Moon Princess

by romeoraiden

Ichigo Kurosaki was born destined for greatness but has had to suffer as he grows to embrace his destiny. Naturally, he will not endure this burden alone as he will have many allies to help him along the way. But only one of them can help him go beyond as his ever-faithful sword of the moon. (M for Violence and bad language)

2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: What is a Hero without his Princess

"Everything hurts again…" Ichigo mumbled in self-pity, pulling himself up after a horrendous ordeal he just had, something that he really should be getting used to considering all the crap that keeps being thrown at him. "Kisuke, that bastard. I'm starting to see why Rukia advised me not to make contact with the creep. He better hope I don't make it out of this, otherwise, I'm taking the gloves off and send mom after him."

"That be something wonderful to watch," Mused a voice that startles Ichigo, it's the one from the girl he's been hearing in his head but this time it sounded like she was speaking away from him, as in, no longer in his head. He looks around frantically for the source but all he could find is more unfamiliarity.

Contrary to where he was originally, he realizes that he's in a street unknown to him, surrounded by blue skyscrapers, every building is so tall that even from his distance he can tell that they almost reach the clouds above, then again there are so few to speak of, that the sky is almost perfect and as blue as the buildings.

He'd marvel at such wonders if he wasn't a little unnerved by the fact that there is no one around. Everything feels as though there was never once an ounce of life in here even when it was all being built.

"Where are you? Show yourself," Ichigo demanded.

"I'm right here," She replied again, causing Ichigo to look back to his front and this time there's someone, or rather some… thing, in front of him.

The best that he can describe is a bluish purple substance or energy vaguely shaped like a humanoid and around his size. Can't make heads or tails of it and despite the feminine voice, there is no indication of its gender, let alone a face to stare at and if he didn't know any better he'd say she's crumbling apart.

"What are you?" Ichigo asked the big question.

"I am what you see, nothing at all, yet perhaps something after all," She replied cryptically.

"I despise everything cryptic," Ichigo growled, already losing his patience for this thing.

"I can't give you a straight answer because nothing is as I would prefer it would be for either of us," She admitted sadly.

'This day cannot get any more frustrating.' Ichigo mumbled.

"I'm afraid things will worsen in a few moments," She responded to his thoughts, making him gasp.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"Ichigo, exactly where do you think we are right this moment?" The Entity replied, causing Ichigo to pause as he recalls what led to him coming here.

(Flashback)

Once Ichigo agreed to train under Kisuke Urahara, the man took him into his shop, to train in a Study Chamber beneath it. Though calling it that would be underselling because the place is huge.

A large room with a ceiling and walls painted to resemble a cloudy sky over a floor of desolate, brown, craggy land dotted with dead trees.

"Check it out Ichigo. The Urahara Dome!" Kisuke cried out, feigning shock and disbelief. "Who would've thought that such a giant place would exist beneath the shop of such a humble owner."

"You know, if you hadn't flipped out like an idiot, I probably would have," Ichigo whined sarcastically at the man's nonsense and lies.

"Come on, Ichigo. Where's your sense of adventure," Kisuke pouted.

"After the giant black Hollow I fought, nothing shocks me anymore," Ichigo shrugged. "Though I will admit that this place is really impressive, how did you manage to build it all."

"Soul Society is more modern in certain aspects than it leads on, especially with technology centuries ahead of this world. Only took me a single day and night to get it all done and no one in this city is the wiser about my activities, nor will they ever unless I allow it," Kisuke smirked.

"Terrific, now how do we start this whole thing again?" The orange boy asked.

"That's quite simple. First, we have your human soul get used to walking about without your body," Kisuke said cheekily as he thrust the base of his cane, which has a familiar blue flamed skull mark on the bottom right into Ichigo's forehead.

"HUH?" He gasped as his soul is literally thrust out of his body that falls unconscious without him, leaving Ichigo bodiless, physically at least as he stands with a long chain attached to his body from his chest and suddenly everything feels dizzy and heavy.

"I feel… like everything is crashing down on me…"

"Naturally, without powers that originate from the spirit worlds the soul of a living human cannot move about as he pleases outside of their bodies. That's just how they are. Human Souls shouldn't be out in the open, it is Mankind's most guarded treasure. Irreplaceable and you only get one. If you lose it or even sacrifice it, then you have no right to be in this world," Kisuke explained with a mixture of playfulness, seriousness, smugness, and malevolence.

"And… getting used to moving about like this will help me become a Shinigami again?" Ichigo asked while trying to stay on his feet.

"That's right, and what better way to get used to moving about in such awful conditions than by fighting. Souls burn the brightest when fueled by violence," Kisuke smirked. "Which is why your first challenge is to fight Ururu."

"What…?" Ichigo muttered as he turns to the young girl who works for Kisuke now wearing boxing gloves.

"Have fun," Kisuke chuckled.

Needless to say, what came after was downright embarrassing that Ichigo did his best to forget how this went down, even though when looking back, it wasn't all bad, except for the parts when he stared at Kisuke or he heard his voice.

It paid off since Ichigo's Reiatsu which had gone dormant came back, allowing him to move about much better in soul form and many times better than he ever did in his human body.

Still, didn't he exert Reiatsu back in school? Did he lose it again or was it never his power but the thing inside his head that he accidentally released?

But she said it was mine.

"Now, let's continue onto lesson two, shall we?" Urahara asked with a sardonic grin.

Ichigo looks down numbly at his chain of fate that Tessai had just severed with his handaxe. It was presumably done at Urahara's behest, given everything else the giant man did for his boss.

"You… you pin-striped… You two just killed me!" He gasped in horror.

Kisuke just began fanning his face, probably to conceal his shit-eating grin, making Ichigo fume.

"Now, now, no need to make a big deal out of the obvious, young Kurosaki!" Kisuke tittered. "You're far too loud, you know."

Ichigo winced as he felt a crushing pain in his shoulders. Tessai had taken the opportunity to sit down on top of Ichigo's back, pinning him to the earth.

"Hey, what the hell?!"

"Oh, you'll be fine!" Kisuke paused to close his fan again. "Probably. Of course, your chain of fate has already begun the Encroachment (Shinsoku) process, and when it reaches the end, you'll be transformed into a Hollow and then we will have to kill you-"

"WHAT!?" Ichigo screamed in dismay.

"-but hey, there's always the possibility that you'll get your Shinigami powers back!" Urahara grinned maliciously. That had Ichigo paying attention again.

"So I'm risking becoming a hollow for a chance to get my powers back?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes," Kisuke continued blithely, "If you pass this second test, then you'll retrieve your Shinigami powers and survive to re-enter your body again! Are you ready?"

"I-"

"Just kidding! I don't care if you're ready or not!" Kisuke laughed maniacally and Ichigo spluttered in pent-up rage and panic. "This is lesson two: the Shattered Shaft. GO!"

Ichigo felt his stomach drop as the ground gave way beneath him and Tessai, and they began plummeting into the newly-revealed pit below them.

"You unbelievable FUCK!"

WHAM!

Ichigo found himself waking up upon a rough stone slab, with the bitter taste of dirt on his tongue. It was the floor of the Shattered Shaft. "Ugh… that asshole… I'm gonna kill him when I get out of here…" He spat the dirt out of his mouth and waited until his head stopped spinning.

He then moved to stand up, but to his shock, he only fell forwards in surprise. Despite his efforts, Ichigo's arms didn't move with him.

"My arms…? Why can't I move my arms?"

"I'm very sorry, Ichigo," Tessai's placating but firm voice rang out from where he sat behind Ichigo. "This is Bakudō #99. Kin (Prohibition). And until this lesson is over, I'll be forced to put you under restraint."

"That's right!" Urahara called out from the top of the shaft. "Now, Kurosaki, this is your task: you must scale the walls of this Shattered Shaft as you are, within three days!"

"What the hell," Ichigo cried in shock, "That's crazy! There's no way that's even possible!"

"Oh?" Urahara put on an affectation of confusion. "That's too bad for you, then, because I see that the process of encroachment has already begun."

Ichigo looked down, and to his horror, the end of the chain had begun to turn in on itself, like a perverse cannibal. "Shit."

"You have three days to get back up here," Urahara stated. "Otherwise, we will have to kill you."

Ichigo swallowed harshly. He was going through this torture to gain the power to rescue Rukia, to pay her back for saving his life but if he didn't get out of here quickly, he'll never see his friends and family again.

(End of Flashback)

"Oh yeah," Ichigo muttered, now having a pretty good idea where he is. "THAT'S RIGHT! This is my Inner World. Rukia told me about this during her training. Supposedly all Shinigami have something akin to a pocket dimension that lies within our souls. More specifically everyone with a soul has one but only a Shinigami can enter them. Their own, specifically."

"Now you're catching on," The Entity said.

"My very own world. Wow, though it's not really what I expected when I first learned about such a place existing within me," Ichigo said taking the time to examine this massive city.

"Really, because it is perfect for you," The entity said. "You love the sky, its shining blue glow when the sun dominates all, the warm heat that fills the land with life, strength, and purpose. You especially love it during the night. Darkness may fall upon the world of men but the light remains up above, minuscule though the moon may be in comparison to the sun the lesser light is what makes it more beautiful, for even in darkness, there is hope."

"That sounds like something my dad once told me," Ichigo said nostalgic by her words.

"Yes, he always had something to say about celestial bodies and you always paid close attention. Always wanting to know more and everything about the moon," She continued. "These buildings embody a part of you, your hopes for the future. The higher the better so that when you're on top of them, the clouds won't block your view."

"That's right. I've always felt so negatively about the clouds and the rain they pour down on me," Ichigo said with somber sadness. "But wait, who are you, exactly, and why are you in my soul?"

"I… don't have a name to call my own. I don't have an identity of my own. I am nothing," She muttered out, now sounding truly sad, like she's going to break at any moment into tears, placing her hands, which lack fingers into her face. "No name so I am Nothing."

"Hey, calm down, I'm sure you'll think of something," Ichigo said now sympathetic to the strange entity who is a whirlpool of confusion. At least he can say with certainty that she's no threat.

"I can't just give myself a name. You have to give me one," She retorted more seriously looking directly at him, not that she had any eyes to notice.

"I have to give you a name?" Ichigo questioned. "Why me?"

"Because our existence depends on being bound to one another. Your soul and mine are as one from now on. There is no one else who can give me meaning other than you," She explained. "I know you're confused right now but please, you have to do this… for us."

Before more could be said, the ground started to shake with cracks forming, leaving a large sinkhole for Ichigo to fall in, but the Entity grabs him by his shirt and flies him up right between the top of two skyscrapers.

"What's happening?" Ichigo gasped as he also notices the skyscrapers closest to them begin to tremble.

"We're running out of time," The Entity stated. "Unless you want to become a hollow, you'd better find me, and quickly!"

"Wait, aren't you right here holding me as we speak?!" Ichigo said in confusion and panic.

"What you see could hardly be considered my true form as I am nothing. If I am to have a presence and identity, you must find my power. Your power! Your Zanpakutō," She revealed.

"My Zanpakutō?" Ichigo gasped. "How can I have one? Byakuya destroyed my Shinigami powers!"

"That man destroyed your use of the power you got from Rukia," She objected. "You still have Shinigami powers of your own. Remember how you were able to get out of Rukia's Bakudō spell even before you got her powers? No ordinary human could have done that on their own. Possessing enough spirit energy to see Shinigami and Hollows is not as great as she made it out to be. It is a pitiful accomplishment that offers nothing but misfortune. What other explanation could there be?!"

"Is this why the Encroachment happened sooner than it was supposed to?" Ichigo asked, recalling what happened after he was left in that shaft.

(Twelve Hours Ago)

"BOSS! BOSS!" Tessai yelled out to Kisuke from below the shaft while he remained watching over Ichigo for twelve hours now when he noticed something wrong.

"Tessai?" Kisuke asked confused as to why his closest friend besides a certain someone would speak out so alarmed like that.

"Something's wrong, Kisuke! The Encroachment. It's happening much, much sooner than we intended it to," Tessai informed whiles Ichigo lies on the ground going through intensive agony as each part of the chain of fate that vanishes only worsens his condition that he doesn't even have the strength to speak. "At this rate, he'll Hollowfy within the next twelve hours."

Outwardly, Kisuke looked indifferent, even apathetic but inwardly he was panicking as he did not entirely foresee this.

The special gas they made to ensure that the Encroachment process would occur unnaturally faster for this test was supposed to last for 72 hours.

This shouldn't be happening, unless…

"I see now," He whispered with realization hitting him. "I should've come to this conclusion eight years ago on that terrible day Ichigo first encountered a Hollow."

"We have to get him out quickly before Isshin's son is truly lost to us," Tessai advised.

"NO!" Kisuke declined with a strong commanding tone.

"What?! But Kisuke!" Tessai argued.

"Tessai, my old friend, surely you haven't forgotten the bitter truth about this boy, and rather we like it or not, this is the only way that we can help him, at least before he comes to pick up his son," Kisuke said somberly.

Twelve hours later, it begins.

The remainder of Ichigo's chains exploded into a mass of cannibalizing mouths.

"Wha-" Ichigo was cut off by the sudden pain in his chest as the links ate each other at an alarming rate.

"No… No!" Ichigo cried in terror and agony. "STOP! STOP IT!"

His cries were to no avail, however, as his chains ate each other into nothing as a hole where his heart should be is revealed. The next sensation was horrific as if his skull was melting and gushing out of his face.

He screamed as white foam erupted from his mouth, eyes, and nostrils and formed a mask on his face, more disturbingly, two black horns come out of each side of his head, pointing forward.

"Looks like he's going hollow after all," The redhead boy named Jinta said.

Ururu rose her fist. "It's time I rescue him,"

"Hold it," Kisuke stated. "Watch closely. Nothing more."

"Master Kisuke?" Ururu replied, unsure if the man was willing to let the boy go hollow.

"Normally, when a soul becomes a Hollow, it violently explodes before reforming into a hollow form, and finally forming a mask," Urahara explained. "Kurosaki is the opposite, with his mask being the first step of the Hollowfication which shows that he's still resisting and can still become a Shinigami."

Ichigo's pain met its peak as agony shot through his entire body.

(Back to the present)

"That's irrelevant. What matters is the here and now," The Entity snapped at him to focus on the real problem.

"Well, how do I find it? My power?" Ichigo asked.

"The boxes down below!" She instructed before dropping Ichigo. "Find the one with Shinigami powers!"

That was the last thing Ichigo heard before he hit the water in the hole below.

Just like the Entity had said, he was surrounded by hundreds of indistinguishable white boxes.

"How am I supposed to find my power in one box out of all of this?" He thought. "There has to be some kind of trick to it…"

It is then that he remembers something Rukia once taught him.

A smirk appeared on his face. "She said that Shinigami power is distinguished by red-colored Reiraku (Spirit Coils)! All I have to do is push my use of Reikaku (Spiritual Sense) to its limits."

Ichigo did his best to focus his senses and call forth the spiritual ribbons of the boxes around him.

"Come on, where is it… there!" Ichigo caught a glimpse of red out of the corner of his eye and immediately began swimming towards it, grabbing the end of the ribbon and following it through the water. In moments, he came to the box on the other end, and he opened it immediately, revealing the hilt of a Zanpakutō.

"Well done Ichigo!" The Entity praised, appearing right behind him. "You found me easier than I thought. But without a name of my own, you won't be able to achieve your true power."

"But I don't know your name," Ichigo insisted as he pulls the sword from the box.

"Yes, you do. You picked one for me many years ago, you just don't remember, and I can't see into memories you don't remember," She insisted.

"I have? But we've only just met," Ichigo said in disbelief.

"No, we have met before, and soon, you'll know it all, you just have to remember all by yourself."

(Moon Prince)

Ichigo roars, destroying the bondage and bolts restraining him and blowing away the sealing cube crashing down on him. Instinctively, he jumps to the top of the shattered shaft and lands with a crash.

"Hey, Carrot-Top!" He heard a voice. "If you're alive, answer me!"

He looked at the source of the voice, seeing Jinta, Ururu, and Kisuke looking at him.

"A white mask and a shihakushō?" Jinta stated. "Is he Hollow or Shinigami?"

His words made Ichigo realize he still had the mask on so he grabbed it to take off, revealing his face.

Consequently, this also caused the horns that he never notices to also vanish.

"Looks like you managed to avoid going hollow and become a Shinigami again," Urahara said with a smirk. "Well done!"

"Shut up!" Ichigo snapped, whacking the shopkeeper with his fist. "Bet'cha you didn't think I'd get out alive did you?! I swore to myself that if I managed to get out of that hole, I'd kill you the chance I'd get!"

"Good then," Kisuke said with a smug grin that only enraged Ichigo further. "Guess we can get to lesson three quickly. But first thing's first, what is that beautiful thing?"

"What?" Ichigo asked before looking at the right side of his hip where there's a katana tied to his obi sash with a hilt, crossguard, and scabbard that are purely and wonderfully black. This was the tip he needed to realize that the oversized scabbard on his back is gone.

He unsheathes the sword to have a better look and it is a more natural katana but the blade is less curved, more in line with a chokutō.

The black tsuba is circular-shaped with four slight indentations. The parts of it that are black are what Ichigo finds most intriguing but that does not mean the blade isn't a work of art.

He dares think it's more deadly than any he's seen and likely ever will.

"This is the blade that I pulled from that box," Ichigo said with recognition and it is significantly different from the large blade he used when he started as a Shinigami.

"Congratulations, kid, you got yourself a new Zanpakutō after all. Knowing you, I'm amazed that it's not oversized like the last one but then again, Ms. Kuchiki did do a good job teaching you how to suppress your Reiatsu with the limited time you had," Kisuke praised, his smug face hiding the massive suspicion and alarm he feels upon seeing this sword.

'There's no doubt in my mind that what I'm seeing is an authentic Asauchi (Shallow Hit) and created using his own Reiryoku.' He mused in his thoughts. 'I'd anticipated that his heritage would enable him to forge a blade to act as something akin to a Zanpakutō for him to wield but this goes beyond what I dared imagine. It wasn't long ago when I finally managed to crack all the secrets to Ōetsu Nimaiya's creation and make Asauchis of my own design but this boy managed to make one without even knowing anything about the Zanpakutō and their secrets?'

"Ichigo, my boy, you have once again left me speechless," He admitted, his smugness now more genuine and hiding nothing.

"I get the feeling that I'm gonna hear a lot more people say that to me way too often from here on out," Ichigo mused.

"Probably, yeah," Kisuke nodded.

"And what exactly is the next lesson?" He asked.

"Simple! All you have to do is knock my hat off my head!" The Shopkeeper playfully explained while pointing at the said hat. Unsurprisingly, Ichigo immediately charged Urahara with a swing of his new sword, the slash-carrying winds that were felt by Jinta and Ururu a few feet away.

"Woah," Jinta said.

"Not a half-bad slash. But you're way too eager," He mused, who in actuality predicted Ichigo's attack and took a few steps back faster than Ichigo would even notice so the best he could do is leave a minuscule cut on the hat.

Kisuke then reveals a sword kept within his very cane that is in fact a shikomizue (a blade hidden inside a cane). "I guess I'll have to see for myself just how much you can do."

Ichigo smirked, drawing reiatsu to his sword. "Bring it!"

"Hold up a moment!" Ichigo is left completely frozen by the voice they just heard. It couldn't be? Could it? It just can't. He can't be here.

"You know I trust you completely Kisuke, but I'm gonna have to ask you to leave this to me. This underdog is my no-good son, after all," Ichigo is hesitant but against all odds, he turns to the source of the voice on his left, and what he sees will be carved into his brain for the rest of his life, and nothing, absolutely nothing he's witnessed up to this point will ever compare to what he is seeing now.

"My, these next ten days will certainly become more interesting," Kisuke mused again at the same sight. "Welcome. Isshin."

Ichigo's father, Isshin Kurosaki is standing before them and the fact alone that he and Kisuke know each other would've been enough to drive Ichigo over the edge but it's what he's now wearing that has his attention. Isshin is wearing a standard shihakushō, along with a tattered white haori, worn like a sash and fastened over his left shoulder with an obscured insignia.

Finally, he has his own Zanpakutō with a red handle and hexagonal tsuba that he carries on a string wrapped around his belt in an iaidō style and worn with the edge down like a tachi instead of the edge up like a katana. The hilt's pommel has a blue tassel attached at the end.

"Goodness, never thought I'd be able to see this day between father and son," Groaned Tessai who finally managed to get out of the shattered shaft and is surprised himself but not so much as Ichigo.

"And lookie here, another unexpected but still welcomed guess. A pleasure as always to have you in my humble shop. Mrs. Kurosaki," Kisuke greeted Masaki who's also arrived in the study chamber, though, unlike her husband who has a stern yet gentle expression, hers is more of sadness.

"Dad… mom… you knew," Ichigo mumbled, struggling in vain to find the words for what he's seeing, what he's feeling. It's like the whole world is coming down crashing on him without mercy.

"Ichigo…" His mother said innocently, troubled by the situation and she doesn't know what to say either.

"I…"

"Stop!" Isshin spoke up next with more command before Ichigo could try to speak. "You're not imagining things. We're really here son, and though you may not be ready for the truth, I can't let you do this fool's errand. At least not alone. Which is why you must know at least a good portion of the truth."

"What are you saying?" Ichigo finally managed to give a full sentence filled with his mixed emotions of confusion, realization, heartache, anger, and fear. The last one he'd hoped was put to rest when he mostly settled things with the Hollow known as Grand Fisher.

"Kisuke, you said that it would take seventy-two hours for Ichigo to get his powers back but unsurprisingly he got them back much sooner. We would like to use the extra time to speak with our son," Isshin requested.

"Of course, going forward with a revelation will do your boy wonders," Kisuke agreed, happy that Isshin and Masaki have decided to be open with their son while mentally exasperating that Ichigo awakened his true powers when he did, otherwise he might've been on the receiving end of a very vengeful mama.

'Already doing solids for me, kid. Just for that, I might have to spare you embarrassments on my part in the future.'

---

"That idiot. Willing to do something so ludicrous as invading what is as close to Heaven as we humans got just for one person," Sighed Ichigo's Second Cousin, Uryū Ishida who is sitting on a rock next to a Waterfall that he came for special training on his lonesome but was interrupted when Orihime and Chad of all people came to find him and informed him of what Ichigo intends to do.

"I have noticed that the Reiryoku you both wield has been steadily increasing for a while now but I never dared imagined that Ichigo's lack of control would lead you two to turn out like this," He bemused.

"It's alright. As bizarre as things have gotten, I'm glad that I can go and help Rukia from the trouble she's in," Orihime said with the cheerful smile she's so well known for and Chad nods in agreement.

"I owe Rukia for once helping me out and if Ichigo's going, I will too," Chad said as short and simple as ever.

"You two sure are taking this lightly, I hope you don't live to regret it, more so get yourselves killed helping that no good relative of mine," Uryū said while adjusting his glasses for the third time today, at least as far as Orihime as counted since coming here.

"We're not taking this lightly, we know what's at stake here," Orihime said sincerely, now showing a modicum of concern for their wellbeing but there's something about her eyes though, they show a level of determination Uryū only ever sees in Ichigo.

Her affections for the fellow orange-head are well known so perhaps he finally roughed off on her. Not for the better in his honest opinion but he best keep that to himself.

"Besides, Chad and I got ourselves a master to help train us so we'll be ready for what happens," She said now more cheerfully.

"You don't say, and who is this master of yours exactly?" He asked, now curious.

"About that, I don't know how to put this but he's sort of been standing next to you the whole time we've been here," Orihime said nervously pointing at his left.

"What?! There can't be a human that can be this stealthy!" He gasped, looking at his surroundings but found no sort of person, just some black cat beside him, the same one that was with Kisuke when Ichigo arrived to be trained by him.

Wait a minute…

"I swear I've seen this cat before," Uryū muttered.

"Plenty of times. I have watched you and Ichigo grow into fine young men along with your younger sisters from the sidelines but this is the first time we've ever interacted," The next shocking thing occurs as the black cat showed to be capable of speaking like a human and sounds like a wise old man, yet somewhat condescending.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?! A Hollow capable of possessing animals?!" The teenage gasped in horror at what just happened.

"How rude. Children these days, such poor imagination," The cat said smugly, actually enjoying his shock.

"Cats aren't supposed to talk, and even if animals are capable of using Reiatsu, talking is the last thing they should be able to do," Uryū protested.

"Let's agree to disagree. Honestly, I expect this sort of behavior from Ichigo. You two should learn to be more like your lady friend," He lectured, referring to Orihime.

"That's right, Uryū. You should be nicer to Yoruichi. Besides, it's no biggie that a cat can talk," Orihime added.

"I'm afraid I'm with Uryū on this one," Chad muttered.

Even though he's known about Yoruichi for a couple of days he still can't wrap his head around a talking animal.

Heck days ago he is still at a loss for words when he discovered a sentient lion plushie that might be the one owned by Ichigo's youngest sister running away from their high school's track and field star, Ryō Kunieda and due to his fondness for cute things, he joined the chase after him.

Crazy things sure have been going on since Rukia Kuchiki came into their lives, and yes, he too still remembers her.

"You want to go rescue Rukia, don't you?" Orihime changed the subject with more energy. "Then let's take Yoruichi's lessons together."

Uryū remains silent for a bit, contemplating what to say before giving a response.

"Thanks for the offer but…" Before he could give his decline, Chad's phone starts ringing.

"Who's that?" Orihime asked.

"Don't know, never seen this number before," He replied not sure if he should answer it.

"Let me see that," Yoruichi requested out of curiosity and Chad extends his hand to him to see and the cat instantly recognizes the number. "I had a feeling he would call. I'll answer it."

"Are we going to let a cat use a phone," Uryū mumbled, not sure how much more of this he can take.

Sure enough, Chad answers the phone while lying it on the rock he is standing on for Yoruichi to use.

"What is it Kisuke?" Yoruichi asked.

"Ah! Just the kitty kat I was hoping to talk to," Said Shopkeeper spoke cheerfully from the phone.

"A talking cat speaking on a phone. Now I've seen it all," Uryū mumbled.

"How did he get my number?" Chad asked dropping a sweat but goes ignored. Orihime is the only one still thinking lightly of the whole scenario.

"Is this about the young Kurosaki?" Yoruichi asked while Kisuke proceeds to tell him everything that's happened thus far, making the cat widen his eyes in shock. "What?! Already! But he was supposed to remain in the Shattered Shaft a lot longer. How did he get out so early!"

"Are you talking about Ichigo?" Orihime asked, alarmed by Yoruichi's shock and Ichigo should be with Kisuke.

Chad and Uryū share her concern but wisely decide to wait for Yoruichi to finish talking.

"I see. What an interesting boy that one is," The cat said calmer and intrigued now before becoming surprised again but a bit more subtle. "Isshin and Masaki are there, you say? It seems things will be going your way after all. Don't be a smart ass, now with him there you may focus on the Senkaimon (World Penetration Gate) a lot sooner but you should still help train him. He bought us more time, so let's use it to our heart's content. Right, see you soon." He said before finishing his talk, allowing Chad to pick up his phone and hang off.

"Is Ichigo alright?" Chad asked.

"Yes, and he has more fire burning in his soul than we imagined. The process Kisuke put him through to regain the powers of a Shinigami should've taken seventy-two hours to complete but he managed to regain them in just twenty-four hours. Something that should not be possible as accelerating the process would've instead resulted in him becoming a Hollow," Yoruichi explained, shocking the three teenagers of the true depths Ichigo undertook to accomplish his self-imposed mission.

"Try to relax, you three. He's a Shinigami again so it all worked out. Kisuke may act childish but when it comes down to it, mistakes and errors on his part are nigh-impossible."

The certainty and confidence in his words did their effect on them, especially for Orihime who is the most relieved to hear this.

"That dumbass might as well be a monster already for his resilience," Uryū whined with scorn for Ichigo's recklessness but deep down there is a higher amount of relief for his cousin's wellbeing.

"You mentioned his parents, does that mean that they know about Ichigo's secret life?" Chad asked.

"Naturally. Isshin and Masaki may be a pair of children masquerading as adults most of the time but when it comes down to it, they'll be the rocks that keep their son and daughters strong and honest. If they were truly ignorant of the Spiritual, it would've been child's play to hide the truth till it's their time to move on to the Soul Society but alas, that is not the case and wouldn't have been right to do so," Yoruichi said. "I can already tell that Ichigo is going through a whirlpool of emotions with the truth out in the open. But not just his truth."

"So Masaki isn't as ignorant of our heritage as I assumed," Uryū noted.

"Not at all, but the bloodline that you and they belong to is not what Ichigo will open up to," Yoruichi said a bit cryptically.

---

Ichigo returns to Urahara's Shop, his family except for his sisters taking up space in the living room while the residents of said shop give them some much-needed space, though silence is the only thing thus far that occurs with Ichigo trying to wrap his mind around this new revelation and he's barely even seen the tip of the iceberg, already feeling like the world is falling on him.

Isshin is the calm one at the table, ready to tell his son what he wants to hear right this instant.

Masaki for her part feels like she's the one that's caught in the middle of the storm, being the most normal in the family.

There is also her daughters but Yuzu hardly shows any real signs that she can see the dead apart from just feeling them, and Karin… well, she's in denial of what she can easily see so she's a matter for another time.

"So… there's a lot of ice in the bag," Masaki attempted to break the ice but came out very poorly. "Is that how the saying goes, I feel like I said something wrong."

"You two have a lot of wrong going on that I'm not sure where to start," Ichigo said very angrily at her.

Ichigo's been aggravated with his parents many times before due to how hyperactive and overbearing they can be but up until now, nothing even close to scorn was ever given to them.

"Son, please, try to be a bit more open-minded about this," His mother pleaded with him. "There are a hundred different ways this could've turned out, none of which would've been easy for any of us to talk about."

"Ichigo, before you start to blow one of your usual self-righteous tantrums, you better save it for when I'm done saying what you need to hear at this moment," Isshin spoke up next, not bothered at all by his son's anger, making him feel more tempted to lash out but through all the willpower he can muster, Ichigo restraints himself from starting a fight.

"Self-righteous, huh?" Ichigo scowled at those words being thrown at him but relents for the sake of having answers. "Alright, fine! Let's hear it then, but shouldn't Yuzu and Karin be here too?"

"Your sisters aren't setting out on a suicide mission to save someone they've only known for barely two months just because of some guilt, are they?" Isshin countered somewhat rhetorically, making Ichigo turn away from his gaze. "No. Those two don't need to know just yet. They are still young and way more immature than they let on. You know this as well. The truth may be meant to give people clarity but before wisdom must first come confusion, frustration, heartache, and in most cases, alienation."

"Alienation?" Ichigo whispered. The thought of such a thing never occurred to him, sure, he wondered what sort of reactions his friends might have if they were to find out about all this, and given their unique traits, the responses vary but nothing close to rejection came to mind.

If anything, he'd figure that most of them, not including Mizuiro would want to get involved, especially Tatsuki and that's a definite HELL NO! Ichigo gets enough of her in school, he doesn't want her of all people thrown into everything about his life.

"For starters, how much did Rukia Kuchiki tell you about the Soul Society and Shinigami?" Isshin asked.

"That it is the Afterlife where all who have died in this world go to, either on their own for finding peace in letting go of their lives or via aid from a Shinigami to help them pass on otherwise they turn into Hollows and become residents of the other spiritual world, Hueco Mundo," Ichigo spoke the basics of what he was taught. "She made her people out to be the good guys but it didn't take long to realize that she was spewing nonsense, especially after meeting her piece of shit ex-boyfriend and even bigger piece of shit big brother."

At least he thinks she and the redhead Shinigami, Renji Abarai used to be an item, the way they spoke to one another was enough proof that they have history but that doesn't necessarily mean anything romantic but there was this glint in his eyes when Ichigo kept him from going near Rukia that showed more than annoyance for his defiance.

Ichigo is not a good judge of character but he could've sworn he acted a bit out of jealousy. Who would be interested in a real-lived hobbit, though?

"Yeah, life there is as gray as the stick that goes up every Shinigami's ass," Isshin mused at his son's less than stellar opinion of his people. "As for me, think of me what you will, it never stopped you before. My story begins where it began for many Shinigami; being born as a Pure Spirit."

This piqued Ichigo's interest. Rukia also told him that everyone in the Soul Society is a spirit but not all of them originated from the Human World.

Both this world and the next exist in a Cycle of Reincarnation, as long as you aren't devoured by a Hollow, death simply means you begin existence anew in either one of the two and since the Soul Society is really another form of life, people can be born for the first time there as well, and these Souls are considered purer when compared to the ones that have existed between worlds.

"Existence there is pretty much what life is like in this world if it was based on a perpetual feudal Japan of sorts divided between Nobles and Commoners. It sucks, don't get me started. I began my life as a commoner and before I met your mother and took her surname, Kurosaki as my own, I was known simply as Isshin Yamada. I and my two brothers lost our home to an unnatural plague that infested our village caused by a Hollow that stumbled there prior but left shortly afterward while being hunted by Shinigami. The sickness was stopped by the medical division of the Shinigami but not in time to save my parents and friends." Isshin properly began his origins with his sad upbringing, and this bothered Ichigo to learn how his paternal grandparents that were never mentioned to him until now died but even more surprised to learn that he has uncles.

"Distraught by the ordeal, I was already burdened with looking after younger siblings but I did what I could to keep them safe, for there was no one at the time for me to depend on. We strived to become Shinigami in order to improve our lives but also become doctors ourselves to help those like us who lost everything to sickness and premature deaths. I proved to be a born natural of the Shinigami ways and I made it to their upper echelon as one of the thirteen Lieutenants but after ten years of service I reluctantly accepted the position to be one of their Captains when I showed to have more of a warrior prowess than just being a good physician."

His dad? A Captain? No way… Ichigo cannot see it. He can accept that he is a Shinigami, the Reiatsu he is emitting is proof enough, coupled with his Shihakushō and Zanpakutō but a Captain?

Rukia always boasted that the Shinigami Captains are the definition of the elites. The closest things to Demigods in terms of raw power and authority in the Soul Society and the ones capable of stopping world-ending threats and if her brother is a captain, that would explain how he lost when he previously bested a Lieutenant.

"What, you don't believe me?" Isshin questioned childishly, upset by his son's doubtful expression. "How rude! You want the truth, so I'm telling you, I even kept my old captain's haori to prove it." He whined pointing at the white piece of robe that he has as a sort of cape.

"You do have one of those faces young minds would associate with a loser, dear," Masaki shrugged.

"I do not! This bastard we shamefully call son and Karin just doesn't know what it means to be cool since they've never been cool themselves," Isshin pouted in denial of his demeanor.

"Watch it," Ichigo warned, heavily offended because he does know what cool is, and for the most part, he is one of the cool kids, he just doesn't hang out with his real people because those like Tatsuki keep antagonizing him and Keigo is like a symbiote that lashed itself on to him and refuses to set him free.

"Back to the story, sweety," Masaki insisted.

"Yes, honey. In short, I pretty much had it all, but for all my training and experience fighting against the worst Hueco Mundo has to offer and clashing with Soul Society's corruption, nothing could prepare me for what came next as I crossed paths with a man by the name Kaien Shiba who claimed to be my nephew," Isshin continued with his tale, growing somber and if Ichigo wasn't interested before, he certainly is now.

"We met during my final days as the Lieutenant of the 4th Division, before that, I started a friendship with the 13th Division Captain, Jūshirō Ukitake. A wonderful man that had difficulty finding a good lieutenant and Kaien was the perfect man for the job but he was initially reluctant because he felt that there were more suitable candidates for the job but he ultimately saw reason, especially when he was harshly reminded repeatedly that as the Head of a Noble House he must have a higher standing among the Gotei 13 (13 Division Imperial Guards)."

"A Noble House? You're… we're related to nobility?" Ichigo gasped. "Does… does that mean that you're… what, an illegitimate child?"

"Not at all. Kaien wasn't sure what to make of me at first but after we got to know each other, having a friendly chat about our respective families, I showed him a portrait that was made showing me, my brothers and parents when they were still alive, my way of showing people that even though I was born from nothing, I was content even before I reached where I was," Isshin smiled.

"Though the sight of it confirmed Kaien's suspicions and that was when he truly opened up to me and revealed a shocking revelation about myself that my mother, Kisara Yamada kept from me and that the man that raised me as his son was actually my stepfather and that she was married before to a nobleman by the name of Rentaro Shiba. My true father fell in love with her and though they married, she was never accepted by Rentaro's family due to her common birth, they tried to make it work but Kisara eventually gave up from the harsh treatment and left Rentaro behind, coming to resent him for not trying harder to fight for her."

Ichigo gulped at the bitter tone his father now displays, Masaki trying to comfort her husband over such a hard period in his life.

"After leaving, she discovered she was pregnant with me but chose to never reveal this to Rentaro or anyone and two years later she remarried my step-father, resulting in me having two half-brothers," Isshin said. "I was shaken by this revelation, unable to believe that my mother kept something like this a secret, that I was a son of nobility and due to the previous marriage, my birth is legitimate. And before you start, I can see the irony of me keeping such a bombshell of a secret as well but the difference between me and your grandmother was that I lied because I didn't want you to fight Hollows so early like I was forced to. She lied out of spite for the man she felt never loved her at all."

Isshin firmly defends his previous inaction and while this made Ichigo mad over still being kept from such a secret, he couldn't bring himself to fight back anymore.

"Kaien revealed that Rentaro also remarried but by force and sired a daughter named Hotaru, Kaein's mother but due to the tragedy of his first marriage still on his mind, he never truly accepted my half-sister, making her bitter and resentful of me even though we never met and all she knew was my name as the Shiba Clan did eventually learned of my existence, they just never bothered to find me because even though I was legally legitimate, a bastard I remained in the eyes of my paternal family. But right before he passed away, Rentaro requested his eldest grandchild, Kaien, and asked him to bring me to him before his time was up."

"Did you?" Ichigo asked.

"I didn't want to at first. I wanted to break all contact with Kaien then and there and avoid the Shibas altogether. It wasn't because I resented the truth of my birth, I just couldn't process this all that well, knowing I still have more family, yet most of them didn't want me. But something inside me, probably my Zanpakutō, Engetsu (Scathing Moon), loudmouth this one, insisted that I go through with it. That whatever I decided on, I'll have regrets no matter what so I might as well hear Rentaro's side of it as that might leave me with the fewest regrets." Isshin explained.

"I'm not ready to talk about your grandfather in detail and I never got to meet Hotaru since she was killed by a Hollow a year after I joined the 4th Division and became a Lieutenant,"

"Damn…" Ichigo muttered, again sore about learning a relative was killed even if he never knew her.

"With Kaien in charge of the clan and the less than stellar relatives biting the dust, I ended up deciding to give this other life a try, and for the next eighty years I became Isshin Shiba, Head of a Branch within the Clan, and thankfully, nothing's changed between me and your uncles but they certainly did with me and the Shinigami, especially the more stuck-up higher-ups like the Kuchikis, who while very open minded about lowborns being Seated Officers of the Gotei 13, are way too difficult to impress," Isshin smirked with sadistic triumph.

He can still recall vividly, the baffled and even emotional expressions of Byakuya's grandfather, Ginrei Kuchiki who was the 6th Captain at the time. The Head Captain himself raised an eyebrow in curiosity as even he could never have seen this coming. His former Captain, Retsu Unohana? A funny story for another day.

"You knew that bastardize excuse to all older siblings everywhere?" Ichigo hissed.

"I was familiar with pretty much his whole family and I never expected this from him," Isshin sighed. "He's as stubborn as aristocrats can be but as far as I was aware he is a genuinely good man, he just lost all connection to the world after his wife passed away and never bothered to reconnect with anyone again. It made me and so many wonder why he bothered to adopt Rukia into the family in the first place."

"So you knew who she was, not just what she was? And you know for sure that he won't use his influence as a noble and a captain to lower her sentence?" Ichigo asked.

"I do. Out of all the Great Noble Clans, the Kuchikis are the most faithful and rigid about the Law, and no matter how unfair or how cruel, if the upper echelon will it so, he will raise his sword and ask how many heads they want," Isshin said sadly. "It wouldn't be the first time they condemned one of their own."

"Then let's stop wasting time," Ichigo demanded as he gets back up on his feet.

"Wait! Just like that? Don't you want to process this some more?" Masaki questioned while startled.

"What more is there to talk about!" Ichigo argued before taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm down but fails. "There is absolutely no way that I can approach this with a sound mind and come out okay when I am so disgusted with myself that I want to violently vomit out my own internal organs. I despise you both so intensely right now that I can't tell if my vision is still blurry from my latest near-death experience, or my unforgiving rage. If I had the ferocity of a Hollow, I'd be already gutting you two with an honest-to-God smile on my face and then proceed to paint Tatsuki's house with your very blood for good measure to finally express how much I want her to go fuck herself!"

He meant it as a sick way to emphasize his heartache and would never really do it, they know that but that didn't stop them from cringing and exchanging looks of trouble by the bit about having the ferocity of a Hollow.

And little do they know, Kisuke who's overhearing the whole thing also cringes at his words.

"But with real honesty, none of this matters right now," Ichigo said, now truly composed.

"None of it mat- what's that supposed to mean?!" Masaki demanded, now her turn to be angry over his sudden dismissal of the family, while Isshin raises an eyebrow and suppresses a smirk, already knowing what he was referring to.

"None of this matters now! I didn't care when I learned about my blood ties with the Quincy, and I don't care about this either," Ichigo repeated. "Look, there is so much I want to do right now concerning you both and your secrets. There are still so many questions that I need answered right now otherwise I feel like I'm going to burst. Hell, screaming so loud that all of Japan could hear me is more favorable than going to Soul Society but I can't do even that because all that matters to me is to tear down the very foundations of this Seireitei (Court of Pure Souls) where all Shinigami live."

"Do you have any idea on the consequences of even saying something like that?" Isshin scolded.

"I have a good enough idea but I can't let this injustice happen. I won't ever allow Rukia to die!" Ichigo declared. "I won't pretend and say that I know what I'm doing, much less boast such stupidity that I know better when you're the adults in the room. And I have a pretty good idea of how you're feeling when you chose this course of action. The mere thought of Yuzu and Karin picking up a blade to fight Hollows… I have nightmares about that as much as I have about failing to protect them, so I don't have a right to judge when I've been keeping this life a secret, I've done what you've done to the three of us. And I don't feel in the wrong for doing so. Not even a bit."

"Son," Masaki began but couldn't go forward.

"At the same time, I don't feel in the wrong for what I want to do. Rukia didn't just save me, she saved all of us. And it went beyond her just following her Shinigami duty," Ichigo pressed on. "She never told me that turning humans into Shinigami was against the law. She told me that the reason I had to become her Agent is that I needed to train to recharge my soul otherwise I would not survive the power transfer. That's all she had to say, but never once did she bring up the fact that she was on death row for doing what she did. It was so stupid looking back but the more I think about it, it seemed like her best bet to get us all out of the mess I started because of my rising Reiatsu," Ichigo cursed, tightening his fists and if he were any stronger, he might've caused his palms to bleed.

"In the end, she chose to put the five of us above herself, as though she meant nothing to anyone, she just wanted us safe and living on. If Shinigami are the good guys we humans unknowingly depend on to keep our world protected and moving forward then she should be what all Shinigami aspire to be like!" He declared with mighty conviction. "I won't let her die. No, I won't let that happen. Not because of someone like me."

Sensing that he was about to break, Masaki stood up and forcefully wrapped her son in a hug, this resulted in Ichigo dropping his strong front, and though he does not shed a single tear, he has not cried since he was nine years old but he does look more vulnerable than anyone is used to seeing the orange-haired delinquent. His mother always does her best to make him feel like he should have nothing to hide and just relax.

No more tough guy who more or less scares everyone, just a young man who still needs his parents to walk tall, nothing to be ashamed of.

Isshin couldn't help but smile at the scene. 'Still a little kid. Fate is not kind to you, my son. In the end, you'll have to walk the same path as me and you won't walk it alone either. Not a chance.'

Kisuke too smiled at the scene, and deep down he does feel a tremendous amount of guilt for what he has to do, entrusting this boy to right his wrongs but he must hold fast and tremendous faith in Ichigo.

'You've been capable of doing the impossible since the day you were born, kid. You may not understand it yet but you're the best out of all of us. Whatever pain you experience along the way, it'll only serve to make you more of a man than I could ever hope to be. And it is my damn honor to help you reach your potential.'

---

"Mom and Ichigo aren't home yet?" Yuzu mused to herself as it is dinner time and it was just her, her twin, and her father in the house. "It's not like mom to not call about being late. At least we know where Ichigo is."

"Try not to worry too much about her. It is odd about her not letting us know of her whereabouts but it isn't the first time. Right, goat-chin?" Karin asked with her usual indifference while turning to her father reading something on his phone, which he often does when he has no one to talk to and there's nothing good on the TV, though this is the first time he does it during dinner.

Isshin did not respond to her question immediately but soon turned away from his phone to stare at her.

"Hmm? You-" He began but his voice sounded completely different, causing him to take the time to clear his throat before speaking again in his usual self. "You referring to me, sweety?"

"See any other goat-chins around?" She asked next more rhetorically and it took all of his willpower not to scowl with anger at the disrespect.

'This obnoxious little kid. How does anyone put up with this brat?' He thought to himself.

This isn't Isshin, but the Mod Soul Kon that previously inhabited the stuffed lion and was left with the Kurosaki Patriarch's body to safeguard the young twin girls, which is becoming more trouble than it's worth because Ichigo's black-haired sister is the worst person ever.

'Calm down. Calm down. You have to play it cool and make this work. Isshin and Masaki know about me so if I earn their trust I may score myself more freedom in this house, excluding these two that is but things will turn out for the better, so I can't screw this up.'

"Oh, my beautiful princess, there's no need to hide your sorrows over your mother's absence with your daddy. Believe me, I too curse every second of every minute of every hour of every day that I can't share them with your perfect mother! My beautiful wife! But always remember that no matter what happens, you two will always have your dear papa," Kon mimicked Isshin's goofy demeanor to a teeth, stupid grin included.

"Terrific but that doesn't answer my question," Karin replied heartlessly to her ''dad's'' usual displays of affections.

"She's probably having a girl's night out with her friends. Women too need a break from their responsibilities and daily routines once and a while, no different from us men. She'll turn up soon and be back like nothing ever happened," Kon finally replied though it is the lie he was instructed to tell the twins by Masaki.

"Mom doesn't have any friends," Karin scuffed, seeing through the lie. "She's the city's clown, no one would want to hang out with her because of how infamous she is and the only women who tolerate her is Ikumi because she's useful for her own business, and Mrs. Ishida but only because she's married to her cousin."

"KARIN! How could you speak so ill of your mother!" Kon gasped in fake horror.

"That's right, Karin! You're awful," Yuzu joined in with real horror at her twin's cruel words. "Mom has friends. Like Ms. Ochi, for example."

"Ichigo's homeroom teacher? She just uses her to stalk him, like all the other teachers Ichigo's ever had since he was ten years old." Karin shrugged.

"That's not true, if it was, she'd also be doing the same with our teachers," Yuzu countered in triumph.

"Well, she doesn't because she loves Ichigo more," Karin made her counter, only to quickly feel like she crossed a line. Yuzu seems to think so because the youngest Kurosaki starts shedding tears.

"YOU'RE THE WORST SISTER EVER! I HATE YOU!" She screamed, running away to where Kon and Karin assume is her room but she really went to Ichigo's.

"Yuzu! Wait, I didn't mean it like that," Karin pleaded.

"Reap what you have sown, kid," Kon whispered. 'This is going to be tougher than I thought, and I have to watch them for ten days straight. How is it that fighting Hollows is easier than dealing with kids? Or girls, plural. At least I don't have to worry about people coming in for me to treat them medically until it's time to go save Rukia. Maybe I should go with them as extra muscle? No. Going back to the Seireitei will just bring back old memories that I don't need right now. Oh, Rukia, my true love… please forgive me.'

---

Ichigo's new sword clashed with Urahara's cane blade as the two combatants glared at each other.

The drama and shocking revelation of his parents knowing about his Shinigami Agent activities and his father being a true Shinigami like Rukia was given a pause for him to focus on his mission, Ichigo began his training with Kisuke with his father participating as well but first, he will begin with just Kisuke, and he is no pushover.

The days of training he had with Rukia were harsh but he can already tell that Urahara will be much, much worse.

'Why is he using that cane sword?' Ichigo thought. 'I'd thought he would try to slice me open with his Zanpakutō by now-'

With little to no warning, Kisuke's cane blade is now inches away from piercing through his face but Ichigo's inhumanly fast reflexes kick in, raising his sword to block in time but the force from the blade knocks him several feet away from the Shopkeeper.

"Jesus Christ!" Ichigo mumbled in horror, he swears he saw his life flash before his eyes, and realized something he should've deduced from the beginning. "That's your Zanpakutō?! But Rukia said that the most common sealed form of Zanpakutō is a plain katana. And that's a shikomizue!"

"Key word most common but not the only one. I'm used to modifying souls and other things to an extent," Kisuke stated. "Making my Zanpakutō unassuming is child's play. If you want further proof then I believe it's time to start lesson three in earnest. Awaken, Benihime (Crimson Princess)!"

By that command, the cane sword changes, now appearing as a sleek, medium-sized sword. The hilt's grip, which has a gentle black-decorative wrapping, bends forward at the end, with a pommel-shaped overlap three times, and a crimson tassel dangling from its base. Instead of a tsuba, there is a U-shape guard covering three inches of the blade, with a flower petal design. At the base of the guard is a red string wrapped thrice around the hilt, with a three-loop bow on the back side and a folded paper decoration on the front side. The blade's hamon is straight, colored black with a silver edge, and is somewhat thicker than the cane-sealed state.

It remains straight and slim with a somewhat short size, with the tip ending in a slanted razor-like edge instead of tapering to a point.

"Finally!" Ichigo stumbled, a woman's voice coming from Kisuke's sword.

"Shinigami swords really are alive?" The novice Shinigami asked.

"Oh, so you can hear her voice. That's impressive for someone so young to already have your heart open to the spirits that dwell within the Zanpakutō. But that's a matter for another time," Kisuke mused as his blade shines in a crimson aura and Ichigo barely had enough time to see the aura contort into a smile before an energy blast went right past him and hit a boulder behind him the got sliced in half with such ease, Ichigo feared what might've happened if he was hit.

"He's being way too extreme," Masaki said with her nerves at an all-time high as she and Isshin watch from a short distance the fight that has been going on for five minutes now with their son on his last legs.

"Don't worry, Kisuke only needs to scare him into thinking that he is committed to killing him, and with Ichigo's current mindset being one of complete inexperience, this'll work like a charm," Isshin said, having faith in his old friend. "If I recall correctly, you went through a similar experience once before."

"Don't remind me," She sighed, now recalling troubling moments of her youth. "Those days are completely behind me and I rather keep it that way."

"Don't lose heart, my love. This is our son we're talking about,"

"This is the finest blood you've ever given me, dear," Benihime said to her wielder. "Can we play with him a little more?"

"I'm afraid we'll have to do so another time," Kisuke stated. "We don't have a lot of time at the moment,"

"Phooey," She replied.

Ichigo on the other hand was having flashbacks to his fight with Renji.

"Zanpakutōs have names?" Ichigo asked.

"Right," Urahara answered. "When a Shinigami wishes to use the power of their Zanpakutō, they say a release phrase unique to that specific Zanpakutō and then call its name."

"Great… let's see what she's got," Ichigo dared, charging forward faster than Kisuke admittedly thought he could display at his current level but nothing he couldn't handle, easily parrying two strong slashes from the younger Shinigami before Ichigo makes a high jump to strike from above but again Kisuke parries and this time Ichigo gets blown away, and right before he lands, he makes a quick backflip to properly land on his feet.

"Good, you have real skill. Ms. Kuchiki must've been quite the teacher to enable you to fight like a proper Practitioner of Zanjutsu (Way of the Sword) in just barely two months," Kisuke praised. "With the way you've been fighting since we started, 5th Seated Officers have to keep their guard up full-time."

"You ain't seen nothing yet," Ichigo declared as he charges to thrust his blade forward. Unfortunately, just as his blade was an inch away from his chest, the Shopkeeper vanished in the blink of an eye.

"What…" Ichigo muttered but quickly remembered. "Is this Hohō (Step Method)?"

"Neither have you," Kisuke said more seriously, standing by his left.

"Shit!" Ichigo cursed as his opponent struck first.

"Nake, Benihime (Sing, Crimson Princess)!" The Shopkeeper swings his sword, releasing another crimson-colored energy blast at Ichigo that narrowly hits him but Ichigo is more ready this time as he was able to block it with his sword, though he afterward lies back down on the ground in seeming defeat.

"You were ready that time. My mistake for taunting you before attacking but knowing how Shinigami and Hollows are equals when it comes to ego, there's no shame in relying on their voices more than your senses."

"Funny…" Ichigo hissed as he gets up, groaning all the while.

"Try and keep at it as much as you can," Kisuke dared. "But if this is all you have to offer, your willpower and luck won't stop us from killing you."

The red aura from his sword slowly traveled up the man's body, as if he was being covered in a haze of blood. Most terrifying, however, was the thin outline of a woman covered in blood on Benihime's edge.

Ichigo tried to keep his distance, not wanting to see what the blade was going to do. However, Urahara easily caught up to him and will soon slash him all over.

'Fuck-Fuck-Fuck!' He cursed, helpless to evade this and fully convinced that this would kill him

Instead, there was nothing.

The world around him seemed to slow to a crawl, Urahara's pursuit stopped, leaving Ichigo confused and alone with everything quickly turning to darkness.

"There is no reason to fear for your life, Ichigo," The Entity said, suddenly appearing next to him. "No matter the obstacle thrown your way, you can overcome it because the power was always with you."

"You and everyone else keep bragging like this is all supposed to be easy when it's not and I'm sick of it," Ichigo muttered.

"You say that now only because your mind remains confused. All that you seek can be yours, you just have to keep moving forward, and that starts with you speaking my name," She explained.

"I already told you, I don't know your name. This is the first time we ever met," Ichigo insisted.

"NO, IT ISN'T!" She screamed, startling him. "You know who I am, you just aren't thinking clearly. Think back, when you were a child in your very first encounter with a Hollow, you and your mother somehow survived the attack and you ended up in that month-long coma, something occurred between those events. Recall them."

"What…" Ichigo uttered at first confused before the realization hits him like a rock thrown at his head.

The night Rukia was taken, he had the same dream twice about himself nine years old talking to someone but what did she look like…?

"The girl from my dream, that was… that was you,"

"Yes, you're recalling," She pushed for him to press onward.

"I remember that you do have a name but you hated it and when I offered to give you a new one, you were heartened," Ichigo recalled. "But I never did come up with a name."

"Yes, you have, now you have to recall what happened next, when you woke up and tried to get back on your feet after the trauma, even though you eventually forgot about me, you still kept your promise. I know you did."

"Can't I just use your original name?" Ichigo insisted.

"No, that one is not a part of your being and it can't be mine anymore. It has to be the one you promised me," She continued to press. "Ichigo, please… Purge my pain. You promised."

Ichigo is forced to pause as his thoughts are now conflicted and his heart shaken. And yet, there is a light somewhere in this black void, one that leads to the lost parts of his life.

Gently he takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and focuses on the light. At first, he felt like this was inaccessible but the more he tried, the closer he got to his destination. Soon enough, he could finally start to recall an event the Entity may be referring to that took place eight years ago.

(Flashback)

'It's raining again,' Bemused a younger Ichigo as he stared at the window in his room with disappointment as it rains during the night.

He never really gave much thought as to why but the rain always upsets him, especially during the night.

Many people, mainly kids his age would feel fear when the sun sets, leaving only the night but Ichigo personally preferred the outdoors when the sun was gone, there's just something about the darkness that he found alluring, that being the moon.

His thoughts are interrupted when he hears a knock on his door.

"Hey there, champ. What has you all loom and gloomy tonight?" He turns around to see that it's his father entering his room, though the door was never really closed and he just knocked to get his attention before speaking, his way of letting him know that he respects his son's privacy even when the door isn't close.

A fact about Isshin that he would forsake when Ichigo turns thirteen, to the orange boy's resentment in the foreseeable future.

Isshin himself looks eight years younger and is lacking the beard that would make his children one day address him as goat-chin as an insult. Ichigo and Karin at least.

"Dad? Well, it's raining again and it was supposed to be a full moon tonight," Ichigo said not exactly bitter but unhappy about it.

"Oh yeah, that's a real bummer. But don't worry, the weather woman assured us that it'll stop raining for the rest of the week so you'll have two more days to gaze at the radiance of the night sky," He assured.

"I hope so," Ichigo said. "Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

"Of course, it's dinner time, and mom has a surprise for all three of you," Isshin informed, assuring him that he'll love it.

"Okay!" Ichigo smiled with anticipation before it fades away with a different thought coming to mind. "Dad, trick question. Have you ever had a weird dream that just doesn't go away?"

"Are you asking me that?" Isshin asked rhetorically to his son who has to know by now, as well as his sisters that their father is hyperactive in everything he does that doesn't involve his work, his dreams are no different.

Inwardly, Ichigo feels stupid for asking that but decides not to voice it. He was less outspoken back then, a trait he should hold on to when older to avoid unnecessary bickering.

"Seriously, though, what brought it up?"

"I keep having this odd dream. I barely remember it because it keeps fading little by little but from what I do recall, it involves this strange girl," Ichigo explained and this immediately earned his dad's full attention, who at questionable light speed was already sitting on the bed next to Ichigo with curiosity and smugness written all over his face.

"Oh, so this is about an imaginary girlfriend, is it," He smirked at him.

"What?! No, that's not-" Ichigo struggled to correct him while blushing madly and Isshin wrapped his arm around him to pull him close a bit tightly.

"Ah, my boy, so young and already thinking about having your own maiden. I've noticed that young Tatsuki has been making you continuously unhappy over time despite what your mama might think so she's out of the question, but believe me, you can't rely on your imagination to make you happy. True happiness lies in the real world," He playfully lectured him.

"Can I please finish what I want to say?" He pleaded whiles his father releases him from his hold. "She was a strange girl before we met, she's never spoken to anyone before, much less spoken a word, period, she didn't know what mom and dad meant, nor did she know anything about love."

"That's odd," Isshin said bemused.

"Yeah but even though she barely showed it, she was really, really sad. Her dad was hurting her badly and she could do nothing and believed that she deserved to be mistreated," Ichigo continued.

"Sounds more like you've been having nightmares to me," Isshin said, now disturbed by the thought of someone abusing his own child so much that they would feel deserving of it.

"Maybe but in the end things got happier and we became friends. She told me her name, which she disliked, and when I offered to give her a nickname to call her by it made her happy, like as if… I don't know," Ichigo explained.

"Like finally having an identity for herself that she can be proud of," Isshin surmised.

"Maybe. Yeah, I think that's it," Ichigo agreed.

"I wouldn't let it bother you so much, dreams are like ice cream, no matter how good they may seem, they'll always go away one way or the other," Isshin insisted.

"I know but I feel that I should come up with a name for her if I ever dream of her again," Ichigo said. "I wish I could forget about it already but I can't yet. I just know that I have to do this."

"Jeez, kid, if you're so passionate about it, go for it. But have you given this much thought?" Isshin asked.

"No, but… she's a girl so I should give her a cute name. Girls like cute things, right?" Ichigo asked with the typical naivety of the common males.

"Sure, unless they're into karate and they instead prefer to beat boys up," His dad reminded him of all those times he lost to Tatsuki in their dojo.

"Don't remind me," His son whined now even more upset but to Isshin's surprise, he doesn't cry like he usually does when he loses in something, then he has to call his wife who's the only one who can make him smile again but now, he's just all moody.

In a way, he expected his son to experience a great change following what'd happened to him but this honestly feels like a huge step from who he used to be.

"Think of it this way, nicknames are given to people by those who feel passionate about them, and the names in question should represent something that they're either good at or like about them, for example, is there something particular about this girl that has you more drawn to her," Isshin decides to help him out with this.

"Well… she's very pretty, like… the moon," Ichigo explained.

"The moon?" Isshin questioned, not sure how the moon can be compared to a little girl.

"Yeah, she had this glow to her that made her stand out among all the darkness surrounding us, in fact, she was the only source of light where we were. Just like how the moon is the only light in the night sky, helping to show us the way so that we never feel alone in the dark," Ichigo said, a spark in his eyes showing how more invested he is into this.

"You don't say. Alright, alright, that's something but you need to add something else, a final ingredient if you would, to show that you really care for her," Isshin added.

"Right, how about… her voice. When we spoke I felt like I was talking to someone who's supposed to be important, someone really special," He concluded.

"Like a princess?" His father stated.

"A Princess? Yeah, that's it. She has the voice of a princess," Ichigo cheered, having figured it out.

"There you go, a Princess of the Moon. Used properly and you got yourself a fine name for the finest maiden you will ever meet," Isshin cheered with him.

"Wow, my very own princess," Ichigo mused, now daydreaming about that girl but no longer seeing her as what she really looks like but envisioning her as someone better looking that makes him blush.

"Look at you, now you're getting the spark that comes with the pursuit of that one special girl," Isshin smirked mischievously at the cheeky look on his son's face.

This touching moment of a father helping his son is ruined when they hear the door to the room being loudly slammed shut with the boy's mother and man's wife being the one to do so, also putting the lock on the door to keep all three of them inside, they couldn't see her face while covered by her hair but from what they could both tell, she was not happy.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry but I and the boy got caught up in a very interesting discussion," Isshin smiled, not yet noticing the danger he was in.

"Mommy, are you okay?" Ichigo asked in concern as he noticed the oddity in his mother.

"Isshin… exactly what were you talking with MY son?" Masaki asked with a heavy emphasis on the my son part that made both males gulp at what was going on with the usually cheerful matriarch of the Kurosaki House.

"Honey…"

"Something about… the spark that comes with the pursuit of that one special girl!" She said while revealing her predatory blood-red eyes.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Both father and son screamed in terror that night that marked the moment when Masaki Kurosaki was hellbent on her son never having a girlfriend.

(End of Flashback)

"Don't touch him!" The Entity's voice turned cold and menacing and Kisuke could hear her this time. That alone startled him but it only escalated when Ichigo spontaneously parried his swing remarkably fast and with enough force to push him back a few feet. From his previous angle and the way he'd done it shouldn't have been possible. Something else is afoot here.

"Now I remember. The important piece of this madness that I need to move forward," Ichigo mused as he turns to face the confused Exile.

"He's done it," Isshin smirked, knowing what comes next.

"You know, ever since I was young, I've had this weird fascination with the moon. I was always looking forward to the sun to getting lost so that I can look up at the night sky. There was just something about that celestial body that drew me to her and it would always annoy me when the clouds would show up and block my view. It only got worse when the rain came down on me and that's when I felt my blood boil for the first time," Ichigo explained to Kisuke.

"That's interesting if a little creepy. Does this have a point with what we're doing?" Urahara asked.

"Oddly enough, yes it does, for you see, I've always wanted the clouds to go away at nightfall, they can block the sun entirely all day long for all I care but at night, the moon and the stars are all people should want to see. And now… now I know I can have it my way the next time a full moon shines bright on the sky," Ichigo said more fiercely as he tightens his hold on his sword and a burst of light-blue reiatsu surges through him.

"You see this sword of mine! I know she hates the rain as much as I do, and so it's high time we reach for the sky and stop the rain!" He roared while raising his Zanpakutō upwards.

"Purge, Getsuhime (Moon Princess)!"

His reiatsu expanded as an explosion from Ichigo's body, rushing towards Kisuke. A swing of Benihime stopped the blast in its tracks, but he still had to grab his hat to keep it from flying away.

When Ichigo was revealed, his Zanpakutō changed. The blade, tsuba, and hilt become completely silver. The blade is much more straight and slim, also extending in length, at about 1.4 meters long now. The crossguard is now a pair of crescent moons joined together at the back. The handle's base gains two silver tassels similar to the ones on Ichigo's first sword.

"His Zanpakutō? I've never seen one silver before," Jinta said in gob smacked dumbfound.

"My word… it's magnificent," Tessai uttered more at a loss for words.

"Oh my. This newcomer is interesting," Benihime smirked wickedly at the new challenge. "And here she comes now." As she said so, the Entity is now seen by all, floating right above Ichigo.

"What is that thing?" Masaki asked.

"No doubt that's his Zanpakutō Spirit. The blade that all Shinigami wield is a sentient being born of our power and whom we share a soul with. On the outside they appear as swords and the majority change when they're names are called forth but on the inside, they have a different form that is more befitting of their sentience," Isshin explained. "The first time that the Zanpakutō is released, their true form manifests into the real world for a brief moment as a way to signify that the bond between master and sword has been truly established."

"Are these spirits supposed to look like that?" Masaki wondered.

"Zanpakutō are all unique from each other, extremely rare to have any real similarities, same like with the Hollows. Many of them like mine look human, or at least human enough, while many more are animalistic but now that you mention it, this one looks incomplete," Isshin said suspiciously before something next occurs. "Scratch that, Ichigo's partner looked incomplete."

Just as he said so, the one now called Getsuhime changes, taking on a more physical and human form, and in the simplest terms, she looks stunning with few who could rival her image.

Her new form is that of a tall woman, almost as tall as Ichigo in her late teens to early twenties with albino skin. She has silver eyes with matching long silver hair that goes down her waist and wrapped in a very well-kempt ponytail. She wears a simple black metal crown-like tiara adorned on her head, right at the tip of her forehead lies a tiny rhombus-shaped sapphire. She wears a black and grey western-style princess dress, long black gloves that completely cover her hands and forearms, long sleeves that partially expose her shoulders, and also wears black boot-like heels. Her chest and cleavage are covered by light black armor with white trims.

"By the Soul King…" Tessai gasped at the marvel before their eyes.

"Wow…" Kisuke whistled in astonishment.

"I think I'm in love," Jinta gasped with a blush as bright as his hair, same with his sister.

"She's… she's… beautiful," Masaki mumbled.

"Now that's what I call a princess," Isshin uttered. "Still, Getsuhime?"

"Is that… what you really look like?" Ichigo asked, the most taken aback by her appearance, unable to stop the bright blush on his face as she gently lands down, the two again staring at one another but this time he can see life in her silver eyes and her smile alone puts his mother's to shame.

"Ichigo, thank you. I am truly whole," Getsuhime said with such power and emotion with her words alone. "Now, we are one."

"I… I…" Ichigo mostly failed to properly communicate with her. "I think we should get this over with."

"Of course, before anything else, I am your sword. So whenever there is someone you must fight, I will be the one who will bring you victory. If you just believe in me, I will never allow your enemies to bring you suffering," She vowed to him.

"Looking forward to it," Ichigo smirked, walking past her to face Kisuke and yells. "Hey, Hat-and-Clogs! I think it's payback time!"

Ichigo raised his arm with light-blue reiatsu being absorbed into Getsuhime's true sword form. Urahara almost paled once he felt the amount of reiatsu being packed in that blade.

"About time," Kisuke smirked, ready for his student's next display of power.

However, his thoughts are elsewhere when he spares another glance at Getsuhime who's still behind her master and something rapidly changed about her.

Her physical appearance remains the same but once she noticed him, her face contorted in a way that chills ran down the Shopkeeper's spine as one emotion was directed at him that left him paralyzed.

Pure, seething, unrelenting, unforgiving, unending… hatred.

"KISUKE!" Benihime snapped at him to focus as Ichigo already swung his blade, firing an energy blast not just of spirit energy but concentrated light directly at them.

"NAKE, BENIHIME!" Urahara roared, having only a nanosecond to react before the blast could hit him.

An explosion comparable to a missile hit the area, as Tessai covered the kids from the shockwave, and Isshin did the same for his wife.

After a few seconds, Jinta got up to see the damage.

"Wow," Kisuke stated. "I didn't think you would be able to do something like that with just one swing of your sword."

It was at this point that Jinta realized that his hat was gone. It took a second after that to realize that most of the place had been obliterated as if a natural disaster had happened.

Kisuke raised Benihime, to see his sword was cracked. It wasn't a very big crack, and something any Shinigami of moderate competence could fix with ease but to damage his sword was an achievement only two other people accomplished.

"You are one scary kid," Urahara admitted, looking at that teenager taking a breather from his insane feat but still not out yet with his Zanpakutō patting his shoulders. "Lesson three cleared."

"What the hell was that? You spaced out there. Since when do you lose focus when in a fight?" Benihime demanded as Kisuke froze when Ichigo began to attack. "That blast wouldn't have killed us but it would've made the next few days unpleasant."

"Sorry about that, girl. I guess I was still taken by the look of Ichigo's Zanpakutō," Kisuke half-lied.

Shinigami and Zanpakutō may share the same soul but either can still keep secrets from each other.

"Bullshit!" Benihime called him out.

"Hey Ichigo, looks like you got yourself your own Princess. What a coincidence that both the names of our lady friends end with the same kanji," Kisuke mused.

"Don't ignore me!" Benihime shouted but this goes ignored by both her master and Ichigo.

"Yeah, that's something. Not sure if it's great but it's something," Ichigo said before turning to see Getsuhime but to his disappointment, she was already gone. "Well, that was short-lived."

"Don't beat yourself up over it, a Zanpakutō's true form are only for the eyes of their master to see," Kisuke smiled.

"That sounded way too sexual," Ichigo whined.

"Maybe for the male Shinigami who are lucky enough to have a sword spirit that's a girl but those are few and far between," Kisuke explained.

"That's even more creepy of you to bring it up."

"To each their own," Kisuke snickered. "Back to business, I have to take the chance you gave me to work on the Senkaimon a bit sooner. I'll leave the rest to you." With that, he leaves as Isshin steps forward next.

"Well, son. We've been fighting for years and you have done well in learning the Hakuda (White Hits) I've been discreetly teaching you all this time but this will be our first real spar." Isshin said.

"That's what all that crap was," Ichigo gasped, only now realizing how odd yet unique the fighting style his father's been forcing on him truly was. Was he preparing him to become a Shinigami this whole time without actually telling him?

"Just because we weren't keen on you taking up arms against Hueco Mundo doesn't mean I was going to let you go unprepared in life. It's like I once told my former subordinates. A wise leader never seeks out conflict but must always be ready," Isshin unveiled words of wisdom. "But even still one cannot do anything by standing still. We must walk tall, accept the consequences of our actions, and never look back. If you don't move forward, you won't be able to have anything in life."

"When did you become so philosophical?" Ichigo asked a bit caught off by his father's words.

"I've been at this a lot longer than you, and though I've been out of action for twenty-two years and only recently got my powers back, my fire remains as hot as I ever was, which will do you wonders since I'll be instructing you in Zanjutsu until the Senkaimon is ready."

"Got them back?" Ichigo repeated, only now remembering that he interrupted his father from telling him the whole story of his past.

"You heard right. The reason I live in this world instead of the Soul Society was that I gave up my power decades ago. For a good reason, I assure you, I've been as human as your mother until very recently," Isshin explained, giving his son a breath of fresh air who had initially negative thoughts concerning him having powers at all and never showing up to help him protect Karakura.

"Break time, boys. Ichigo has been beaten up enough times for today," Masaki interrupted the two before they would start to clash with their swords, all while in her hands she brings a platter with food. "You skipped breakfast and lunch, and dinner so you're eating big before bedtime."

"Where did you get that platter?" Ichigo asked as he has taken notice that since he started his third lesson with Kisuke, his mother has not left the spot she was in, and she was holding nothing.

"You know me, mama always has her ways," Masaki winked at him as a response.

"You sure do, honey," Isshin smiled.

"I'm not going to enjoy the next few days with you two, am I?" Ichigo whined, somehow certain that things are not going to go well for him, especially since he's been fighting his old man practically all his life but never with swords, which will be completely unavoidable not to severely hurt one another.

"Now, now, you don't have to be so melo, dear. I'll spend most of the time watching over your sisters with Kon helping me so that you and your father can kill each other in peace," Masaki jokingly replied while passing him a sandwich to eat.

"Kon? So you know about him too?" Ichigo said.

"You thought we wouldn't notice the living lion plushie running around in our own house?"

"I thought he was at least capable of being sneaky," Ichigo bemused.

"He is, to be honest if we weren't knowledgeable at all about the spiritual, we might've never known about him," Isshin commented. "He'll be inhabiting my Gigai for the time being but when the time comes, he'll be occupying your body while mine remains in storage with Kisuke."

"That was so creepy to hear you say that about your physical form being left in Hat-and-Clog's clutches," Ichigo muttered. The whole thing is still a little odd as much as it fascinated him.

Since Shinigami can't interact with the Human World because they are spirits, they use artificial bodies called Gigai that allow them to be seen and interact with humans, though at the cost of being largely powerless while using them.

That's how Rukia was able to attend high school with him.

"It's no problem at all, after all, he's the one who gave me the Gigai I've been using since I got stuck here, and mine's unique," Isshin said.

"How so?" Ichigo said curiously.

"For one, spirits take decades to age physically just once, and before I met your mom I was ten times the charming devil if I do say so myself," Isshin smirked with a lot of vanity, recalling his prime when he was all women everywhere could think about. Masaki's an angel but she had to think like an ogre to keep him all to herself.

"Nah, don't say things like that, babe. You're still the same incubus you were when we met," Masaki smirked cheekily with a light blush, and it's a good thing Ichigo is so used to hearing his parents talk like this, otherwise, he would've vomited his food by the nightmarish implications.

"Thanks, dear," Isshin chuckled sheepishly. "And then there's the fact that spirits and humans can't naturally repro-"

"NOPE!" Ichigo shouted as he ran for the hills, literally given the terrain, refusing to hear any more to do with his parents for now.

"Aww, don't be a whiner, Ichigo. You're gonna have to learn about this eventually," Masaki joked.

"I thought you were against him having a relationship with a girl," Isshin questioned.

"Not one that doesn't have my seal of approval and only my approval," Masaki replied WAY too sternly.

"Then why are you against even Orihime? She's EXACTLY like you, you know and she's your best employ at your bakery," Isshin whined.

"IT'S TOO SOON TO HAVE GRANDCHILDREN, ISSHIN!" She roared at him. "Look at me! Do I look like I should be a grandmother yet?"

"No sweety… please forgive me…" He pleaded, now a sobbing mess and cradling his wife.

---

"Are you alright, boss? I noticed that you hesitated in that final clash with young Ichigo," Tessai asked Kisuke once the two and the kids were far enough away from the Kurosakis. "It was so unlike you and if you hadn't blocked that blast it would've done a real number on you."

This is the part where the three of them would hear their boss make a lighthearted remark about how everything is fine and come up with an excuse that is only partially acceptable most of the time, and for all extensive purposes, they're used to it and sometimes wonder why they bother asking at all.

However, Kisuke's hesitation and look of tension on his face is something that none of them would ever dare expect from him. He doesn't look scared but close enough if they're being honest.

"Kisuke?" Tessai hesitantly pressed.

"I just had a bad case of Déjà vue," He said weakly. "I can't explain it properly yet but I feel as though I've made a huge mistake. At the same time though, it's not so bad since I'm sure I'll be the only one paying the price so I won't ponder on it too much just yet."

---

"Yuzu, how many times do I have to say I'm sorry? Would you come out already?" Karin said to her twin who is again locked in their brother's room like she was yesterday.

Their mother hasn't returned yet but neither paid attention because of the sudden new tension between them and Yuzu slept in Ichigo's room and only got out to use the bathroom, or have breakfast, which Kon had to make since she refused to serve Karin food, and again with lunch and once those were done, she again locked herself in Ichigo's room.

Sure, no child wants to accept that their parents love one of their kids more than the other but Yuzu is being dramatic, and besides, if she's bitter about it then why not be mad at Ichigo?

Then again, locking herself in their brother's room is odd, of course, she can't lock herself in her room because it's also Karin's.

"Forget it! I don't want to see you," Yuzu spatted.

"Don't you think you're taking this a bit overboard? I mean, sure, anyone would be upset about what I said, heck, I felt really sore the moment I said it but let's be reasonable here, you can't deny the cold hard facts and when you really think about it, mom has her reasons for being more overbearing with Ichigo than she is with us," Karin tried to reason.

"Yeah, I know why mother is the way she is. I could never forget those dark days when our brother fell into that month-long coma after June 17th, especially afterward when he became scared to go out into the world again," Yuzu said next with a hint of uncharacteristic venom. "Who do you think tried to take care of him with dad whiles you two were more concern about feeling sorry for yourselves."

"HEY! You're not the only one who suffered that day!" Karin lost her temper and even kicked at Ichigo's door as a way to shut her twin up.

If she had half her brother's strength, she might've broken it and made it fall to the floor.

Before things can escalate, Karin forces herself to stay calm and try to be the mature one as always.

"Okay, Yuzu, it doesn't matter what I think about our folks, can't we just agree that this whole thing is stupid and get back on track? This is not how we should be spending summer vacation after all."

"No, not until you admit you're wrong," Yuzu remains persistent.

"This is really something you should be discussing with mother rather than me," Karin whined.

"I don't care if mother loves me less than Ichigo!" Yuzu yelled, now getting her sister to pause for a brief moment.

"Wait, that's not what this is about?" She questioned confused, and her Twin finally comes out of the room with a rather cute pout and flushed face that she actually believes makes her seem imposing.

"Mom and Dad can love whoever they want the most for all I care but I draw the line when it comes to brother," She sneered. "Because I love brother the most out of everyone!"

"Nope!" Karin cringed, raising both her hands out in surrender, and walks away.

"Hey! Don't just walk away when I pour my heart out to you!" Yuzu protested indignantly.

'Of course, that's what this was about.' Karin sighed. 'What a ridiculous family I have.'

---

"What a ridiculous family Ichigo has," Kon mused to himself in the living room, watching the television but could hardly hear anything because of the brief argument between the Kurosaki Twins, at first he wanted to intervene when things got heated but stopped once he heard just how ridiculous things actually were.

"Now I know why Ichigo is so eager to move out of this crazy place. His loss I guess, that room of his won't be too bad if it's all mine," He joked.

"I'm home," Masaki called, finally arriving home.

"Oh, hello, Masaki. How are things with Ichigo?" Kon asked.

"Not as good as I would prefer but you've been living here long enough to know that unless he's fighting, nothing is ever okay with him," Masaki sighed, still upset that her son is going through with this and there's really nothing she can do to stop him because of his mindset and guilt.

In a way and quite frankly, it be worse off if he doesn't go, he's too young to have a guilty conscious like leaving someone behind to die just to save himself.

"But he wouldn't be my husband's son if he didn't risk it all for a girl he barely knows."

"Speaking from experience?" Kon asked curiously.

"Big time," Masaki mused.

"Why are you talking like said husband is not in the living room with you?" Karin asked as she only now walks downstairs and only got the last part of the conversation.

Though, as curious as she is about Ichigo possibly getting into a girl, she rather not get involved knowing how her mother can go berserk when any female she's not familiar with enters this house.

"Ah, Karin, always a joyous occasion to see you, dear," Masaki greeted her oldest daughter. "I just got back from seeing your brother. He's with Chad and they have something planned for this vacation they don't want to discuss. Silly one, your brother is for thinking he can hide things from me forever."

"What, like going to the beach with Keigo? I heard that everyone, even his mother stood him up," Karin said, recalling passing by one of her brother's ridiculous friends, the overdramatic one with a big mouth and practical class clown of Karakura High weeping about going to the beach alone and Ichigo being a bully.

"I think he's reconsidering his options," She lied. "Or… maybe he is going to the beach, just a different one, and host his own party."

"Ichigo really has it bad for this class clown, doesn't he," Karin said amazed as this wouldn't be the first time Ichigo went to great lengths just to make Keigo feel like the most hated guy in the world just for his amusement. Honestly, she wants in on the abuse. Keigo just has that face.

"Of course, there's the problem that Ichigo is officially over beaches, or the ocean, plural so I question if you really know what's up."

"Oh, Karin, you know me. Sooner or later, I'll always find out the truth," Masaki snickered.

"And you wonder why everyone in the whole city treats you like a clown," Karin muttered before heading back upstairs and will probably not be back down until dinner. "Word of advice, try to avoid Yuzu, she's having another of her episodes."

"She could've at least asked how you are or where you've been," Kon whined.

"She never wants to know where I am. The little angel is the kind of girl who thinks she's tough by hiding her emotions all the time." Masaki sighed, used to her cold demeanor towards everyone who isn't her brother.

"Your family's weird," Kon said flat out.

"Of fun!" Masaki added with humor. Just then, Yuzu came in next and was not paying attention to anything the two were saying.

"Hi honey, sorry if I worried you but even I need some girl's night out once and a while."

Yuzu makes no response.

"This should be interesting," Kon mused to himself.

"I love Ichigo more than you!" That was all the youngest Kurosaki said before leaving for her room and a stunted mother behind.

"EXCUSE ME?!"

---

Author's Note: I want to make three things perfectly clear:

#1. Yuzu is not incest, she's just too attached to her brother. It's not concerning, it's cute.

#2. Tatsuki is the character I dislike the most in Bleach, the second one is Ulquiorra. She's not a bad person, I just think she's a poor example of the tough girl image she's supposed to represent and I am thrilled that Kubo made her irrelevant to the series. I don't think I would've enjoyed Bleach as much as I do if she were made a part of the main cast. She made me tolerant and appreciative of Rukia's sickening arrogance.

Finally #3. As a character or characters, Zangetsus are my favorites. The old man was so mysterious and appealing that I was always giddy about seeing him, and I instantly believed that White was Ichigo's true Zanpakutō from the start because the idea alone was awesome. To me, they are the best relationships Ichigo has. As a Zanpakutō, however, let's be honest, they're completely pathetic. I can accept a protagonist that's all about brute force and no skill in the form of flashy techniques but Ichigo and Zangetsu don't have the best track record, especially in the filler arcs, and the Shikai being his base form was not a good idea. I love the designs of his Bankai (except the last one) but Tōshirō was more justified in relying too much on his Bankai due to how complex and difficult Hyōrinmaru is, Ichigo was just embarrassing himself every time he shouted Bankai.

Also, and this is on a more personal note, but with the exception of Rebellion and Red Queen from Devil May Cry, the Buster Sword and Fusion Sword from Final Fantasy VII, and Dragonslayer from Berserk, I really don't like big-ass swords and don't accept them as a trend. The YouTuber BOOFIRE191 made a video that pretty much describes my feelings on the topic in better detail.

I apologize for the rambling but I had to get this all out. I meant to release this on the last day of July but my Godfather's birthday was being celebrated so I had little time to be on my computer.

Lastly, I can't promise that Chapter 3 will arrive just as quickly but I do hope you enjoy yourselves with this one and that the next ones to come may be worth the wait.