A/N: Chapter 7! At last! …I hate this chapter. I really, really don't like this chapter. I didn't know how it was gonna go, and I rewrote it mentally about five times. –Sighs- This was the end result and I still don't like it. Despite its length. This was my longest chapter to date, so...be proud of me people. Please...Oh! I apologize for any OOC behaviors in advance.

Dedication: Since I seem to add someone in each of my Author's Notes, I'm just going to start dedicating each chapter to someone. A reviewer… a friend, it all depends. This chapter is dedicated to my brother. He listens to everything despite not understanding most of it. Thanks Little Brother Goat-chin. He's Isshin. XD

Chapter 7: Of Unfortunate Events and Family Reunions

Hitsugaya walked with his head down and his hands in his pockets. Ichigo looked at him out of the corner of his eye and smirked. "Something wrong Toshirou?" he asked.

The temperature dropped dangerously and Ichigo's smirk grew. "Did it just get cold?" Rukia asked.

The temperature rose again. "Why are you coming home with us anyway?"

Renji shrugged. "Eh…we felt like it…?" he guessed.

Hitsugaya scowled and muttered an "Hn." But didn't anything informative.

Matsumoto gave an elaborate sigh. "He who must not be named told us to come."

Ichigo blinked. "Eh…what?" he asked, frowning at the strawberry haired girl.

Hitsugaya grabbed his subordinate's shoulder and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Matsumoto," he growled. "Cut the crap. Act serious for once, and try not to act like an idiot."

Matsumoto's back went straight and she snapped a salute. "Yes sir, Taichou, sir!"

Ichigo moved forward to walk between Rukia and Uryuu. "So," he said in a voice low enough that only they and Orihime could hear him, "we're not telling them, right?" he asked.

Uryuu nodded. "I believe we should continue to feign ignorance. It might make them leave us alone."

"Ignorance is bliss!" Orihime chirped.

The others just stared at her. "What?"

She just smiled and didn't say anything else.

The walk remained rather quiet. The two groups didn't speak to each other until they reached Ichigo's house. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Ichigo hissed.

Rukia grinned back at him.

Upon their arrival to Ichigo's house, the group of four friends immediately knew something was wrong. The Shinigami had frozen. Ichigo scowled at them as he gripped the door handle. "So you all are going to follow me home, but not come in." He turned the handle. "Are you all going to just stare at the-"

"ICHIIIIIIIIIIIIIGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Ichigo blinked, but managed to grab the foot that came flying at him. He threw the offending man connected to the limb into the wall. "WHAT THE HELL!!!!!!!" he shouted.

Masaki stood up from the table, where Urahara and Yoruichi also sat, and looked a bit shocked.

Rukia, Orihime and Uryuu took one look at the dark haired man, who was rubbing his backside on the floor and burst into laughter.

Kurosaki Isshin stood up. "My son hurts me still!" he cried.

Ichigo caught Uryuu's eye, as the Quincy attempted to recompose himself. 'Play along?' he mouthed to the Shinigami hybrid.

Ichigo grinned. This was going to be fun. "Who the hell are you?!" he demanded.

"Noo, Ichigooo you don't remember meeee?!?"

"I think that's what I said," Ichigo answered, rolling his eyes.

"Masaki!" Isshin moaned. "Our son doesn't remember me!" He threw his arms around Ichigo's mother and sobbed. Masaki looked at her son over Isshin's head and frowned.

Ichigo shrugged, and continued to play along. "You're my father?!"

Rukia grinned, following Ichigo's lead. "Well, now I can see whom he takes after!" she giggled.

"Shut up, bitch!" Ichigo exclaimed, glaring at her.

Isshin seemed to realize that Uryuu, Orihime and Rukia were in the room. "Rukia-chan! Orihime-chan! Uryuu-kun!"

Uryuu blinked and nearly glared the eldest Kurosaki for the familiar terms. "You know us?"

"Masakiii…. Why don't they remember me?" Isshin asked. "They should."

"They obviously don't, Kurosaki-taichou," Tatsuki pointed out from behind them all.

Ichigo spun around. He had forgotten that the seven Shinigami had been there.

"Abarai-taichou, Abarai-fukutaichou!" Isshin exclaimed. "Hitsugaya-taichou! Matsumoto-fukutaichou! Chad-kun!"

He continued listing everybody's names, but Rukia, Ichigo, Uryuu and Orihime stared at Tatsuki and Renji.

"What?" Tatsuki demanded hotly.

"………You're MARRIED!?!?" Ichigo exclaimed after a minute.

"Of course they are!" Urahara laughed, waving his fan around happily.

"Neh!" Ichigo shouted, jumping. "I forgot you were there!"

The cat on the table seemed to glare at them, and then turned to Isshin. "We have strayed far from the reason that we came here for, Isshin," Yoruichi growled, in her cat-voice.

"…. Did a cat just…talk?" Rukia asked in surprise. Entirely feigned, but Ichigo doubted anyone could tell.

Yoruichi gave a cat-sigh. "Yes I did, Kuchiki. Since you obviously don't remember us I will tell you. I am Shihouin Yoruichi. The buffoon who attacked Ichigo is his father, Kurosaki Isshin. The other buffoon, the one with the fan, is Urahara Kisuke. We along with the seven standing behind you are Shinigami."

Blink.

Blink.

'Play along, play along, play along.' Rukia chanted mentally.

Ichigo took the open cue. "Death gods?" he asked.

Urahara nodded behind his fan. "You and Kuchiki-san are as well."

"That is the reason we are here. You are going to come to the Soul Society with us," Isshin continued.

Rukia bristled. "Where?" she asked.

"To the Seireitei," Isshin said. "You two are going to attend the Academy."

Uryuu, Orihime, Rukia and Ichigo shared another look. "What?" Ichigo exclaimed. "You throw this…shit on us and expect to go with you…freaks." Despite how angry he was, this was a little amusing.

"I see no reason why you wouldn't want to go." Urahara pointed out.

"Don't you want to learn-" Isshin started.

"NO!" Ichigo interrupted.

"-About your past lives?" the man finished.

Everyone froze. The four reincarnated heroes hadn't expected them to come out with this information so quickly. "Say what?" Ichigo said.

"Your past lives." Hitsugaya repeated.

Ichigo almost jumped again. 'Damn them for being so quiet,' he thought.

"What do you mean?" Rukia asked.

"Your past lives," Urahara said for a third time. "Who you were before you died. The four of you are War heroes and this war seems not to be over. We need the four of you trained once again."

Ichigo bristled, spun on his heel, stormed past the seven Shinigami and out the door.

"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted, following him out the door. "Where are you going?"

Uryuu and Orihime shared a look, and followed them as well.


"Ichigo what are you doing?"

The orange haired hybrid ignored his zanpakuto.

"Kiiiiing…why are ya ignorin' usss…?"

Ichigo continued to storm through the empty streets of Karakura, not really paying attention to where he was going. When he finally looked up, he was standing in front of the park.

"Back to where it all began, eh King?"

Ichigo's head spun around to look at where Hichigo and Zangetsu stood, the former sitting in a tree and the latter leaning against said tree. "What are you doing?" Ichigo demanded. "There are ten Shinigami here. Someone is going to sense you!"

Zangetsu nodded. "We are aware of this. So be it if they do. But it seems you will not talk to us any other way. What are you so upset about, Ichigo?"

"Yeah King, the lightnin' was kinda sudden."

Ichigo scowled at them. He walked over to the tree across from where the two consciousnesses stood and sat, and leaned against it. "I'm freaking' sick and tired of those idiot in the Soul Society making my decisions for me!" he shouted.

THWAP

Hichigo fell out of the tree as the back of Ichigo's side began throb painfully.

Hichigo glared at the figure standing at Ichigo's side. "The Hell was that for, bitch?!" the Hollow demanded, rubbing his side.

Rukia stood with her arms crossed. She then proceed to uncross them and slap Ichigo upside the head.

Hichigo groaned and rubbed his head. "Tha's not faiiir….I can feel tha'," he whined.

Rukia ignored him, choosing instead to glare at Ichigo. "Why the hell did you storm out of the room like that?" she demanded. She then turned to Hichigo and Zangetsu. "And you two! Someone's going to sense you!"

Zangetsu shrugged, and Hichigo just glared back at her.

All of a sudden a woman appeared next to Zangetsu. She was tall, with white hair that fell all the way down to her waist. She wore a red and white kimono and was exceedingly pale. "Zangetsu," she greeted the zanpakuto in a cold voice.

"Sode no Shirayuki," he answered casually.

Rukia's mouth fell open and Ichigo looked shocked. "You two know each other?" she exclaimed.


Uryuu and Orihime reached the two former Shinigami just as Shirayuki responded. "We were both stuck in that brat's head for about a month." She jabbed her thumb in Ichigo's direction, and he realized that she had long nails, that seemed to be a deadly length and looked to be painted the color of blood.

Ishida frowned at the Hollow and two zanpakuto. "Who are you?" he asked.

"'Ello Quincy!" Hichigo exclaimed. "Hime!"

Orihime smiled. "You're Zangetsu-san and hello Hichigo-san! And you must be Rukia-chan's zanpakuto!"

"Sode no Shirayuki," the zanpakuto introduced itself.

Orihime smiled. "Hello Shirayuki-san"

The zanpakuto nodded.

Uryuu nodded in greeting as well. Then he turned to Ichigo, "Why did you run off like that?" he asked angrily.

"Because," Ichigo answered again just as hotly, "I'm sick of the Soul Society making decisions for me!"

"I can't believe we have to go to the Academy!" Rukia agreed. "I've already graduated it!"

Ichigo looked at her and rolled his eyes. "I've never had any wish to go to it."

"Maybe you can learn how to control your reiatsu," Ishida couldn't resist a jibe.

"OI!"

Rukia giggled. "He's got a point."

"Maybe you can learn Bankai!"

"STRAWBERRY!"

"Midget!"

Uryuu looked at Orihime. "They're back to this, huh?" he asked her.

She giggled. "Kurosaki-kun, Rukia-chan."

Rukia stopped glaring at Ichigo long enough to look at Orihime. "What?"

"We'd best get back," Uryuu said. "If they sense Zangetsu-san, Shirayuki-san and Hollow…-san and they come to investigate.." he trailed off.

Ichigo nodded. "Right."

"Ne, King…" Hichigo put in. "Are ya gonna keep pretendin'?"

"Good question," added Shirayuki.

"I think we should! It'll be fun!" Orihime giggled.

"It'll be hard," Uryuu added sagely.

"I think we should as well. I mean, why not?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo nodded again. "I think they deserve it. They threw all of this on us, let's watch them suffer."

Hichigo had to put in another question. "I can't kill the tattoo freak? Or the old man? C'mon Kiiiiiiing…?" he whined.

Ichigo gave him an annoyed look. "No," he answered curtly. "Now you two best go away and we'd best go back. They're gonna be getting suspicious."

"Agreed," Zangetsu said and the two zanpakuto and the Hollow were gone.

As the four friends walked back to Ichigo's house, Orihime asked, "I wonder how they'll teach us, Uryuu-kun…"

Uryuu paled.

End Chapter 7: Of Unfortunate Events and Family Reunions

A/N: I don't know what Shirayuki looks like, so I described her as I see her. I also don't know if any of them have seen Zangetsu or Hichigo so I just you used my own opinions. I haven't read/seen all of Bleach. I only know what I've read and or heard, so if my facts are off, just correct me and I'll change it unless it's a main plot point.

Anyway this isn't my favorite chapter. I really didn't know how I wanted this to go. I had at least three different directions. This one, them admitting, Isshin blabbing… If anyone wants to read how another one could have gone, just ask, and maybe I'll post a one-shot with it…I'll consider it at least. Again, forgive any OOC behaviors; I really don't like the way this chapter turned out. Chapter 8'll be coming out…eventually… I really don't know where I'm gonna go with this.

Review! Please! I need inspiration! Suggestions are appreciated!

-A. R.