Hey everyone! Vertius here and I just have to say wow. The amount of support I received from the first chapter so far has been astounding, it really means a lot to know that so many people are interested in my story and interested in seeing where it can go. I hope that I can continue to improve my writing as I go and put out better and better chapters for you all to enjoy. Anyways that's all, enjoy chapter 2!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Highschool DXD, nor any of their respective characters.

Guardian of the Dead

- Chapter 2 -

~ Takama-ga-hara

Ichigo awoke with a start the next morning, immediately he noticed that while his nightmare didn't last long before he blacked out into a dreamless sleep the anger he'd felt during it had followed him all the way through. His fists were tightly balled up and his fingernails were close to piercing the skin of his palms, he also noted with some distaste that he had persparated quite a lot during the night if the way his sleeping ware stuck to his skin was any indication. He would definitely need a shower to start the day but for now, that could wait as he had more pressing matters to attend to right now.

Swiftly he stood and strode over to the sliding door which connected his room to the gardens, quietly he stepped out and sat on the edge of the porch, easily slipping out of the top half of his uniform as to allow the cool morning breeze to brush over his skin. So lost in thought he was that he failed to notice the effect he was having on every female servant which passed by, each giving him a long and appraising look. For beings of the supernatural as they were the young mans many scars which covered his torso, chest, shoulders, and back were not seen as unsightly, instead they added to his appeal, they were a sign of his strength, the proof of the many battles which he had faced and survived since he'd entered the supernatural world.

Unaware of the world around him instead his thoughts were completely focused on that world he was in, that broken, decayed, and charred version of Karakura Town that he couldn't explain. It felt far too real to be a dream, he could feel the heat from the embers on his skin, the thin layer of soot and dust which coated everything around him, he could taste the bitterness of the lingering smoke which shifted around like ghosts throughout the air, he could smell that sweet earthy scent even as it burned his lungs. The screams of his family pierced him to the very core, the all-encompassing terror, and rage which consumed his heart as he was forced to wait through it still lingered deep within him like a monster crawling below the surface, waiting for its chance to shatter that which held it back and break free.

Bringing a clawed hand to his face his warm, golden-brown eyes twisted darkly as the ghostly feeling of his mask rested on his skin. He hated the feeling's that dream forced to surface within himself, it reminded him all too much of his interactions with Hell, when the sinners broke free and attempted to kidnap both of his sisters, succeeding in taking Yuzu and dragging her down into the bowels of damnation. That feeling of helplessness when he saw the chain growing from her chest and knowing that she was close to being lost to Hell forever. That murky haze as his consciousness and sanity began to fade away, the all-encompassing madness and hate, the desire to slaughter the man before him for damning his sister for all eternity.

He hated it.

Arm falling limply back down to his side he gave his head a light shake, his bangs swaying softly before his eyes. It wouldn't do well to remember such things right now, they were both fine and that time was over, he needed to get his thoughts back on track, back on the world he was in. If he was completely honest with himself if felt like an inner world, his inner world, slightly different yet his none the less.

Truthfully he'd already experienced something like this once before back when he was training to learn the final Getsuga Tenshou. Upon entering his inner world in the Dangai the endless expanse of blue skyscrapers was not the sight he was met with, instead, it was a replica of Karakura Town which had been submerged in water. Zangetsu told him that the reason it looked as such was that he'd lost sight of the path before him, he had been so blinded by his fear of Aizen's power and the madman's goal of sacrificing his home to make the Oken that his inner world had begun to reflect it. The skyscrapers which signified his vast power and potential had vanished and the rain which signified his despair had fallen so heavily that his entire soul had been submerged, he had become stagnant.

This occasion was similar to that yet so different at the same time. There were no threats to his hometown or the people in it that he was aware of so why would his inner world hold that form, and more so why was he able to enter it in the first place. He had no power right now, Zangetsu was locked away or simply destroyed altogether and the same could be said for his inner world itself, the final Getsuga Tenshou damaged his soul to the point where he may never regain his reiryoku again, so why then did he have that dream?

There were too many unknowns right now, too many questions that he just couldn't answer himself, perhaps he could speak to Amaterasu about it later. If anyone could give some insight on the situation it would likely be her.

Slipping the top half of his uniform back on his head tilted slightly as the soft padding of footsteps drew closer to him from behind, stopping only a couple feet away. Turning the upper half of his body to see who had come he was met with a pink-faced Ayame who seemed more than content with not making eye contact. It was at that moment when he'd realized what he had actually done and a quick glance around at the other female servants in the vicinity gave him all the confirmation that he needed. A small blush of his own rose to his cheeks as he finally addressed the girl behind him, "uh, morning Ayame.."

Quickly she steeled her emotions, she was on duty right now and it would do to get it trouble over such an embarrassing matter. "Good morning, Ichigo-sama, I hope that your sleep was good?" she asked, not missing the brief flash of darkness that swept through his eyes nor the brief tightening of his muscles at the reminder of that night's rest. Clearly, it hadn't been so pleasant for the young man, however, she wouldn't pry, she had no business doing so.

"Mm, it was good," he nodded, "Thanks for asking." His voice was smooth as he spoke, he wasn't sure if Ayame believed him or not but there wasn't really much he could do about it.

"I'm pleased to hear it, I've come to inform you that the baths have been prepared for your use, afterwards I will take you to the main dining hall where your breakfast will be waiting."

'Oi oi, I'm getting treated like freakin' royalty over here..' he honestly felt a little uncomfortable with it all. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the effort, Amaterasu obviously wanted him to be as comfortable as possible and Ayame was doing her very best for him which he appreciated but he'd never been much for formalities or luxurious living so this was just a little much for him handle so suddenly. But he couldn't just say no, she was doing her best and he didn't wish to cause the girl any problems. "I see, well let's go then," nodding silently at his words Ayame turned on the spot and began walking down the hall, Ichigo only a couple steps behind her.

The walk was lead in comfortable silence and once again Ichigo was reminded of just how peaceful Takama-ga-hara was, this was what the Soul Society should be like for all the souls who passed on, not those lawless districts in which people are forced to live every day in fear. The Soul Society was an evil place, even the Seireitei was unbelievably evil at its core, however, something Ichigo was forced to realize early on was that they were a necessary evil.

One consolation in it all was that the Shinigami were finally starting to change, it was a slow change but better than not at all. The main problem in the situation was that just because the Shinigami were willing to finally move on with the times that didn't mean their damn government would be too, it would take a lot more than a stern dressing down to get those fools to see reason. Ichigo merely worried about how drastic a situation it would take for them to finally understand that their current system no longer worked, he could only hope that they opened their eyes before it was too late, even if he knew that hope was small.

Stopping outside of a large doorway which clearly led to a bathhouse the former Shinigami was pleased to note that it was a different one than he'd used the night before. After washing himself thoroughly he ventured further inside to where the spring was located and sunk himself down inside for a relaxing soak to calm his nerves from that night's dreams. He was relieved to see that those red and white springs he was forced to use yesterday were nowhere to be seen, well while they looked odd he couldn't deny how good they felt, he wouldn't admit it out loud but being in this regular spring now was honestly a little disappointing.

It didn't have the same heat which he could feel to the depths of his soul, this water now felt lukewarm at best even though he could clearly see the steam billowing out from its surface. This would have to do though and so after a fifteen-minute soak he stepped out, dried off, and was pleased to see his human clothing cleaned and folded neatly waiting for him.

As always Ayame was stood outside waiting for him, he wasn't sure if she'd simply waited there the whole time or just had impeccable timing however he wasn't going to ask. Now as they headed side by side towards the dining hall it was her who broke the silence this time but unfortunately with bad news.

"Ichigo-sama, Lady Amaterasu has asked me to apologize on her behalf and tell you that something has come up which requires her immediate attention, as such she will be unable to meet with you until later this evening at the earliest. She also asked me to inform you that you are free to roam around as you wish until then and if you need anything just ask one of the many servants around her manor."

With a crestfallen expression, his posture fell slightly slack at the disappointing news. He had been very much looking forward to continuing their conversation from yesterday especially now that he'd hoped for her guidance on the past night's terrors as well. It was disappointing that he would have to wait until tonight at the earliest but this was a new place for him, he was sure he could find something to occupy his time until then. At that moment an image of a large cherry blossom tree fluttered through his mind. If he remembered correctly there was a small stone bench that sat under it which would be an incredible place to collect his thoughts.

"That's fine then, there was somewhere I wanted to check out anyways," he replied with a smile hoping to put the girl beside him at ease, she could obviously tell the news had disappointed him but he was fine now and he didn't want her to worry about him.

She returned his with a smile of her own and nodded as they continued their way towards the dining hall. It didn't actually take much longer for them to reach their destination and so she bid him a farewell, one that he returned and before Ichigo could gather his bearings once more there was a servant at his side ushering him to the table. As he sat down a wide array of staff were loading ridiculous amounts of food onto the table before him and much like the night before he was hit with an unquenchable hunger that took over all of his senses. Much like the previous night's dinner no matter how many servings he ate it wasn't enough, only after the entirety of the table was empty and its contents in his belly did he feel full.

As embarrassing as it was none of them looked at him like what he'd just accomplished was odd, like one man eating enough food for ten people was a normality around here, and who knows, maybe it was? Either way, he wouldn't question it. With a genuine thank you for the amazing meal he set off with a simple wave down the winding halls towards the garden he remembered from the day before, well at least he thought he was, unknown to him he was actually heading in the wrong direction.

After a ten-minute walk of him continually going in circles, he finally gave in and asked one of the passing staff for directions, with a clear path to his goal in mind he spent the remainder of his journey grumbling to himself about overly complicated manors and the lack of maps for guests like himself.

His sour attitude quickly passed when did arrive, this spot was just far too peaceful for him to continue sulking. The temperature was comfortably warm and the shade from the tree coupled with the soft breeze that swept over him every so often made sure he never got too warm. It was blissful, the serenity which echoed throughout every fibre of his being right now was something he wouldn't mind feeling every day, just sitting here watching the fish swim around haphazardly in the pond below, without a care in the world.

'Without a care in the world..' though appearing calm on the outside that was the complete opposite of how Ichigo felt at that moment, he had way too many thoughts racing around in his mind.

'What am I doing here? Yes, Urahara-san told me to come so I could get answers to all of my questions, but why really?'

'I understand that Amaterasu saved me when I was younger and thus wished to meet me when I had grown up a little bit, but that can't be all there is to it.'

'If that were truly the case then why show me everything that actually exists out there? Why tell me of the deep history between the Shinigami and Quincy? Why tell me about the current tensions between the factions of this world? She could have easily said no.'

'I already know why. Urahara-san, my Oyaji, Amaterasu, they each knew that if I heard what was really going on right now, if I knew about the spiritual war that was dangerously close to starting right now that I would want to intervene, that I would want to do anything I could to prevent it. So why tell me when I'm now powerless?'

The only explanation that made sense to the young teen was that his powers were returning, a thought that filled him with much trepidation and excitement. It would certainly explain why he'd entered that fake Karakura which felt nearly identical to his inner world. 'Perhaps they've known it's been happening for a while and by coming here I can have them fully restored? Maybe that's why Oyaji finally told me the truth about him, about Oka-san, about my heritage, so that when my powers are restored I would better understand them making me stronger for the shit storm that's coming.'

Frustration crinkled his eyes as his thoughts continued. 'So why couldn't they just come out and say it to me? Instead, they're trying to ease the information on me as my powers return when they know damn well if someone was in danger I'd do everything I could to save them regardless of the circumstances.'

'They're acting like the Shinigami, trying to play me for a fool, why can no one ever just be straight with me? It's like they assume I'll turn tail and run if I get wind of a potential threat, so instead they wait and wait until there isn't any time left then throw me in head first without so much as a word.'

Startled he drew in a sharp breath as a shiver crawled up his spine, his body was stiff as he mentally worked out the odd sensation which just took over him. It felt as if something had called out to him in that instant, only the barest of whispers in the back of his mind. It was so quiet that he couldn't even be sure if he'd actually heard anything in the first place but his instincts were screaming at him to not dismiss this so quickly. His hollow had always told him to trust his instincts more often and so he gave in, he inspected his surroundings a couple times, his head swivelling back and forth as his eyes scanned from high to low but he couldn't see anything that was out of the ordinary.

He was close to dismissing it and going back to his thoughts but something inside of him was urging him to look once more, sighing out and giving one more slow glance to his surroundings it was now that he finally noticed something he hadn't before. It was a shrine, not very large but still generously sized sitting off in the corner out of sight. It was shaded heavily by trees and the grass and bushes surrounding it were not so neatly trimmed as everywhere else, it looked almost like they were letting mother nature claim that building for her own.

Seeing the condition it was it he wasn't so surprised that he'd glanced over it now, it was so inconspicuous that most people wouldn't have even noticed it if they didn't know it was there just like he hadn't. The one thing he was sure of now that he'd noticed the moment his eyes had landed on the building was that whoever or whatever it was that called out to him, they were in that building.

Ichigo wasn't sure if he should actually enter it or not, sure Ayame had told him he was allowed to roam as he pleased but he doubted that meant he was allowed to go snooping inside of every room and building that peaked his curiosity, this was Amaterasu's home after all. Yet he could definitely feel it now, something was pulling him towards that building and before he even knew it he was making soft steps on the pathways which snaked throughout the gardens towards that which called to him.

As he slowly ambled down the path he couldn't help but keep scoping the area around him for people who could be watching, like what he was doing was a major crime and it was imperative that he not be caught. Ichigo scoffed lightly at the thought, 'I need to stop watching so many crime shows with Karen.'

He was pleased when he didn't see or hear anyone the whole walk over and to his knowledge had been completely undetected while arriving at the Shine where he now stood, hand lightly grasping the doors handle he gave one last look around before silently stepping inside. Unknown to him someone had been watching, watching and hoping he would find that building and wander inside because now that he had things could move forward.

When he first stepped inside the shrine it was too dark for him to actually see anything, he was just about to crack open the door to let in some natural light when multiple torches lit themselves along the walls casting an ominous glow over the only objects present on the far side of the room. There were to rectangular shaped pedestals side by side, each one holding a Katana on a beautifully carved wooden stand.

Hung on the wall, one behind each sword sat an old and faded painting, the contents of which Ichigo could still clearly see.

The one on the right depicted a large western styled dragon made completely of ice with large wings, thick legs, and a muscular stomach. It had an arching neck with spiked plates running down it's back all the way to the tip of its tail making quite the scary appearance. Its blue eyes seemed to glow and pierce right through the massive blizzard it was surrounded by, making the mountains below it barely visible. As his gaze fell downwards towards the blade itself, his eyes could only widen in shock at what he saw. That light blue hilt, the bronze, four-pointed star-shaped guard, and the deep blue sheath, he knew this blade! 'Hyorinmaru?! What is Toshiro's Zanpakuto doing here?'

This really made him curious now, if the first one was Hyorinmaru than what image would the second painting hold? Would it be another Zanpakuto that he knew? Shifting his gaze over, the first thing he noticed was that it was the complete opposite of the one next to it. Whereas the painting on the right depicted ice, snow, and frigid coldness. This one depicted fire, lava, and blistering heat.

There was one massive volcano which acted as the centrepiece in the frame, molten rock flowing from it creating veins of glowing red down the mountainside into a large pool below. He couldn't see anything which may lay behind the volcano because all was consumed by fire, the only thing he couldn't find in the work was an entity of some kind. The other painting had the large dragon who he assumed to be Hyorinmaru but in this one, he couldn't see anything.

After scanning a little more he gave a light shrug of his shoulders, perhaps since he couldn't see anything then that was how it was meant to be? Again he cast his gaze down, his eyes once more widening in shock at what he saw, only this time it wasn't for the same reason as before. He couldn't recognize this blade, he assumed it must have been a Zanpakuto since it was next to Toshiro's, but what really got him about it was the condition the sword was in.

The hilt which once must have been a beautiful, royal purple was now faded and dirty, the hilt-wrap frayed and unravelled in multiple locations. The bronze, oval-shaped guard was cracked and chipped along the edges, and the once midnight black sheath was now a faded grey and dried out. He couldn't help but feel sombre while he gazed at this sword, he was so focused on the decaying blade that he didn't even notice the doors slide open behind him.

"It's a sad sight, isn't it?" A voice spoke up softly from behind, startling him.

Upon seeing that it was Amaterasu stood in the doorway he settled down, unsure if he was actually supposed to be in here or not, he really wasn't in the mood to get scolded by the Goddess of the Sun. "Uh sorry. I was just curious about this place.." he mumbled out sheepishly, his right hand rubbing the back of his head.

She shook her head and laughed lightly at his reaction, "It's alright Ichigo, this shrine is not off limits to you, although now I suppose you have questions?"

He nodded, turning around once more to face both of the Zanpakuto and giving each of them another appraising look before speaking. "Yeah, why is Toshiro's Zanpakuto here?" He figured he would ask about one at a time, obviously, he was curious about both, especially the one which was in such rough shape so he decided to save that one for last.

"Well, as you know Hyorinmaru is a unique Zanpakuto. In nearly all cases a Zanpakuto is born from the soul of a Shinigami meaning that no two Zanpakuto are ever the same. There are a couple very rare exceptions to this rule, of course, Hyorinmaru while being a Zanpakuto spirit himself is not bound to any one person and chooses his own wielder every time his previous wielder passes away. Unfortunately, such circumstances can also cause issues, I'm sure you remember the incident with Toshiro's friend, Kusaka." Her tone was more solemn as she finished that last thought.

That had been a terrible ordeal born from an even more terrible decision made by the ruling government of the Soul Society. She had been neglecting that particular subject she would admit, always hoping that they would correct themselves over time but it never happened. The laws they created were supposed to be for the benefit of the Soul Society and the citizens of rukongai who came there after death, yet instead, the only ones they helped were the Central 46 and the corrupt noble's backing them.

She would talk with Ichibe soon enough and they could begin discussing a solution to that particular problem, but that was a matter for another time. Throwing her attention back out to the subject at hand she continued her train of thought, "This is where Hyorinmaru's spirit rest's when he is without a partner. As for the blade beside him? Well, let's just say he isn't the only one of his kind under my care."

Ichigo pondered that information for a moment, "So then this sword is currently someone's Zanpakuto? Why does it look so.. neglected?"

"Because it is," she answered with a sigh, "As for its appearance, this is what happens when a Shinigami doesn't use their Zanpakuto for nearly a thousand years, not of their own choice I should add, but this is the sad reality of the situation nonetheless,"

'A thousand years?!' It seemed unbelievable to him that a Zanpakuto could stay unused for such a long period of time. 'She said it was someone that didn't neglect it out of choice, so it would have to be someone who hasn't fought all those years,' as he continued thinking about it, Amaterasu's words from the day before came back into his mind.

'T'was nearly a thousand years ago now that the Quincy armies marched onto the planes of the Soul Society, if the Shinigami did not have Shigekuni leading them they would have most definitely lost that war.'

"This is Jii-san's Zanpakuto."

Amaterasu hummed in approval, "Yes, this is the oldest and most powerful Zanpakuto, Ryujin Jakka, the only weapon in existence with the potential to release flames hotter than my own. Sadly, in the past thousand years, Shigekuni has only needed to release his Shikai a handful of times. While this is good because it means there had been relative peace, or at least no enemy strong enough that it would call him to the front lines, it is also terrible for Ryujin Jakka who's flames have been left to slowly burn out."

"Flames that could match yours?!" he half-shouted incredulously, 'Just how powerful really is the old man..'

"Yes, as unbelievable as it may be, though not everyone can reach such heights. Ryujin is a lot like the thirteen Longinus in that regard, just because they each hold the potential to kill a God doesn't mean every wielder will be able too." After finishing that thought her eyes quickly gained a mischievous glint, confusing Ichigo, "Although I believe that is why he contacted you last night."

Images of that destroyed and decayed Karakura filtered into his mind at the reminder of the previous nights dream, the gruesome sight of his families flesh melting off their bones, the sickening smell of death that still lingered in his nose, their screams of agony still ringing in his ears, "That was him?" he growled out through clenched teeth, fury coursing through his veins.

Amaterasu gave the teen a pitying look, she knew all too well what Ryujin Jakka was like, she could only imagine the things that were shown to him last night that would elicit such a violent reaction from such a kind-hearted person. "I don't know what he showed you Ichigo, but a Zanpakuto as old and wise as Ryujin Jakka would never do something like that without reason. If you truly wished to know, however, I suppose you would need to ask him yourself," she kept her expression schooled as she said that, unwilling to give anything away just yet.

Ichigo could've gotten whiplash from how quickly he spun around to look at her, was she implying what he thought she was? "How?" he whispered, not expecting the answer he would receive.

"Like this," she spoke simply, summoning a glowing white sword and plunging it into the core of his being.

He didn't even have time to react, he could only stare at her in shock as his vision began to fade. Just before his body collided with the floor and his consciousness completely slipped away he felt the briefest stirring of reiatsu deep within his soul.

"Ayame," the Goddess of the Sun called out after staring at the unconscious teen for a moment.

"Yes, Amaterasu-sama?"

"Please place Ichigo in the Muken. No one can know of this yet, more so, if he were allowed to take this test in Takama-ga-hara it would cause far too much damage."

"As you wish," she answered with a small bow before reaching down to grasp the teen and disappearing in a golden light.

~ One Week Later, Soul Society, First Division, Office of the Captain Commander

The strongest Shinigami born in the last thousand years sat hunched over in his office chair mulling over the latest report given to him by the stealth force earlier that day. It was a simple report which contents carried much importance. According to the words before him Ichigo Kurosaki was currently missing, last being sighted roughly a week ago heading in the direction of the Urahara Shop.

Yamamoto scoffed lightly, 'Why am I not surprised that he might have a hand in this?'

The rest of the report didn't say much else after that, the usual formalities and what not. They scanned the town for approximately five days after noticing his disappearance, furthermore, they monitored the emotional states of Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihoin, and his father Isshin 'Kurosaki' Shiba. They were unable to find the boy and his father and two mentors showed no outward signs of distress, going about their daily lives as if nothing had ever changed. After the fifth day, the squad stationed in Karakura deemed further orders would be necessary and thus returned to the Seireitei.

He set the report back down on his desk and stood, slowly making his way over to the railing of his office which overlooked all of the Seireitei. This was one of his favourite spots to be when he had matters on his mind, everything about the situation pertaining the young Kurosaki screamed suspicious to him. The boy was powerless right now and so no Hollow's would target him. Any former enemies that may have wanted to get revenge on him wouldn't have been able to find him no matter how hard they looked, and even if they could somehow manage it Yamamoto would send down the full wrath of the Gotei 13 on them in retaliation, damn what the Central 46 might think.

He was aware that Urahara had placed various barriers around Karakura at the spots in which the young man most frequented just for added measures of safety. Not to mention that the twelfth division would have notified him immediately of any hostile reiatsu signatures in the boy's vicinity so countermeasures could be taken.

In addition, the behaviour of the three former Captains living in Karakura only served to further prove that something was up. No matter how good they were at concealing their true emotions, if something really happened to Ichigo Kurosaki they wouldn't have been able to act so carefree. And in the worst case scenario, that being his death, they would've had to tell the Soul Society if only so the Rukon districts could be searched to locate him once more.

Yes, he was certain that nothing bad had yet happened to the young man and he knew without a doubt that Kisuke Urahara was aware of his location, even if the troublesome man more than likely had no plans of revealing it. This, of course, was no issue to the veteran commander because of the many words that could be used to describe him, stupid was not one of them.

He already had a fairly good idea where the former substitute was, the location was of course completely classified so he couldn't tell the rest of his subordinates. Normally he wouldn't have been so willing to accept that the young Kurosaki had already made it there but that boy really loved to prove people wrong and so he would have to just give in and accept the possibility eventually.

It was actually only a couple days prior that something happened which immediately all but confirmed Yamamoto's theory. It was the stirring of his Zanpakuto, Ryujin Jakka in his inner world, something that in truth should only happen if he were to release his power in preparation for a fight, something he hadn't needed to do since the Winter War.

He frowned, subconsciously gripping his cane a little tighter as thoughts of his Zanpakuto entered his mind. Unfortunately, due to his position as the Captain Commander of the Gotei 13, he was almost never in a situation that called for him to release his blade. Of course, due to Aizen's plans, he was able to release his Shikai a handful of times in the past couple of years but that just wasn't enough. The last time he was able to really go all out and let loose was nearly a thousand years ago, and unless he showed up to once again make an attempt at the Soul King's throne Yamamoto already knew that he would never release Bankai again.

Some would argue that it was a good thing, if Yamamoto had to release his Bankai then that would surely mean that the Gotei 13 had fallen and were at their last resort. So yes, by that logic even the Commander himself could admit that it was a good thing he'd only been called to the front line a handful of times. Yet, even so, there was always one entity that everyone seemed to always forget even though they possessed one of their own, and that was Ryujin Jakka.

A Zanpakuto's greatest wish is for their powers to be used because more than anything they wish to keep their wielders safe. It's even truer for a sword like Ryujin Jakka who chooses its own wielder instead of being born from a Shinigami. Yamamoto could barely use his though, leaving Ryujin Jakka with nothing more to do than hibernate until his flames were needed once more. He hated more than anything how much he was forced to neglect his Zanpakuto and so once he learned of what was happening in the higher planes it brought a small, sad smile to his face. Finally, maybe Ryujin Jakka's flames would be able to reduce all creation to ash once more.

Though just because Ryujin gives you the chance to wield him doesn't mean anything is set in stone, you have to prove yourself worthy of his power and his test is not for the faint of heart. As he turned back to head to his desk one final thought passed through his mind, 'If he succeeds then train him well Ryujin, don't let him befall the same fate as I.'

~ Soul Society, the next day

As expected, the news of Ichigo's disappearance got leaked out and it spread like wildfire all throughout the Seireitei. He was a known war hero to them all, even the unseated Shinigami and Academy students, and had many fan clubs in his honour, not that he actually knew of course. So it was understandable that when the news broke there was a lot of distress spreading, the Captain's struggled to calm their troops down and assure that they were looking into the situation with the utmost haste. Ichigo's stubbornness and tenacity were well known to everyone and so eventually all settled down again, well almost all.

"Damn that fool!" the petite, raven-haired Lieutenant of the thirteenth shouted as she continued to mercilessly strike the released Zanpakuto of her fellow Lieutenant. "He doesn't even have his powers anymore yet he still can't stay out of trouble!"

"Oi Oi, calm down Rukia!" Renji pleaded, he had no issue sparring with his longtime friend but this was getting a little ridiculous. Ever since the news dropped of Ichigo's vanishing she immediately hunted him down and without so much as a 'Hey, how's it going?' began to furiously assault him in an attempt to release some frustration. He was pleased when it seemed that she was finally finished. "You know that blockhead better than anyone Rukia, he probably just met someone who was in trouble and bit off a little more than he could chew." As soon as that comment left his mouth he had to quickly bring up Zabimaru in an attempt to block, 'Alright note to self, don't mention Ichigo.'

After a few more quick hits she settled down once again dropping her stance, an action that Renji mimicked.

"Do you.. do you think he's alright?" she asked quietly.

Renji pondered the question for a moment, he wanted to believe he was but it was hard to say. They didn't even know for certain if he was in any danger in the first place, or if he was how severe it could be. "Honestly, I'm not really sure.. but, no matter how much I think about it Ichigo is just one of those people I can't imagine dying, the thought of him loosing just doesn't feel right to me," he said, earning a small smile and nod from Rukia, "So yeah, I think he's doing alright."

After waiting a moment the red-haired Lieutenant broke the silence once more, "So have you actually heard anything else about the situation? Although Kuchiki-taichou has started being more open with me he still holds a lot back." Renji finished in a downtrodden voice.

Rukia, of course, picked up on this, her brother had definitely grown more open than he used to be but he was still very cold and closed off to most people. Rukia was probably the only one who got to see him in a more neutral state when some of his defences were down, it was something that she greatly appreciated. "No, not too much has been decided so far, all I know is that Yamamoto-soutaichou is sending SoiFon-taichou to the human world so she can speak with Urahara-san, Yoruichi-san, and possibly Ichigo's father too."

Renji nodded, it made sense. "Do you think they know where he is? I mean if he was in any real trouble I think they would have told us, don't you?"

Part of her wanted to believe they would, but a part of her also knew that the Soul Society hadn't really done much else aside from cause Ichigo problems since he became a Shinigami. If perhaps they did know where he was Rukia wasn't so sure they would even say so. No one really wanted to talk about it but there was an all too real possibility that he left of his own choice, that maybe he wanted some peace and quiet away from the supernatural after everything he'd been forced to do because of the Shinigami's negligence and incompetence.

She couldn't help but wonder, when his powers did come back would he even want to return to being a substitute Shinigami? The position caused him more grief than anything, but then again he never complained, and she knew deep down how much he loved to protect, she would even venture to say he had a bit of a hero complex.

She was wrought from her thoughts when Renji called her name once more, she flushed a little, embarrassed at being caught spacing out however answered him, "I don't know if they would, Renji," she said simply, leaving the rest of her unspoken thoughts to the imagination.

There was a brief moment of silence before it was broken by Rukia, "let's spar Renji, a real spar this time," she called out suddenly with a smirk, he was surprised momentarily though his expression quickly shifted to match hers once he'd realized what she said.

Since both of them were already in a released state Renji wasted no time in dashing forwards and met her blade mid-swing. As soon as the Zanpakuto's made contact a gust of wind was sent out from the point of contact, Renji was impressed with how strong she had gotten. Even though she hadn't actually admitted it out loud her longtime friend knew she'd begun her Bankai training, his grin widened as a thought passed through his head, 'this was going to be a really good spar.'

The blade lock ended with Renji as the winner, his larger size and higher levels of brute strength meant that Rukia couldn't hope to win in a contest of raw strength, but, where she lacked in other categories she definitely made up for in others, and she was dead set on making sure Renji was aware of that fact.

"Bakudo #26, Kyokko!" she called out, catching the red-haired Lieutenant off guard, his eyes widened considerably when the small form of his friend vanished behind a shimmering wall of light.

Quickly he readied his Zanpakuto and stood guard, he could no longer see or sense Rukia and so he needed to be ready for anything that could alert him to her location. It was times like this that he really wished he paid more attention in Kido classes back at the Academy, he had no clue what this spell was or the full extent of its capabilities. The regret clawing at him grew stronger when he felt ice crawling up his legs attempting to lock him in place.

He recognized the ability right away as Rukia's first dance, Tsukishiro, but this wasn't enough to beat him. Gripping the hilt of his blade tightly he swung Zabimaru down and shattered the ground at his feet, taking with it the ice that had tried to encase him. Immediately afterwards he hopped up and spun whilst extending Zabimaru so he could sweep the courtyard in a wide radius.

His guess turned out to be correct when he felt his extended blade crash against Rukia's, shattering the illusion she'd placed. "Nice try Rukia! But you'll have to do a lot better than that!" finishing his taunt in a yell he ripped Zabimaru away from her with pull, forcefully ending their blade lock and temporarily throwing the girl off balance from the suddenness of the movement. Not wasting the opportunity he gave a small flick of his wrist and sent the whip-like blade screaming back at her, cutting into her left arm before she knew what had happened. By the time she'd moved out of the way it was too late, her arm had been deeply gashed and rendered nearly unusable.

Rukia hissed and winced sharply when she had to find that bit of information out the hard way. It was no good, she couldn't match Renji in pure Zanjutsu, she needed to think of a new strategy to defeat him. In a soft swish of Shunpo, she was on him and swiftly exchanging blows, taking advantage of her small stature and superior agility to deflect the full brunt of some of the harsher hits. This clash was only made more difficult with her limited to using one arm.

Unseen by her sparring partner a small grin etched on her face as she finally thought of how to achieve victory, but she would need a little more time. She continued to cut at him relentlessly, pleased to note that a lot more of her slashes were getting through and either cutting his Shihakusho or body directly. As the spar continued Renji had also switched to using just one hand. 'He's getting cocky!' she noted with no small amount of sadistic glee, she wouldn't waste this chance.

Suddenly, much to the shock of her opponent, she released her Zanpakuto, letting it fly out of her hand towards the earth. Her right hand which was now empty rose up and stopped while aimed at her opponent's chest in preparation to use Hado #31, Shakkaho. That was a spell that Renji did recognize, and at such a close range wouldn't be able to dodge, so instead, he rose Zabimaru diagonally across his body and hoped for the best. Unfortunately for him, he'd fallen right into Rukia's trap.

"Bakudo #4, Hainawa!" she quickly called out, ensnaring Renji in a length of golden chain. I wouldn't be able to hold him for very long but it would give her enough time to enact the next part of her plan. "Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six! Bakudo #61 Rikujokoro!" This time, instead of a length of chain, six beams of light slammed into Renji's midsection fully locking him in place. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't enjoying the utterly shocked look on his face, this is what he got for underestimating her and she wasn't even done yet.

With another quick burst of Shunpo, she appeared behind him while he continued to struggle, with a brief mental command she used her ice rope connection to pull Sode no Shirayuki back into her grasp. Drawing a circle in the air with the tip of her blade and giving a brief shout of 'Tsukishiro,' Renji was swallowed in a pillar of ice.

And finally, to finish everything off Rukia launched one more spell to assure her victory, "Hado #33, Sokatsui!" The explosion rocked the training grounds, chunks of earth and ice were sent careening through the air and when the dust settled a battered and bruised Renji, no longer bound by Kido was seen falling ungracefully to his butt.

"Oi, when did you get so strong?" he asked, annoyed with himself. He should have been able to defeat her, not because Rukia was weak, but because he was stronger than her, Perhaps once she learned Bankai their levels would even out but for right now he was stronger than her and he should have won.

Rukia just scoffed at the pouting fool, "Maybe if you took me seriously I wouldn't have made you look so bad." she taunted. The thirteenth Lieutenant was just about to suggest they head to the fourth division when the sound of soft clapping filled both of their ears. As she turned around she was embarrassed to see not only Ukitake-taichou, but her Nii-sama stood there as well, proud gleams in both of there eyes.

"Well done Rukia, that was a splendid display of quick thinking and versatility," Ukitake said, smiling widely. Byakuya merely nodded his head slightly in agreement, but for Rukia, it was enough to know that he was proud of her as well.

The Captain of the Sixth's gaze then shifted to his Lieutenant who looked like he would crawl into a hole and hide right now if he could. "Renji, we will be increasing your training from now on." With his piece said he turned on his heal and began the other way. If anyone had been in front of him at the time they would have noticed a small smirk crack his icy features at the groan of displeasure released by his Lieutenant.

"Thank you for your kind words, Ukitake-taichou!" she said with a small bow.

Said Captain of the thirteenth just gave her an exasperated look at the formality she still used. "Come now Rukia, you are my Lieutenant, there is no need to be so formal anymore." Even though he saw her nod her head in agreement it was doubtful that she would become any less formal anytime soon, he'd been trying ever since she got the promotion and it hadn't happened yet, at this rate it likely never would. "Now then, why don't you both head over to the fourth and get those wounds looked at?" he suggested, earning a chorused 'yes sir' from the both of them.

~ Soul Society, Fifth Division

'That dumbass, what's he gotten himself into this time.'

As soon as the news first dropped he and the other Visored in the Seireitei immediately gathered to discuss what the hell was going on. The report given to the Captains was as bare minimum as you could get. Basically, all it said was that Ichigo had vanished on his way to the Urahara Shop. That one detail told the Visored quite a lot about the situation, the one fact in all this was that Kisuke in some way, shape or form was involved. Now that could be a good thing, but at the same time, it could be pretty bad as well.

Their best guess was that the shopkeeper had somehow managed to discover a way to return Ichigo's power already. As crazy sounding as it was considering how he lost them in the first place it really wasn't all that unrealistic. Urahara could do anything given enough time and Ichigo was as stubborn as a mule, if he really wanted his powers back already then he would get them.

The lot of them had wanted to just march into Karakura and demand answers but they couldn't just up and leave the Soul Society without the old farts permission, something they knew he wouldn't give. They all missed the kid, it was bad enough when Central gave the order that no one was allowed to make contact with him now that he was powerless, but now that there was a chance he could actually be in a tight pinch, to just sit back and twiddle their thumbs like they were forced to was hard.

Shinji could only wonder sometimes why he took this damn job back in the first place. Well, he knew why. It was to help reform his division back to its former glory and give strength back to the Gotei 13. Despite his personal feelings on the subject of Shinigami, the fact of the matter was they were here to protect the souls of the innocent and they did a pretty damn good job at it. Of course, after those souls come here it's pretty shitty for them in those districts, but you can't change the world in a day, right?

"Hirako-taichou?" Momo called out, grasping her Captain's attention. "Are you alright? You've been sighing all morning.."

"Eh, just thinkin' about that report, Hinamori-chan," he answered dismissively.

She nodded, that was what she had guessed. She'd never really spoke to Ichigo Kurosaki herself, but from what she gathered from everyone else he just didn't seem like someone who would die so easily, wherever he was, Momo was certain he was doing alright.

~ Soul Society, Eleventh Division.

The most fight loving squad in the Gotei 13 was in a completely different state after the recent report had been delivered. Whereas all the other Shinigami were feeling down about Ichigo's disappearance and worried for his safety, the eleventh were instead all being treated after their most recent 'training session' with the Captain. The reason for Kenpachi's sudden enthusiasm was actually what the report itself detailed.

Now, normally he wouldn't even be bothered reading such things. In fact, it was actually Ikkaku and Yumichika who dealt with all of the paperwork most of the time, and every now and then Yachiru would help too. But, unless there was something specific that he needed to sign he avoided paperwork like the plague. When it was discovered that today's report had information on Ichigo he made an exception and snatched it up, quickly reading the contents himself. By the time he was finished, there was a psychotic, face-splitting grin on his face and his body had been coated in a fine layer of golden reiatsu.

The first thing he'd said afterwards, to the complete shock of everyone else present was, 'So Ichigo's finally decided to get his power back?! Good, I've been itching for a chance to fight him again!' and that was what brought about Kenpachi's 'enthusiasm' to train.

Ikkaku had just finished another spar versus the man and was sitting a few feet away sipping sake when a question came to mind, something he had been curious about ever since his Captain had made that claim earlier. Yumichika and Yachiru who were sat close by obviously listened in as well, they too curious about the answer. "Hey, Captain? Why are you so sure Ichigo's training to get his powers back right now? What if he's actually in trouble?"

Kenpachi stayed silent for a moment and just looked down at his jagged blade. "I felt it the first time I crossed blades with him, although he may try and deny it Ichigo loves fighting just as much as I do, the only difference being the reasons we fight." He paused to scoff lightly, "Che, when those fools in 46 gave the order that Ichigo was to be left alone because he'd be happier as a normal human I laughed at the stupidity of it. Hell, even some of the other Captains and Lieutenants are stupid enough to believe that shit too, but not me."

He paused again before continuing, "When it was time to say goodbye to him and his friends and the old man ordered that we all gather at the Senkaimon, I seen the look in his eyes. He tried to smile it off but the fact that his powers were leaving him made him miserable. I knew right there he wouldn't just wait it out and let them naturally return, he would try his damn hardest to get them back as soon as possible, because Ichigo is a warrior like me. He lives to slaughter his enemies, and his instincts will always lead him to new battles."

That surprised them, Ikkaku always knew Ichigo loved fighting more than he let on, but to love it as much as his Captain? That was saying something. His Captain was a lot smarter than people thought, most people just assumed he was a fight-loving neanderthal because that's seemed to be all he ever thought or cared about, but that wasn't true. His Captain was by no means stupid and to hear those words from him now gave Ikkaku all the reassurance he needed. 'You'd better get your powers back quick, Ichigo. Zaraki-taichou isn't a very patient person,' he thought to himself with a grin, though the grin quickly faded when he narrowly dodged the jagged blade of his Captain's Zanpakuto once more.

~ Two weeks after Ichigo was stabbed by Amaterasu

It hadn't actually taken two weeks for Ichigo's human friends to notice that something was once again amiss with him, that was just how long it took for them all to snap and demand answers from the ever elusive Shopkeeper. They had actually noticed it within a few days, it just took a little longer then it might have normally since they were all on summer break and thus weren't seeing each other every day as they would if they were in school together. Well, that plus things were still quite awkward between the former Shinigami and his other friends, more specifically Ishida, Inoue, and Chad.

The situation wasn't as bad as when his powers first disappeared however it still left much to be desired. This was, of course, their own fault for pushing him of all people away, something they realized was incredibly stupid perhaps a little too late. Ichigo was the one person that more then anyone didn't need to be babied or pitied, and yet that was exactly what they did.

Ever since becoming a Shinigami he had faced enemies that outclassed him by no small margin, enemies that would make any lesser person run away in fear, yet he never did so. He always took his beatings like a man and then trained excessively so he wouldn't lose to that same person again, and if by some chance there was an enemy who beat him more then once he still never gave up, he would just train even harder for the next battle. He fought countless enemies, one after another with barely any rest in between and he never complained, never whined about how unfair it all was, he just kept getting back up, kept a firm hold of his blade and fought, fought to protect those close to him, and those he'd never met.

He died, actually died just because he wanted to save a friend, and did he complain? Not once. In his eyes his life was meaningless if he failed to protect someone, he felt pains and carried burdens that no one would want to wish on even their worst enemies, he gave up quite literally a part of his soul to save them all, and he did it with a smile.

Through all of this, he had matured to a level far beyond any of his friends, not because he necessarily wanted to, but because he had to. If he couldn't have kept maturing and growing then he wouldn't have survived through it all. He was the last person who needed to be tiptoed around and yet they still did it, and now with their friend gone, they could only look back on it with a deep regret.

Surprisingly, they were the only ones who hadn't actually realized how foolish they were being until it was too late. Urahara, Yoruichi, and Isshin certainly had, and while the three adults weren't hostile towards them, far from it, at the same time they weren't too eager to disclose any information on the whereabouts of their close friend and comrade either. Well not that they could even if they wanted too, that was grade a classified information, his friends probably all just thought this was some sort of test to see if they would get their act together, which in a way it was, but the reality of the situation was that Urahara never had any intention of telling them from the start.

Something they were unfortunately about to find out.

Everyone was gathered in the back room of the Urahara shop. Urahara and Isshin were sat at the table, Tessai was knelt off to the side and Yoruichi who was in her human form was leaning up against the wall with her arms crossed. Opposite of them sat a whole group of teenagers, Inoue, Ishida, and Chad at the front since it was mutually decided before arriving that they would be doing most of the talking. Behind them sat Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro and Chizuru who had learned of the supernatural after the battle with Aizen, most would find it hard to believe but then again after what they had each seen with their own eyes it was hard to deny it.

The awkward silence was finally broken when Urahara spoke up, "ah, it's so nice to have company!" the former twelfth division captain stated joyfully, making an obvious attempt to prolong the situation and annoy the teens in front of him, "So what can this humble shopkeeper do for you today?"

Ishida wasn't having any of it though, "Cut the crap Urahara, we want answers," He stated bluntly. "No matter how many times we've asked you three whats going on you continue to give us foolish and roundabout responses. Enough is enough! Where is Kurosaki?!" Ishida commanded form his place on the floor, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his index finger.

"Oh?" the man simply replied, voice dropping lower as he snapped his fan shut startling the teenagers. It was then that he tilted his hat back to reveal his normally hidden eyes, not even Chad, Inoue and Ishida had seen the usually over the top store owner like this many times and they couldn't deny it was scary. A sentiment that the other teens who had yet to interact with this man before wholeheartedly agreed with. Gone was his carefree, nothing is ever wrong smile, now his mouth was set into a small frown and his eyes were hard.

"And if I refuse?" he asked, getting wide-eyed expressions from those before him. If he actually refused then there was nothing they could do, this wasn't a situation where they could force answers out, the three spiritually gifted teens present couldn't hope to best any of the four former Captains across from them.

"Please.. Urahara-san," Chad spoke up, there was no point in answering his question, there was no what if, if they refused to talk then that was the end of it.

"We just want to know where Kurosaki-kun is, we were foolish to push him away like we did and still care for him deeply, we want to make things right between us but now he is gone and we don't know how to find him.." Inoue added this time, tears forming in her eyes, bringing sombre looks to all of the teens in the shop, they all just wished to know where Ichigo was.

The serious look vanished from Urahara's face after hearing that, however, it wasn't replaced by one of happiness instead by one of sadness. "I'm truly glad to hear that Inoue-san, but unfortunately, it hasn't ever been that we didn't want to tell you, but that we couldn't tell you. And I know none of you will wish to hear this but even right now that is information I am not allowed to disclose to anyone."

Seeing that none of the teens knew what to say Isshin decided to speak up and voice his thought in hopes they would understand better, "Listen, kids, even though we aren't officially members of the Soul Society anymore that doesn't mean we can just do whatever we want, whenever we want to. There is always someone whose orders you have to follow, that's just the way it is in the supernatural world." He stated sadly with a soft shake of his head.

"Does this have something to do with that Soul King which Aizen tried so hard to kill? He's the ruler of the Shinigami is he not?" Ishida asked, the four adults across from him were honestly shocked at his deduction, it was a really good guess, and while it was kind of close it wasn't exactly right either, but it was the best they would be able to give them.

"More or less," Yoruichi smoothly lied, she didn't want to but in some cases, a person's wants don't come before their needs. The Quincy just nodded his head in understanding, he still felt like that wasn't all there was to it, however, he also knew he wasn't going to get any more than that.

Much to the astonishment of his friends it was Keigo who spoke up next, asking the one question on all of their minds, "Is he alright?" they didn't like the reaction said question received, simultaneously each of the former Captains gained a downcast expression and a dark look in their eyes, none of them wanted to answer it but felt that it was the least they could do since it was uncertain when or even if they would see Ichigo again.

Urahara had a neutral tone when he finally spoke up a moment later, in truth he was incredibly worried for Ichigo and knew there was a high chance he wouldn't come back, "No. No, he is not."

"Right now Kurosaki-san is going through a test, however, this is unlike anything he has ever faced before, it is not so simple as to just cut down an enemy this time, this is more than that. He needs to give up everything that he is, everything that makes him Ichigo Kurosaki the protector, he needs to throw all of that away and become the one thing that he hates. Only if he can do this will he succeed, if he cannot he will die."

Absolute silence was all that awaited him once he finished speaking. Inoue and Ishida who had seen Ichigo when he'd lost control of himself immediately thought of that demonic transformation and grimaced. Chad and the others who hadn't seen the transformation couldn't understand as well but they each knew of his inner hollow and what it did to him and as such made the same assumption as the other two.

They assumed he had to become that when in reality it had nothing to do with his hollow, though they wouldn't ever know the truth. The one constant between them all was the question why. Why was he being put through something so terrible, something that even if he succeeded would change him forever.

Even if Ichigo came back alive, they would each have to accept the possibility that he might not come back the same Ichigo they once knew.

~ Soul Society, Captain's Meeting Hall

It was a pretty relaxed atmosphere in the meeting room of the strongest Shinigami in Seireitei, only a slight tension was present due to the subject of this meeting. All thirteen Captain's and their respective Lieutenants stood in silence while they mulled over the latest information that had been given to them. The subject of such information, of course, being everyone's favourite substitute Shinigami, Ichigo Kurosaki, who even without his powers managed to find himself drawn into trouble. Well, to be fair they didn't actually know if he was in trouble or not right now, just that he was currently missing.

They had actually known about it for a week already but just hadn't made the official announcement until now due to lack of information. SoiFon had just returned from speaking with those in Karakura Town and everyone present was eager to hear what she had learned, even if she herself was not so eager to tell it.

A loud bang from Yamamoto's cane as it struck the floor signalled the start of their meeting, the aged Commander wasted no time in getting down to business. "So, what did Isshin Kurosaki have to say when asked about the location of his son, SoiFon-taichou?" with all attention on her there were some confused glances from some of the Shinigami as they noticed a light dusting of pink ease onto her cheeks.

She opened her mouth to speak but found that the words wouldn't come out, she really wasn't looking forward to this. When the Captain Commander opened one of his eyes and directed it's gaze at her she knew she could delay no longer. "He.. he said that his son was a young teenager in the midst of mating season and was out on a journey to make him some grandchildren," she felt even more heat rise to her cheeks when no one said anything in response, instead just choosing to stare at her.

The silence was finally broken by the boisterous laughter of Kyoraku which spurred a few more people to release a chuckle of their own, or at the very least smirk. "That definitely sounds like Isshin to me, always the eccentric one, eh Yama-jii?"

Yamamoto's eyebrow twitched in response, he was thinking more along the lines of pain in the ass. Isshin and Shunsui caused far too many headaches for the Captain Commander when he was still a member of the Gotei 13. He was a good man and a good Captain, and he could be serious sometimes when the occasion called for it, but more often then not Yamamoto was left questioning his sanity. "Indeed, I didn't expect anything helpful in regards to locating his son, though it didn't hurt to try. What of Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihoin?"

This time SoiFon held no reservations about what she was about to say, in fact, they could actually see some sadistic glee in the depth of her eyes. "Urahara wasn't helpful either, he simply began rambling about unrelated topics until I put his head through a wall, he was still asleep when I left." Everyone sweat dropped at that, they knew of her hatred for the shopkeeper and with his eccentric personality, the Captain of the Second Division was bound to snap eventually. He would probably be alright.. probably.

"And what of Yoruichi Shihoin?" he asked again, brow raising as he watched her face go red.

"Lady Yoruichi.. suggested that I assist Ichigo Kurosaki in his journey for making grandchildren.." she finished looking at the ground. Despite her cold appearance and attitude, she was still a girl at heart, especially since Yoruichi had always been able to break down her walls so easily, so hearing something like that from her was a bit much even for SoiFon.

Those who didn't know Isshin, Yoruichi and Kisuke very well could only look at SoiFon and wonder if any of that had actually happened, it didn't seem like something such widely known and somewhat respected Captains would say. Then again, considering that all the elder Captain believed it the newer members could only accept it too, no matter how ridiculous it sounded.

Ukitake being the nice man that he was decided to save SoiFon from all the attention and thus spoke up, "I think it's safe to assume that Ichigo-kun isn't in any immediate danger," he cut in with a smile. He really liked the boy and enjoyed having conversations with him on the occasions he would join Shunsui for tea. He'd already decided that when next the two met he would tell Ichigo the real purpose of the Shinigami Spirit Badge, he could only hope that the teen didn't hate him afterwards for lying about it.

"Yes, they definitely know where he is, though they clearly have no intention of telling us," Toshiro added, receiving nods from those present.

Next Kensei cut in, his voice gruff and his arms crossed. Ichigo was a fellow Visored thus he cared for the kid as much as every other one of his family. "So what's the big deal anyway? I think the kid's earned some peace and quiet after all the time's he's saved our asses. We'll know when his powers come back, not like he could hide that monstrous reiatsu of his even if he wanted to.

"That and he can't mind his own damn business, soon as he caught wind o' somthin' gone wrong he'd right back over here tryin' ta help," though he tried to keep a straight face while saying it by the time Shinji had finished he had his usual Cheshire grin on. He hadn't meant anything negative by his comment and everyone knew it, that was just how Ichigo was.

"I agree that Ichigo Kurosaki should be allowed peace until his powers return but the Central 46 has deemed it necessary that he be found as soon as possible," Yamamoto spoke out with a sigh, he just knew those old fools were up to something, something he feared would cause a big divide within the Seireitei. If they somehow managed to enrage the boy enough Yamamoto was certain that he would raise his blade against them. While unfortunate that wasn't what was really bothering the Captain Commander, no matter how strong Isshin's son was, he was still a few millennia to young to defeat Shigekuni Genryuusai Yamamoto.

No, what really bothered him about the situation was that he knew for a fact three quarters of his Captains and Lieutenants at the minimum would turn traitor if it meant deciding between the boy and Central 46, that was just the kind of loyalty he brought from those around him. Not to mention the remaining Visored in Karakura Town along with Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihoin, and Isshin who's monstrous strength even Yamamoto recognized.

The Central 46 was walking a dangerous line.

Him being the Captain Commander meant that while he couldn't outright side with Ichigo Kurosaki, that didn't mean he wouldn't do whatever he could from the shadows. "They have assigned the Stealth Force to complete this task," he directed at SoiFon.

She, of course, caught the hidden message in his eye, "I understand, Yamamoto-soutaichou, I will assign those necessary for this mission," she started professionally. Unfortunately, she just so happened to forget to mention that those who she would be assigning the tasks to would be her squads latest recruits, the ones who couldn't even fully conceal their reiatsu signatures yet. Plus, she already knew that the annoying shopkeeper would interfere with them, she couldn't count how many times she's gotten mission reports back from people saying that Karakura and the surrounding towns were haunted.

She, of course, knew what the real cause was, but she didn't deem it necessary to disclose that information to her men, she found their scared looks amusing when she would tell them they had been assigned for a mission there.

The meeting continued on for a short while longer after the original subject had been discussed, the topics of discussion being much more mundane now such as finances and training, budget issues and the sort. So when Yamamoto finally struck the ground with his cane to signal the end of the meeting the rest of the room was unsurprisingly happy, a couple walked out, however, most used Shunpo to return to their divisions quicker.

Yamamoto himself took a leisurely stroll back towards his office after the meeting. Perhaps it was because he'd lived for so long already and because of this his view of time was much different than other Shinigami but he just didn't understand this younger generations obsessions with rushing around so much. Always so eager to get things done and move onto newer tasks, which he supposed wasn't really a bad thing but it was his belief that unless one stopped occasionally to just look around at the world around you and enjoy it for what it was, then no matter how much you accomplished in that life you would still have missed out on something great. Unfortunately though, as he reached his office doors he was forced to set aside his enjoyment from this peaceful time and get his mind back on the subject of work, he had some things to think about.

~ A/N:

I forgot to mention in the first chapter but if you have any question feel free to message me, I don't really like replying to reviews in the actual story because it just teases the readers into thinking the chapter is longer then it really is. Also, as I said in the first chapter I would like Ichigo to have a romantic partner and I don't mind taking suggestions for pairing ideas but if you're going to suggest someone then give me a reason why they would work, not just Ichigo x Rias because she has a big chest.

If you have any thoughts on the chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive feedback is appreciated. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, I always reply when I can.

- Vertius