Ichika could tell that she was in trouble when she met with her squad again in the soul academy. Tai, Yuki and Kitsu stared at her as if she was dead to them, and not in a dramatic sense, but in a pissed off way. There arms folded, they said nothing to her, just stood firmly in front of her.

She smiled sheepishly. "Hey, guys… what's up with the death glares?"

Yuki was the one to give her a response, fully livid. Her eyes flared. "What's up with our death glares, you say? What's up with that? Guys," She glanced from Tai to Kitsu, "tell Ichika just what is up with our faces!"

Tai and Kitsu both yelled at Ichika loudly, mentally blowing her away. "Our squad got suspended!"

What!? Ichika couldn't believe what she heard from them. What did they do wrong? They had to be the best squad in their class on the Karakura town patrol. Why did their sensei suspend them? "You guys are joking, right?"

Yuki shook her head. "No, Ichika. We really are suspended. For two weeks. Which puts us behind the rest of the other squads."

That couldn't be happening… Ichika felt like she was going to explode. "What did we do?"

"It's not what we did, it's what you did!" Tai air poked at her, frowning. "You ditched us and disappeared! We waited for you to head back, but you never showed up. When we gave up on waiting for you and went back, the sensei chewed us out!"

Kitsu second with the air poking, "He said that we should've never left a squad mate behind and should've searched for you. For some reason, you ditching us was our fault as a team!"

Ichika shrunk low. Her squad and friends were really letting her have it. Not that she can blame them, this was her fault. She never would have thought they'd get in trouble for her not returning back with him, though. She shouldn't have stayed the night by Kazui… Her friends didn't know about him, so she can't up and confess he was the reason she ditched them…

Ichika bowed to them, feeling really guilty. "I'm sorry guys! Really. What I did was stupid. I won't do it again."

Yuki sighed. She raised Ichika to stand up fully. "Okay. Stop that. Whatever the reason was, it was important, right?"

Ichika studied their faces, they didn't have the same upset, grilling look anymore. They were just frustrated with her. "Yeah…"

"Then you are only going to take on half of our assigned chore duty for the next two weeks." Yuki smirked.

Ichika was happy that her friends weren't that upset with her anymore, but hearing chore duty hit her like a ton breaks. Her face fell. "Chores…"

On the soccer field, Kazui was practicing with his team. The sun was beating him down. Sweat dripped from his face as he took in deep breaths. He stood still with his hands at his sides.

"Kazui duck!"

On impulse, Kazui did just that at the yell of the voice and dropped low to the ground quick. Ryuki approached him with a confused, concern face. "Why did you just drop to the ground as if shots were fired?"

"Ah…" Kazui shook his head as if that would get rid of the odd feeling he felt then. "Didn't someone yell for me to duck?"

"I didn't hear anyone tell you to duck." Ryuki said. "Are you okay? The sun getting to you?"

Kazui stood up. He could've swore that someone yelled for him to duck. It was practically in his ear… "Um… not sure, Ryuki."

"Kazui duck!" One of their teammates yelled. The next thing Kazui knew, he was knocked over the head by a soccer ball. Falling to the ground, his teammates surrounded him with worry. The one that kicked the ball wildly without control kneeled by him, frantic. "I'm so sorry Kurosaki! I didn't mean for the ball to strafe like that! Are you okay?" If he was, the faces of his friends should not have been spinning, neither everything around him… Laid out flat, he passed out. "Kurosaki!"

Ryuki pulled him up, looking at him bewildered…

Sometime later, Kazui opened his eyes slightly, seeing a blur of a dim sun light, and a body figure leaning by a window to the left. Getting the feeling of where he was, he realized he was in the nurse's office on one of the beds. Seeing clearly, he sees that it's Ryuki by the window, staring back at him with slight worry.

What exactly happened before then? He was on the field, it was hot as hell, he heard someone say…

"Kazui Duck!"

Well… not hard to piece together what he didn't do. Kazui felt a light pain on the side of his head. He reached his hand to touch it, wincing just slightly. "Can't believe it was a soccer ball I got hit by."

"I can't believe you ducked waaaay too early." Ryuki went straight to the point of his concern.

Oh yeah… that did happen. Kazui didn't know how to explain it. To Ryuki or himself. Maybe his instincts as a soul reaper kicked into overdrive. Warned him. Somehow… "Hey man, I think it's called bad instinct." Kazui joked as he raised up.

Ryuki chuckled, shaking his head. "Whatever you wanna call it, sure. You've… been acting weird lately."

Kazui wasn't expecting to hear that last part from him. Was he being that obvious? A sigh escaped him. "A friend recently came back into my life…" Might as well twist the truth. "I guess it's thrown me out of whack." It wasn't a total fake excuse.

Ryuki's face got a sudden peak of interest at hearing that. He zoned in close to Kazui in matters of seconds. "Wait. A friend. Just a friend? Wait. This friend female?"

Oh no. Kazui just sparked an entire different conversation that he didn't want to talk about either. Everyone in the school always wondered why he didn't have a girlfriend. The worst of them all to pester him about it was Ryuki. Sadly. "Yeah."

"Is she the reason you don't date any of the girls that have major crushes on you? Cause man, if you didn't notice, there are a lot of girls that have major crushes on you."

Nonchalantly, Kazui nodded his head. He made sure to keep his face neutral so that his friend wouldn't see any flicker of serious emotion. "Yeah, I know. That's not hard to miss. And no, she's not the reason. She's… just a close childhood friend."

He either didn't want to buy it or didn't care to buy it. A goofy grin spread on his face as he shrugged. "Okay. Whatever you say, man."

Kazui started to get off the bed. "Yeah. Now—"

"Kurosaki!" A purple haired girl called out. She darted fast towards him and grabbed him in a tight hug. "I heard what happened! Are you okay?" She sounded like she wanted to sob. She pulled away to get a good look at him, golden eyes boring into his.

She was another school friend. They don't really talk much, only when she comes by the soccer field to play with the team sometimes. She must've stopped by and found out that way. He put on a reassuring face. "I'm fine. Just a fly ball."

"Good." She said then. Kazui wasn't prepared for what happened next. The girl put him in a choke hold. Her face no longer worried, but teasing. "You're lucky you didn't get knocked into coma!"

"No way a soft soccer ball could've done that to me!" Kazui chuckled, pretending to struggle to break free of her hold.

Ryuki was in the background, at a lost. "Soft ball that knocked you out…"

Laughing with a bright smile, she let him go. "Glad you're okay. You think you feel well enough to play against me?"

He smiled. "Definitely."

Folding his arms, Ryuki leaned over Kazui's shoulder and said lowly, "Does Mitsuko know about this close friend?"

"Know about who?" She managed to hear.

Kazui elbowed him in the gut, making him double over in a back step. Kazui shrugged.

Rukia stood in front Ichigo's door. She contemplated whether or not to ring the doorbell. Whether or not she should talk to him about the Quincy pentacle. It was either going to lead to something insightful and good to know, or lead to something awful and destructing. But this was Ichigo. The man she felt she knew better than anyone else. There's no way he could be tied to anything bad. So then it was decided. Rukia drew in all of her resolve. She had to tell him about it.

The door opened wide suddenly. Ichigo stood in front her with a curios face. "Thought I felt you out here. What's up?" Rukia couldn't bring herself to put on a fake, easy going face. Ichigo didn't fail to miss it. He moved aside. "Come in." She did what he said and kept walking till she reached the front room. He was right behind her, arms folded. "What's wrong?"

Rukia was holding the pentacle in her hand. She lifted it up to show it to him. "Not really what's wrong, but…"

"Is that a Quincy pentacle?" His eyes focused solely on it, serious. "Why do you have one?"

"It's for you, Ichigo…" She told him, spitting it out.

It took a moment for Ichigo to register her words. Last time he checked, yes, he was half Quincy, but he never owned a pentacle. The only part of him that he embraced was the soul reaper side of him. "Okay… and who told you this?"

"Nii-sama told me to give this to you. Six years ago he was sent to investigate a high power reiatsu and came across a man that was looking for you. The man gave him this pentacle. He said it needed to be given to you." She briefly explained.

Ichigo was trying his best to stay calm, all while trying to understand everything. The only Quincy he's friends with is Uryu. He wouldn't know why this mystery guy would want to give him this pentacle. Ichigo could see the confusion on Rukia's face, she wanted to hear his response. It seemed like a really big deal to her, or was she expecting it to be a big deal to him? Whatever it was, he had to clear it up. "I have no clue who that guy could've been, and I definitely don't have a clue to what to do with that pentacle."

It looked like relief came over her. She relaxed more. Ichigo took the pentacle from her. "Maybe he was looking for a different Ichigo Kurosaki?"

Ichigo snorted. "Sure as hell not any other explanation…"

Rukia put a hand to her chin as she remembered something else. It made her want to laugh. "Oh, there was another thing that Nii-sama said." Ichigo glanced up to her. "He said, that the man told him he was his nephew."

Ichigo's eyes went wide. "Rukia…" His tone went playful, "you didn't have a kid we all don't know about, did you?"

Frowning, she punched his chest, getting a 'gah' out in response from him. "Shut up. That's the same thing Nii-sama asked—even in front of Renji some years ago!" She boiling in embarrassment at the memory. She still would never understand what gave Byakuya the nerve to ask her that. He couldn't just trust her and not some mystery guy?

Ichigo laughed as he dangled the pentacle. It swung from left to right. Left…

Right.

A bright flash of light erupted from the pentacle. Reiatsu pulsed wildly. Rukia and Ichigo were both put on high alert. Ichigo covered his eyes with his forearm. "What the hell's happening!?"

6 years ago, Second Bleach Realm

Making it back to his own realm and time, it was currently nightfall. Kurotsuchi was no longer there. He must've left, Kenji concluded. The trip really didn't go as planned. But at least he didn't have to fight his own uncle. He managed to stay calm and hear him out. Though he did keep a sword to his throat… Nothing like nephew and uncle bonding time.

Kenji really hoped that Byakuya gave the pentacle to Ichigo. Even though it was foolish, wishful thinking. It would be better to hope that the pentacle would someday, somehow find its way to him. It was out of his hands. Kenji made fast haste to get home. It was on the out skirts of Karakura town, where less hollows were. The second he got home, the minute he walked in the house, he was greeted by a very disappointed father. His realm's Ichigo kurosaki. Ichigo had a scruffy beard and his hair was long to his shoulders.

Kenji already knew he was in deep trouble. He prepared himself to get an earful of a lecture. "Hey dad."

"Hey to you, too." Ichigo nodded his head to the left. Signaling for Kenji to walk further inside. He did and closed the door behind him. "Tell me why, even when I told you not to, you went ahead and traveled to another realm anyway?"

How. Did. He. Know…

Kenji tried to play it cool. "What? I didn't."

"Yes, you did. I followed you. I saw you leave."

"You followed me?" Kenji was mad at that. Did he really not have any trust in him? Or confidence in him? He was 16! Not a 9-year-old kid anymore that needed protecting. Kenji admits, yeah, he was going behind his dad's back, but… honestly, it was his decision to make, not theirs. "I can't believe you."

"I can't believe you lied to me and your mom. How can we trust you? When you break it?" Ichigo shot back, just as mad with him. "Don't tell me you're not going to do something, and then turn around and do it anyway. I don't want you to agree to what I want; I want you to be honest. At least then, seeing you go against my advisement, isn't as hurtful."

Kenji was ready to snap back. He was ready to state his argument. He expected to still feel angry, but none of that happened. He didn't snap back, he didn't have an argument to state, and he sure as hell didn't feel angry anymore. His dad said he followed him and watched him leave, but he didn't attempt to stop him. No. He let him do what he wanted to in the end. And all Kenji was hearing from his dad was that he only wanted honesty in return for going against him. And Kenji didn't give him that. Kenji's head went low a bit. The frown he wore was no longer for his father, but for himself. "I thought you would try to stop me."

"Well you were wrong. I love you Kenji, and I'll always try to protect you. Even if the only protecting I can do for you now, is by giving insight and advice on what I think you should and shouldn't do. I will never try to control you." Ichigo knew fully well that his son was becoming a man of his own will and thought. He couldn't shelter him from the cruel and dangerous world they live in anymore.

The sound of running and the voice of a little boy was heard approaching them. It was his 9-year-old brother. "Kenji's home?" The small, orange head boy smiled at seeing it was his brother that finally returned. He hugged his brother firmly. "I knew it. Dad said you'd done something stupid and probably gotten yourself killed. I knew there was no way you could be killed and would be back, though. You're the strongest! Well, second strongest to dad."

Kenji looked to Ichigo with an incredulous face that silently said, 'really?'. Kenji chuckled. "What about the captains, Karuchi? I am stronger than them, too?" He asked, walking with his brother to the living room.

"Of course!" Karuchi responded.

Ichigo smiled as he shook his head. Rukia appeared to the side of him then. She punched him hard in the shoulder, getting a "gah" response out of him. Rukia showed him a stern face. "You told him that Kenji was going to die?!"

Ichigo rubbed at his shoulder, letting a light laugh out. Rukia however, wasn't finding anything funny. "I didn't mean it seriously when I said it." Rukia walked away from him. He followed. "Rukia? I was kidding!"

6 years later, presently

Kenji sat in the front room, in front a TV that for some reason was still placed in the house. God knows there hasn't been power in the world for years. His brother Karuchi sat on the couch behind him. "So how much longer do you think it's going to be till dad of the other realm touches the pentacle?"

Kenji sighed. His brother just had to bring that up. Kenji didn't forget about it, but neither was he trying to keep his mind on it. He glanced behind him to look at his brother. "With our luck… the day we die."

Kenji's Zanpakuto was laid on the floor in front of him. There was gleam of light the shined off it, but there weren't any sun rays streaming in the house. Kenji found that very strange. He grabbed his sword, but the second he did, he felt his reiatsu pulse strongly. The next moment… he was unconscious on the floor.

Karuchi leaned closer to look at his brother with a peculiar face. "Brother I think you were right."

If half dead counts.

Kenji's eyes were closed. When he opened them, he noticed that he was in his inner world. He didn't see his Zanpakuto, though. The only person that was there was… Ichigo. Okay, either his dad somehow found his way into his inner world, or that was Ichigo from the other world that finally touched the pentacle. He'd hope it was the latter.

Ichigo seemed to be completely freaked out, and ready to battle someone. Only problem for him was that he didn't have his Zanpakuto to battle with.

"Um, hey—" Kenji started.

Ichigo whirled around to stare hard at him. "Who are you? Where am I?!"

"Whoa, calm down. You're not in any danger. Seriously. Take it down a notch." Kenji told him in a simple tone. He didn't want Ichigo to get anymore worked up than he was. He wasn't trying to have a brawl with his kind-of-still-father from another world.

Ichigo took in several breaths before finally taking in a deep one to calm himself down somewhat. His face relaxed, but still showed that he didn't trust Kenji. "Who are you?"

That was the highlight question. Who was he? He's Kenji. Ichigo doesn't know that he's the son he doesn't have. He's the son that has to explain to a man from another world that he's his son, and needs his help. It will definitely not go well the first time saying it. Kenji figured the best way to start off explaining it, was to say, "You're not going to believe anything I'm going to say. But please, hear me out with a serious consider that what I'm going to tell you, could possibly be the truth."

Ichigo didn't say anything for a few moments. He got the look that he was ready to face a serious battle. Why did he have to look so serious? He's no different than his dad. Well… they are the same person. He should be used to this. But, even though they look the same, talk the same, glare the same, he was not the same father. There's disconnect in that. It's like talking to a familiar stranger.

"I'm listening. So get to the point." Ichigo told him.

Kenji exhaled. He wondered if it would've played better on his nerves if he would've talked to him in person. Actual in person. "I'm Kenji. Your son, from another world."

The expression on Ichigo's face went stunned. His eyes widened. "You can't be serious…"

"The proof is the very fact you're here. You're in my inner world. Once you touched my Quincy pentacle you were able to connect with my reiatsu. Even though we're from different worlds, since our reiatsu is similar, we're still able to connect. I was worried Kurotsuchi's hypothesis would be wrong, but in the end it actually worked."

"Hold up. Um. You're my son from another world? What do you mean… like another universe or something…?"

It was good he was catching on to that factor. "Yeah. A universe in another realm to be more exact. I needed to talk to you, because I need your help." We. Need your help.

Ichigo took a second to respond. His expression fell to a more accustomed one of the situation. Though, Kenji could still tell it was a lot for him to take in. "My supposedly son from another realm, went through the trouble of crossing to my realm to get my help… Why? What happened?"

And here was the kicker. "You didn't marry Inoue Orihime. That's what happened. Everything in your realm, happened in mine as well, but in different times. The war with Yhwach was won, but… you and Rukia got together. Which, screwed things up and—"

"Time out!" Ichigo was making the time out sign with his hands. He was really taken for a shocking loop then. He pointed a shaking finger at himself. "Me—me and…"

"Rukia. Yeah."

Ichigo pointed at Kenji, approaching him slowly. That was a step up in progress. "Rukia is your mother…"

"Yeah… and you're my father."

Ichigo's pointing hand went to cover his mouth instead. "Oh my god… so that… when you told Byakuya… that you are his nephew…"

"Oh, you know about that? He told you?"

Ichigo heard what he and Rukia last talked about play back in his head. A full three times in a dizzying echo effect.

'Rukia…' His tone went teasing, "you didn't have a kid we all don't know about, did you?'

"Shut up. That's the same thing Nii-sama asked. Even in front of Renji some years ago!"

Ichigo's hand fell. "Holy shit."

"I know this is a lot to take it right now. But I just needed to tell you. I needed to asked you. This is big. One hell of a risk. But… you are the only one that can save my world. My family. Everyone. In my world—I am a variable amongst the constant's and other variables. My existence is only thanks to one event that did not happen here. my life is meaningless to you, since obviously, as the fact stands, I am not the son you nurtured all these years. Even so, would you be able to live with the fact that in some other world you son died? In an attempt to save the universe? And as an added fact… Yhwach will do the same here. I don't know how, but he's been able to cross worlds. He's been reliving the process of the war, killing his old self, in order to make himself stronger. Pretty soon. Not even soon. Hell, now. He's unstoppable…" Ichigo had no words. Everything that was said to him took him completely by storm. His wasn't sure how to weather It. "That's all I'm going to say for now. I just needed to tell you this. If you decide to help before things are too far gone for any of us. Every realm. I will tell you more. But for now, make your choice father, and I shall return to your world in two days to hear your answer."

Ichigo finally managed to utter words out of his mouth. "You're going to show up in person?"

Kenji nodded. "I did the last time. You just didn't see me." He turned his back to Ichigo. His inner world began to crumble and fall apart. "This is goodbye till then."

On edge, Ichigo reached his hand out to Kenji. "What a minute!"

But in a blink, the only person he was reaching his hand out to was a worried Rukia.