"So… explained to me why that was necessary again? That could have gone bad in so many different ways." Kenji said, sighing. Orihime had just handed him a cup of tea to drink. He thanked her with a gentle nod of his head. She nervously bowed… and walked away back to the kitchen area. Kenji raised a brow. He pointed in her direction. "Is she okay with me being here?"

Ichigo, with his arms folded, nodded with a light laugh. He took a seat on a chair opposite to him. "Yeah, she's fine with it. With you. I think she's just taking seeing you in. You know, my other son."

"Right… It's only technical though." He turned around, to see if she was in sight. But she wasn't. Maybe she was making more tea? He hasn't even taken a sip from the one he's currently holding. He turned back around, eyes landing on Kazui's skeptical ones. "You're?" Kenji didn't really know his name. He knows that he's the son of Ichigo in that world.

"I'm Kazui. And of course you know the rest…"

"Kurosaki. Yeah, it is also my last name…" Kenji took a long sip from his tea. The awkwardness was more than he expected. His kind-of-younger-brother from another world wasn't making it any better. Something was telling him that Kazui didn't trust his cause.

Everything had been explained to Kazui when Kenji had arrived. He was shocked to no end and didn't fully believe it. But enough of hearing Ichigo and Kenji talking to each other, he eventually knew there was no other truth except for what they told him.

"Are you really from another universe?" Kazui asked. Kenji nodded with a slight smile. "Geez."

Ichigo decided to step in the conversation. He recalled that Kenji had wanted to know why the soul society wanted to do the ambush plan. "Kenji. About the attack on you. The captains wanted to know if they could trust you to be on our side. My word was not enough for them. So they decided to test you in combat. If you took the fight seriously and hurt Toshiro badly, then that would've meant you were not on our side."

"If I felt my life threatened and chose to kill him to save mine, huh…" Ichigo nodded. "Still… I didn't plan on crossing to get killed by a distrusting captain. I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't have done anything to protect myself. But at the same time, I did just enough to convince my case first."

"I'm glad you proved yourself. And sorry, if it's still worth anything to say now." Ichigo told him. He honestly didn't want to go through with the plan. He trusted Kenji. Maybe not in the beginning, since things were crashing in with his reality a little too quickly, but eventually once everything settled, he believed in him.

Kenji didn't have any anger towards him. He couldn't muster anger towards any of them. They look just like the people he loves. They technically are, but not his versions. He could never truly want to hurt or hate them. They could try to force his hand, but no matter what, he would not be the one to draw first. Or spite. "It's okay. If it were the people I love on the line of a decision of trust like this, I'd want to make sure I'd be right to choose trust as well." He hadn't realized he finished the tea and sat the empty cup down on a small table in front him.

"This is crazy…" Kazui spoke up again. "Insane. You're practically my brother… I kind of always wondered what having a sibling would be like. You seem cool enough."

Kenji chuckled. He was glad Kazui started to open up to him. "Thanks. I on the other hand, have a younger brother, so I know what it's like, sadly."

"Sadly?"

"He can be a pain."

"Oh." For some reason, the imagine of Ichika popped up in Kazui's head after hearing Kenji say that. A sibling that could be a pain… He vigorously shook his head. "Thank god she's not my sister." He lowly said to himself. Noticing Kenji had barely caught what he said, wondering, Kazui sheepishly smiled with a shake of his head. "Nothing." Actually, it made him wonder… Since his dad ends up with Aunt Ru in Kenji's time line, would that mean that Ichika doesn't exist in his world? "Hey," Kenji looked to him. "Do you know a girl named Ichika?"

"No, not that I can remember. Why?"

Knowing that she didn't exist in his world, slightly pained his heart for some reason… He doesn't exist in Kenji's world either, but… A world where Ichika doesn't exist?

Wait a second… Kazui had just been hit over the head by a ton of bricks. How did he not notice this before? Kenji. Ichika… Kenji. Ichika… Holy! Kazui got a weird look on his face when he started to focus in hard on the way Kenji looked. There was no mistaking it. He looked like her kind of. He looks like her! Aunt Ru ended up with Renji and named her daughter slightly after her best friend, Kazui's dad. She named her Ichi-ka. But in the other world, Aunt Ru ended up with his dad and named her son slightly after her best friend, Ichika's dad. Aunt Ru named her— "K-ENJI!"

Kenji was startled. "What?"

Kazui felt like he wanted to pass out, shaking his head crazy. "N-nothing. Nothing. Ignore me." Kenji wondered about him with a confused look on his face, but eventually turned his head away and went back to talking to Ichigo. Holy crap! Ichika is Kenji. Kenji in his world is Ichika! Oh no, he should have never realized that revelation. In a way, they're all related oh god noooo.

From the side to him, Ichigo could see that his son was silently dying on the inside. He wondered what had gotten into him, but decide to let him go through it for the time being. He would ask him what's wrong later. "How long are going to be staying?"

"As long as I need to." Kenji answered. He made sure to get Kurotsuchi to take the time limit off. This time around he needed more than just 2 hours of conversating. He would need to officially meet with the captains and hear what they have to say. And hopefully if they say yes, he'll be running the plan out with them. Who crosses back to his world with him and so on…

"That's good to hear. The soul society is going to want to meet with you tomorrow morning. You can stay here for the night." Ichigo stated. He stood and was about to leave it there for the night, before catching his son in his sights again. He remembered their earlier confrontation. "Oh. Right. Kenji?" Kenji continued to give him his attention. "This one wants to come with to fight in the battle." Ichigo said in a louder tone to make sure that his spaced-out-son would hear him. Kazui snapped out of his freak-out trance and joined Ichigo and Kenji on the matter.

Kazui, with a sudden strong resolve, showed that to Kenji as he eyed him. "I want to help in any way I can."

Kenji was a little surprised. The Ichigo of this world was actually okay with him joining the battle. But then he had to realize, Kazui probably went through a lot of words to get him to. Kenji thought about it. No matter what way he tried to think of it, it didn't sound like a good idea. "I am concerned about that Kazui. Yhwach is not someone that plays around for long." It was like looking in the mirror when he saw Kazui's glare flash a strength and seriousness that he was wholly aware of.

"'After nine hundred years, he would regain his pulse after another ninety. He would regain his intellect and after nine more years, he would regain his power. And nine days later he will regain the world.'" Kazui recited from a memory when he was at Ishida's house one day, reading about a sealed king.

Kenji's vibe had gone down a dangerous level. Ichigo and Kenji could feel the shift in his expression and tone. "That is the hymn of the sealed king. Yhwach. The progenitor of all Quincy and the destroyer of my world and life…"

"Let me help put an end to him. For good. I won't hold you guys back, I give my word." Kazui pleaded. "To hell with that hymn."

Kenji tried to calm down. It was hard and he barely managed to get his feelings under control. He did however, once he realized that Kazui was reassuring him, telling him, he'll help him get his world back. A bit of peace of mind washed over him. Yes. Okay. There is still no getting around the fact that it will be incredibly dangerous… "Okay, Kazui. I believe in you."

Ichigo smiled and pat Kazui a bit too hard on his back, but it was to get a point across to his son, who winced as he looked at him. "You better listen to EVERYTHING I and Kenji say. No questions asked. Am I clear?"

Kazui smirked with a nod. Deal.

The next morning in her manor, Ichika couldn't stop her mind from racing through a million thoughts about the war. The crossings, the other dimension that told an entirely different story compared to her own. Not to mention, in this other world… she doesn't exist. Her mother married Ichigo instead of her dad. They had two other sons apparently, and both managed to visit her world. She wondered what they were like…

Lying down, she felt and heard footsteps nearing her. Her eyes looked up to see her mother staring back down at her. Rukia sat down beside her while Ichika raised up. It was tough to tell how her mother was feeling in that moment. Her expression was so solemn.

"I'm ready to explain everything better to you. Are you ready to hear?" Rukia asked of her. Ichika nodded. "Okay… so… as you already know, I and Ichigo end up together in another world and have two kids that are not you and Kazui. Because Kazui wasn't born, he wasn't there to stop Yhwach from coming back by reflecting him." That greatly surprised Ichika. She almost couldn't believe it. "Yhwach took over their world because of that, and has been… crossing over to different worlds at a certain point in time, killing his former self and taking the power. He's strong, very strong, and most likely will find his way to us eventually. We have to stop him before it's too late." Rukia explained to her.

Ichika didn't hear that part of the war. Was it mentioned earlier before she started listening? Her heart started to speed up without her realizing it right away. Once she did, she registered it as fear and… anxiousness. But overall, she wasn't going to let it get the best of her. "Does that mean some of the captains are going to cross to that guy's world and fight Yhwach?" Rukia nodded. "Are you?"

"I will. I can't stay back. Not when I know what I know now."

That your sons in another world are in danger… That thought hit Ichika hard. What about her? Didn't her mother know that she didn't want to lose her? Those guys weren't even her real sons! Maybe there are for another version of her, but not her! She's her mother damnit. If she dies for them… No. That can't happen. Ichika held tears from forming as she eyed her mother with serious determination. "I'm going with you!"

Rukia was quick to shut her down. "No, you are not."

In that exact moment, Rukia and Ichika were taken back by the sudden appearance of a man wearing a black trench coat and currently sporting a pair of sunglasses. "Sorry to interrupt, but…" It was Kenji. He took his sunglasses off, expressing a friendly face as he put them in one of his coat pockets. Rukia looked at him, standing to her feet. She didn't know who he was. She'd only heard of him. But he did look slightly familiar. He looked like Ichigo, but with longer hair… "I'm Kenji. I really didn't mean to interrupt. Byakuya told me to wait around here. I guess I somehow found myself by where you are."

Wow. It is him. The other son. She can see where he favors her, but more so Ichigo. She couldn't fight the smile coming on her face. It was a good change of pace from the argument that was about to start between her and Ichika. "It's okay. I was just talking to my daughter about the war. Wow. So this is what you look like. Like a second Ichigo."

He chuckled a bit at the appearance comment. "I get that a lot. Everyone back home always tells me that I'm practically my father and that my brother…"

Rukia pieced two and two together. She remembered all too well what Karuchi looked like. "Practically is me?"

Kenji smiled with a nod. His focus went to Ichika. She was staring at him with the most curios and skeptical look. It was her first time seeing him in the flesh. He did look like Ichigo, but with black long hair. It was crazy that it was happening. A person from another world standing before her. "I'm surprised she told you about the war."

"She didn't willingly. I may have, eased dropped on a captains' meeting."

Kenji couldn't help but get a memory flash back of all the times that he snuck into captains' meetings when he was younger. And all the minutes he spent in punishment because of it… "Hm. Is that what you two were arguing over?"

"No. She wants to fight in the war. I told her no." Rukia told him.

Ichika stood up then. Fire was in her eyes and her tone was firm. "I want to help!"

"Eh… First Kazui, now you too. I really don't want to put you guys in danger like this." Kenji honestly said. They were both young. And the war was going to be tough. He didn't know if they could handle the odds.

"Wait," Ichika zoomed in on him, brows creased, "Kazui is going!?"

Rukia was just as surprised as Ichika was. "He is?"

"Yeah… Ichigo trust him to fight by our side."

Rukia felt a pain sting in her heart. She knew those words hurt her daughter. Kenji didn't mean for it to. Rukia tried to look her in the eyes, but they were already watering and directed away from her.

"He's always a step ahead…" Ichika sadly said.

"Ichika…" Rukia started, but was quickly and sharply cut off by Ichika.

"I get it!" Ichika made eye contact with her, hurt evident. "I don't get the same trust that Kazui does." Before Rukia could say anymore, Ichika flash stepped away.

Rukia sighed as her hand went to her face. "That girl… so high-strung. I wish she would understand how I feel about this."

"I'm sorry," Kenji said. It was his fault that Ichika got hurt like that. "But, she does understand how you feel. After all, you both do feel the same."

Rukia looked to him. Eyes wide. He was right. She and Ichigo for years tried to protect her and Kazui from serious danger. But it always found them anyway somehow. And they always got through it. They're tough kids. Ichigo must had realized it. They can't try to protect them from this. Not when everyone's lives are at stake. "None of this would have happened if my other self never married Ichigo… I'm sorry." Everyone.

That hurt Kenji. "Hold up. Don't blame yourself like that. You made the decision to fall in love with a man that felt the same about you. You're happy in my world. Both of you are. Screw the way things happened after. If you never allowed yourself to love Ichigo, me and my brother would have never known the most amazing parents in the world." Rukia almost teared up, sadly smiling. "I know you're not her… but it all feels the same. I still feel that motherly connection. I love you just as I love her. Don't ever blame yourself again." Before he knew it, Rukia had hugged him strongly. His shirt felt wet. She was crying...

"I should go talk to my daughter." She said lowly, wiping her tears.

Kenji was hesitant to hug her back, but a moment later, he did. "Actually… let me talk to her. And don't worry, I'll let her know how you feel." Rukia pulled away from him, looking at him thankfully. "I'll let her know that you would die for her, and that you know she would do the same. Which is why, you're going to let her fight too, aren't you?"

Rukia fully smiled then, nodding. "Yes."

"Kenji," Byakuya called. He decided to stick with calling him by his first name, to lessen some confusion. Both Rukia and Kenji's attention went to him. "The captains are ready to listen to you."

Kenji nodded. Guess his talk with Ichika would have to wait. Rukia realized this too. The three of them headed for the first division.

In the captains' meeting hall, Kenji stood in the middle of two lines of captains. Yamato sat in front him. Kenji had noticed Ichigo walk beside him. Ichigo showed him a reassuring smirk as cue to start talking.

"Thank you all for meeting me, and hearing me out," Kenji started off.

"As insane as it is," Kenpachi stated.

Kenji chuckled lightly. "Yes, it really is. I wish what I have to say was nothing but my insanity, but—that's not the case. Ichigo I take has already told you most of what is going on in my world?"

"He has told us that Yhwach is alive and well, and is a very great threat. So much that we should be worried as well. Explain to the captains why." Yamato already knew. The captains didn't get the chance to hear the main reason, due to the distrust issue.

This was the part that the captains were waiting to hear. Just how did his problem from another world involve them?

Kenji gazed from eyes to eyes. "The Yhwach of my world has been crossing to different worlds to the same time and day, killing his other self to make him stronger. I'm sure you all can put two and two together…"

"He'll eventually make his way to our world…" Muguruma stated loud enough for all to hear. They had all realized the same thing.

"I understand now." Yadomaru said. "How many has he already killed?"

Kenji looked at her gravely. "Four…."

All the captains were shocked. Their expressions solemn and grave. This was really serious. And they didn't even know if it was too late or not. Kenpachi seemed to be the only one keeping somewhat of his composure. "Heh. Four consumed or not, I'll kick his ass."

Kenji was glad to hear he was onboard to go at least. "You all now know how serious this is. His army of Sternritters is very… large. But there are only a few worth worrying about. Most of their strongest died in the war. To fight this war, we would only need five captains and maybe some lieutenants."

"All of us can't go?" Sui-Feng asked.

Kenji shook his head. "Unfortunately, my device will only be able to bring 11 of you, max."

They all seemed to be thinking it over heavily. While they were, Yamato took the opportunity to break the silence. "Kenji." He got his attention. "Yhwach still has his ability to see the future. Even if we get through his army, the chances of us bringing him down…"

Kenji cut him off, not meaning to be rude, but couldn't help but get the answer out quick. "You all wouldn't be effected."

Ichigo was surprised. As was everyone else. Even Yamato a little, his brows went slightly up. "Really? But why?" Ichigo asked.

"All of you are not part of my world. Technically, you wouldn't have a future there, or something like that." Kenji was trying to piece everything Kurotsuchi explained to him. But it was hard, since even to him it didn't make much sense. But he did his best to explain anyway. "The Kurotsuchi of my world said that, our world would block it…" Kenji's hand went up to his head, "Sorry, I'm being very bad at relaying this."

"Hmm," Kurotsuchi thoughtfully hummed. "So I was the one in your world to make the device for you in your world."

"Ah, yeah," Kenji confirmed.

Kurotsuchi smiled widely, pleased to hear this information. "I had feeling that I was from the last captain meeting. My time and space alter prototype is going to be a success eventually then."

"Wait," Shinji deadpanned, "you're already making a device that allows teleportation to other worlds? Why didn't you say anything last meeting when the subject came up?"

"I didn't think that bit of information was needed to be said. My project was supposed to be a secret actually…"

"You must have an idea of what Kenji is trying to explain to us then, right, Captain Kurotsuchi?" Yamato stated firmly.

"Ah, yes. Kenji is not being teleported to another world. He would just simply be crossing over. You see, every dimension has its own dark matter frequency. The device that he has, makes a small portion of his world's matter frequency change to our matter frequency, allowing the cross." Kenpachi already seemed to be zoning out from all the dimension crossing talk.

"But what does that have to do with us not being affected by Yhwach's future ability?" Rukia asked, still not seeing where the two add up.

"Because. We have the same frequency that our world does. When someone is seeing into the future, they are tapping into that frequency. But without the same frequency to correlate with the world…"

"It would be hazy!" Ichigo said, mind blown by what he was hearing.

"Well, yes, that's one way to put it." Kurotsuchi said, confirming that he was right.

Thinking about it all again, Kenji realized that is exactly what his world Kurotsuchi told him… "So that's how, guys."

Yamato nodded, pleased to hear it explained better. "There is one final thing to decide here." The captains looked to him. "Who goes and who stays."

Toshiro stepped forward. "I want to go, Captain."

Rukia stepped up next, "I will too."

Kenpachi grinned, stepping forward. "I think it was already set in stone that I'd be going."

Shinji raised a hand coolly, substituting that for stepping forward. "I'll fight as well. I think Mashiro and Hiyori should come with us as well. Would that be okay?" The question was directed towards Yamato.

Yamato seemed to be okay with it. "The more hollowfication power on our side the better, I say."

"I'm going for sure. Orihime said she'd go, too. She would be a good healing support." Ichigo said next.

Shunsui tipped his hat up, a slight grin showing. "Think I'll join this suicide party as well."

"I'm going as well. We're going to take that bastard down!" Kensei stated powerfully, crossing his arms.

"And I already know who our 11th man will be." Kenji said, paying Rukia a brief glance.

Yamato didn't question him and just nodded. "Very well then. When are they going with you, Kenji?"

"Tonight at 8pm. I want everyone to meet me at the Senkaimon." Kenji informed.

The meeting ended and everyone was going their own separate way. The ones that would be going to fight the war, Kenji assumed would be going to do a lot of preparing. Rukia had caught up with him. "Who's going to be the 11th man, and doesn't that mean Ichika and Kazui can't go?"

Kenji showed her a face as if it was obvious. "Renji of course. I know there's just no way he'd let you go without him. And, I actually can bring 13 with me. I only said 11, because I knew that the head captain wouldn't agree with Ichika and Kazui going."

Rukia smiled. He had two good points. "About Ichika?"

"I haven't forgotten. You talk to Renji, fill him in, and I'll handle Ichika!" He flashed away.

Where could she be? Kenji didn't know why, but he had a feeling that he knew every time the question popped up in his head. From captain quarters to captain quarters, till he ran into Rangiku and asked her if she knew where Ichika might be. Rangiku didn't have a clue and moved on to wanting to know why he looked so familiar. He would've stuck around to blow her mind, but he had someone very important to find first. So, he apologized for jetting off and continued to his search.

Where…

Could…

She…

Then had to think about himself. Where did he go? Whenever he wanted to be alone and have the world to himself to think?

And like a spark going off, he knew. Well, he had a very good idea. He flashed stepped to Sokyoku Hill by two very tall pillars that used to be intact, connected to each other. That was before his Dad destroyed it. He flashed to the top of one, and there she was, sitting on it, watching the sunset.

She didn't pay him a glance, keeping her face forward on the sunset. But she did acknowledge his presence. "What are you doing here and how did you find me? I thought I masked my reiatsu..."

"You did." He told her. "A little too well. You know I searched all over the Seireitei for you?"

She finally gave him her attention. Her expression was still sad. "That's your own fault. I didn't ask to be found."

"Hey," He was pointing at the pillar top, silently asking her to scoot over. She sighed and did. "Thanks." Taking a deep breather before talking, he had to think to himself about how much she was reminding him of himself. "Listen. I wasn't going to just leave you hurt and alone. Your mom was going to look for you first, but I insisted that I'd do it."

"Why? Not like you care about me."

"That's not true. In a way, you're my sister, you know? And… I used to come up here all the time, too. When I felt mad at everyone. Why doesn't anyone trust me? Believe in me? Am I not good enough? I can be like my father!" Ichika was starting to really listen to him then. "Each time, I failed to realize that I was angry for no reason. No one ever said any of those things to me. Nor did they ever doubt me. They were only trying to protect me." Everyone he knew and loved flashed through his mind, smiling back at him.

"They never think of that when it comes to Kazui." Her bottled resentment started to show. She started voicing her inner thoughts. "Why? Is it because he's Kazui? The boy that's just like his amazing, strong willed father? Already mastering hard techniques. Always a step ahead of me!" She shook her head. "And it's not like I hate him. I don't. I actually, really…" The words died there, before she recomposed herself. "I just want everyone to believe I can too. I want to protect too."

Not meaning to sound insensitive, he chuckled, smiling down at her. "What does Kazui think?" Because he already knew the answer to end her inner turmoil.

Ichika could hear Kazui's words in her head, giving her peace and calmness. It made her smile slightly.

'Oh. And Ichika. You are strong enough. Don't doubt that in you. If we had to fight side by side in any war, I'd trust you with my life.'

"He believes in me." She inhaled deeply and jumped to her feet. Her fighting determination and confidence was back. "You know what! I'm okay with not going. I'll be the best moral support from another world ever! So you and everyone else better not lose, Kenji-san! And you better make sure nothing happens to Kazui, or my mom, or my dad, or anyone else, got that!?"

He laughed again. "Why don't you just do that yourself?"

That made her face go blank with confusion quick. "Wait. What? I can only do that if…" She started to catch on, seeing his smiling face. "I'm going? I can go?!" He nodded. Air hopping, she yelled out to the sunset, "I'm going! Watch out new world, because Ichika Abarai is going to make you safe again!" Now Kenji was touched in a certain spot in his heart. With a strong, reassuring look, she smiled widely at him, "Right?"

He stood, receiving her confidence. "Ah. That's for damn sure."

Meanwhile, Rukia and Byakuya had just got back to the Kuchiki Manor. Renji had spotted them and walked by. "Yo," he said.

Renji had no idea what was going on. Rukia didn't have much of a chance to explain what was going on to him. And now it was time to. She greeted him back with a loving smile and hug. "Renji. There's something we need to tell you."

"What's up?"

By the time Rukia and Byakuya had gotten through explaining to him, he was lost for words and shell shocked. "Are you serious? That's unheard of. I can't believe this…."

"I know. We're heading to the other world in a couple hours." Rukia said.

Renji's mind was racing. "What!? You're going?" She nodded. "I'm for sure going now, too. He better make room for me or I'm—"

Rukia cut him off with a smile, "Renji. Honey. You are going. He already knew that you'd want too."

He calmed down a bit at hearing that. "Oh. Okay then…"

"And Ichika is going as well," She got the words out quickly, but he caught every single one. Byakuya stood beside her, reacting to this only barely. It was news to him and he weighed it out.

Renji on the other hand, was not weighing anything out and was livid. "No way, Rukia. Are you out of your mind? That's our little girl we're talking about."

Byakuya spoke his mind. "My Niece is strong enough to hold her own against my squads' lower ranked members, and she is quite adaptive at all types of kido. For you to not trust in her abilities, is greatly disappointing. You can't shelter her from this."

Renji bit back everything he wanted to say against it. He hated to admit it, but Byakuya was right. It was hard, though. He doesn't want anything bad happening to his little girl. But, at the same time, he had to realize—his little girl is already a soul reaper. Not much left of sheltering her from anything. He exhaled. "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this. Okay. But she is not leaving my side!"

Rukia caringly patted his back, knowing that her daughter would most likely go off ahead with Kazui, but she wasn't going to bring that to his attention and give him another panic attack. He already agreed to let her go. Rukia just played along to sooth his mind. "Okay, honey."

And so, everyone prepared for the cross to a different and dangerous world. Everyone could feel it before the war even officially started.

The calm before the storm.