Grand Fisher

"Ryuji! Ryuji! Ryuji!", Voices were heard from the distance as Ryuji stood in the dark void, staring at the endless black around him.

'What the hell…', Ryuji thought to himself as his eyes fluttered open, bringing him back to reality.

"Ryuji! Are you awake? Can you hear me?", A clean male voice reached his ears as his blurry vision cleared to reveal Ichigo.

"I…Ichigo. What are you doing here? Where am I?", Ryuji asked Ichigo as he noticed himself being in a different room from his bedroom.

"You're in the clinic. It was scary for Karin and Yuzu to find you at the doorsteps of the house with burns on your body.", Ichigo informed Ryuji.

"I hope they were not serious…", Ryuji commented.

"Well, they were of low magnitude and just needed to be treated with Ice.", Isshin told them as he walked into the room.

"Does that mean I am fine now?", Ryuji asked him.

"Technically yes, but-", Isshin started before noticing that Ryuji had already taken off with Ichigo.

"Nice going, Dad.", Karin commented with a disappointed face.

"…", Isshin stood there in disbelief.

With Ryuji and Ichigo,

"Are you sure that you're okay?", Ichigo asked Ryuji as they both climbed the stairs.

"I'm fine, Ichigo.", Ryuji replied.

"Do you remember how you ended up with those injuries?", Ichigo asked him.

"No…It's all a blur to me.", Ryuji replied.

"Well, make sure to care of yourself a little bit.", Ichigo told him.

"I will…Ichigo, tomorrow's that day, isn't it?", Ryuji asked with a serious tone as he noticed the date under 8 PM on his watch.

"Yes…", Ichigo replied with his guilt and gulped down his throat.

"Well, I'll get some rest, " Ryuji told him before locking the door inside his room.

'I'm sorry for taking her away from you…Ryuji.', Ichigo thought to himself as he walked towards his room.

A few hours later, at 11 PM,

The sound of swords clashing with each other reverberated throughout the warehouse. Taking quick steps, Ryuji sped toward Senjumaru and slashed at her. Senjumaru, having the experience that Ryuji can not hope to beat at this stage, deflected the slash easily. Ryuji came to a standstill as he had to take deep breaths. Senjumaru retracted the blade she had borrowed from one of her summoned soldiers and placed it on the ground.

"Your attacks have improved well. Both in strength, speed, and accuracy.", Senjumaru stated with a smile.

"But, I still am not able to hit you.", Ryuji replied.

"You have only been a Shinigami for a short while. It's a miracle that you progressed this much in this time.", Senjumaru stated.

"If I can't even hit you once after all this time, with what face am I to stand in front of you?". Ryuji asked her, sheathing his Zanpakuto in.

"Trying to impress me, huh?", Senjumaru asked in a teasing tone.

"…No.", Ryuji replied after a cough to hide his embarrassment.

"Ryuji-kun. I can sense that you are very tense because of something and only want to train with me to forget it.", Senjumaru stated.

"Tomorrow's that day…the day mother was killed.", Ryuji said as those memories resurfaced a bit.

"Well, You have a trip to take tomorrow. So, get yourself home and get rest.", Senjumaru told him with a comforting smile and disappeared.

"It's time to go home.", Ryuji told himself as he made his way home.

Ryuji's room,

Ryuji hopped onto the ledge connected to his room's window. He peeked inside for anyone that could see his Shinigami form. Confirming that the area was safe, he hopped into the room and found his body in the same sleeping position as he left it. He pushed himself inside his body and woke up in it. He turned to the left to check the time.

'6:59 PM…Made it by a minute.', Ryuji thought as he let out a sigh.

*knock**knock*

"What?", Ryuji asked.

"Time for the family meeting.", Ichigo announced to him.

"I'll be there in a minute.", Ryuji replied, prompting Ichigo to walk away.

"Okay, be there soon.", Ichigo told him as he walked away.

The Next Morning,

*rrrrrriiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnngggggggggg*, the alarm clock rang, indicating it was 4 AM.

Ryuji turned the annoying sound off and stretched his arms out. While yawning, he got out of bed and walked towards his cupboard. He opened the door and took out his workout clothes. Stripping off his night clothes, Ryuji eased himself into his workout outfit and shoes.

'Time to go…', Ryuji told himself as he left the house for jogging.

*Time Skip of 2 hours*

"I'm home.", Ryuji announced as he walked inside the house.

"Good Morning, Ryuji!", Isshin wished with excitement as he jumped towards Ryuji.

"Not going to happen.", Ryuji said as he dodged Isshin, making Isshin crash into the wall.

"You're so mean, Ryuji!", Isshin complained.

"When you are the son of Kurosaki Isshin, you should be.", Ryuji replied.

"W-what was that supposed to mean?", Isshin asked him with an exasperated face.

"What it meant.", Ryuji replied like a boss and walked upstairs.

"Make sure to be downstairs by 7 PM.", Isshin told him.

"Alright.", Ryuji replied.

Hours later,

"This hill is really steep.", Yuzu complained as they walked up the hill to the cemetery.

"Is it? It doesn't bother me. But if you say things like that…", Karin told her, anticipating the phenomenon that is about to happen.

"Hang in there, Yuzu! Don't give up! Your dad is rooting for you! See?", Isshin told them as he stood on his hands, embarrassing his daughters.

"Ignore him, Yuzu! If you pay attention to him, it will only encourage him.", Karin said as she started to walk up the hill.

"How naïve. Even if you ignore me, I'm automatically hyped up!", Isshin said as he whooshed toward the two.

"Run!", Karin warned with a serious face.

"My deathblow: Father's Slide!", Isshin said as he slid underneath Yuzu towards Karin.

"Begone…To the ends of the earth!", Karin said in frustration as she kicked Isshin in the head making him roll away like a soccer ball.

"Now's our chance. Let's go.", Karin said as she walked away.

'The day is so hot…unlike that day.', Ryuji thought to himself as he recalls how their mother died.

"Oh, someone else is here.", Karin said as she noticed something.

'What the-', Ryuji thought as he looked in that direction.

"You're right. I wonder if she's here to visit a grave too.", Yuzu stated.

"Huh? But…She's waving.", Karin said as it was revealed to be Rukia, waving at him.

"Ichigo, do you know her?", Yuzu asked Ichigo.

'Really? Can she be any subtle?', Ryuji thought to himself.

"No! I don't know her! Not at all! If I say, I don't know her, I don't!", Ichigo yelled out as he denied ever knowing Rukia by nodding 'no' frantically.

"There's something familiar about her.", Karin said as she thought to herself.

"I remember now! She's a classmate from middle school! It's all coming back to me! Oh, man! I feel so nostalgic. I think I want to talk to her all alone, right now!", Ichigo sputtered out, trying to put down the suspicions.

'Hmf!', Ryuji tried so hard to keep his laughter in.

"Therefore, I'll go over and have a talk with her. You three go on ahead to Mom's grave!", Ichigo jumped in front of them and told them before talking off somewhere else while dragging Rukia along with him.

"Onii-chan!", Yuzu called out to Ichigo.

"Heh-heh", Karin sounded with a knowing smirk.

"What? Karin, what do you mean by that?", Yuzu asked Karin.

"Well, I think the time for you to let go of your brother is close at hand.", Karin said as she walked on.

"Huh? What do you mean? Karin, wait a minute!", Yuzu asked agitated as she followed behind Karin.

"Time to walk upstairs…", Ryuji told himself as he walked on as well.

Top of the hill,

'It's been a year, hasn't it? Since we last saw each other. I hope you are alright, wherever you are…', Ryuji thought to himself as he looked at the grave having the words 'Kurosaki Family Plot' before the cries of his sister broke his thought flow.

"Quit crying already, Yuzu. You do this every year. We're 11 already this year, we're grown-ups.", Karin scolded the crying Yuzu.

"I know…I know, but…", Yuzu resumed crying as she said those words.

"You don't know anything…", Karin commented.

"Let her be, Karin.", Ryuji told her.

"She's doing it every year…", Karin complained to Ryuji.

"Karin, do you know why grown-ups are given significance and respect?", Ryuji asked her.

"Because they're so strong that they don't cry?", Karin answered.

"No, because they're enough to cry and carry on with their lives, irrespective of the pain.", Ryuji answered her.

"Eh?", Karin asked as she thought about his words.

"Now, now, now! Cheer up! It's time for our annual 'Kurosaki Family Headstone Dominoes Tournament!'. A full two-and-a-half hours of tombstone toppling-", Isshin told them while standing in an embarrassing pose and was interrupted by a kick to the face.

"Why don't you go and start your life over from scratch?", Karin growled as she kicked Isshin in the face, making him fall a little further.

"There'll be some 'wardrobe malfunctions,' too…", Isshin said as he lay upside down.

"To be honest, that shabby guy has so much energy it's so annoying.", Karin stated to Ryuji.

"I can't seem to disagree with that.", Ryuji commented.

"There'll be even some peeks!", Isshin said as he came to peek under Karin's skirt.

"Go away!", Karin said as she kicked him in the stomach and ran away, prompting him to follow her.

'There they go again.', Ryuji thought to himself as he walked away to a secluded place to sit down.

A few minutes later,

"What's wrong? Karin?", Yuzu asked Karin, who had got up from prayer in shock.

"There you are!", The voice of a hollow reached Karin's ears.

"What's the matter?", Yuzu asked as she stood up near Karin.

"Where's dad?", Karin asked in fear.

"He said he was going to have a talk with the priest.", Yuzu replied.

'That good-for-nothing!', Karin cursed in her mind as the hollow walked towards them invisibly.

"I'm going to have you keep me company for a while. The bigger the bait, the better…", The hollow said as its prints on the ground became noticeable.

"Karin?", Yuzu asked Karin as she could not understand the situation.

"Heh-heh-heh!", The hollow laughed as it reached them

"Yuzu! Run!", Karin ordered in fear.

"Heh-heh-heh!", The hollow laughed as it threw Karin away.

"Karin!", Yuzu called out as she saw Kain on the ground.

"No! Don't come here!", Karin screamed her warning while on the ground as the massive arm of the hollow pushed on her body, rendering her unable to get up.

"Karin! Karin! What's going on?!", Yuzu called out as she ran to Karin to help her up and failed to do so.

"Yuzu…", Karin called out before fainting as the hollow wrapped its tongue around Yuzu's neck and picked her up.

"You're so loud! One hostage is enough!", The hollow said before it tried to eat Yuzu.

"Hado #4. Byakurai!", Ryuji chanted as he shot a bolt of lightning that severed the tongue holding Yuzu, letting Ryuji catch her as she fell.

"Who are you? No matter…You will make a better hostage!", The hollow said as it attacked Ryuji with its arm.

"Hmph!", Ryuji jumped over the arm and shot the same Hado on the hollow's face, making it take its arm off Karin.

"Karin!", Ryuji called out as he picked her up and brought her near Yuzu.

"O-Onii…chan…", Yuzu said with little energy.

"Get her away from here!", Ryuji ordered her.

"B-But-", Karin's words were interrupted by his stern orders.

"Get. Her. Away!", Ryuji ordered.

"Be safe!", Yuzu wished as she took off with Karin slowly.

"Now, time for me to kill you.", Ryuji said as he turned around, confirming that the two had gone out of sight.

"You will pay for that!", The hollow growled.

"Ryuji!", Ichigo called out as he reached the place with Kon, Rukia, and an unknown Shinigami.

"Ichigo!", Ryuji turned around, letting his guard down, and got himself caught in the hollow's hand.

"You're a strong one, aren't you?", The hollow said as it crushed Ryuji in its hand.

"Hmph!", Ryuji powered out of the hollow's hand.

"Hmm…", The hollow gave out a smirk.

"What?!", Ryuji asked before getting entangled in the hollow's hair.

"You're caught! Now, for you to stay down…", The hollow said before slashing Ryuji on the back with one of his nails.

"ARGH!", Ryuji growled out in pain.

"Ryuji!", Ichigo called out as he and the others came there.

"Heh-heh-heh!" The hollow laughed as the same girl Ichigo and Ryuji saw before their mother's death stood near the hollow.

"Y-You were… that mon…ster…", Ryuji struggled with his last words before passing out.

A day later,

"Ryuji, are you awake?", Ichigo asked his brother who was unconscious until an hour ago.

"It's my second time coming to this place as a patient, isn't it?", Ryuji asked as he noticed that he was in the clinic.

"It seems that you deserve to inherit this clinic more than me.", Ichigo commented.

"Unless you want me to make you the first patient.", Ryuji replied.

"…Suggestion taken back.", Ichigo said before the both of them started laughing together.

"Hahahah!", Ryuji laughed.

"Hahahah…", Ichigo laughed with his brother.

"Something's bothering you…tell me.", Ryuji said, his expression turning serious.

"I'm sorry…for taking her from us.", Ichigo apologized.

"Ichigo…", Ryuji replied.

"Why? Why didn't you blame me for it? Why didn't you hate me for it? It would have been easier to do so. Why?!", Ichigo started to cry out his questions in guilt and anger.

"Because it wasn't. Neither of us knew how to differentiate between a soul and a living person back then. Blaming you for her death is an injustice to her sacrifice.", Ryuji replied.

"But-", Ichigo's words were interrupted by Ryuji.

"If I were to blame you for trying to save a soul while not knowing it was one, then I would be blamed for standing back and doing nothing to save mother when she was killed. So, take your apologies and throw it out because I don't need it.", Ryuji stated with intensity in his eyes, making Ichigo widen his eyes in surprise.

"T-Then, who will take my apologies? Who will forgive me for what I did?", Ichigo started.

"Ichigo, if there is anyone who should forgive you, it would always be you.", Ryuji told Ichigo with a serious face.

"Good Morning, Ryuji! Time for your bath!", Isshin said as he barged in the door with a washing cloth and warm water.

"No...No…NO…NO!", Ryuji yelled in fear, realizing the reality that he was going to go through.

End of Chapter – 4.