…The True Heir…

/Warning/: This chapter contains, fluff, violence, bad fighting scene? Ichigo being a BAMF, and we got to meet surprising characters, a little bit of sadness, cursing, and Ichigo protects his friends! And who knows what! All the reviews are appreciated.

"Talking"

"Thinking"

…Flashbacks or dreams…

"Zanpakuto or Hollows talking"

Chapter 8

Things did ends up getting better in the end after Hyorinmaru's battle, Ichigo and the rest of the gang were happy that Toshiro was OK, and with them, things were looking up, the gang was still in the academy studying, they still cause troubles from time to time, they still go out and enjoy themselves whenever they can, meet with Yoruichi and Kaien every time the adults had time in their busy schedule, Ichigo still fight with Gin when he and Rangiku came to visit them, the two of them never sees eye to eye, and usually only Rangiku and Byakuya could calm the two when they fight, but all in all, life was good, and everyone was healthy that was the most important thing.

Two months passed since the battle between Kusaka and Toshiro, the gang still sees Kusaka from time to time in the library or with one of the professors, and surprisingly he even smiled at them from time to time, Ichigo usually shrug at that and turn away, but not without Byakuya seeing the small smile on his face, it made the younger teen glad, that for once the central finally decided to do something right, deep down every one wonders what would have happened if Ichigo wasn't granted that meeting, or worse, what would have happened if the central decided to go with their first plan and kill Kusaka, everyone knows that the outcome would have been disastrous, and everyone was thankful that it didn't turn out that way, it made them glad.

The second-year students were excited, why? Because after taking their finals this year, the professors decided that they will go to the human world with their mentors and some of the real Shinigami from the Gotei 13, to gain a real experience in the field, their mentors said, the gang all looked to Ichigo who was looking outside of the window when their Sensei mentioned the 'Lovely' news for them, no one was sure how Ichigo was going to react, after all, it was hard sometimes for the souls from the living to return back to the humans world, it made them heartbroken to see how the world change, to see the life they could never have before their own eyes, that's why the souls of the living usually signed up to the fourth division, to reduce the pain, hurt, and longing they felt if they went to the human world.

But the most painful news that the gang doesn't know if Ichigo's family is still out there in the human world, the orange hair teen refused to talk about his family, always uncomfortable when the subject was broached, that's why no one ever talked about Ichigo's past, but from what they know, Ichigo died at a young age, and the possibility of his family were out and about is high, so they probably will run into them in the living world sooner or later, the gang just hoped that Ichigo wouldn't get his heartbroken.

The month before their trip to the human world, the teachers and mentors showed them pictures of the living world, of the gadgets they use, warned them about the few humans that have the ability to see the souls and Shinigami, they were taught a lot of things, and all of that with Byakuya sitting by Ichigo's side holding his hand tightly, Byakuya knew that his lover was still stuck in the past somehow, and he knew that the trip to the human world may effect Ichigo in different ways, but Byakuya hoped with all of his heart that his lover will at least get a closure from it.

To the group's joy, Kaien and Yoruichi told them that they were coming with them to the human world, Kaien told them that he had volunteered as soon as he heard about their trip to the human world, he joked about showing them the places there and the strange thing that humans call a 'juice box', that gets a laugh out of Ichigo after he looked at Kaien with a strange look, it ends with Ichigo offering to be their guide as Kaien seemed to not know what he was talking about, everyone gave a small smiles as Kaien and Ichigo start their play/fight it meant that Ichigo was finally getting over his gloomy mood he had been feeling ever since the trip was broadcast. Yoruichi, on the other hand, told them that she had a friend in the human world and that she wanted to visit him, she even told them that she will take them to meet him if they didn't cause troubles like they usually do, that get a mischievous looks from everyone which made the cat give a catty smirk.

Though Ichigo was defiantly not happy that Gin decided to volunteer because let's face it, the man just wanted to be punch in his face, and Ichigo was too happy to do the punching, but then Rangiku would be sad, and if she was sad then Rukia would be sad, which meant Byakuya will get infected with their sadness, and Ichigo would be miserable, so it ends with Ichigo hissing at the fox-like man every time he came near him, it usually ends with the silver hair man cackling madly and giving Ichigo knowing looks… Ichigo nearly killed the man if Toshiro wasn't there to stop him, God bless the tiny Shinigami soul, if it wasn't for him, Ichigo would have committed a murder a long time ago, because to tell the truth, Byakuya doesn't care if he killed annoying people, his only condition was Ichigo is to not get hurt…

Damn, Ichigo loved his soul bond so much.

So the day had finally arrived! Everyone was on their toes waiting in the campus garden for the Senkaimon to the human world to open, the veterans Shinigami each one took a group of students under their protection with a mentor by their side, from what Ichigo gathered, the groups are going to be separated all around the world, each group will be stationed in a country for the duration of a week, learning how to find souls, and fight Hollows, and learning what to do when a human being able to see you, each student was given one Jigokuchō to guide them, Byakuya and Rukia were having the time of their life playing with those butterflies, to the gangs delight they were put together in a group under Kaien's protection and the guide of Ai-Sensei, though the group could have gone without Inaba being with them, they didn't know how the third-year student was assigned to go with second-year students trip unless he failed the trip last year…

In the end, everyone decided to not give a care about the boy being with them, they just ignore him, it's better than hearing him complain and belittle them when he talked with the rest of their group. When finally the gates were opened, the students waited for their group number to be called out, excitement coloring their faces, Ichigo's group were number sixteen, and when their number was called, Byakuya held Ichigo's hand tightly with a big smile on his face, it made Ichigo give a small one of his own, and follow Kaien and their Sensei.

The group didn't know how long they ran, but when they reached the light at the end of the tunnel, the students all let out gasps as they saw the town underneath the mountain they saw themselves standing on. "I know, what you feel like, this is what I felt on my first time." The group heard Kaien said which made them smile, Byakuya, on the other hand, turned to Ichigo who walked until he was standing near the edge looking at the town from above. "This is…" Kaien started before turning around to Ichigo when he didn't see him near Byakuya.

"This is Karakura town." Ichigo said with a nod as to confirm what he said, it made the Kaien became quiet at that and look at Ichigo. "The… the Hollows usually gathered in the forest, the park, and the buildings surrounding it… you will find the souls gathering in the abandon hospitals, Hollows hated those places it seems." Ichigo said offhandedly trying to see what changed inside the town from this high, it made Ichigo frown a little when he couldn't see anything he wanted.

"Is this… your former home?" Kaien hesitantly asked getting a hum out of Ichigo as he turns from the edge and walked toward Byakuya who was giving him an understanding smile. That question made everyone look at Ichigo with different emotions on their faces, it's said that it's always hard for souls to return to their homes after becoming Shinigami, it's said it brought unwanted memories, of sadness, pain, or happiness, everyone wonders what Ichigo would do that he was back to his former home, and so soon at that.

"It doesn't matter, you just have to be careful when you are here… the spiritual energy in Karakura is higher than any place you can imagine… I remember the souls used to say that this place was built above the gates of Hell." Ichigo said with a shrug, squeezing Byakuya's hand gently when the teen took a hold of his hand.

That made Ai-Sensei and Kaien look at each other and nod to themselves, calling for the students to follow them when they start using Shunpo to go down the mountain toward the town, it made Ichigo frown as he followed the pair with a thoughtful look on his face…

How much everything changed?

"Whoa! Amazing, what's this place called?" Rukia asked looking around the place in amazement, the group had finally reached Karakura town and were now walking around the place, they were informed by Kaien and Ai-Sensei that there were other Shinigami then their group of twenty students and that those Shinigami were responsible for defeating Hollows and protecting this place, as for the students' mission, they were to observe the way the Shinigami fought and sent the souls to Soul Society, so after they finally decided on that, Kaien and Ai-Sensei took them around the town trying to explain the humans' tech, gadgets, and the way they dress up strangely in revealing clothes.

Kaien paused a little around the garden they were in, he and his fellow Shinigami didn't actually know the name, considering that the Shinigami usually don't stay a long time in the human world, it's better if they didn't pay special attention to things like this, because in a few years from now, it will just vanish because not to forget about the long lifespan of a Shinigami. "It's Karakura's memorial garden." Ichigo answered as he looked around the place with interest, the place had changed so much since the last time he was in here, Ichigo hummed at the new types of flowers he saw and turn to Byakuya whose eyes were sparkling in joy as they fell on a white Sakura tree.

"Memorial garden, a memorial of what?" Toshiro asked as he looked at the big stone that was dominating the garden, it was just a huge polish surface with names carved into it, it made Toshiro lean a little to read a few of the names on the stone, he then looked at Ichigo who reached the stone and put his hands together and closed his eyes, everyone waited until Ichigo finish what he was doing, the majority of them were confused at the display, but for the veterans, they knew what he was doing, the concept of prayers was a foreign thing for the souls who were born in Soul Society, considering that they had never lived with the humans and shared their religious and believes.

When Ichigo opened his eyes he looked at his friends with a small smile. "Long time ago, in humans' years that is, in the year 1966, no one know from where they came from… but everyone in this town agreed that they were monsters, maybe they were demons from Hell or Hollows who were able to take a solid form to harm the humans, or maybe they were just barbarians like everyone agreed, but it was agreed on one thing, they wanted death and blood, so the people of this town stood up together to defend their homes, they went into a war that lasted months upon months until finally, by a miracle we one… everyone says that we won, but no one told the younger generation what we lost, so because of that, this memorial was built to honor the sacrifices of those heroes who gave their lives to save this town and all of its people, every new year, people from all of Karakura gathered in the garden with lanterns, that will be light and later put in the river." Ichigo explained making the students walked toward the stone to read the names on craved on it.

"Shirosaki… Ichigo? Hey, Ichigo I think I found your name!" That was Renji, waving like a manic and grinning proudly pointing at the name he read on top of the names on the right side of the stone, that made Rukia and Byakuya rushed toward the redheaded man jaws falling a little as they read the name.

"Idiot, that's my mother's brother." Ichigo said slapping Renji on the back of his head which made him squeak in pain and back away from Ichigo rubbing the back of his head with a halfhearted glare.

"Oh, your uncle and you share the same name?" Rukia asked as she turned to Ichigo who read the name with a hum and a shrug.

"I was told that my uncle was fifteen when the barbarians attacked, my mother was one year old? I don't know, but it was said that he was a key point in winning the battle, my mother named me after him hoping that his name will give me some luck." Ichigo shrugged and groan as Kaien throw himself at Ichigo's back.

"It seems that even when you were little, your mother knew you were going to be a troublemaker, huh?" Kaien got a kick in the shine because of his comment when made him squeak and back away from Ichigo getting the painting out of his pocket and start crying about Ichigo being mean to him again, it made the orange-haired teen groan in embarrassment as he heard his friends and the rest of the students laugh at him.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" A voice snapped at them which made everyone turn to the person who called them to see a teenager with a glass glaring at them.

"He… he can see us?" Whispers start going around the group which made everyone tense and stand on the edge, everyone looked at Ai-Sensei, and Kaien who were looking at each other not knowing what to do, they haven't counted on encountering one of the people who could see the souls this soon, they were so unprepared for this, it would be better for them to act naturally like humans and run away, then use Shunpo and cause the poor teen to go crazy and admit in a madhouse.

"Wait… is that… Ichigo?!" The teen called out as he walked toward the group after spotting an orange hair person standing in the far back of the group. "Out of my way!" The teen snapped as he pushed Inaba away which caused the man to flinch and try to rub his arm that was touched.

"Ishida…?" Ichigo questioned after getting a good look at the person that walked toward him with wide eyes, the boy… he was boy when Ichigo died, the only one who Ichigo considered a real friend and vice-versa considering that the two of them had been outcasts of the school for different reasons, not to talk about absent fathers who prefer not to look at their sons' faces, and their ability to see freaky things that no one else can see. "Oh, my, you haven't changed! You still that scrawny fella you were fourteen years ago." Ichigo said which gets a confused look from the boy.

"Fourteen? You bastard! I had been searching for your Goddamn soul for eight years now and you come years later as this… this…" At that Uryu pointed at Ichigo's outfit with a grimace and glare at the orange-haired man when he snorts. "Not only a Shinigami." Uryu shiver in distaste at the word. "But you say fourteen years passed for you, I should have shot your ass the minute I saw you." Uryu said which made Ichigo snort and roll his eyes at his old friend.

"Is that how you treat an old friend? I am hurt; you cut me deep Ishida, deep…" Ichigo said as he put his hand over his chest which made the teen roll his eyes at Ichigo then he checked Ichigo and raised his eyebrow at how tall the teen/man? Was, not to forget the slightly long hair and build, it made Uryu wonder how much time really passes in his old friend's life.

"I am afraid that as long as you wear this gloomy Shinigami's outfit… our friendship will be on hold until you stopped being one of them." Uryu shook his head and grimace at the clothes the people surrounding him were wearing.

"You know who we are, don't you?" Kaien asked after getting his voice back which made Ishida turn to him only to adjust his glass and look at Ichigo and the dark-haired man who spoke, it made Ichigo hold into his snort as he realized the train of thought his friend throws himself into when he saw Kaien.

"Oh, course I do, me and Ichigo here, had the misfortune of seeing your asses since we were brats." Ishida said as he pointed Ichigo who grin and nudge the teen, only to get a glare from the teen who was still glaring at his dark clothes. "I told you, this is a No-Shinigami zone! You can touch me when you are a… oh, God, I am going to be sick from how much I am saying this word in one day." Ishida sighed and adjust his glasses getting a laugh out of Ichigo.

"It's good, to see you again, Ishida…" Ichigo said after he stopped laughing which got a hum out of the boy that was standing near in from of him.

"We searched for you…" Ishida said which made Ichigo paused a little at that. "My grandfather and I… we searched alongside the river, some souls told us you used to walk near the riverbank from morning until night… you never were there." That made Ichigo look down and shrugs his shoulders. "It doesn't matter; really, it's good to know that you are fine after all this time." Ishida said which made Ichigo's lips twitch up. "So tell me, what trouble did you get yourself into this time?" Ishida asked as he looked at the Shinigami that were standing behind Ichigo looking at the pair in wonder.

Ichigo smiled at that a little. "Oh, you know, kicking people from their high horses." That made Ishida shakes his head with a smile and his eyes to glance at the… woman? Who looked at Ichigo with happy yet concern look, Ichigo followed Ishida's gaze and smiled a little. "I never introduce you to my friends…" Ichigo muttered which made Ishida look at the woman Ichigo pointed at. "This is Byakuya, he is my lover…" Ichigo said after Byakuya throw him a small glare when he stopped at his name, that made Ishida blink and mutter a 'He is a man…' under his breath, thankfully the only one who heard that was Ichigo or Byakuya would have killed the teen where he stands. "This is Toshiro, Rukia, Renji, and Kaien; this is Ai-Sensei our mentor." Ichigo finished making Ishida bow a little.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Ishida said and straighten himself, even if it wasn't a real pleasure for the teen to meet Shinigami, they at least were Ichigo's friends, Ichigo, the boy who stood for him when he used to get bullied, it was painful for Ishida hearing about Ichigo's death, it started one day when Ichigo didn't attend the school for a whole week, that ends with the boy going to Ichigo's house with a get well present, thinking that the boy got cold… it had shocked him greatly when he was told by the neighbors that Ichigo had was killed by his stepmother, after that Ishida had ran home crying, telling his grandpa about what happened, that time he was still young, and he really thought that he could find Ichigo's soul and ask his grandpa to bring him back, the older man had humored him that time, and they both searched for the boy until his grandpa told him that the Shinigami took him away.

"Say Ishida-San, you wouldn't tell people about us, would you?" Rukia asked which made the teen look at her with an amusing smile.

"With all respect Rukia-San, half of Karakura knows about your existence and the other half prefer to ignore you; I see no use of telling people that already know about you if you haven't noticed Karakura isn't like any other place out there." That made Rukia blink and look at Kaien and Ai-Sensei who were too calm; it didn't matter as, in the end, the rest of the Shinigami with them walked toward Ishida and start asking him about the human world.

The only one who was scowling through the whole thing was Inaba, but no one glanced at him, they were too busy asking the human boy about his world. "What's this on your wrist, didn't know humans men were as girly as to wear a bracelet?" Inaba sneers after he saw that this encounter was taking them a lot of his precious time.

That made Ichigo and Ishida look at the boy with cold eyes which made everyone flinch at the dark look Inaba was at the end of. "Is he supposed to be here? Or is he one of the wannabe nobles or one of their disgraced one, Ichigo?" Ishida asked darkly getting hum from the tall man beside him.

"Someone who shouldn't be here I will say, the latter, Ishida." Ichigo said coldly which made the rest of the students flinch thinking that Inaba was going to get kicked in the face for insulting the human, but Ichigo turns his head and looked at Ishida's hand to see a bracelet. "Oh, I see, it seemed like congratulation is in need." Ichigo said pointing at the bracelet when Ishida throws him a confused look.

"Ah, yes, I got it a few years ago after completing my training, my grandpa gave it to me after he…" at that he looked at Ichigo who raised his eyebrow at Ishida who seemed a little nervous. "Bought the clinic…" That made Ichigo's eyes widen a little and he hums a little at that nodding his head lost in his thoughts.

"I am sorry to interrupt you, young man, but unfortunately our time is short, maybe we can meet another time, and you can show us around if you don't mind that is?" Ai-Sensei said which made Ishida look at his watch and 'oh' at that.

"No, it's ok, it's getting late and I need to go, it was good to see you Ichigo, I hope you will drop by when you have time, grandpa will love to see you once again." Ishida said which made a smile appear on Ichigo's face as he remembered the kind old man who used to come and pick Ishida from school when they were young.

"I will try, I haven't seen that old man for a long time now, tell him I said 'Hi'" Ichigo said pulling Ishida in a hug, it made the teen hum and pull away five minutes later waving to Ichigo as he starts running in the direction of his house.

"He seems nice." Byakuya said looking at Ichigo with a small smile, this was the first time he saw Ichigo do something as being physical with someone that didn't mean hitting them, outside of their friends that is.

Ichigo gave a small smile as he remembered a few of his and Ishida's adventures when they were kids. "Yeah, his is nice…" the orange-haired man never thought that he will meet his one of the few friends he had after all of this years, and not only that, but his friend remembered him, it made a sad smile take over his face and he turned around nodding to Kaien and Ai-Sensei to continue with their tour…

It was nice remembering the past…

Happy New Year!

Hi everyone! Sorry for the late update but I didn't have enough motivation to write I was going to add a fight scene in there but then I was kinda like Nah, the chapter will be too long and I am already sleepy as it is.

As you read in this chapter, Ishida's grandfather didn't die when he was attacked by Hollows, for Ishida's dislike for the Shinigami, well, he is just tired of seeing them around every corner he takes, but he hates them less considering that Ichigo is now one of them.

And yes, Ichigo knows that Quincy exists, Ishida told him about them when he realized that Ichigo could see souls like him.

Read and Review.

And tell me what you think…

Nazaki-Sama