Chapter 22: Chappy

Ichigo was sitting on his bed finishing up some homework when the memory of the afternoon before popped into his head. The fight with the hollow and seeing hell's gates open for the first time ever. In the years since I've been able to see spirits and since learning to fight with Getabushi, I've never seen anything as creepy as that.

Creepy? his hollow asked. More like downright wrong. I felt as if something was gonna jump out and grab at me! That shit shouldn't exist!

Ichigo grinned wryly at that. Like you should? he asked the albino hollow.

Okay, I'll be the first ta admit that maybe I shouldn't be in yer inner world. the hollow grinned at his King. But if I just up an' left ya, you'd be bored.

Ichigo coughed to cover up a laugh. True, though I'm certain I'd find something to entertain myself with. The hollow blink before grinning and laughing. It took Ichigo a moment realize what his hollow thought he meant. Not that! He felt a headache coming on as his hollows laughter got louder.

Can't help it King, ya set yourself up for that one! The hollow's laughter tappered off as he went to bother the older spirit within Ichigo's world.

"Ugh!" Ichigo groaned as he fell back against his pillow.

The door to the room opened to reveal both his sister and Rukia. Ichigo suddenly realized that Rukia was finally wearing something other than the school uniform. It was a cute sky blue shirt and dark pants. Was it him or had he never noticed how cute she really was? Shaking his head to be rid of that thought he went back to his second worst enemy, math.

As Verena dug through her and Ichigo's desk, Rukia found a good spot on the floor. Once Verena turned around she handed Rukia a book. "It's an empty sketch book." she explained. "Since our project for art is to draw what we think the future holds for our town I thought you might want to have one of these." She then opened her own sketch book that was already particularly filled with images.

Amazing! Rukia thought as she spotted several very nicely drawn landscape sketches. "You're really good." she commented in hopes of making Verena feel good about herself.

Verena blushed but before she could thank her, Ichigo spoke. "Vere has been drawing since she was in diapers practically." Verena glared at him angrily for revealing that to Rukia. "Though she's gotten better since she took those art classes back in the sixth grade." He looked up from his homework to give Verena a soft grin. "I like these drawings better than your early on ones."

Verena flushed at her brother's compliments. "Thanks Ichi." she replied softly. She then stood up and looked over his shoulder. "Need help?" she asked noticing what he was working on.

"What do you think?" he asked with a roll of his eyes.

"That you understand very little about the new chapters." she answered as she made him move to the side and began to help him out while Rukia watched them.

An hour later the soft squeaking noise could be heard as Kon walked into the room in his lion teddy bear form. Noticing Rukia on the floor he ran over to her. "What are you drawin' sis?" he asked her.

Rukia looked away from her sketches towards the mod soul and frowned. This wasn't the first time the creature had called her that name. "I'm drawing something for a school assignment." she told him as she tried to ignore how he seemed to stare at her. He really made her feel annoyed and upset a lot. She'd kicked him a few times at some of his more perverted moments.

"Oh?" he said sounding interested. "Can I see?" he asked as he moved closer. Lifting her book she revealed her version of what the city could look like in the future. It kind of looked the same, except everyone looked like bunnies. "Cute!" he exclaimed gaining a surprised look from her.

"Really?" she asked, surprised that somebody actually liked her pictures.

"Definitely." he told her as he gave her a thumbs up.

Ichigo looked over his shoulder and as the two were talking he snagged the book out of Rukia's hands. "Why are their bunnies everywhere?" he asked as he looked at the poorly drawn sketch.

"They're not bunnies!" Rukia yelled at him in defense. "They're chappy!"

Chappy? Ichigo asked himself. He'd never heard of that character in anything. "Uh..." he looked at her questioningly as she grabbed her book back.

"Very imaginative." Verena said with giggle. "But I don't think that's what the teacher is looking for, though she did say to use our imaginations in our designs."

"Vere..." Ichigo began only to grimace as she squeezed his shoulder a little too tight.

"She's using her imagination Ichi," she looked at him with a look that said to agree-with-her-if-he-knew-what-was-good-for-him. "isn't that a good thing?"

"Y-Yeah." he answered nervously.

Seriously King, He heard his hollow begin. your sister is scary as fuck.

Yeah. he agreed with his hollow before closing his book and leaving those two to themselves.

Masaki looked up from her cooking when the doorbell rang out front. "I'll get it!" Yuzu yelled leaving Karin to push pause on the video game the two were playing. Spotting Ichigo, she gave her son a soft smile as he came around to sit at the breakfast nook to watch her make the dumplings for the soup she was making.

"Smells good." he commented as he could smell the different spices cooking in the broth.

She gave a slight giggle. "You're father use to love this dish." she told him. "Dumpling soup was his favorite, though he did say he loved everything I cooked, therefore everything was his favorite."

Ichigo smiled at her as she spoke about his father. She rarely talked about before they married and it was ever rarer for her to talk about his father's favorite things. "What was his favorite sport Mom?" Karin asked from the sofa.

"Hmm..." Masaki touched a finger to her chin. "Well, I'm not really sure."

Karin deflated at this. Upon seeing his sister's upset expression Ichigo began to think back. "Soccer." Ichigo answered. "He took Vere and I to a game once before you and Yuzu were born. It was when Mom was sick and couldn't take having two three year olds yelling about everything." He saw Karin light up at this. "He also liked watching the sword fights at festivals."

"That's true." Masaki said with a nod upon remembering that one.

"Mom!" Yuzu called out causing her and Ichigo to look over towards the entrance hall, only to see Urahara standing behind her.

"Evening!" he exclaimed as he lifted his hat off of his head before replacing it.

"Getabushi." Ichigo greeted him.

"My, my, what smells so good?" he asked with a smile as he walked into the room, it was then that Ichigo noticed that the blond was missing his shoes.

Something is going on King. the hollow told him. Ichigo agreed with that wholeheartedly. In the six years he'd known the older man, Kisuke had only been to their home once and that was the week that their father had died.

"Is something wrong?" Ichigo asked him, his eyes meeting those of the shopkeepers.

"Not at all." Urahar dismissed his fears but the frown didn't disappear from Ichigo's face.

"Ichigo." His mother's voice caught his attention. Turning his head towards her, he saw that she was looking a bit nervous. "I asked him to come here." she said.

All thoughts came to a screeching halt. "Huh?" he asked.

Uh-oh. the hollow said.

What? Ichigo asked him.

The hollow looked away with a wry grin. Nothing! the hollow quickly went silent.

Ichigo's frown deepened. "Why?" he asked her trying to understand.

"Something I'm curious about too." Urahara watched Yuzu walk back over to the couch next to Karin who was watching intently.

"Well..." Masaki began nervously when something clicked in Ichigo's mind.

"Don't tell me you've developed feelings for this weirdo." he pointed towards Urahara.

"Eh?" Kisuke looked a bit surprised at this one.

"Ichigo!" Masaki cried out in surprise, her cheeks flushed. "Oh goodness! No, honey, that's not it." She began to laugh lightly as Urahara flushed, mostly in embarrassment. When Masaki calmed down, she saw grins on all three children's faces. "What?" she asked them.

"You haven't laughed like that since Pops died." Ichigo stated causing her to smile.

"My children have such imaginations."she said as she shook her head. "As I was about to say," she looked towards the exiled agonising. "I think my powers might be coming back. I can sense reiatsu better than before. Strong spirits I've been able to see once more. I know for a fact that my Blunt ability is gone, but I feel like I have power in me; it just doesn't feel the same as before."

Urahara nodded as she spoke. "When did you first notice this?" he asked as he eyed Ichigo whose eyes were wide at his mother's confession.

"A few weeks ago." she answered. "It was weak, at first; but it's gotten stronger over the last few days."

"Then perhaps I should examine you." he told her.

"After dinner." she replied as she began to drop dumplings into the broth. "I promised you a meal if you came."

Urahara chuckled. "Yes you did."

After dinner both Urahara and Masaki disappeared into the closed clinic next door. Both Ichigo and Verena were waiting by the office doors with Rukia and their sisters waiting nearby. "Do you think Mom's powers really are coming back?" Yuzu asked Karin who shrugged.

"You're mother is a Quincy, right?" Rukia inquired causing the four children to look at her. "How did she loose them to begin with?"

"A hollow." Ichigo answered. "Twenty years ago she was attacked by a hollow and began to hollowfy. Getabushi saved her by binding Pop's soul to hers. She lost everything but her Blunt ability."

"Then Pop died." Verena stated as she leaned against the doorframe. "She should have hollowfied, but somehow she didn't." She shrugged her shoulders. "We don't know why."

"Could the hollow reiatsu have vanished?" Karin inquired as she looked between her two older siblings.

"No." Rukia answered. "Isshin's soul was bound to her, but then he was killed by a hollow." Her eyes widened. "The only way for her to have not turned would be if something was still bound to her."

"That is correct Kuchiki." Ichigo moved away from the door as Urahara walked out. "Before Isshin died he had me save Masaki once more. The only way was to dismantle is spirit and soul and place that inside of her to return her to normal or so I thought."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked as his hands turned into fists.

"Well, basically your mother is gaining powers similar to that of a shinigami." he answered shocking everyone in the room. "But here's the kicker, she is also regaining her Quincy reiatsu. So she's much like you and your sister. A Quincy/Shinigami hybrid."

"But one that was created, not born like us." Verena stated with a frown.

"Yes." Urahara answered with a nod. "For now her reiatsu is stable. I've placed blocks on her powers to ensure they don't grow to quickly for her to be able to control."

"Will she have to train, like me?" Karin asked, a bit worried about how her mother was taking all of this.

"Definitely." Urahara answered. "Starting tomorrow." he said As he began to leave. "I promise, I won't let anything bad happen to her." he told the children before leaving.

Inside the office Masaki sniffed as she tried to control her crying. Isshin. she thought as she touched her chest. Why? You would've lived, wouldn't you have? The image of her husband's face came to the forefront of her mind. No. You wouldn't have, not if you could have saved me. Wiping her cheeks Masaki picked up the telephone that was on the office desk and dialed a number. After a moment a male voice came over the receiver. "Hello?"

"It's me." she said softly.

"Masaki, what do you want?" the man inquired.

"Something has happened to me." she said. "I need to talk to you."

A deep sigh could be heard. "Very well." he agreed. "Where and when?"

"The park. Tomorrow when the children are at school." she answered.

"Alright." he agreed once more.

"Thank-you Ryuken."

M-Angel: Rest assured I have absolutely no plans of matching Urahara up with Masaki. This was a just a funny I thought of to tease Ichigo with. LoL! I'm a total Kisuke/Yoruichi shipper. Other than that, I hope everybody enjoyed this chapter!