realized his old man held no sword, nor shoes for that matter. His hair had grown longer, flowing down his back to about his shoulders before fire seemed to take that shape and went down to his waist. The roots of his hair had become black, but shifted back to brown as you moved away from his head. "Theia Engetsu." He said.

Theia was the name of a Greek goddess, but it was also the name of the world that had smashed into Earth, during its infancy, the remnants of which had become the moon. The name of his Bankai was a statement of power.

Ichigo wanted to warn him of Soren's powers...but as the Hollow streaked towards them and did not pull out his evolution...perhaps he could not?

Isshin's bare feet began to burn with blue fire as he surged up to meet the creature. There was a loud crash as the two collided, the bandage covered fist meeting the white bone blade. The shockwave of Spiritual Power was enough to blow them back a few inches. Soren, weakened as he was, flew back a dozen feet before finding his footing, bringing his blade down in a powerful overhead slash. Isshin had closed the gap and, with one arm, blocked the blow at an angle, letting it slide down his bandaged arm. His other hand flashed forward, covered in blue fire, it impacted the Hollow's chest and the condensed fire exploded, adding far more power to the blow. The Vasto Lorde looked like he was going to fly back a good several hundred feet, but before he could Isshin appeared behind him, his Flash Step causing fire to flash at the beginning and end of his movement. His leg, covered in his Spiritual Power, came up in a kick that caught the Vasto Lorde right in the small of his back, making the thing's body bend almost into an inverted U shape. Before even that could fully take effect, his Father joined his hands together into a powerful hammer blow which caused the Hollow to go from Zero to Mach 3 before he impacted the ground.

Isshin had aimed the creature so he smashed into the still molten landscape around Karakura, Soren's body sliding back, causing a wave of the molten glass to cover him. By the time the Vasto Lorde clawed his way out, Isshin was on top of him. No mercy, no change, no nothing, Ichigo realized that just like he was exhausted despite some portion of Aizen's power burning inside him, the Hollow had to be as well. The creature was not filled with his own power, but an amalgamation of others, something Ichigo knew personally was very hard to deal with. Perhaps without enough of his own power, he could not evolve. And if he could not evolve, his Old Man had no qualms about making sure he never got the chance again.

The force of the blow that hit the Vasto lorde just as he stood up, emitted a bomb-like shockwave of blue fire which sent ripples though the molten slag around them. His Father's body lit up with blue fire and his speed increased to the level of Ichigo's own Bankai, his movements leaving streaks of blue fire as he dodge a sword strike, punched the Vasto Lorde, appeared on the creatures other side before it had fully registered and struck the creature in the other side.

Desperately, Soren unleashed a Cero towards Karakura, but a resounding voice said, "No." A Void of Darkness flared out, a black hole of power wide enough to suck in the whole of the attack, as Sirzechs Gremory, alone, dressed in what looked like a towel, that showed off a lot of his...well his very nicely sculpted body. Water, presumably from whatever shower or bath had been in steamed from his shoulders and chest. The Cero vanished before that almighty power, and Isshin let out a howl of pure wrath. "Getsuga Tenshou!" His leg impacted the monster again and when Soren was launched back, what looked like a lightning bolt of energy followed, it exploded when he impacted a slagged building.

Ichigo saw when the Hollow decided he could not win, turning and tearing open a hole into the void, but Isshin reached him first, his hand slamming into the back of the monster just as it moved to escape, fingers digging past the Iron Skin and closing around Soren's spine. The Hollow was ripped back out of the hole he had made as his Father, still howling with fury, swung him over his head and into the ground hard enough that it sent slag flying a hundred of feet into the air.

Sirzechs made no move to interfere with the fight, save to raise his hands, balls of darkness devouring the slag before moving to form a grid-like dome almost a mile wide around the two fighters. Each tightly controlled ball of power was twisting gravity and space, when Soren tried once again to flee into the Void, reality seemed to erupt in his face as he was blasted away by the tearing space-time. It seemed the Maou of the Devil's had been looking for ways to fight the Soul Society Pantheon and its creatures. Indirect means were not supposed to work, but when you were just messing with space, well, that, Ichigo guessed, did not count as interaction with a Hollow. Soren looked panicked now, unleashing his power through his sword in a wave of ghostly specters of energy. His father snarled his defiance as a bonfire of blue power shrouded him, any specter burned away before it even came close. "Compress." His Father said as he unleashed his Spiritual Power, it flared out into a blaze the size of a city block before curling inward and making his skin glow blue as lightning seemed to stream out of his eyes, his mouth, his ears. When he moved, it was like watching Yoruichi herself do so, it was beyond fast. Soren did not even have time to so much as blink as one fist, then two, then ten, then a hundred, impacted him at what seemed like the same time, blowing holes in his chest far, far faster than his body could heal. Then the same thing happened on his left side, then his back, then his right, all at what seemed like the same time. Before the full damage could even be done, Isshin appeared in the air far above his opponent and in the heat haze behind him, a blue moon, burning as if it was moving through the atmosphere, fell towards him. Ichigo did not know how many sonic booms merged, as Isshin flashed down towards Soren, of which only the shoulders and head remained as a coherent body. "Tengoku no Owari!" The words echoed through the whole of Karakura, in English the phrase would be, Heaven's End.

Once again it seemed the whole land would tremble, the tall buildings within Karakura seemed to teeter, but the forces of Sirzechs' Peerage and the defenders of Karakura denied that. Ichigo felt nothing, not a single particle of Spiritual Power remained from the creature that had once been Soren Shiba. It was all burned away by a funeral pyre that rose to the empty sky, Ichigo trembled as he watched, tired, exhausted, nothing left, and yet his body still moved. It was nothing he saw, nothing he sensed, just...perhaps Divine Instinct as he curled his body down, pulling the gem that held his Mother close to his body, as something black flashed towards him, a hand reaching for where it had been. What followed as a burning pain as a sword bit deep into his weakened defences, moving across both his arms and his forehead as Rukia screamed. Mori was at his side in an instant, as Ichigo blinked though the blood flowing down his face. One more fucking member of the Death Guard, a woman by the look it, with a bloody sword and a missing arm.

She made a sound of disgust. "That should have worked." Her blade flashed as she deflected a few thrown Kunai with ease, snarling the words to a Kido which made dozens of chains that moved like snakes flood towards them. Rukia countered with the same Kido making the chains tangle up uselessly.

It seemed Aizen's power could not be used for Hollow regeneration as he kept bleeding, but the injury alone was not enough to be truly threatening. The Death Guard moved to advance, but had to dodge a rain of Kunai before Mori was at his side and taking over for Rukia, freeing the Shinigami to fight. "Get him somewhere safe," Rukia said, "I have this one."

"No need," A sweet voice said as Serafall Leviathan appeared in front of him in a whip crack of absolute cold. Her skin, a frostbitten blue, her eyes like that of ocean ice, her voice sounded the same though, sweet, sexy and absolutely livid, "Because Magical Girl Levia-tan is here! Do you want this bitch or can I have her?"

Rukia paused for a moment, looking at Serafall, then at him then back at Serafall. "Mine." She said.

The Death Guard shook her head. "I think you all are overestimating yourselves."

"Oh? Do tell." the Maou whispered.

Her sword glowed red, the same color as his blood. "Break him apart, Hi-" She never got to finish that phrase, Rukia released what looked like Hado# 33 as a blast of powerful blue fire engulfed the woman at the same time as Serafall sent a truly titanic ice spike in her direction as well. In a way it was kind of anti-climatic, but that was power difference for you. Ichigo blinked for a few moments, as the last of the Spiritual Energies that could have been threats all vanished. Whatever shreds of consciousness he had been holding onto fled as he slumped forward, his body still clutching the container to his chest.

1

1

1

Ichigo awoke in his Inner World, the sky was clouded with the promise of rain, but it had not fallen yet. The huge Evil Pieces kept spewing out water which fell down their sides and into the now empty ocean bed below.

"You know, a lot of shit happened this week."

Ichigo turned his head to look at his Hollow self, his double looking just as exhausted, if not more so than him. "I..." He shook his head, "I..."

"Yeah, mom is...back." White said and for the first time he sounded lost.

"What the hell is going on?" Ichigo asked.

"Well, as far as I am concerned Soul Society just signed its death warrant." White whispered. Which told Ichigo a lot about how he was feeling about it on the inside.

"First thing's first." Ichigo said with an effort of will, pushing back the tide of anger because he just did not have the time. "We need to go get our Catgirl."

"Heh, you are tired," White grinned, "You said 'Our Catgirl.'"

Ichigo did not have the will to change his wording. "I believe she can survive for a time." He clenched his fist at the horrifying thought of what would happen if it was not the case.

"Be Calm," Zangetsu was above them, standing on that flagpole that seemed to appear wherever he moved, "We can both sense that she is alive."

Ichigo let out a breath, the Old Man was right. Hell, he knew that Orihime and Asia were both in the middle of healing everyone they could get their hands on. Orihime was doing her best not to break down at all the death they had not been able to prevent. Asia was just focused, sectioning off the part of herself that wanted to break down crying in order to help. Both were being assisted by the full measure of Houses Gremory and Sitiri as well as some government agents that were very careful not to mess with any of them.

How many had died, how many people he knew, the families of his friends, that funny old man with the love hotel. How many men, women and children? And still he did not know why? He knew the who, but not the why and that was one of the several things driving him crazy. "I can't stay like this," he said, "There is not enough time."

"I would say that there is time because of the efforts of you and your loved one's. By the morning you should be fully restored then you can deal with this promise of rain."

Ichigo shook his head. "I have to go get Koneko first, then find out from Rukia what the hell is going on, possibly decide to go into another war, help with this destruction…"

"You're forgetting something important, King." Ichigo looked away trying to ignore him. "You have not voiced the thought because it's stupid, but it's there its always been there."

"I...will talk to Mom when the chance comes up, but currently Karin and Yuzu are far more deserving of that time, not to mention Dad."

"Why? Because it's your fault she died?"

He did not answer, no one would say that about him, no one would tell him that it was his fault. Well, no one but himself. Above them the rain clouds swelled. though still no drops opened his mouth to say something, but a small figure hit him square in the chest and he let out a loud gasp as a redheaded little girl rubbed her face against his chest, making happy toddler sounds as she made herself comfortable, her long red hair, several times longer than her body, fell about him like a blanket. He seized the distraction. "Thank you, Tsukiko.'' He said, patting her on the head. "I could not have won that battle without you." She made more happy noises as he ran his hand through her hair. "Have you grown bigger?" She nodded before pushing her head into his stroking hand, like a cat.

Ichigo closed his eyes for a moment. "What is our guest doing?"

"Carefully nothing." Zangetsu said. "The Archangel Gabriel Godspeed is nearby, if he does anything, she will know."

"Any reason you know of why he does not want his own children to know he is… well, kind of back?"

"Because I suspect that their free choice is just as important as yours. Also I don't think you want to be dragged away to rule over Heaven."

No he did not. "But he does know that they are going to find out at some point?"

Zangetsu shrugged. "Then I suspect that will be when it needs to happen, when he needs to put his finger ever so slightly on the Scale."

"Kind of like how this battle is supposed to be the better option?"

A small voice spoke but they all heard. "It was going to happen regardless, Karakura is the strongest concentration of Spiritual Energy in the mortal world."

"I know," Ichigo said, "You showed that path, I just wonder if you were the cause of all this?"

"If I was, then there would be no hope."

That was the annoying thing about talking to this being, when he spoke it was the truth, you know it was the truth because he could not speak anything else. That was one hell of a limit for God, he could not tell a lie, it was not possible. "Can you give me any advice?"

"I can give you three, number one," The Lord said, "It would be better for your friends if they are brought with you to Kuoh, the Japanese Government is going to lock this place off once the Maou have left."

"Shit." Ichigo said.

"Two, your lover is safe with someone your Familiar knows, when you meet her I only ask you to think of the future. That path fragments along many paths and I dare not do more. Lastly, number three, when you date my Daughter you better treat her well, she is very inexperienced and if you hurt her I will be very cross."

"I'm sorry, what?" Ichigo asked, but the voice was gone, he looked around and the other parts of himself shrugged. "The hell did that mean?" He demanded, but got no response.

"I'm pretty sure Irina is into Issei right?" He asked. "And Xenovia? I mean we don't know each other very well and she is a Devil now anyway."

His Hollow looked just as confused until he froze before covering his mouth to keep in what looked like a genuine laugh. "Oh no, oh no no no, this is going to be great."

"What?" Ichigo demanded.

"Nothing you need to worry about, being dense is part of your charm."

Had Ichigo had the energy he would have tried to strangle White, the White God's first two pieces of advice were far more important and perhaps the being was making a joke. Like, he thought of everyone as his child? Perhaps that?

He put his free hand to his head. "How long do I have left in here?"

"Twelve hours, give or take. I suggest you think on the advice you have been given and also go visit the man who saved your life."

"Right." Ichigo said.

1

1

1

"Uh…" Ichigo said as Aizen stepped into the dreamscape, they were back in the classroom which was thankfully empty. Aizen had walked in wearing an old captain's uniform which was fine. What was not fine was everything else. It was the long thick brown hair, the softer, more well-formed face and a rather hefty bounce in the chest area that had not been there before. "No," He said, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no." His back hit the wall of the dream as Aizen raised an eyebrow at him, face tilted into a smirk.

"This is not a joke Kurosaki, this is one of the consequences of your bond." Aizen's voice matched appearance, a bit deeper than a more conventional female voice, but still absolutely feminine.

"What?" Ichigo squeaked.

"Have you ever bonded with another man before?"

"Yes."

Aizen paused, "Who?"

"Issei, Kiba," Ichigo checked over his bonds, "Uh, my dad too."

"Hmm and all three are still male?"

"Yes!"

Aizen nodded. "I suspected as much, perhaps it was because of this place, your bonds are informed and affected by your feelings about the individual. You might have come to associate me as a friend. But given my teaching methods you also associated something else with me." Ichigo made mortified squeaking sounds. "You do realize you will have to take responsibility right?"

It was a good thing he did not need to breathe in a dream because he would have died from air loss. "But we will talk about that later, did you call me for something in particular." The change of subject whiplashed him hard enough that his dream self had phantom pains, but he grabbed onto it like a dying man. Though Aizen's appearance did not do anything to help, the bastard had even left the upper part of the robe open to show cleavage, which Ichigo fervently believed was just to fuck with him.

"T-thank you," He said, "You saved my life and the lives of just about everyone I know."

Aizen smiled, to Ichigo's abject horror his heart skipped a beat. "It's what friends do, you taught me that, you showed me that and I am forever grateful."

"Why? If all you get was...this? How does that help whatever you had planned?"

The smile became sultery and...and why the hell was he sweating, this made no sense and was far too confusing. "No, this was just a side effect, what you gave me well," Aizen laughed, "Let's just say I will be seeing you soon Ichigo Kurosaki, in person."

"Uh," well that made sense but,"What are you going to do?"

"Well, you seem to have a bunch of important tasks," Aizen tapped his ear, "A still small voice has made things clear for me."

Oh, oh god. "You're, um, just to be clear, are you God's Daughter?" Ichigo did not know why he was talking, just that he had to say something.

"What? No." Aizen said. "I think you know I am the furthest thing from an Angel."

"Thank God." Ichigo said, still trying to push back against the classroom wall.

"As I was saying, you seem to be on a journey to keep reality from being destroyed. As a member of said reality, and your friend, it will be my honor to have a Close. Working. Relationship." Aizen said each word in a way that made Ichigo jump… "After which I will explore the wider world, it's kind of a freeing thought. Traveling to see what the other Pantheons have to offer. Perhaps protect a few people along the way in your name?"

"Uh...good?"

"I thought you would like that."

His mouth refused to work as Aizen rolled their neck, making things bounce a little. "Wow, these things are hard on the back"

"I, uh, I'm gonna go." Ichigo said.

Aizen nodded. "See you next class Kurosaki, though, if you are late, I will make sure I am dressed like the dream figments when I do get you here."

"Never be late, got it." Ichigo said almost in a blind panic before fleeing the space, leaving Aizen's genuine laughter to follow him.

1

1

1

He knew where he was before he opened his eyes, the feel of his bed, the sense of Karin, Yuzu, his Dad, Rukia in his closet...and of course…He blinked away tears at the new, but familiar, sensation. A person he had never thought he would see again. Which, to be fair, he still had not.

There were more people in the house, all of his bonds taking up all the space available, including the floor of his room. Where Tatsuki, Sona, and Serafall currently slept, Rias seemed to have fallen asleep in a chair, with most of her Peerage around her. Even with her asleep he could feel her agitation, and desperate fear for Koneko.

That feeling got him moving, he stirred and blinked as he looked into the open eyes of Nel in her toddler form. She did not say anything, but her small hands tightened on his bed shirt. Guess she knew what he had in mind as she put her finger to her lips before snuggling in close. Slowly, carefully, he slipped out of bed, setting his feet down on the air itself and using a whisper of Devil power to conjure a message on his bed that said. "Going to Get Koneko, be right back."

His window was closed, which was not how he left it, but that did not really matter. Closing his eyes he reached into himself for power and power answered, not much, considering he was in normal Devil mode, but he did not want to wake anyone up. Even that small flare has his family stirring from where they slept, it seemed Karin and Yuzu had joined Massaki and Isshin in their bed.

The thought made him smile as he gently pried up a rip between worlds, before he could step through a hand came down on his back, or rather two of them. Ichigo froze, glancing behind him to see Rukia and Serafall. The Maou glanced down at the note, then looked back up at him, her eyes telling him that he was not going to be able, or allowed, to leave her behind. Rukia was giving him that 'you absolute moron' look of her's and he looked away and stepped through the opening, holding the tear open for the women to follow him. They stood in nothing, not falling only because he was holding a bridge under them of pure Spiritual Power. He closed the tear behind him and with a silent flare of energy was wrapped up in the armor of his Sealed form. The white armor of a black jumpsuit with Zangetsu….well, no longer across the back of him, it was across one shoulder with another blade crossing the other one...neat.

"So...you were just going to sneak away to Hueco Mundo...and be right back?" Her voice was dry as sand and he winced.

"Yes, he really likes to take everything on his shoulders." Serafall said, her skin was back to its normal lovely hue, her beasts stretching out her silk pajama top and her small booty shorts made sure you could see every curve there was. Rukia on the other hand was wearing one of Yuzu's pajama sets and looked adorable.

"We need to get her back as soon as possible and most of you have not been to Hueco Mundo, and given what I felt most of you are still exhausted." Serafall yawned and leaned back drawing his gaze to her chest.

"Perv." Rukia growled.

"Hey, we're lovers honey bun, he's allowed to look and touch and do whatever. Just because you were his first love does not give you the power to dictate what he can do to me."

Ichigo blushed, and...Rukia blushed too glancing away. "First love?" She said. He coughed and turned his back on the two of them.

"Oh, hell ya." Serafall must have slapped Rukia on the back. "When he talks about you, or when someone tried to sleep in his closet, or there is that picture of you in his wallet that-"

"That's enough." Ichigo hissed as Nel giggled from where she held on, there was a flash of power and Little Nel became Big Nel as she stepped away from him, giving the two other women a long look. "Thank you Nel for being the adult," Ichigo mumbled, "Let's go, people."

He started to jog as Nel fell in beside Rukia, leaving the little woman in the middle between her and the Maou. "So, how did that idiot manage to get in your pants?" Ichigo almost tripped at Rukia's frank question.

"Same way he got into your heart, he was himself."

"H-How do you know what's in my heart?"

"Well," Serafall, "You're blushing, your voice is a few octaves higher, your heart rate went up and you have not stopped staring at his ass. Though to be fair I have not either, he looks good in skin tight black."

Once upon a time that would have made him uncomfortable, now it just felt...right. "I, I, I," Rukia stammered, "Oh screw you!"

"With pleasure." Serafall purred.

"Oh, can I join in too?" Nel asked

He could almost hear Rukia do a full body blush and decided to save her, besides this was as good a time as any. "Rukia," The tone of his voice stopped all conversation, "What the hell is going on?"

There was a long period of silence, as she seemed to be collecting her thoughts. "After you defeated Aizen, after you lost your powers, things changed in Soul Society. Which reminds me, why do you have some of Aizen's power?"

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours." He replied.

"Fair enough," she said, "After Aizen killed our government, the new ones who took their place did not feel especially safe under the Gotei 13's protection. A vocal minority started to call for a sort of personal guard. Shinigami whose loyalty to the Central 46 would not be questioned. Once they decided on that, things just sort of fell like dominos. Decree after decree, increasing funding, giving first pick of the academy graduates, more power, and by the time a year had passed the Death Guard were an institution. While they did not have the Captains on their side and thus the Gotei 13 was never surpassed in power, you saw for yourself how numerous they were."

"Right," Ichigo said, "That does not explain why all this fighting started, why they were chasing you?"

"I..I am getting to that," she said looking down, "Captain Yamamoto made me aware of a contingency plan, something that the Death Guard were making for anyone and anything that might be a threat to him. Those plans included you, and-" She was quiet for a long moment, "They looked at your history and decided that you getting your powers back was possible, and so they put together a plan as a way to get what is a effectively a large Spiritual Bomb as close to you as possible and take you out."

Ichigo did not mean for his voice to sound as harsh as it did but he could not help it. "So that was where my Mother came in?" Serafall took in a sharp breath and a flicker of winter cold flashed passed all of them.

"Yes," Rukia said, "The Captain tried to move her into the wheel of reincarnation, but they managed to grab her before it was fully complete. After that they kept her in a coma at some facility somewhere, waiting until they could implant her with the bomb." Ichigo's breath came in and out with a harsh rasp.

"Thankfully, the person they decided to go to was more loyal to Yamamoto than they believed and thus, I was brought in. They needed someone willing to make the decisions required to rescue and get your Mother to a safe place…to you, safely. He asked me and I told him yes."

Ichigo's body tensed when a memory that was not his own struck him. "What is your choice, Rukia Kuchiki?"

"I will do it," She whispered, "I will do it, but you can expect nothing else from me, not a single step, not a single command, nothing. If you tell me to do this I am on his side forevermore." Ichigo almost fell off the bridge he was creating. "I was not going to allow them to do that to you, you did so much for us, you not only saved my life, but made me want to live. How in the world could I allow that to happen to you?"

"Rukia." he said, this time gently.

"You threw away everything, didn't you?" Serafall asked, the small Shinigami nodded. "For him?"

"Yes," she said, "And I would do it again, a thousand times. Ichigo, I could not have come this far without the help of the Gotei 13. I know what the Death Guard has done is unforgivable, but there are still good people. People on your side."

"Like you." He said.

"Yes, I know that Captain Yamamoto is not going to let this stand, I know he is looking for a way to fix it."

"Rukia, they attacked my family."

"I know," she said, "I know. I know you, I know you better than I know myself, so I am begging you, for the sake of those who are still your friend, stay your hand, for my sake if nothing else."

There was silence as they ran, Ichigo fighting with everything he had to keep calm, to keep cold, but, "You ask a lot of him, little Death God," Serafall said, "What are you offering him in return?"

Rukia faltered a step. "I am going to stay by his side, I am going to fight for him as he fought for me."

"I don't want that." Ichigo growled.

"I don't care, I'm staying by your side no matter what you do, even if you decide to march up to the gates of Soul Society itself and cast them down. I don't have anything else now, no family, no home, no-"

"I did not say you could not stay with me," He hissed, "I just don't want you to think that I require your service, I don't want that."

"Then what do you want?" Rukia asked "Do you want me? Because you have me, you had me since you pulled me off of that damn cross, you fucking dolt."

Ichigo's chest felt like it was going to convulce out of his body. "Rukia," His voice was so low he did not know how his throat was able to handle it, "I-"

"You really need to make it clear to him," Serafall offered, "Directly, and also don't imply that you will be his to keep him from doing something. We both know he would never accept that."

Rukia said nothing to that and Ichigo felt his shoulders bunch up as a body hit him and wrapped small arms around his neck. Rukia was so light, only Koneko weighed less. "Right," she said, "I fell for an idiot."

"Rukia I-" His voice forced as she leaned against him, her body relaxing save for her arms which kept her around his neck. As her legs wrapped around his waist and she placed her chin in the crook of his neck.

"I am only going to say this directly once, do you understand Ichigo Kurosaki?" He gulped as she tightened her body around his. "Yes, part of the reason why I did all this was to try and protect my home and the innocent people within. Yes, part of the reason was honor, I owed you, Soul Society owed you far more than what was happening. But that does not make this last part any less true." He could feel her body heat rising, see her reddened face out of the corner of his eye. She looked scared, excited, worried, hopeful, and truthful, her next words were going to be truth.

The power of the White God moved ever so slightly.

"No matter any of my other reasons, I did this because..." Her face contorted into that expression he knew so well. The few times where she was going to tell him something even if it embarrassed her. "I did it because I want you, I want to be with you, at your side, not as some tool, and honestly if you were anyone else I would not accept a place among your women. But, it is you, it is Ichigo Kurosaki, the man who saved me," She repeated her words, "The man who made me want to live again. I did this because I loved you far too much to let anyone hurt you."

Ichigo blinked back tears as his hand found her's and rather than answer with his words he squeezed gently. That was enough for her, as she fully realized, as if the words had been a weight on her Soul that she had finally gotten rid of. "Damn, that was a hell of a confession," Serafall said, "Got to admit I am slightly jealous."

"How did you confess?" Rukia mumbled.

"I have gave him a tit fuck and sucked his cock."

Rukia and Ichigo sputtered at the same time as Ichigo half shouted in a panic. "That came after!"

The Maou's easy laugh did not echo in the Void, but it was loud and real as Rukia squeezed his neck harder. "Y-y-you better not expect everyone to do that to you…you perv."

Ichigo knew on some level that Serafall had done this: one, because she thought it would be funny and two, to break the heavy tension. Well, it worked, it had the two of them unable to even look at each other for the next few minutes as he found himself unable to protest...however Rukia did not let go of him even as she burned red, as if she could not get the image out of her head. Though she had it easy, he had lived through it and that memory was much more vivid, it was almost welcome when he felt the journey near its end, letting him focus once more. "Get ready." He said.

Rukia slid off his back and he noted that at some point she had belted Sode No Shirayuki to his sister's pajama pants. With one long breath he reached out in front of him and tore open the Veil between Worlds. The grey sand and dark sky met them, with the castle of Los Noches in the distance. No screaming Hollow met them. Hell, nothing seemed to be around for miles as Ichigo slowed to a stop, closing his eyes to better focus. His head snapped towards Aizen's old palace. "She is there." He said.

Nel nodded. "And so is Tier, huh."

"Who?" Serfall asked as all four of them took to the sky, causing the desert sand to flow away from them like the wake from a boat.

"Former Third Espda, who, when I last saw her, was doing her best to take over this place and become Queen."

Ichigo knew a little about the Arrancar who had taken Nel's place after she had been attacked and injured. He knew from the White God that she was building an army, he knew that the Vasto Lorde they had killed had been one of her chief opponents. He also could sense that Koneko was alive, annoyed, hungry, but otherwise fine. "Then, if that is the case," He said, "We should announce our presence." He and Nel both flared their power at the same time, boosting so high that it would have been impossible to miss. Rukia just stared at them both and shook her head, while Serafall giggled and manifested a field of ice that covered the desert for miles.

It took a few moments before they felt a power answer back to their challenge. "Well, now they won't be surprised." Nel said. "If I know her, we might not even see her army, given that none of them could do anything to us."

The last time Ichigo had been coming this way, a lot of bad things had happened. Orihime had been kidnapped, there was a sand monster, they all got separated. Aizen had still been a foe and that had been terrifying, now though it wasn't quite as, but in a different way. The dangers of the sands seemed to have decided their visitors were just not the sort of thing they wanted to deal with, either that or they could not get through Serafall's Ice.

"Guess I better get into diplomat mode," the magic girl chimed looking at herself, "Hey Nel how does this Tier dress?"

"Less than that," The Arrancar laughed, gesturing at Serafall's silk sleeping outfit, "You look great."

"Thanks, I chose these shorts because I know how much our man likes butts."

"Hmm," Nel replied, "Will you show me where to acquire one of these...booty shorts?"

"Focus," Ichigo said, "I don't think there is going to be a fight, but if there is one, we don't need to be talking about...this."

"Agreed." Rukia said, her face red.

Serafall stuck out her tongue at them, but subsided looking very pleased with herself, Nel giggled but that was it. Besides, the gates to the old Palace of Aizen Sousuke were opening and all four of them came to a stop before them.

"Ready?" Ichigo asked.

"Ready." They responded.

"Let's go then."

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Six thousand words, covered the end of the battle where Isshin kicks Bankai level ass.

Got to show Aizen-Chen, hey do you guys think Aizen was telling the truth or just using the dreamscape to fuck with our poor Berry-tan?

Lastly, Rukia's confession. Now it might seem a little fast but we all know she is being pushed to get things done by her commandments. At the very least she got to tell the truth, even if it was not all of it.

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Comments of the week.

Guest

RIP Ginjo whose headquarters just got turned to glass I guess?

Hopefully Orihime's up for more healing, if a mile thick circle of western tokyo just got obliterated.

Well that was the one building that was not slagged…to bad its going to be a terrible hideout now.

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Edgar 3t

Soren Shiba played his part beautifully as a dark mirror of what Ichigo could have been, could still be maybe, a hero who lost everything and was corrupted. And Central 46 is being incredibly, suicidally stupid. They have seen Ichigo fight threats that should absolutely destroyed him, and get stronger for it and they were like, 'yeah, let's threaten that guy'. Hopefully, the fact that Yamamoto helped Rukia with this plan will help Ichigo keep his promise to his Grandfather. Also funny how Ichigo is descendant from Soul Society's greatest threat and one of its greatest protectors. Lastly, the Aizen bit. I loved it, but how did everyone sense a transcendant's power? Everyone, well those who know, must be loosing their minds over that power coming from Ichigo, meanwhile Aizen is enjoying chilling with, chatting with, embarrassing and torturing Ichigo, and calling it training.

That is kind of what I was going for, thanks for noticing. I remember my first attempt at a bleach Story I avoided Aizen like the plague because I did not know how to write him lol.

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Mr Nobody

The problem here is that it was not Soul Society who declared war on him, it was that mad noble and by proxy C46. His actions would have affected Soul Society as a whole, meaning Ichigo would have gone to war against friend and foe alike and his friends would not understand why he did so, hence why Yamamoto did the only logical thing he could to save his home from his misguided wrath.

A lot of innocent blood would be spilled all because of one man and his mad designs, not because of an organization as a whole but ONE man.

Yes, very true, and I took this villain right out of Don't Fear Your Own World. Yamamoto has his work cut out for him.

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Lord Suryansh

Ichigo has his Shikai and Bankai but he still have MASK, Resurrection and Volstadigg.

His current form is all those powers merged into one.

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