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Chapter 7

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Part 1

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below Urahara's Shop

Karakura Town

Japan

After a few minutes of Kaido scans, pocking and prodding, Ukitake was none the wiser. "The good news is that as far as I can determine, this is indeed your body. It has been modified somewhat to better accept you Spiritual Power. That said, right now I can't say for sure if you're alive human with Shinigami powers or a Shinigami who might be able to use his old body as a gigai. We'll need someone like Captain Unohana to give you a proper check-up. Perhaps the Twelfth Division might be able to help, however for your sake I hope that you won't run into anyone from there."

"So it could be worse, I understand." Ichigo's scowl deepened. "Well, there's nothing to it." He walked up to his body, knelt beside it and placed a hand upon his chest. A second later, his Soul blurred and vanished, his body shook a few times and he opened his eyes. "That was odd." He croaked and slowly sat. "This certainly felt different than before." Ichigo got up with a wince of discomfort. "I'm very stiff, however everything appears to be in a working condition. What now?"

"Now we make sure that those two get home in one piece," Shunsui waved at Ichigo's friends, and then the rest of us need to have a long conversation with your father."

"I can find my way home without help, thank you very much." Ishida grumbled and headed up the ladder. "I'll see you later, Kurosaki."

"I'll be all right. You need to speak with your father, I understand." Chad rumbled and followed the Quincy.

"I'll keep an eye on them and find you later." Shunsui shook his head at the kids and slowly walked after them.

"Well, no time like the present. Are you ready, Ichigo?" Ukitake asked.

Ichigo barely had enough time to nod before the Captain grabbed his shoulder and brought them outside with Flash Steps that left the teenager breathless.

"A bit slower, please!" Kurosaki managed to wheeze out while gasping for air.

"Slower it is. Which way?"

Ichigo offered directions and to his immense relief, they headed home by simply walking. Even better, Captain Ukitake used the time to explain even more about the basic abilities every Shinigami possessed, how to better utilize them and perhaps more importantly, why having solid foundation was vital if a Shinigami was to excel. Unless your name was Zaraki Kenpachi, however apparently that monster was a special case.

Twenty minutes later they arrived at the Kurosaki residence. It was early in the morning, shortly before dawn in fact. Ichigo paused in front of the door and looked at his home warily. Kurosaki was almost afraid of what his father might have to say for himself. Ichigo was about to search for his keys, when he heard someone moving inside and the door suddenly opened, revealing Goat-chin in his in-immitable glory, or so the boy thought for a moment before the expression on his father's face registered.

Isshin was serious for once, which a small miracle. Ichigo knew that he perhaps should have been happy to see his father, especially when it was only thanks to Ukitake and Kyoraku that he was allowed to return home unmolested if at all. Instead…

"Father…" The word came out harsher than Ichigo intended, however at that moment he found it hard to care. "You do recognize our guest, I guess?" He added while his eyes twisted into an angry scowl.

"Captain Ukitake, long time no see… Son, I…"

"Save it. I need to see Yuzu and Karin, you two can catch up. Then you owe me some answers." Ichigo shouldered his way past his father and headed upstairs.

"Captain Shiba." Ukitake nodded politely. "Will you invite me in or shall we have our conversation at the doorstep?"

"Get in." Isshin's expression fell after he waved in his former comrade. "I've made a mess of things, haven't I?"

"That's putting it politely. I thought you knew better." Ukitake chided without malice. "Do you know how much of trouble your son and his friends are?"

"I can make an educated guess…"

"I'm petty sure you actually can't." Jushiro cut off his host. "Invasion of Soul Society, which automatically labeled your son as a Ryoka among other things, and we all know how they're seen at the best of times. Then we have massive collateral damage, attacking and injuring multiple Shinigami, their actions directly and indirectly caused at least four confirmed deaths and then things become sticky as in political."

Isshin had the good grace to pale at that.

"Before I continue, do tell me what do you know about Captain Aizen?"

"He's still a Captain?" Isshin fished for more information.

"His status right now is most complicated. Do answer my question, Shiba."

"Brilliant bastard. As far as I know, he was the one behind that Hollowfication mess a century or so back, however I can't prove it, obviously…"

"I'm aware of that. Aizen claims he did it because Central 46 ordered it. Urahara obviously disagrees."

"Obviously." Isshin nodded in agreement while he led Ukitake to the couch in the living room and wordlessly offered him a seat. He sat on a nearby chair and declined to offer anymore information on the topic. "How is my son entangled in Soul Society politics?"

"You can thank Urahara for that one."

Isshin grimaced. "I see… no, not yet. Care to enlighten me, Captain Ukitake?"

"Central 46 is dead. Unknown enemies with Hollow signatures destroyed their compound as well as the Central Archives, which points at Urahara and the Hollowfied officers as prime suspects. Urahara again, engineered an invasion of Soul Society by children who he sent blind and dumb to the slaughter. Something you allowed to happen to your own son. After some unpleasantries that happened tonight, once Central 46 reforms it will be looking for blood and your kid is one of the prime candidates to be sacrificed to apeace them, alongside his friends. Luckily for them, a few of us don't necessary believe in letting children suffer for other people's fuck ups and we goth them out of Soul Society. Hopefully, we'll be able to reach a compromise that won't see them suffer the full consequences of their actions."

Ukitake spoke in an even tone and carefully observed the effect his words had upon the former Captain.

"It wasn't meant to happen like that…"

"What was the plan then? What did you think would happen when these children failed, or worse, if they somehow managed to get their hands on Rukia? You know we wouldn't have left them to simply leave. Not with Rukia, neither by themselves."

"You brought them here, didn't you?"

"There are going to be consequences, just not throwing them into the Maggot's Nest and throwing away the key or executing them if I can help it. What did you expect to happen, Shiba? Or did you simply entrust the life and future of your son to Urahara? If that's the case, you've made a grave mistake."

"I want to hear the answer of that question as well, father." Ichigo added as he walked quietly down the stairs from the second floor. "We had no idea what we walked into. In fact, I'm still missing most of the details, all I really know is that we've landed ourselves into a very nasty mess."

"Do you care to enlighten us, former Captain Shiba?" Ukitake asked and stressed Issin's rank as a Shinigami.

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Part 2

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Kurosaki residence

Karakura Town

Japan

Isshin looked glumly at his son, sorely missing the usual informality and impertinence Ichigo gleefully used when addressing him. The few times before his son had been this stiff and formal when speaking to him, it was when he had been utterly infuriated for one reason or another, usually to do with something the older Kurosaki said or did.

"The truth, Ichigo? I was hoping that Urahara's particular brand of eccentricity," lets go with that, Issin decided. It sounded much better than admitting he left his son in the care of a man who often didn't quite know on which side of the thin divide between genius and madness he walked any particular time of the day. ",would persuade you to drop the whole Shinigami thing and never look back."

Ichigo spluttered when he heard that explanation. "What?!" He barely kept himself from roaring and startling his sisters awake. "Did you really think I would have left my friend to be executed when I could do something about it? When it was my fault in the first place?!"

"Ichigo, what makes you think that what happened to Rukia was your fault in any way, shape or form?" Ukitake inquired with polite interest before Isshin could even begin to respond.

"That Hollow came for me! It would have eaten my sister as well! Rukia got wounded protecting us, she had to give me her power so we all wouldn't die and she got arrested for that!" Ichigo ranted in a quiet hiss.

"Let me tackle your points one by one. First, from where we stand I can actually feel your sister's Spiritual Pressure, it's quite large for humans, large enough to attract any Hollow that finds itself in their general vicinity."

Both Ichigo and Isshin winced at that. The teen glared at his father, silently demanding answers.

"My Spiritual Powers are barely starting to return. I'm aware that the girls are more powerful than regular humans, however right now I can't really say by how much. I believed that in a place like Karakura, their signatures would be lost among the unusual Spiritual Power of the town. I'll have to see about putting seals on them." Isshin looked at the floor. "And for you for that matter. It wasn't particularly bad before you went to regain your powers, however afterwards…"

"And you said nothing?!" Ichigo leveled an accusing finger at his father.

"I was still hoping you would reconsider. Soul Society, the Noble Clans who form the government and for most intents and purposes rule it, it's not a nice place Ichigo, as you undoubtedly found out the hard way. I didn't want you to have anything to do with that world. You would have been safer and happier that way. The same goes for the girls. I don't want them involved!"

"I'll see what I can do, however Yamamoto knows about your status. We'll either have to make a creatively edited report about you with all the risks such a thing carry or you'll have to come and explain yourself. Why didn't you sent a report? It would have made all the difference between being on a long medical leave recovering your powers in the world of the living and being away without official leave." Ukitake's words were heavy with frustration.

"I saw an opportunity to get away for good and I took it, that's the truth." Isshin admitted. "I've been sick with all the political games and… stuff we often had to do at the bidding of higher authority."

Ukitake's eyebrows did their best to disappear into his hairline at the implication of that admission, however he knew better than to pursue said topic then and there.

"There will be consequences, however even as disgraced as the Shiba's are, you're still a Noble Clan. I'm sure once reformed Central 46 would be lenient if for no other reason to ensure that if something like this happens to their Clans, they would get off lightly compared to the lesser people." Jushiro pointed out.

"And you wonder why I didn't want to have anything with that world?" Isshin chuckled bitterly. "That might be the best option, from a lot of bad options."

"I'm missing something, aren't I?"

"It's not often that Shinigami procreate with humans, Ichigo. What you father did, the fact that you and your sisters exist, its an anomaly, one which will make some people curious, while others might see it as a disgrace at best. In fact, there are very few instances I could recall and I'm one of the oldest living Shinigami."

"Three that I know of and only thanks to Kisuke." Isshin nodded. "One instance ended up with everyone eaten by Hollows before Gotei 13 could intervene, in another, the Stealth Force cleared up house so to speak and ensured that everyone involved ended up in Soul Society for good, one way or another. The third case ended up better, with sooner or later everyone either passing on or willingly returning."

"That's what I recall from the top of my head as well. The Stealth Force had to intervene due to inter-Clan politics and in the third case the female Shinigami in question was shielded by her Clan, however after she and her children returned to Soul Society for good, she pulled out from Gotei 13 and got back to her Clan. I don't know what happened afterwards." Ukitake confirmed.

"As you see, Ichigo, it was for the best that you didn't know…" Isshin began.

"That's not true and you know it! If I knew what we were walking into…" Ichigo trailed off in frustration.

"What would have you done differently? Until very recently I believed that Urahara did tell you at least the cliff notes and you went in anyway. Honestly, Ichigo, sometimes you're too stubborn and headstrong for your own good." Isshin chided.

"That's rich coming from you, Goat-chin!" Ichigo snapped. "I know now how foolish we all were. We went in blind! We…" The teenager grimaced. "We didn't think. We were so sure of ourselves, we thought we could rescue Rukia no matter what. Your friend sent us to die!" He accused.

"That's a bit much. I know Kisuke fucked up but…" Isshin raised both hands in a placating gesture.

"But what, Captain Shiba? When we first saw him, your son was training to achieve Bankai using a method Urahara had created. If my guess is right, Ichigo came perilously close to losing the possibility of ever achieving it in the first place when his attempt was interrupted." Ukitake shook his head in displeasure. "And what would have happened if he actually did the unlikely? A young boy who hasn't even mastered the basics yet and a lot of raw power against the best Gotei 13 has. We both know that it takes at least a decade of intensive training to master a Bankai after unlocking it. Let's say that Ichigo got extraordinary lucky for a second time and somehow defeated a second Captain because they still didn't take him seriously. Then what? The next people he would have faced would have been fresh and taking no chances. What's worse, he would have painted himself as an even larger threat, one that simply couldn't be ignored or allowed to go free!"

"Father, do you actually have a good answer for me or just more worthless excuses?!" Ichigo demanded.

"Considering what happened? What can I say to make things better? I can't turn back the time, I can't make it so you never went to Soul Society!" Isshin snapped back. "I told you the truth, Ichigo. I wanted to keep you, all my children, safe from the world I left behind. I know that if Soul Society sinks its fangs into you, it won't ever let go! While Gotei 13 does serve a vital purpose, the rest of it, Central 46, the Noble Clans, they're all rotten to the core! I regret how I handled things, however, I'll never regret trying to keep you away from that. There aren't dirtier politics than the Shinigami's and now we're all going to land in the middle of those!"

"That's almost certainly true. At best you'll be under scrutiny for a long time to come, both due to your nature and parentage. Not to mention that Captain Aizen did show some interest in you as well." Ukitake extrapolated.

Three knocks interrupted the tense conversation.

"That's Shunsui." Jushiro nodded.

"Who else did you bring? Is the whole Stealth Force skulking around waiting to sweep in?" Isshin grumbled.

"It's just the two of us and the body of one of Ichigo's friends. Considering what happened, it struck us as a bad idea to leave it back at Urahara's place. At this point, its an even toss who we trust less – your friend or Captain Aizen. Personally, my money is on Urahara being the less trustworthy until and unless some new evidence surfaces."

Shunsui knocked again, four times.

"I'll go invite him in." Isshin stood up, thankful for the distraction.