AN: Well, thank you for sticking with me for all this. I have a sequel sort of planned but I may or may not do it. There are a couple of ideas in this world I'd like to do, so you may see a few one shots or something.
Title: Undermining the Mission Pairings: Aizen/Ichigo and othersRating: PG13Warning: Yaoi, some violence. OC alert.Summary: Not one day into the Soul Society and Ichigo breaks Urahara's plans. Neglecting to tell information has long and strange consequences. Disclaimer: Don't own Bleach or anything affiliated with it
Chapter Twenty-one (you missed the euology)
It was looking more and more like a disaster for the Gotei 13 as the early morning passed into late afternoon. Somehow the causalities were limited to the lowest of cannon fodder and while the officers were the most bloody and exhausted, there were casualties as of yet.
Retsu took the time to notice that most of the arrancar avoided Captain Inoue who had taken to plastering herself with Hitsugaya and healing the 11th swiftly. The girl reminded her too much of a hollow for comfort and was no above believing she had something to do with this.
Another one of the hollows came up close to her only to be sliced in two when a distinct fight made itself known to the entire Seireitei.
"YOU HIDEOUS MOTHER FUCKER. YOU CUT MY HAIR!" In the main courtyard, Jushiro's Vice Captain, Yumichika Ayasegawa smirked with a handful of hair, held back by Hisagi and Iba. The arrancar that's screamed was being held by a group of girls, all of hem muttering how it can be fixed.
A dark haired one with saber tooth mask landed on the roof in front of her with another with long blonde hair like a bull pulled a flash boom off.
"RETREAT FOR NOW!" With a speed that some of the shinigami couldn't match all of the still living hollows disappeared to parts untraceable but everyone was happy for the reprieve.
"Isane, while there will undoubtly be a Vice Captain's meeting, would you please…"
"Yes, I'll take care the wounded." her vice shunpued towards some of the crowds and her men and woman flittered through to start the healing. The meeting had already started by the time she arrived.
"And I said, I don't give a damn Isshin. You and Kisuke are going to Palace now to see what going on. YOU ARE DISMISSED!" Kisuke all but dragged Isshin out of the room before Shunsui went off on the rest of the captains.
"Kenpachi, your men are fine right? Replace Ikkaku's squad with one of yours at the academy." Retsu swore she heard a groan and something about PTAs.
"Hitsugaya, Orihime-chan, I want you both to get your divisions ready for an active assault in Hueco Mundo. Kuchiki, Kommamura, Kenpachi, stay with the main assault team in the Seireitei and keep them out of the inner courts. Yoruichi, Soi Fong, take control over Kisuke's and Isshin's divisions until they get back and work on protecting the first 5 districts and the rest of the nobles. Call Kukaku if you must. Jushiro, stay with me and Retsu. We've got to pick off the stronger ones. Ikkaku, take your men and head the earth. As much as were needed right now there are no postings there. Spread them and go!"
Normally the meetings with Shunsui had little arguments over who gets what but there were no questions today. The missions weren't perfect but nothing was at this point.
---
"This is bull shit." Whosever brilliant idea it was to keep over a hundred numerous in one building had to be shot, and soon. In an attempt to keep things under some semi balance of control each of the fifteen fraccion in charge had to look over six or seven numerous but it still wasn't helping.
Lilinette, Apache, Mila-Rosa, and Sun-Sun were comforting Charlotte and plotting how to kill that shinigami that ruined it hair. Quiet frankly he didn't know what to call the transvestite anymore then the shinigami did. Things had been awkward from him since Nnoitra had been demoted beyond all recognition into a project for Szayel. Now in their recess, all the arrancar felt a hype they hadn't in years- active battle with shinigami.
All of Grimmjow's fraccion were in prime condition and took charge, as did Barragan's. His job was to make sure people didn't die when they didn't have to- he learned that from the Espada before the Privions.
"Oi, Telsa! He over here and help us track down the pretty boy that hurt Charlotte!" He smiles a little more and walked over to the group. None of the fraccion would die today, though the numerous would probably rack up serious deaths.
From what he heard from the other crowd, Avirama and Il Forte were planning on dive bombing some forth division girls hiding in the sewers.
---
"Which way now?" Though the royal guards were taken care of by Tousan, there were still the guards in general and other denizens of this plain other then the royal family. Off shoots, servants, and the like that had to be dealt with. For the most part they had stayed inside the main palace and only dealt with guards and a few servants that weren't smart enough to run away from the three.
"Yeah Kana-chan, ya should know the way tah tha throne by now." Gin wasn't showing it but he was more worried about Rangiku then anyone actively in the mission. She was in charge of defending Las Noches from any shinigami that might try to break in- probably looking for his blood more then anyone else. The hallway they were racing down was filled with portraits of people all decorated in patterns, with few repeats except for a pink haired child and an old man looking well past his prime. The former King.
"So he's behind there?" Seeing as they had no key Ichi-berry broke the door down- he was very good at breaking pieces of buildings. Gin nearly laughed at what they found inside.
"S-stay b-b-back." The new "king" looked piss scared holding a katana as if it being sharp would be enough to stop them.
'Whas with them?' Ichi-berry and Kana-chan looked back behind the doors and then he heard the rapid footsteps approaching. Apparently a captain or two was sent to stop them.
"Ichimaru, Kurosaki, who is heading here?"
"Well one a' them is Kisuke and the other… I dunno." Ichi-berry grimaced and went to block a pillar of stone being thrown at him.
"The other one is Isshin Tanimonban. Why are you here dad?" His eyebrows twitched and Gin knew that this little battle was going to be fun.
"Aw Berry! I would 'ave dressed up if I knew." The king whimpered behind us in the and ducked behind a throne.
"Ichigo…stop it. We can still get you out of here. Isshin screwed up but do your other friends deserve this?" Urahara looked like he was trying to calm down all the parties but that wouldn't work tonight.
"Shut the hell up Geta-Boshi."
---
"Think we should do something yet?" Yammy, Aaroneiro, Szayel, Zommari, Grimmjow, Nel, and Rangiku were all waiting in the meeting room, slightly pissed that they were missing on out on the fighting going on. Rangiku perked up and alarmed Zommari, Grimmjow, and Yammy who had been staring at her.
Zommari seemed to think she was a seduction demon sent to destroy their faith in Aizen-sama. Ichigo had always been kind enough to hit him for her. The other two were more interested in her boobs but she was used to that.
"Did any of you feel that?" It happened a moment later again when the spirit pressure in the room practically sky rocketed from nothing to all consuming. There was a deafening roar and before Rangiku could do anything to stop it, a chunk of the ceiling came crashing down with a large fang, impaling itself into Yammy's stomach.
The alarms decided to go off then.
"Fuck no…" Aaroneiro dropped to the floor like her were comatose. Grimmjow's words sumed it up perfectly.
"Nel…Nel go through Tousan portal and get them. Tell them its an emergency. GO NOW!" The small girl sprinted off and a tiny figure no more then half her size started appearing from the dust and sand that was falling inside. Even Grimmjow was slightly trembling.
It wasn't a shinigami that attacked Las Noches, but instead a Vasto Lorde. Rangiku held onto Ashcat and prayed that this wouldn't be the end of her. She still had a lot to do. She had to really settle with Gin, go back and help her former Captain, help restore the rukongai… way more then what she could do in six minutes.
And this dark purple hollow wanted to take that from her?
"Have no reserves and attack now!" Grimmjow, of course, jumped to the occasion.
---
As it was known, the total dead on the side of the arrancar were zero and over a hundred for the shinigami. Shunsui made quick moves towards one of the hollows that seemed to be in charge with dark skin and blonde hair, only to be parried away. His hat covered his vision but everything around them went still.
"What the hell?!"
"So…Sousuke, everybody was telling the true, eh? I had my suspicions a hundred years ago but you fooled me for a while too. Just curious though, why show yourself now?" Just as he though Aizen had stopped him from attack on of his servant.
The other captains stood behind him as did the uppers officers? Did for Aizen's army.
"Really? Ah, it was the paperwork wasn't it? I did over due myself a little but everybody knew that Shinji didn't do any work. You can surrender if you want everything to go easy." The bastard had the nerve to smile.
"And you cohorts? Where are they?" It was almost relaxed. He was never tense and Aizen refused to be. They might as well have been discussing a failing academy student.
"Well if you must know Kaname, Gin, and Ichi are… well by now the King's probably dead, so I guess on their way home." There was a movement behind him and before he could stop it, Sajin was rushing the traitor.
"LIES!" It wasn't pretty, but Black Coffin never was and the fox-man dropped down like bricks with only his Vice to catch him.
"So you think that a son would be willing to harm his father and mentor for you?"
'Get away now. Spare time and get them away' Jushiro seemed to pick up on what he was thinking and the rank-and-file shinigami ran away to get treated, some past the now still hollow army.
"Willing? Ichigo's been waiting for the chance. I think I'll greet him now, if you don't mind. Stark, please continue." Aizen disappeared from their view without any warning.
'Another illusion.' Not time to think, the battle started again.
---
It was true, he was very excited to see Ichigo back safe and sound. Over a hundred years of planning and everything was finally coming together with more then he thought he could have had.
"Ichi…" Sousuke felt the cero blast his side before he saw the mess his palace had become, and ran into it looking for Rangiku and Nel before anybody else.
'What on earth is here?' Obvious hollow, since his would wasn't healing as rapidly as it should. There was huffing and heavy pants at his side and he saw a bloody Rangiku carrying what looked like a dead Zommari.
"Ah uh ah…Vasto Lorde. I already ah uh aaah, sent for help." Another cero came their way and just missed them. Some part of him didn't want his lover to be here for this.
'This is not what I had in mind'
Chapter twenty-two (the color of our love is dripping on the floor)
Isshin could see Kisuke fighting off Tousan but didn't have enough time to help his friend, what with his son and Ichimaru trying to take off his head. Decades of active duty came back to him in moment and as if it were automatic his blade sliced off the end of his son's left arm.
"Oh god. Ichigo I am so sorry…" A medic. They needed a competent medic and fast to re-attach the…
For the first time that morning Isshin took a good close look at his son. The past few months of distance made the widening of his shoulders and a few more inches in height more obvious. Slightly shaggier the unbelievable hair was the same as was his face except for the tattooed lines on his left cheek. The bloody stump of Ichigo's arm suddenly stopped and started regrowing itself like a hollows.
"Ichigo, what happened to you? Whatever Aizen did we can try and fix it." He had to get his son away from that mad man! But why was he laughing. For a minute the fighting stopped.
"What Sousuke did to me? Your friend Urahara gave me the hollow, not Sousuke."
"Don't Ichigo. Don't act familiar with Aizen he's bad news. Please just come home, there isn't anybody hunting us anymore!" Isshin was ready to plead with his son just to get him back. What was with that smile?
"Well. Seems like ya hav'n told ya dad about ya and 'Sou-kun!' have ya Ichi-berry?" No. His friend were joking because his son wasn't seriously having sex with the greatest evil the Seireitei's ever faced. Isshin was going to just grab his son and run when he heard her.
"ICHIGOOOOO!" A bullet of white and green sped over to his son and climb on top of him while resting its skulled head on his shoulder. Like how Masaki used to hold him- no. No not going there. But Ichigo was still cradling the baby like hollow.
"Nel? What are you doing here and why aren't you with Rangiku?" Small sobs came form the shoulder and Ichimaru looked like he was about to shoot away, Kisuke and Tousan eyeing each other wearily.
"huhhuh, Ichi…Las Noches is being attack and we needs back up. Grimmy says it's a Vasto Lorde. In a flash he saw his two opponents dash out leaving only Tousan behind.
He too was running towards the door and stumbled back after a hit across the chest and neck, bleeding to death.
"Princess Aiko-sama?" Isshin looked over at Kisuke and bowed with him and the child made no move to let go of her sword or take the hand away from her face.
"Wow. The reports didn't say anything about a tattoo. He's even better in person…and that reiatsu… Rise, both of you. You're here to kill the traitors, right?" Bright blue eyes raked over him and his friend and he fell to his knees again.
"Please Princess, he's just confused. Don't make me kill my son". He heard Kisuke hiss for him to get up an even try to pull him up by his shoulder but he wouldn't.
"You're Ichigo father! I don't want him dead at all. In fact, I want him alive and very safe. Get you useless idiot!" The princes marched over to the king and kicked him in the ribs.
"I'm almost wishing that they were too late to save you, you can't even stand up you were so afraid. Ichigo wasn't freighted at all, were you?"
"Isshin, I think the princess is a little crazy." He couldn't see Kisuke's eyes but everyone was staring at the small princess who was treading reds lines on the face of an Ichigo doll.
"So he's a Tanimonban? It won't be too hard to convince people. You two, I'm going over your Commander's orders. Do whatever it takes to get Ichigo back here, understand me?"
"YEAS MAM! Lets go Kisuke!" Crazy or not she wanted Ichigo alive and that was enough for him.
"I'm starting to wonder if the Tanimonban's are crazy by birthright. I mean just look at your mother what a scary lady." They both shuddered when they thought of the blonde woman who was waiting for them to screw up. The fact that she liked Yoruichi didn't help them all that much either.
---
"So I guess it's just us going into Hueco Mundo, isn't it Toshiro-kun?" None of their division members wanted to leave the Seireitei now so it was just the Captain of the 10th and 12th heading towards a very shaky portal behind the arrancar lines. The shorter captain didn't say a word as they headed off into the range, all spy like. Seeing that she had no Vice Captain yet and Toshiro's went with Ukitake, it was going to be difficult.
"What are you doing?" The dark skinned woman appeared to block their path but without a sword drawn.
"Could you uh, please move?"
"Nice try. No." Orihime looked at the portal- something was coming through it. Just how many more arrancar were in there? A spurt of blood came before the actual person, who was much larger then any of them in the group. Even the arrancar looke confused.
"Who?"
---
"Hey, pass the popcorn" It was by their nature that they were on the roof and not huddled in some "defensive" shelter inside of the academy. Even if the teachers were yelling at them for hours now and couldn't manage to get to them. Jinta, Karin, Yuzu, and Ururu laid back on the roof watching the fight between arrancar and shinigami, as if their lives weren't in danger.
Yuzu would have been quick to point out that they weren't since Ichi-ni was wouldn't let the arrancar hurt them, and they didn't seem to be interested in children.
"Don't you think we should be a little worried? All of our family is out there…" Ururu looked towards the jagged gates where fathers went through, and the one to Hueco Mundo that Toshiro would be through soon enough.
"Eh they'll be fine. Think Shiro's gunna get his memory back sometime soon?"
"Doubt it. Plus he's way more fun now. Skittles?"
"Sure, hey, that was a nice one."
"I think Rini-sensei is having a seizure. Oh a pink starburst!"
---
The two of them made it back in record time, with Gin dashing towards where he felt Rangiku and Ichigo towards Sousuke, which didn't take long at all. The man was still alive but horribly messed up. The white robes he wore were tattered and covered with blood and even his hair was dishelmed and streaked.
"Sou! What the hell's going on?!" The larger man couldn't help but smile as the sounds of screaming and fighting were heard in the safety area. He'd managed to get a barrier up and it took several direct hits for it to be successful. 'And now Ichi is safe, or at least reasonably so.'
His lover was babbling something about blood loss and help when he took a really good look at him. Besides the marking of his hybrid status he had grown. Not like a boy who'd happened to invade the Seireitei but someone wiser and older. And wearing a purple obi around his pants.
"You wear that sash I gave you- do you even like purple? I can't seem to think of what your favorite color is." He didn't know why he was the one babbling now about colors and Ichi agreed.
"Fine I'll tell you later but we getting you to a healer now." Sousuke stood up straight and hugged Ichi from behind.
"What are you doing! There-" He kissed the top of his head before nibbling on the left ear, the same ear where his scar was.
"Please just stop it this time Ichi. Like I'm going to let anything happen to you." he took his sword and held the blade parallel to them, then slashed down Ichigo's right shoulder.
"Bankai."
---
There was another lull in the fighting, and some of the shinigami returned to their homes… or others.
"Undignified, Kuchiki-sama do you really expect the elder to approve of yet another plebian fool for a wife?" At the Kuchiki house there were tense situations. All bloody and beaten Byakuya, Rukia, Nanao, and Lisa sat listening to the elder woman go on about how Byakuya would not and could not marry Nanao Ise. Lisa was obviously aggravated, hearing her daughter in all but name being belittled and taking the abuse. The engaged-to-be were stiff and refusing to budge an inch position wise or argumentative.
And Rukia did something she wanted to do for ages.
"FUCK YOU! Fuck you and your stupid rules that nearly killed me and nearly ruined my best friends life." Ker-slam.
The room blinked and Byakuya smiled. He was quiet happy that his sister finally kicked the old hag through the wall.
"Should I retrieve her wig master Byakuya?"
"No, but you can get a medic for us please. And dinner." It was quiet after that an then Lisa ruined it.
"Now you just have to tell Shunsui, I suggest going there drunk."
---
Rangiku Matsumoto.
Toshiro didn't know what the hell the shinigami were talking about half the time with only faint traces of memory or a flicker of something. As it stood his most important people were tucked away in the academy but the dark stranger mentioned her name among others and it stuck. She was an enemy and hurt but it stuck with him.
"Captain Inoue I'm asking you to go back and not accompany me this is.. A treason of sorts."
"Don't be silly Toshiro-kun. Matsumoto is important to you and not helping her would be the real crime here. Now lets go save the infidels!" Along with some of the arrancar, he was with Inoue and an old friend of hers, Yasutora.
"Orihime…thanks. Ichigo's going to be glad to see you. So you're a captain now?"
"I know, pretty amazing isn't it? Maybe after this is over we'll all be together again!"
---
It was kind of bright when Ichigo started waking up- so he was in his bed.
'But weren't we just fighting a Vasto Lorde?" There bandages around his injuries, including the one Sou had given him for no reason. The tip of his ear was tingling too. His jaw cracked when he yawned and flopped back into his sheets and wondered where Sou was.
"Speak of the devil and he shall come. I'm sorry for making you bleed Ichi, but I really didn't have a choice in the matter if you understand what I'm saying."
"Fine fine, but how is everybody?" Sou turned away Ichigo went to kiss him.
"No, both you and I won't be doing anything like that now. In this world everybody is fine but I can't make any calls about other places. You should keep resting Ichi. Has anybody ever told you that you being around has been a world of good?" Although they hadn't kissed Ichigo felt Sou climb behind him and spoon against his back and not letting him move out of the grip.
He was dozing in a out feeling the light kisses and snuggles into his hair and shoulder before finally passing out again. The Aizen figure smiled and disappeared into the mirror again.
If he was going to keep Ichigo calm and in a dream he had to make sure everything seemed exactly like a dream the boy would have. And he hadn't lied. Before the boy's brutal intrusion to Sousuke Aizen's world there were details yeas, but nothing of preference. Little knick-nacks and geometric patterns graced the walls now.
Kyoka Suigetsu smiled again at Ichigo. He has been doing a world of good.
---
"Ichi-berry's gunna be pissed, ya know." The situation had become even worse then it had been. Rangiku's breath was shallow where Gin laid her next to Ichigo, who was in a realistic sleeping dream thanks to Kyoka Suigetsu. The Espada were no where to be seen and it was just them four in the large throne room.
"He'll be mad, I'll be happy. We'll be alive for him to be mad at me." The Vasto Lorde roared again.
Chapter twenty-three (heaven and hell)
Sousuke's normally perfectly clear world was hazy and somewhat blood drenched. Beyond any of the expectations of anyone, the Vasto Lorde proved itself to be stronger then them, and he, Gin, Rangiku, and several arrancar, had the wounds to prove it. If he had the ability to dragged his body out from its imprint in the wall, he would have helped Gin ward off yet another cero blast- this time taking many of the numerous with them. Several of fraccions fells already, with only minor damages to the Espada and Privions. Wisely, Sousuke ignored the current states of the top most echelon of Las Noches.
'Not again.' The Vasto Lorde bellowed out another cero , successfully blasting Rangiku into a crumpled mass on the other side of the wide hall, while the attack still moved towards Ichigo. The last time the cero hit the only barrier between the spelled Ichi and the Hollow was destroyed. There was no defense for him left. Sousuke coughed up some of the white dust and sand and dug his face further in- he didn't want to acknowledge Ichigo dying at all.
Dimly, Sousuke wondered if this was karma. He corrupted( there's no denying what he did) a shinigami that might have saved the whole damn Seireitei and fell in love, only to have one of the handful of beings in any dimension try to kill said shinigami. Second passed and he wondered if he died since there was no sound or a blast or anything really.
"RAAAAHHHHH!" Sound started again like rolling thunder and shook the smaller pebbles on the ground and the Vasto Lorde was pushed back by an incredibly pink cero. From the entrance of the room came a slumped out figure in torn white clothes.
"No. Not going to happen- you're not hurting my ITSYGO!" Neliel was standing in the door like a guard and her sword pointed at the temporarily stunned Vasto Lorde.
'She'll keep him safe.' Sousuke smiled into the stones once last time. The bright mist that had been confusing the Vasto Lorde only slightly disappeared and his blade reformed without his permission.
'When you're Bankai recalls itself, you are about to die. What will you do now, Ichi? Almost a year and I still can't tell.'
"WHAT ARE YOU FUCKERS STANDING AROUND FOR? KILL HIM! Grind, Panthera!"
---
It was extremely odd, given that the desert of Hueco Mundo had very few people in it, if any, that they ran into a panting Isshin and Urahara.
"Oh? You're headed to Las Noches too?" There was a certain lack of communication with everybody that day. The higher up of the fraccions were left in charge of disturbing the Seireitei, while the fourth and higher Espada ran along with one human and four captains to their base.
"Pesche, there they are, yo!" It would only serve to make sense that the rest of the trip was done by a giant hollow worm.
---
Ichigo was very groggy when he woke up, wondering if this was actually a dream of not since he'd been having the same one for what seems like ages. Reality came to him quickly when he saw Grimmjow's released state and a woman that look like Nel fighting against that Vasto Lorde.
'Fuck! What the hell happened?!' Without wasting another minute he shunpued to the purple hollow and let it rip.
"Getsuga Tensho! Where is everybody Grimmjow?" Anther parry against the monsters arm, follow by a cero blast of his own. Nel took the opportunity to attack, as did Grimmjow, and the hollow was finally pushed out of the hall, even though it wasn't really hurt much.
"Why won't it just die?" The monster fired another cero, once again aiming to destroy everything in its path.
"ITSYGO!" He was positive that it was Nel, only she called him that, even if she seemed to have suddenly aged twenty years and became a centaur. She galloped over to him and ate the cero, firing one back. Unfortunately Nel collapsed soon afterwards, looking very tired and even smaller then normal in the ripped clothes.
"Be carfwul Itsygo."
"Kurosaki, can you hold him down for a minute!?" Grimmjow looked just as bad as Nel did but didn't stop his attack for a single minute, so Ichigo complied. The hollow was looking at Nel again, much like Grand Fisher had, and Ichigo felt himself snap like he hadn't in a long while. Like an adrenaline rush, Zangetsu dropped out of his hand and he full body tackled the Vasto Lorde, clawing at him with white talons.
In his rage, he was dimly away that he'd released himself like the other arrancar do but mostly concentrated on keeping the hollow down like Grimmjow wanted- for whatever the maniac was planning.
Grimmjow dove into the pile with his jaws snapping and bit down on the hollow's neck only to be tossed off like a kitten and smack into the side of what was left of the palace. Ichigo really didn't serve any better and he felt himself return to normal and completely drained. The Vasto Lorde got up and limped over to him looking as if he was fully prepare to eat him alive.
"Prwa. HA. HAAAA."
'What is that asshat laughing at now! We're all about to die!' The blue haired man was back to normal took but with grinning and laughing like the few times he's beaten Ulquiorra in a spar. Something fleshy was hanging from his mouth that he was slurping down.
'No way.' Ichigo looked in front of him again and saw the Vasto Lorde screaming in pain from the neck wound and the power Grimmjow had just taken from him. Out of no where then the hollow stopped moving and made panicky movements. Grimmjow fell to the floor too and Ichigo wondered how on earth with was going to end when the gate decorated with skeletons appeared.
The Doorway to Hell.
---
The shinigami on duty for the arrancar blitz only blinked at the mass retreat. Hinamori had been taken from the battle after hysterics from Aizen little show and had been in the closed ward for at least half a day without any signs of calming down. The remaining captains watched the sight and heard thudding footsteps running towards them.
"Where'd they go?!" Kenpachi had finally gotten back from the school and was looking for a fight. Shunsui tipped his hat lower and walked over to his drinking buddy.
"They're gone, Ken-chan. You've missed them. Oi, Nanao-chan, what did you have to tell me before, eh?" The Captain of the 6th turned to his Vice Captain and quickly gave orders.
"Abarai, take care of my duties here. I will check on damages to the Rukongai….til tomorrow. Yes, you will be handling it all until tomorrow." And the man disappeared leaving a flabbergasted Renji.
Shihouin and Ukitake shared in a sigh when they heard Shunsui's yelp.
---
In the life Grimmjow could remember the years spent as a hollow he didn't think had many regrets or obvious failures. He'd lived a good, over hedonistic life and kept his spirits up.
Watching the Vasto Lorde drag Ichigo into the Hell Gate was probably the single most horrifying thing he's seen. Ever.
'How the hell am I going to explain this?' And it got worse. There was one other viewer.
"ITSYGO! COME BACK Huh HUH HUH" The little brat had been crying the entire time and was having trouble breathing. If he had a heart or stomach, he would have felt horrible watching the arrancar that was little more than a baby crying in what was left of Ichigo's coat.
"WAAAAAH. ITSYGO!"
"What is going on here?" A new wave of tears came and Grimmjow heard the rest of the Espada walk in, along with several shinigami. Fuck.
"Hey you! Where's Ichigo?!" The man with a beard ran over to Nel, who began heaving yet again and asked what the mean shinigami wanted with Ichigo.
"I'm his dad, now where is he? Is he alright?" God damn this sucked. If he didn't know that Ichigo was gay with Aizen he would have been waiting for the now fatherless boy to pop out of no where and asked where "daddy" was. Fucking saps.
"Sexta, are you crying?"
"Shut the hell up Ulquiorra." Hallibel ran back in, demanding the other woman.
"Aizen, Ichimaru, and Matsumoto are still alive but barely. Will you help them?" The girl looked torn before a white haired shorty shoved her into the room throwing a hissy about a how she had to.
Stark and Barragan made quick attempts to get everything back to normal again, as well as keep the other shinigami away from their leaders. Strangely enough it was Chad who took charge.
"Kurosaki-san, Urahara-san, Hitsugaya, please just leave. Tell everyone they died. Please. Go."
"Sado-kun. It'd be against every law and regulation the Seireitei had made. Fortunately, we're answering to a higher power. Don't you just love hierarchies?" The man in a hat laughed weakly and dragged Kurosaki's dad out of the halls. He was crying too but seemed more stunned then anything.
Epilogue
Childhood was the failsafe, it seems. Orihime couldn't heal the three remaining shinigami at Las Noches, but she could reverse their time and help keep them safe.
A year after the Vasto Lorde attack, roughly two since the whole mess between Rukia and Ichigo started, Sado Yasutora was back on his home in Mexico with three small children in gigai, completely oblivious to the worlds and lives they've wrecked. The summer was coming in to be hot already so he let the three play on the porch as it started to get dark.
Gin and Sousuke were coloring while Rangiku played with the radio a neighbor gave her for her birthday.
'from something that keeps knocking at my.."
"brain, BEFORE I GO INSANE I JUST HOLD A PILLOW TO MY HEAD, SCREAMING OUT THE WORDS I DREAD!"
"I think I love ya'!" Gin jumped up and started "dancing" with seven year old Rangiku.
'Amazing. Time, space, and their worlds changed but they were still the same at heart.' Sado looked over to Sousuke, who looked at the two a little angrily and went back to his picture.
"What are you drawing Sousuke?" Sometimes it looked like their spirits and memories were coming back to them and it was unnerving to see the chilling demigod in an eight year old body.
"I don't know." Sado did. He couldn't mistake the vague shape on Ichigo even on paper. He sighed and watched the other two dance. It was going to be a long lifetime.
---
"And one more time, up Kira!" Renji and Hinamori were watching the drills Ikkaku was still putting his division through.
"Isn't it just amazing Renji? How far people have come in this year? I mean everybody just seems so much happier!" Renji nodded slowly and didn't say anything otherwise.
It was a given that Captain Kyouraku and Yadomaru were happy, as well as the newest Byakuya and Nanao Kuchiki. Ikkaku was having fun, so was Zaraki (he'd gone on a PTA mission, and people were still figuring it out) and Captain Ukitake was excited that he was getting the school's newest "genius" shinigami.
Hinamori choose to only see those people though. Captain Inoue wasn't quite happy but she was getting better with the help of the SWA. Captains Shihouin and Urahara showed no obvious change except when their student was mentioned. The whole of the Tanimonban family was still mourning in their own way.
Renji also knew that Hinamori deluded herself into not seeing the bad. That Aizen wasn't the greatest traitor the Seireitei had ever faced and that she didn't help the destruction of the 10th Division Captain.
Captain Hitsugaya still can't recall many of his memories but his attitude returned to the same. Ukitake dotted, he yelled, the others played.
"I am very glad for everyone Renji."
---
Karin walked into the main building for the 13th division. She had graduated in a little less then a year and half and was being called a genius. That it was in her blood, how successful her dad was, the environment she was raised in, and the friends she made. Not a single person mentioned her brother.
For months after he died all she could do was poor herself into the books and it paid off in a way. Yuzu and everybody else was still in the academy but she was closer to Toshiro this way.
There were whispers in the sliding walls talking about her status. How she bought her way into the 10th seat. The only reason she was here was because of her famous family, never mind that she was the only one to keep the name "Kurosaki". Did they really think she couldn't hear the jerk offs?
Finally a door slid open and Rukia walked over to her and hugged her. There was soft smile when the other pulled away.
"You know, Ichigo would have thrown a hissy fit over this right? You fighting when you didn't have to and not being able to protect you." Karin snapped into attention. Was someone…? Rukia was actually crying a little now.
"When he was holding the sword he couldn't hold you, but if he held you he couldn't have protected you, right? Even still he'd be really proud of you. Now come on. I've got to protect you now. I owe it to him after all."
"…Thanks Rukia." It was great. Not everyone forgot who her brother was.
---
"Ugh! You stupid moron, can't you do anything right?" Aiko kicked the king in the head with no abandon.
"Tsk. Enjoy you're thrown for now. And get rid of that damn Central 46, we don't need it anyway." Since news of Ichigo's death she'd been upset. At least she knew the truth. He wasn't dead- just in hell.
She'd be able to save him someday. Everything was going to be perfect.
---
"Ah, why did Yama hold on to this job for as long as he did? It sucks"
"Language, Shunsui. Although you had a rocky start, things are almost tranquil now. So relaxing." The two toasted into the night with sake.
"Don't set down your hot water bath yet, Jushiro. It's not over yet."
"What? How-"
"It's not over. Kurosaki did the impossible, Aizen for a few moments was God, Ichimaru knows every scheme in the book, and Rangiku refuses to admit defeat. It's not over and you're a fool if you think it is." Another sip.
"Unohana still annoying you about backlogged paperwork?"
"Yup. Oi, Oi! Watch the kimono, you can't get this pattern anywhere, Inoue's been making them."
"…Why are all the captains somewhat…."
"Insane? No idea. Oh, bet you I can hit that rookie with my pinwheel!"
"You're on.
---
Ichigo blinked up at the sky again. It was a reprieve. The ground below him was completely muddy with nothing but his blood and the shackles on his wrists kept cutting into his wrists.
The skeletons seemed to like jostling him for no reason even when it time for him to "rest".
A black hell butterfly flew across the moon in his vision and the hell started all over again.
---"Masaki... I'm sorry. It's been a while since we've spoken but I've screwed up. Karin and Yuzu are in the soul society- they gave up their lives, but Ichigo... Ichigo is dead Masaki." Isshin didn't think he could say anymore and turned to leave the grave when something gold cuaght his was a Mexican coin.