Disclaimer: I in no way shape or from own Bleach. It belongs to Tite Kubo.

Chapter 13

The newly born souls were much different now from before the transition. They had changed, and they had caused Ichigo so much pain in the process. Zangetsu had briefly contemplated destroying them during the transition, but he knew that doing that would have hurt Ichigo even more than any physical pain. The fiery orangette already loved those two souls beyond any logic or reason. Not to mention the Zanpaktou spirits of the souls would have stopped his attempt. The spirits had changed too: both of them had been infected with hollow spirit particles, turning the whites of their eyes black, and the irises glowed making the color more vibrant than before.

"Do we scare you now?" The girl asked quietly noticing his stare. "We knew this would happen. The transition process is vital to their development, and to our own. We are more powerful than we were before and we will only grow stronger as they grow."

Zangetsu decided to leave the two spirits to their own devices, so they may snap out of their silence. He rather missed their arguing.

"No, you do not scare me," was his parting remark. Still they had left him much to think about. At least it wasn't raining. But damn if those clouds weren't looking ominous.

I

He. Was. Bored. Damn that Shiro! This situation was entirely his fault. He sighed as he swung his legs over the side of the bed determined to walk under his own power for the first time in four days, his knees screaming in protest as he pushed himself off the bed. Still, he functioned under worse pain on the battlefield. But on the battlefield adrenalin made him able to ignore the worst of the pain. Here, he didn't have that particular crutch.

He hissed as he finally managed to make it to upright position using a wall for support. All right, now that he was standing he needed to make it to the bathroom door across the room before one of those two came back to check up on him. Each step felt like getting kicked in the knees by Karin or Tatsuki. After excruciating ten minutes of walking at a snail pace, he made it to the bathroom and sighed in relief. Finally, he could empty his bladder which his kids thought made a good trampoline.

The first thing Shiro noticed when he came to check up on Ichigo was that he was not in bed. The second was the sound of a flushing toilet which quickly calmed his rising panic. The third was the bathroom door opening to reveal Ichigo looking much relived.

"Ichigo, just what do you think you're doing?" Shiro asked calmly, although, on the inside, he was extremely proud of his Queeny. Just four days, and he was already walking. Not a record, but it did prove how determined Ichigo was. Most carries were down for a week on average unless they were lucky enough to be gifted with high-speed regeneration, which was a rare ability and often genetic. His cubs had a good chance of being born with that ability, it might actually explain how both of them survived the transition. His sisters had possessed regeneration as well.

Sometimes he missed them, they were unusually kind and gentle for one of their kind, and despised unnecessary bloodshed. Still, as kind as they were, one had to be very careful to never piss them off, because if you did, unless you were family, you were dead and their next meal. In the end, it was their kindness that got them killed. They say 'time heals all wounds'. Hah, it just dulled the pain. Even after a thousand years, he still missed their presence.

"I had to take a piss," Ichigo's rough voice broke him out of his thoughts. Out of his memories of his beloved older sisters. "And I wasn't waiting around for someone to help when these kids are using my bladder as a damn trampoline!"

Shiro suddenly felt the urge to laugh at Ichigo's outburst. Shaking his head as he saw how much trouble his Queeny was having just standing, he walked right over to Ichigo. Ichigo glared at him having a good idea of what he was about to do. Shiro grinned at the silent message. It just made him want to do this more, and the fact that he would be holding his Queeny was a sweet bonus.

"Don't you…agh!"

Ichigo was swept into Shiro's arms before he could finish his sentence.

"I hate you," he stated flatly, arms crossed and his nose up turned in distaste.

"Heh, that's fine, hate me all you want, I don't really care. What you feel about me does not matter, only that you obey me as your mate."

Ichigo was quiet. Then: "I don't understand, why me? Grimmjow is easy, but why did you chose me? And don't give me shit about mating season. You could have just fucked me and left. So what was so special about me?"

Shiro had been expecting such a question, but not so soon. Ichigo always had a way of being surprising. Still he wasn't quite ready to explain all his reasons to anyone, but perhaps a part of it would be enough.

"Ichigo, what are all hollows attracted to?" He asked as a way of leading into his reasoning.
Ichigo was pensive as he thought on it. Hollow were attracted to souls who had…

"Power…They're attracted to power," he whispered. "You chose me because of my power, But I'm not that powerful, I barely survived Grimmjow!"

Shiro smirked. "Not that powerful indeed. Ichigo you do realize that I devoured part of your soul right? Doing that I limited your power, not to mention I fed on the spiritual pressure you produced, and you didn't notice it at all. Ichigo if I hadn't been eating your power, you might have been strong enough to take out Aizen on execution hill. I've been within your soul since before you met Rukia."

"How much did you limit my power then?" There was a fire flaring to life behind his eyes. Shiro took a deep breath nibbling on the excess energy produced by Ichigo's rage. It was delicious.

"Half," was Shiro's mumbled response. Ichigo spiritual pressure soared even higher. It was actually strong enough that he was experiencing the urge to ravish his Queeny to show him that he was the dominate mate. And if it wasn't for the fact that Ichigo was injured, so to speak, that is exactly what he would be doing. Unfortunately, it was time to put a stop to Ichigo's display of power. If he went on too long like that the cubs could be in danger.

"Queeny, you really need to stop challenging me at every turn. If you were in better health, I would be fucking you until you forgot everything but my name. It is time to end this foolish and reckless display." Shiro said unleashing his own power which quickly over took Ichigo's own. "Now be a good Queen and go back to sleep. I've been generous today, but I'm rather annoyed with you right now. I may not be able to fuck you but there are other activates of that nature I could choose to indulge in."

Ichigo glared at Shiro for a few moment longer before he sighed and relaxed into the bed. He was still pissed, but there was really nothing he could do about it. What Shiro did was horrible, but he could understand why. He was a Hollow, and Ichigo never hated Hollows. If anything, he pitied them. Even the one who killed his mother he pitied him. That still didn't stop his desire to see Hollows dead by his own blade.

"You're a bastard." Ichigo grumbled. Then almost whisper: "Could you get me some chocolate ice-cream, and strawberries, I'm kind of hungry," he really hated those damn pregnancy cravings.

II

Ichimaru Gin watched. Soon he would reveal himself to Shiro, but for now, he would watch him and his interactions very carefully. As he watched he found himself somewhat confused. Shiro was not acting like any Arrancar he had previously observed. He almost seemed more human, so to speak.

The room in which he hid was a second control room he had built in order to hide away while still being able to watch the on goings of Las Noches. Even Aizen remained unaware of its existence, and the one that had helped him in its construction was dead by his own hand. It was the best way for him to keep his room a secret.
He watched Aizen even closer than Shiro, amused at his predicament. It would be so easy to kill him now. He was defenseless without his massive spiritual pressure, and had been put to work doing menial labor. It amused Gin to no end. Tired of watching Aizen work he switched to a different camera, and got the shock of his life as he watched the stoic Ulquiorra shove his tongue down the lovely Orihime's throat.

"That's different," he commented in somewhat of a shock quickly switching to a different camera. Normally he'd watch, but right now he was in no mood for the show. He sighed. How could everything go so wrong so quickly? Though, the situation could still work to his advantage, especially with Tosen dead. God he had hated that self-righteous bastard almost as much as he hated Aizen.

He turned his attention back to the monitor which was now showing Shiro's room with Ichigo sleeping somewhat peacefully with Shiro tenderly petting his hair in a sign of obvious affection. Up until now, he had managed to avoid his thoughts on Ichigo and his purpose here, although it was quite obvious. If Ichigo had come to Las Noches for the purpose of rescuing Orihime, Gin would have seen coming. Hell that was the plan, but then along came Shiro and all plans went out the window.

He looked over Ichigo again. He could see it then, when he first met Ichigo, that he was Isshin's son. Oh, most wouldn't pick up the subtle hints, but then most didn't have his observation skills. He spent the majority of his afterlife just watching Aizen for the sole purpose of killing him so he could get back what had been taken from his dear Rangiku. Because of that, he saw things that others didn't. Ichigo was just like his father. He had a persona that he used to protect his true self just like Isshin's idiot masquerade. The mask was crumbling though, Ichigo was letting go of his mask so that he could make a stronger one for the sake of his children.

He looked at his dwindling stash of food and sighed, he was going to have to raid the kitchen soon and hope to all hell he wasn't caught. He wasn't quite ready to meet Shiro in person as of yet.

"Well Ran-chan, looks like I've got myself in deep," he whispered to himself as he turned off the monitors. It was time to go restock.

III

Well this sucked. It seemed he was a little careless on his way to the kitchens. His hands were held over his head in a universal sign of surrender at the feel of a sword against his neck. Well it seems he would have to meet Shiro a bit sooner than planned.

"Ma, ma, it seems that I've been caught. So what cha gonna do Grimm-kitty? Kill me?"

"Don't call me that you snake bastard!" Grimmjow snarled. No one but Shiro had the right to call him by that ridiculous nickname. "Now why are you still here? I was pretty sure you flew the coop at the first sign of danger."

"Oh, but Grimm-kun I would never abandon my captain. I was just a bit indisposed." Gin smile widened at the sound of frustration Grimmjow made at the nickname.

"You know what? Screw it!" Grimmjow moved so fast he didn't have time to dodge the incoming blow. Gin saw stars as the hilt of Grimmjow's sword connected with the back of his head. He collapsed groaning, but still conscious. The next hit knocked him out cold. His last thought before the darkness over took him was 'Well at least he is not gonna kill me yet.'

Grimmjow always went straight for the kill otherwise.

IV

He was dreaming again. Shiro was older this time, but not by much, being carried by a female Arrancar with hair as white as his. She shifted him in her grip humming softly into his ear.

"It will be alright Kaito, me and Yoshiko will keep you safe, we won't let those Shinigami get you."

The young Shiro looked up at her with teary eyes. "But I'm not worried about me, I'm worried about you and sister Yoshiko. I don't want you to go away like momma. I don't think I will survive losing you two."

The girl sighed.

"Yoshiro I found more survivors, its not pretty though. Without the spiritual core to support them they turned to cannibalism. I expected it of the low hollows, but not those of the of the higher classes." An identical girl yelled as she ran over the hill.

"Sister Yoshiko!" Shiro squealed squirming at the now named Yoshiro's arms. "I missed you."

Yoshiko smiled at Shiro. "I was only gone for an hour or so. Didn't you have fun with big sister Yoshiro?"

"So I still missed you," He said with a pout. "And of course I had fun with sister Yoshiro, but it's much better when you are both here."

Boom!

He could see dust and a huge Menos (of the mindless variety) on the horizon in the direction from which the explosion came from. The sisters exchanged a glance and grinned wickedly.

"Kaito, be a dear and stay back…" Yoshiro started.

"We're going to go catch us some dinner." Yoshiko finished.

The dream started to fade as Ichigo was jerked into awareness by nausea. This was not the time for morning sickness to pop up and get in his way. He hurled into the bucket kept by the bedside precisely for times like this.

"Gods, I hate this." Ichigo groaned then. "Who the hell names their daughter Righteous Son?" Ichigo couldn't help but wonder. Seriously, Yoshiro? Yoshiko was normal, but were their parents that desperate for names that rhymed?

"Who names their son 'strawberry'?" Shiro mumbled from beside him only half awake, obviously only saying it to be a smartass.

"It means 'one who protects'!" Ichigo said reflexively. "You're infuriating, you…" Ichigo stopped midsentence as he was hit with another wave of nausea. He grabbed his bedside bucket and hurled up the rest of his lunch.

"Have I mentioned how much I hate you lately?" Ichigo asked dryly as he wiped his mouth. Shiro chuckled wrapping his arm around Ichigo and burrowing his face into his shoulder dangerously close to his claim mark.
"Frequently. Now what is this about naming someone Righteous Son?"

Ichigo turned to Shiro and gulped not wanting a repeat of a few days ago. Or was it weeks? It was getting hard to tell at this point.

"I had a dream, one similar to the one in which I learned the name Kaito." He paused watching Shiro's expression carefully. Seeing no reaction he continued. "The twins that survived the transition process, they were your sisters right? Yoshiko and Yoshiro?"

Shiro expression slid into one of shock. "Why the hell are you dream…."

Shiro was cut off by the door to their room opening, and Grimmjow waltzing in with unconscious Gin slung over his shoulder.

"Look what I found slinking around the kitchens. He just couldn't wait to meet you."

V

Noriykoi: Hells yes. I finished this before the end of March, and what's this do I see? More plot! And finally a scene I had been planning since chapter five. I feel so much better now.

Shiro: Hey bitch, why the hell are you showing Queeny my past?

Ichigo: Dumbass! For plot purposes obviously, you idiot! And seriously, Yoshiro? I fear what you're going to name my kids Nori or something along those lines.

Noriykoi: (burst into tears) You're all big meanies. Whaaaaaaaa!

Grimmjow: You're twenty one years old, start acting like it.

Noriykoi: (to the readers) Do you see what I have to put up with? (sobs uncontrollably)

Mist shadow (grumbles): And what about what I have to put up with? It is pathetic when I have to correct even the AN for grammar. So stop complaining and get back to writing. *walks off still grumbling*

Yoshiko: From Japanese 良 (yoshi) "good", 芳 (yoshi) "fragrant" or 悦 (yoshi) "joy" combined with 子 (ko) "child"

Yoshiro:From Japanese 義 (yoshi) "righteous" and 郎 (rou) "son".