The Anomaly

by Em6erPhoenix

After winning the TYBW, Ichigo is run over by the cleaner while visiting Soul Society. Sent back over 200 years his trip through time has reduced him to a plus state. Ichigo has to avoid Central 46 learning he has hollow reiatsu all while regaining his strength before Aizen and Juha Bach stop hiding in the shadows. Training under Yoruichi has become more important than ever.

10. Chapter 10

Chapter X

If there was anything capable of causing a greater sense of fear or excitement to permeate through the academy, then it was the knowledge that war was on the horizon. Some were actually looking forward to entering onto the battlefield and proving their worth or having free reign to enjoy their bloodlust against "Soul Society's enemies" even if they are technically a part of it. The second group was those terrified of being conscripted to fight against their own people for either their own experiences with war or because some of them come from the Rukongai and have friends and family who are out there just trying to get their family something to eat and see no other alternative when they are outmatched in every conceivable way but are too desperate to care about their own safety when there are people relying on them. The third group, which Ichigo was a part of, was those that knew the horrors of war and were not at all looking forward to entering the fray but were either duty bound or willing to do so anyway because they had family of their own to protect.

It was clear that lines were being formed within the school as people voiced their opinions between classes and it was not uncommon to see fights evolving from verbal taunts, to fist fights, to people drawing their swords. Ichigo had stepped in twice just in the last week to break up a fight. His bright orange hair was a quick identifier if not his height or demeanor were taken into account. He didn't have to throw a punch at the aggressors, he merely stood between the two offending parties and scowled harshly his displeasure which sent them scurrying to class or lunch without further delay.

His victory almost a week ago in the tournament caused his popularity to increase and caused the more bull headed students who delighted in bullying the younger years to grow afraid of him. Ever since Ginjiro's death the rest of the academy saw a change within him. Most couldn't put a finger on what it was other than he seemed more "intimidating" to them. He physically stopped more of the obvious bullying methods and glared at others when they had either the intellect to be subtle or were more into verbal abuse. Not surprisingly, those who bullied were mostly from the noble clans because of their connections and genealogy induced reiryoku levels.

While having two shinigami for parents didn't necessarily mean the child was stronger than someone who did not, it was somewhat correlative. Besides, most often it was that they were born with greater potential, not strength. Some people, no matter how much or how long they train, will never improve past a certain limit. Aizen was correct when he said that every pure shinigami will eventually hit that insurmountable wall. The only way through is merging with hollow reiryoku. If only he could have stopped himself at obtaining a hollow mask for himself instead of becoming that weird evolving butterfly-demonic demon-THING! It certainly would have caused him a lot less problems.

Ichigo's soul was always under strain from his unique nature. The Quincy part drew in ambient reiatsu in the air and his hollow side gluttonously absorbed every scrap it could. His shinigami side was all that filtered the two anthemic powers from destroying each other. If he had a potential limit, Ichigo didn't know what it would be other than similar to Yamamoto's reality destroying levels.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes minutely, he felt someone's eyes on him and it wasn't Misaka. He bent down to 'fix' his sandal and tried to narrow down its location. Fifty meters behind and to the left. He switched to his other sandal and searched for any other lurkers; dozens of students in the area were sneaking glimpses, an instructor on brake was sitting beneath a tree in the courtyard and was staring in his direction but his glazed eyes meant he was probably lost in thought than actually seeing him. He frowned as he straightened his spine to continue on his way. Whoever was spying on him was well trained in stealth, but was sloppier than those in the Onmitsukidō. He couldn't really do anything about it though, so he tried to put it off his mind as he continued his lessons throughout the day. Unfortunately the reiatsu signature was constantly prodding his own which was irritating and steadily grinding away at his patience. To say he was cranky was an understatement as the last class of the day let out.

The moment he was clear dropped his books off at his dorm and did a shunpō to silently appear behind his stalker. They only sensed him at the last moment when Ichigo placed a sword beneath their throat.

"You have ten seconds to explain to me why you're following me or you will get a first hand experience of how it feels to get your larynx severed," Ichigo said in a false pleasant tone.

"Shihoin-sama sent me," the stalker, a young girl Ichigo realized on closer examination, pleaded as his sword pressed in a shallow cut.

"Bullshit. Yoruichi would have come herself if she wanted to tell me something or at least pass it onto someone I know."

Then Misaka arrived on the woman's other side and her tantō sized zanpakutō found itself skimming the stalker's kidney. Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the other girl with merciless eyes. Misaka's superiors and guardians were rather cross with her failure to keep him safe in the past despite nothing really happening to him. Ichigo recognized the 'or else' in her explanation of what would happen should she fail again despite her not saying anything further on the subject.

"I won't ask you again. Who are you and why are you following me?" Ichigo demanded. The girl's eyes desperately searched for an escape but found none. Her expression crumpled and turned resigned as she gazed up at him. She opened her mouth and said, "Grimlock." Her body started convulsing and Ichigo's sword sliced through her neck before he had a chance to pull away. She was still twitching in seizure-like movements even as her throat gushed like a red fountain. The two stared at the scene in morbid fascination and wonder at how quickly she died.

Ichigo knelt next to her body as he inspected her for anything that could have caused the seizure. It was clear that 'Grimlock' was some kind of code phrase for a killswitch to activate. His examination bore fruit when he checked in her mouth. Beneath her tongue was a fading, glowing tattoo.

'A kidō then,' Ichigo deduced. "I need you to pass this on to Yoruichi," Ichigo said, turning to the silent Misaka standing guard. "Tell her all prisoners should be knocked out and inspected for a kidō in their body before being awakened for interrogation. When the war picks up in intensity we will probably be finding dozens more of these."

"I'll pass on the message tonight."

'Things just keep getting weirder,' Ichigo thought.

"Ichigo," Misaka said. "I'll take care of the body…you might want to think about changing."

Ichigo glanced down to see a small blood splatter on his shirt and nearly his entire leg was soaked from kneeling in the puddle forming around the girl's body. He nodded in agreement at his bodyguard/maid/friend?('s) words and tried to sneak into the dorm baths, preferably without any witnesses lest the blood start unpleasant rumors. He successfully acquired a change of clothes from his room and snuck into the bathing room, but he may have to burn his clothes. The blood looked like it was going to be a permanent addition to the garment. He sighed.

'That set was my favorite because it was the most comfortable,' he childishly complained to himself.

Yoshida Toyo, the former third seat of squad 2, was in a good mood for once. For the last few decades he had been spreading dissent throughout the citizens of the outer Rukon districts, gaining support, both allies and supplies as well as favors. He had even pulled a few jobs for some ambitious nobles despite how much he detested them for access to certain information he knew would be required for his future plans. Yoshida had spent centuries working his way up the ranks until he was trusted enough to be in the graces of the Shihoin family, but it still wasn't enough for Toyo's ambitions. He wanted more. Nothing less than a captain's seat would be enough for him, but they were all filled. He couldn't oust Hisoki when he was captain and he was completely overlooked in their nepotism for Yoruichi when he retired.

That was the day Yoshida realized the truth, the nobles would never let a commoner like him obtain a captain's seat. The only options he had was to either kill the eleventh division's captain, and thus be forced to deal with herding a bunch of meatheads for the rest of his life, or to tear down the corrupt system in its entirety so that others like him could reach their desires of escaping their confines in society. Yoshida was not always a cruel man, in fact he was downright nice if given the opportunity, but time and regret has a way of souring even the brightest of individuals.

But this was not one of those days because Yoshida was in a good mood. He had influenced the other commanders of the Rukongai's resistance groups to band together with him as one army. They were steadily winning over the support of the people and soon the Seireitei will be flooded with everyone the damned nobles had wronged. Change was no longer on the horizon out of reach, he could taste it in the very air. He smirked his scarred face, obtained in his escape from battling Hisoki, and the sight sent shivers down his subordinates' spines. He had grown to enjoy their fear. He was going to make every last noble fear the same pain and anger he felt, the hopeless feelings of despair when they realized their lives were not their own. That their fate rests in another's hands.

To achieve his dreams, he had slowly been sending recruits who had great potential to Shin'ō Academy to learn the same skills he had forged and integrate themselves into the Gotei 13's ranks for the last twenty years. The latest rebellion of the Quincy had hid most of his actions beneath a smokescreen and he zealously used the opportunity it granted to promote more of those sympathetic to his cause through the gates to the Seireitei. The death toll demanded the ranks to be refilled, so they didn't vet those coming through as thoroughly as they might or should have in a time of peace. Now everything was in place. He had spies in domestic roles in many of the various noble families, reporting anything he needed to know or they found possibly interesting and a small army ready to act within the Gotei just waiting for his signal.

The Fujibayashi just gave him a believable reason behind his revolt other than the personal disagreements many of his people had with the noble families.

"Yajirobe. Initiate phase two," Yoshida said to his right hand man.

"Right away Taicho." Yajirobe bowed and left to send their spies the go ahead.

'The Gotei 13 and all of the selfish, pathetic, cowardly nobles were in for a rude awakening,' he thought. Yoshida couldn't stop the cackle from escaping his lips even as lightning sparked off his hands. He formed them into fists and disappeared into the command tent they had set up in the late forties of West Rukon.

'Judgement Day has arrived assholes.'

It had been four months since the tournament and Ichigo stood in a line with all of the other sixth years or other gifted students graduating early. They all held forms with either recommendations from what squads wanted them, or in the case of those who hadn't, a request to join a squad of their choice where they would then undergo a test to see if they had what it took to be a shinigami. It was a very easy test so few actually failed it, but they were usually just lost in the unseated positions where they would either sink or swim to make a name for themselves. Ichigo himself was holding no less than ten recommendations from all but the sixth, seventh, and twelfth divisions. The three captains who hadn't recommended him to join their squad gave him the reasons of his son inheriting, Ichigo not liking the same plays, and uninterested in dealing exclusively in science respectively from Ginrei, Love, and Kirio. Love's excuse was because Ichigo had said he enjoyed Shakespeare's plays more than any other and Love wanted to beat him over the head with his shikai's club because 'obviously Eliza Haywood's A Wife to be Lett was clearly the best novel in existence.'

'Future manga-loving-idiot,' Ichigo thought fondly.

"Shiba," his name was called and Ichigo went up to the desk where he handed in his recommendations, his choice circled and on top. The instructor raised a brow at his decision, thinking he would choose the Tenth where Isshin was or the Thirteenth with his brother. Regardless, he stamped his permission and wrote down his selection onto another form and said, "Congratulations, good luck in your career in Division Two."

Ichigo offered a bow in return and left the room as whispers descended behind in his wake. He was hungry. As he made his way into the lunch room he couldn't stop the small smile making its way onto his face. All of his friends were there: Ren, Akiko, Shizuka, Rangiku, even Yukino who had been oddly absent from his side the last couple months for some reason. All of his attempts to learn why were brushed aside or she interjected with a different subject so he eventually let it be, though he kept an eye on her just in case she needed help.

"Hey Mr. Prodigy!" Rangiku called out teasingly. "How's it feel to be one of the few to test out a single year?"

Ichigo's unimpressed glare said enough in response.

"You're not the only one with good news," Akiko said, throwing her arm around Ren's neck. "Tell him Ren!"

Ren pulled a sheet of paper out of his robes and showed it for them all to see.

"You tested out?" Ichigo asked incredulously. He wasn't surprised Ren passed, he knew how intelligent he was, but he didn't know he was motivated outside of martial arts and kidō, so it was a surprise.

"I was lucky enough to pass by Lady Shihōin on one of her visits to the academy…" he trailed off with a raised and knowing brow that had Ichigo shifting uncomfortably, but Ren continued, "and I asked her if I could have a test with her squad. Instead she dragged me out to the practice field and we spared for a couple minutes. My bruises had bruises by the end but she said she thought I had 'spunk' and wrote a recommendation for me the next morning if I passed all the classes. I didn't pass history though so I haven't officially passed yet. Instead she offered me a chance to continue my lessons with a tutor for a year in my off time and then send me to graduate at the end of the next year."

"So we'll both be joining the second then," Ichigo said, revealing his choice to his friends.

"Damn it," Rangiku grumbled, pulling out some money and passing it to a smirking Yukino and Shizuka grimaced as she too pulled out a wad of notes to Yukino.

"You bet on me?" Ichigo asked incredulously.

"You act like this is the first time we've done so," Akiko teased.

"When did you do that?"

"The tournament," Yukino said softly. "I bet all of my money on you winning and the upset was quite profitable. Most believed Kakyō would be victorious with Ikeda coming in second."

"I bet you'd turn down at least ten girls wanting to go out with you before you finished the year," Akiko continued, sending him into a choking stutter.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ichigo shouted. She innocently looked at him and smiled.

"I was right." Ichigo peripherally noticed Yukino and Shizuka looking slightly disgruntled at her words but shifted his attention to Ren hoping he had an explanation.

"What? You think I'm dumb enough to bet against them? I like having money, thank you very much." Ichigo snorted in amusement and not a lot of disbelief.

"Some friends you are. You just like making money off me. I see you for who you are," Ichigo kept up a facade of hurt and enjoyed watching the fallout. It was nice to have friends that knew you.

After a delicious meal, Akiko proposed they visit the local market.

"It spans from the main road of the North gate in the Seireitei all the way to the Fifth as well as the two surrounding roads and alleyways," she explained. "It only happens every eighty years so everyone involved brings out all the stops. My parents brought me there when I was a little girl so I don't really remember much other than walking forever, but I do remember there were some amazing stalls set up with some beautiful crafts." The LOOK she gave Ren said he was expected to buy her something or she'd be disappointed.

Akiko's casual use of saying eighty years still had Ichigo on the backfoot. It just goes to show that Yamamoto was correct that Ichigo still saw the world from a human's perspective. He knew shinigami lived for hundreds of years, and old Yama-jii was over 2,000 years old, probably closer to 3,000, but it was easy to forget age when he was surrounded by people with the same "maturity" or mental age. It was hard for him to realize he would live for thousands of years, especially once his reiryoku returned to his former strength.

"How long will the market be open?" Ichigo asked.

"It goes for an entire month. Every craftsman, artisan, and food vender sets up shop to showcase their best pieces they've made in the last few decades."

"A month?" Ichigo asked. "Talk about long hours." The vendors would have to find closer housing for their long stay as well as guests visiting across the Rukongai. Anyone in the hospitality business would be doing very well for themselves in the previous month as the vendors set up as well as the next month where they paid off their debts.

"Were you not able to see the last one, Ichigo?" Shizuka asked.

"Nope. I wasn't born yet," he answered easily.

"What? How old are you?" Akiko demanded.

"I am turning twenty on the fifteenth." They all jerked to a stop on their walk to their dorms. It took everything he had to not laugh at their responses in favor of proceeding to his room. He knew if he started laughing he'd never stop.

"Wait! The fifteenth is two weeks away!" Rangiku shouted. "Now I am going to have to rush to find you a gift! Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Calm down, Rangiku. You don't have to get me anything, you know. I didn't tell anyone because I don't want to make a big deal out of it."

"A big deal? We're friends aren't we? How can I call myself a good friend if I'm not willing to find you something?" She huffed.

"Uh huh, right. Well good luck with that. I am going to change. Put on something nice," he called over his shoulder as he entered his dorm.

A half hour later found Ichigo outside his dorm entrance dressed in a dark forest green kimono with a white daffodil. The meaning behind the daffodil was rebirth and new beginnings. It also had the meaning of strength and power because of the harsh conditions the flowers must grow in. Chisato had given him a wink as she gifted it to him for his first birthday as her son. He had taken a real liking to the thoughtful gift and was almost sad that he didn't have more opportunities to wear it. Unfortunately there is also a connotation to the daffodil meaning narcissism, but anyone that personally knew Ichigo would realize it for what it truly meant so he wasn't bothered if people started commenting on it as they passed him by.

It seemed his friends had taken his comment to dress nice to heart. Ren came out first in a dark blue yukata, quickly followed by Akiko in a pink and yellow kimono. Rangiku nearly bounced out the doors in her excitement wearing a lavender yukata Ichigo knew was a gift from Gin, she had certainly spent long enough loudly praising his gift and how nice Gin was right into his ear. Shizuka came next with an elaborate furisode in scarlet designed with a yellow merigold and black obi. She took it a step further in tying her hair in a complex knot that Ichigo couldn't tell where it began or ended. Shizuka's scarlet irises came across as warm instead of intimidating as she greeted them all with a bright smile. They kind of reminded him of rubies placed in sunlight. However it was Yukino who stole the spotlight as she exited last, dressed like a Yuki-onna straight out of folklore. Long sweeps of white with an undertone of blue shining from the underlayers. It was hard to look at in the sun shimmering off the surface, like water melting off a glacier and impossible to miss. The blue in her indigo hair was more pronounced and her eyes looked more like shards of ice than organs. He would have thought she was playing off her zanpakuto's theme if it hadn't looked slightly short and snug in a couple areas. It meant she probably had it for quite a while despite the obvious care she placed in maintaining it.

"Ready to go?" Ichigo asked. Murmurs of assent had them descending on the market in moments time, faces filled with curiosity for the exotic wares and elborate displays. Yukino slipped into step beside him as she asked his opinion on a rather humorous looking painting of an animal.

"Don't you think that looks a bit like Ōnabara-sensei?" Ichigo laughed seeing a yawning hippopotamus.

"It does look like him…but I wouldn't say that to his face," he said slyly. She made a noice of agreement.

"He would probably start increasing his surprise attacks of 'DODGE,'" sending them into another round of quiet snorts.

They all tried at least thirteen different samples of food, perused almost a hundred stalls selling crafts from pottery to sculptures, from traditional blocks of ink to rare instruments, and a dozen jewelry and accessory stands before Ichigo was dragged into yet another clothing store.

After using Ren as a human shield to escape their clutches he finally led the group into one of the side alleyways to spot a permanent shop instead of the stalls. It was old, covered in dozens of cracks but somehow made the building even more interesting to look at. Ichigo saw a weapons rack displayed through the single pane glass window and shrugged before entering. What he saw was not what he was expecting. Sure, there were indeed plenty of swords on display, but what really held his attention were the hundred or so wood carvings in various stages of completion as well as the beautiful detail the craftsmen must have put into painting the wood. Sayas and shirasayas, Ichigo realized. The sheathes all held a theme and looked more like ornamental pieces than anything someone could use in battle, but they were still beautiful. Ranging from a plain blood red to detailed animals frozen in flight on a tropical background, the artist clearly had great skill in his craft. Ichigo wondered why there weren't more customers before realising that the majority of his customers were either shinigami or some kind of body guard.

Ichigo studied the old man behind the counter. He had many callouses on his fingers denoting he was definitely the man who crafted these works of art. His frame wasn't over muscled showing that while he kept fit he wasn't trying to impress anyone. He had a droopy eyelid on the left side of his face, but his eyes were still hard showing he could probably take care of himself in a fight. Ichigo tried to sense his reiatsu, but what he felt was a mere small flame. It was strange, Ichigo thought. His reiatsu seemed to flicker like a sputtering candle as if he was about to die and yet, the man sat still with a smile on his face. Ichigo noticed the man had a slight tremor in his left hand but his right remained strong. This was a man who remained true to himself and his convictions his entire life, Ichigo deduced. While the old man had lived a life of crafting art and Ichigo chose to become a warrior, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were similar in some way.

"It's been awhile since a Shiba entered my shop," said the old man. "Names Hiruzen. I made your granduncle Ichirou's saya. He was the one who saw my potential and sponsored me for a time until I gathered enough attention towards my shop. How is old Ichirou doing?"

"Ah- I've never actually met him. He was busy when I had my birthday last year so I have second hand information, but from what I've heard from my parents he's doing just fine. Still a pessimist though," Ichigo added at the end, trying to remember his lessons with his mother about their family. Chisato seemed to both love and hate the man so Ichigo decided not to ask to many questions about him. If it was important, she'd tell him.

The old man laughed heartily. "Just like usual than? Good. Why don't you three make yourselves comfortable," he said while pointing to a half dozen chairs before the counter. As the three did as he suggested and sat down, the old man seemed to study the three of them deeply. "I run my shop a bit differently than others. I'm going to ask you a question, and upon your response, I'll choose a saya I believe will fit you. It helps save time and if you don't like any of my choices, I promise you a discount and you will be completely free to roam all my wares."

"Can't people just say they hate what you have out to get a bargain?" The old man laughed at Ren's response.

"I haven't seen anyone not satisfied by my wares in the last two hundred years and I don't think you'll be any different. I have this skill, you see. It allows me to read just about anyone. You just have to answer my questions honestly and I'll know exactly what you want. To start off, how about the little ice cube?" he said scrutinising Yukino's blank expression.

"What do you want to do with your sword once you become a shinigami?" The room went silent after the question. They were all curious to her purpose for picking up her sword. To devote your life to purifying hollows is asking for a life of conflict with enemies who show no mercy and will eat you alive for pure satisfaction. It is what truly separates plus souls from shinigami.

"Justice," she said, causing Ichigo to stiffen. Not another one, he groaned. "There was a noble who caused my family to suffer. I hope to become strong enough to force the truth into the light. Then my sister's spirit can rest freely."

The old man said nothing, he just stared into Yukino's eyes as if he was reading her mind or soul. Finally after an uncomfortable amount of time, his face lit up in a smile.

"Justice, huh? That's a worthy goal. Just don't let it consume you. Make sure your friends stick by you, or else you'll turn rotten in your pursuit. I've seen too many good people be corrupted by the blinding light of justice as they're twisted into something else. Look after her would you?" he asked Ichigo and Shizuka. He walked to a side wall where he pulled out three long boxes. One had a cobalt blue with a snowflake, another was pure white, and the last was stylized to change in light like an icicle. As Ichigo focused, he could see a slight glimmer of carved etchings that glowed. Kido? Ichigo had seen Kisuke create pillars which housed kido runes to create a garganta, but he'd never seen any so tiny before to be nearly invisible. Or so hidden from his senses. He had to close his eyes and focus completely on the saya to be able to feel anything, and even then, it felt more like a brush of wind against his reaitsu. Now that he took a closer look, almost all of them had them.

'That's how Shinigami can use them. The kido restores the artwork should it get damaged. So long as one piece remained, their reiatsu should be capable of fixing it.' Or at least that was what he was guessing it did, judging by the feel of the reiatsu it released.

Yukino chose the cobalt saya with the snowflake and had a peculiar look on her face. She stared at the snowflake with a barely inperceptable smile as her eyes focused on a distant memory of her past. Her hand clenched tightly around the saya. The old man smiled as he once again succeeded in deciphering his customer's desires. He turned to Shizuka and slammed his fists onto the table making her jump.

"So! My next customer, tell me, who's next?"

He went through them all: Ren spoke of his desire to become the strongest shinigami he could be and received a grey and black sheath that looked like it had been carved out of stone instead of the wood it is, Akiko also received a blue and white saya, but her was fashioned with a theme of clouds for her bubbly personality and desire to help those less fortunate. Ichigo guessed her passions would eventually lead her to joining the Fourth Division eventually. Rangiku received a simple blood red sheath though their was a thorny detailing when the light hit it just right. Ichigo thought it suited her just right; she was beautiful but had a hidden strength if you said or did something she disagreed with. Then finally it was his turn.

"Last but not least, Shiba-san. My question for you…"A man and an accomplice has kidnapped your mother and your sister. Who do you choose to save?" Ichigo blinked. His question was very different from the others. Theirs was more about their personality or past, but his was more about morality.

"That question is crap," Ichigo grit out. "I would try to save them both."

Hiruzen looked unphased beneath his glare and easily continued, "You are under a time limit and can only save one. Who do you choose?" The old man was resolute in getting an answer. Ichigo gnashed his teeth in frustration.

"That won't happen, I won't choose one over the other, I WILL save both of them."

The old man looked at Ichigo with a steady gaze before sighing and looking out the window.

"That is an admirable mindset to have Shiba-san, but it's naive. You can't always save everyone you love. Take it from an old man who has seen just about every type of shinigami to walk through my doors, there will come a day where you have to make a hard decision. Do you save your friends while leaving your objective which might lead to thousands dying? Or do you complete the objective and live with the guilt of not saving your friends? I know it is not easy to think about but I would like you to keep the question in mind for the future. As I said before, I've been friends with your family for years, I know how you all treat your own. Just…be prepared for the consequences."

Ichigo frowned but nodded. He had almost lost several friends from being kidnapped and he always managed to pull through, but what if they had happened at the same time? Could he have lived with himself choosing to go after Orihime and leaving Rukia to her fate? Wouldn't he be the biggest piece of scum in the world if he hadn't tried to rescue his future potential fiancé?

"Now, what's your favorite color?" Hiruzen completely shattered the quiet mood enveloping the shop as they pondered his question by changing the subject.

"Black and red are my favorite, but silver is close behind," Ichigo said nonplussed at the excentric old man. He never noticed Shizuka glance down at her kimono and flush while Yukino stared at the other female with a tilted head. Her eyes narrowed ever so briefly before she fixed her stoic mask once again, though this time with a slight smile, as if to compensate for her lapse.

Ichigo liked black and red ever since he first unlocked his bankai, or rather his false bankai. And he enjoyed silver because of the moon's reflection in a koi pond on the Shiba estate. The first few months after he arrived in the past, during the nights Ichigo would think about his old family and friends and he found a sense of peace in watching the night sky as the wind rippled the pond's surface.

"What type of weather do you hate the most?"

"The rain."

"What's your favorite food?" Ichigo paused in thought.

"Daifuku?" Ichigo said unsurely. He had many interests in cuisines.

"That's a desert!" The old man roared in his face.

"Curry then! What does this have to do with me picking a saya?"

"Absolutely nothing! I just wanted to pass on what you love the most for your birthday!"

"Huh?" Ichigo said startled, before seeing a large box to the left started shuffling before seemingly dragging itself towards the back door. Ichigo sighed and slammed a foot into the box which sent a tumbling Kaien across the ground. A notebook filled with scribbles that looked suspiciously like a couple of his answers to the old man's questions. He looked up and sheepishly scratched the back of his neck.

"Oh hey Ichigo. What brings you here? Shouldn't you still be in sch-ooooll?" Kaien's voice died as he looked into Ichigo's eyes. They were burning like suns as a dark aura surrounded him and Kaien felt himself pinned to the floor as malignant reiatsu choked him.

"I see you're having a bad day, so I'm just going to-" He sped out the door as fast as he could before Ichigo slammed a foot in his face. Having missed the mark, Ichigo's foot cratered the floor as he cursed his cowardly brother for escaping.

"You were in on this?" He asked the old man.

"Haha. Yeah. I already told you twice that I was a friend of your family. I think I have a good reading about you. I got just the thing."

Hiruzen busied himself by digging through a box in a back room before a loud crash sounded and they all got up in concern thinking he hurt himself but he nearly ran out the backroom in excitement as he slid to a stop and presented a dust covered bundle. He flourished his hand and sent the dust scattering to reveal the beauty beneath. It was mostly black with red veins styled almost like his Blut Vene and a silver moon shimmered almost where the tsuba met the sheath and lit the edges of the entire sheath alight.

"And now for the best part. Channel your reiryoku into the Kidō," Hiruzen spoke excitedly, both of his gleaming eyes focusing intently on all of their new purchases. They did as he asked and sent a stream of their energy into the saya and watched as the miniscule Kidō seals lit up in their respective colors before they faded.

"Perfect, the bond worked flawlessly. Now you can take these out wherever you wish and no matter how badly you break it, it will restore itself. Now onto more important things…who will be buying?" The gleam in his eyes turned absolutely sinister.

"How much does it cost?" Rangiku gulped fearfully.

"10,000." If they weren't already dead, Ichigo was pretty sure all of his friends souls would have left their 'bodies.' Now Ichigo realized why the shop was so empty. "Oh," Hiruzen continued, "and because you have already bonded the sayas to yourselves, you can't return them. No refunds."

Ichigo was then on the receiving end of five pleading gazes. His parents were going to kill him.

"I hate every single one of you," Ichigo deadpanned.

"You say the nicest things," Rangiku cheerfully returned, unphased at his annoyance.

"You will all be paying me 40% of your salary until you either pay me back or you die…is that understood?" Ichigo grit out. Rangiku had an excited gleam.

"Thank you, Ichigo. I have the perfect plan to get the money back for all of us…and it will chip away at that debt you are already in for that Kimono."

"Why does that not fill me with confidence?"

"Don't worry about it. It'll just be a couple of photos," she waved off his concern with ease. "Just make sure to come by the SWA headquarters next month."

"Isn't it hidden beneath the Kuchiki estate?" Ichigo asked.

"...How'd you know. I didn't even tell you yet." Ichigo thought furiously for an answer before blurting out Yoruichi's name. Rangiku narrowed her eyes at him for a moment to see if he was lying before deciding that there was no way he could have guessed so he had to have heard it from her.

She never could have realized Ichigo actually heard it from the future Byakuya who was visibly pissed off, throbbing brow and all when he discovered tunnels beneath his backyard and an unsanctioned pool on top of his rock garded. Byakuya had been so furious that he didn't realize Ichigo was visiting there to check in on Rukia and was swearing under his breath about pink haired presidents and bimbos who didn't have two brain cells to rub together. Ichigo had quietly stifled his laughter as he rushed out of the estate before he nearly crashed into a roof as he finally started laughing in the middle of a shunpo. It still brings a chuckle to his lips as he thought back to it.

With payment promised the group departed the store for more entertainment- though no one was allowed to buy anything according to Ichigo because, "If you have money to spend you can start by repaying me now," which just ignited a slew of banter between them as the sun dwindled over the horizon. When the last ray dipped beneath the trees, the group of friends were in the middle of returning through the gate to the Seireitei when the streaming started.

Dozens, hundreds of souls were coming out of the woodwork with swords and all matter of weaponry and attacking people in the streets. Fires started in shops and panic spread as they descended in mass.

"Get behind the gates, now!" Ichigo barked, ordering them onward by shoving their backs forward.

"There he is!" One of the attackers yelled, pointing towards Ichigo's position.

"Oh, fuck. Not again."

If there was one blessing that Kaien could take to heart, than it was that he had made the decision to stick around after he had "fled" from his baby brother's anger. If not, he would have been horrified at how bad things could have gotten. Almost immediately after the rebels, for what else could they be given their vast amounts of well equipped weapons, attacked Kaien had made the decision to shift to shikai and try to buy as much time as he could for reinforcements to arrive. The largest problem was just figuring out who was actually a threat. Thousands of people were gathered in the streets and the rebels were being careful to hide their weapons until they were ready to strike.

He shunpoed as quickly as he could to kill whoever was holding a blade and just prayed for help to arrive soon. As he fought, he continued to cast out his senses in search of Ichigo. He had to protect him. Shibas fought and died together…though he really didn't want to die and he certainly didn't want Ichigo to die. After learning about (some of) his past, a fire was ignited within Kaien's soul. He couldn't let any member of his family be alone after hearing what he'd suffered through. Even now the name As Nodt brought sickening hate throughout his being. If he caught even a wiff of the man's name he'd be off on the trail to hunt that creature down and annhilate him!

It was he who suggested giving Ichigo a guard to his parents and Chisato called in a favor that was owed to her. Kaien knew he couldn't always be there for him, but at least this way there'd be someone to look after him when he was gone. Until the day where even Fon Misaka, the "Shadow Devil" of the Fon Clan let her charge get kidnapped. When Ichigo returned that night of being kidnapped Kaien had demanded a report as the Shiba Clan Head and Hisoki had given him a dossier of the bastard who did the deed.

The boss's name was Hiroto, a complete sadist with a lot of useful information on the rebel commander- though that part was redacted much to Kaien's chagrin- and what he saw wasn't pretty. Ichigo was under the care of a psychopath and probably tortured. And he didn't say anything about it, to anyone! If there weren't burnt holes in his uniform even that would have been unknown, but that wasn't the point! Ichigo didn't tell him he had been tortured. The feelings of guilt and shame welled up within him because that meant Ichigo still didn't trust him enough to tell him things he had a fucking right to know! And he couldn't even be angry at Ichigo because Kaien knew they weren't easy subjects to talk about so it just made him more angry at the situation.

AND THEN Ichigo somehow winds up in the middle of a hollow invasion because a few Quincy didn't learn the war was over already and foolishly brought senseless death upon themselves and Ichigo's classmates. Why did crazy things keep happening to his younger sibling? Was there a god out there that had it out for him? Did he do something horrible to someone in another life- wait don't answer that, he technically did in the future.

Now Kaien can't even spend a day shopping in peace for his brother's upcoming birthday before half an army drops on top of them. Why did the Soul Society have to fight war after war? Quincy, rebels, vampiric humans, traitorus shinigami, more quincy, and now more rebels. Would it ever stop? Kaien was still relatively new to the life as a shinigami, but he was starting to feel like he was aging a decade every year. A burnout was in his future if he and the Soul Society didn't change their ways. Since the Soul Society hadn't changed at all in the last thousand years in terms of laws, ideas, and -except for the 12th division- technology, Kaien wasn't optimistic about that happening, so he would really have to find a better method of destressing. As Kaien cleaved through another rebel, he couldn't stop his morbid thought from voicing that at least killing them helped a tad in being an outlet for his pent up anger. That perhaps wasn't his best moment. However he couldn't deny that it was somewhat working as a pile of corpses stacked from the wave of enemies throwing themselves at him. Kaien was in for a long night.

It was strange for Ichigo as he beheaded another man how quickly the memories and instincts came back. His war against the Sternritter heightened his fighting instincts of how to react best in dangerous circumstances and they were flooding in by the second with every swing of his sword. He became a pillar that the panicking and fleeing souls could look to in hope as the rebels swarmed the area. His friends had (unfortunately) not listened to his order to leave and instead stuck to his sides within the long wave of conflict.

Akiko and Ren were switching off between long range Kidō and devastating martial arts as a tag team; their familiarity certainly showed in how many limbs and bodies were splattered around them.

"Precise attacks, we don't want to injure civilians," was all Ichigo said in the beginning after seeing his friends eyes when they refused to leave him, at least that was something they adhered to. As much as it disgusted and amused him to think it, Ichigo couldn't refute Zangetsu's dual toned quip of, 'target practice,' when he unsheathed his second blade and entered shikai.

"Raining Fangs!"[1] Ichigo called, swinging his sword to send a burst of small crescents to descend on the rebels. The crowd had mostly dispersed enough through the side alleyways, but there were still many people lining the streets in various states of injury, a normal Getsuga would kill them all. Thankfully his new attack was certainly useful. The bursts steadily wore away the weakest while the stronger or more aware fighters distinguished themselves in dodging or weathering his attacks. Yukino's ice certainly was helpful as either a shield or herding the enemy into a corner for them to swiftly dispatch them.

But then something peculiar happened. One of the rebels, a young girl, stopped in front of Yukino.

"Yukino!" the girl shouted, stopping Yukino in her tracks upon getting a closer look at the newest arrival.

"Keon?" Yukino gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"It's time. We can help you; all you need to do is join us," Keon said imploringly. Ichigo didn't have the best idea of what was going on, but given by the conflicted expression on Yukino's face Ichigo guessed it had something to do with her 'Justice' coming into play. Yukino glanced between Ichigo and Keon as a tear slipped out of her eye.

"Sorry," she whispered. Ichigo could hear her words almost as if she had shouted them in his ear. A feeling of dread spread through his chest.

'No. Don't. Don't you dare,' he thought, panicing.

"Yukino!" he shouted, but Yukino wouldn't look at him. Her gaze was stuck on the other girl's outstretched hand. Yukino grabbed hold and just when Keon brightened in contentment, Yukino surprised them all by swinging her shikai straight at Keon's chest. It happened in an instant. Keon was instantly flash frozen with a look of surprised betrayal as she stared into Yukino's eyes. Yukino spoke as if she could still hear her because her eyes screamed, 'why?'

"I'm sorry," she said again. "You were my first friend but…but you would have me killing all of my other friends…you want me to massacre innocents…that is not something I could ever condone. Not after what happened to my sister. My hatred for the Ōmaeda family is for them alone. I see that now. I am sorry I couldn't change your mind…goodbye."

With her last word said, the ice statue shattered and Keon's body dissolved and flew away in the wond. Yukino collapsed onto her knees as she sobbed. Ichigo hesitantly wrapped his arms around her to see if she would welcome any contact and Yukino buried her face into his shoulder.

Ichigo and his friends were asked to give an after action report of their fights as well as anything else they might have seen or spotted. After giving their reports in, Ichigo's friends joined him in lending a hand in cleaning up the aftermath of the battle. It was horrible. There must have been as many as four hundred dead, a third of which were innocent bystanders just wanting to enjoy the day shopping with their friends and family.

He could hear Yukino hurdling up her stomach in a side alley. There was a lot of blood, to say nothing of the other entrails and bodily fluids spilling out on the streets, and Ichigo knew it wouldn't recover for a long time. He wiped his brow, smearing sweat as much as blood across his face as he carefully placed another dead body in the line up before he continued on to the next building. He passed by the building he had destroyed earlier with the Shakkaho and felt a weak energy. His head snapped in the direction.

'There was a survivor,' he thought. He frantically, but cautiously, carried debris away from the weak reiatsu signature lest he make the situation worse and cause the rest of the building to crush on top of the injured person. Once he had dug enough of a hole, he stuck his head through to see the fallen form of a child. He carefully moved a few more boards of wood as the structure groaned and wobbled as steadily as a house of cards. Then the boy was free. Ichigo spotted a deep gash that the boy was clutching even in his unconscious state. Ichigo grabbed him beneath the armpits to drag him away when the boy suddenly awoke and reached for a sword Ichigo missed that was partially buried in dust.

He swung the sword but Ichigo caught the blade in his hand without preamble or injury. He searched the boy's eyes and realized he was one of the rebels. A weary sadness entered him at the thought that children were willing to fight and die for such chaos. The boy's swing exasperated his injury and a new wave of blood gushed from his wound. The child chomped down on his lip to hide the cry of pain and Ichigo used the distraction to tear away part of Kimono to act as makeshift bandages. It slightly hurt to have to destroy his mother's first gift, but he knew she'd understand. He wrapped them around the injury even as the boy tried to push him away and tightened it into a knot. Once blood wasn't leaking like a faucet, Ichigo used what little Kaido he knew to send a trickle into his body in the hopes that his body would heal itself. It didn't do much, but at least the boy didn't look like a walking corpse by the end of it.

Throughout the entire process, the boy had scrutinized him with a malignant and wary gaze like a wounded, wild animal. The kind only developed by someone who had been repeatedly beaten, abused, and betrayed by those around him. A stab of pity echoed through him. He couldn't give this child up to the Gotei 13. He would be mercilessly executed or thrown into prison.

"Can you move?" Ichigo asked. The boy didn't answer in favor of glaring at him. "Can you move?" Ichigo questioned more firmly, making it known this wasn't a request as he pulsed his reiatsu. The child grudgingly nodded but turned his head to the side in a disgruntled pout and huffed. Ichigo felt his lips twitch upward but forced it down in favor of ordering him to flee out the back after he caused a distraction. Kaien dropped down beside him from his perch on the roof.

"That was a nice thing you did," he whispered. "But be more careful next time. I had to send three of my squad members in another direction or they would have caught him. I don't think I need to remind you of the consequences of aiding the enemy are."

"What are you talking about," Ichigo asked slyly. "I was healing a prisoner for later interrogation whereupon he then escaped before restraints could be acquired or performed without hindering the healing process."

Kaien shared a chuckle with him and wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

"Try not to do anything stupid," Kaien fussed.

"That's impossible. You were the one who inherited all of it," Ichigo teased, but the firm hand that clenched onto his brother's shoulder conveyed his thanks and sincerity. "I'll meet you tomorrow at home for dinner. Any chance you can ask the kitchen for sashimi and yakisoba?"

"I'm sure I can convince them since you rarely request anything. Well that and the fact you just graduated." Kaien's face suddenly adopted a horrified look on his face. "I can't believe it. My baby brother surpassed me in graduating in only one year! I don't know whether to be proud or disappointed! I have to tell everyone." Putting his words into action, Kaien promptly vanished before Ichgio's elbow buried into his ribs for the 'baby brother' comment. For once Ichigo let the comment slide as he turned back to the street piling up in white sheets that were slowly being stained red. His brother always knew how to liven up the atmosphere, especially after a tragedy.

Ichigo gathered his friends and told them he's be heading back. They were all too eager to join him in the bliss of retreating away from there so they stuck to his side as their eyes darted to the shadows as if waiting for more enemies to sprout out of them. Shizuka was uncharacteristically quiet as she was lost within her own head and Yukino was almost completely unresponsive.

Rangiku smiled and patted him on the shoulder and separated with Akiko to drag Shizuka to her dorm. Ren then left for his own bed, granting Yukino the privacy she wanted as she caught Ichigo's wrist.

"Ichigo…I don't think I'll be able to sleep very well tonight…Can I- may I sleep with you?" she asked, her voice wavering. Ichigo circled the very layered question in his head before dipping his head in accent. He led her through his door and weaved a Kidō around the room for muffling sound. He turned around to see Yukino holding a damp cloth and a bucket of water as she hesitantly pat his desk chair, indicating for him to sit. He dropped into the seat gracelessly and Yukino's eyes slightly brightened at his relaxing guard. She carefully raised the cloth to clean the blood from his face and hands before dunking the fabric back into the bucket to rince and repeat. Once his available skin was clear, she fingered the edge of his Kimono and looked into his eyes. She slowly pushed the edges aside and trailed her slightly cold hands across his chest.

Ichigo found his mouth incapable of forming words to either push her away or prompt encouragement, so he decided on another course of action. He wrapped a hand around her neck and brought his lips crashing against her own. The cloth dropped from her hand onto the floor but it went unnoticed as Ichigo lifted her up in the air and she wrapped her legs around his waist before Ichigo dropped them both onto his futon.

Ichigo painstakingly undressed Yukino from her beautiful kimono, only slightly torn and blood splattered, and then took on the task of undoing her pinned hair. Yukino took pity on him when he struggled and with a simple flourish of her hands undid it all within three seconds. Ichigo sat back to inspect her skin- flushing under his attention- before giving her a smirk that sent her into a deeper crimson. He met her in another kiss before he steadily made his way down her neck and breasts. She made the most wonderful noise as he scraped his teeth underneath her mammaries and continued to her stomach. He looked back up to see her stuck between demanding for more and a wave of tears. He pushed his lust down to caress her cheeks.

"Are you alright?" he asked. She nodded but noticeable didn't say anything else. Before he could think to voice anymore concern she flipped them over so she was on top and continued their activities. Ichigo sat back to enjoy her intimate attention and let her run things for awhile. He was suddenly very glad he had developed a habit of placing the muffling Kidō whenever he entered his room. Especially since her next words were, "Don't say anything else…unless you are screaming my name."

What is one of the fastest ways to turn someone on? Whisper that in your partner's ear and see what happens.

'Fuuuck,' Ichigo groaned.

Ichigo awoke feeling far more content than he could remember feeling in a long time. Part of it might be the fact that he felt the warmth of someone snuggling up beside him in deep slumber, the soft puffs of air she released from her lips was positively adorable, a sharp contrast to the things Ichgio had discovered she was capable of doing with said lips last night. Another part might be that he had finally had a release for the first time in a while. It was like a knot of tension he had unknowingly been carrying had finally unwound and he felt…at peace. Oh, he knew that reality would eventually catch up when he left his room, 'but until then' he thought, looking at her skin that was exposed from the falling sheet, 'I can deal with that later.'

After another round of sex, Ichigo left to bathe and change for the day, a casual light blue yukata until he received his shinigami attire in the next week. Misaka met him in the hallway on his way down for breakfast. She wordlessly fell into step and followed behind and to the left.

"Is there something I can do for you?" Ichigo asked over his shoulder.

"Shihoin-sama needs to speak with you," she said.

"Yoruichi?"

"Ah, no," she said, slightly embarrassed. "Hisoki-sama. He will be in his office awaiting you after breakfast. Please eat quickly, he is not in the best of moods."

Ichigo made a sound of accent before doing as she asked. In no time he was walking through the shoji door to Hisoki's office where the man was pouring over paperwork with a heavy frown. His expression certainly didn't improve when Ichigo sat down in the opposite chair and waited for him to speak. Hisoki appraised him with a discerning eye and cleared his throat, schooching his chair forward and clasped his hands together under his chin.

"Squad 2 is different than the rest in how we choose and dispense our members. The Onmitsukidō only accepts the top thirty candidates of each year regardless of where they end up or by recommendation by someone within the force. If you wish to join our squad, please hold out your hand," Hisoki ordered.

Ichigo frowned but did so. Hisoki brought out a gold hairpin from his desk and stabbed it into Ichigo's palm. Ichigo clenched his jaw but otherwise did not react. Hisoki looked a little pleased at his reaction but it was gone within a moment behind emotional walls for his serious expression to overtake him.

"That needle carried a special Kidō developed by the Shihoin Clan almost a thousand years ago. It has created a seal that will activate any time within the year should you choose to leave the Onmitsukidō. The training you go through is harsh and the secrets you will learn are dangerous. This Kidō will erase everything you learn about the organization from this moment onward."

Ichigo swallowed. On one hand, that Kidō sounded awesome. It could create a seal around specific information and leave the rest of his memories intact without damaging his brain. On the other, it was bloody terrifying that such a thing exists and he was bound to it. Oddly enough, the reveal that he was about to experience a hellish training regiment was at the bottom of the pole of his worries.

"Please say the words, 'Bleeding Black Sun," Hisoki ordered. Ichigo repeated them cautiously and he felt something within him snap into place. "Those words are the code for your release of the Onmitsukidō. You can beg, plead, cry for whatever we are doing to you to end, but we will not stop until you utter those words. That will activate the failsafe and you will no longer remember joining squad 2 and you will be transferred to another division. Do you understand the terms I have spoken to you?"

"Yes, sir," Ichigo said calmly. Hisoki nodded.

"Meet at the East Gate in two days for your recruitment. We will have a member meet you there and direct you to where you need to go. Until then, enjoy your time off. Dismissed."

Ichigo stood up from his seat and bowed politely before heading for the door.

"Shiba!" Hisoki called, stopping him in his tracks. "It was a pleasure to have you in my class. I look forward to seeing your further improve under my daughter's tutelage. Good luck…Ichgio."

Ichigo smiled and exited the office. However a thought popped up that had the potential to either go very well or horribly wrong. He stuck his head back through the doorway to see Hisoki once again frowning over his work and asked, "Do you remember what you said on your first day here? Is that offer of a drink still available tomorrow?"

Hisoki snorted before he smirked.

"Just the first round, you hear?" Ichigo beamed and vanished into his fastest shunpō before he could change his mind.

Ichigo had enjoyed relaxing the rest of the day away except for the brief spar he had with Zangetsu in Jinzen. Then he found himself sitting down to a meal with his family and just…talking. About certain likes and dislikes, stories about his sister Karin and Yuzu, memories which were about as painful as they were wonderful because he wouldn't see them ever again, but how could he not brag about them? The meal was made even more entertaining because Isshin had showed up halfway through and made the atmosphere even more lively. Ichigo didn't miss how Isshin's eyes brightened when he described Karin and Yuzu because it meant he cared. It wouldn't be for another 200 years, but Isshin still looked forward to hearing and eventually meeting his daughters.

The pleasant mood continued when Isshin naked him about his past. At first it was fine, Ichigo had talked about his friends: the indomitable and reliable Chad, always willing to support his friends with his strong shoulders, Uryú and his stupid sewing designs that somehow bordered between fashionable and hideous that were personally tailored for each of his friends and could have made a killing if he didn't go into medicine for a career, Orihime and her wonderful pastry ideas that were inventive and sweet and fuck him because now she wouldn't be able to talk about her amusing dreams that never failed to lift the spirits of everyone in the room. Then he regailed them with his fun arguments with the midget spitfire otherwise known as Rukia. Renji was thrown into the mix which sent his entire family into stitches because the thought that Ichigo had actually picked up his friend and thrown her like a football into his arms was icing on the cake.

However, the good mood eventually shattered when Isshin continued to press Ichigo for information about the wars. Ichigo observed the room to see they were all concerned but determined to hear what he had experienced. They were family and wanted to know so they knew how to help him. Ichigo knew that was why they wanted to know, but knowing and emotional responces are not always linear.

"No," Ichigo rebucked firmly. He was not going to unload his trauma onto their shoulders. He knew if he started it would be difficult to stop and it would only cause them pain or make them look at him differently. He had finally gotten through the barrier he had build around himself and was taking steps to overcome it all, rushing head first into the feelings of despair and utter hatred he still had about certain memories that would be best left forgotten was more than being just stupid.

But perhaps he hadn't gotten rid of all his teenage stupidity after all because when Kaien grabbed his arm and pleaded with those damned doe eyes of his to let him help, Ichigo felt his resolve waver. He searched the table for an out and saw a young Ganju, barely tall enough to reach his stomach looking at him just as concerned as everyone else. At the very least he could limit the people he could share it too.

"Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko, can you please get Ganju ready for bed," Ichigo asked, but his tone conveyed that it wasn't a request. He would not destroy Ganju's innocence no matter how much it might hurt or help himself. The two retainers standing just outside the room obeyed and dragged a complaining Ganju out of the room that he was, 'old enough to hear,' and his order racked up the tension in the room. Ichigo pushed away his meal having lost his appetite and grabbed a few bottles of sake out of a cabinet before seating himself once more. His family was at least kind and polite enough to let him start at his own pace as Ichigo poured himself a drink and knocked it back before pouring another. He nursed the second as he stared into the swirling liquid as if it contained all of his deeply buried secrets.

"I need a vow from you all that nothing leaves this room. What I have to say can lead to the deaths of millions, perhaps even billions if it get out," Ichigo finally said. Without hesitation or regret they all promised their agreement. The unshakable belief in him hurt more than anything else that had been done to him because what did that say about him and his personality? Why did he think that they couldn't handle it? Isshin was a captain, Kaien was a lieutenant, young though he may be, and Daichi had led the Shiba Clan for decades before finally passing on the responsibilities to Kaien and Chisato had been with Daichi every step of the way, helping him cope with whatever shit life had thrown in their way and made damn sure Daichi not only made it out alive, but smelling like roses.

[Warning of War, Rape and Torture]

Ichigo started off with Aizen's betrayal after he had attempted to save Rukia's life. How Aizen revealed what he had been after, a small innocent looking purple orb that would shape the Gotei 13's future. Aizen had cut Ichigo in half, stopping just short of his spine and it was only Ichigo's will not to die that allowed him to hang on long enough for Orihime to arrive and stop his organs from spilling out any further. The sight of his intestines spilling onto the ground did him no favors and the green tint on Chisato's face would have been amusing in any other circumstance if it wasn't like Ichigo was damn near experiencing everything all over again.

Orihime's kidnapping was the opening salvo of the Winter War and sparked Ichigo to foolishly run in head first, again, to fight an entire army with only his best friends at his side. While Nel's introduction brought a few quiet chuckles the ominous, dead tone Ichigo slipped into as he receited with almost clinical detachment the following events quelled the joy immediately. If the Shiba Clan had never realized something was seriously wrong with him before then they certainly did then. The lively if quiet boy they all knew had retreated within himself as he nursed his…third- no fourth- glass of sake. They soon learned why.

Ichigo died! A cero by the fourth espada blasted a hole through his chest cavity and he had hollowfied, his body running completely on instinct with the lack of conscious and he had impaled his friend on his own sword in his instinct induced rage. The fact that he returned to see Orihime looking at him in complete fear and that Uryú was bleeding everywhere and looking at him with accusatory eyes only worsened the situation. The relief they felt couldn't be properly described that Ichigo didn't murder his friend, but the tale only got worse from there.

Aizen threatening to destroy his home and family, destroying his Soul Sleep and thus access to his powers, the utter loneliness he was forced into when his friends tried to treat him like glass whenever hollows or supernatural matters were brought up before he was betrayed yet again by someone who proposed a method to restoring his powers, all of his friends being turned against him through memory manipulation (and wasn't that a clusterfuck all by itself), and then finally Rukia stabbing Ichigo through the back to return his powers.

The Thousand Year Blood War made Aizen's little uprising seem cute in comparison. Juha Bach had his forces spy on the Gotei 13 to learn all of their weaknesses and had an answer to any plan the Gotei could scrounge up. The Wandenreich separated them and hunted down the squads weaker members as the Sternritter kept them occupied. The streets ran red and bodies were everywhere. The next few weeks were a stalemate as Juha Bach tried to entice them to hunt his own forces and then pounce whenever they overextended. Ichigo was one of the reckless members to try and save a group that were outnumbered and outgunned in every sense of the word, made worse by the fact that most of the captain's attention was focused elsewhere by attacking Sternritter and unable to help him.

Juha Bach descended and brutalized him, all of his attacks were thwarted and Ichigo watched as his bankai was shattered by a mere clench of the Quincy King's hands. A bankai is the ultimate release of their power and in Ichigo's case contained within one small sword. It was the complete manifestation of all his power compressed into a blade that let him cleave through damn near everything and Juha Bach mocked him with an open palm to halt his attempt, and he succeeded! Lost in the shock Ichigo could do nothing as Juha Bach nearly caved in his head and knocked him unconscious.

It was here that Ichigo gained another layer within his tone, though it did nothing to ease them because there was such…hatred and self loathing flooding out of his reiatsu. It choked them all in the intense feelings of wrath that it took a harsh rebuke from Old Man Zangetsu to get his head on straight and reel in his spilling reiatsu.

"Sorry," was all he muttered, knocking another shot of sake back, the sixth of the night.

"Juha Bach wanted me to join him," Ichigo said. "He even called me, 'My Son,' because as the father off all the Quincy he can manipulate them all to some extent. When I refused his offer he sent a few of his more…aggressive members into my cell to change my mind. That was when I met As Noct and Bambietta Basterbine."

Kaien stored the other name for later. The bubbling fury that was beneath his skin demanded retribution. He would enjoy hunting them down and forcing them to experience whatever it was they had done to his baby brother.

"Every Sternritter has a special ability ingraved within their soul granted to them by Juha Bach. As Noct's was 'Fear.' He created thorns and each thorn carried his ability to inflict as much terror in his opponent as possible. Some of the shinigami he fought died more from fear than the wounds they received. You can fight against his power with a strong will…something I certainly had a lot of," Ichigo growled, baring his teeth. "So they had to get even more creative. Bambietta commissioned two drugs that would make someone more suseptible and another that changed the chemicals in the brain that relate to interpreting and experiencing touch.

"I- I was bound to a table," Ichigo whispered, his hand shaking enough that he had to place his drink onto the table. "Noct enjoyed stabbing his thorns into my joints and twisting and separating the bones. He did it for hours, going from one to the next until he finally dissolved his thorns and let my body's healing factor kick in. Then he would leave and Bambietta would take his place."

Ichigo stared unseeingly at the table. Isshin shifted uncomfortably. He had asked for this, pushed for it, because Unohana had asked him to do so. This should- hopefully would- help Ichigo onto the proper path of healing instead of ignoring the problem he was forcing down. It didn't assuage the guilt that was enveloping about making his 'nephew' relive everything though. It was made worse because he needed to ask for more.

"And Bambietta?" Isshin asked, carefully masking his own revulsion to sound as strong and stable as possible. "What did she do?"

Ichigo looked up with eyes that cut him bloody to the core. He shouldn't have asked. Too much, this was what Unohana had warned him of. There were somethings that people shouldn't ever remember.

'Fuck,' Isshin cursed, aimed at himself and the woman- monster- responsible for Ichigo's state.

"Her favorite tool was a whip. However she also enjoyed flaying me with knives."

At that Chisato finally did throw up. Ichigo was at her side in a flash, the movement so fast even Isshin didn't see it, and held her hair and rubbed her back in comforting circles. Isshin wanted to laugh. The person who just looked like a emotionally dead talking puppet was supporting her instead of the other way around. He really wanted to laugh, because anything else would be destructive. Engetsu roared with volcanic rage that echoed Isshin's own sentiments, but his control contained his rage, saving it for an appropriate outlet where he would then burn everything and everyone to dust. Yamamoto may hold the title as the strongest fire type zanpakuto wielder, but Isshin was certainly no slouch in that department.

Daichi took over from Ichigo and Ichigo slumped back into his seat. Kaien grabbed his shoulder in support and Ichigo surprised them all as he kept talking.

"I told you all that one of the drugs Bambietta gave me amplified the sense of touch. That doesn't just mean pain. Bambietta had a reputation in the Wandenreich for taking their subordinates into her bed and killing them afterward. Because she wasn't allowed to kill me she had to find another method of enjoyment. She wanted me to beg. To stop, for more, it didn't matter, she just liked the sense of control. It infuriated her that I never gave in. I didn't break!" Ichigo hissed in homicidal satisfaction.

"How long?" Isshin asked quietly.

"27 days," Ichigo said flatly.

"Almost a month," they breathed. Ichigo nodded jerkily before standing up and departing for his room. He wouldn't be sleeping, but he done far too much socializing for his comfort and the emotional upheavel storming through his soul was very telling. He laid on his bed and sank into Jinzen.

'Maybe Zangetsu would be up to another spar?'

The next day was less emotionally distressing for Ichigo as he found himself touring the Seireitei and listening to the hushed conversations of the nobles about their theories about how quickly the rebellion would be put down and between shinigami asking far more accurate and pressing questions like how many of them were going to die in the war. Ichigo had decided to continue his course of bad decisions by taking a detour toward the 11th division. His previous venture to duel the newest captain had been withheld and Zangetsu had made it clear that he needed to "stop pussy futting around already and challenge the bastard," so Ichigo damn near jaunted through the front gate.

As always the Eleventh was a functional chaos of spars taking place in the training yard. Zaraki was sitting on the porch to the office as he observed his squad going through routines on one half while the other tried to put what they learned into practice. Zaraki noticeably didn't have the bells added to his hair yet, but the familiar eyepatch was already in place. Ichigo felt the adrenaline rushing already. He was going to enjoy this. Considering he was alread graduated, he wasn't going to need his uniform anymore, and thus completely disposable. His clothes rarely survived a serious fight and considering Ichigo was going to be fight the Last Kenpachi, it was not only likely but guaranteed he was going to be carved and bloody at the end of this the moment they both got serious. A smirk reminiscent to Zangetsu's split across his face as he stopped in front of the captain.

"Care for a spar, Captain?" the captain part was said so mockingly that everyone in the training yard stopped what they were doing, expecting to see a show of the captain making a mess of an arrogant student who just graduated. However Zaraki's instinct wasn't as dull as theirs, he saw a well hidden power beneath the surface. Zaraki's face lit up in a bloodthirsty grin that emphasized his scars.

'This was going to be fun,' they both thought. Zaraki wordlessly walked past him to the center of the yard whereupon the division quickly backed away and crowded around the walls for a beatdown. Word quickly traveled that the captain would be fighting someone and more and more people arrived in bursts of speed.

Ikkaku Madarame stood between the two of them as referee where he promptly swung his arm down for them to start, halting Ichigo's thoughts of whether Ikkaku had achieved bankai yet.

'Fast!' Ichigo thought, dodging the first overhead swing. The force behind it crevaced the earth by the wind pressure alone. Ichigo unsheathed his swords and instantly entered shikai just in time to match the next blow. Ichigo grit his teeth and strained to match Kenpachi's superior physical strength. The ground cratered beneath their feet and acted as the beginning to their real fight. Ichigo used his smaller blade to deflect the next blow and used the opening to cut Zaraki's cheek.

Zaraki raised his hand to his face and stared at the blood on his hand in astonishment. Then his entire demeanor changed. He started laughing. Someone cut him! How long had it been since someone had actually managed to injure him? The wonderful feeling as your life gangs on a razors edge in battle, he had almost forgotten the euphoria. Then the eyepatch he wore caught up to reality and slipped off his face from the earlier cut. Kenpachi looked into Ichigo's unimpressed eyes as his reiatsu exploded and sent dust scattering in every direction.

'He's strong. More. More, give me more! Fight me!' Kenpachi howled to himself. His competitive spirit roared and they met in the center again and again. Slowly, ever so slowly, Kenpachi unknowingly allowed his shackles on his power to release.

Ichigo grunted in pain as his arms strained to withstand Kenpachi's ever increasing power. But despite the pain, he couldn't stop the smile from growing on his face. He could feel it. His former strength was returning, just enough to match the monstrous beast pressing into him. Kenpachi started laughing maniacally and Ichigo joined in. It felt so good to finally release all of his power after restraining it throughout the academy. His eyes glowed blue and Ichigo released a point blank wordless Getsuga on their next exchange. Zaraki burst through the smoke with a slight cut on his chest and they continued once more. Kenpachi planted his feet and held onto the hilt with both of his hands.

'Oh shit,' Ichigo thought, raising his power to the max and surrounded his swords with a contained Getsuga to meet the hammering swing. Despite his preparations, Ichigo was blasted back into the wall and caused a passerby to scream as he bulldozed right through it. Ichigo shunpoed behind Zaraki and Kenpachi's smirk impossibly widened even more. His yellow reiatsu clashed in the center with his own black that was slowly being stained red on the edges. Ichigo knew he couldn't truly match Kenpachi with his full strength without revealing he possessed hollow powers, but that didn't mean he couldn't give one hell of a show before that. Ichigo activated Blut Arterie and the next exchange sent the Eleventh taicho stumbling before Ichigo threw his sword. Zaraki carelessly batted aside the sword and met Ichigo's jumping attack when Ichigo twisted and kicked him in the face, breaking his nose and flew into the awaiting crowd who scrambled to get out of the way.

"Is that really a student?" One of the squad members mumbled as he got up from his desperate dive and dusted himself off. Zaraki flared more of his power and everyone except for the lieutenant, third, and fifth seat collapsed to their knees or were flattened to the earth.

"Our captain is so strong," Ikkaku said to Yumichika. Though they were standing they couldn't move an inch. It felt like they were standing at the bottom depths of the ocean, the pressure surrounding them from all sides and they couldn't do anything but look on in fear and pray. And they weren't even the one the captain was focusing on! Ikkaku managed to turn his head to see the student, Shiba Ichigo if he remembered correctly, standing tall and slowly advancing forward. A smirk fell onto his lips.

'Monsters. This is a battle between monsters.'

Ichigo met Zaraki in the center of the yard once again and the titanic clash flew everything away, the grass was shredded and dust vanished, the squad barracks cracked and the shingles on the walls around the division dissolved as they were turned into pure reishi and Ichigo held out a hand to absorb the power into his palm. Then he gathered all of it onto his sword as it changed from the blackish red into pure gold as it crackled. Ichigo sunk into the earth from the increased gravity phenomenon and then his second sword jumped into his now free hand and Ichigo raised both swords into the air. Kenpachi laughed as he raised his power to match the feeling before him. The clouds scattered through the sky as the two beams of light rose in the air.

It was at this moment that the entire Eleventh Division realized they weren't going to survive between these two behemoths.

"Getsuga-" Ichigo started as Kenpachi once more took a traditional kendo stance. "Ten-"

"Just what do you think you two are you doing?" A voice split the air as a bloodthirsty aura pierced their battle haze. Then a cane slammed into Ichigo's face as Kenpachi felt the scar on his face itch as Yachiru Unohana shed her persona for her cold eyes to bore into his own as she stepped between them. All of his excitement died in an instant. This wasn't when or where they could continue their fight. The battleground was too small and crowded.

"Tch," Zaraki spat. "Just when it was getting fun." He turned to see Ichigo getting up from his surprise attack with a massive bruise on his cheek that was slowly disappearing as he observed.

'Amazing. He might be the one,' Zaraki thought. 'The one who will give me the fight I need. But not yet,' he noted. 'He got stronger through the fight, so if I give him more time to train, will he be even stronger the next time we meet?' He was eager to see the result.

"Hey! What's your name?" It would make it easier to track him down again if he had a name.

"Shiba Ichigo," he said, his bruise completely gone by the time he uttered the last syllable. Zaraki grinned again.

"Ichigo. Hmph, I'll remember that." Zaraki then walked into his division barracks.

"Get back here Zaraki!" Yamamoto yelled. "I did not release you." As if karma was matching his words, the roof above the Kenpachi collapsed on top of him. There was a startling silence before the wood and clay tiles exploded outward and the captain looked a little miffed, even if completely uninjured from the environmental accident.

"I will not repeat myself again," the eldest captain said, calming now the cloying auras had vanished. "What made you two imbeciles think such rampant destruction was a good idea?"

Kenpachi met Ichigo's eyes and they both turned and spoke at the same time, "We were sparring."

The Head Captain did not twitch or show any visual cue to his annoyance. Instead he did something much more terrifying to all of the assembled masses. He opened both of his eyes and stared at the two of them before letting out the most dreaded sound of all…a deep, rumbling chuckle that faded within a couple seconds. A deathly aura containing a heat wave dried all vegetation in the area, all moisture in the area evaporated and the distant clouds unleashed a crackle of lightning and unleashed their load of rain into the Rukongai. The bystanders felt their tongues taste like char and desperately tried to wet their mouths in vain.

"My office. You have two minutes to arrive or I will hunt you down myself…is that clear?" Yamamoto spoke softly, though in the complete void of sound the Eleventh Division had become it might have been as loud as a battle cry.

"Yes, sir," Ichigo said, his tone cracking just slightly. Then the Head Captain disappeared and everyone took a collective breath and sigh of relief. Yamamoto was still terrifying as always. He was not an opponent Ichigo could take lightly even at his max strength. While he would have won, he wasn't sure how much it would have cost him to achieve victory.

"Ichigo," Unohana said sweetly in his ear from behind him. "After the Head Captain releases you, please join me at my division."

"Ah, I was actually going to meet-"

"That wasn't a request," she said just as sweetly, placing a hand onto her cheek and smiled demurely. Ichigo felt a cold shiver down his spine in contract to the heat still lingering in the air.

"Okay," he said, turning and running in the fastest shunpō he could achieve to meet the Head Captain and probably get the largest chewing out of his life.

'What had his life become?' Ichigo asked bemused. 'Still, that was a fun fight. I'm definitely going to do it again…somewhere safer and more open. Should I ask Hikifune to build a gate to Heuco Mundo like Kisuke and Mayuri did? It was something to think about.

'As well as…' he smirked. 'Well, now that's a great idea.'

After receiving a verbal tongue lashing that could be written down as the most viscous attack in history, Yamamoto dismissed Kenpachi and Ichigo was directed to sit at the table where Chōjirō was finished brewing a new pot of tea. Yamamoto sipped his drink before asking, "What was the real reason you sparred with Zaraki? 'I wanted to get stronger,' and 'because it was fun' are not a suitable answer."

Ichigo took a sip of his own cup of tea to quench his still dry mouth.

"I needed an appropriate showing for Aizen. Now he has no choice but to try and bring me in or kill me…both of which will fit into a possible avenue to kill or arrest him. As long as we spin it right."

"This was a huge gamble," he said, his heavy frown pinched his facial scars. "Do not take such actions again without at least consulting me first."

"So you had another great idea to get Aizen interested in me?" Silence. "I thought not," Ichigo sighed. "I have a request. On my first leave I would like to take a trip to the human world. Kyoto to be precise."

"Why?" Yamamoto asked, though he didn't sound opposed to it.

"I sensed something strange when I was killing all of those hollows but I wasn't able to get a good idea of what it was because of the thousands of different signatures."

"Why did you not place this into your report?"

"'I sensed something strange'is something to place into a report?" Ichigo asked, raising his brow. Yamamoto humphed.

"That is why we have investigators and a division geared toward research, do we not?" Yamamoto asked blandly, which Ichigo had to concede to. "Very well, access granted. But you must complete your punishment first or I will revoke your request."

"You're so cruel," Ichigo joked dryly.

"Get out of my office," Yamamoto sighed. Ichigo gave a two fingered salute and left as quickly as possible. "That cheeky brat. He'll be the death of me if Shunsui doesn't kill me first."

"You like him, don't you?" Chōjirō asked quietly, standing beside the window with his arms clasped behind his back.

"I think he has potential…but he needs a dose of humility. He may act and sound calm most of the time, but you can see it can't you? The reckless beast beneath his skin, straining at the shackles and wanting to charge forth to obliterate his foes. He is much more like Zaraki than he realizes. His impatience is only the beginning."

"Ejisai?" Chōjirō questioned.

"It's nothing. Just a premonition," Yamamoto said dismissively.

"Ah, then in that case I will increase my vigilance," his lieutenant and best friend said resolutely. Genryusai hummed.

"That might be a good idea. War is on our doorstep after all. It would be remiss of us to be unprepared when a more dangerous foe lies in wait at the horizon."

"So you really believe his story then? That Juha Bach is going to return?"

"There is not a single doubt in my mind. It is the only reason I still remain alive," the aged captain said.

"Then I shall cherish the time we have until his defeat." Yamamoto snorted.

"You are ever the optimist, old friend."

"I wasn't aware that was a bad quality to have," Chōjirō said calmly, they had had this conversation many times. Yamamoto joined him at the window to stare out at their home.

"No. I don't think it's something to discard carelessly."

"200 years," Chōjirō muttered. "Perhaps you should crack down on Shunsui a little more to take over some of your responsibilities?" Yamamoto hummed in thought at the proposal.

"No. Let him enjoy his time for now. When he takes my seat he will have to sacrifice much. That is not a responsibility I would wish on anyone, but at least I am content knowing he will be adept at leading the Gotei 13 should the worst or unthinkable happen."

"And the young Shiba?" Yamamoto was silent for a while.

"I think destiny has a greater plan for him," he said at last. They fell into quiet contentment as they enjoyed the peace while it lasted. As Yamamoto said earlier, war is on their doorstep, and they were always going to be in the thick of it. That is the burden placed upon the leader, and Yamamoto would be damned if he allowed that weight be passed too quickly. His hand briefly clenched around his disguised zanpakutō. No, Yamamoto still had a few more years left in him.

'I'm waiting, Juha Bach.'

Ichigo joined Hisoki for a quick drink after he escaped the clutches of an irate Unohana who said and did things that will go unmentioned. He never knew she was as scary as that though. Hisoki was mostly unwilling to spoil the surprise of what would happen when he joins the Onmitsukidō, but he did hint that there would be a test. No matter how hard Ichigo tried to get him to expand on his comment Hisoki either stubbornly or cleverly reflected the conversation to something else.

While Ichigo was drinking with Hisoki, his daughter was taking the free moment to speak to Unohana now that she was done intimidat- I mean lecturing- Ichigo of what is acceptable for sparring in the middle of the Seireitei. The Goddess of Flash snuck in through a window to find Unohana tearing through multiple clipboards of data about her various patients.

"Retsu. Do you have a minute?" The Shihoin princess asked, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms.

"What do you need?" she answered briskly, swapping one page for another and making a disappointed note of sound about a member's capabilities in properly filing.

"Shiba Ichigo's medical file." Unohana stilled, carefully placing the boards down onto her desk and faced the other captain.

"Explain."

"I need to know how much it will take to break him."

It was a vital process in training the Onmitsukidō. They pushed their forces far past the levels of mere cruelty until there was nothing left and then built them back up stronger than ever. Ichigo was not someone Yoruichi was keen on shattering in her efforts to make him great. Wearing away at the rough points? Absolutely. Pushing him past his currently defined limits? Definitely. But completely breaking him? That was something she would rather avoid. For many reasons.

Unohana released a Kidō lock on a cabinet and retrieve his file before holding it out to the other captain. Just before Yoruichi could touch it though, Unohana pulled it just out of reach to say, "Don't abuse it."

Yoruichi looked at the floor before snatching the file.

"You know I have to."

"Hasn't he been through enough?" Unohana asked. Yoruichi smiled bitterly.

"If you were told that a ten year old was stronger than the Head Captain, would you believe them?"

"I thought that you of all people would believe Ichigo," Unohana commented.

"Oh, I do. But that doesn't mean that the stories he's told are completely accurate and I need a first hand account on what he can do and go through to properly judge him."

"Pragmatic until the end?" Unohana said not unkindly. Yoruichi turned to exit the through the window when Unohana interrupted her once more.

"I once stumbled across a child in the Rukongai," she said, making the younger captain draw up short. "The child had a strength like no other and he filled an entire field of corpses. I challenged that child and was soundly defeated. I should have joined in that large pile…but instead I did something unforgivable…I allowed him to weaken himself. Now he no longer seeks to improve upon himself. He is content being weak and shackled, or perhaps even worse, afraid. So you ask me if there is a child out there capable of defeating the Captain Commander, I would say that there is a distinct possibility the rumor may be right. There is always someone out there stronger than you…the Gotei 13 has grown weak and arrogant as the highest power in existence. It will be our fall if we can't change our mindset."

"I'll keep that in mind," Yoruichi said. Receiving advice from the second eldest captain? It would probably be a good idea to take it to heart.

"Yoruichi," Unohana stopped her one last time. "Take care of him. Please."

"I will so my best," she said, jauntily waving over her shoulder.

Ichigo stood outside the East Gate early in the next morning and was glad that reiryoku had the ability to defend against the cold. The air was brisk and fog covered the area in a thick blanket of grey that made it impossible to see more than twenty feet ahead of him. Misaka stepped into his view.

"It's time. I will be your guide. Your task is thus: follow behind me. If you fail to keep pace, you will instantly be marked as a failure and you will be kicked out of the Onmitsukidō into the regular forces. Let's go."

She sharply turned on her heel and left in a slow- for him- shunpō. As they raced, Misaka steadily increased her pace after they changed districts. Every single one. They had been running for nearly three hours and just passed into the fifties when she sharply took a turn and Ichigo raced behind her as they neared a forest. The trees were taller than anything he had seen on Earth. They put redwoods to shame in sheer height and circumference. Ichigo bet he could fit his entire dorm room into the tree trunk. They stopped just outside the entrance to the forest and three large stones. Misaka held up her hand to the left stone and pressed her palm into the center where the stone rippled like water and she stepped through. Ichigo raised his brow in surprise and followed after her.

There was a dark tunnel leading down and Ichigo strained his eyes in the dark as he followed the near silent foot falls. The area then turned completely black and Ichigo realized they had entered a cavern of some sort. His own footsteps echoed in the dark and Ichigo estimated it was at least two football fields in both length and width if not height. Ichigo followed Misaka more through his familiarity with her reiatsu than his eyes and ears until he felt her turn into another tunnel. From there he walked with what felt like forever until he felt her stop abruptly.

"Through here," was the first thing she said since the test began, gesturing through a doorway. Ichigo entered the room and the door closed behind him as light snapped on. The light blinded him after having spent so long in the darkness and it took him a moment to blink the spots out of his eyes. When they cleared Ichigo realized he was in a barracks. A plain cot was in the corner and a small thin table was next to it and that was it. Ichigo briefly likened it to a cell with how barren it was. Not the best imagery to remember considering he had just retold his past to his family and had not left his mind since except for his fight against Zaraki.

Misaka approached him with a set of light grey clothes similar to the Onmitsukidō uniform he had seen before.

"When you place this uniform on, you are no longer Shiba Ichigo. You have no name. No past. No identity. You will be assigned a number. You will address yourself and any other initiate you meet by their number even if you have known them previously. Is that clear?"

"Yes."

"Good," Misaka said, maintaining a stony expression. "This is your only safe haven where you may take off your mask. The removal of your mask at any point will have you kicked from the program. Meals will be provided for you and you will always eat here unless directed otherwise. Get changed."

With that said, she thrust the bundle of clothes into his arms and crossed her arms as she waited.

"Are you not going to leave?"

"I am your evaluator. I gave you an order. Do you wish to question me again?" Ichigo smiled uncertainly.

"I got it." He undressed as quickly as possible and turned around to face his cot as he suited up. The cloth was smooth and hardly made a sound even as he stretched and tested its limits.

'It must be some kind of treatment process it goes through,' Ichigo thought. 'Is it Kidō or some kind of invention from the 12th?' He wasn't going to ask though because he didn't think he was going to get any answers. He took a deep breath and finished placing his mask over his head where the door was then knocked, causing Ichigo to twitch in surprise.

Misaka opened the door and received a metal platter where she then dropped it onto the table for him to eat. Ichigo bit into the…ration bar? He had no idea what it was, but it tasted nasty. It was chewy and tasted like chemicals, but he made himself force it down even though his body shuddered at the taste. When he finished the bar, Misaka leaned in front of his face and stared into his eyes. Ichigo wanted to retreat from the close proximity, but she just said, "Interesting," and retreated to the door where she stuck her head out and had a hushed conversation with whoever was waiting out there. She came back with two more of the disgusting bars.

"Finish it all. We will have a different meal set out for you in the future."

"Ichigo briefly wondered if this was anything like the meals Hikifune makes in the future. Did the food somehow fill their reiryoku reserves? He choked down the other bars and stood up to follow Misaka out the door into the darkness once more…except it wasn't quite as dark anymore. Ichigo saw faint outlines of cracks and crevices in the stone tunnel and how they carved the base into existence.

'Is that what the bars did?' Ichigo wondered. He made it another thirty feet when he noticed something was wrong. His head felt like it was spinning. He took another step and nearly tripped before he regained his balance.

Misaka glanced at him from the side of her eye but made no comment. He was being evaluated, he couldn't be making himself look like a fool! Ichigo cursed at himself and forced himself to walk with more grace than he felt like he had as his stomach twisted.

'What the hell is wrong with me? Am I having an allergic reaction to the food?' It felt like his body temperature was skyrocketing and the air felt cooler. He clenched his hands into fists and ignored the aches spreading throughout his body. Misaka turned into the tunnel and led him back up to the entrance where they took a light jog into the forest. It took everything he had to maintain his pace with her as his entire body felt like it was tearing itself apart. He bent over and vomited onto one of the tree's roots. The liquid seeped into the roots and it was like there was no evidence of him having thrown up at all.

"The hell?" he whispered.

"These trees are rather special," Misaka said, taking slight pity to his curiosity. "They have the ability to absorb all liquids, whether that is something as simple as water, venom from animals, or spilled blood. They take in all available reishi and grow to the size you see before you. Initiates who die in training helped make this possible."

'Fucking vampire trees,' Ichigo complained. 'Seriously? Who thought inventing- no, who thought planting these would be a good idea?'

They continued their jog where Ichigo found twenty-nine other initiates entering the same clearing from different directions with a guide who quickly vanished now their tasks were complete. Ichigo could have sworn he heard a quiet whisper of good luck from Misaka before she too left. Yoruichi and another masked man then appeared in the center and directed them to stand in a line. Ichigo found himself in the middle where she then went down the line assigning everyone a number starting with one on the left and thirty on the far right. She winked at him as she named him number 15. It was his favorite number. Yoruichi continued down the line and Ichigo realized Ren was also there. He was assigned number 29.

"Take a good look at your fellow initiates. They will be your teammates…as well as your competitors. The top three candidates will be offered a seated position and you will be evaluated weekly on your performance. I can't be here for every session, but I will be following your development very closely. Do not disappoint me. Your first official trial is beginning now. The bars you ate only minutes ago were filled with poison. You will follow behind the instructor," she indicated to the man who had been casually watching them all leaning against a tree, "around the forest until he says otherwise." Yoruichi's tone then became predatory as she said, "I would keep up if I were you. We only have 25 antidotes." She followed her words with a malicious smile that had several of the initiates shifting nervously.

"Start," she said before vanishing into the trees. The instructor then took off to the edge of the forest and intended on sprinting around the perimeter. Ichigo quietly sighed in resignation before running after the departing man. Most of the class scrambled to make up for lost time, not realizing the instructor would bolt so quickly after their introduction, but Ichigo had a feeling that this would be more a marathon than a sprint as he fought to keep his swaying balance.

Whatever they used to poison him with was certainly effective. It was like the worst flu of his life on top of a hallucinogenic. His surroundings bent and blurred as he raced after the hazy figure in the distance. Soon it was just him, his breathing, the path ahead of him, and the instructor. All other distractions like the labored breathing of his fellow recruits were discarded in favor of maintaining his focus of placing one foot in front of the other. It was a mantra he repeated over and over again in his head.

'One foot in front of the other. One foot in front of the other.'

His stomach rebelled itself again but Ichigo forced it down. He had a task he had to complete, and nothing and no one was going to stand in his way. He picked up the pace to pass the recruit in front of him, then the next one, and then the next one. He didn't stop to check as one recruit collapsed to the ground or for another who was holding the back of his pants in extreme discomfort, something that probably would have been hilarious in any other situation. No, Ichigo just focused onto the black clothed back of their instructor as he pushed himself forward. Ichigo couldn't tell how long he ran, but it was somewhat telling when he circled around the next bend to find a few of the recruits collapsed against trees or the dirt unconscious. Then the instructor finally stopped running and turned around to face Ichigo. Ichigo turned around expecting to see someone else, but there was no one there.

'Huh,' Ichigo thought, stunned.

"It has been 247 years since a recruit successfully completed the Hell Route on their first try. I was the last person to set that record," the instructor said. He grudgingly pulled out a case where a syringe lay innocently and a bottle of light blue fluid. It honestly looked like blue Gatorade that was slightly diluted, except there was a glow to it that gave him the creeps. He proffered the syringe and Ichigo warily eyed the needle before finding a vein and pushed the plunger…and promptly felt a fire enter his veins worse than anything he'd felt before. It was like going back into the dangai and run over the cleaner. He shouted in silent agony as the instructor kneeled over him.

"The first day has a very specific purpose. It is to teach you initiates several lessons. One, pain is inevitable in our line of work and you need to learn to push through it."

'Why don't I push my hand straight through your skull?' Ichigo snarled to himself, leveling a murderous glare on the calm man gazing down at him.

"The second is to train your body. The Onmitsukidō have to experience what it feels like to have the poison they use against their enemies on themselves so they know not to abuse that authority. Third, it tests your limits and gives us an idea of how and where to start on achieving that."

Ichigo reached out his hand and grabbed the instructor's ankle in a crushing grip, squeezing with all he had. A kick to his head sent him tumbling in response and Ichigo stared up at the sky as the world spun in and out of focus.

"Lesson number four," the instructor said, the sound barely perceptible through the cotton feeling in his ears and the ringing that would not stop! "Sometimes your commanding officers will lie to you. You are not allowed to judge them for such actions. They do so for your future benefit…even if, no- especially if you don't agree with said orders. And lastly, lesson number five, your life no longer belongs to you. You carry out Shihōin-sama's will and that is all. If she tells you to die to the sword, you will do so with a smile upon your face. If she tells you to kill a family member because there is evidence of corruption, that blade better pierce their throat by the end of the night or I will come for you."

Ichigo showed just how impressed he thought that lesson was and the instructor hid a smile behind his mask. That kid was something else. He would enjoy breaking him. Then his lady could build him back up to her liking. Perhaps he had what it takes to become their best? It was too soon to tell. This was just the beginning of the long series of tests after all. Instructor Hideki pondered about the future as all of the initiates guides returned to retrieve them and place them back into their rooms. Their next test would begin bright and early. For once he was actually looking forward to it.

A couple hours later, Instructor Hideki found himself rigidly standing at attention within the base of a candle lit office. Yoruichi was lounging on a cushion as she poured over the report as Hideki told her observations of the student she had asked him to keep an eye on.

"You gave him three times the regular dosage?" Yoruichi clarified.

"Yes. Agent Misaka informed me that there was no obvious reaction to his initial ingestion and I increased it enough where I thought there would be a response…was I wrong to do so?" Yoruichi clicked her nails on the desk and finally shook her head.

"I would like you to continue doing so for every test going forward. Also, when they split into teams, assign his group double the requirements to start. If they can't keep up for the week we'll reassign them for the next one. Except for Ichigo. If he fails, make it triple. He always seems to rise to a challenge if it's dropped into his lap."

"As you wish, My Lady," Hideki said, bowing in farewell before departing. Now that she was alone Yoruichi sighed and flopped onto her back.

"Don't die on me Ichigo. That would really suck." She saw the report flutter onto the floor and looked up to see that her pile of paperwork had somehow grown taller.

"You suck too," she groaned, flipping over and burying her face into the pillow. Maybe if she ignored it, the paperwork would somehow disappear. Now she knew why her father had retired so early. If every day was as mind numbingly boring as trudging through illiterate or in-comprehensive reports, she certainly couldn't blame him…except she could because he foisted it onto her. She would demand a good present in recompense. It would be the only thing that stopped her from either killing herself, or far more likely, killing the dumbasses who forgot how to properly write a report after graduating the academy.

With the pleasant thoughts of homicide drifting in her head, Yoruichi stretched out on the massive cushion and drifted off to sleep. She'd just foist most of the work onto her lieutenant. Ōmaeda has been a pain recently. It would give her a sense of satisfaction for all the annoyance he'd been causing her and the punishment would keep him out of her hair for a while. She smiled blissfully like a cat after receiving some catnip.

[AN: I debated splitting the chapter up before introducing the Onmitsukidō section but then I realized that this was already chapter 10 and I still hadn't met what I said would happen in the Story Summary, so I thought I would give you a little taste. Also I really wanted to just get a new chapter out because it's been so long.

The next chapter might feel a little like an info dump in the beginning but I am trying to spruce it up to show that yes, Ichigo is in fact improving his skills 'on screen' but writing a training montage is not nearly as fun as reading or thinking one up.

With all of the sub-plots I have cooking up, would anyone care to guess where I'm taking the story or is it still to vague? Learning how to balance revealing information without making it obvious or come out of nowhere like a deus ex machina. (I'm looking at you recent Marvel movies).]

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review what you think sucked or needs improvement or on the other hand if you're an optimist or someone with low expectations, please boost my ego. My self esteem could always use a pat on the head...Lol.

-EmberPhoenix