When you mess with fate
Chapter 4
A/N: I do not own Bleach and its characters. If I did... Never mind…
Ten years after Yhwach...
Ichigo entered his father's room to find Kazui sitting at the edge of the bed beside his 'dying' grandfather, telling him stories about robots and zombies attacking the earth. Isshin could barely move the muscles around his lips to smile at his grandson.
"Kazui," Ichigo called in a whisper.
The five-year-old boy turned around at the sound of his name. His eyes were wide and bright. He resembled his mother. But he had a little defiance in those brown orbs every time they looked at Ichigo.
"Ojii-san needs to rest. Why don't you say goodbye to him?"
Kazui narrowed his eyes. "But my story's not finished yet."
"It's okay. Jii-san knows your story by heart now," Ichigo tried again.
The boy pouted and crossed his arms. "No, he doesn't."
Ichigo sighed and left the room. Minutes later, he returned with Orihime following after him.
"Kazui-kun, kaa-san is going to the park. Do you want to come along?" she asked gently, crouching down before the little boy.
His face immediately lit up as he nodded eagerly. He turned back to Isshin and placed a kiss on the old man's cheek. "Bye, bye, Jii-jii. I'll be back!" And with that, he took his mother's hand and skipped downstairs with her, completely ignoring Ichigo as he passed him by.
When Isshin was certain that the mother and son had left the house, he separated himself from his gigai. He had been doing this for almost a year now. To their human friends and neighbours, he was comatose. To those who knew, he was just having difficulty getting his gigai to respond. Physically, it didn't hurt one bit but it was really frustrating for him to not be able to interact with Kazui. Over the years, Isshin had become quite fond of this boy, even though he was not biologically his grandson.
Two months ago, word came from the Soul Society that the senkaimon could be opened again. Apparently, Kurotsuchi Mayuri had found a way to neutralise Yhwach's reiatsu and use it to rebuild Soul Society. Today was the day that they had scheduled to unseal it. However, the spiritual energy in Soul Society was still too unstable for the humans. So, only the soul reapers were able to travel through the senkaimon at the moment.
"It's quite amazing that that boy is a lot like you even though he does not have your genes," Isshin commented. "Are you sure he's not yours?"
Ichigo scowled. He had to agree with his father, though, about them being alike. When his mother was alive, she was everything to him and he would only listen to her. Just like how Kazui was with Orihime. He didn't really care much for his father, then. He still didn't. Not really. It was only after Isshin trained him at the dangai that they had become closer. He would probably have tried to use that method to form a bond with Kazui if the boy had any spiritual pressure. But he was just a normal human child. It was because of this that Ichigo had gotten Urahara to suppress his reiatsu after Kazui was born. The suppression, of course, cost him his shinigami powers – or whatever was left of it. But he was fine with this because...
"Please go home and live a normal life. You deserve that. You don't even have to be a shinigami anymore."
"Are you ready to see her again?" Isshin asked, taking a seat beside his dead body. He was moving to Soul Society for good. Kuukaku had made the necessary preparations for him to move back into the Shiba manor. He would assume his position as the new head of the Shiba clan in a week.
Ichigo knew whom his father was talking about. "I will have to, sooner or later. I just didn't expect it to be so much sooner," he answered with a shrug and a tinge of regret for not waiting. But then again… "Wouldn't make any difference, though, since you said she's married to Renji."
"And you're married to Orihime," his father supplied.
"And I'm married, too," he parroted.
Isshin regarded his son who's standing before him, looking tired and drained out of life. The young man had mellowed down a lot since he signed those papers at the registrar's office. He felt bad for Ichigo. He had come to know about Rukia and Renji by accident during one of his recent communication with the soutaichou about his transfer back to Soul Society.
"I have assigned Kuchiki Rukia to be the liaison between Gotei 13 and shinigami associates living outside the Seireitei. She will be installed Captain of the 13th Division soon, by the way," Kyouraku Shunsui said through the communication device.
"Oh? And I'm assuming since Kotetsu-san is assisting her sister at the Fourth, Sentarou-san will be Rukia-chan's fukutaichou?" Isshin guessed.
The soutaichou chuckled. "Oh, no. He's still the third seat. We haven't found a fukutaichou for Kuchiki yet. We did suggest transferring Abarai Renji to her division but she said it would not be appropriate to have her partner under her command."
"Partner?"
"Yes. But don't ask me how that happened. All I know is that they have a child together. Anyway, I think you will be able to attend her installation as it is just one week after your return," Kyouraku said.
Isshin smiled. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. My third daughter is going to be a captain!"
"You're going to be okay, Ichigo," Isshin affirmed.
The young father snorted. "Of course, I'm going to be okay. Who do you think you're talking to?"
"A reckless kid who gets into trouble when he gets cocky," Isshin replied.
"That was a rhetorical question!"
He shrugged. "I'm a parent who does not deny important information from my children."
"I don't need your opinion, old man!"
"That wasn't an opinion, son. It was an 'important information'. You never listen."
"Ah, shut up!" Ichigo threw his hands up in exasperation.
Isshin laughed in amusement. A brief silence after he had calmed down, he sighed. "Just don't screw up, Ichigo."
The son's scowl softened. It was his father's last day in the human world. Sure, he would still visit and probably sneak up on him with a flying kick every once in a while. But Ichigo would not be able to see him every day like he used to. This room would soon be Kazui's once Ichigo had gotten all his father's things sorted out – some shipped to Soul Society – after the funeral in a couple of days. Isshin's body would be buried next to Masaki.
The old man would be greatly missed, especially by Kazui, who always enjoyed playing doctor in the clinic while Isshin tended to his patients. Ichigo would have to be prepared for Yuzu's 24-hour weeping because she wouldn't be able to see their father for a long time as she was still unable to see spirits as clearly as her twin. Karin wouldn't know how to offer support to her sister when it had anything to do with the goat-chin. To the dark-haired twin who had a good level of spiritual pressure, it didn't matter if Isshin's gigai was dead or alive. She would still have to keep her guard up against his surprise ambush. Ichigo took a mental note to buy enough food to last, at least until Yuzu was well again to start cooking. He couldn't trust Orihime's cooking.
"I'm going to the shoten soon. I've said my goodbye to the twins this morning. Take care of them, son. Kazui and Orihime, as well," Isshin said quietly.
"Yeah," Ichigo nodded.
After his father had leapt out through the window to shunpo towards Urahara's place, Ichigo sat on the chair beside the lifeless body lying on the bed. He was the head of the house now, just as his father would be the head of the Shiba clan in a week. The former shinigami daiko wished he could switch places with his dad. Because being in the living world with the family was what Isshin really wanted and, as much as Ichigo was not supposed to admit it, Soul Society was where his heart still lay.
Sorry, Ichigo. I had to do it because Kubo did it first.
I had a bit of problem with my Internet line the whole day and when I was back online, my email was overwhelmed with notifications of reviews and private messages from FFNet. Thank you, everyone who has read the previous chapters, dropped a comment, followed, and favourited. I really, really appreciate it but I'm sorry I haven't got the time to reply yet. I'll get to that as soon as I can. While waiting, I managed to finish two chapters and I've just started on another one. I hope you enjoyed this one. Please continue to leave a review because I love to hear from all of you.
Oh, there's one request from me. I would love it if someone could come up with an IchiRuki music vid for the song 'Don't say goodbye' by Skillet. I've been listening to it over and over again while writing this fic. Lol!