Bleach (c) Tite Kubo

Once More To See You Again

Investigations

Urahara is a hell of a taskmaster, not that the Kurosaki twins would have it any other way. A healthy side of sibling rivalry spurs them on during training too, turning their spars into lively competition and increasingly grandiose (reckless) ways of trying to outclassing each other. Urahara might've had to step in once or twice to stop them from getting a little too carried away (that is, possibly accidentally killing each other). Each day did a number on the training grounds which was somehow completely repaired the next morning.

With their rigourous pace, it's completely expected that Ichigo collapsed on the futon at the end of every night, too exhausted to crawl back inside his body before passing out.

Ichigo knows he's at Kisuke's when his eyes flutter open and he finds himself in the bizarre sideways world filled with skyscrapers. "Wait... where is this?"

Abruptly remembering the last time, with gravity throwing towards the street, Ichigo hits the deck, his back against one of the windows and clinging to the thin ledges for dear life. He doesn't want to plumet into the streets again. He's so focused on avoiding that face, he doesn't notice something looming above him. Leaning over him. When Ichigo glances up -

"Boo!"

Ichigo lets out a scream of fright, scrambling away. His albino Zanpakutou throws his head back howling with a caustic static-like laughter, straightening up from where he'd bent over at the waist.

Recording his embarrassment, Ichigo growls, "Har har. Very funny."

Zangetsu laughs even harder.

"Ah, the look on your face. You look pathetic, King. The hell did ya think you were doing, laying down like that? Took one too many knocks to the head today?" His tone is eerie and unnatural, edged by wicked humour.

Ichigo can't shake the strange absolute certainty he's speaking with a Hollow. Heck, the spirit looks like a Hollow with that albino skin, golden-on-black eyes and the twisted static quality to his voice. Not concerning in the slightest. Wasn't this Zangetsu supposed to be his Zanpakutou? Its temporarily dismissed by irritation at Zangetsu's mocking laughter.,

"I didn't want to fall, okay?!" Ichigo blurts indignantly.

Zangetsu waves his hand dismissively. "That ain't happening anymore. Or ever again. Only reason that happened in the first place is because this world destabilized when your chain of fate decayed. You ain't got a chain of fate anymore, means no more apocalypse. Now you bounced back with your powers and sanity intact, the world's as stable as ever. Better even, but you'd have ta take my word for it. Gotta say though, weren't ya cutting things close there, King? A few seconds longer and we'd both end up cut to pieces."

Ichigo scowls up at his Zanpakutou, then glances around. Ichigo doesn't know what the hell kind of metaphor this was supposed to be. He shakes his head and aims a glare at his unrepentant spirit.

"And this weird sideways, lefty-righty upside-down-ness is supposed to be normal?"

Zangetsu ignores him. "Stand up, won't ya? Unless you like sitting on your ass doing nothing?"

"Yeah. Fine." Ichigo grubmles, pulling himself up and dusting off. He aims a scowl at his Zanpakutou. "Oh, cut it out with the pranks, you hear me? I already deal with enough of that from Kaien, I don't need it from my sword too." Ichigo pulls himself off and dusting himself off.

"And I can see why. I wanted in on the fun. That reaction was priceless. I didn't know you could squeal like a little girl. I wonder how Clownfish would react if he heard ya just now? The teasing would be legendary." Zangetsu's snicker makes Ichigo's eyebrow twitch irritably.

"I did not-!"

"Like an iddy-biddy toddler. With pig tails. Like how Yuzu and Karin used to tie your hair when they conned you both into playing dress-up-"

"Oh, go suck a dick." Ichigo snaps.

"Ouch. Hostile. I don't appreciate it. Here I was tryin' to be polite and all, inviting you into my home, and this is what I get for the curtesy? That hurts me, partner. Right here." Zangetsu drawls sarcastically, thumping a fist against his chest.

"I'm sure you'll live." Ichigo rolls his eyes then scans his surroundings, he expects to see that strange old man in black from before, but he's no where to be found. "Is there a reason why you called me here? I'm trying to sleep."

"Because I have a lot I need to talk to you about." Zangetsu confesses, every ounce of meanspirited humour vanishingly.

Ichigo stares at his alabaster mimic for a long moment. "Like the fact you sound like a Hollow?" He accuses.

Zangetsu arches an eyebrow, every word positively drenched in sarcasm. "Colour me impressed. And here I thought I'd have to take you gently by the hand and guide ya through the explanation. Like a child. I had a powerpoint presentation prepared, children's picture books and everything."

"Cut the jokes. Skip to the point, won't you?" Ichigo folds his arms, scowling.

"Alright fine. Hope ya brought a notebook cause I got a lot to cover." Zangetsu drawls, "But ta address the elephant in the room; this is gonna be hard for you to hear but ya gotta hear it. Thing is... you ain't imagining it. I am part Hollow."

Ichigo recoils at the frankly admission, the very idea disgusting to him.

Zangetsu raises his hands in defence. "Hey, hey! Don't give me that look. Its not like I had a choice in the matter. I had to embrace the Hollow to survive! Besides she's more Hollow than I am right now. At least I can claim I'm half-Shinigami, she doesn't even have that much."

There's a bizarre out-of-place sympathy on Zangetsu's face that comes and goes in a flash.

"She? Who's she? Urahara's sword?" Ichigo questions.

Zangetsu gives him a deadpan stare. "... Gez, I knew you were thick. Didn't think you'd be dense enough ta break the atomic scale."

"Hey!"

Zangetsu heaves a sigh and scratches the back of his head, exactly the same way Ichigo does when he's exasperated. As Zangetsu continues to speak, his voice begins to lose that hollow-like quality, the more he spoke the more human his tone became, "You've seen him, right? The interloper." Zangetsu circles a finger in the air. "He tried to distract you last time when you were in here searching for me."

"The old guy with the sunglasses? Yeah, I saw him..." Ichigo acknowledges dryly, "And I ignored him."

"Yeah, you did. Smart thing too. Before I go on, I gotta ask: why'd ya refuse to pay him any attention?"

Ichigo frowns at the sudden interrogation. He relents with a shrug, "Kaien said his Zanpakutou put him through hell before it let him use it. Figured I'd have the same trouble."

Ichigo pauses to scratch the back of his head, realises its the same motion his Zanpakutou just performed then folded his arms once again, "When I woke up here the first time, the guy was practically bouncing for my attention - as much as a statue can bounce. My gut told me it was too easy. Thinking back on it now, it kind of felt like bait for a trap. And being desperate as I was, with the pending painful hollow transformation thing, I nearly took it."

A brief feral grin splits Zangetsu's face. "Good instincts. Keep that up and we're gonna get along just fine."

"I'll bite. What is he? What's he doing here?" Ichigo sags, "Please don't tell me I have actually two zanpakutou spirits?"

Zangetsu shakes his head firmly, "Nah. Yer gut was right on the money. It was a trap. Frankly I have no idea what he is or what aspect of power he's supposed to represent, but it definitely ain't Hollow. Not another Shinigami aspect either. All I know for sure is he's dangerous. Best as I can figure, his goal was to trick you into leading him straight to me. Snow lady's power helped wake me up, Scales helped push the rest of the way-"

"Scales?"

"Nejibana." Zangetsu answers.

"... his sword has scales like fish. Why am I not surprised?" Ichigo deadpans.

That gets a short chuckle out of Zangetsu, who presses on. "Anyways, 'cause you constantly radiated Snow Lady's power until Byakuya Kuchiki destroyed them, Scales managed to emerge before her own interloper got a foothold."

"Kaien's had to deal with that guy too?" Ichigo questions, shaking his head. "What the hell is this? A weird kind of spirit plague? Does every Shinigami have that problem?"

"Beats me, King. I'm just telling ya what I know," Zangetsu responds with a very human-like shrug, "Back ta my point; to put it bluntly, Snow Lady's reiatsu was the alarm clock nudging me awake; after Byakuya Kuchiki knocked me down again, Scales' came stomping in, yanked off the bed covers and screamed a riot. Like an annoying younger sibling raising merry hell when all ya wanna do is sleep in on the weekend."

"Oh yeah, I feel that pain." Ichigo agrees emphatically. He's been there, done that. And that sounds like precisely the kind of thing Kaien would do to him in a heartbeat.

"Thing is, Scales and me, we have a connection. Probably better to call it a resonance. Maybe its 'cause our wielders are siblings, or maybe because we're both part Hollow; hell if I know. But I figure her encounter taught her exactly how dangerous the interloper could be, so she did her damnedest to return the favour by pushing me." Zangetsu reveals, covering a yawn on cue to emphasize his point, "That nosy bitch is annoying as hell. Woke me up ages before I was ready, but if she hadn't? Well... that would've really sucked for everyone."

"You scratch her back, she scratches ours, huh?"

"Skippin' ahead to my main point; if neither of them had given me a boost and the interloper's deception succeeded, that guy would've have gotten in the way and absorbed me into himself before we had a chance to establish a connection. Would've ended with me as his prisoner while he siphoned my powers. He'd have stolen my place, been the one called the shots, and you'd be calling that oily bastard my name."

Ichigo's mouth drops in open horror.

"Sounds kinda fucked up when you say it out loud, doesn't it?" Zangetsu intones, a touch ruefully.

"Just a little." Ichigo grimaces. "Then how did I manage to get to you before he did?"

"Every soul has potential to change its form. To stay Human, to become a Hollow or to become a Shinigami. You've figured out that much, right?"

"Urahara might've mentioned something about that, yeah." Ichigo agrees dryly.

"When ya dove into that darkness trying to find me, you crossed the boundary and became a Hollow for a half minute or so. For whatever reason, the interloper wouldn't or probably couldn't chase after you. That left you free to claim me without him interfering. And then, because I'm the manifestation of your Zanpakutou and your Hollow, you managed to put yourself back together on the Shinigami side."

"And that's why I came out of the pit with a shihakushou and a Hollow mask." Ichigo concludes. "What does that make me? Part Hollow too?" The idea is repugnant but the evidence does speak for itself.

"Somewhere in between, I figure. Clownfish's the same. Shinigami and Hollow are two sides of the same coin. Thing is, that line ain't as permanent as it looks. I think all Shinigami have the potential to cross over. Hollows too. Some are more adept at it than others, but they need some kind of push. You and me, Clownfish and Scales - we're unique. Seems like we straddle the line. This is a theory but I figure because of how I and Scales are, being both Hollow and Shinigami, we can dip out toes into either side and bounce right back."

Ichigo runs a hand through his hair, taking the explanation in. It's a lot and his head hurts. He's not enthused by the fact something tried to keep him from his Zanpakutou, or that it likely would've succeeded too had he not listened to a half-formed whim. To make matters worse, he has no idea if it'll try to interfere again. Rubbing his cheek thoughtfully, he realises he'll need to be on guard. To keep an eye out for anything weird - weirder going on.

"You know I'd have figured it out, right?" Ichigo declares finally. "If you were trapped, there's no way I'd have let that imposter fool me."

Zangetsu snorts derisively, "Doubt it."

"Oi! I'm trying to show you my support here!" Ichigo protests angrily.

Zangetsu continues, as though uninterrupted. "Think about it Ichigo. Whoever got to you first would control the narrative. You already hate Hollows and with good damn reason. If you hadn't heard from my lips first, would you have believed me had I told you the truth if someone seemingly more amiable hadn't already staked a claim to my name first?"

Ichigo wants to argue out of sheer stubbornness but has to concede the answer is probably not.

Zangetsu waves a dismissive hand. "Anyways, I'm the centre of your power, right where I'm supposed to be. Problem is that other soul's still got its fangs in me. Like a thorn lodged too deep in a festering wound I can't reach. I'll be able to claw it back with enough time but right now it's... dicey. Trust me, I hate it but them's the breaks." Zangetsu snarls the confess, each word like bitter poison on the way out.

Ichigo nods, grimly absorbing and cataloguing this. He doesn't like the idea that something's clinging to his sword like a barnacle.

If Zangetsu is meant to represent the Shinigami and the Hollow parts of his soul, he has no clue what this other spirit could represent. It couldn't be his humanity because, well.. Ichigo is the humanity, isn't he? That makes about as much sense as anything else. Though Ichigo is mildly concerned that his twin seems to have a similar or worse situation.

Frankly, there's a lot of questions that'll need answering in the coming days or weeks. Maybe later, when everything's all blown over, he and Kaien could put their heads together and figure it out. For now, they'll have to place that mystery on the back burner.

"Is there anything I can do to help? I don't like the idea of something eating away at you. Especially when we have no idea what we'll be facing in Soul Society." Ichigo offers.

Zangetsu sneers at nothing in particularly, "Honestly, King, I just gotta grit my teeth and endure it 'til I can finally rip myself out of its clutches. Like overcoming a bad head cold."

"I'm not going to let it stay that way. If we can't figure it out before we head to Soul Society, then once we save Rukia from her bullshit execution, we'll figure out a way to help you too. Hate to foist this on you but do you think you'll be able to hang on that long?"

Zangetsu's sneer is firmly locked in place. "Not like I got a choice in the matter, eh King?"

With that, as abruptly as Ichigo was dragged into his inner world, he's tossed back into reality. He wakes up on the futon where he'd collapse the night before, feeling like he hadn't rested in the slightest. He has a lot to think about but puts it on the backburner for now.

Ichigo glances over to his body, propped up against the nearby wall with its head bowed. He's long since gotten use to the eerie feeling of seeing double and figures he should probably grab a quick bite before heading back down stairs. Presuming those brats Jinta and Ururu have left him anything for breakfast. But when he moves closer to his body, he notices very familiar semi-neat scrawl across his forehead in black texter.

'This space for rent.'

"KAIEN!" Ichigo shouts, answered by said brother's guffawing, running towards the training grounds.

Division 6's reports were declassified, finally, only after Central 46 rendered their verdict.

Captain Ukitake wishes he could say he's surprised. Sadly this tactic too frequently used in their judiciary system, especially when the Central 46 wanted to stack a judgement in their favour. The worst part is legal technicality allows them to abuse loopholes within their own system with abandon, thanks to fundamental flaws written into their codices during the Gotei 13's foundation. Hasty words scratched on ancient parchment in the ashes of war left a lot of room for interpretation.

To Ukitake's eternal frustration, they chose now of all times to employ their underhanded means. Sadly, there was precious little Ukitake could do to stop them. After judgement is rendered, its rarely if ever overturned. That wouldn't stop the Captain from trying - even if he has to move mountains with his bare hands to make that happen.

Perhaps the worst sting was for a fleeting moment, Ukitake believed he'd managed to persuade a judge in his favour, and if one then perhaps more would follow, but that hope shattered like spun glass.

A long private power struggle brewed between the Central 46 and the Great Noble Houses for years now, most notable in the last two centuries. Ironic given the Noble Houses invested them with their power in the first place. They've been emboldened by their most recent success in abruptly shaming and dismissing the Shiba clan four decades previous for practically nonsensical reasons. The Shihoin clan were in their crosshairs half a century before that with the desertion of their Lady Yoruichi Shihoin. Only the quick thinking of young Yushiro Sakimane Shihoin, Yoruichi's younger brother, allowed them to escape persecution relatively unscathed. (He be short in years but that young man possesses surprising deft political acumen when the cards are down.)

Now it seems the Kuchiki clan are the next target in Central 46's private war, with Rukia regrettably caught in the middle. Though only Kuchiki through adoption, she is nobility. Even if the Kuchiki disavow her now, her crimes were committed while she operated under their name. Her death would be a considerable blow to the Kuchiki prestige. That potential damage would embolden the Central 46 to take more overt actions against the high families.

How frustrating it is to see their leaders descend into petty bickering and power mongering. Not even times of peace are free from short-sighted greed and self-interest of lesser men.

Ukitake requisitioned a copy of the mission reports for his study. He's on his way to the 1st Division's barracks to collect it now. The official reason is to examine them in aid of properly formulating an appeal, to have Rukia's ruling overturned and reconvened on the grounds of prejudice and perjury. Her additional crime might be inexcusable but she deserved to be defended justly and fairly without bias (though an uncharacteristically churlish voice in Ukitake's mind warns he won't get far). However the administration seems to be dragging its heels on that as well.

"Captain Ukitake." The voice cuts through Ukitake's frustration like a knife, and the elder Captain is aghast to realize in his headlong flight through the semi-busy streets he'd nearly missed the younger Captain waving his hand amiably in greeting.

"Sosuke." Ukitake halts abruptly and hastily nods back a greeting of his own, "Please forgive me, I didn't see you there. My mind was... elsewhere."

The younger captain expresses sincere concern, "I have no doubt. You appear rather distraught, Captain. May I ask how your recent session with the judges went?" Then, he adds more thoughtfully, "Perhaps if that expression is any indication, I would venture it went poorly."

"Poorly." Ukitake agrees, suppressing the urge to wince then follows on with grim determination. "I intend to appeal the decision and move for a mistrial. Several important factors were kept from me which prevented me from formulating a proper defense. My hope is they will at the very least grant that and allow me to present a more coherent argument for Kuchiki's defense, given the clear precedent for it."

Captain Aizen nods slowly, pensively with a slight frown creasing his brow. "It is only fair that you do. Though if you were to ask Captain Ichimaru for his opinion on the matter, I believe he would state hope is the first step on the road to disappointment."

Ukitake gives a mirthless chuckle, "With all deference to Captain Ichimaru, I don't hold to that sort of fatalistic attitude. I can't. It goes against my principals."

Captain Aizen inclined his head politely, "Then I wish you good luck, Captain Ukitake. Rukia Kuchiki is a fine shinigami. This entire situation is quite the unfortunate tragedy, and it would be such a shame to lose yet another promising young officer."

"That's very kind of you. Thank you."

Ukitake maintains his benevolent demeanour, even as Aizen's words pull at a freshly aching wound. "It never gets easier, does it? Losing officers in the line of duty."

"No. Nor should it ever." Ukitake responds, shaking his head somberly. "The moment soldiers become a tally on a spread sheet is the moment an officer should abdicate his command. Sacrifice is a necessary part of duty as a Shinigami, but lives are a precious currency that should only be spent when there's no other recourse. That aside, this... farce isn't sacrifice. This is petty ego and posturing. And I refuse to allow any of my men to be politically convenient lamb for slaughter."

"Indeed." Aizen agrees grimly before offering a bound folder that he had tucked under his arm. Ukitake raises an eyebrow at him and the Captain returns an apologetic smile, "Forgive me. I had sensed your coming when I'd concluded my business with the Head Captain and I thought to spare you the trouble of travelling too far in your condition."

Ukitake takes the manila folder with a polite grateful smile, "Of course. I appreciate your consideration, Captain Aizen."

"Then I shall be on my way. Good day, Captain Ukitake. And once again, I wish you good luck in rectifying this most unfortunate circumstance." Aizen bows his head once as he departs for his barracks.

Ukitake wastes no time returning to the 13th's barracks, unsealing the report and began to read. He's thankful he waited until after he'd returned to his office before doing so. As expected, there are the written accounts of Captain Kuchiki and Lieutenant Abarai, and a transcript of Rukia Kuchiki's post-capture interrogation. However, rather unusually for these types of reports, the appendix contained pictures. Graphic pictures. Taken from the salvaged data recorder in Lieutenant Abarai's visor.

The first is of an orange-haired youth wearing a shihakushou. A child who bore such a striking resemblance to Ukitake's late lieutenant he's momentarily struck dumb. The report identified him as Ichigo Kurosaki and the man who reportedly stole Rukia's powers. Evidentially, he'd attacked Lieutenant Abarai in defence of Rukia, and the picture was taken when Abarai had the boy on his knees, his shoulders carved open by his Zabimaru.

But when his gaze landed on the other image, Ukitake felt a fresh sorrow seize his heart in its icy grip. The image captured a dark haired teenager of an identical age, painfully familiar shaggy black hair and dark blue eyes. Or rather, the picture showed of his mangled body - the upper half Captain Kuchiki and Lieutenant Abarai had located, flopped against a tree where a Hollow had callously discarded it, covered in blood with dull blue eyes staring off into a distance only the dead could see.

He's so young. They both were. Now their lives were snuffed out on the whim of laws neither of them could understand.

Captains as ancient as Jushiro Ukitake have seen much tragedy in their lifetimes, but some things cut deeper than others. Seeing the poor boy, so much like the late Kaien Shiba, rips open a forty year old wound. Unbidden, his mind superimposes that night on the picture and Ukitake has to force it away with a physical shake of the head.

Ukitake sets the appendix aside, face down, and moves to study the written testimonials.

Author's note:

No excuses for being slack this time. I was just lazy.

Regards,

Aurora313