I want to thank wendou, darkmachines, taity, "Silly Guest" and "RG-Guest".

Oh, and to answer some of your points, RG: First off, I have some rough ideas in the works for Cirucci and Mosqueda, and you can also expect to see some of the Fraccions/Numeros down the line. Secondly, as an institution, I saw the Wandenreich as arrogant and bigoted, a bunch of jack-booted fascist. Though, as individuals, there might yet be some hope for them.

When it came to working out my endgame, I didn't want the Sternritter lingering as a potential threat in the minds of the readers- so they had to go. Ultimately though, I realized that I could make use of them in the process, as I needed a good action climax for the end of the first batch of chapters. And so, I was able to both remove them from the equation and subvert expectations- of both Halshwach and (some of) the readers.

TO FORGE A
BETTER TOMORROW

Chapter XXIX: "Strange Days"

Soul Society, Central Chamber...

The full Gotei Council, comprised of the Captains and Lieutenants of the Fourteen Elite Court Guard Divisions, were all seated at the head of in the building's large assembly hall. Before the officers, stood a number of Wardenreich Quincys, bound in shackles and their powers sealed.

Among their ranks was Meninas McAllon- her entire body trembling faintly and looking to be on the verge of tears at any moment- resembled something akin to a dog fearful of being put down. Following their ill-fated invasion of Karakura and the ensuing fallout, she'd ended up captured by Soul Society's forces while attempting to flee the city as panic had overtaken their numbers.

However, the reality of the situation was that the Shinigami weren't sure what to do with the Quincys now in their custody. All the prisoners had simultaneously lost their powers, and had posed little threat to their captors. The predicament had left them with no immediate course of action, so it was decided that they would be imprisoned, until such a time that a more long-term solution might later be found and implemented.

With their powers inexplicably gone, the Quincy were no more dangerous than regular humans. In the ensuing investigation, this phenomenon would be attributed to the mysterious individual later identified as "Crowley". This man and his associates had at first appeared to collaborating with the Wandenreich, only for it to be discovered that they were actively working against them.

Two individuals were confirmed to be working with Crowley, a male and female, identified as "Dario" and "Jinx" respectively. Dario himself had taken part in the abduction of Orihime Inoue, while Jinx had been involved in the attempted abduction of Chad Yasutora.

From to the testimonies of Orihime Inoue and Uryuu Ishida, Crowley had claimed to be able to 'negate' the powers and abilities of others. How he performed this feet was unknown, as was both the extent and range of the ability. However, the fact that every Quincy inside of the city had lost their powers implied that his power had encompassed a considerable portion of the city...

A fact which carried some rather troubling implications.

"Even when their powers do eventually return to them," Kensei started. "They won't pose any threat to us, as they'll be fully detained by then, with their powers sealed." He informed the other Captains as he joined them on the floor, as the Quincys were lead away.

"We need them alive, to answer our questions." Soifon commented. "Based on what little we do know, this 'Wandenreich' organization should be regarded as hostile and potentially extremely dangerous."

Lieutenant Zhaoshi appeared beside the small woman. "The Captain is correct, we cannot allow this to happen again." He insisted. "It's clear they bare no love for Soul Society and the Shinigami, as what we know indicates that their endgame was nothing less than a full-scale invasion of this realm."

Szayel nodded. "Indeed, their plans were shockingly inclusive. While they planned to enact some kind of 'revenge' upon you Shinigami, they also included the enslavement of my kind- to be used as cannon-fodder for their invasion." The Octavio grimly observed. "I can say now, with some certainty, that if the larger Arrancar population knew about this, they would be clamoring for war."

Ukitake regarded him for a moment. "Obberschank-san," he spoke as he turned to Nelliel. "Tell me, as a fellow Arrancar, are you in agreement with Granz-san's assessment of the situation?"

Nelliel seemed a little surprised at the question, but then nodded. "We've been exploited once before," she began. "Because we chose the wrong side." She replied solemnly. "Whatever else should come to pass, that kind of mistake can't be allowed to happen again- no matter what."

"I would like to think," Hitsugaya spoke suavely as he arrived. "That Soul Society would be opposed to mass-murder and slavery in principle, regardless of the details." He added with a slight smirk.

"That goes without saying." Shunsui interjected, disarmingly. "Everyone here in this room- Shinigami and Arrancar- have worked too hard and sacrificed too much to see everything we've accomplished go up in flames now." The tall swordsman went on, his tone serious. "The last thing we need right now is another cross-dimensional conflict endangering the realms."

"Agreed." Byakuya interjected. "We must act cautiously, if only to avoid internecine conflict."

"That's a lofty statement." Szayel replied. "I was under the impression that you didn't trust our kind."

Byakuya met his gaze. "I don't trust you." He replied pointedly. "However, I do trust Obberschank-san, enough at least to invest my money in her." The Kuchiki heir declared coolly.

Szayel only smiled at the sharp comment. "How very enlightened of you, Captain Kuchiki."

Kensei shook his head. "Lest we forget, the Shinigami and Arrancar have a mutual pressing concern yet to be addressed." The white-haired Vizard reminded them. "I believe the force that invaded Karakura was just a small fraction of the overall military strength of this 'Wandenreich'. As it stands... their momentum may have been blunted, but they're far from defeated."

"He's right." Shinji spoke up, nodding. "We've only faced a retreating spearhead." The gangely blonde continued. "As for their actual battle strategy, I don't believe the piecemeal infiltration of Karakura was part of their original plans." He offered. "Consider, for a moment, that these Quincy are extremely regimented and efficient, yet something happened that they hadn't accounted for."

The other Captains looked on intently as he continued. "I don't believe for a moment they expected the war with Las Noches to play out as it did. No, rather, they planned their entire strategy around the assumption that Soul Society would be too worn down from the recent war with Aizen and his forces to be able to mount an effective resistance against their invasion." Shinji elaborated. "And therein lies the fatal flaw in such inflexible reasoning: there's no allowance for variations within the plan."

"Unchecked arrogance will always be the greatest obstacle when it comes to effectively wielding true power in a meaningful way." Captain Komamaru offered.

"Don't forget about these 'Brethren' people." Toshiro reminded. "The Quincys' motives are obvious- revenge- but these other people, not so much." The young Captain went on. "Imagine the lengths they went to in order to gain the trust of the Wardenreich, only to then turn upon them."

Shunsui nodded thoughtfully. "The more I think about them, the more... troubling the concept of these 'Brethren' becomes." The scruffy-faced man commented. "The leader- this 'Crowley'- has the ability to totally negate the powers of others." He added. "That makes him extremely dangerous."

"Inoue-san's own account back up this ability of his." Kensei added. "According to her, the leader of the Quincy, Jugram Halshwach, was completely stripped of his powers... Such that when cornered, the man identified as 'Dario' was able to kill him- and with a common switchblade knife."

"Don't forget," Ukitake interjected. "That this Dario possesses some sort of mental ability. Inoue-san mentioned in her own statements that he exerted some kind of force over her, allowing him to directly influence her... almost as if by power of suggestion." The white-haired man added.

Szayel grinned, adjusting his glasses. "And lastly, of course, rounding off our long list of concerns... is the matter of the small rift in the fabric of reality." The pink-haired Arrancar remarked.

"One thing at a time." Byakuya replied calmly. "For the moment, that Armageddon can wait... Right now, the Quincy and these Brethren are our most pressing concern."

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

Karakura...

Ikumi looked up from her paperwork at the sound of the entry bell ringing downstairs, indicating that Ichigo had arrived at the shop. She closed her notebook and set it down on the desk, then got to her feet and made her way to the hall and the down the stairs.

The teenager registered her arrival in the front room, looking to her with the same glum expression that he sported the majority of the time. There was something about the young man that both interested and annoyed Ikumi, perhaps her instincts as a parent? And if her experience had taught her anything, it was that boys- regardless of their age- were very good at brooding.

"Ichigo." The woman began, smiling attractively. "As usual, your sunny presence brightens my day."

He gave a sour look, just as she'd expected. "Much better." Ikumi replied with a smile. "Now, come on, I was just about to re-open the shop anyway. You can help me."

Later, as the two finished cleaning up, Ichigo left the front room of the shop to head for the back, only to later return- where he found Ikumi casually speaking with someone. Judging by the smile on her face and her general demeanor, he could only assume he was a customer.

The customer, a man, was at least as tall as Ichigo. He had collar-length dark brown hair, parted on the side, with dark eyebrows above brown eyes, and a full beard. He was dressed in a pair of black trousers and shoes, as well as black suspenders over a white shirt (with the collar undone). He smiled subtly at Ikumi as they finished their conversation, then nodded to her.

"Thank you, Unagiya-san." He started. "I look forward to doing business with you in the future." The bearded man declared politely, before turning toward the door. It was at this time that the orange-haired teen reached the foot of the stairs that linked the upper and lower floors...

Just as he turned to the door, he paused and looked over his shoulder, toward Ichigo, giving him a nod as his brown eyes met the teen's, before taking his leave of the shop.

"Ikumi-san," Ichigo began, gaining her attention. "That man you were talking to... who was he?"

She regarded him for a moment, briefly surprised by his sudden curiosity, but quickly shook it off and chalked it up to him finally opening up. "Oh, his name is Koroi. The company he works for hired us to transport some crates of electrical equipment from the docks to their office. He said they sent him over to make sure the details were all worked out." Ikumi explained.

After a moment, Ichigo just nodded, seemingly satisfied with the explanation, before wordlessly going back to work without any further comment.

Briefly perplexed, Ikumi shrugged it off, just shaking her head before also returning to work.

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

Division Four HQ...

Retsu was seated behind her desk in her office, situated within the heart of the Fourth.

As of recently, her full name had been listed as "Retsu Unohana" in the registry. However, in light of her recent pregnancy, in which she became the mother of the next head of the illustrious Ukitake family and the future Matriarch of the clan following the birth of her and Jushiro's child.

When Jushiro, her longtime lover, had proposed to her, she'd accepted... Though, with the proviso that she retain her own name in public. Always the diplomatic sort, the white-haired man had agreed to this and later presented her with a golden band that symbolized their bond. His thoughtful and gentle nature were just some of the things that had allowed her to fall in love with him.

However, once Retsu realized that she was carrying the other Captain's child, she knew that things were bound to change. Were it only the two of them, matters such use of family names would have remained a secondary consideration for them. However, now that there was a third life in the mix to consider... a child, their child. Well, that changed things. But there was more to consider. And given the pedigree of the small but growing life within her, the woman knew there were larger considerations... Chiefly, that she carried more than just a child, but rather she carried an heir.

She didn't resent the situation... Far from it. In fact she couldn't imagine spending her life with anyone other than Jushiro. And while she could hardly be considered as "old", Retsu had lived long enough as a Soul that the prospect of parenthood seemed such an alien concept to her. And yet, she wasn't scared of the prospect of being a mother, nor even the uncertainty that came with it.

Retsu knew from her own experiences that Jushiro would make a superb father. He possessed all the necessary skills: he was kind, caring, and understanding. Further proof of this had come in the form of his relationship with the young female Arrancar Lillynette, who he treated like a daughter, with the girl similarly viewing him as a much welcome (likely needed) father figure.

No, any lingering doubts she felt over the matter where in regard to herself. She'd existed as a Soul for nearly seven hundred and fifty years. And she'd spent much of that time serving in the Fourth Division for much of that time, including in the role of captain for nearly three centuries. Unlike Jushiro, who'd been born into a large family with lots of relations- both immediate and extended- Retsu had been on her own for much of her long life, with only scant memories of her parents.

Once it had been learned that she possessed a strong amount of spiritual energy, the dark-haired woman had devoted the majority of her time and energy to her duties as a Shinigami. Retsu wasn't sure whether it was ironic or fitting that the healing nature of her abilities predisposed her to a largely nurturing role. But then, she recalled how her 'father' had once told her that the ability to recreate and restore was far more important the power to destroy or unmake...

She'd been adopted by the Unohana clan at a young age, who's main claim was a distant relation to the Spirit King. And their relation was less than that of other families, such as the Ukitake or the Kyoraku, but any measure of shared blood- no matter how minute- was significant. Without a strong blood link, a family had to be shrewd in how it expanded, so then perhaps her father had sensed something powerful within her from the start, something that would allow her to distinguish herself.

However, perhaps most of all, was that as a result of all the little things that had helped to shape her life into the form it had taken was that she'd met Jushiro as a result. And as she reflected on their time spent together, she smiled at the thought that it was fated... But then, how could she not end up loving a man like Jushiro Ukitake, who embodied everything she admired.

And the knowledge that he would be there with her, at her side for the entirety of the experience, gave her enough added confidence to fortify her resolve in the face of parenthood. Especially knowing that she wouldn't be alone during this crucial life-changing event.

She smiled thoughtfully. "And now," she thought to herself. "I have an appointment to keep."

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

The Living Realm...

Crowley gave a muffled grunt as he eased into the antique leather armchair. Nearby, a vinyl 38 record rotated to life on a phonograph-style player, filling the room with the sound of Claude Debussy's Clair de Lune, the hauntingly sweet melody swiftly engulfing the room and putting him at ease...

The man, concealed behind layers of bandages and worn clothing, let out a sigh and allowed himself a moment to simply drift as the music reverberated around him in the dusty room. It was a much needed reprieve, in light of recent events, and sadly- his instinct told him- would soon become a luxury he scarcely afford in the days still to come. Crowley payed no heed to Dario as the unkempt man ventured into the room, offering no comment as he silently removed the stopper from the dusty crystal-cut decanter.

Dario paused, allowing the aged bourbon a moment to 'breath' through the narrow neck, before he went about filling up two small glasses with the amber liquid. He held a glass up, the lines of the glass-work catching the light, then smiled as he took a moment to enjoy the aroma. "I'm not here to lecture you, I'd never be so presumptuous." He began evenly, depositing one of the glasses down on the wooden stand beside the seated figure. "You know what's at stake, and you know your limits..."

He paused to take a sip from the glass, the aged liquor smokey and hot upon his pallet. "Just as I'm sure you... appreciate your significance to what we're doing." Dario continued, watching as Crowley looked over to the glass, before retrieving it. "You still have a part to play." He added simply.

After a moment, the masked man nodded. The hooded man then straightened himself up. He held the glass aloft, clutched in his bandaged hand, seemingly gazing at it through the blackness of the visor that further enshrouded the upper half of his face. "You needn't worry about me." He replied, bringing the glass forward and somehow imbibing through the bandages. "I don't leave my work half-finished."

He set the glass back down, exhaling before continuing. "And while the days ahead grow short for me, I still fully intend to see my work to completion..." Crowley paused. "Not least of which, being settling affairs with the Wandenreich." He gave a raspy chuckle at this. "After all that's happened, I expect that they are eagerly awaiting a proper explanation of events."

He became silent, before going on. "See that the others are ready."

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

Karakura...

It had been several months since the conclusion of the Winter War... Aizen, along with his ambitions, had been stopped, thanks to a risky (and ultimately costly) Hale Mary attack by Ichigo Kurosaki. And with the defeat of the traitor, came an unlikely peace between the Arrancar and Shinigami.

With their respective leaders- both of them aggressive hardliners- gone, the two sides suddenly found themselves confronted with an unknown situation. However, thanks to some quick thinking on the part of a handful of people from both sides, any further conflict was averted. The sudden halt in the fighting allowed the combatants look at the new situation more objectively.

To the surprise and amusement of many, the normally lethargic Primera Espada Stark had emerged as a key voice for his kind (that is, when he was awake). He, along with the Tersera Espada Tia Halibell and her three Fraccions, as well as Ggio Vega and others opted to remain in the Soul Realm, soon becoming common fixtures in and around Soul Society.

Similarly, several key figures emerged from the ranks of the Shinigami, as voices for coexistence with the Arrancar. Chief among them, was Captain Ukitake of the Thirteenth- who had developed a rapport with Stark and his counterpart Lillynette Gingerback. Among the others, included Captain Kuchiki of the Sixth, who lent his voice in support of peace- as well the creation of an integrated force to further diplomatic relations between the soon-to-be allied races.

And as things gradually normalized in the Soul Realm, so to did they in the Living Realm.

Not long ago, Orihime began her second year in High School, along with the rest of her friends, as well as Ulquiorra- who, it seemed, was slowly becoming a regular presence amongst them. The redhead was grateful that her friends had been as accepting of Ulquiorra's presence and their relationship as they had been, even if that acceptance had come somewhat reluctantly.

Surprisingly, Tatsuki appeared to be backing off somewhat in her concerns over Ulquiorra in the wake the attack on the apartment- in which she had been left badly injured and Orihime abducted.

She'd been curious about this development, but Tatsuki had declined to go into detail on the matter, and Ulquiorra had opted to defer to her, only saying that it wasn't his place to speak for her. Ultimately, she was just grateful for the easing of tensions between the two people who mattered most to her. After all, she didn't want to ever have to chose between her best friend since childhood and her boyfriend/mate.

The redheaded teen had been further surprised when she learned from Ishida-kun that Tatsuki had approached him in the hopes of improving her spiritual awareness, in order to avoid being caught so unawares as she had been. Confirmation of this came when the dark-haired young had approached Orihime to ask for her input (and possibly, her help as well), leaving her to ponder over this...

With that thought, Orihime finished buttoning up her gray blazer and picked up her book bag, meeting Ulquiorra near front door, the disguised Cuatro Espada looking in the small mirror mounted on the wall as he adjusted the knot in his striped school tie. He turned to her, his green eyes meeting her brown.

They exchanged nods, before heading out the door, Ulquiorra briefly pausing to make sure to properly lock the doorknob and the deadbolt before leaving the apartment.

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

Division Twelve, Prenatal Care...

Unohana allowed herself to relax in the large chair, while Nemu quietly went about her work, setting up everything needed to collect a blood sample.

At this point, Retsu was not quite three months along, but she was showing, even if it was to a degree that the untrained eye would miss. In less than a month, things would start becoming obvious to pretty much any one... And that, she figured, would be when thing would truly get interesting for both herself and Jushiro- as the child's father. But then, it was always going to have to become public knowledge at some point, seeing as how she'd eventually have to be fully excused for maternity leave.

She'd already provided them with a urine sample, so her blood was the only thing left to be collected at this point. The purple-haired Lieutenant held up the clean syringe aloft, the light glinting off the smooth glass as she checked it one last time with her dark green eyes.

"Captain, Szayel-sama told me to inform you that the monitoring equipment will soon be functional and ready for use." Nemu explained evenly as she inserted the needle into the older woman's arm and began to calmly draw blood from her at a slow even rate. "He's quite excited at the chance to put this technology to practical use in monitoring the growth of your child." She added as she finished.

Nemu then withdrew the needle and capped it off. "I must say, Captain, that even I am experiencing some measure of excitement at the idea, to be part of this experience."

Retsu nodded, smiling softly. "Yes, it certainly is going to be an 'experience', I imagine."

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

The next day, after school let out...

As soon as the final bell had sounded, Ichigo had wasted no time as he left the grounds and made his way to work at Unagiya Services. The orange-haired teen, now almost seventeen years old, wasn't sure why he kept coming back to this job... well, aside from the fact that Ikumi would likely just go out and kidnap him again if he failed to show up for work.

And he didn't particularly relish the idea of being hogtied with duct tape and thrown into the back of her van again. Aside from that, Ichigo realized that even without his powers, he was strong enough to resist the older woman, so it wasn't as if he didn't have choices. And yet... Well, perhaps he continued to work at the shop because it provided him with a constant in his life that he needed, that he'd been lacking since he'd lost his spiritual powers and became blind to the supernatural.

However, his inner musing were suddenly interrupted when he heard someone call out to him, stopping the teenager in his tracks. Ichigo turned to see a tall man- dressed in black leather motorcycle pants and a metal-studded black leather jacket. He was brandishing a length of chain in his hands.

The sound of footsteps alerted Ichigo to additional presences, as yet more people appeared: the first of them wore a bandanna across his brow, and was clad in a pair of camouflage pants and a white shirt, and held an aluminum bat in his gloved hands. Another man, this one wearing a baseball cap, gave a flick of his wrist- causing the riot baton in his hand to fully extend. Both men grinned at the teen.

Unsure of what to do, Ichigo quickly started backing up from them, only to be alerted to more arrivals, including a man in a long black overcoat, with long dark brown hair and tinted glasses. He held a strange-looking knife in each hand (covered by fingerless gloves).

There were several others, but they seemed to all blur together as his unease worsened. Ichigo had been in a number of serious fights before, often outnumbers, but what made things different for him was the way they all brandished the assorted blades, bludgeoning instruments, and other weapons... As well as their body language as they closed in, almost like they were hunting him!

One of them then made a move for him, the crowbar in his hand narrowly missing Ichigo's head as he evaded him. He turned to run, only to end up tripping over an overturned trashcan, before managing to get back onto his feet and resume his flight. He had no idea where he was headed, only a vague sense that he needed to get away from these people, whoever they were.

Ichigo turned a corner, into an alley, arriving at a shabby-looking fence, which he hopped and managed to scramble over it, falling unceremoniously onto the rough gravel below. He made his way across the empty lot, only to run into some of his pursuers as he turned around the corner of an old building, even as others climbed the same fence he'd scaled in their pursuit of him.

Unsure of what else to do, he started withdrawing from them... only to be jabbed with something in the back, then scream as he felt his body flooded with electricity. Ichigo cried out, staggering forward into the arms of one of the men before him- the one in black leather with the chain.

"This just isn't your day, kid." He commented, before punching Ichigo in the gut. The blow staggered him, allowing two of the men to get hold of his arms, twisting them so that he couldn't struggle against their grip, as the man moved in and backhanded him- the metal studs on his gloves drawing blood from his battered lip as he made contact with his face.

He then delivered another blow to the teen's face with the other hand, this time cutting his cheek with the hard knuckle of his hand. Someone behind Ichigo kicked him in the back of his knee, dropping him down onto his knees, while the two men maintained their vice-grips on him.

"This is it kid, welcome to the jungle." He added, stepping back from him in time for another guy- this one sporting what the teen recognized as a pair of brass knuckles gleaning on his fist, punched Ichigo hard in the stomach, laughing at him as he hacked and gasped for breath.

Then the guy in the long black coat and dark glasses stepped forward, motioning to the others to lift him back onto his feet. He stepped forward, a blade in his hand. With his free hand, he gripped Ichigo roughly by the hair and tilted his face upward, bringing the blade toward his face.

Just then, Ichigo spat at him, a crimson barrage hitting the man in the face. He screeched and stumbled back from the battered teen. Somehow, Ichigo managed to drive his elbow into one of the men holding him, before throwing the other one to the ground.

Despite his injuries, he knew that his only chance was to get the hell away from these people as fast as he could- to put as much distance between himself and them he possibly could!

And somehow, he ended up staggering onto one of the streets that lead to the intersecting corner where Ikumi's shop was. And then, for some strange reason, Ichigo had the inexplicable urge to make a b-line directly there, that he'd be safe inside the shop somehow...

Ichigo, his mind a haze, collided with Ikumi just outside the shop. Startled, the woman turned to yell at the teen, only for her annoyance to shift to horror at the sight of the battered and bloodied youth before her, gasping for breath. "Oh my god, Ichigo!" She exclaimed. "Q- Quick, inside the shop!" She barked at him frantically, all business and fully in 'mom mode' as she helped him inside.

His pursuers were close behind him...

So close, in fact, that when they reached the sidewalk, they could see Ichigo in the distance- a woman helping him to enter a nearby shop. However, before they could resume their pursuit, a voice called out to them, declaring "that's enough, you guys, break off the chase."

They turned around to see Dario. His hood was drawn up, leaving his face partially obscured by the shadow it cast, and his hands were tucked into the pockets of his hoodie. "I think you put him through more than enough for today." He remarked calmly with a smile. "Remember, the woman isn't part of the plan, and it would only complicate matters." The hooded man explained.

Dario then paused, taking out his pack of cigarettes. "Remember, whenever possible, bystanders are not to be involved in what we're doing." He explained as he removed a cig from the pack. "Just stick to the plan, like you were told, and everything will work out fine." The man finished as he lit up.

"Come on, let's go, we've still got work to do."

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

Ikumi brought Ichigo up into her office and deposited him onto the couch. She frowned as she looked down at the battered teen over. "Holy crap, Ichigo... You- you look horrible!" She exclaimed. "Just what the hell happened to you out there?" She asked, eyes wide in disbelief.

The teen met her gaze, before finally relenting. "A lot of things," he began dourly. "About a dozen of so things, in fact, and all of 'em packing blunt objects to use on me." Ichigo elaborated dully, before he let out a groan as the rush of adrenaline that had carried him to this point rapidly began to subside. His injuries now throbbed painfully, and there was the telltale coppery taste of blood in his mouth.

After a bit of cajoling, combined with some tried-and-true motherly glares mixed in for good measure, Ichigo caved, removing his school jacket and white shirt. The gray Karakura blazer was scuffed and marred with dirt and dust, while his dress shirt sported small crimson splotches in a few places.

About twenty minutes later, Ichigo was still on the couch as Ikumi tended to his injuries. Occasionally, the silence was broken by a grunt or hiss from the young man.

Ikumi rolled her eyes. "Oh come on." She replied as she dabbed a peroxide-soaked swab across the cut on his cheek. "A big strong man like your shouldn't be wining so much." The woman added with a faint smile as she moved to clean the cut on his temple with the sterilized swab.

"Hey, I- ow!- I'm not wining." Ichigo protested. "I've been- ah!- hurt way worse than this..." The teen continued, only to stop himself before he said too much.

"Maybe so..." Ikumi replied idly, rising to her feet and capping the bottle. "But high schoolers don't normally fight like this." The woman continued as she retrieved bandages and sterile band-aids from a small box on her desk. "Teenage brawls don't usually include having the shit beaten out you like this, unless your opponent is playing for keeps, and wants you sent to the hospital, or... dead."

Ichigo grunted (under his breath) as she placed large sterile pads over two darkening purple bruises on his midsection, which she then wrapped up snugly with bandages.

"So who were they anyway?" She asked. "The ones who did this to you?"

"No idea." Ichigo replied, followed by a grunt. "They weren't wearing uniforms, and they didn't look like students..." He went on. "They, uh, they looked more like gang members, except... that they were all dressed differently, in a lot of weird clothing."

"Weird?" Ikumi repeated. "In what way?" She asked the youth, while placing a narrow band-aid across his swollen cheek, and another over his eyebrow on the other side.

"Lot's of 'Punk' and Rock stuff..." He began. "Some had old band t-shirts on, some of them wore boots, and jeans, or camouflage pants and army boots..." Ichigo recounted. "One of the guys was wearing a lot of black leather- like a biker- and another had this long black coat on." The teen recalled.

Ikumi nodded. "From what you've told me, this whole situation sound pretty strange." She remarked as she saw to his injuries. "I had no idea that punk-rock was coming back in style." She added mentally.

"You're good at this... Ikumi-san." Ichigo commented, his tone devoid of the usual glumness that she'd come to expect over time from the dour teen in her employ.

She looked to him, smiling gently, before returning to the task at hand. "Yes, well, one of the things you learn pretty fast as the mother of a young boy is how to take care of all sorts of injuries." She explained as she finished cleaning his injuries and patching him up. "Comes with the territory."

Ichigo watched as she turned around, closing the box and moving to place it back in the nearby closet, then got to his feet. Before he knew what was happening, a blur of white material suddenly came flying at him, which he discovered to be a large t-shirt with the shop's name scrolled across the front. He gave a look of confusion, which prompted an amused look from the woman.

"I put your your jacket and shirt into the wash." Ikumi spoke. "You must of not had a chance to stop by your house, since you're still in your school uniform." She continued, earning a nod from him. "So you can wear that for today... I figure your clothes should be cleaned and dry by the end of your shift."

Understanding dawned on Ichigo, as he was briefly struck by the memory of seeing Renji in his Gigai, clad in a 'Shop Urahara' t-shirt and apron while holding a broom. At this, he just nodded and slipped the shirt over his broad frame. "Why do you have a shirt in my size?"

Ikumi frowned, annoyed at his lack of comprehension, before shaking it off. "It's for my employees to wear while working, so I have them in lots of sizes." She pointed out.

"But you don't have any other employees." Ichigo countered.

"That's beside the point." Ikumi fired back, gesturing for him to follow her. "Now come on, Ichigo, it's just about time for your shift to begin." She announced with a smile.

(- End of Chapter XXIX... -)

This chapter took a looot longer to get ready than I expected, partly because I had to incorporate some new details- in light of the feedback I received for the previous chapter- in addition to the editing/touch-ups I needed to do in order to get this ready for posting. Anyway, I hope that the combination of my remarks in the intro, and the chapter itself, helped to answer some of your lingering questions.