"Kurosaki Ichigo, the time has come," the teenager looked up from his letter and sighed. Somewhere inside, he had hoped that his family would have broken in against all odds and save him. But now that he thought about it, it was probably too much of a miracle to ask for. He gave the letter to the guard who sealed it within an envelope. He gave it back to Ichigo's surprise.

"The letter will be sent at the last second, before your execution. For now, you shall hold it. It is one of the laws of Soul Society" the guard explained after seeing the confusion on the orange haired captive's face. In the guard's left hand was a short piece of rope meant to tie around his wrists. Due to the tower's sekki sekki structure, Ichigo's spiritual pressure had been diminished and wouldn't need to have restrainers on him twenty-four seven.

The two of them walked down the swirling stairs in silence. Ichigo's heart began to beat faster as he felt the reiatsu of the captains Flash Stepping towards the execution grounds to watch him to die. In the far distance of fourth division, the hybrid could feel the normally drunk captain's reiatsu gradually gaining strength and he rested. It wasn't fear he felt, but more like anxiety. He knew that this situation was inescapable, but Ichigo couldn't help but feel nervous that his life would end in the next few minutes..

"Walk faster, traitor. The Captain Commander and the other captains of the Gotei should not wait on sinners like yourself," the guard tugged harshly on the rope connected on the teen's collar. The rope that tied his hands behind his back didn't help the fact that he wanted to slug the man in front of him. As they entered the outside world, Ichigo began to wonder why they had only sent one guard to bring him. He was a "high level threat" after all and one guard shouldn't be enough. Now that he thought about it, shouldn't they have restrain his reiatsu than to just tie ropes on his hands?

But he never got the chance to ask because the moment they stepped out, the guard began Flash Stepping out of sight and away from the gathering captains. Ichigo felt the sudden tug on his neck and Flash Stepped by instincts to follow the strange guard and to not get hung.

"H-Hey! Where are you taking me? And who are you?" the teen asked as he was pulled by the neck. He wished he had Zangetsu back.

"Isn't it obvious, my beloved son!" Ichigo blinked in surprised and was mild annoyed for some reason. He knew that voice somewhere. The way it annoyed him with every word he spoke. The strange and yet embarrassing words. And the excited tone only confirmed that it belonged to...

"Goat Face? What are you doing here? No, why are you here! You're supposed to be gone! Out of here! Not saving me!"

"That is no way to greet your father, Ichigo! Especially since after all I've been through to save you!" His father removed his hood to show that he really was Isshin Kurosaki and not some kind illusion. To his knowledge, Aizen had never met his dad and thus would never be able to recreate the image, but it was better safe than dead.

"How do I know you're actually Goat Face and not one of Aizen's illusions?"

"My only son can't remember who I am! Oh why cruel Soul Society! Haven't I repaid for my sins! Why punish me any longer! Don't worry Ichigo! Daddy is-" the father cried out but was interrupted by a fist slamming into his face. There was no way the fifth squad captain could replicate how annoying his dad was.

"Okay, I believe you! Now just shut up!" Ichigo growled, only now noticing that his father was a Shinigami. Though his clothes were replaced by the guard uniform, Ichigo could still see that they were traveling by Flash Step and not by normal running.

"You're a-"

"Shush. We don't need to have anymore attention on you. Now let's find Rukia and Ganju and we can be on our-"

"No," Ichigo interrupted. The father stopped at the answer. He stared back with a serious look on his face. The amber eyes of his son only stared back with a fiery intensity.

"What do you mean 'No'? "

"I know you know what's going to happen if we do what you say. Aizen is going to destroy Soul Society. I have to stop him now. It's my fault I let him get this far and I'm not going to let him get any farther. Soul Society is still my home too. Get Rukia and get out of here. He's going to be targeting her and he'll be this much closer in becoming that god he always wanted," Ichigo explained. The medic didn't seem to object to his son's opinions and brought out a knife to cut the ropes holding him on his arms and neck. Once he was finished, he walked behind a tree to retrieve a familiar sword for his son.

"Good answer. Now we're going to have to hurry, your mother is going to be able to impersonate you any longer," Isshin chuckled while handing him Zangetsu. His son stared at his father with a panicked expression.

"Wait. Did you say that Mom is out pretending she is me?" Ichigo whispered, scared to hear the answer.

"Of course! You didn't think that she would just stand around and watch me do all the saving? Masaki is just too stubborn for that. So we had this wild idea and went with it! She's just that kind of woman. It's the thing that made me love her in the first place," the ex-shinigami laughed. The orange haired Kurosaki widen his eyes and disappeared from his dad's sight leaving him clueless and confused.

"Is it something I said?" Isshin asked and followed his son to wherever he was going.

'It's not like she's going to get killed. She's too stubborn to let Death take her without a fight,'

If the burning intensity of the fire bird in front of Masaki didn't prove that she was in need of help, then the woman had no common sense at all. Even Kenpachi knew that much. But no matter how you would look at the caramel haired woman, she held no fear. That alone should have sent signal lights to all of the captains.

It was obvious at first glance what their plan was. They had somehow switched places with the mother and son without anyone's notice. Then while they were escorting the replacement Ichigo, someone was guiding the real Ichigo to a secure place. But they knew very well that the group of ryoka would have to come back and retrieve to woman at one point or another. Bringing her to her death will just quicken the process.

"Che, the woman has guts," the elventh division captain admitted.

The bird of flames rose from the spearhead and and released the legendary power it held. The officers guarding the rest of Seiretei stared in awe at the one-in-a-lifetime sight. Even a few of the lieutenants and remaining captains watching flinched at the strength the death bringer held. Masaki didn't even blink.

The bird didn't waste any time and charged forward. Time seemed to slow at that moment. Memories of her family flowed into her mind and gave her strength and comfort that she wouldn't die at that moment. She gave out a deep sigh and prepared for the worse. Her eyes caught a pinch of black flowing in the wind and she smiled. The blocks restraining her denied her access to her limbs, but if she could, she would have hugged her son at that very moment.

"Kaa-san," Ichigo breathed as he stood on thin air. Zangetsu was protecting him from the death flames of the bird. The raw resolve he had in his sword gave it strength to fend off the bird for a single time. It flew backwards to prepare for another attack.

"Ichigo," Masaki smiled and finally allowed her tears to show.

"I'm not going to leave you alone anymore. So don't cry," the guardian smiled and watched as the bird prepared for the next and final attack. Mentally, Zangetsu noted that he wouldn't be able to guard this attack. But it wasn't his mother that was supposed to die, it was him. He gladly accepted death if it meant that his mother would live, but it seems that fate had other plans. Seconds before the bird attacked, two cords was attached to its beak.

"A little late with the timing there, Ukitake," Isshin joked after appearing from behind.

"My bad. It took longer to prepare than I thought," the sickly captain apologized from behind a giant shield. Soi Fon stared at it surprised. The shield had belonged to the Shihoin Clan and was currently being used by Ukitake. That could only mean that the Flash Step Goddess was somewhere near.

The second division captain Flash Stepped away after giving the single order of capturing the traitors to her lieutenant. He squealed like a pig at the sudden command, but didn't have the reaction time to question it.

Ukitake brought out his zanpaktou and stabbed it into one of the vertical slots of the shield. Isshin brought his own sword and repeated the action. Energy flowed into the the shield and transferred through the ropes. What happened next could only happen once in a millennium, if you were lucky. The legendary death bringer of flames had been destroyed.

But Ichigo didn't have time to stare in awe. He jumped from in front of his mother to the execution pole holding her prison.

"Wh-What are you doing?" the mother yelled. This wasn't part of the plan. It could also spell certain doom for her if he wasn't careful.

"I'm destroying the execution pole! Just don't look down!" Ichigo replied as he spun Zangetsu on the cloth.

"Wait! What if you kill us!" Masaki worried. Ichigo could only smirk at the reaction as he grabbed his blade.

"Just watch," the red head ordered and stabbed the wooden execution pole. For a second time for the day, everyone was blinded by another impossible sight. Even the normally stoic Byakuya gave an expression to show his surprised.

"Dad told me that my name meant 'He who Protects'. I didn't really understand why you named me that. I couldn't even land a hit on Tatsuki back then. But after everything that happened and all the people I met, I think I understand now. I don't want to win every fight I get into. I don't want to get stronger so I can defeat people. I want to win the fight so I can protect those around me. I want to get stronger so I don't let anyone down," Ichigo's voice flowed into his mother's ears,"You're not going to be any different," Ichigo smiled and helped her onto her feet. They locked eyes with each other. Both of them observed each other as if they hadn't seen each other in years. Then, as if she was never going to see her son again, Masaki brought her son into a strong embrace. Her son returned the action and wrapped his arms around her.

"My, my, isn't this a heartbreaking reunion?" a voice from no where asked. The mother and son looked to their left to find an unwelcoming face smiling down at them.

"But it seems that it will have to come to an end," Aizen walked forward, ignoring the surprised looks he received from the captain and lieutenant.

"Captain Aizen! He's alive!"

"How? He was proclaimed dead a week ago!"

"What does he have to do with Ichigo!"

"It seems my revival cause a bigger commotion than I thought," the true traitor dully observed. His true focus was on the wonder test experiment in front of him.

The red head stared at him with malice. He repositioned Zangetsu to prepare to attack. His mother was behind him as she held her red charm in her hand.

"Oh? It seems that your wonderful mother is prepared to fight this time. Tell me, Masaki, are you going to let your son be taken again, or are you going to protect him like a proper mother should?" Aizen taunted.

"Don't let him get to you," Ichigo warned in a hushed tone, "He loves to use words against you. No matter what, don't believe anything he says,"

"After all, his Hollowfication was mildly your fault. If you were the one to die on that fateful day, there would have been a slim chance that the boy's hidden powers would have never awaken. He would most likely have a normal life with normal thoughts on his mind. None of them relating on the destruction of Soul Society or the situation on hand. He would have never experience a second personality inside his inner world continually trying to gain control over him and leave him trapped within his own body. He wouldn't have to see the deaths of many by his own hand or the face the strong pleasure when he made his first kill on a innocent bystander whose death meant nothing to him. Now that I think about it, all of this would have never happen if you didn't allow you child to run after the illusion Grand Fisher made."

The mother was speechless. Every syllable that came out the venomous mouth of the brunette captain was true. It felt as if the words themselves were blades and had stabbed her right in the heart. Her knees weakened suddenly and she felt her body being dropped off the execution pole.

"Kaa-san!" Ichigo yelled preparing to jump to save her.

"Are you sure you want to save her? After all, she did cause you all of this pain. I think I overheard you saying that you always wanted to be a normal kid a few years back. If she dies, then you could have your revenge. Her life is the exact payment for all the pain you suffered," Aizen smiled.

Ichigo paused slightly. He didn't know why. Maybe somewhere in his heart he did blame his mother for all of this. But that part was very small and the hesitation was short lived. He jumped down and and reached to grab his mother's hand.

The smirk the glass wearing captain smiled as his plan was executed perfectly. He looked in the distance to see the vessel of the Hogyoku running towards him. Everything couldn't be more easier. The ex-captain disappeared, unknown to the captains below who were currently concerning themselves with the so-called traitor.

"You got to believe me! Aizen is the traitor. Look! He disappeared too! Byakuya! He's out to get your sister, isn't that more important!" Ichigo yelled as he dodged the multiple swords with master Flash Steps.

"I care more about the law than I do with my family. My ryoka sister is nothing I should concern myself with," the stoic captain replied, but couldn't help himself to check for his sister's spiritual pressure.

"Aizen is going to destroy that law your family created! He's going to destroy Soul Society if you don't stop him!" Ichigo yelled. He looked towards his mother who was currently in the hands of his father. The shock of revelation must have cause her to faint.

From behind him, he could hear fireworks being fired. The only one who could have done that was Ganju Shiba. Time was running out.

"I'll surrender myself to Soul Society if you manage to find Aizen and stop him! There's no time!"

"Scatter, Senbonzakura," The blade of the noble disappeared and transformed into thousands of pink cherry blossom petals. The illusion the sword fragments created was beautiful, but no one could admire the beauty at the moment. The reaming captains were conflicted with themselves as to what to do. The Captain Commander was fighting his ill pupil. The remaining lieutenants didn't dare step in to help the sixth division captain. Where was Ken-

"Che. I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm going to make sure you stay alive, Kurosaki Ichigo. You owe me a rematch, and I'm going to get it no matter what!" The insane battle captain smiled as he guarded Ichigo from Byakuya's attack.

"Move aside, Kenpachi," Captain Kuchiki ordered.

"Fat chance that's going to happen," Kenpachi laughed and looked back at Ichigo, "What? Are you going to stare all day or are you going to save that stick-in-the-mud's sister?"

Ichigo smiled and left the battle scene.

"Why did you let him go like that?" the Noble asked.

"You heard me, I want my rematch," Kenpachi answered.

"That's not the true reason,"

"You're going to have to beat the answer out of me if you want to know so bad,"

"Very well then. Bankai,"

Ganju couldn't understand what was happening in front of him. The red head Shinigami who had stated that he wasn't a foe was unconscious and on the ground with multiple wounds all over his body. He had just fired the last of his special fireworks under Rukia's orders. Two captains suddenly appeared in front of them. One was wearing glasses and was currently in reaching distance from the female Shinigami. The other stayed in the back, waiting for orders from the other captain. And worst of all, Ichigo was no where in sight to save them.

"Stand up, Rukia Kuchiki. Your savior cannot save you now. Though it would have been more easier if he killed you when I ordered him to, I suppose this method works as well," the glasses wearing captain smiled, "You see, Kuchiki-san, Ichigo refused to kill you because he thought of you as Nakama. That fool. After what has happened to Kaien, can you really accept him as a Shinigami? Deep inside, you know I'm right. One day, you might even have to kill him. It seems that the odds had turned on him.

"But that is enough of that talk for now. Now for the extraction process,"

Rukia, who was barely able to breath after being under the captain's monstrous reiatsu, barely saw the events go past her. Six wooden pillars rose from the ground out of no where and trapping her in some kind of stunned state. Her violet eyes widen as she felt a hand go through her being.

"This is certainly a surprise. Such a powerful device in such a small form," the captain observed. His hand was removed from her and transformed back to normal.

"Hmph, is seems that Ichigo is a little late with his entrance. It doesn't matter though. Gin, kill her," Ganju stared as the silver haired man grabbed his sword without a regret.

"As you say, Captain Aizen. Shoot to kill, Shinso," the short blade instantly became longer acting like a speeding bullet seconds away from killing the young girl.

There was no reaction time to move. Rukia stood motionless as she saw the blade of the fox captain quickly run towards her. Ganju tried running forward to at least attempt to save her, but he too was paralyzed under an unknown force. Perhaps it was his fear, but whatever it was, it made him regret every horrible thing he said to her.

"That's enough, Aizen, Gin," a voice said from in front of Rukia. The black blade of the figure blocked Shinso from stabbing the noble adoptive. Ichigo had come and saved her. The glaring eyes made sure the two captains didn't move, for any sort of movement will probably outcome to their deaths.

"You're terribly late, Kurosaki Ichigo. But it's better late than your friend dead, isn't it?" Aizen smiled, showing the device he held in his hand. Ichigo growled in disdain, but didn't move to attack. Something was approaching and he didn't like the feeling it gave off.

"I suppose this is our final meeting as equals then. The next time we meet, you are sure to know that I will become a god. I will rule over the King's realm and destroy this pitiful afterlife. I bid you farewell," the brunette said. He began walking away from the teens when two nostalgic faces appeared seemingly out of no where.

"Don't move a single muscle,"

"Unless you favor becoming headless," Soi Fon finished for her master. The two females had their swords on his neck and waist. The man had no possible way of moving without severely injuring himself.

"You're completely surrounded, Aizen," and suddenly captains and lieutenants from all squads, including Kenpachi and Byakuya, were present with the intent to kill the fellow traitor. Hisagi had trapped his own captain and was currently holding his sword to his throat. Ex-captain Ichimaru was the only one not to have someone holding him down.

"Wow, what teamwork! What ever should I do?" Gin smiled as he waved his hand in the air carelessly as if he was asking to be caught. His wish seemed to come true as he felt a soft hand grabbing for his wrist.

"Don't move, please," Rangiku ordered politely. It was obvious that she sill cared a bit for the man she was holding captive for.

"She caught me, Captain Aizen. Sorry," Gin apologized, careful not to let the strawberry blond see that he what he was truly feeling.

Aizen laughed.

"What's so funny, Aizen?"

"Forgive me, but it's time," Aizen continued laughing, as if he knew an inside joke.

Ichigo and Yoruichi panicked as they felt a strange reiatsu coming closer to them.

"Get out of there!" they said simultaneously.

A split second of hesitation and the four people holding the traitors down might have been caught in the force field sent down by the multiple Menos Grande. The sky ripped open to show that hundreds on Meno Grande coming from the world of Hollows had somehow appeared into Soul Society without any trouble. Behind the army of Hollows was giant eye that seemed to have glowed in the darkness in appeared in.

"Im-Impossible," Ukitake gasped, not believing at the quantity of Hollows that were arriving.

The other two traitor captains were also protected by the strange force field and were lifted up into the sky. Though it was only Gin who had last words his friend.

"Too bad. It would have been nice if my capture had been a little longer," Gin sighed, "Sorry, Rangiku,"

"No one go after them. Save your strength. Those three are out of our reach for now. Their in a shield of light that's called Negacion. Menos use it to save their comrades," Ichigo explained, "We lost,"

Komamura screamed in disgust to his old friend, arguing that this wasn't the path of justice. Ukitake asked if Aizen had fallen in the process only to have Aizen answer that he will soon sit on the throne of a god. The glasses were thrown to the ground and his hairstyle was changed.

"Good-bye, Shinigami. And good-bye to you, Ichigo. You were a great test subject," Aizen farewelled and disappeared to the dimension of Hollows. They had indeed lost the battle.

All of Fourth Division had arrived and immediately began treating the injured. Most of the captains were in fine condition, as were the lieutenants. It was Renji and Byakuya they had to treat the most. Masaki had at one point regained consciousness and was currently sitting on the edge of the cliff. She watched as the sun began to sink from the sky and night take over.

"It's really beautiful, isn't it? It's not as beautiful as the one on the hill near the bridge, but it's still pretty," Ichigo commented. Masaki refused to say anything.

"Kaa-san?"

"It's my fault, right? That all of this happen?"

Ichigo didn't know what to say. It was true. His mother could have died and none of this would have happen. But then again, he would have never experience all of the good things that had happen.

"No. It's not your fault. And you shouldn't blame yourself. Karin and Yuzu need you and you can't go back home with that look on your face. They'll be sad and then everyone will be sad. Besides, if this never would have happened, then I wouldn't have made all the good friends I did," Ichigo comforted. The attempt made his mom feel slightly better, but her heart was still broken knowing that this happened because of her.

"I suppose you aren't going with us, are you," Masaki asked behind her drying tears.

"Not sure. The old man says he has to do some thinking before he gives anymore commands," the orange haired teen replied, staring absently into the sunset.

"That makes me wonder, who did Isshin bring to babysit Yuzu and Karin?" The mother and son looked towards the eccentric father who was currently drinking with a few of his old friends.

"I'll see when I get home," Masaki smiled.

"Tell them I'm sorry then," Ichigo smiled back and walked away. It was heartbreaking to know that he was going to be separated from his family again, but it was best for them if they were ever going to live a normal life.

"Hey Ichigo," his mom called.

"Yeah?"

"Do you like sunsets?"

Ichigo smiled. She knew the answer to this already. The question constantly was brought up when they took a walk during the evening.

"Not really. They're kind of sad, you know?"

"I actually don't know. Why don't you keep my company and tell me about it?"

It was a beautiful sight to see. The final scene of a peaceful mother and son moment, before the idiot father and husband of the two came along and messed it up and the son had to kick said man off the cliff they were sitting on.

~Days afterwards~

"Okaa-san! I'm so glad to see you!" Yuzu screamed as she ran out the door. Karin came out next along with the caretaker Isshin had hired. He was a strange looking man, though somehow he managed to look like he thought he was better than everyone else. He had silver hair and wore rectangular glasses. The suit he wore screamed he was rich and as stoic as that captain of sixth division. Though it had looked that he was in a good mood.

"You must be the Isshin's friend," Masaki greeted. Almost immediately the man's good mood had disappeared into something similar to rage, but not as intense.

"Please, do not put that man and I in the same category. My name is Ryuken Ishida," he introduced.

"I'm sorry about that. I hope my girls weren't too much of a trouble," the mother smiled after giving the two of them a strong hug.

"No problem. Tell Isshin this is going on his tab," Ryuken replied and walked away in the distance.

"Okaa-san, where's Ichi-nii?" Yuzu asked. Her brown eyes looked around curiously wondering if her brother was hiding around somewhere. Karin knew better than to think optimistically like her sister

"Some... things came up while we were there. So he has to stay there for a little longer. But he promises that he'll be back as soon as he can. He says he sorry for not being here for you guys," Masaki answered, trying to keep a smile strong for her daughters. The twins nodded and walked inside, still not feeling satisfied with the answer. Isshin had returned back into his body, though he had looked as if he was attacked.

"Isshin, what happened?"

"Ryuken seems to still have the same accuracy as always," Isshin replied and shook off the pain. He ran inside to his young girls, one of which punched him in the face for not changing in the last month.

Masaki laughed. It seems like their family would be fine for the next few months without their son and brother.

The family conducted themselves normally, none of them noticing the loss of their brother, for the first few days. But as time past, the empty seat at the dinner table was almost impossible to look at without sighing. Sometimes Masaki would hear her daughters praying in their room for the safe return of their brother. Kon had returned to his plushie form for Ichigo no longer existed in this world thanks to the memory eraser borrowed from Urahara. Some of his friends who were resistant to the memory eraser would come over and stay for dinner, as if their son had invited them over.

It was a month before anything serious happened though.

It was a normal Saturday morning. Kids would wake up. Isshin would hug his daughters to make sure they knew he loved them. Masaki would be down making coffee. And then the family would go on with their daily work scheduled. And as planned, that is what they did. But at seven thirty when the family had just finished dinner, the doorbell was rung.

"I got it," the mother said and walked to the door. What happened next was not what she expected to see.

"Hey, Kaa-san," the white hair on the teenager's head threw her off for a second, but she then saw the happy look in his eyes and knew it was her son.

"Ichigo!"

"Ichi-nii?" his sister asked. He crouched down and spread his arms wide. He hugged them both as they ran into his eyes. Yuzu began crying a bit and Karin scolded him for being so late with his entrance. Masaki watched the beautiful scene and didn't notice that Isshin had disappeared.

"ICHIIIIIIIIIGOOOOOOOOOOOO!" the doctor yelled as he attacked his son from the side. Ichigo dodged gracefully and watched as his father destroyed the wall of the clinic, "You are late my son! You know dinner is always at seven in this house!"

"Shh, I can't let anyone know my name is Ichigo anymore. It's Jirou," the white haired teen explained ignoring that his father had just tried to kill him again.

"Jirou-nii?" Yuzu said it a couple times to get it to sound right in her mouth.

Ichigo, after a dinner prepared by his mother and Yuzu, explained that Soul Society allowed him and a few others he specifically chose to stay in Karakura Town in case of an attack of Aizen. But Ichigo would have to go under a false identity while here since he was already alive and would only cause a commotion that someone that had died came back to life. When asked about his name, he only replied that his appearance reminded him of a friend and he wanted to honor that friend.

"So, you'll be staying with us then?"

"For the time being, yeah,"

"Yay! Jirou-nii is part of our family again!" Yuzu exclaimed. Karin smiled and got ready for bed. The father cried tears of joy after hearing the news. Masaki smiled once more for her family.

Everything was right with the world again.

Her son had returned after they had risked their lives to save him. No one was sad for the most part and most were actually happy that the empty room upstairs was going to be occupied for once.

But there wasn't a real family in the world that didn't have their fair share of problems with society. It was no problem though. Protecting their brother/son/guardian will just have to be another one of their daily activities now.

The final official chapter. Thanks for everyone who read my first real story! Love ya all!