Chapter Fifth-Teen: Truth & Mistakes

*Urahara's Shop*

It had been a few days after the attack by the Arrancar in the park. Soul Society sent a response force to help with the sudden new threat in Karakura. Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya, Rangiku Matsumoto, Ikkaku Madarame, Yumichika Ayasegawa, Renji Abari and Rukia Kuchiki. They were currently gathered at Urahara's shop along with Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, and Uryu. Though the Quincy was currently powerless, he felt a need to hear all that happened. To help with any strategizing. While he cared little for soul reapers excluding Ichigo and to a degree Rukia. The mess with Aizen was something that affected everyone regardless of what they were. Thus he felt compelled to help however he could no matter how little it was.

"So what exactly happened?" Asked Hitsugaya

"Well," Orihime began "Chad and I was near the park when we suddenly felt a massive surge of hollow energy. We hurried to the park and found practically everyone who wasn't spiritually aware unconscious. We saw Tatsuki standing next to one of the Arrancar in conversation with it. We quickly hurried over and told her to get away from it. As we approached the Arrancar called out our names, we weren't sure how it knew us. Only after we stopped to get a closer look at the Arrancar did we realize who it was. It was someone we thought had gone away a long time ago, Yoshiro Abe." She finished with a somber tone.

Toshiro and Rangiku had sudden looks of shock on their faces.

"Are you sure?" asked Toshiro

"Yes," replied Orihime "there was no mistaking it was him, but he was changed he was no longer human, he was an Arrancar. He had the mask fragment of a hollow on his face and then he showed us his hollow hole." Orihime paused for a moment before continuing. "We didn't want to believe it even after what we saw but then… but then he opened his mouth. When he did the roar that could only belong to a hollow came from it."

"When I arrived" Ichigo began to explain his side of things. "I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing. Someone I once knew thought to be long gone under mysterious circumstances. Suddenly returned and not even human anymore. I questioned him myself to confirm what I was thinking, and I was right. Then I noticed the damage he had done, I called him out on it. He admitted to it all and then explained he was on orders from Aizen to fight me. I refused at first but then he threatened to shoot a cero into town if I didn't. I had no choice than but to fight him."

"How'd that go?" Ikkaku chimed

"It was as one-sided as it could be. I couldn't hit with any of my moves, and he easily kicked me around. I've never felt so easily outclassed in my whole life. He smacked me around like I was nothing. He even let me charge my Getsuga Tensho to its full power and let me hit him with it. It didn't do a damn thing other than rip up his vest, not even so much as a scratch on him. After he beat me down further he said something interesting to me. He told me I needed to become stronger to ensure I and others survived by the end of all this. Because if I didn't then everyone I knew was going to die as a result. After that, my inner hollow took over me for a moment."

"Did your inner hollow fair any better?" Toshiro questioned knowing the damage it did to Byakuya while controlling Ichigo.

Ichigo gripped his fist in frustration over the fact he let the beast within take control, but he continued his tale. "My inner hollow got smacked around just as easily. Long story short, Yoshiro's power sits well above most others. Even you and the other captains, excluding the oldest of them and Zaraki. Would all struggle against him in a fight."

Toshiro sat there in deep thought trying to make sense of things. Yoshiro had only been killed a few years ago. While the rate at which hollows grew varied wildly between hollows. For him to grow so much power in such a short time by soul standards didn't add up

"None of this is good," Hitsugaya spoke in concern. "I don't know he could have grown into such a powerful so quickly. It hasn't been that long since Grand Fisher killed him."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at that last remark. "Toshiro what do you know about what happened to Yoshiro?" The substitute said in an accusing tone.

The young captain and Rangiku shared uneasy looks with each other. That had come to learn rather quickly feelings about those he cared about. They knew he would be upset with them should he learn the truth. Kisuke had been quiet this whole time sitting next to Yoruichi. Decided to finally speak up for once. "Captain Hitsugaya, you might as well tell the truth. It will come out sooner or later and trying to hide it will only make it more damaging."

Toshiro sighed and knew the shopkeeper was right. He locked his eyes directly with Ichigo's. "I shall explain all that I can," Toshiro spoke as she then explained what had happened that day. Once he was finished he studied Ichigo to gauge his reaction.

Ichigo was feeling a multitude of emotions, mainly surprise, sadness, and anger. "Now it all makes sense what happened that day," Ichigo spoke up through gritted teeth. "That's why Yoshiro suddenly took off. He felt your arrival in Karakura and left in hurry. Wanted to avoid me and everyone at home being caught up in what could happen. He, He was protecting me in the only way he could. Then you cornered him by the river and then Fisher grabbed him and left before anyone could really react. This Grand Fisher is someone I need to take care of too if possible."

"Yoshiro wouldn't be the first person that hollow has killed in Karakura. The previous time it happened some years I discovered digging through old reports. Ironically I suppose it was by that river almost at the exact same spot. The report didn't give a name on the victim, only that it was an adult woman and the attack happened on a rainy day." Toshiro elaborated.

Everyone suddenly noticed that Ichigo's mood soured greatly. His fists were gripped tightly to the point his knuckles were going white. "I can tell you the name of the victim." He spat through gritted teeth. "Her name was Masaki Kurosaki and she was my mother. I'm gonna find this Grand Fisher. I'm gonna kill him and free my mother's soul." A fire raged in Ichigo's eyes that took everyone by surprise. Those close enough to him knew how he felt about his mother over the years. He had blamed himself now to find out a hollow was the culprit. They couldn't help but feel some worry about what he would do.

"There's something I've been trying to figure out too." Toshiro chimed in wanting to shift the conversation back to the here and now. While he could sympathize with Ichigo, they had pressing matters to address. "Why was he protecting a hollow, to begin with. Yoshiro had purposely misled us from finding it before. But why would someone who was human at the time? Risk so much for something like a hollow?"

"I can answer that." Kisuke cut in all eyes turning to him and the shopkeeper focused on the teenagers. "You all excluding Uryu here, actually know her much better than you think. Though when you interacted with her you wouldn't have been able to see she was in fact a hollow. Seeing how she was in one of my specially made gigai's."

The teens didn't quite understand at first what Kisuke was getting at. But then it all hit them like a ton of bricks when it finally did. "You're talking about Apacci aren't you?" Chad surprisingly enough spoke first and received a nod from the former Captain.

"There's more to this Apacci besides her being a hollow in disguise?" Renji questioned seeing the shocked faces on the teens.

"She was Yoshiro's girlfriend," Orihime answered causing the gathered soul reapers excluding Kisuke and Yoruichi. As well as Uryu to be rather shocked by that revelation. The whole notion of someone being in love with a hollow. Went against a great deal of what they were taught.

"I remember being around Apacci back then. She was so nice, so fun to be around. She seemed so human, it's hard to believe she was actually a hollow the whole time." Orihime stated in some confusion. Trying to wrap her head around that info.

"Though it does explain why Apacci disappeared as soon as Yoshiro did. With him gone she had no real reason to keep hanging around Karakura." Chad added

"I remember when my family first met her. It's like Orihime said, she seemed perfectly human. Nothing out of the ordinary, my sisters and I got along great with her." Ichigo spoke up

"Apacci showed to be rather unusual for a hollow, by the simple fact she didn't act that much like you'd expect a hollow too." Kisuke put into the conversation. "Granted, the same could be said for the pack she ran with. All four of them were that way in truth."

"You provided more gigai's for hollows didn't you." Rukia cut in with an accusing tone.

The former captain just shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "It was a necessary precaution, all four of them were Vasto Lordes after all." The jaws of everyone who hadn't known that info beforehand dropped. The human teens gathered had been told about the hierarchy of hollows earlier by Toshiro. "If they had been detected by the Gotei, it would have taken most of the captains to fight them. I don't think I need to explain how much of a wreck Karakura would be left in from such an engagement? One more thing worth noting, the leader of the pack was a woman by the name of Tia Halibel."

Ichigo's eyebrows shot up in surprise, he recognized that name. "That's the name of Yoshiro's mother." After receiving a nod of confirmation from the shopkeeper. The substitute gave a sigh of exasperation at how insanely complicated it was all quickly becoming. "Kisuke, be straight up with me here, what do you think Yoshiro's angle is? Even as much as he's changed, he still seems very much like the person I grew up around. Though the Yoshiro I know would never willingly work for someone as nuts as Aizen."

Kisuke thought from behind his fan for a moment gathering his thoughts before finally speaking. "I agree with you and both accounts there. In fact, I'd wager he's working with Aizen reluctantly and probably outright distrustful of the man. Then I can assume Yoshiro's other loved ones are also under Aizen. Which means he can't do anything actively against him without said loved being threatened. Yoshiro must also believe that Aizen is too powerful to be stopped. Not to mention turning against him would seem like suicide. He's helping Aizen as a means to ensure he keeps alive those he cares about both in Hueco Mundo and the living world. Which is most likely why he gave you that warning as he smacked you silly. Yoshiro anticipates Aizen winning all of this. He wants you to get strong enough so that once the dust finally settles. You'd be able to help keep the people you and him care about here alive. Though he could have other plans of his own to help achieve that. Whatever those could be I don't know."

All was quiet for a few minutes as all the info was processed. Finally, it was Toshiro that broke the silence. "I'll need to make a report of all this right away for the Head-Captain. For now, we just need to keep preparing and remain vigilant for Aizen's next move."

"Then it seems I need to find a way to restore my Quincy powers," Uryu announced as he stood up to leave. The others soon followed and left the shop to their respective destinations. Uryu for his part didn't go home but headed straight to his father's hospital. While they had their differences, he knew his father was the only one who could restore his powers. Entering the hospital and making his way to where his father's office was. He stopped in front of the door and knocked.

"Who is it?" Was the curt reply from his father.

"Ryuken it's me. We need to talk." The younger Quincy spoke up.

"So we do, come in Uryu." With that Uryu walked into the office to see his father behind his desk. "Your timing is right on point son."

Uryu suddenly noticed someone else in the room, sitting in a chair in front of his father's desk. She looked like a young adult woman with turquoise eyes, red oval glasses, and long black hair. Her hair had bangs in the front and she kept the back in a braided ponytail. She was simple blue tennis shoes, tight-fitting jeans, and a white long-sleeved shirt. What struck the young Quincy as very odd, was the weird sense he should somehow know her. Despite the fact he knew had never met the woman before.

"Don't worry Uryu she knows about what's going on. In fact, we were just discussing you. Knowing you would seek some way to regain your powers." Ryuken spoke up to clarify things.

"And just who are you by chance?" Uryu asked looking at the woman. "You don't seem to be another Quincy?"

"That's because I'm not." She replied standing and facing Uryu directly. "I'm Lisa Yadōmaru and I'm a Visored, a soul reaper with hollow powers. Just like your friend Ichigo Kurosaki."

"I didn't know you bothered with soul reapers Ryuken?" Uryu quickly questioned before focusing back on the woman. "No offense but I don't see how you can help me?" He was trying to wrap his head around the fact there were others like Ichigo.

"I can help potentially Uryu." Lisa calmly replied "You've had certain things hidden from you all this time. There's so much more to you than you know."

Uryu narrowed his eyes in suspicion at that. "What is that supposed to mean exactly?"

Lisa's expression turned somber before she replied in a subdued tone after a few moments. "The truth of the matter is Uryu, Kanae Katagiri wasn't your real mother. I am and your part soul reaper and hollow as a result instead of being only a Quincy."

Uryu's eyes widened at that and took a step back, he couldn't believe it. He shot a glance towards his father as if to confirm what was just stated in fact true. Ryuken looked at his son understanding how much of a shock this must be. He closed his eyes and sighed before opening them. Looking at his son with an almost regretful expression. He spoke three words that would make Uryu's world as he knew it come crashing down.

"It's all true."

*Las Noches*

It had been some time since the mission to Karakura. Nothing new had yet to take place just yet but Aizen had assured them all, everything was going according to plan. Yoshiro understood it well enough, while he didn't care that much for Aizen. He knew he was easily the smartest person around of not of all time, not to mention he had been planning this takeover of soul society for far longer than Yoshiro himself had been alive. Who was he to really question his plans for all this? Sadly not everyone saw it that way, some were a little upset they didn't finish certain jobs in their eyes. That, someone, was a certain blue-haired Arrancar. Grimmjow and Yoshiro were having a talk in Yoshiro's section of Las Noches.

"You should have killed Kurosaki, Yoshiro," Grimmjow said with aggravation.

"How many times must I tell you that Aizen only wanted him tested and nothing more." Yoshiro retorted.

"You sure you're not going soft? I saw how the mission went you were hesitant to kill anyone." The panther Arrancar spoke.

"My orders were to find Ichigo and test him, not go on a mad killing spree. Presides what would the point of doing such a thing be anyways. Just prove to everyone that hollows even as Arrancar are just mindless monsters that seek to only kill? Replied the blond Arrancar.

"I think you're just using that as an excuse to justify not hurting any of the people you once knew back in Karakura when you were still human." Grimmjow retorted

"Well shit Grimmjow, what do you want from me? I only spent most of my existence in Karakura. Forgive me about wanting to not wreck the place."

"You need to start letting yourself act more like a proper Arrancar. You're not human anymore dammit, so stop trying to act like it so much and just forget about your connections to that place and everyone attached to it!" The blue-haired Arrancar yelled.

Now Yoshiro was getting pissed, while Grimmjow was a friend. He had a hard time seeing things from a non-violent perspective. "You think I don't wish I could forget Grimmjow!? I wish I could have just forgotten every fucking thing from back then outside of my memories with Apacci! It would make dealing with this whole god damn situation a whole lot fucking easier!" Yoshiro yelled right back. "You know I've had my issues coming to terms with all the shit happening and where it's meant to lead.

"Look," Yoshiro said more calmly "I wish this whole thing was as easy as it was for me back when it was just traveling around Hueco Mundo. It was a lot simpler time then, but it's just not anymore. At least not for me anyway, I won't hesitate to fight and kill soul reapers but the people who I once knew and still live in Karakura are a completely different story."

Grimmjow heard these words and went quiet for a moment in thought. Then he calmly spoke. "I think I get now." That was all he said, while suddenly having a look in his eyes of someone who had an idea of something. This didn't escape Yoshiro, he knew Grimmjow long enough to know what such a look from his friend meant. He was going to do something that probably fell into the lines of stupid and reckless. Yoshiro grabbed his friend by the shoulder to stop him as he tried to turn away.

"Grimm whatever it is your planning on doing, don't," Yoshiro said in concern.

"Relax man, I know what I'm doing here."

Yoshiro turned his friend around, so they were facing each other, and pulled off his sunglasses. Yoshiro put his hands around Grimmjow's head and brought the heads close enough together to where their foreheads were touching.

"Grimmjow," The Quinta spoke with calm seriousness looking directly into his friend's eyes. "I know you well enough to have a pretty good idea what it is your thinking. Please don't do something rash and short-sighted, things are different now. It's not like it was when we were roaming around Hueco Mundo. There are going to be problems with doing such things now. Problems and consequences that could affect more than just you. So please reconsider what you're thinking, I'm asking you here as your friend."

Grimmjow was silent for a moment looking at his friend he just replied calmly. "Ok, I'll think about it a bit more. So don't worry so much about it alright?" With that, the panther Arrancar broke from his friend's grasp and walked away. Yoshiro just watched him walk away with a concerned look on his face hoping his words had gotten through to him. He could've forced Grimmjow in all honesty. But he wanted to have trust in his friend hopefully, that trust wouldn't be burned.

*Karakura that night*

It was a peaceful night at the moment in Karakura, that was about to change as a Garganta opened up in the sky. Grimmjow and all his fraccion appeared in the sky.

"Ok," spoke Grimmjow "reach out and look for anyone with spiritual pressure. When you do, find them and kill them, simple as that."

His fraccion simply nodded and began their search. Grimmjow reached out and felt a presence of his own. A smirk went on his face and went off towards the direction of it. When he arrived at the spot of his prey, he saw the soul reaper. It was a woman, she was short with black hair and violet eyes. He landed in front of her a few yards away. "Well, well, well look what I've found here, a little soul reaper all by her lonesome. How fortunate for me." He said with some glee.

*Sometime later at Las Noches*

Yoshiro was relaxing in his wing of Las Noches with Apacci, Luppi, and his fraccion. He was still thinking about his talk earlier with Grimmjow. He hoped the Sexta had heeded his words and didn't do anything stupid. Apacci noticed he was troubled by something and decided to see if she could find out what it was. Looking at Luppi she noticed he had picked up on it as well.

"Yoshiro," she spoke up, he turned his attention to her as she continued. "You're troubled by something, what's wrong? You can tell us."

Now his fraccion Yin and Yang were listening intently as well, wanting to know what was troubling their master and friend. Yoshiro gave out a sigh and explained his talk earlier with Grimmjow.

"I see," Luppi spoke up "I know Grimmjow can be impulsive, but I don't think even he would do something so bold." He took his hand and wrapped it around Yoshiro's. Apacci doing the same with Yoshiro's other hand. The Quinta merely squeezed gently in return.

"I agree with Master Luppi," Yin spoke

"You would have to be a total fool to pull such a thing." Said Yang.

Yoshiro remained quiet still unable to shake an uneasy feeling in his gut. Apacci took his head with her other hand and turned his head towards her and planted a gentle kiss on his lips which he returned. She gently spoke. "Please try not to worry too much, whatever happens, things will work out in the end. They always seem to for us."

Before Yoshiro could respond his mother entered the room with a look of trouble on her face. She spoke up before anyone else could.

"All Espada have been called for an emergency meeting. Someone apparently went out on an unauthorized mission to the living world" She said seriously. Yoshiro suddenly had a look of complete shock and horror on his face. A sinking feeling suddenly fell into his stomach over what may have happened.

Minutes later all the Espada and their fraccion at least that bothered to bring them was there. Yoshiro had Yin and Yang with him, and Tres Bestias came along with Halibel. Yoshiro noticed Vega was there as well with the Segunda. A feeling of dread began to fill Yoshiro as he noticed Grimmjow and his crew weren't there.

"Son of a bitch, he didn't listen," Yoshiro muttered to himself. The comment didn't escape those around him. They all looked at him with concern for how he may react to whatever the coming news maybe.

Then Aizen and Gin walked in, Tosen was noticeably absent, which didn't help Yoshiro's sinking feeling. "Greetings everyone, you have been called here due to one of our rank going out on an unauthorized mission. Tosen is currently bringing him back as we speak." Aizen spoke with calmness.

No sooner he had finished speaking when suddenly Tosen with a noticeably roughed up Grimmjow in tow appeared. Yoshiro notice none of the others were with them, he suddenly felt sick about everything. Tosen began to question Grimmjow for his actions. Grimmjow replied in his usual manner, but Tosen wasn't having it and revealed the news Yoshiro was dreading.

"Your actions cost the lives of all your fraccion!" Tosen spoke accusingly.

Grief and anger took over Yoshiro all at once. All of the previous crew was dead? All dead because Grimmjow couldn't keep his own urges in check, even after he had practically begged him not to do anything rash and stupid. Then a moment came no one expected, Tosen cut one of Grimmjow's arms clean off and then destroyed it. Grimmjow yelled in pain and was about to attack Tosen when Aizen stopped him and announced that they would need a new Sexta. Grimmjow suddenly looked utterly defeated, sadly it wasn't going to get much better for the now-former Espada. Yoshiro who had been trying to keep his emotions in check at everything no longer could. He yelled in anger as he approached Grimmjow before anyone could stop him.

"You stupid bastard!" He roared as he grabbed Grimmjow by the back of the head forcing him to look into his eyes. "I fucking told you not to do anything like this! I begged you not too and you still did it anyway! Now, look what has happened to you! You've lost your arm, your position, and worst of all, our friends are dead! All because you couldn't keep yourself in check goddammit! Why dammit! Why couldn't you have fucking listened to me!" Yoshiro finished spitefully.

Grimmjow still looking defeated just quietly spoke so only Yoshiro could hear him. "I'm sorry" Yoshiro looked surprised at him, he never thought he would hear such words come from Grimmjow.

He let go of Grimmjow and returned to his place next to the others. Aizen dismissed everyone and they returned to their sections of Las Noches.

Everyone just hung around the main living area, processing everything that had just happened. Yoshiro leaned up against the wall, looking out to nowhere with a thousand-yard stare. Noticing this, Apacci spoke up to him.

"How are you holding up Yoshiro." She knew everything that had just happened weighed heavily on him. She was hoping to talk it out to help him get over it sooner than later. The loss of so many of his friends so soon would be hard on anyone. However, the reaction she got was not what she or anyone was expecting.

He started laughing a bit seemingly to himself. This caused everyone to look at him with shock and worry. He continued to laugh a bit more before stopping and a wicked grin spreading across his face.

"These soul reapers killed people I considered my friends and packmates." The fox Arrancar spoke with venom dripping in his tone. "When the time comes, I'm gonna bring hell down on them." The barely restrained murderous intent in his tone caught the others by surprise. The last time Yoshiro was so visibly angry. He butchered and then devoured the previous Quinta. It almost made them feel sorry for the soul reapers. The poor bastards had no idea what they just provoked.