Surrender
Shadow of an Echo
A/N Another update for this one. This week I have been staying at my sister's house being Aunty Echo, I love my niece so much, she is almost three and is the inspiration for a lot of my fanfictions involving children. I have another niece, but she is only a year old, so while I love her just as much, she hasn't been around as long to influence my writing to as high a degree yet, but don't worry I'm sure she will catch up :) I love kids, but don't have children of my own, and both my nieces live two hours away, so when I get around them I am in a very upbeat kind of mood.
Chapter Four
I Don't Want To Be Like Cinderella
All the preparations were in place. Ichigo was going to head to Soul Society in the morning, but he had one more person to talk to, and he wanted to do this on his own. He thought about just talking to her, but he wanted to do this a little more directly than that, so it called for a visit.
A long trip up many stairs later, and he was laying a small bundle of flowers on his mother's grave. "I bet you already know why I'm here." Ichigo simply started talking. Ever since his experiences with the Soul Society he had become so much closer to the world of death, even with his ability to see spirits he hadn't wanted to confront his mother's passing, but Rukia's presence has forced him to.
Focusing on the flowers he had put down instead of the cold stone, he continued talking, "I know this situation is totally crazy. I had trouble believing it too. Dad, he made it sound so logical, but it's like I've been dropped into a really messed up dream. I can feel him growing though, he's real."
"I can't believe it Mom, but I'm pregnant. I'm going to have a little boy." He rested his hand on his stomach, feeling the curve that was just the first outward hints of the baby he carried. "I wonder if you would be mad at me? Or if you would be happy, maybe proud like dad to be getting a grandson? I wish I knew. I'd like to think you loved me enough any child I had you would love, no matter how they came to be."
That thought made Ichigo smile, "You know, I think that is exactly how you would feel. My friends have stood by me after all, and they aren't even family, there is no blood between us only experiences, so why wouldn't you love my son just as much as me? It isn't like I did anything wrong to get him. I just loved his father."
His hand hadn't moved from his stomach, "I don't think you would have expected your little momma's boy to end up with a man like Kenpachi. He is brutal and aggressive, he doesn't pull his punches or withhold his strength, and that is exactly what I wanted. I protect everyone Mom, I want to, I need to, that is what drives me to be strong. Kenpachi is the only one who has never asked me to back down or let someone else take over for awhile, he fights with me, not for me. Kenpachi did not give me my strength, he gave me the confidence to use what I already had, and he lets me know it. Now he gave me a son, and tomorrow I get to tell him, I can't wait to see the look on his face."
Now the little smile was an outright grin, "I came here tonight to tell you something mom. I'm going to have a baby, but his father is not going to treat me like a princess, he is going to treat us like we deserve. I think, I have finally found something that will make me happy."
xxxx
"Ichigo, come out, or we WILL make you wear the pink one!" Rukia threatened. "It isn't that bad." She further cajoled, attempting once more to get him to leave the bedroom he shared with Kenpachi. He had barricaded himself inside it fifteen minutes ago refusing to exit.
"Hmm, now I'm not so sure I want to persuade him to come out," A second female voice joined Rukia's, "Go ahead and stay in there, I would like to see you in the pink one!" Rangiku called into the room cheerfully.
The statement was quickly followed by the door sliding open slightly and Ichigo's scowling face looking like a thundercloud. "Why are you insisting on this again?" He was hiding his body from view with the door, showing only his face.
Rukia sighed, having gone over this what felt like a hundred times before, "It is common courtesy that anyone who is not on active rotations to be out of their uniforms during duty hours. We aren't asking you to give up Zangetsu, only your uniform. I used to stay in your closet remember? I know you own an almost exact copy of the one we gave you, even if your dad does have to bully you into wearing it. So just suck it up already and come out, or we will take drastic measures with you. Pink silk, with purple obi, and white accents would do the trick I think. Captain Kyouraku would help us out with that, I believe he would enjoy the laugh."
"He would," Ichigo grumbled darkly, before sliding the door completely open. They had given him a mens casual kimono. It really wasn't that bad as Rukia had said. It was a nice dark blue that managed to not clash with his hair, and the closure around his waist was charcoal grey. Altogether it was subdued and masculine, meaning Rukia had picked it out, not Rangiku.
There was really only one reason Ichigo was protesting the change of wardrobe, as it had been pointed out he had worn something very much like this during festivals to please his father and Yuzu, the way the garment wrapped around and tied showed his son more clearly than any other outfit he had put on. At least his Shihakusho was loose and black, giving him at least a little camouflage.
"Everyone is going to see him," Ichigo pointed out, looking down at the incriminating curve.
"You're so cute though! Why hide it?" The excited exclamation only earned Rangiku a furious scowl, but she grinned back unrepentantly. Ichigo suddenly found himself with a bit more understanding of Toushiro's short fuse.
Rukia tried valiantly to hide her laugh, "That is a good question Ichigo, stop scowling at her." She ordered, feeling herself getting closer to failing at holding back her laughter. "Everyone who counts knows about it, news this juicy doesn't stay secret long around here, Shinigami get bored easily. You shouldn't worry about hiding him away, and besides, even if we let you keep the uniform, he isn't going to stay hidden long. He wants to show himself off."
"I blame Kenpachi for that one," Ichigo muttered, running a hand along his baby, a habit he had picked up since finding out he was pregnant. "Such a show off."
"Ah Ichigo, can't blame him for all of it. You can be pretty eye catching yourself when you have something to say, or did you not just put a man in the Fourth division for making you angry?" Rukia teased.
"That's it, my son is doomed." Ichigo stated, unable to deny the observation.
Rangiku was happy to disagree, "Not doomed, just you are going to have your hands full raising him!"
"I don't even want to think about a teenage combination of Kenpachi and me, but if the Seireitei survived both of us, it should survive him?" Ichigo asked hopefully.
Both Lieutenants sweat dropped at the thought, but Rukia recovered first, "Well, honestly I don't know. It did manage to survive my Captain, and Captain Kyouraku at the Academy at the same time though, and they are even still here. Surely one child can't cause so much chaos that people with centuries of experience can't help you guys out controlling him every once and awhile?"
"...Rukia, you have met his parents right?" Ichigo teased.
The teasing conversation was interrupted by Shinji running up to them, "Good you got him to change, I'll be kidnapping him now all right? Bye!" The sentence was fast and cheerful, the over-hyper Visored pulling Ichigo along before he could utter more than a grunt of protest.
Rangiku and Rukia looked at the dust outline of where Ichigo was just standing, then each other, and back to the empty doorway in shock, "Did Ichigo just get kidnapped?" Rukia finally asked.
"I think so," Rangiku replied, turning her head to look where the Captain had drug off the Substitute.
Rukia tilted her head in confusion, "Do we help him?"
"Wasn't that the Fifth Squad Captain?" Rangiku had her hand under her chin thoughtfully, "I think they know each other, they should be fine."
"Oh that was Shinji? I didn't get a good look at him," Rukia wasn't concerned anymore, "Yeah Ichigo's fine. Want to go get some lunch?"
"You read my mind!" The other Lieutenant was extremely enthusiastic about the idea. "Though I have to ask, would you really have made him wear a pink kimono if he hadn't come out in the blue one?"
"What do you think?" Rukia responded mysteriously, leading Rangiku off to their favorite place to grab a quick bite to eat before having to get back to their duties.
Meanwhile Ichigo had finally found out why Shinji had kidnapped him, "You know if you wanted me to come visit with you guys, you could have just invited me." He protested grumpily as he was finally released. He was able to spot a circle of people containing all the Visoreds, Lunch had been set out, and the smell wafting towards him made his stomach growl.
...Maybe he could stay for awhile.
Shinji laughed at him, "I thought that might make you a little more complacent."
"Oh shut up," Ichigo sent a glare at the grinning Captain, the pair heading over to the group, who had waited for them in order to begin their meal.
Before they had reached the others, a projectile hit Shinji in the side of the head, causing him to cry out in pain clutching the injury. Ichigo looked down at the ground to see Hiyori's sandal, "Damn it Shinji, what did you do this time? He was all grumpy when you brought him in!" The blonde girl raged, while retrieving her shoe.
"He dragged me here without telling me where we were going." Ichigo informed, watching the show as Hiyori continued to pummel Shinji.
"This could take awhile," Kensei observed, "Hey Ichigo, might as well come eat while she finishes up with him." He invited, beginning to fill his own bowl with rice; the other Visoreds following his lead.
Another growl from his stomach had Ichigo listening to Kensei in double time. "All right already, I'll feed you," He whispered to his son.
He settled into a spot between Kensei and Mashiro, filling a bowl with rice and reaching for a strip of tender meat. He didn't have odd cravings that turned everyone else's stomach, but his son did demand food, and lots of it; protein rich things being the main items. Between the heavenly smell and rich taste, he was nearly forgetting to chew. The Visoreds were really good cooks, and his son very much approved of the meal.
"Yep, he's pregnant." Kensei observed, the laughter in his voice making Ichigo scowl at him, but he reached for another strip of meat anyway.
After swallowing he managed a reply, "What was your first hint?" He challenged.
"Well the Captain's meeting was a pretty good one." Kensei admitted. "Didn't expect you of all people to show up pregnant, but I gotta say, a baby bump is a good look for you."
Reflexively, Ichigo covered up the mentioned bump with his hand, another scowl on his face. "What do you mean by of all people you didn't expect me to show up like this?" He asked defensively.
This time the laughter wasn't just in Kensei's voice, but filling the room, "Back down Momma Bear, I meant it as a compliment actually. You are too strong, and too stubborn, we were all kinda afraid you wouldn't let yourself have a family with the way you are so extremely protective of everyone. Look, outside the people you are familiar with there may be some who have a problem with the person you chose, or the position you're in, but the ones who know you are going to support you. You have a habit of collecting the strong ones, and the outcasts, as your friends. These are the people that will follow you into Hell if you ask them to, a baby is hardly that kind of situation, personally I think we could do with a youngster running around again."
"Kensei, while I appreciate the sentiment, you are very lucky I don't have Zangetsu on me right now," Ichigo stated in a calm, but extremely dangerous tone. Shinji had dragged him here before he could even grab his Zanpakuto, though he didn't think he was in any danger being surrounded by eight Visoreds.
"Why, it was a compliment!" Kensei protested, the story of the man who ended up in the Fourth division had gotten widely circulated at this point. No one was very willing to test exactly how far Ichigo could be pushed.
A cruel smile, one taken a bit from Kenpachi, and a little from Kisuke, oh and some from just Ichigo himself, "You called me Momma Bear! The only ones who can call me any variation of the word mother are Yachiru and my son."
That caused Mashiro to crack up, "Wait, you let Yachiru call you mother?"
"Oh no," A very bruised Shinji was returning, "He lets her call him Mommy."
A drop in air pressure ensued as all the Visoreds took in a breath at once in order to all start laughing at the same time. Each receiving a glare from Ichigo.
"And you were protesting Momma Bear?" Love had to comment.
Ichigo crossed his arms and scowled, "Could you say no to her?"
"Not if I wanted to keep all parts attached," Love admitted.
"The same rules I allow my children, do NOT apply to everyone else, understood?" Ichigo pressed. "I already had to correct Kenpachi's thinking on that one, his lip healed up, but his eye is going to take awhile. I think he is proud of it, or he would have gone to someone from the Fourth."
"You hit him?" Hiyori was very interested in this, or it seemed that way.
Ichigo looked at her incredulously, "He's Kenpachi, I always hit him. What did you think we were going to do, cuddle?"
She looked at his stomach pointedly, "Well you weren't fighting all the time."
He smirked, "I didn't say we were fighting, I just said I hit him." He pointed out. "I really do think he is proud of the black eye. He likes irritating me to the point where I leave visible marks. Something about me always holding back too much."
"Hmm, you do hold back a lot," This was Rose, slightly more reserved than the rest, as in not bursting out laughing every two minutes, but you didn't dare let your guard drop around him. "This time, I think he beat you in leaving visible marks. His claim on you is going to be there a lot longer, I'd say another five months or so."
"Yeah, he has me beat there," His hand was back over his son again. "I can always just keep leaving bruises on him though, I'm sure he will keep giving me reasons to re-freshen them."
"You are going to make life around here very interesting aren't you?" Kensei asked, a little rhetorically.
A grin, "If I don't, my son will. Rukia, Rangiku, and I were just discussing what it was going to be like raising a mixture of Kenpachi and I. Do you think the Seireitei can handle it?"
"At least the masons will get some work for awhile," Love was the first to respond, the others too busy blanching at the thought.
"I was hoping for more girls though, there are too many males in the high ranks," Hiyori complained once she had recovered her wits.
"I agree," Lisa added. "Though there has been an improvement in the number of female Lieutenants."
Ichigo had to chuckle, "About that, I might be having a boy, but there is going to be a girl running around about my son's age too. She will be plenty strong with who her parents are." Yumichika had allowed others to tell about his daughter now that Ikkaku knew, much like Ichigo, it kept him from having to do it himself. Although in Yumichika's case he was welcoming the attention he was beginning to get.
"Who else is pregnant, someone we know?" Lisa asked, curiosity spiking a bit, people caught her interest.
"I think you do, it's the Fifth seat in Squad Eleven, Yumichika Ayasegawa. Ikkaku and him were pretty active during the Winter War, so you might remember them from there even if you don't work with the Eleventh much now." Ichigo informed.
"That peacock?" Shinji was laughing himself sick again, "Oh this is going to be hilarious!"
"Yumichika is going to be funny, but I think Ikkaku might surprise you, he has a lot of practice dealing with his temper tantrums." Ichigo pointed out.
"You could be right, but forgive me if I happen to have a tin of popcorn next to me on some occasions," Shinji was still grinning.
Ichigo could only shake his head, at least some things would never change, and that he could count as a good thing.
Two weeks later he was escaping Retsu's clutches. He liked her, really he did, and he had a great amount of respect for the healer, but damn was that woman scary at times. She was checking over the baby and him, a simple enough endeavor, well it was intended to be. Except this time when his son reacted to the Kido scan, he felt it. His surprised reaction to what felt like a cotton ball being thrown at his insides had her turning what was supposed to be a simple check up into an hour long ordeal.
The only thing that saved Ichigo's pride and sanity, and he thanked every deity he had ever heard of for this one, was this particular visit had not happened with his father. Retsu had remained calm and professional, it was obviously not the first time she had talked a reluctant patient through the uncomfortable and potentially humiliating feeling of getting the first thorough scan. Good news came from it though, everything he needed was forming correctly, but exactly how she had found that out was something he wanted copious amounts of brain bleach in order to forget.
Now that he was away from her clutches and gone from the Fourth he could let himself think about what happened to bring on the torture. His baby moved! He had suspected he might have been feeling something from him when he was laying or sitting still, but it was so light and unfocused he wasn't sure it was the baby. This time, there was no doubt, that funny little brush was his son, Retsu had confirmed it for him.
"Hey, Ichigo! Where are you heading?" It was Renji calling to him, with one of the younger members of his squad tagging along, Rikichi. The young Shinigami worshiped Renji, and every once and awhile Ichigo caught the Lieutenant letting the unseated squad member follow him around on duties to possibly teach the kid a thing or two. He thought it was a very good thing to do, even if Ichigo did suspect it was a very subtle way to impress Rukia, but hey if it worked and somebody was helped by it, why stop him?
"I was just escaping the Fourth, are you two finished?" He noticed they were heading back towards the Sixth's compound instead of away from it.
Renji nodded, "Yeah, wasn't much work today, even the Captain should be finishing up by now."
"That's a good thing right? It means there isn't anything going horribly wrong." Ichigo pointed out.
The Shinigami with fiery red hair let out a huff, "Oh it's great for the Soul Society, but we get bored as Hell. Nothing to do but catch up on paperwork and train. We've had years to catch up, so that's pretty much done, and for any one who has already achieved Bankai training opponents are hard to come by. There aren't that many to chose from willing to fight for no reason other than to fight."
"Oh right, you used to be in the Eleventh didn't you?" Ichigo remembered, the attitude a familiar one to him.
Renji nodded, Rikichi looking on in curiosity, "I think I spent the most time there, the Eleventh probably had the most impact on how I fight. That's most likely why Captain and I get along fine, right up until a battle breaks out. He is all about planning and restraint, while I just jump in and try to win as quickly as I can."
"I asked Toushiro not long ago, Captains have a choice, so why does he work with you if you fight so differently?" Ichigo couldn't stop himself from asking.
Renji shrugged, "I don't know. I thought it was Rukia at first, that she might have recommended me, but the attempted execution changed my mind. If he was willing to let her die, why would he keep me on to please her?"
"Because Renji's style is different but effective," Rikichi chipped in, surprising the others. Ichigo had been expecting someone timid like Hanataro, but he was at least a little more outgoing. "Captain Kuchiki has been taught to recognize power and talent, Renji has both, even if they are not in the same style as his own."
Ichigo had to think about the young Shinigami's words for a moment before something clicked, "You know, that reminds me of something, Kenpachi loves pissing off Byakuya. The two of them play a kind of game, they irritate each other until one blows up, and they fight. The goal for Kenpachi is the fight itself of course, but I think for Byakuya he is trying to figure out Kenpachi. I would be interested to know what he has concluded from his experiments."
"You could always ask him," Renji suggested.
"Ah no," Ichigo declined, "That's okay, I've met Senbonzakura, and I'm in no hurry to see it again."
"You have a free pass for a little while. Captain won't hurt you until the kid is born," Renji assured, a bit of an evil grin crossing his face, at least he was admitting the question could provoke a negative reaction from the unpredictable noble.
"Still not tempting fate," Ichigo stated firmly.
Renji held his hands up in mock surrender, "Fine, I get it. So how is the little rascal anyway, you said you were coming from the Fourth, everything all right?"
"Everything is fine, other than an hour I want to blank from my memory." Ichigo responded, filling Renji in, figuring he would pass it along to Rukia and the others close to him. "He decided to move during the check up and Retsu subjected me to a bunch of scans that I hadn't been put through before. All I am willing to say is the next few months are going to suck, I love my son, but I am going to punch Kenpachi again."
"Same eye?" Renji asked with a laugh, not shocked at the threat.
"I'm considering changing it up, I don't want him to know where I am going to hit next." Ichigo mused, planning out his revenge.
Another laugh from the red pineapple, "Seems like a fair trade, you hit him, because his son is going to be beating you up. First time moving, or just the first time Captain Unohana knew about it?"
"First time I knew it was really him," Ichigo admitted, "And Renji; Rukia I was expecting to be curious about the baby, but this is a little odd. What's going on?"
There was red across his cheeks the same shade as his hair, and he rubbed his neck guiltily, "Well, you know I kind of like Rukia a lot."
"I'm pretty sure everyone in the Soul Society knows you like her." Ichigo responded, noticing even Rikichi was nodding his head with a smile.
"I want a family with her, and you would be the first one I know this closely to have a baby." Renji confessed.
Ah so that explained it, "Renji, if you want kids, talk to her about it. This wasn't planned, so I can only help you so much. Oh but if I were you, I would go about it the proper way, and talk to Byakuya first about asking her to marry you. Trust me, you might just survive that way."
"You think so?" He asked hopefully.
"Shall I rephrase?" Without waiting for an answer, Ichigo continued, "If you don't marry Rukia first, Byakuya will castrate you, crucify you, and only then will he consider killing you. A noble family like his might appreciate the gesture of being asked first before the proposal though, it can't hurt, seeing as how Rukia has only been throwing you the biggest hints ever since I've known the two of you."