Chapter 21

Ichigo sat down, all the while completely ignoring all the stares directed at him. He's been stared at before this was nothing new. Or even intimidating. Tadashi was on the left of him, exuding a protective and threatening reiatsu. Daring anyone to try anything. Tadashi wasn't the only one being overprotective. Sora was hovering nearby, his reiatsu reaching out every few minutes. Almost as if to reassure himself that Ichigo was still there. Then there was Akihiko, who had extended his reiatsu to blanket everyone in the room. It felt stifling to Ichigo. There was no space for him to breathe and think by himself. And he couldn't push back with his own reiatsu.

He was utterly weak. Self-hatred tore at his gut. If only he could be stronger. Then he wouldn't be this pathetic. This totally useless.

"That's not true." Ichigo jumped in surprise, flinching away from the sound. His heart leaping to his throat, strangling any sound of surprise he might have made. Ichigo cursed himself for not noticing. He was more observant than that. There sitting on his right hand side was a very imposing reiatsu. It was tall and broad. An ash grey that lazily twisted and curled like smoke. Scanning the reiatsu, Ichigo noticed that the person was male and fairly young. Also that their reiatsu was not demanding or overpowering him in anyway. Just an ever constant presence that held no judgement. An anchor in the storm of reiatsu within the room.

Tadashi on his left flinched in surprise also. He leaned backwards to look at the sudden guest.

"Damn it Kuro! Don't scare me like that! Akihiko has told you not the suppress your reiatsu. You terrify the staff with your disappearing and reappearing act." Tadashi whispered loudly behind Ichigo's back. A few others nearby chuckled sheepishly. Apparently him and Tadashi weren't the only ones surprised by Kuro's appearance.

"I apologize." The male, Kuro, said quietly and sincerely. Not like anything that Ichigo had expected. He expected someone a lot louder. Longing tugged at his heart. Kuro's presence was so much like Chad's, it was almost uncanny how alike they were. It was like looking at the past… the future Chad.

Ichigo sighed and rubbed his eyelids to ease the head ache forming in frustration. All of this time travel stuff was getting to him.

"Ichigo?" Tadashi called. A hint of confusion and concern in his tone. Not that surprising really. Ichigo had been acting weird all evening and then there was the panic attack he had. That would certainly not look good in anyone's perspective. Ichigo waved his hand dismissively.

"I'm fine. There's so many questions that don't have answers. Hopefully, I can get them at this meeting." Kuro hummed beside them. Ichigo looked at Kuro. Wasn't he a chatty one tonight.

"Many things will come to light tonight." Kuro supplied. Ichigo sighed at Kuro's cryptic message. Being cryptic never meant anything good in a meeting place. Something was going to happen and he won't like it one bit. He never did. Someone always ended up hurt.

"I sure hope so." He replied quietly. Akihiko held up his hand from his position at the front of the room. Hushed conversations broke off and everyone's attention was focused on Akihiko. Clearing his throat, Akihiko began the meeting.

"Good Evening, my closest friends and family. There is not much time for pleasantries I'm afraid. We have many things to discuss this evening. Much of it needs to be settled tonight. Now the first order of business is to discuss Ichigo's induction into clan meetings. There are no objections, I presume." Silence meet that statement. Every single district leader held no objections for the new addition to the meeting. A few of them murmured welcomes to Ichigo. Many not having forgotten what had transpired at dinner.

Ichigo politely nodded in thanks to those who spoke. Akihiko's reiatsu flickered awkwardly. He coughed, clearing the tension within the room before continuing.

"Next I would like brief reports from the happening of each district. I have read all of the detailed reports and found something interesting. Asami would you please start us off." Akihiko asked Asami who was sitting on the right of him. Ichigo slightly raised an eyebrow. Now why wouldn't he just tell them the problem? Akihiko is more straight forwards than this.

"Of course Akihiko-san." Her tone held the same questions on Akihiko's behavior. Asami took a moment to gather her thoughts then began. "To start with there has been an increase of souls entering my district, along with hollow activity. For those who have just joined this council, I run the eighth district. That district if full of metalworkers. A rowdy lot they can be, but they sure can gamble and compete when they want to," Asami broke out into snickers for a short moment. Ichigo sighed. That woman remind him so much of Kukaku and Yoruichi mixed together. A dangerous mix. And that's putting it lightly.

"Asami…" Akihiko warned. Asami waved him off and took a puff from her pipe.

"Yes, yes… With the increase of souls in my district, I also noticed that many souls were also disappearing too." The very air seemed to freeze. Everyone grew tense and ridged in their seats. Their reiatsu flickering in nervousness, shock and apprehension. Asami continued. "And they were not killed by hollows or being reintroduced into the life cycle. They were being taken from their homes. No trace has been found of them thus far. And none of the patrols can track them either. There was no reiatsu trail to be found." Asami gave a small desolate sigh and rubbed a hand down her face. Her voice filled with such tiredness at being useless. "Akihiko-san, I truly believe that they will not be found again."

Ichigo sat there quietly listening as each district gave a nearly identical report. More souls were appearing, but even more are disappearing, and hollows are more active. None of the missing souls have been found. This was not a coincidence, and all of them knew it.

Once it had come full circle, Akihiko heaved a heavy sigh.

"So it is true then. People are disappearing from all of the districts, and there is no way to find them. I know not to doubt any of you, but I didn't want to believe the reports." Who would?

"When was it that people began disappearing?" Kuro interjected. Everyone sat in stunned silence for a moment before mutterings began among the groups. Akihiko held up his hand and everyone fell silent.

"Elaborate." Akihiko demanded. His reiatsu coiling dangerously beneath his skin. Undeterred by the command, Kuro continued.

"If people have begun disappearing, then there must be a pattern correct?"

Murmurs rang low through the dining hall. Pieces of the puzzle began falling into place. Ichigo clenched his fists tightly into his haori sleeves. His breath becoming nonexistent. The truth crashing down on him like a tidal wave. Strong enough to almost sweep him off his feet. Blood pounded in his ears and drowned out the worried chatter and background noise.

Two months ago.

That's when it all started.

Two months ago.

Silence descended upon the room, Ichigo could feel the stares of everyone in the room. But he paid them no heed as his stared blankly at the clan head. His emotions being shoved so far down deep, he could almost loose them. He knew this was not the time to be emotional. This was a time for clearheadedness. Certain roles had to be played after all, right?

"It was two months ago was it not?" Ichigo repeated. Any icy calm had washed over him, chilling his insides and entrapping his ragging emotions within thick layers of ice. Tadashi shifted uncomfortably beside him, and Kuro's reiatsu flickered in curiosity. Did he know what was going on also?

"Ichigo?" Akihiko asked. His tone more concerned than usual.

"Yeah, that's right brat. It was two months ago. Around the time that you showed up." Asami bluntly accused. Her reiatsu coiling tightly underneath her skin. Not a sound was made as everyone waited with baited breath to see who would give first. It was neither of them but Akihiko that spoke.

"Just what are you implying Asami-san?" Akihiko's tone laced heavily with distrust and anger. Apparently he didn't know what was going on. Then again his reiatsu was very calm for someone so angry. Asami took another puff from her pipe, then waved it in his direction.

"You know very well what I mean Akihiko. Ever since Ichigo had shown up, people have been disappearing. There is no coincidence in this world and you know this." Tadashi gave a low growl at her words, and earned everyone's attention within the room.

"What gives you the right to talk that way of Ichigo-san? He has done nothing wrong! How dare you accuse him of doing those horrendous things? He.." Tadashi snapped angrily, until Asami interrupted him.

"And how can you say that he hasn't!? Have you watched him every hour of every day? What do you truly know of your precious Ichigo-san?" The question hung like a sinister cloud overhead. Because no one truly did know anything about Ichigo. About him. Ichigo knew this and so did they. The elephant in the room that no one dared to address until now.

"It doesn't matter." Tadashi dismissed quickly, but Asami wouldn't take no for an answer. Ichigo bit the inside of his cheek, now was not the time to get angry and lash out like Tadashi. There was nothing that he could do to help him in this situation. Tadashi had just dug his own hole. And he was going to get hurt. Very badly.

"Of course it does. You have become blinded by him. He dragged you down into his darkness without even knowing it." Tadashi's reiatsu bristled like an angry cat. Asami continued nonetheless. "You have not even questioned why he has not even argued against my accusations against him. Why is that, slave of Ichigo-san?" Tadashi's reiatsu froze in place. Shocked to almost beyond repair. Moving like a robot, Tadashi turned to him. Asami broke him. This might cause trouble later.

"Ichigo-san?" His voice so full of hope and despair. It pained Ichigo to hear him like that. Closing his eyes, he took and deep breath and heaved it out in a sigh. Not saying a single word. Making excuses will get him nowhere. Besides there was nothing for him to say.

Akihiko also gave a large sigh, and spoke up.

"This has gone on long enough. Tadashi calm yourself. Ichigo is not to blame for the disappearances. That is for certain." Asami snorted, interrupting Akihiko.

"What do you have to prove his innocence?" Murmurs broke out again. Many stares were thrown his way. Distrust hung heavy in the air. Beside him, Tadashi wallowed in betrayal. His reiatsu curling in on himself.

"Silence." Akihiko demanded. His reiatsu lashing out angrily. Compelling everyone to listen to his order. "A week into having Ichigo in my care. He had gone to the summer festival with Tadashi, some apprentices from the kitchen and a family with a young girl whom was friends with them. You have meet the young girl, Yuko, she has had a silence kido placed on her by a shinigami. Now explain this to me. If Ichigo was the one who was making souls disappear, then why would Yuko trust him? Yuko's whole family, her father, mother and younger brother, have gone missing within my district, along with many others. However she is the only one to have seen the attackers. From her account, these attackers come from the Ryodoji clan. All of them bore the symbol of his clan."

Many of the occupants hissed in anger. The Shibas have had many troubles with the Ryodoji clan for a long time. They have almost become sworn enemies.

Akihiko held up his hand, and silence enveloped the room once more. " After Yuko's family had gone missing, Ichigo was attacked here on the manor's estate, by an assailant wearing the Ryodoji symbol. Ichigo had killed the assailant, after they tried to kill him a second time. What I am about to tell you next must never leave this room. Do you understand?" A round of 'yeses' and 'yes, sirs' echoed throughout the room. Akihiko nodded and continued. "I had my head healer take a look at the body. That body had markings of kido binding on it. My healer suspected that the person was being forced to do the kido placer's bidding. Along with the markings of kido, was who the assailant was." At this Akihiko hesitated, his distress clearly evident. Ichigo's mind spun in circles, coming to the same conclusion to this horrifying report over and over again. It was the only thing that made sense.

"It was Michio." Saying it out loud, Ichigo could only think of how to tell Yuko. She was going to be devastated. She might not come back from this shock. Dread weighed heavily on him.

Akihiko sighed sadly.

"So you figured it out Ichigo? I was hoping that you wouldn't have to find out this way." Akihiko ran a hand nervously through his hair. "At least it's better than some other ways. I'm sorry that I had to keep it from you." No, he just lied to him. Then again he's lied too.

"Well now that that is done. Ichigo is innocent. Hooray!... What should we do about this situation?" Asami said light heartedly. Almost to light hearted from her accusations earlier. Ichigo knew that what she said before was to get a rise out of the others, especially Tadashi. He would have to keep an eye on her. She is as sly, if not more than Chiyo is. Not many would think that Shibas were smart, but that just gave them the advantage. Ichigo knew not to underestimate any of them. He would need his guard up at all times now. This whole world was enemy territory and it nearly deceived him too.

He could not trust them. He could not afford to make mistakes.

Turning back to the meeting at hand, Ichigo listened as district leaders listed off ways to deal with the problem. The meeting went long into the night, all of the solutions being shot down due to one conflict or another. They then went to discuss more of the mundane problems of each district and provided solutions for each one. At the end of the meeting Akihiko addressed everyone one final time.

"There is nothing that we can do at the moment. We need proof that it was Ryodoji behind this and not someone else setting him up. Raise the amount of patrols, and watch every shinigami that comes through your district. Rooms have been set up for you and your families. I hope all of you have good dreams, and join me for breakfast tomorrow before departing back to your districts. This meeting is finished." Ichigo sighed and waited for everyone else to leave the room. Others may have figured it out, but they can't talk about it with the ones responsible. This was personal.

The only ones to remain was Akihiko, Asami, Kuro, Sora, Tadashi and himself. All sat or stood in awkward silence, waiting for someone else to make the first move. The guilty party almost feeling too guilty to speak.

Asami groaned and seated herself in front of Ichigo, while Akihiko nervously stood in the background. She took a few calming breaths from her her pipe.

"You knew what I did, didn't you? I would apologize but it needed to be done. Kuro understood right?" She received a grunt from him in reply. He apparently wasn't happy either. "I know Kuro, I know, but Akihiko-san agreed that it needed to be done." Ichigo sighed and stood. He was tired and done with everything. Tired of being a scape goat and puppet. He just wanted to be alone right now.

"Good night, Asami-san, Akihiko-san." Ichigo turned to Tadashi, who still sat in his place. "Tadashi-san, why don't you go to bed. It has been a long day for you. I imagine that you are very tired." Tadashi had flinched when Ichigo had addressed him. It stung, but Ichigo brushed it off. He would deal with it later. He turned to Kuro. "Good night, Kuro-san."

"Good night, Ichigo-san." His quiet voice welcoming and indiscriminate. Giving him a nod, Ichigo made his way to where Sora was standing by the doors. Aware of the eyes upon his back.

Exiting the room, he maneuvered his way through the mansion, distinctly aware of Sora following him. Not saying a single word the entire time. He was grateful that Sora understood.

Ichigo came upon his room, the slight creak of floor boards alerted him to Yuko. She slammed into his legs. Warmly welcoming him back. Silently expressing all her worry while he was gone. The emotions he had shoved down, threatened to surface again. Shoving those emotions even deeper, Ichigo steadied himself for what he was about to tell her. And bring her world crashing down around him.

Distractedly patting her head, he removed her arms from around him and kneeled down to face her.

"Yuko, I have something to tell you. Why don't we sit outside on the walkway, okay?" The tugging on his haori towards the walkway gave him the answer he needed. Her enthusiasm and naivety at the situation weighed heavily on his shoulders. She doesn't know, but needs to know. Ichigo knows that the truth will hurt, but it's better than lies.

They settled down on the polished wood, which had turned cool in the autumn air. Yuko leaned against his side, content where she was. Ichigo sat there not sure how to say it, but decided that it would be best just to tell her. Hesitating means death after all.

"Yuko… I need to tell you about your dad." Ichigo could physically feel her stiffen beside him. "Before I had found out that your family went missing, I was attacked the day before. I killed the person that had attacked me. Tonight I found out who it was." Yuko pulled away from him. Seemingly come to the same conclusion that he had. Even before it was said. "It was your dad Yuko. I killed him. I'm sorry. I didn't know it was him. He was just like you. So silent and also so cold." Yuko pulled away from him, slowly inching towards the door. "He's dead Yuko. He's gone."

He could imagine the fear, betrayal and disbelief on her face. Trust wiped away with a few well placed words. Ichigo remained rooted in his spot, watching her with blank eyes.

Floorboards creaked as she scrambled to get away from him. His bedroom door opened, followed by more creaking of wood. The only sign that Yuko had left the room.

Heaving a sigh, Ichigo allowed himself to slump forward, putting his head into his hands. He knew that this was how it was going to go. Terribly. Things like this always did.

"Sora, make sure she's okay." His voice barely coming out as a harsh whisper.

"Of course, Ichigo-sama." Sora's reiatsu disappeared after Yuko. Ichigo stood on the grass, only to have his knees buckle beneath him.

Cursing, Ichigo clutched the cloth over his heart. He could feel it beat irregularly in his chest. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Pins and needles spread along his limbs and left trails of fire in their wake. Muscles twitched and spasmed beneath his skin, shaking his frame to his very bones. His breath rattled in his chest, hardly enough for him to breathe. Harsh pants filled the silent night air.

He felt like he was falling apart. Like his very existence was erasing itself.

Zangetsu and Shiro had gone silent. And not just giving him space silent. As in gone silence. He called out for them. At first patiently, then almost desperately. They had never left his side. They were his constant companions through everything even when he had lost it all.

He was alone. Utterly alone in this foreign world.

A gut-wrenching cry tore from his throat, using the little oxygen he had, and left him gasping for air. His emotions raw and unraveling at the seams. Holding it back, was like trying to hold an ocean in his hands. Completely impossible.

His cry would have been heard. He needed to move. He couldn't be seen like this. Struggling to his numb feet, he stumbled along a memorized garden path. A path that offered sanctuary from everything.

Ichigo could feel it's reiatsu, beaconing him towards it. The ancient tree in the clearing. It shone brightly against the darkness. A light shining brightly, guiding the way for him. The heart of the forest thriving as he was dying and falling apart. How utterly ironic.

He wasn't the only one to take solace beneath those protective branches. The laughter of foxes and yeps of wolves followed on his heels. Twigs snapped beneath their collective feet. Brush rustled and birds chirped once in alarm at the approach of predators. No wind gave trees their song, and crickets played no tune that night.

Ichigo collapsed against the trunk of the tree. His lungs burning and screaming for much needed oxygen. His heart thumping erratically in his chest. With shaking hands he pulled his sealed blade across his lap. Taking comfort in the smooth, cool metal beneath his fingertips. Following the line of the blade, he found Zangetsu's own scars. Almost unnoticeable scratches upon the metal. Each one told a tale of hard battles and the desperation to win, to survive, to protect.

A curious wolf came up to him, taking in his scent. Coming to some decision, the creature laid beside him, leaning against his right leg, and placing his large head on Ichigo's thigh. He has been deemed harmless it seems. Ichigo gave a soft huff in amusement, the wolf shifting it's head to look at him better.

"I'm that pathetic, that I need to be comforted by even you now. Thank you anyways, but it's time to face the music." Cautiously lifting his hand up to gently stroke behind the creature's ear. The wolf leaned into the touch, giving a low pleased rumble. Withdrawing his hand, Ichigo turned back to his blade.

He needed to see what was going on with Zangetsu. His body shuddered, his fingers spasming along the blade. Now was a good time as any. Especially now. Taking a deep breath, Ichigo relaxed and dropped into his inner world.


Well... here it is, Chapter 21. Chapter 22 is coming up very shortly. Thank you to everyone that patiently awaited the next chapter. We hope you all enjoy it. See you soon.

- The Crew