Disclaimer: All right to the Bleach franchise are monopolised by that magnificent asshole, Tite Kubo.

"Talking"

'Thoughts'

[Mugetsu talking]

"Attack Names"

xxxxxxx

Chapter 3: Halcyon Days

It's been a relatively quiet seven months since the end of the winter War for Kurosaki Ichigo…something that he was unsure how to feel about. On the one hand, it meant that there was no immediate danger and things were proceeding peacefully. On the other hand…it was boring as shit.

Those were the thoughts of our protagonist as he stared out the window of his classroom with a half-lidded look on his face. He could vaguely hear Ms. Ochi droning on about something useless. He never thought he would say this…but he honestly hoped that Kenpachi would come bursting through the door and challenge him to a fight. If his past self heard that thought, he may have had a heart attack.

Boredom-induced crazy thoughts aside, Ichigo was satisfied with the progress he's made during these last few months. His training was quite successful if he honest with himself. Three days after his return home, he stopped by at the local dojo and enrolled himself for regular classes. Something that he can say was a stroke of genius. His previously unrefined hand-to-hand combat style was now polished and free flowing. He didn't have as much wasted movement and unnecessary actions impeding him as before. He would like to think that he was quite a formidable opponent when unarmed.

He did much the same with his sword skills. There wasn't a kendo dojo in Karakura Town but there was one in the neighboring town. He joined without hesitation and the results really showed. He learned to appreciate the elegance and grace needed to truly wield a blade. It was an art form and didn't always need a heavy hand. He wasn't sure how he would stack up against a supernatural opponent but he held confidence in his skills now considering he was able to best some of the most fearsome opponents before he even reached the level of skill that he now possessed.

Ichigo also started a routine of awakening before the crack of dawn and hitting the streets for a run. It was something that gave him a good cardio workout not to mention it improved his stamina. It also helped to clear his mind and focus on just running. Not long after he started his activity, Yuzu and Karin expressed an interest in joining him on his runs. He was all for it. They would join him in the mornings and the residents of Karakura Town that were getting up at that time were treated to the Kurosaki siblings working up quite a sweat. It became a special tradition for them. Something that they strengthened their bond over.

His progress with Kido surprised him. He honestly wasn't expecting much but with his increased levels of control of his reiryoku, it came to him as easily as riding a bike. There were a few hair-pulling moments as he tried to figure out the intricacies behind a few of the individual spells but he eventually got the hang of it and he now had quite the arsenal to unleash.

Learning Cero was even easier. It was annoying to admit it, but Ulquiorra was right…his Getsuga Tenshou really was similar to a Cero. Thanks to that he picked up the skill quite easily. Thanks to his superior control, learning to infuse his skin with reiryoku was a breeze. He would happily boast that he had Hierro that would take a lot of effort to breach. He made sure to switch it off though when he was sparring or in fights with humans as it wouldn't do for people to start asking questions. His High-Speed Regeneration though, was by far his favorite ability. He knew first-hand how devastating this passive ability could be in a fight from his encounter with Ulquiorra and knew it was a nifty little ace to have in the hole.

Not surprisingly, he didn't have that many Quincy skills to his name. Most of them just didn't appeal to him. He did master Blut Vene though, as ever since he found out it was his mother's best technique he made sure he could wield it proudly. Blut Arterie was easier to learn though, considering his offensive inclinations. He made up for his lack in the other skills with his mastery of pure reishi manipulation. He could go as far as craft weapons and shields of pure reishi to wield. Although they didn't have a long lifespan, they were useful in a fight if he needed it.

The most surprising ability that he acquired though was from Mugetsu. He can still remember the day that he finally transcended.

*Flashback*

It was a somber day for a few of the individuals in Karakura Town as only a few seconds ago…the monstrous reiatsu of the resident Substitute Shinigami vanished.

Orihime shed a few tears upon feeling the comforting reiatsu of her crush disappear. Chad, while still stoic, clenched his fists tightly. Uryu didn't react much except scoffing but if you looked closely enough you would see his jaw clenching.

Over at the Urahara-shoten, Kisuke let his head dip and his face be shadowed by his hat. Giving a silent 'thank you' to the young man who sacrificed so much to right the mistakes that he made over a hundred years ago. Yoruichi frowned deeply from her spot next to Kisuke. She didn't enjoy the thought of having to leave a student behind once again…but it was a unanimous decision that it was best to leave Ichigo to his own devices and let him get on with his life.

In the room of the object of everyone's thoughts, said boy opened his eyes and blinked around in confusion. Unsure what to make of what was happening.

"Err…is that it?" He questioned as he scratched his head in confusion.

[Hmph, what were you expecting? Some huge explosion and the secrets of the world to be illuminated in your mind allowing you to achieve enlightenment?]. Mugetsu prodded sarcastically.

Ichigo developed a few tick marks at her snarky response.

"Hey! You don't have to be so mean about it! I didn't know what to expect but you can't blame me for feeling underwhelmed." He argued. "I mean I don't feel that much different. Sure I noticed that my reiatsu feels a lot smoother and more potent than before. It also feels more in my control…but I expected something more…I don't know…awe-inspiring."

[You can thank the control exercises I taught you for that. Due to the fact that you have a near perfect control over your reiryoku, you saved yourself from the flashy explosion of power that would have drawn too much attention us. Because you are in control and not emitting any excess reiatsu like before, all the changes were contained within your body. It may not seem like much, but from my perspective…I can see an astronomic difference. You power is now on a level that is almost godly. Now that it isn't fluctuating anymore, it will also be easier to control. Not to mention, the potency of it will ensure that your Kido and reiryoku based skills like Cero will be even more destructive. Trust me when I say…you are far more frightening then you realize]. She explained to him.

He just sighed in acceptance, taking her words as it was. He would discover any changes in himself when he starts training. For now though, he had a task to perform.

"Should I put up a barrier up to prevent anyone from sensing what I'm about to do. I know you said that they wouldn't be able to sense my reiatsu but I don't want to take any chances in case they can sense any bleed over from any of my techniques." He questioned.

[That shouldn't be a problem. Make sure to use as little reiryoku as possible though. The increased potency of your reiryoku will make the barrier something far more formidable to regular senses. Keep the level of power at the same level of your sisters and use their reiatsu signature to mask its creation]. Mugetsu advised.

Ichigo nodded in acceptance before closing his eyes in concentration. After a few seconds, his eyes snapped open and he clapped his hands together.

"Goyōgai"

A translucent orange pentagonal barrier sprung up in his immediate vicinity. This was a fairly basic Kekkai (Barriers) that Mugetsu taught him. Goyōgai (Five Support Cover) deploys a personal barrier around the caster and stabilises and camouflages the reiatsu contained within. It was a fairly simple technique and it wasn't used much due to its lack of mobility. But for now it would suit his needs just fine. While Mugetsu did tell him that his power would be too high a level to be sensed by regular souls, he wasn't sure what that meant for any Kido he may cast or even the imprinting of his Asauchi. Until he knew further, he would just assume people could sense those techniques and proceed with caution until proved otherwise.

As he settled his thoughts, Mugetsu released her hold on the reishi construct that cocooned the Asauchi. As it broke apart, it revealed the plain blade that lay within. Ichigo gripped it gently, before placing it on his lap and entering a meditative pose.

"So how do we do this?" He questioned.

[Just focus your senses on me and concentrate on synchronizing our reiatsu. Normally, a Shinigami trainee would carry an Asauchi around with them for a few years, during which the blade will absorb residual reiatsu and eventually project a portion of the wielders soul. It is a gradual process. But you aren't conventional by any stretch of the imagination so we will project our reiatsu together, and when they are perfectly synchronized, we jumpstart the process so to speak]. She explained to him.

Ichigo grunted in acceptance before focusing on her reiatsu signature. There was silence for a few moments as they tried to link their thoughts and feelings. His breathing became a bit more labored and sweat started blotching his forehead. Suddenly, his eyes suddenly snapped open. He felt something within him click and he hurriedly poured his reiatsu into the Asauchi, making sure not to overload it. The blank sword greedily sucked up his reiatsu for what felt like ages but in reality was only about ten minutes.

Ichigo watched nervously as the process took place. He soon felt the drain on his reiryoku stop as the Asauchi started glowing brightly. After only a few second the glow died down and Ichigo beheld the blade now lying in his hands.

It was still the same size, a regular katana that was slightly curved at the end. But the feeling it gave off now was otherworldly. The blade portion was a gleaming silver with a dark grey, wavy hamon (Blade Pattern) along the edge. The handle was wrapped in black leather with dark purple diamond patterns running along the sides. It was the same shade as Mugetsu's eyes, he realized. The colour of royalty. It was fitting. The guard was a familiar manji shape, just like his old Bankai. There was a black sheath lying beside him that had a similar intricate purple patterning to his Zanpakutō's kimono. He took the time to silently marvel at the blade and the feeling of rightness it gave him. She felt absolutely perfect in his hands.

[Fufufu…I feel much more comfortable now as well. Having a proper medium really makes a stark difference from before. Don't be too impressed though. This is only my sealed state. You have yet to see my Shikai]. She teased. Ichigo became even more excited at hearing that. He was so used to having a constant-release type Zanpakutō that he almost forgot about her Shikai. She would probably berate him for using his preconceived notions from Zangetsu to judge her, so he best keep it to himself. For now though, he would happily explore the abilities she afforded him.

*Flashback End*

And what frightening abilities they were. Ichigo almost felt bad about how broken her abilities were. Almost. He didn't pity any idiot who thought it would be a good idea to take him on. It wasn't even her godly abilities that was most impressive to him, although it certainly was in a league of its own, it was the passive ability that she granted him that allowed him to use a small portion of her Shikai while she was still sealed. It was only one ability but it was one that could be a game changer. He already put it to good use in helping keep his training away from prying eyes as well as gathering interesting titbits of information. Damn, he really was a badass.

His attitude had also undergone a noticeable change in the last few months, which drew much attention from his peers at school. Gone was the constant scowl that adorned his face. His expression was a lot more neutral now, but it still carried a stern undertone. The younger girls seemed to love his 'cold' personality, saying it made them want to give him a hug. He scoffed at the notion. It didn't help that since he was a lot less angry at the world and a lot more laid back…his natural charisma seemed to shine through and draw people to him. Some of the thugs around Karakura thought he was getting soft because of that. A brutal beat down put those thoughts to rest and re-established his bad-boy image. Only now he had to endure the bane of all creatures. Something that would no doubt send even Aizen crying for his mommy…Fan girls. Cue shudder. He put that horrifying thought out of his mind. The less he dwelled on it the better.

His academic performance also improved in leaps and bounds. He was now in the Top 5 in his grade. He knew he could easily get top spot, but that would seem far too suspicious from the seemingly slightly above average student that he was before. He was fine with where he was.

His relationship with his sisters was a bright spot for him. They became even closer since his return. Ichigo would now stop by their school when he was done and they would walk home together. He would often take them out to the mall or to amusement parks during their weekends. It helped deepen the bond between the three of them. Of course, he did inform them about the supernatural world and their origins a few months ago. He spared no detail in his explanations. They took it surprisingly well and their responses didn't really surprise him. He remembered that day with fondness.

*Flashback*

The silence was deafening in the private karaoke booth that was occupied by the Kurosaki siblings.

It was now five months after the Winter War and Ichigo decided that it was time to come clean with his sisters. He took them out for the weekend, while their father was away on a medical conference, to spend the day like they usually did these days. After an eventful shopping trip to the mall followed by a filling pizza for lunch, Ichigo led the girls to a karaoke centre, much to the surprise of the girls. He silently booked a private room and led the still baffled girls inside before locking the door and silently putting up a silencing barrier. He had already extended his senses and knew that there wasn't anyone with a connection to the spiritual world in the immediate area.

Yuzu and Karin's eyes were threatening to pop out of their skulls as they witnessed the translucent orange dome that surrounded them. They wanted to demand some answers but quietened down when they caught the grim expression on their brother's face.

After exhaling deeply, Ichigo proceeded to explain the events of the last few months, from his encounter with Rukia, invading Soul Society, breaking into Hueco Mundo as well as his battle with Aizen. Karin was a little pale at the revelations and Yuzu was quietly sniffling as she tried to hold back the tears at hearing her brother's struggles. He took an even deeper breath and explain their family's connection to the spiritual world, on both their mothers and fathers side. Needless to say they were shocked. He could see Yuzu trembling a little and Karin was sweating more than was healthy. He understood the struggle it was to come to terms with the fact that the world you believed in was a lie. He felt a bit of disgust with himself at making them endure this, but he knew they would resent him later in life if he kept this from them. He had faith though, in the strength of his sisters. They would overcome this obstacle, and if they needed him, he would be right there guiding them along.

As the minutes ticked by, Ichigo carefully watched their expressions as silence permeated the room. He understood that they were trying to reconcile everything that they learned with their own worldview. After what felt like hours, but in reality was only a few minutes, Karin shakily spoke up.

"I'm glad you told us this, Ichi-nii…I mean…I already assumed something like this was happening…but…w-why are you telling us this now?" Her voice was a bit unsteady and her skin pale and blotched with sweat, but she tried to keep a strong front. Yuzu looked up with her eyes all red and puffy, waiting to hear his answer.

"I felt like you deserved to know. I know first-hand what it's like to be denied information, especially when it's about yourself. I also didn't want you ignorant to a world that you very much have a stake in. I want you to be informed about Hollows, so that you know the danger they possess in the event you ever encounter one. I didn't have the liberty of knowing these things…and look where that got me. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret anything and I'm happy with the way things turned out…but I wouldn't ever want you girls to endure the things I've had to these last few months." He explained to the girls who were listening with keen interest. His face took on a grave expression though as he continued. "That is only one of the reasons. The other is that...despite how you feel about it…you are in serious danger."

"W-what do you mean, Onii-chan?" Yuzu whimpered pitifully.

"You are both the daughters of two powerful, Captain-class individuals. Even though it's still dormant, you both possess impressive reserves of reiryoku. Your potential is even more frightening as you both have the ability to reach the level of a Captain easily if you set your mind to it. It's only a matter of time before a Hollow comes sniffing about, attracted by the passive power that you both give off. They are attracted to that power as you would make a more delicious meal apparently." He stated causing Karin to cringe at his bluntness and Yuzu to sob at the imagery. He so badly wanted to scoop them up in his arms and comfort them, but he needed to finish what he needed to say first. "I know it isn't a pleasant thing to think about but it is a very real possibility and I want you to be at least knowledgeable about the dangers that you are in and will be in the future. I want you to be at ease though, because I want you to remember…that I am here… and no matter what happens, not matter how powerful an enemy shows up…regardless of the struggles we may face…even if it costs me my life…I will always protect you." He declared with such steely determination that all of their fears were blown away in the face of his resolve. Yuzu and Karin cursed themselves for ever being afraid of the dangers of the world. They should have known that their beloved brother wouldn't ever let anything happen to them. Their hearts felt a little lighter and they sat up a little straighter. Poor Ichigo wasn't at all prepared for them to slam into him.

"Ichi-nii!"

"Onii-chan!"

They cried as Ichigo wrapped his arms around the both of them. They girls silently basked in the protective warmth of their big brother. They knew that as long as he was here, nothing would ever happen to them. They revelled in each other's presence a little longer before Ichigo reluctantly broke the hug. He still had more that he needed to tell them.

After they had finally settled down and seated themselves next to him, he brought up the real reason why he told them what he did.

"What will you do now? I told you all of this because I wanted you to have the choice that I was never afforded. You can choose to step into the spiritual world and embrace your heritage if you want to. Unfortunately, it's too late for me. Even though I'm flying beneath the radar so to speak, I have no doubt that I will be dragged into another fight soon. I can feel it in my bones. I honestly would prefer it if you girls could remain ignorant of this hidden world and peacefully live out the rest of your days. It's a selfish wish of mine but I know that choice is yours to make. I wanted you to be aware of the forces that might threaten us soon and understand why I have to do what I have to do sometimes. I know it's a lot to take in, and I know it's unfair to put so much pressure on you girls…but what will you do now? Know that whatever decision you make, I will be there to support you all the way." He declared at he looked them in the eyes, wanting to convey his sincerity and the weight of his promise. They were quietly stewing for a few seconds and it was surprisingly Yuzu that answered first. She beamed up at him with that innocent smile of hers that he loved so much, her eyes sparkling with happiness and understanding as she answered him.

"Nothing has to change, Onii-chan. As long as you're here, that's where we will be. Our place is at your side. I'm not sure about fighting monsters and super powered spirits, I don't think I will be very good at that kind of thing, but we will help you however we can." She said gently, wiping away any residual tears from her eyes.

"Che…you should know us better than that, Ichi-nii. You can be real oblivious at times. We don't care much about having to fight battles for others. We aren't the heroes here…unlike a certain someone who would drop everything and run to help anyone who called out to him regardless of their circumstances." Karin teased her brother, causing him to look a little bashful at her words. She just smirked at the reaction she got out of him. "Even though you've had a much cooler your temperament over the last few months…I know deep down you're still that hot-blooded guy that would shoot first, ask questions never. I know I speak for Yuzu as well when I say we aren't interested in the Soul Society or having anything to do with Hollows. From what you told us, those guys seem really incompetent at their jobs. Especially if they had to have a 15 year old clean up their messes on so many occasions. I'm not too worried about our safety since we have a big lug like you protecting us. Plus its sounds like way too much work. But like Yuzu said, we will help you with whatever you need."

Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief at their response before scooping them both up in a bone crushing hug.

"Kyaa!"

"B-Baka Ichi-nii! Let go of me!"

Yuzu and Karin reacted respectively to Ichigo's sudden display of affection. Ichigo chuckled at their behaviour before releasing them, softly ruffling their hair, much to Yuzu's immense pleasure and Karin's annoyance, though even he could tell she was putting up an act.

"Haha…sorry sorry. I'm just happy at your decision."

"Hmph…I misjudged you, Ichi-nii. It's seems all the time you spent away from us turned you into some kind of sexual deviant that has no problem molesting his defenceless little sisters." Karin jabbed sharply at him, causing Yuzu's face to turn scarlet and steam to come out of her ears.

"Wha! That…I…what…It wasn't like that!" He spluttered loudly, protesting his innocence. His face heated up at the accusation and he feebly tried to defend himself. Nothing was working though as Karin gave him a look of faux sympathy…conveying that they would still love him even if he was a shameless pervert. It was a real blow to his poor ego. He could hear Mugetsu laughing in his mind at his unfortunate predicament.

[Fufufu…You have the power to probably destroy the world if you wanted to…yet a few words from your adorable little sisters and you turn into a sputtering mess. My, my…it seems the big, bad transcendent is totally whipped]. She teased him.

'Quiet you! I'm not whipped! She just caught me off guard!' He defended himself, although it didn't seem to help as he could still hear her tinkling laughter in his mind.

"Don't worry, we won't judge you no matter what kind of depraved lifestyle you lead. I'm sure Yuzu wouldn't mind either. She's a hard-core bro-con you know." Karin quipped, much to the mortification of her sister.

"Karin-chan!" Yuzu protested, grabbing her sister's cheek and pinching it hard, a look of embarrassment on her face.

"Ouch! It hurts! It hurts, Yuzu!" Karin flailed as she tried to get out of the deceptively strong grip of the more timid twin.

Ichigo just let out exasperated breath before face-palming. The antics of these two would be the reason he turned grey at a young age. He let them quarrel amongst themselves for a few minutes before breaking them up and getting the conversation back on track.

"I'm happy to know that you want to stay out of the spiritual world, but like I said, you won't be able to rid yourself from it entirely. It's in your blood, and I've learned that it's never good to deny a part of yourself. The real problem is that others may try to take advantage of you. I won't always be around, and while I loathe the idea of having you fight…I want to at least make sure you know enough to defend yourselves, if you are ever in a situation that calls you to. And I don't mean from just the supernatural world either, there are a lot of dangers here in the World of The Living. So this is what I propose…I can jump start the reiryoku within you allowing you to access your power, similar to what happened to me. Unfortunately I don't have any more Asauchi so you would have to go without a Zanpakutō, but I doubt either of you wanted to swing around a sword anyway. I will train you both in the art of Kido, which I'm sure you both will excel at not to mention Kaidō (Healing Kido), which I'm sure you'd be interested in Yuzu. I also want you to enrol in the dojo with me and at least learn some self-defence." Ichigo suggested, clearly taking in their reaction. Yuzu looked excited at the possibility of learning to heal, Karin though, brought up another point.

"But you said that the stronger our…err…reiatsu is, the more likely we are to attract Hollows. I get teaching us to defend ourselves for that 'just-in-case' scenario…but wouldn't it be a but counter-productive if you training our abilities is what draws them to us in the first place leaving us no choice but to continuously fend them off and eventually calling attention to ourselves." Karin pointed out, being as pragmatic as ever. Ichigo, just smiled proudly at her. Happy that she had the foresight to see a flaw in his suggestion. Fortunately, he already took that into account.

"I'm glad that you pointed that out. I've already taken that into account which I why I made these." Ichigo replied before dramatically presenting two bracelets, one with a floral pattern and the other with the logo of Karin's favourite football team. Yuzu's eyes lit up at the accessories while Karin just gave him a deadpan stare. Ichigo just ignored her and continued his explanations. "This is a special device I crafted that will create and invisible and undetectable force field on your skin that will mask your reiatsu to all those around you. To those spiritually aware, you will be nothing more than slightly above average human. This will ensure you are protected from Hollows as well as keep you off the radar of the Soul Society. With this, I can train you to an acceptable level and you can go on with your lives as normal…only now you have the added security of knowing that you can protect yourselves and each other should the situation call for it."

Ichigo was never more thankful for Aizen's knowledge than he was when he discovered this little gizmo. Apparently, Aizen ordered Szayel, the Octava Espada, to build a device that would mask Orihime's reiatsu and make her intangible to everything around her, except for the Arrancar. It was how he was able to take her to Hueco Mundo while making it seem that she had turned traitor. Ichigo used the knowledge of that device and crafted something similar to bypass the senses of any Hollow, Shinigami or any other supernatural race. It was hard work but Mugetsu spared no punches, in some cases literally, when it came to pounding the knowledge she got from Kyoka Suigetsu into his head. From Aizen's knowledge and understanding of politics to science to psychology…it was a bit tedious at first…but he was supremely thankful now that he looked back. He gained a deeper understanding of the world and the afterlife as well the kind of possibilities that he could open up for himself. It was thanks to that knowledge that he was able to painstakingly craft these bracelets for his sisters. It would easily solve the biggest worry that plagued him. But he wouldn't let his guard down, even if he was positive the devices will function at 100%. One can never be too careful after all. So while he now had a slew of scientific knowledge in his brain…he didn't have the curiosity or the drive to pursue those fields like Urahara or Aizen did. He would use what he could, but that was as far as it went for he simply didn't care to do more.

The girls happily accepted the bracelets and slipped them on. Ichigo immediately noticed that their presence seemed to be a bit more diminished than it previously was. He was sure that his father wouldn't notice the minor difference as one would only spot it if they were really looking deeply for the difference.

"Okay girls, now that we have that sorted out…I need you to promise me that you will not tell dad about any of this." The stern expression on his face sobered them up. Yuzu frowned at that while Karin simply raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"But Onii-chan-"

"No Yuzu. This is important. Dad still thinks I'm powerless and I'd like to keep it that way, at least for now. I know he wouldn't endanger my anonymity or sell me out to the Soul Society, but he has this strange notion that if he keeps things like this a secret from us then we will be safe. As you can see…I'm living proof to how stupid that idea was. He's too stubborn to see reason and I don't plan on letting him think anything is different from how he envisions his perfect little world. It's also a bit of petty vengeance on my part for all the years he's lied to us." Ichigo shrugged nonchalantly. Karin just smirked in approval, knowing that she was all for messing with their dad. Yuzu was a little more conflicted though. She didn't like the idea of keeping secrets from her family. "Don't worry, I plan on taking full responsibility. I know it will be difficult Yuzu, but please…do this for me." He pleaded.

That was all it took to seal the deal. Yuzu could never deny her brother anything. Something that Karin was well aware of if her snickers were anything to go by.

The siblings spent the rest of the day chatting about the supernatural world and all the strange characters that Ichigo encountered. Of course, they didn't let the karaoke booth go to waste and belted out some tunes. It came as a surprise to the girls though, when they heard the smooth alto voice that their brother possessed after they strong armed him (i.e. turning on the puppy-dog eyes at full blast) into singing…much to Ichigo's embarrassment. It was something that the girls never let him forget…Mugetsu included.

*Flashback End*

The training of the girls progressed smoothly since then. He made ample use of the passive ability of Mugetsu to give them a training space that camouflaged their reiatsu from the other spiritually aware individuals in the town. He could easily class them as at the level of some of the lower tier Lieutenants. They were still growing of course so he would see how far they are willing to take their abilities.

Karin took well to the physical aspects of the abilities he trained them in. Her skills in Hakuda and Hoho were frightening. She could move at impressive speeds with her Shunpo and she hit like a freight train. He reminded her of Yoruichi a lot in the way she moved and attacked. It filled him with immense pride to see how well she developed.

Yuzu, unsurprisingly to him, took to Kido like a fish to water. The skill and finesse that she could wield Hado and Bakudo were truly magnificent. She was more inclined towards Bakudo, often using them as support abilities to augment Karin's offence when they spar with him. Her best skill though, was Kaidō, something he knew would happen. She was a kind and gentle girl by nature and healing was something that was fitting for her personality. He only wished that he could introduce her to Isane. He knew the two of them would get on like a house on fire. Something that brought a smile to his face.

Karin loved her sister's ability to heal, especially after Ichigo would put the beat down on them in training. The girls learned the hard way that Ichigo didn't cut corners when it came to training. He would not coddle them at all. His tough love approach worked though and they were now at the level that he could put his mind at ease for the most part.

He was relieved that his reiatsu masking bracelet, or the RMB as Karin named it, worked as well as he hoped it would. There was no indication that his father noticed the exponential rise in power from the girls. He was grateful for that. After they reached the level that they did, Ichigo took it a lot easier on them, allowing them to go back to their ordinary lives for the most part. He did ensure that they would train together on weekends to ensure that their skills didn't atrophy. Plus, it was a good way for them to bond. His only hope was that they would stay far away from the danger that he was so used to and that the skills he taught them would never needed to be used.

A commotion in the hallway outside his classroom caught his attention. He glanced out the corner of his eye to see Ishida racing down the hallway. Not that Ichigo was surprised, he sensed the Hollow as soon as it appeared. Thanks to his increased discipline, he was able to curb his more natural instincts to run out and slay the beast. That wouldn't have helped his cause in the slightest. He decided to put his trust in the power of his friends and their ability to protect the town from regular Hollows.

Friends.

That word left a bitter taste in his mouth. That was one of the changes in his live that upset him greatly. Ever since the end of the war, he could feel his friends slowly pulling away from him. They still saw each other at school and spoke casually with each other but there was something that irked him about their behaviour. He noticed it when he hardly ever saw Chad around anymore. Apparently, he was spending a lot of time in the neighbouring town. Ishida was as cold and distant as ever but there was a little something missing in the few interactions they actually did manage to have that told Ichigo that things were different. It was a lot more noticeable with Orihime. She didn't come by his desk to greet him every morning like she used to and there was a certain hesitance to her actions that was apparent to most of his classmates. There was also the pitying looks that they often directed at him that pissed him off.

He supposed that they were unsure of how to act around him now that he was 'powerless'. At first he was a bit upset but he soon came to realise that the entire basis of their friendships was their connection to the spiritual world. When he looked at it from that perspective, he could understand that he was now an outsider so to speak. They couldn't interact in the same way as before. It strangely made him understand what Tatsuki must have felt when they were off fighting Hollows all those months ago. He supposed that it was partially his fault for not telling them that he still retained his powers. But he had thought that their bonds transcended something like him being 'powerless'. It was something that he came to accept though. Maybe it was their way of dealing with the hardships they've had to endure. They were survivors of a war after all. Distancing yourself from painful memories is only natural. He would never begrudge them that. Maybe he was reading too much into it. Maybe they just wanted him to live out a normal life, free of the spiritual world. He didn't know. They were teenagers though, and they were slowly maturing. Sometimes you have to walk a different path as you get older. Maybe they now saw the world from a different perspective. Who knows? He would never hold it against them though. He still considered them his friends. Nothing would change that. He would watch over them and protect them if they needed him to but maybe it was time for him to try to move on with his life too. It was only natural to sometimes grow apart as you get older

What was even more upsetting was that not a single Shinigami visited him, not even Rukia. That pissed him off fiercely. It was even more frustrating because he would often see her patrolling the town. He would sometimes see her with Orihime, although he would feign ignorance of her presence and speak to Orihime…hoping that Rukia would at least say something to Orihime to pass on to him. But he didn't even get a simple hello. Even if she was under the impression that she couldn't see her, he knew for a fact that she had a Gigai that would allow her to interact with non-spiritually aware individuals. How hard was it to slip on that Gigai and stop by to say hello?

At first he was deeply saddened by her behaviour. That sadness became frustration. Frustration that soon turned into anger. Eventually he settled for cold indifference. He understood all too well that he no longer had any use to the Soul Society and therefore there was no need to maintain contact with him. Maybe that wasn't the motivation for Rukia, who probably wanted him to live out his regular life or was under orders not to interact with him, but it most certainly was for the rest of them. It left a bitter taste in his mouth. But in the end, he realised that it shouldn't be that surprising. He had a low opinion of the Soul Society from the very beginning and this only served to lower it even further. He had hoped the bonds and friendships that he made with people like Rukia, Renji or even Toshiro would carry through. But it seemed like it may have been a bit one-sided on his part. He didn't dwell on it though, as it wouldn't affect his motivations. He had alreeady decided to wash his hand of the Soul Society and this only made it easier.

He hadn't heard from Urahara or Yoruichi either. Considering the roles they played in the circumstances of the war and the prelude to it, which involved using him to smoke out Aizen, Ichigo wasn't surprised. He didn't care much for Urahara, as his trust in the shopkeeper had already deteriorated by the end of the war. His manipulations of Ichigo and his friends ensured that he would never be in the former Substitute's good books.

It was Yoruichi's absence that was more hurtful to Ichigo. He had thought that they had a good bond after she had started to train him. She was like that crazy aunt that would visit every so often and embarrass him for her own amusement. Even though he complained about it a lot, he found that side of her endearing. Which was why he felt a little betrayed when she simply disappeared from his life without so much as a goodbye. He knew he could find her if he wanted, but that kind of defeated the purpose of his plan. In the end, it boiled down to the fact that she was more loyal to Urahara and his plans, most of which seemed to involve manipulating him. It made him feel like an after-thought. Like piece that had been discarded from the chessboard. That was compounded by the fact that she was aware of his heritage and never told him anything. He expected something like that from Urahara but he had trusted Yoruichi far more than the shopkeeper which was why her actions, or inaction, in some cases stung a little more. That was probably harsher than it actually was as his high opinion of her didn't allow him to think she would treat him as such. Besides, she had known Urahara far longer and their friendship, or whatever the hell they were to each other, was something she was more loyal to. A bond like that was hard to get between. The connection he felt with her was probably more one-sided on his part. It didn't stop the hurt though. Ironically, he actually came to understand Soi-Fon a little. He decided to treat the situation with her the same as with his friends. He still cared for her, but he would walk his own path from now. It was sad to walk away, but sometimes you just had to stop flogging a dead horse. He was focused on his new life now and spending as much time with his sisters as he could. He would move on and if he ever crossed paths with her again, he would greet her warmly. If not for any other reason than the respect that he had for her as a person.

As the bell rang, signalling the end of class and the beginning of recess, Ichigo received a boisterous visitor as he packed his books away.

"ICHIGO!" Keigo shouted, waving his arms frantically to get his attention. Ichigo just rolled his eyes at the exhausting behaviour of his friend, but there was a fond smile on his face if you looked close enough. The normality of this clown was something that was endearing to Ichigo after having to fight a supernatural war. "Let's get head up to the roof. It's a cool day with a clear sky. The perfect time for a lunch party!" He exclaimed excitedly but came back down to earth when he noticed that Ichigo wasn't even paying attention to him and was instead talking to Mizuiro.

"Any plans for when school is out, Ichigo?" The laid back Mizuiro asked.

"Yeah, I was actually thinking of paying a visit to an old friend of mine. It's been a while so I thought it would be a good idea to drop in." He replied, conversing casually with his friend. Keigo cried out in protest at them ignoring him.

"Ichigo! Don't ignore you best buddy!" He shouted as he flailed his arms comically. Ichigo broke his conversation with Mizuiro for a second and looked blankly at Keigo.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

A look of horror appeared on the face of Keigo as he gripped the sides of his face and let out a silent scream of horror.

"Ignore the drama queen, Ichigo." Mizuiro said with a bemused look on his face.

"You guys are so cruel to me!" Keigo protested with fake tears running down his face.

Ichigo just watched on in amusement, having come to enjoy the peculiarities of his friends.

"Ichigo." A feminine voice called from behind him. He turned around to see it was Tatsuki calling out to him. "Are you done with that video game I lent you?" She asked.

"Hey Tatsuki. Yeah, I have it here with me." He replied before sifting through his bag and pulling out the aforementioned game. "Are you going to join us for lunch?" He asked as he handed the game over. She gave him an apologetic look in response.

"Sorry. I've got a club meeting I need to get to. Maybe some other time." She gently declined. Ichigo gave her an understanding look and turned to where Orihime sat, about to ask her if she wanted to join. He didn't get the chance though as she was already racing out of the class. Probably to see if Ishida needed any healing. He let out a sigh at that and decided to put it out of his mind. Tatsuki gave him a sympathetic look but he simply waved it off and joined Keigo and Mizuiro on the roof, silently enjoying the lunch that Yuzu prepared for him.

As Keigo prattled on in the background, Ichigo thought about what his plans for the future were. He wasn't lying when he said he planned on visiting a friend later. He hasn't seen her since the war and she was long overdue a visit. Especially considering the fact that she saved his life and he quite enjoyed her company. Thanks to the abilities of his Zanpakutō, he finally had the ability to repay her by healing the extensive damage that she had suffered. He smiled a little when he thought about what her reactions to seeing him would be.

There was also the issue of the above average reiatsu signatures he's been feeling from the neighbouring Naruki City, the place where Chad has been hanging out apparently. They didn't seem to be much of a threat and kept mostly to themselves but he would investigate just to make sure. He didn't want to take any chances lest they turned violent so a little reconnaissance mission was in order. But that was for another time. For now, he would enjoy the rest of his day.

(Scene Change)

It was the dead of the night and Ichigo gingerly rose from his bed, shaking off any lingering effects of his power nap. His sisters were asleep as was his father. He decided that now was a good time to get going.

He opened his drawer and unlocked a small portable safe that he kept hidden within. Something he invested in a few months ago. He reached in and pulled out a glove from within, the same kind of glove that Rukia used to use to separate his soul from his body all those months ago. This was a little something that he stole from Urahara's back room stock. He wasn't caught thanks to his special ability and he severely doubted that the man would notice one glove missing from the large stock-pile that he had, that is if he ever did check as the place was covered in a large amount of dust.

He put his palm to his chest and ejected his soul, allowing his body to fall back onto the bed. He rearranged it to look as though he was simply asleep in the off chance that someone did peer into his room.

Once he was done, he stretched his body out, getting used to being in soul form again. He didn't do it often, having taken to training in his human body, not only to bolster it but to also add a measure of difficulty for himself to overcome. The results were that he became far more proficient in what he trained not to mention that it served to further strengthen his human body. When he was in soul form though, the resistance goes away, like taking off the training weights, and he can perform at a much higher level. As he looked down at himself, he took note of another big change in himself.

Seeing as though he wasn't technically a Shinigami, nor was he affiliated with the Gotei 13…both himself and Mugetsu felt that wearing their trademark shihakushō wouldn't cut it any longer. So they decided that he needed a new look. Unfortunately, there wasn't a store around that he could purchase spirit clothes from. Luckily for him though, he was a Quincy by birth, and he excelled in reishi manipulation. It was hard work at first, but he eventually managed to use his skills to permanently craft himself a new ensemble. Of course, Mugetsu and his sisters had a decisive hand in deciding what he wore. Something that he didn't fight them on as he long since realised the futility of arguing with the fairer sex when it came to clothes. So he simply let the women in his life use him as a dress up doll when they visited to local mall to get an idea of what would look good on him. They eventually settled on the outfit he was currently wearing.

He was comfortably decked out in a three piece black suit with white pin stripes. It was snug and fitted well on his toned and muscular body. He wore a deep purple shirt underneath along with a black necktie. On his feet were formal black leather shoes that were polished to a nice shine. He had black leather gloves on his hands. His waistcoat was neatly buttoned up and he wore a knee length, high collar, dark grey trench coat over his suit that was left unbuttoned. Completing the look was his sheathed Zanpakutō that he carried in his right hand. All in all, he looked really sharp. Even though he was never one to care much about clothing, even he had to admit that he looked good in a suit.

With a roguish smirk on his face, one that would no doubt wet the panties of the girls at his school, he activated his special ability.

In an instant the world around him, that was once filled with colour and sounds, turned red and became dead silent. Everything was still and tranquil. The wind stopped blowing and the trees stopped swaying in the breeze. It was as though time had stopped. Which wasn't far from the truth.

This was one of the abilities of Mugetsu and the only one that he could use outside of her Shikai. He discovered, to his pleasant surprise, that Mugetsu was a space-time type Zanpakutō. Something that was quite rare, but not unheard of. It wouldn't be biased to say that Mugetsu was on a whole other level though. Her greater abilities in her Shikai and Bankai were awe-inspiring and were nothing short of absolutely godly. He very much doubted though that many people could force him to go that far. Which was why this ability that he was currently using was his favourite.

What is did was allow him to enter his own personal subspace, a pocket dimension if you will. It wasn't so much as an alternate dimension as an adjacent one. It operated just outside the regular space. If that was all it did, it would be impressive. But what truly made this ability his favourite was that his 'adjacent dimension' contained a Spatial-Temporal Lock, placing him outside the regular space-time to escape the effects of time flow.

It was something that was a god send for his training efforts and that of his sisters. It allowed him to flex his power without having to worry about damaging the surroundings as his dimension was, as far as he was aware, untraceable. It also made reconnaissance missions and information gathering a lot easier. It was also how he was able to slip into the Urahara-shoten undetected. Of course there were limits to it. He couldn't spend more than an hour within the dimension for it would start to affect him negatively. He would also experience a similar sensation of 'jet-lag' if he spent too much time in there which would disorientate him when his returned to the regular space and had to adjust to the regular flow of time.

But is wasn't too much of an issue for him. Outside of training, he didn't spend much time in there. In his mind though, the battle applications of the technique was what excited him the most. He honestly couldn't wait to put it into practice. The thought of closing the distance between himself and his opponent in an instant without them ever realising was something that made him salivate. He didn't have a name for this technique, for it didn't need one. The sophisticated simplicity of it made him decide that he didn't need to name it. He would just use it as it was and keep people guessing.

Shaking off those thoughts, he got himself back on track. He raised his hand and tapped the air in front of him, gently ripping open the space and forming a Garganta and revealing a tunnel of whirling, torrential energy. He solidified the reishi beneath his feet and walked through without hesitation. As he made his way through, it took him about ten minutes to find his destination. He stepped out of the Garganta, closing it behind him, as he beheld the frozen scene before him, for the effects of his ability were still in effect.

A group of nine Arrancar were seated around a large table in one of the conference rooms of Las Noches. Three of them seemed to be arguing about something while a younger looking girl was kicking a lazy looking man who seemed to be asleep. There were three familiar faces though, the same three that he specifically came to visit. He decided that there was nothing wrong with making a cool and dramatic entrance so he jumped up to one of the platforms that were overlooking the large table and took a seat with his right leg crossed over his left and the fingers of both of his hands interlocked over his right knee. He smirked a little at the fun he was going to have with this colorful looking bunch.

He silently slipped out of his dimension, the world regaining color around him and his ears assaulted with the loud sounds of the aforementioned arguing.

(Scene Change)

Minutes prior…

"What the fuck did you say, you slippery bitch?!" Apacci barked at the demure looking Sung-Sun who looked at her with bored eyes that were filled with condescending pity.

"I seems that you are a bit slow on the uptake, so I'll repeat myself slowly. You. Are. Too. Impulsive. To. Be. Of. Any. Use. In. An. Information. Gathering. Mission." Sung-Sun intoned slowly, like she was addressing a particularly dim child. Something that caused Apacci's face to heat up with rage.

"I'll going to fucking kill you, you skank!" She raged. Off to the side, Mila-Rose was taking great enjoyment in watching the two tear into each other.

"Hmph, the both of you behave like a bunch of immature brats." She scoffed, flacking her hair back dramatically and drawing the attention of the other two to her.

"I don't want to hear that from an uncouth barbarian such as yourself." Sung-Sun jibed causing tick marks to appear on Mila-Rose's forehead.

"What was that?! You wanna die today slut?" She seethed.

"I would prefer you didn't breath in my general direction. I'm afraid I might catch whatever primitive disease you have that seems to induce stupidity." Sung-Sun replied.

"Don't you fuckers ignore me?!" Apacci yelled as she reinserted herself in the three way war of words.

Off to the side, a wide-eyes the child-like Nel and her two 'brothers', Pesche and Dondochakka watched the argument in fascination. Moving their heads back and forth, like watching a tennis match. It was pretty exciting, much more compared to their regular game of eternal tag.

"Starrk! Could you stop being a lazy ass for five minutes?!" Lilynette scolded as she kicked the sleeping Starrk in the shin which did nothing except hurt her foot as the guy didn't even stir, causing her to fume silently.

At the head of the table sat the former Tercera Espada, and current Queen of Hueco Mundo, Tier Harribel. She listened to the ongoing arguments around her with an endless amount of patience, having gotten used to such things a long time ago. She needed to get them to stop though as there were important matters to discuss. Letting out a tired sigh, she spoke up.

"Ladies." Her cool yet authoritative voice pierced through the noise of the arguments, bringing the occupants in the room to a halt. "We have important matters to discuss. I would prefer it if you were to cease your pointless arguing as it isn't helping anyone." She ordered.

"Ara…I actually found it to be quite entertaining." A smooth masculine voice echoed throughout the room, causing Harribel's eyes to widen in shock, something that didn't happen very often. Apacci, Mila-Rose and Sung-Sun stiffened upon hearing the unfamiliar voice. Even the sleeping Starrk was sitting upright and letting his eyes wander throughout the room. Lilynette was shifting nervously at his side. Nel though, had a wide smile of her young face and her doe-eyes lit up in joy as she recognized the voice as did her two companions. "Up here." The voice stated, causing everyone's eyes to snap to the platform above their table where Ichigo was calmly sitting.

Harribel and Starrk immediately recognized him, from the information provided by Aizen before the war, as Kurosaki Ichigo. They knew of the former Captain's interest in the boy as well as his supposedly monstrous potential. What they didn't know however was how he managed to get into Las Noches without them finding out or more importantly, how he managed to so easily slip their senses. Even now, as he sat before them, they couldn't sense a sliver of reiatsu from him. If he didn't speak up and draw attention to himself, they would have never known he was there. It was unnerving.

Unfortunately, two of the Tres Bestias weren't known for their patience and were already in a foul mood so they had no patience to deal with Ichigo.

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!" Apacci and Mila-Rose roared at him, drawing their Zanpakutō. Sung-Sun just faced palmed from beside them, having immediately recognized the boy and she knew that he was far out of their league.

Ichigo just gave them an infuriatingly calm and pleasant smile, in response.

"I'm a bit hurt that you don't recognize me. After I went through all that trouble to pay this place a visit the last time. Nevertheless, it's only appropriate that I introduce myself. My name is Kurosaki-" That was as far as Ichigo's introduction got at a tiny green missile barreled into him, completely knocking him off the platform and sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Itsygo!" Nel cried out in happiness as she hugged her most favorite person in the world.

Ichigo just sighed in exasperation, his cool, mysterious entrance was completely ruined. Not to mention that he lost some serious points in terms of his image as a badass. He couldn't be upset though, as a fond smile appeared on his face as he gently embraced the little Arrancar in his arms.

"Hey Nel. I've missed you too." He chuckled out as he gently rubbed the top of her head, happy to reunite with his little friend after so long. He promised that he would help her and now was the time he would make good on his words.

xxxxxxx

Author Note:

Okay that's another chapter down. This is the last of the 'Introductory' chapters. Now that I've set the stage and given Ichigo that foundations of his power, I will be moving on the more action packed events, starting from the next chapter. I'd like to address a few things from this chapter.

Ichigo's abilities: As you can see…I gave him a space-time Zanpakutō. The only other person I've seen with one was Kageroza from the filler arc. I originally wanted to give him the darkness or shadow element, as it tied in more to Mugetsu's name…but in the end I settled for a space-time element as to me…nothing screams 'godly' more than bending space and time to your whims. As you can see I made it so that he can use an ability outside of his Shikai, it's me taking a few liberties…but it isn't too farfetched as in my story, Ichigo isn't technically a Shinigami…he just has some of the abilities of one. The inspiration for the ability showed in the end of this chapter came from the many 'Gamer' stories on this site. I based it on the 'ID Create' skill. I also took some inspiration from AngelSlayer135's awesome fic, "Shadows of Deceit", something that I highly recommend you give a read is you haven't already. I will expand more on Ichigo's abilities next chapter as you will see his Shikai in action as he 'restores' Nel (nudge nudge, wink wink). All in all, he's OP as shit. Oh well…that's how it goes.

I also wanted to clarify my reasoning for his reiatsu being purple. The way I see it, his Shinigami powers are black, his Quincy powers are blue and his Hollow powers are red. Since the Shinigami powers are the main base of his powers, the black stays while the red and blue mix, giving us purple. So if you want to picture his reiatsu in your mind, picture the way he used to use his Getsuga Tenshou in Bankai…Black and purple reiatsu melding with each other instead of it being black and red.

Starrk: Let me preface this by saying that Starrk is my favourite Espada (outside of the sexy Nel and Harribel of course). He had the most interesting motivations from them all, and to me…he seemed the most human of the lot. Plus, he took on four senior Captains at the same time and still held his own. Plus I feel that he was holding back even then because he only used plain Cero's and not a Gran Rey Cero or cero Oscuras. I also feel that he and Ichigo would get along like a house on fire. As I mentioned in this chapter, Ichigo is a bit on the outs with his regular crew…he needs a new bro to fill the gap. Plus, I love Lilynette. She's just too adorable for words and I can write some fun interactions between her and the boys. I can justify him surviving by the fact that Harribel survived basically being eviscerated by Aizen, the Tres Bestias were roasted alive by the Sou-taicho and are still alive not to mention Grimmjow was nearly cleaved in two by Nnoitra and somehow still managed to survive…so to me, it isn't a stretch to think that Starrk survived a stab to the chest…regardless of the circumstances leading up to it. So I'm going to go with it.

Isane: Aesir19 pointed out in his (or her) review that due to how little we saw of her real abilities, Isane never stood out as particularly powerful. To a certain degree, I can agree with that statement…however, I have a theory and I want you to try to follow me on this one

(There will be a spoiler here so skip if you didn't finish the manga).

In the penultimate chapter of the manga, we see that Rukia has been promoted to Captain of the 13th division. By that point, it was ten years after the war, 10 years of which Ukitake had been dead already. Rukia achieved her Bankai in the midst of the war, and what a devastating Bankai it was. Having a Bankai is the pre-requisite to being a Captain...yet it took Rukia 10 years to become a Captain. Again, that can be explained by the fact that it has been stated that it usually takes ten years to master a Bankai. If you take that into account, it makes sense that she was only promoted after mastering her Bankai. However, a few pages before that reveal, we see that Isane is already the Captain of the 4th division, another division that lost their Captain during the war. Even though she has been stated to be the second best healer in Soul Society, behind Unohona, I doubt that would be enough to be promoted to Captain. The only logical conclusion is that she attained Bankai. But if that were the case, how did she become a Captain before Rukia who achieved Bankai during the war 10 years ago. In my mind, the only obvious answer is that she had already attained Bankai long before Rukia and by extension before the war yet hid it, similar to Ikkaku. It also makes sense that Unohona felt so confident in leaving the 4th division to her because she was confident in her Lieutenants skill to lead them. And I can honestly see Unohona training Isane to achieve it, since those two were much closer than any other Captain-Lieutenant pair.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but it kind of makes sense to me. If any of you folks have any opinions or arguments against that, please let me know…I'm interested in hearing your take on things.

So yeah, until someone gives me a solid reason not to, I'm going to operate under the assumption that Isane already has Bankai.

Ichigo's new outfit: Like I explained in the chapter, he isn't a Shinigami and he cut his ties with the Gotei 13…so it felt kind of wrong to have in wear their shihakushō so I changed things up. I gave him a snazzy, modern suit. I was hoping to convey the cultural differences between the two. The Soul Society, with the archaic traditions and outdated customs and Ichigo who embraces the future and is always moving forward. It's a bit of a poor metaphor…but I'm going to go with it. Plus I think he would look good in a suit, as evidenced by the episode during the Fullbringer Arc where Orihime had her little fantasy of him.

Ichigo's relationship with his friends: I had hoped to convey the different emotions that Ichigo felt towards his friend in this chapter…I'm not sure if I pulled it off well enough though. I stated previously that this story will be written from Ichigo's perspective for the most part, hence his opinions are what come through with regards to his friends. I always felt that they had drifted apart after the war and things were never the same again. That's just my opinion. So I'm going to move forward with them being stuck in this awkward middle ground of Ichigo conflicted over whether he should finally tell them that he didn't lose his powers or whether he should just leave things be and allow them to get on with their lives as they are trying to allow him to do. I know I may have shown them in a negative light…but know that there isn't any maliciousness in their actions.

The Soul Society on the other hand…that is very deliberate. I refuse to believe that Rukia or Renji couldn't slip on a Gigai to come pay Ichigo a visit. It always annoyed me that they stood there watching him fight Ginjo, after allowing him be severely mind-fucked, saying that they wanted to see if he made the right decision. They seemed to be expecting him to simply accept that they were spying on him and that there was nothing wrong with it…which he did accept. What would have happened if he didn't accept that interpretation…would they have killed him? I don't know…that's why it annoys me. If they really cared, why didn't they simply kill Ginjo when they had the chance? They knew where he was thanks to the Combat Pass, if not his than at least Ichigo's. So why did they allow him to mess with Ichigo? A test to prove his worthiness to their organisation? Bullshit. Also, why didn't Isshin, Yoruichi or Kisuke take care of Ginjo if the Gotei 13 weren't going to? It always escaped me as that entire arc seemed to be for the sole reason to fuck with Ichigo. Phew…that was a long rant.

Also, just as a small note…I want to say that Mizuiro is my favourite of Ichigo's human friends. This is the same guy that threw a bottle at Aizen's head then calmly blew him up with an impromptu gas bomb…Badass!

Karin and Yuzu: I decided not to get them fully involved in the spiritual world. Serenata pointed out in his (her?) review that Yuzu and Karin make a good counterbalance to the supernatural world for Ichigo. After thinking about it, I agree with that opinion. However, I decided to keep them somewhere in the middle. They will go in with their regular lives, but they still have the ability to kick-ass if need be. I would put them at the level of a Lieutenant. Also the bracelet, as mentioned was based on the one Ulquiorra made Orihime wear when he 'abducted' her. Again, I took a few liberties with it but it isn't too farfetched when you take into account that Orihime's bracelet made her intangible similar to Obito's Kamui not to mention that Kisuke has those reiatsu concealing cloaks. SO the technology isn't unattainable. Think of the bracelet as a combo of those two devices.

I also want to make it clear that there will be no incest here. The siblings are just really, really close. So don't read too much into their actions to find some kind of romantic path, because there is none. Even Yuzu being a bro-con was canon.

Anyway, that's it for this chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it and thank you for taking the time to read it and thanks you as well for your reviews…they really help give me a different perspective to look at things from. Look forward to more action next chapter and more interactions with the Hollow group (my favourite faction). The next few chapters will be about Ichigo and his interactions with the Arrancar and the various relationships he builds with them. I also foreshadowed a few 'issues' that the Arrancar needed to address. For those that are up to date with the Manga, I'm sure you can guess what that is. As the immortal Jim Ross would say…business is about to pick up.

Lionheart021 out!