Ascension

by darklover

Set up to Ch 382. Amidst the raging Winter War, a Shinigami appears claiming to be Ichigo's daughter from the future. Is she telling the truth or is it merely a distraction orchestrated by Aizen? Hints of Ichi/Ruki & other pairings.

39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo and Shueisha Inc. I merely own my original characters. No copyright infringement or financial gain intended. I write for the love of the Bleach-verse and its characters.

Feedback: Reviews are welcome and encouraged, flames are not. Thank you to everyone who reads. Your support is very much appreciated.

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"We are all born dead. The end exists before anything exists. If living is a constant quest for awareness, the awareness we gain at the end is the real goal. In other words, death is the discovery and complete understanding of the end. We are not permitted to seek awareness. Those that cannot transcend death will not find awareness of anything."

Tite Kubo, Bleach Volume 25

---

He'd known that meeting Urahara Kisuke would not yield immediate results, but he'd at least accomplished the only thing he could for Masaki.

He could only hope he would pull through sooner rather than later.

The longer Masaki remained here, the riskier it would be for the present she knew to be true to still exist.

In his mind, he'd seen Masaki's death as the worst possible outcome of her presence here.

He'd preferred not to think about any other potential side effects of her presence in the past since he'd figured they could somehow be fixed….

Death, on the other hand, left no room for corrections.

The harsh reality was that the current situation was inherently worse if Urahara Kisuke could not provide the means for Masaki's return.

From the beginning, Masaki had prioritized the outcome of the war over her welfare.

He'd seen her conviction to protect her time at the expense of her own safety as foolhardy, but the truth was she'd been acting pragmatically. She'd been thinking about the bigger picture unlike him. She'd been preparing for the possibility that the timeline she knew could be altered.

She'd been determined to minimize the effect of her presence in this timeline because she'd known her survival might not be likely.

Her efforts could've been potentially undermined by any revelations she'd made while under the influence which is why had she prioritized limiting the effects of the information she'd unwittingly provided instead of her own wellbeing.

He could see why Masaki had been concerned that if she had let it slip the deaths she knew were supposed to happen, they could incite a desire to change their fate. It was only natural to want to keep your friends and family alive. He'd certainly dreamed many times of how he would've saved his mother if he could've….

If Masaki had revealed Rangiku-san's death, Rangiku-san would've probably used Yachiru to get Masaki to spill more information. She had struck him as someone too curious and unapologetic for getting what she wanted. If she hadn't minded attempting to seduce him to survive in the World of the Living as she'd put it, he doubted she'd mind badgering Masaki for any info she could to try to avoid death. He could understand why it would've been a huge temptation for her. As much as he would've liked for her to have survived, she wasn't supposed to.

Masaki's plan would've been a good way to avoid unnecessary questioning due to anything she might've said, and it would've placed her in less danger if Aizen's attack hadn't derailed it.

He knew Masaki had to feel responsible for putting her timeline in worse danger than before now that the time traveling device had been destroyed even though it wasn't her fault.

He'd tried to ease this guilt by emphasizing that her survival was what mattered though it probably did little good.

She likely wouldn't feel better until she was back in her time.

Despite knowing that her current predicament was serious, he genuinely believed that her death would've been a terrible thing.

He knew death was technically a better fate than potentially not existing at all but for some reason he felt compelled to think that her death would've triggered terrible consequences just as much as much as her inability to return to her time. He knew Rukia believed this as well.

It just wasn't right for someone to die outside of their own time. Who knew if rebirth would even be an option in such a situation.

He knew Masaki's view on her survival as a positive thing was contingent upon her return.

He supposed he couldn't blame her, but he didn't like it in the least.

It seemed like she had never contemplated that her death could be harmful.

It had bothered him to hear her speak about it as though it didn't matter.

He hadn't been expecting her to speak so calmly about it. He didn't think all Shinigami could speak so matter of fact about it, even if death was an occupational hazard. He'd seen many Shinigami succumb to primal fear as they were killed.

Even on the verge of death, Masaki hadn't shown fear, but resignation marked with regret. He'd seen her apology in the moment as lamenting not being able to survive though he suspected after closer reflection it might've been more than that. Nevertheless, she had been resigned to her fate.

He understood her motivation to protect her parents and the timeline she knew must've given her strength to accept it was for the best, if it came to pass, but he was dumbfounded by how she had mentally steeled herself for that possibility.

He wasn't entirely sure he could've been as level-headed if he had been in her shoes.

Hell, he wasn't entirely sure how he'd managed to get a grip on his emotions to battle Aizen.

He'd gone ahead of Rukia and Ganju to the Royal Realm in hopes of sparing them from battling Aizen and ending the war quickly. Though he'd known his friends were more than willing to put their lives on the line, he'd preferred for them not to get involved.

He had believed he had the power to do it on his own.

Of course, Aizen had proved him wrong.

His friends had needed to bail him out.

He had no choice but to rely on them so that they could help him defeat Aizen. He'd been determined to protect them as best he could. However, he'd been powerless to stop Aizen from taking them down.

Usually anger on behalf of his friends propelled him to battle but for the first time, anguish overran his anger since Rukia appeared to be dead…the future he thought he'd have gone….

Even now the recollection of the sensation of Rukia's bloody lifeless form in his arms stirred uneasiness in his stomach.

His desire to fight had been zapped at that moment.

Aizen's words had reminded him that not fighting him would mean the true destruction of Rukia and the future rather than her death.

He'd forced himself to get up and fight him because it would've been dishonoring what Rukia had taught him as well as his promise to her that he'd fight no matter what happened for the sake of everyone.

Somehow those thoughts had given him the strength and resolve to carry on despite the maelstrom of emotions whirling within him.

He supposed that's the valor Shinigami should develop for the sake of protecting something greater than their own lives or that of their companions.

Rukia must've instilled this in Masaki.

Masaki's internal strength and courage came from her, not him.

Would he ever learn to have their mental fortitude?

He understood why Masaki had assumed that anger at believing that she hadn't been real would've dulled his blade and caused him to lose.

Becoming a real Shinigami would mean he'd become an actual soldier. He knew that, but he hadn't considered what impact that would have on him in the future. Rukia had been training him to strengthen his resolve even when it faltered, to push on despite of the circumstances. He wasn't sure he could become a soldier like them….

He could understand why Rukia might think he wouldn't want to be a Shinigami after this war. It was hard to come to terms with everything that had happened. He genuinely felt terrible he hadn't been able to protect Karakura.

He'd always known he couldn't protect everyone, but it was painful all the same.

It was difficult to accept failure when lives were lost, even if those lives helped everyone else remain alive.

He hadn't wanted anyone to ever sacrifice their life for him again. He had wanted to be the protector.

His sorrow and guilt were similar yet different to how he had felt for his mother's loss.

He'd been powerless then but now with all the power he possessed, he was still unable to protect those he was supposed to be protect.

The fact that the lives that were lost helped everyone, including him, remain alive barely eased his pain.

His duty as a Substitute Shinigami was to protect Karakura.

He'd only told Kenpachi in Hueco Mundo that his duty was to protect his friends because he'd trusted the Gotei 13 to finish off Aizen while he rescued Inoue.

He had no qualms about admitting it was his duty after he'd finished rescuing Inoue.

He'd essentially failed at the duty he'd been appointed to.

The only reason the universe was still standing was because of his friends, not him.

His friends had turned out to be his salvation and the world's.

He wasn't much of a Shinigami if he thought about it.

He knew had to get past these feelings.

Wallowing would not protect anyone.

Even without knowing the future, he'd known deep down, he could not live a life where he wouldn't attempt to help others. He'd been doing it as a Human, helping spirts and Humans alike. He had no interest in being some useless lord as a spirit. It would be dishonoring the vow he'd made to his mother that he would use his power to prevent others from suffering her fate.

He knew he would have to grow stronger mentally to continue being a Shinigami.

Loss was part of the job, whether he liked it or not.

All he could do was try his best to prevent it.

Death sustained the universe. It was an unescapable reality.

Some way or another, he'd have to grow to become the man he'd seen in Masaki's memories…. The man that wasn't afraid to train his own daughter to become a Shinigami.

His future self had seemed to enjoy sparring with her, but he hadn't shied away from pushing her.

His future self had wanted her to be the best she could be.

Masaki herself seemed to possess this drive.

He supposed she was like him in that way.

He hadn't really considered that her fondness for sparring with a sword was not unlike his own fondness for the martial arts growing up. The way she had talked about swordplay had made it seem like it was a sport to her rather than a means to satiate her battle lust. He supposed he did understand her feelings. He'd gotten into the martial arts so that he could learn how to protect his loved ones, not because he had an urge to beat up people. However, he came to find it to be rather enjoyable despite how challenging it was. Though he'd never bothered to openly acknowledge it, he'd always gotten a rush from physical combat.

Hand-to-hand combat was the only activity he and his father had ever engaged in on a regular basis. Looking back at it, it had been his father's way of keeping his skills sharp after he had stopped going to the dojo which prepared him for the bullies he started facing in middle school. Though he thought his old man was annoying, he'd always gotten a kick from beating him up ever since he'd managed it.

Masaki had never been able to best her father in their sparring matches. It had to be his future self's way of challenging her, of increasing her likelihood of survival out on the battlefield.

He didn't doubt her resolve about defeating him someday.

Masaki liked challenges which is why he couldn't believe she'd given up trying to defeat her father with Shikai. Even though Masaki had said that she preferred fighting with her sealed sword, he didn't think she would shy away from beating her father with her Shikai.

He had a hard time believing her explanation. She had said it herself that sparring for fun or training didn't need to end in death, but she had made it seem as though fighting with Shikai against her father would be a death match. Was his future self that tough on her? Or was it her own desire to win that would drive her to push herself to her limits? If her abilities taxed her body so much, he supposed she could accidentally kill herself.

However, it made little sense to him why she acted like it was impossible to beat his future self. With or without full control of her Shikai, he was certain it was possible. No one was unbeatable.

He found it rather strange how she acted as though it were impossible for her to gain control over her abilities and that if she did, it would result in the death of her father. If she had control, then that shouldn't be the case.

It could not be impossible for her to gain control over her own power.

She had managed to nearly kill a pre-Resurrección Grimmjow with her Shikai. It was a testament to her rigorous training.

He knew strength was not measured by relying on Bankai like he did. He knew it meant he still needed to grow. A strong Shinigami would only use it in dire circumstances. In the case of Zaraki, he didn't even need it at all.

He'd been certain Masaki had succeeded in killing Grimmjow until the unexpected resurgence of Grimmjow's Reiatsu. He could've easily thought that maybe it had been cloaked by her mist somehow, but she had acknowledged herself that her efforts to nearly kill him hadn't been good enough. The disappearance of his Reiatsu had to mean he had been on the verge of death, yet he had managed to come out of it as though he was roaring with life. Had it only been because Masaki had grown fatigued to control whatever ability she had used? Or was it because Grimmjow was so damn impervious to being frozen?

He knew her abilities were ice related, so he'd figured that she must've frozen him somehow though there had been no ice as with Rukia's abilities.

He wasn't sure how her abilities differed from Rukia's but regardless, there had to be a timeframe for how long someone could remain alive while in a frozen state. He doubted Grimmjow would've survived otherwise. Come to think of it even Humans didn't die immediately by exposure. In theory, this should mean thar his future self should be able to withstand a mastered version of her ability.

Unless, of course, the mastered version instantaneously froze someone to death.

Perhaps, this is what she meant by her father would die if she were to master her abilities.

In such a scenario, he could understand why she'd be reluctant to use such an ability against her father to defeat him and why she was acting as though it were impossible to master it. Perhaps, Masaki was just saying that she could never defeat him with her Zanpakutō's ultimate ability.

He was rather curious as to how she had gotten to her current level. How difficult had it been for her? Had she fallen into a comatose state many times? The notion made him uncomfortable. How had he managed to bear that? How had he managed to help her train? Had it been risky for him?

Was his future self's potential unwillingness to help her related to this? Or was it simply because he might be too busy or something?

His questions could only be answered if Masaki was able to return to her time and things would play out the way they were supposed to….

Only time would tell if that would be the case.

He seriously hoped Urahara would not miscalculate anything. He could not afford to.

"Ichigo."

Pulling away from his thoughts, he spotted Rukia coming towards him down the terrace. He was standing in front of the room where they had been residing.

Exhaustion marked her solemn visage. He knew despite Masaki's awakening that she probably hadn't gotten much sleep last night. She'd been running on fragmented naps like him.

He wasn't entirely sure when he'd dozed off, but he supposed he had done it at some point as he had looked over Masaki. He wasn't sure he had managed to sleep last night more than the previous nights. Though he'd been ignoring it up until this point, his body was drained. He'd been running on pure resolve to get through today.

Rukia had to be drained as well.

He knew even if Masaki hadn't fallen into a comatose state, she likely wouldn't have slept much either these last few days.

The war had devastated Soul Society. He couldn't even begin to wonder how she must feel. He hadn't been able to bring himself to talk about anything really since she had comforted him about Karakura. Rukia had been working all these days helping her division get back on its feet while he had stayed by Masaki's side.

Seeing the Seireitei's ruins today in broad daylight had been awful. It had made him want to rush. It was a grim reminder of the potential destruction that awaited him in Karakura. He wasn't ready to face it yet though he knew he would eventually.

"What are you doing up? Is something wrong? Where's Masaki?"

Realizing his face must give off a rather serious vibe, he replied, "She's resting. I think she got worn out by today though she won't admit it."

"I see." There was a beat. "You should be resting too, you know."

"I was…but I had to go pee."

Rukia said nothing at this and glanced across the landscape.

Ichigo could see there was something glimmering in Rukia's eyes besides fatigue. It made her gaze seem muted or heavy. Her brows were slopping downward.

"How was today?" he quietly asked.

For a moment, Rukia remained silent.

"Hard."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he said after a moment.

Rukia momentarily stiffened.

He allowed her some time to either rebuff him or talk.

"W-We recovered the bodies of the Shinigami I trained…" Rukia finally spoke quietly after what seemed like a long time.

"I'm sorry, Rukia."

He waited a beat before speaking in a supportive and gentle tone.

"You did the best you could to train them, but no amount of training could've prepared them for all those Hollows. We all barely survived." Ichigo lowered his gaze, his expression becoming grim.

"I-I know…I just wish they could've survived, too. They were rookies…"

"Well, you said they found their bodies. That means they get to be reborn, right?'

"That's right," she murmured. "They're actually one of the lucky ones."

"You lost many friends, didn't you?" Ichigo's voice was soft.

"I lost many colleagues that I've worked with…I used to work with some of them frequently on team missions…We weren't close, but it has been tough to think that they're gone along with most of the division. Karakura was actually my first solo mission," she admitted after a moment, averting her gaze.

"I see. How is Ukitake-san?"

"I'm not sure…He's fine physically. Apparently, Inoue cured his illness and helped restore his lungs. Ukitake-taichō has been sick since he's been a child. His strong Reiryoku has been what has helped him resist his illness though in the last century it's been taking more of a toll on him. At least that's what Kaien-dono had told me."

"I can only imagine how Ukitake-taichō must feel with the loss of his soldiers and the sōtaichō…Ukitake-taichō was a former pupil of the sōtaichō…His loss must be especially difficult for him…Of course, Ukitake-taichō is focusing on what needs to be done rather than his grief. I imagine that they'll be ceremony of some sort to recognize all those who have passed on in the future."

Neither of them spoke for a minute or two.

"It'll be a while before there can be one, huh?"

Rukia nodded.

"I should go see Ukitake-san. I want to do what I can to help the Soul Society get back on its feet."

"I'm sure Ukitake-taichō would appreciate your help." Rukia offered him a faint, grateful smile.

---

A little over a week since the battle with Aizen had passed and Soul Society still looked as though it had occurred yesterday. Though he knew every division was doing their best to clean up, Ichigo couldn't shake the daunting feeling that it would be impossible to restore Seireitei to its former glory. It seemed like it would take forever to even restore it to half of its former state. He'd been doing what he could to lend a hand, but it felt like he'd barely done anything.

He was currently in the middle of clearing debris at the Thirteenth Division. Ukitake-san had been quite grateful for his offer of assistance since with the limited number of available soldiers on hand they needed all the help they could with the endless amount of rubble.

Ichigo found it difficult to estimate if a year would be enough to clean up and start rebuilding.

He knew, however, that the most terrible loss was the soldiers themselves. It was unfathomable to him how long it would take for the ranks of the Gotei 13 to be filled.

He'd heard from Ukitake that Unohana-san was considered the de facto sōtaichō because she was the most senior taichō. No one else had felt comfortable taking on that role. Though she hadn't wanted it herself, the other taichō had felt this was the fairest way to choose a leader for the time being thus leaving her with no choice but to accept it.

The Gotei 13 were going to have it rough for a while.

Ukitake-san didn't mention anything about integrating him officially into the Gotei 13 when he had revealed his deceased status after he had finished recounting the battle with Aizen. Their conversation had steered into the creation of the Substitute Shinigami position since Ukitake had made the comment that learning how Ichigo was actually the son of Kurosaki Isshin had made him understand why Rukia had been able to share her power with him and why he even had the potential for his own powers. He had originally thought Urahara Kisuke had invented a new method. He supposed Ukitake-san hadn't been wrong about that. He wouldn't have been born without Urahara's intervention. He hadn't bothered to ask about the Substitute Shinigami before him, but this time he knew he had to ask about them.

Ukitake-san confessed that that there had only ever been one other Substitute Shinigami. The Shinigami who had given him his power had done it as an experiment to get rid of his power since he had grown tired of being a Shinigami and wanted to live in the World of the Living.

The Shinigami had learned that Quincy were able to restore their power via a method that involved near death and the piercing of the spot where their heart and soul were connected in order to stimulate Reiryoku production. He had theorized that transferring his powers on a Human could be possible just like transferring Reiryoku was possible and had determined that piercing that point with his blade was the means to go about it.

He found a Human with a decent amount of Reiryokufor a Human and made a pact with him: Shinigami power in exchange for his Human body. The transfer worked and he instructed the Human to pretend that he'd given him his powers to save him from a Hollow and had died doing so. This is the story the Human had told the Shinigami he encountered. Ukitake-san had said he had vouched for the Shinigami to be accepted as an ally in honor of the Shinigami who had bravely died protecting the Human. Yamamoto-sotaichō had reluctantly accepted on the condition that he receive a device to manage his Reiryoku.

The Research and Development Department noticed that his Reiryoku would drop sharply then suddenly grow again on a frequent basis. It was normal for Reiryoku to diminish and for it to be needed to be replenished daily but what was unusual was that his Soul seemed to revert to that of a normal Human rather than a Shinigami temporarily during these shifts. At first, the Shinigami weren't sure what to make of that since no Human had ever been turned to a Shinigami, but they eventually caught on to the fact that the Shinigami who had given him his power was likely still alive and redoing the transfer every time it wore off.

The Onmitsukidō were sent to investigate the Human and the potential runaway Shinigami. The Substitute Shinigami killed the Shinigami who had given him power in an attempt to keep his power and to evade capture. However, despite his best efforts, he failed and was killed. They arrested his Soul and charged him with murder. It was since then that the Central 46 explicitly outlawed Shinigami from attempting to share their power. Ukitake had shared that when he had appeared, he had decided to advocate for him to be the second Substitute Shinigami due to his role in saving Rukia and helping the Soul Society uncover Aizen. The sōtaichō had agreed due to the circumstances with Aizen. Ukitake had happily said that his faith in him had been rewarded since he had ultimately helped prevent the destruction of the universe.

Ichigo hadn't been comfortable to hear Ukitake-san dub him a savior, but he was glad that he'd been able to pay him back though he had been none the wiser that he had sponsored him for the Substitute Shinigami role. He had known that Ukitake-san saying that there had been Substitute Shinigami since ancient times was suspicious, but he had chosen not to dwell on it. He supposed it had been his way of hinting that this role wasn't what it seemed.

Ukitake-san's words regarding power transfer had made him see why Renji and Byakuya had assumed he had stolen Rukia's powers.

"Transferring Shinigami power means transferring the essence of a Shinigami's Soul, their Zanpakutō spirit into another being. It is unnatural for this to be sustained. Killing the individual borrowing the power helps restore the person's powers but the same cannot be said the other way around."

A Shinigami wasn't meant to share their powers.

Rukia had supposedly meant to give him half of her powers, but he supposed the notion of controlling how much of her soul to share was rather shaky at best. He knew she had also been referring to her Reiryoku as well which was something she should've been able to control, but she must've been frantic to save him that she somehow miscalculated…

Perhaps, his own desire to survive and protect had also played a role in drawing all her power to him.

It was weird to think that his soul had had no qualms to accept hers.

How long would her powers have resided in him if Urahara had not given her the Gigai? Would it have been a couple of days, weeks, or a month? He could see how it had been beneficial for Urahara to give her that Gigai so that he controlled the amount of time he had been exposed to her powers.

He found it shameful that he had selfishly wanted to keep Rukia's powers until he had successfully avenged his mother. He was no better than Urahara or that first Substitute Shinigami…

He had assumed he would easily run into Grand Fisher again, but it was a rather foolish thought. It could've been months or years. There was no way Rukia would've put up with that if she had a choice. Whether he liked it or not, Urahara had directed him towards the path that allowed him to gain his own powers and thus had kept him from prolonging his use of Rukia's powers.

He realized now that the Gotei 13 must've picked up on his Hollowfication because of the badge rather than Byakuya divulging what he had seen during their battle as he had always assumed. Though he supposed, the nobleman might've confirmed it. He had definitely told Rukia about it.

Back in Hueco Mundo, Kurotsuchi Mayuri had referred to him as a half Shinigami. He hadn't given it much thought, but he must've been referring to his Shinigami-Hollow status.

The story about the first Substitute Shinigami reflected Urahara's words about how the Gotei 13 were strict about maintaining the spiritual order. Joining the Gotei 13 was a serious decision. It was a lifelong commitment. Death seemed to be the likeliest way out.

Ukitake-san had explained that Shinigami aren't allowed to resign. Only Shinigami that hail from nobility could retire though not all noble houses could afford for their family members to retire until the next generation was able to take their place. Some non-nobles could be sponsored by nobles to work as guards or in other jobs as a form of retirement. Truly exceptional service merited a promotion to the Royal Guard.

He had gathered that Ukitake-san had only shared the tidbit about nobles being allowed to retire because of his who his father was.

He supposed Ukitake hadn't said anything about him becoming more than a Substitute Shinigami because he realized he didn't necessarily have to remain a Shinigami now and because the Gotei 13 were in an unprecedented state.

He could see that Ukitake was allowing him a chance to think things over, but he had no issues returning to his role as a Substitute Shinigami for now as soon as he finished helping the Shinigami out. It was the least he could do for Karakura.

As he finished clearing some rubble from a half-standing building, the wall behind him suddenly shifted. He heard a harsh groan as he felt rather than saw the stones come down. Dust rained down on him as he attempted to catch the wall and push it back. To his surprise, the wall did not feel so heavy.

He noticed arms outstretched above him. The wall tipped forward, away from him, slamming into the ground with a deafening bellow.

Ichigo whirled around, ignoring the dust swirling in the air.

"Chado?" Ichigo stared at his old friend.

His tall frame seemed to be as strong as ever from what he could see. Ichigo's lips upturned into a slight smile. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Sado said. "I've fully recovered."

"T-That's good," Ichigo said.

They simply looked at each other for a moment.

His old friend seemed like had physically recovered though to Ichigo's surprise his Reiryoku felt different than before. It also seemed like maybe it was less than before. Maybe his body was slowly recuperating on that front like what his father had experienced even if this virus wasn't supposed to damage Reiryoku. He supposed this could be Chado's chance to live a quiet life, but he had a feeling that Chad wasn't cut out for that kind of life.

"I'm glad you beat Aizen. I knew you could do it…I'm sorry I couldn't fight alongside you…."

"You've got nothing to be sorry about," Ichigo said quickly. He dropped his gaze. "I'm the one who's sorry…. If I had stopped Aizen before, he never would've unleashed that virus…You never would've caught it…"

"Ichigo, don't blame yourself. You did the best you could to stop him. If he'd been serious about ending the war, he could've killed you and everyone else. He clearly thought he was going to win and that no matter what you or anyone did it was pointless. He knew all the power in the world couldn't kill a virus…or endless swarms of Hollows…" His expression grew somber. "He was the worst kind of bully. The kind that prefers to drive his opponents to despair before facing them."

Ichigo's face grew dour.

"His overconfidence gave us a chance though," Sado continued. "It gave you a chance to regain control over the Hollow within you. You needed that power to face him."

He'd sensed Ichigo's Hollowfied Reiatsu while he'd been in the Sōgō Kyūgo Tsumesho. He'd known he must've transformed to the full Hollow form Inoue and Ishida had talked about. He recognized the pattern from when he'd felt it in Hueco Mundo. Its power was undeniably remarkable.

He had figured this power would make the difference against Aizen if Ichigo could control it.

Ichigo's eyes shone with begrudging agreement at his observation. He could see also dissatisfaction and contrition within them.

"Ichigo, I know you wish you could've stopped him from causing so much destruction but what matters is that you stopped him from completing destroying everything." He was silent for a moment. "Ichigo, we all knew he'd placed the Soul Society in an impossible situation. I was prepared to fight by your side no matter what. I wanted to beat this virus so I could join you in battle…but I failed. It killed me, Ichigo," he admitted grimly. "However, thanks to you…and the others…I now have a chance at life in the Soul Society."

There was a beat.

"Chado, I never wanted you to lose your life because you wanted to help me."

"I know, but you would've done the same for me." He gave Ichigo a knowing look. "Ichigo, I knew from the beginning I would be risking my life to rescue Kuchiki, but I chose to use the new abilities I'd developed for your sake because I wanted to keep my promise to you. I trained to get stronger because I didn't want to be a burden to you…I wanted to fight with you until Aizen was defeated…. My only regret is not helping you against him…"

Ichigo gazed at Chad for a long moment.

"Chado, you're wrong about not helping me against Aizen," Ichigo began quietly. "I know it's not the way you wanted to…but you were locked in battle against one of his minions so to speak. I know you fought until the end. Your death…it wasn't for nothing…It helped maintain the balance…. Chado, I'm grateful to you for keeping your promise until the end." Ichigo smiled slightly.

"How do you feel about keeping it in the afterlife?" he asked after a moment.

"What do you mean?" Sado furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Chado…I've been dead since I got my Shinigami powers to save Rukia. I'd been using a Gigai that Urahara made…I hadn't realized it at the time though I'd known he had cut my Soul Chain…I guess, I was kinda in denial…"

"You had other concerns. The Arrancars….and your Hollow," Chad pointed out after a moment.

He was unsurprised that Ichigo hadn't noticed he'd been inhabiting a Gigai…. It had seemed Human enough…. In a way, he'd been unconsciously preparing himself for his departure from the World of the Living since he had spent little time in his so-called real body due to his need to train to control his Hollow abilities.

Perhaps, he should've realized that Ichigo was no longer Human when Ichigo had explained that he was a Visored. It'd sounded rather bizarre for a Human to possess both Hollow and Shinigami powers at the same time…. His own abilities were merely Hollow like.

He had supposed that somehow Hirako Shinji and the strange pigtailed blonde girl with him had somehow helped him attain those powers since Ichigo had not given an explanation as to how he had gotten them. He had reasoned that Ichigo must've felt he had no choice but to obtain this power due to the strength of the Arrancar despite his obvious disinterest in Hirako's initial offer.

It seemed he had been more oblivious to his friend's nature than Ichigo had been.

He hadn't allowed himself to think much beyond this war. He hadn't wanted to consider that his best friend might leave him behind…. Ichigo's future daughter had been the sign that had forced him to contemplate the inevitable truth he'd been trying to avoid. However, he hadn't considered that Ichigo might already be dead….

All this time he'd wanted to believe he was still Human.

How foolish.

He'd always strove to survive because he didn't want to fail his friend, but he'd never considered death would mean he would be united with his friend instead of separated.

Fate worked in rather strange ways.

"Ichigo…you never broke your promise even though you were dead. Of course, I'll keep it in the afterlife."

Ichigo grinned.

---

Wood struck wood again and again.

Determination shone in Ichigo's eyes as he hastily deflected a lightning-fast blow that nearly struck his abdomen. He stumbled a few paces back. Masaki drove him backwards even further and he barely dodged her blade.

Ichigo's skill with his Zanpakutō was remarkable but it was clear his swordsmanship with a practice blade needed work. Wielding a wooden blade required a different skillset. He was used to wielding a long blade and relying on Shunpo. He needed to improve his sword wielding technique and footwork.

Masaki seemed to glide across the floor, her blade poised to parry and attack in a rapid, fluid motion.

Ichigo moved around like an unsteady tree with his blade flailing like a branch caught in a wind current. Rukia couldn't help but be reminded of how he used to fight when he had first received her power.

His wayward, powerful strokes offered little protection against Masaki's firm, precise strokes.

He was clearly a novice while she was a veteran.

Rukia was unsurprised at the ease which Masaki wielded her shinai.

Refining swordsmanship technique was important to mastering Zanjutsu.

As she continued observing them spar, her mind unconsciously drifted toward the night of Aizen's defeat. She had tried to avoid looking at Masaki's body as she had cleaned her up, but she couldn't help but notice that the scar she had only vaguely noticed during their time in the onsen was not one from a Hollow. The mark that started from her right shoulder blade and went across her back was from a sword. From what she had surmised, it had not been a katana. The blade seemed to have dug into her flesh. It must've been a curved blade.

It was likely a remnant from a sparring match.

She was clearly committed to honing her swordsmanship. Becoming well versed in fighting against different kinds of blades was the best way to improve one's swordsmanship.

It was something she needed to do.

Masaki had asked permission to use a training room as soon as she had felt recovered from her injuries. It was where she spent most of her time. Rukia understood that she couldn't possibly live like a civilian letting her skills get rusty as she waited for the possibility of returning to her own time., but she hadn't expected her to leap into training so soon.

She supposed she should've anticipated this since Masaki enjoyed training.

Rukia admired Masaki's dedication.

Though Masaki was different from Miyako-dono, she couldn't help but be reminded of the woman who'd been her idol. She must've trained as hard to rise up the ranks.

Once upon a time she had wanted to be just like Miyako-dono. She had been the Shinigami she had wanted to emulate, that had stirred into her a desire to want to become a better Shinigami, but that dream had faded into oblivion amidst her grief and guilt over Kaien-dono. Even when she'd been conscious of it, her insecurity about her place in the Gotei 13 had always stifled her ambition. She hadn't felt she could really compete with Shinigami of higher caliber due to her mediocre skills. Kaien-dono had been the one to push her to improve her skills enough so that she wasn't a complete embarrassment to the Kuchiki name. Both Kaien-dono and Miyako dono had shown belief in her during training sessions.

Perhaps if they hadn't perished, she could've found the confidence and ambition to grow stronger for her own sake rather than the clan's even if Byakuya had prevented her from climbing up the ranks. All this time she had settled for merely completing the training she was assigned. She had grown stagnant.

Masaki's presence was the incarnation of her forgotten dream.

She'd known she'd had to become a stronger Shinigami for the future to even be possible. Masaki's conception could not be possible otherwise.

The war itself had triggered in her a reason for her to train as best as she could but training with Masaki had made her recall what it was like to have a mentor…an idol…and it had awakened in her an innate desire to want to get better….

She could see now that it was important to keep improving since the Gotei 13 with its limited soldiers needed them to be as strong as they could be. She could see now why her future self had had no choice but to grow stronger.

She definitely planned to engage in strenuous training whenever things settled enough for there to be time to train. For now, she sparred on occasion with Masaki and Ichigo after dinner. Ichigo had been the one who'd been curious to try to spar with Masaki using a shinai and now he was clearly into it.

Rukia watched as Masaki evaded Ichigo's blows and struck him across the chest. Ichigo flew backwards, falling on his behind, panting.

"Let's go again," Ichigo said, lifting himself from the ground.

"Ichigo, don't you think you've lost enough for today?" Rukia said.

"Tch. I'm about to make my comeback…"

"Just give it up already…You can try again tomorrow."

"But…"

"Ichigo is a glutton for beat downs. There's no need to hold back, Granddaughter. Go ahead and break his shoulder to pay him back for what he did to you." Isshin stood near the training hall's entrance, beaming.

"Oi!" Ichigo protested. "I didn't hurt her on purpose."

"Who said she would be hurting you on purpose? She'd merely be hurting you in the name of helping you sharpen up your sword skills just like you hurt her in the name of learning Kidō." Isshin's grin broadened.

Ichigo glared at him.

"I don't think that would be helpful, Jii-san." The corners of Masaki's lips curled into a small smile.

"Of course, it would be! Ichigo has no clue how to wield an actual katana! Giving him a crash course on the fine art of wielding a bamboo sword will teach him not to underestimate its power. Ichigo learns best when he gets beats up."

Ichigo scowled. "Why you…."

"No need to deny the truth. It's just your learning style. How many times did Tatsuki beat you up before you finally defeated her? How many times did I beat you up before you finally were able to put up a decent fight?"

Ichigo's scowl deepened in response.

"It's a shame I couldn't teach you to be a better son."

Ichigo yelped as he felt a heavy object collide into the back of his head.

"W-Why'd you hit me for?" Ichigo glared at his father, who was now between him and Masaki, as he rubbed the back of his head.

"That was for not telling me about my granddaughter awakening. How could you not tell me? A good son would've found a way to let his father know." He glowered at Ichigo.

Isshin whirled around, sweeping Masaki into his arms before she could react. "OH, GRANDDAUGHTER, I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE ALIVE AND WELL!"

"Would you let her go already?" Ichigo demanded, concerned that his father's embrace would suffocate Masaki. Noticing that Masaki still held onto her shinai, he added, "Masaki, don't be afraid to beat him down."

Isshin reluctantly released a breathless Masaki and told Ichigo, "Masaki-chan knows better than to lay a hand on me!"

He turned to Masaki. "Oh, Granddaughter, you gave me quite a scare, you know. I told you that I didn't want to just get to know you through healing you, and what do you do? You end up getting yourself in seriously bad shape."

"Trust me I didn't want to trouble you again either. I'm sorry. I'm grateful for your care. I wouldn't be here without you."

"There's no need to thank me. Just try to take it easy and not end up on the verge of death again."

Masaki smiled slightly. "I'll try. Injuries are part of the Shinigami life…You know, you've always treated my injuries if you could…"

"Yeah, I know. I'm glad I was there to heal you, but I hope I taught you how to heal yourself though."

Masaki's smile faltered. "Y-You tried…but I'm afraid my Kaidō is pretty rudimentary…I never managed to learn beyond that…I just don't have the knack for it."

"Is that so? It's a shame. It's quite a handy skill to have. Most Shinigami don't have a knack for it, but I was hoping you'd inherit that ability from me…"

"I would've liked to have been able to learn more, but I was barely able to learn the basics… I guess you could say I'm more suited for inflicting and receiving injuries than healing."

"Hmm. Sounds like you took on more after Ichigo. Rukia-chan seems to have a decent ability in Kaidō. Otherwise, I'm sure Ichigo would've died while he was borrowing her power."

"I'm not like my father…" Masaki murmured, knitting her brow slightly as she averted her gaze. "His healing technique is better than mine."

"That can't be…true…I just can't see Ichigo ever being capable of healing much…"

"We can both just heal minor injuries…His work looks better than mine though."

Disbelief flashed across Ichigo and Isshin's faces.

"Color me surprised. I didn't think he'd ever manage such a thing. You mustn't feel too bad about it, Granddaughter."

"It's not that I feel bad that he's better than me…I know it comes down to the nature of our abilities. He's just naturally better suited for healing unlike me. That's why I said I'm not like him."

"I see. Well, at least you have other talents. It's quite a rarity for someone to be well versed in fighting and healing. It can be quite a lethal combination. I must say Unohana-taichō is a force to be reckoned with. I never had a Zanjutsu instructor that was so scary. Don't tell her I said that," he added quickly. "She definitely helped me keep my Zanjutsu skills sharp while I was in the Fourth Division. She helped me become a better Shinigami than I thought I'd be."

"She did?" Ichigo said, astounded.

"She didn't become a taichō merely because of her healing ability, you know. It's true most in the Fourth Division don't have the aptitude for combat but they have had training. Unohana-taichō has always believed in nurturing whatever skills they have. She herself has mastered various form of Zanjutsu since her Shikai isn't suited for combat. She's the ultimate combat medic. She can fight as well as she can heal. Trust me, you don't want to mess with her."

"Oh, I definitely got that vibe from her," Ichigo said.

"I don't think I would've earned a promotion without her training," Isshin said. "My skills weren't bad, but I doubt I would've improved as much without her. Her skill in swordsmanship is something else. Her training made her so adept that it more than compensates for her lack of an offensive Shikai. Anybody in the Fourth Division that can muster up decent skills with her training stands a good chance in the battlefield. It also makes them have a solid chance at transferring out if they wanted to. I'm the only former member of the Fourth Division to become a taichō."

"Isn't that what your family expected you to do?" Ichigo remarked.

"That's right. They just never imagined that my fighting skills would improve rather than suffer during my time there. My old man really bought into the whole Fourth Division is for weak Shinigami line of thinking and always urged me to keep up my combat skills to get out of there. He never thought it would help make me stronger."

"Strength is all in the eye of the beholder. Anyone can take a life…. but so few have the power to preserve it. Without healers, the strength of those who can fight would be useless."

"Oh, I don't think that's ever been more apparent than now, Granddaughter, or at least it's been a long time since it has been…. The creation of Kaidō back in the day was considered a big deal. Of course, when survival rates started improving people started taking it for granted. Anyway, currently the Fourth Division is in a real bind trying to do what they can to preserve the lives of those that have survived. I've done what I can to lend a hand, but the Fourth Division needs more high-level healers to take care of all the wounded. I can see why the Fourth Division might be viewed more highly in the future than it was in the past. It's gonna take a while to build up the Gotei 13's numbers again. The Fourth Division has a tall order of keeping what's left in shape."

There was silence for a minute or so.

"Granddaughter, you're living proof that they'll succeed. Your kendo is pretty good. Hope I had a hand in building your skills."

"How about a match?"

"A match? It's been a while since I've sparred. Might be a bit rusty."

"That's okay. I'll just go easy on you," she teased.

Isshin chuckled. "Alright, you're on, Granddaughter."

Standing alongside Rukia, Ichigo watched his father and Masaki exchange tentative blows. Their strikes eventually grew bolder. His father attempted to swipe at her shoulder, but she blocked it at the last second. He was entranced by their fluid movements. His father so far had not fallen prey to any feints or lost his footing. He didn't really look unpracticed as much as he did when he had sparred against Masaki. His muscle memory seemed to find it easy to slip into his old ways.

He wished he could move like that. He kept losing his balance.

They made kendo seem so easy.

He'd thought it'd be easy to wield a bamboo sword since he'd grown accustomed to sword fighting with Zangetsu, but Masaki had given him a harsh reminder that he didn't know actual swordplay techniques. Wielding a wooden blade was not the same as wielding an extension of his soul. He supposed the latter was why he had found Zangetsu natural to use though he'd known his technique wasn't proper. Urahara must've not have bothered to correct his technique because he'd known he'd instinctively figure it out. His father was right…He learned best just by doing….

If he wanted to get better at Kendo, he would have to practice.

He couldn't help but think about how Zaraki Kenpachi had revealed he didn't like using kendo because it would essentially end his fights faster due to his deadlier blows. Actual technique mattered.

He must've helped teach Masaki.

Somehow, he would get the hang of it….

Mesmerized by the increased intensity of their movements, he marveled at how his father's powerful thrusts, fiery like him, were constantly thwarted and dispelled by Masaki's serene parries that seemed to materialize like unexpected rain clouds. Her nimbleness was incredible.

His father had technically scored the first point ages ago, but they obviously weren't keeping score or trying to stick to kendo exclusively from he could tell. He was no expert, but he was fairly certain some moves were not kendo. He could've asked Rukia, but he had no desire to talk and from he could see neither did she. Her eyes were glued to the action.

Ichigo watched as his father and Masaki separated and charged each other yet again.

Their blades collided with a raucous clash, startling him and Rukia.

"Well, I guess, it's the end of our match, Granddaughter," Isshin said as he stared at their snapped swords. "Not too bad for an old man, eh?"

"You weren't too rusty," Masaki conceded with a small smile.

"Well, then, as much as I'd love to hang around, I do have something to take care of. Ichigo, you need to come with me." Isshin turned around to glance at his son.

"Huh? What for?"

"We need to go check in on your sisters."

Ichigo looked surprised.

---

Noticeable signs of the Hollow invasion plagued the trail to the Shiba household. It sickened Ichigo to think about the poor defenseless people that had been slaughtered all throughout Rukongai due to Aizen's machinations. Discomfort and disgust filled him throughout the journey though Ganju revealed that he and Urahara had done what they could to distribute Shiba fireworks so that nearby residents could defend themselves. Ganju had even enlisted the help of his gang.

He'd always thought it was odd that Kūkaku was a fireworks specialist. He didn't think it was a necessary profession in the afterlife, especially not in the middle of nowhere where she lived. According to Ganju, fireworks were an age-old tradition in the Shiba Clan. It had been their own method of fighting Hollows and they eventually got into the business of selling their fireworks to other clans as well as Rukongai citizens. The latter ended up being their primary clients over the years and their business ended up shrinking.

The strange stone hands clutching the banner proudly displaying the Shiba name loomed in the distance. Ichigo was relieved to see it was perfectly intact. He could see the relief in Ganju's gaze as well.

"Nee-chan!" Ganju called as they approached the building.

Ganju stopped short, but Ichigo continued forward bumping into an invisible force field.

"Gah…"

"Didn't I tell you that there were fortifications?" Isshin remarked.

"Nee-chan!" Ganju called out once more.

A few moments later, Kūkaku appeared with a broad grin.

"Quit yer screeching. It looks like you didn't end up Hollow food after all."

"Of course not!" Ganju declared, puffing out his chest. "You didn't train me to be a weakling."

"Damn right, I didn't. I expected you to die being useful so that you wouldn't embarrass the Shiba name. Hope your survival doesn't mean you preferred to save your own skin when things got nasty. If that's the case, I'm gonna bury you right now." She flexed her left arm as though preparing to deliver a blow through the barrier.

"N-Nee-chan, of course, I was useful! I found Ichigo and helped send him to the Royal Palace just like Urahara-san wanted! I even helped take on that Aizen bastard…Nearly died doin' it…I'm only alive 'cause of Orihime-chan."

"Is this true?" Kūkaku glanced at Ichigo.

"Yeah…we couldn't have done it without him."

"Ganju-kun was a big help to me as well," Isshin chimed in. "He helped me gather the injured."

"Well, I'm glad he made himself useful, Oji-san."

Ichigo couldn't help but stare at Kūkaku. He found it weird that she was addressing her father by his familial title and using a respectful tone.

"What is it, itoko?" She flashed him a big grin.

Ichigo looked slightly flustered. Hearing her address him as a family member was even weirder.

"How long have you known that we're related?" he asked after a moment.

Her grin broadened even more. "I didn't kill you for wrecking my house because we're related."

"Gee, thanks," Ichigo muttered, internally wincing as he remembered her beatings. She had refrained from giving him a good beating after his concentration broke, but her punches alone were frightening enough. He shuddered to think what her blows were like when she wanted to kill someone.

"No wonder she took it out on me," he heard Ganju grumble.

"You should be grateful, Itoko. I had half a mind to kill you and not help you, but alas, a Shiba doesn't go back on their word, or turn their back on their friends or family."

"Kūkaku-chan, that was very gracious of you. I'm sorry my son was such a bother. I hope my daughters haven't troubled you much. I heard from Urahara Yuzu must've awoken by now," Isshin said.

"Don't worry, Oji-san. They've been doing fine despite the circumstances. Come on in and see for yourself!" She added in a much more subdued manner, "Well, they've been waiting for Ichigo. They still think you'll wake up. I couldn't tell them the truth."

Ichigo stood before the training hall door where he could feel the presence of his siblings. He had run into Jinta and Ururu on his way down; Kūkaku seemed to have engaged them in a cleaning task. Jinta had been a bit of annoying pain though he'd begrudgingly admitted he was glad he was alive for his sisters' sake.

Ichigo rapped the door with his knuckles.

"Yuzu? Karin? It's me, Ichigo," he said before pulling the door open and entering the room.

Huddled on the floor with cards in their hands, Karin and Yuzu, stared at him for a moment. Kon in his Gigai was seated in front of them. Yuzu let go of the cards she was holding and jumped up.

"Onii-chan!" Yuzu cried as she made a beeline for him.

"Ichi-nii!" Karin cried, a relived smile forming on her lips.

Within seconds, Yuzu tightly wrapped her arms around him.

"I-I'm so glad you're okay," she mumbled into his stomach. "I-I was so worried about you, Onii-chan," she said as she drew away from his middle and looked up at him, teary eyed. "Karin-chan, told me you've become a helper of the spirits…A Shinigami…Is this why you disappeared for a whole month and came back hurt? I-I thought it was just bullies…W-Why didn't you tell me?"

Ichigo felt a lump form in his throat as he noticed a flash of hurt in Yuzu's watery gaze.

Karin had never bothered to ask him again about his Shinigami's powers after he had left her to fight Yammy and Ulquiorra. He thought he might get Rukia to wipe her memory, but he never got around to doing it. Ichigo had hoped she would think it was just a dream or something. Karin had always been smart enough to leave him alone. Yuzu was different. She took things personally.

"It's about time you showed up," Karin remarked, sounding somewhat irked. "I thought you would've made it before Yuzu woke up. I had no choice but to tell her what I'd been told. She's been worried sick about your health since we didn't know what your state was though we knew you weren't dead."

"I'm sorry, Karin, Yuzu. I didn't mean to leave everyone here for so long…"

"I know you were off saving the world and you left us here to be safe or whatever, but a warning would've been nice, you know."

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to worry you…"

"Well, too late for that," Kon said. "Your sisters have been beyond worried. What kind of brother just dumps his sisters in a comatose state in the Soul Society and doesn't even tell them or says goodbye to them? What if you had died? Did you really expect me to take over?"

Ichigo stared at him.

"Kon-san," Yuzu chided.

"I'm sorry. I should've said something before, but I didn't think my Shinigami duties would affect you like this… I didn't think things would get as crazy as they did. I never imagined Urahara-san would need to place you in Soul Society to protect you."

"I'm just glad you're okay, Onii-chan. So, you're actually a ghost right now?"

Ichigo froze before he nodded.

"We're ghosts too, Yuzu," Karin pointed out. "Humans can't just show up in the afterlife. Urahara-san had to transform us."

"Oh, that's right…I've always wanted to be able to see ghosts, but it's weird to think I am one even though I'm not dead." Yuzu glanced over to where the form of their father lay. "Otou-san hasn't woken up yet. I know he doesn't have any spiritual awareness, but is it really okay for him to be asleep for so long, Onii-chan?"

"Yuzu, Oyaji is perfectly fine. Don't worry."

"Are you able to wake him up?"

Ichigo shook his head. "I can't do that…"

"No need for that Yuzu. I'm wide awake. How about a hug for your beloved father?"

Behind Ichigo stood Isshin outfitted in a Shinigami uniform of his own. His arms were outstretched as though he was awaiting a hug.

Yuzu looked startled. "Otou-san?"

Karin's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oyaji?! No way…it can't be you dressed like that… you're supposed to be asleep…"

"Sorry, Karin, but Daddy hasn't been napping."

"I must be dreaming because there's no way you can be a Shinigami. It's ridiculous. You can't even see ghosts and you're a complete moron. There's no way this is real…"

"Oi! I'm not a complete moron…I never would've made it to taichō level if I was."

Karin snorted. "The Shinigami must have really low standards…if you actually got a rank…"

"What a cruel thing to say, Karin!"

"Karin, this isn't a dream…Oyaji is actually a Shinigami," Ichigo said.

Karin froze for a minute. "This is ridiculous…he can't be a Shinigami…"

"I know it seems ridiculous, but think about it, he's never acted like a normal Human."

"True…but he's never been able to see ghosts…Why would he fake it when we can see them?"

"How can Oyaji be a ghost when we're Human?" Yuzu wondered, looking puzzled.

"Karin, Yuzu, I will explain everything. The time has come for you to know truth about your father," Isshin proclaimed in a serious manner. "My lack of spiritual awareness was not an act. At least it wasn't for a while. You could say it was the reason I ended up in the World of the Living."

"What do you mean? Are you saying you were kicked out of the Soul Society because you lost your Reiryoku?"

---

Standing a short distance from the front of the Shiba household, Ichigo grimly gazed out at the dark field spread before him.

The night's events swirled around in his mind's eye.

His sisters had taken his father's story a lot better than he thought they would. He supposed growing up knowing spirits existed had prepared them along with Urahara's info. Sharing his own journey as a Shinigami hadn't been as difficult as he had imagined it might be thanks to his father. His sisters' view on death was now different. Their father was technically a spirit so they weren't as pained as he thought they might be when they would find out he was no longer Human. He hadn't really wanted to spill the news to them just yet, but his father had deemed it was best to lay everything out in the open. He'd felt weird that his father had already known he was dead, but it was a reminder that there was no point in keeping secrets anymore. Their lives were not going to be the same anymore.

Though his father had focused on him and how he was now going to follow in his footsteps by becoming an official Shinigami, he had not mentioned anything about what was going to happen to him now that he had returned to the Soul Society. Ichigo knew it was a big deal for him to have done it. The Soul Society would probably force him to remain in Soul Society. He wasn't sure what his dad would do when that would happen. Would he try to run and hide himself in the World of the Living with his sisters, or would it be possible to get himself reinstated in the Gotei 13 if his name was cleared and perhaps get assigned in the World of the Living? The latter was an option that had likely been within Urahara Kisuke's calculations.

If his father couldn't do it, he would step up.

He would do whatever he had to so that his sisters grew up with a familial figure overseeing them. He didn't want them to suffer any more than they already had.

His throat tightened as he recalled how his sisters had reacted to the revelation regarding how their mother had died.

He'd known it was inevitable that his sisters would bring up their mother given that they'd been introduced to the spiritual world. He'd been dreading the moment for various reasons. A part of him had been bracing himself for their blame in case their feelings about her death changed. Aizen's painful illusions were all too fresh in his mind. They had been the manifestations of how he'd always felt his family should feel about him. He honestly wouldn't have blamed his sisters if they began to hate him.

His sisters, however, had not rained down any blame on him. They'd been horrified to learn she'd been killed by a monster rather than some kind of random projectile, but Karin had expressed relief at finally having a concrete reason for why she'd died. Both of his sisters had seen it as a miracle that he'd managed to survive given that he'd been the real target for the Hollow. Knowing the truth had made his sisters see their mother as more of his savior than they had before, and it had also reinforced how miraculous his survival had been.

Growing up he'd always seen his survival as a mistake. He'd often thought that it should've been him that had died rather than his mother. He was the reason she had been placed in danger. It would've been the least he could do to protect her… He'd seen his death as the lesser pain for his family.

He could see now that it would've made a massive hole in the hearts of his family for him to have died alongside his mother and that he'd been extremely fortunate that he hadn't been eaten by Grand Fisher. His mother's sacrifice had provided a chance for him to be saved. Though he still wasn't sure he would ever fully shake away the nagging feel of guilt, he did feel a renewed sense of immense gratitude for his mother's protection.

He felt extremely lucky that his sisters were so understanding and caring. They had inherited that from their mother.

Every time they had been placed in danger because of him, they had only thought about him.

He didn't need to hear from Kon that he wasn't the best brother. He knew he wasn't.

He would do what he could to make it up to them.

If he needed to push for getting assigned in the World of the Living so that they weren't on their own, he'd do whatever he had to ensure it. He was not gonna take no for an answer.

Karin having a decent amount of Reiryoku made him nervous. He wasn't entirely sure about the rarity of Hollows anymore since becoming a Shinigami he'd constantly run into them. He could see why it wasn't a good thing for Humans with a lot of Reiryoku reside in the World of the Living.

He gasped as he felt a sharp pain in his back, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He whirled around and spotted his grinning father. "W-What the hell is wrong with you?"

"That's my line. You really should be more alert, you know, if you're playing guard."

"Shut up." Ichigo turned his back on him. "There's no need for me to act as guard. There's a barrier, remember?

"Then, what are you doing here?"

"I just needed some fresh air."

"I see. Don't tell me you're still mad about the wedding joke still?"

Ichigo's forehead throbbed.

"Shut up."

His father couldn't help himself and hint about his future to lighten the mood when Yuzu had lamented that their mother's soul had not entered the afterlife and that Ichigo would not be able to reunite with her. His father had been quick to say that Masaki would eventually be reborn since he'd purified the Hollow who'd devoured her soul, but it would take time before he'd delighted in teasing him.

"Don't worry, Yuzu. Ichigo won't be alone. He'll have Rukia by his side. Ichigo, when are you going to make Rukia-chan my official third daughter?"

Ichigo turned scarlet. "S-Shut up, Oyaji."

"Oh, c'mon now, don't be shy. The sooner you ask, the sooner we can get started with the preparations. I'm sure your sisters would love to help. Isn't that, right, Yuzu? Karin?"

"Ichi-nii hasn't even gone out on a date with Rukia. Why would I help with his wedding?"

"Oh, they're well past the dating stage…Ichigo gave up his life for hers! And he brought her to live with us…though he made Rukia-chan tell a rather touching story to hide the truth…"

"That's not true!" Ichigo said.

"You're delusional, Goat Chin," Karin said. "He didn't do it because he's in love with her…I would've done the same thing if I were in his shoes. Rukia saved our lives. We owe her a huge debt."

"Al the more reason for her to become an official part of the family. It's the only way to repay her."

"Rukia-chan is so nice and brave. It would be nice to have her become a part of the family if that's what he and Rukia-chan wanted, but Ichigo's too young to marry," Yuzu pointed out.

"Nonsense. Ichigo isn't a boy anymore. He survived a war."

"B-But that doesn't mean he's ready for marriage," Yuzu demurred, looking concerned.

"There's no way Rukia would ever want to marry Ichigo," Kon chimed in. "Rukia saved him and your family like she saved my life because she's a decent Shinigami. She's just so naturally kindhearted."

"That may be so, but Rukia-chan and Ichigo have developed quite a bond. I think Yuzu was on the money that Ichigo bringing Rukia into the house meant something. Ichigo's just very dense and shy…Rukia's also fairly shy…I caught them having dinner together at Rukia-chan's house. They looked pretty cozy. I can see wedding bells in the future."

"Oyaji, would you put a lid on it? Rukia and I aren't getting married—"

"For now," Isshin interjected. "Remember, Ichigo, it's your responsibility to restore our clan and carry the family line. Rukia-chan would make a fine wife! I can already picture my grandchild."

"Ugh…just shut up!" Ichigo took a swing at his father.

"I don't care about that," Ichigo muttered.

The slight grin on his father's face betrayed his disbelief, but Ichigo ignored it. His father had thoroughly enjoyed teasing him. As annoying as his father was, he understood his tactic. His stupid teasing had lessened the somber mood. He couldn't fault him for it even if it had caused Kon to corner him after he had left the room and warned him that Rukia was supposed to be his. He'd, of course, told Kon to get over himself and smacked him when he wouldn't let the subject go. He'd been rather upset. He shuddered to think what his reaction would be when Rukia would marry him.

Ichigo stared at his father, his brow slightly creasing as he thought about what had bothered him about his teasing.

"Why'd you lie to Yuzu and Karin that Kaa-san would be reborn?"

"It's not a lie. Her original form may be gone but part of her soul will live on…in a new form. When Shinigami purify a Hollow, they aren't just giving it a chance to move on, but a chance to all the Souls it has consumed. A part of them will always live on in some way within that new being. It's better than being completely eradicated from the life death cycle.

"Humans often say they see their deceased loved ones in others, don't they? In some cases, they are merely noticing facets of their loved ones in a brand-new spirit rather than their reincarnation. Might take a few decades or a century, but Masaki's spirit will appear in someone down the line." There was no doubt in Isshin's voice.

When his father had mentioned that he'd purified Grand Fisher, he'd briefly wanted to believe it could be possible to see his mother once more, but he'd known that Grand Fisher going to Soul Society was the closest his mother would get to residing in the afterlife. In truth, he hadn't been quite sure if he should see her soul as saved but he'd been comforted by the fact that the menace that had taken her life had finally passed on and that no other souls would suffer her fate anymore. It was heartening to think that a remnant of his mother's soul would live on.

"You should've told them the entire truth," Ichigo stated quietly. "They'll be disappointed that she won't be reborn as they knew her."

"I think your sisters are smart enough to realize that their reborn mother won't be the same one they knew. They've seen plenty of reincarnation films. They know what matters is that her spirit lives on."

Silence befell them for a minute.

"Your sisters certainly have their mother in them. They took everything rather well." Isshin smiled fondly. "I never imagined I'd reveal who I was to them in the Soul Society. I guess it worked out. They stayed safe from Aizen, and they got to meet Kūkaku and Ganju."

"It'll be tough for them to deal with what happened to Karakura…Pain and loss are never easy, but they're resilient. I never wanted you and your sisters to experience loss so early on in your lives, but I did the best I could for you to move forward. Life's always gonna throw curve balls at you. The most important thing you can learn in life is to keep going no matter what. No matter how bleak things are, you'll eventually find hope and joy."

His father had always been so annoying and embarrassing, but he'd certainly done his best to maintain the family together despite his wife's loss. He'd never understood where his father got his never-ending enthusiasm or how he could smile so much…Now that he knew of his father's history it had only impressed upon him how strong his father was mentally. He frankly wasn't sure how he had found the strength to keep going after losing the one who had given him a reason to live after losing his clan and power. He found it miraculous that his father had not broken down even if as a Shinigami he had probably been accustomed to death. Shinigami weren't machines after all.

His father must've pushed on for his children's sake.

"I know Karakura and the Soul Society are in bad shape but they'll both be rebuilt. We're lucky the universe is still standing given what Aizen did. It's all thanks to you."

Ichigo shook his head. "It's not thanks to me…it's thanks to my friends. I couldn't have stopped him without them."

"I'm glad they lent you a hand. I take it Aizen put on quite a fight."

"Yeah," Ichigo replied quietly.

"I heard from Urahara Aizen got what he wanted in the end…I'm relieved it just means we're still here and that we won't ever see him again. I never understood why he'd aim to be the Soul King…Gaining power to rule is meaningless. Even the Soul King understood this…Shinigami were created to protect, not to destroy…. It's a shame he never understood this." He waited a moment before speaking.

"I know there are many Shinigami out there who don't understand this either, but none have ever gone to the lengths Aizen has. I can't forgive what he did to my clan or anyone else, but I will always be grateful that his taking away my Shinigami powers led me to understanding what matters in life…which led me to become stronger than I ever was. I doubt Aizen could ever understand this type of strength."

Ichigo simply stared at his father.

"Ichigo, no matter what don't ever forget what your power is meant for."

"I won't. I couldn't even if I wanted to. You did name me "one who protects."

"Oh, I thought I had named you "strawberry." Your hair reminded me a lot of a strawberry when you were born."

Ichigo scowled at his father. "Very funny. My hair alone was enough for kids to pick on me. If you'd chosen the kanji for "strawberry" it would've made things even worse for me."

"I think it would've made you gain more character."

Ichigo glowered at him. "I gained enough character without it."

"I suppose you are right," Isshin agreed, surprising Ichigo. "I knew choosing the name Ichigo might give you problems due to your hair, but I still chose it anyway. I purposedly chose the kanji "one who protects" because I wanted you to become someone that used whatever abilities or talents you had to help others. I didn't want you to become someone who'd misuse their talents to hurt others. Seems like it worked.

"Make sure you keep at it. Don't let what you've done for the Soul Society get to your head. The Gotei 13 can't afford to have complacent Shinigami. It'll only mean death for those that you want to protect and yourself. Not to mention your future."

"The reason I chose to become a Shinigami was because I wanted to protect…and that's the only reason I ever needed to fight Aizen. It's the only motivation I need to keep being a Shinigami."

Isshin stared at Ichigo for a moment and then half grinned. "I suppose I shouldn't worry…I'm sure Rukia-chan will keep you in line."

Ichigo abruptly jammed his elbow in his father's nose. "You're such a pain," he grumbled as his father stumbled back and howled in pain.

"Urahara told me that you're pissed off at him," Isshin said once his pain subsided. "Rightly so. I'd be upset too if he had put my future wife in mortal danger. Can't say I was a fan of his plan either. I definitely would've stopped him if I'd known.

"However, I'm happy it worked out and that it will lead to me having a grandchild in the future. I already let him know that I'll take his life if he deprives me of my grandchild, so he knows he better not screw up. I'm sure he'll get Masaki-chan back to her time."

"He better."

---

"So, you actually made it to the Royal Palace and took on Aizen himself?"

"That's right! I helped take down that bastard." Ganju's expression suddenly became serious. "Nee-san, there's something you gotta know. Aizen was behind the Hollow that killed our brother."

Surprise flitted across Kūkaku's gaze before it grew solemn. "I see. So, he was behind that creature after all…"

"W-Wait a minute…did…you suspect he was behind it?" Ganju spoke slowly.

"The unusual abilities of that Hollow made Yoruichi wonder if it had been him, but it was nothin' more than a hunch given what she knew about his thing for Hollowfication. As far as the Soul Society was concerned, the Hollow had been nothing more than a rather unique, powerful Hollow."

Ganju frowned. "He's the real reason you let me believe that our brother was killed by a Shinigami all this time, isn't he? I thought he might be after hearing Oji-san's story, but I didn't think you knew Aizen was up to no good before then."

His sister had never filled him on what had happened to their uncle. She'd let him believe he had died which had strengthened his feelings of distrust and animosity towards anyone from the Seireitei. He'd been sent on an errand in Rukongai when she'd orchestrated their uncle's rescue mission. It was only upon his uncle's return to the Soul Society that he'd learned the truth. He understood then that it hadn't been merely her friendship with Urahara Kisuke but her familial ties to Ichigo that had made her agree to help Ichigo and his friends.

"I let you hate Shinigami, so you'd give up on becoming one," Kūkaku said bluntly. "When you were a kid, you wanted nothin' more than to follow in Kaien's footsteps and become a Shinigami. I couldn't allow you to do that with Aizen around. He'd already ruined the lives of my friends. I had no idea he was behind Oji-san's framing until much later."

"The Gotei 13 has always been flawed, has always had questionable soldiers enter its ranks. The Onmitsukidō wouldn't have been created if it was such a rosy place. Shinigami betraying others has always happened…but they've always been caught… Aizen's ability to hide himself…was unlike anything I've ever heard of…. He'd managed to get Yoruichi to get off his trail. He was a very dangerous man."

"Did you ever tell Aniki about him?"

"No…I didn't know anythin' back then either. If he would've known, his fate might've been the same. He wouldn't have minded putting himself on the line to protect Soul Society from a menace like Aizen." Her expression was somber.

"Yoruichi never wanted to fill me in on the details about why she left…but she did once she learned of his fate. She didn't know whether it was a coincidence or not that Miyako and Kaien ended up dying due to that strange Hollow, but she warned me that Aizen might be after the cannon."

"Is that why you got rid of the house, and we started moving around after Aniki died?"

"That was part of it. I always liked roaming Rukongai, so I felt it was a good time to start after Aniki's death. Never made it a point to act like I was hiding, but I was prepared to act if he dared to attack me. I chose spots that were out in the open so that there wouldn't be any casualties. He never tried anything though."

"I never cared about whether he had intended to kill Aniki or Miyako. Aniki wouldn't have died against that Hollow if he hadn't cared about his Shinigami and personal pride more than his life. I always resented Ukitake for teaching him that battles could be fought for personal pride and allowing him to fight alone against that Hollow. Brother was skilled, but so was that Hollow. The Hollow wouldn't have fused with him if Ukitake had assisted him when he destroyed his Zanpakutō. Shinigami and their pride are worthless. It only leads to death." Her tone became bitter. "The Shinigami of old would've been appalled to let their comrades fall. Personal pride had no meaning to them. Their pride was tied to completing their mission and staying alive."

Ganju stared at her for a long moment. "Nee-san…Aniki died the way he wanted. We may not like it, but it was the way he wanted to go," he pointed out quietly.

Kūkaku sighed. "I know…Aniki never stopped believing in the Shinigami…He loved them and wanted to die as one…. He got his wish…"

Ganju knitted his eyebrows slightly. He could detect an undercurrent of resentment in her muted tone. His sister had never vocalized dislike for the Shinigami the way he did. On occasion she'd express distaste for things he'd seen Shinigami do in Rukongai, but she'd never explicitly expressed disdain or hatred for them. Growing up she hadn't allowed him to verbalize his feelings about Shinigami whenever his uncle was around. She'd made it excruciatingly clear to him that he was family and that's why he merited respect. He had no choice but to keep his feelings to himself.

He had never understood how she could not hate Shinigami. Learning the circumstances behind his brother's death had changed his perspective on why she hadn't. The recent revelation that she was the caretaker of the Royal Cannon had also made him realize why she could compartmentalize her feelings. Whether she liked it or not, she was responsible for transporting Shinigami to the Royal Dimension when needed. This was something else that he'd kept from him all this time. She'd always made it seem as though her cannon was merely a special fireworks launcher that had been passed down in their family to commemorate the Soul King and to ward off Hollows. He'd never suspected that it had another purpose tied to the Shinigami.

Apparently, the cannon covertly housed the Ōken and the firing of fireworks or a cannon blast was a means to conceal the entryway to the Royal Dimension. Its location and that of the Royal Dimension had been traditionally passed down within the Great Noble Clans before the creation of the Gotei 13 and the position of the sōtaichō. The Great Noble Clan Heads had been the predecessors to the Gotei 13 sōtaichō. She'd only revealed this information to him because Urahara Kisuke had insisted the key might be needed and he needed to be able to activate it so they could teleport to the Royal Dimension.

His sister sounded disillusioned with the Shinigami. Was their brother's death the source of her loss of faith in them? Or was it Aizen?

"Nee-chan…did you ever believe in them like Aniki did?"

For a moment, she stared at him with a rather hard look before it softened.

"Once upon a time, I did," she acknowledged. "I was a Shinigami before Aniki was one. I always thrived on trouble and danger…unlike him…. I figured I could make better use of my skills joining the Gotei 13 than just taking out Hollows that showed up where we lived…I enjoyed being a Shinigami, but my Shinigami pride meant nothing to the Central 46 when I lost my arm.

"Their idea of preserving the honor of the Shiba Clan, a former Great Noble House, was for me to retire and become a secret gatekeeper for a gate that would hardly need to be opened. Honor used to mean fighting and dying as a Shinigami until the end. I realized then the Gotei 13 had lost its honor. Many clans have long gone soft thinkin' their own affairs matter more than protectin' the Soul Society. They'd rather have other houses attached to them fight in their name or…retire as soon as possible. The Shiba Clan has always protected it in some way or another even if we no lost are so called noble status. We weren't cowards. Aniki died at least trying to get rid of a dangerous Hollow even if it was for his own personal pride."

"Gotta admit I can understand why someone might wanna rebel against the Gotei 13 though global destruction ain't the way to do it. The Gotei 13 only cares about its soldiers if they're useful. They're all expendable regardless of their rank. If you come from a nobility, you get a chance to leave 'em but if you don't, the best you can hope for is being stuck guarding the Soul King until you die. In ancient times, everyone fought and died as a unit. Survival was critical to keeping the Soul Society intact. Now everyone is but a mere cog. Aizen clearly understood this as well and used it to his advantage.

"Stability in the Soul Society made the Gotei 13 and Central 46 indifferent to the losses of Shinigami since they could always replace 'em unlike in the past. They never even imagined the evidence Aizen fed 'em could be wrong let alone that they would be done in by the threat they had failed to see.

"Aizen really went all out to turn the Soul Society upside down. He barely left the Gotei 13 standing. If he hadn't been stopped, he would've probably gone on to wipe out to fully eradicate Shinigami if he hadn't been stopped. The Shiba Clan has always trained in the Shinigami arts because we had no choice, but many clans have stopped training, preferring to rely on guards. They would've been easy pickings for him just like Central 46.

"Looks like the clans we'll have no choice but to return to their Shinigami roots to rebuild the Gotei 13 now. Not unless they'd rather see the balance destabilize again and their wealth ruined. It seems like we're back to the rough days of the Soul Society."

"The Gotei 13 are gonna be a mess for a while," Ganju agreed quietly. "Many of the Shinigami that survived are in bad shape. Ojii-san did his best to heal those that he could…Apparently, many of the healers that were sent on the front lines were lost…Not sure if Hana made it…No one that I asked seemed to know."

"Hana?"

"I mean, Yamada Hanatarō. He's the Shinigami that healed Ichigo and me when we were trying to rescue Kuchiki Rukia. He even helped saved her."

"Oh, that's right…" Kūkaku looked thoughtful for a moment. "Losing Shinigami that know Kaidō is a huge loss…Not too many Shinigami have the capacity to use it…Aizen's plan really put the Fourth Division in nasty situation. If he's gone, he must've done his duty to the best of his abilities."

Ganju stayed quiet.

"Knowing Hana…he would keep going to the end…" he murmured.

"It's gonna take a while for any survivors to make it to the Seireitei…There's a chance he might've made it. I-I never imagined the Gotei 13 would ever be in this position." Ganju curled his hands into fists. "Aizen was a real piece of work…He was the worst Shinigami that ever existed…. No…he doesn't even deserve to be called one…He was never a real Shinigami…. A real Shinigami would've protected his comrades and the world."

"Look at you, talking about what a Shinigami really is…"

"Thanks to Ichigo and Rukia-chan and even Hana…. I know what a Shinigami really is…I understand now why Aniki believed in them…I'm sure he would've been horrified about what has happened to the Gotei 13. As a Shiba it would be disgraceful to let it or the Soul Society collapse…I won't let that happen…I'll become a Shinigami."

Kūkaku gazed at him, startled.

"You barely survived this war. You sure you wanna put your life on the line for a living?" she asked after several moments, her countenance solemn.

"I ain't a coward." Resolve radiated from Ganju's face. "If Aniki could do it, so can I!"

"I see. Sounds like your mind's made up. Make sure you don't ever forget what it means to be a Shinigami or else you will be shaming the Shiba name." A grin slowly spread across Kūkaku lips.

"I won't," Ganju vowed.

---

"Rukia, there's something I need to discuss with you."

"What is that you want to talk to me about, Nii-sama?' Rukia asked. She had been summoned by her brother sometime after Ichigo and his father had left. Could her brother be upset that Ichigo's father had trespassed again? But how did he find out? Ichigo's father seemed to be skilled at hiding his presence. Had the guards spotted him? If they had, it was rather generous of her brother to have not kicked him out as soon as he learned of his trespass.

"It's about Hisana."

Surprise shone in Rukia's eyes.

Her heart skipped a beat as she awaited her brother's next words. Why did he want to talk about her deceased sister?

"I've told you before that your elder sister died due to an illness, but I'm afraid that it was due to my incompetence."

"Nii-sama…what are you saying?" she demanded, perplexed.

"The illness that your sister acquired was because I married her. The clan chose this way to eliminate her…. I-I thought I could protect her from them…but they found a way to subvert my authority…thanks to Aizen…. He gave them a prototype virus he was working on."

Stunned, Rukia merely stared at Byakuya.

He closed his eyes.

"It brings me inordinate shame that I was unable to protect your sister, my wife…. I gravely failed as her husband…I'm the one to blame for her death…"

"D-Don't say that Nii-sama…. You aren't to blame…Aizen was…"

"The clan would've never accepted his assistance if I hadn't asked Hisana to be my wife. "

Rukia could hear the slightest timbre of emotion coloring his normally flat voice.

Her adoptive brother truly felt guilt at preventing her sister's death.

His personal pride had been shattered.

Over a year ago, she never would've believed that the man before her could feel anything at all.

That had the changed the moment he had shielded her with his body from Ichimaru Gin's attack and had revealed the truth behind his determination to execute her.

She had always wondered how this man had managed to marry someone.

She had felt deeply uncomfortable to learn that he had adopted her due to the resemblance to his late wife.

She hadn't been sure what to make of that. Had he merely adopted her as a sister for show?

She had known nobles didn't mind marrying relatives.

She'd heard of noble clans adopting commoners to have them fight as Shinigami in their name and had mistakenly believed this was the reason the Kuchiki Clan was offering her a chance to be part of their clan. She'd been foolish for thinking they could want someone like her to join their ranks. She had felt as though she had been falsely lured into the clan.

Kuchiki Byakuya, however, had put her worries at ease since he always treated her in austere manner despite providing for her. He never gave any inclination that she was meant to be a replacement for his wife. She had thought that perhaps she was just supposed to be some kind of pet as the people in the barracks had murmured. A living replica of his wife perhaps, but he had never looked at her.

She eventually realized that somehow she was supposed to be his adoptive sister though she couldn't understand why he would want to have a sibling let alone one that shared a resemblance to his wife. He didn't interact much with her. She'd been taught that emotions were a liability, so she had figured that noble familial relationships were rather cold. The entire clan was rather standoffish.

Little did she imagine he had adopted her at the behest of his late wife.

She knew then her brother must've truly loved his wife. He wouldn't have honored her wishes otherwise.

She now understood that he likely hadn't bothered to look at her due to their uncanny resemblance. It must've been painful for him to have her around. His wife's death must've have broken his heart.

She couldn't even begin to fathom the pain he was feeling now that he knew the truth behind his wife's illness. Aizen had once again indirectly harmed someone close to her.

"I selfishly broke the clan's rules about marrying a commoner believing I could safeguard her from them. My arrogance put her life at risk."

"Nii-sama, you can't blame yourself…Hisana-nee-sama could've rejected your proposal, but she chose to accept it. I never knew her, but I doubt she would want you to blame yourself for something that wasn't within your control. An illness, whether natural or not, can be difficult to treat. I'm sure you did everything you could to help her. You have nothing to feel guilty for. I could never blame you for her death." She added quietly after a moment, "Besides, growing up in Inuzuri meant she was used to trying to evade death. She was lucky she got live as long as she did."

Byakuya gazed at her for a long moment. She thought she saw a glimmer of reprieve.

"Once again I do not deserve your mercy," he murmured, thinking of her clemency for his attempt to execute her. "Rukia…I cannot change what happened to Hisana…but I will do all within my power to find those responsible. I owe you and Hisana this. Rukia, I know I have not behaved as a brother should but, as of now, I consider you my only family."

Rukia stared at him, dumbfounded.

"Rukia, I know the clan has not made things easy for you, but I've always done what I can to protect you from them. They have attempted to remove you from the family by proposing marrying you into another clan, but I've always defended you from this fate. I could not allow them to treat you as a mere political pawn rather than as a true Kuchiki.

"As you know, the main branch of the Kuchiki Clan does not marry out of the clan. As my sister you are technically part of the main family, but the clan does not recognize you as such due to your lineage. It is against the clans' laws to marry or adopt a commoner because as one of the Four Great Noble Clans we are not supposed to taint our bloodline. Noble blood means to carry the blood of the Soul King. Only lesser clans have been willing to mix themselves with commoners from Rukongai. It's because of this that they would rather you be married into another clan.

"This is also why some within the clan would've preferred your execution rather than your absolution from your crimes. Bearing the Kuchiki name is not an easy task. It comes with great responsibility. I know you've always done your best to uphold the Kuchiki name. Even when you put its name in a shameful position with your crime, I knew you must've done it to protect the boy because of his resemblance to Shiba Kaien.

"You have proven yourself worthy of the Kuchiki name by defending the Soul Society in its darkest hour and your crime even resulted in the unexpected savior of the Soul Society.

"You have brought incredible prestige to the Kuchiki name but in some clans' members' eyes you will never be worthy of the Kuchiki name because of the blood that resides within you. As far as I'm concerned you have proven yourself worthy of the Kuchiki name and I will not have them dishonoring you. You are a Kuchiki no matter what they think. I won't ever allow them to remove you from the clan. I will continue to protect you as I've always done." He gazed at her with a firm look as he spoke in a resolute voice.

"I believe that the clan members who believe in the purity of the Kuchiki bloodline must've been the ones that were willing to murder your sister. I will hold them accountable for their actions no matter how long it takes. Until then you must be wary of everyone in the clan. I don't think anyone would be foolish to attempt to hurt you physically especially given the current circumstances, but you must be on your guard all the same. They'll do what they can to push you to leave but I will not allow it regardless of the circumstances. They're the ones that do not belong in the clan, not you."

Rukia was speechless. She almost couldn't believe what Byakuya was saying.

She didn't think he would ever see her as his sister let alone consider her more important than the clan itself.

He must truly loathe those that had conspired to kill his wife.

It was a massive betrayal.

She'd heard whispers of things like this happening in other clans due to familial infighting, but she'd never imagined that clan members within the Great Noble House of Kuchiki would ever stoop so low. Betraying the clan's leader was an audacious move, but she could see why Aizen's offer had proven to be too tempting for them to pass up. His method had given them a chance to murder the person they considered a stain on the Kuchiki name via an innocuous method. No one would've ever suspected Hisana had been murdered unless someone divulged the truth. The only reason Aizen must've revealed it must've been to hurt and break her brother's pride. He had been such a horrible man, so, of course, he would aim to hurt her brother in the worst way possible.

It pained her to think that she should be grateful for Aizen's revelation because it was drawing her closer to her brother. She could understand now why her brother would stand by her despite her marriage to someone that wasn't from a noble house of good standing. He wouldn't respect the clan's rules if they wouldn't even respect his authority.

The clan had always made it clear to her that she was only tolerated because of Byakuya, so she was unfazed hearing that they had attempted to marry her off. She had figured that that's what they would try to do eventually.

She knew that if Byakuya had perished during the war, they would've jumped at the chance to remove her. She wouldn't have minded it under those circumstances. She'd never really cared much for the noble lifestyle though she knew many from Rukongai coveted it. She'd only accepted the offer to become a Kuchiki because Renji had encouraged her to do so. All she had ever wanted was to live a better life as a Shinigami alongside the only friend she had left from Rukongai. Becoming a Kuchiki had given her status and money, but she'd lost what had mattered the most to her: the last remnant of her makeshift family.

Renji and the others had been welcoming in their own way, but the Kuchiki Clan had received her in a frigid manner by comparison.

They had always treated her as though she was beneath them. Their cutting words were shaper than a blade.

Byakuya had never treated her in the same manner as the clan, but she'd always felt like she was a disappointment for him and the Kuchiki name due to her meager abilities. She couldn't help but feel like she'd failed him when she couldn't land a seated position even though he had had her graduate early. She'd quickly realized her abilities were nowhere near where they should be.

But no matter how much she progressed in her training under Kaien-dono, she had never been considered for a seated position. She'd been confused when she'd discovered that he'd been the one responsible for removing her name from the list of seated officer candidates.

She just couldn't understand why he expected her to be a seated officer yet had withheld her name. Was it because he'd gone through the trouble of adopting her and didn't want her to get killed? Or was it more so that he was protecting the Kuchiki name from being shamed from her performance rather than herself. She knew her abilities even if they were considered seated officer level were likely nowhere as good as a genuine Kuchiki despite her efforts to polish her skills. She had figured he must've felt that the clan would've been more shamed by having her as an inadequate seated officer than an unseated officer. His actions had only deepened her confusion about what he thought about her.

Hearing his explanation on why he had barred her had reinforced how his puzzling actions had always been motivated by the promise he'd made to his late wife.

Even now he was still motivated by it.

She knew his love and loyalty to Hisana fueled his desire to protect her and see her as family.

He'd shown a willingness to change their relationship since he'd revealed the truth about her adoption, but their relationship still had a ways to grow before they could truly see each other as actual siblings. She'd been open to this possibility since she had read his apology about his actions as genuinely remorseful and because he was her only link to her unknown, deceased sister.

When she'd learned that she had been selected as part of the Advanced Guard, she had thought it would be the best way to repay her brother and the clan for the shame she had brought them by putting the Kuchiki name in a disgraceful light. Before departing for the mission, she couldn't help but share with Chappy her feelings about the mission and how this was an opportunity to show him that she could handle difficult missions after the fiasco of her first solo mission. She had figured her brother had had no choice but to accept the decree from the sōtaichō. Of course, when she had learned about Orihime's abduction, she had realized she would be once again putting the Kuchiki pride in danger. She had been surprised when he had insinuated that she could leave the Soul Society and had even given her a cloak. She had suspected it was his way of repaying Ichigo for his role in preserving her life rather than something he was doing for her sake.

It felt surreal that she had succeeded in her brother's eyes to maintain the Kuchiki pride despite her blunders and that she was befitting of the Kuchiki name regardless of what the clan thought. She felt touched by his conviction to stand by her. It was rather strange to think that the clan's actions were pushing them to improving their bond.

She'd had a hard time imagining a future where Kuchiki Byakuya would want to build and sustain a bond even if it defied the clan despite Masaki's arrival and words, but the vestiges of that possibility were clearer now to her.

She didn't care for the clan itself, but she did care about having ties with her adoptive brother.

The prospect of a marriage between Ichigo and her was undoubtedly going to upset the clan. They would probably push for her exit though her brother would push for the opposite. Ichigo would likely not be thrilled at the idea of joining the Kuchiki Clan. She didn't know what exactly was going to happen, but all she knew was that she didn't want to lose her sibling.

"Nii-sama, I'm deeply honored by your words," Rukia said, bowing. "I've always done what I can to live up to the clan's expectations though I know I haven't always been successful." She raised her head. "You are the brother that Hisana-nee-sama wanted me to have. I won't allow the clan to come between us," she promised. "I have faith that you will find those responsible, but please be careful, Nii-sama."

"Do not worry, Rukia. I will be discreet."

Ichigo stood on the veranda, gazing at the thick mist surrounding the Kuchiki premises. The white shroud cloaking the beautiful manor gave it an eerie feeling. Winter apparently still didn't want to leave. He couldn't believe it was now March. The Soul Society's attempts at restoring itself had been slowed down by the wintry elements, but the hope was more progress would be made in the coming months. Urahara had also not made much headway in constructing the time traveling device for Masak even though Kurotsuchi Nemu had provided him with information about the device Masaki had brought with her. He supposed he'd been rather optimistic hoping he would be able to have figured it out by now, but he still held onto the hope it would happen sooner rather than later.

"It's so foggy today," Ichigo said as he sensed Rukia behind him.

"Indeed, it is," Rukia agreed as she stepped onto the platform beside him.

"Where is Masaki? Did she already go to the training hall?"

"I'm not sure," Rukia said.

Masaki normally liked to meditate in the mornings though sometimes she would wake up earlier than they did. She was adamant about keeping busy through her training.

"Oi, Masaki are you out there?"

"This isn't my doing." They suddenly heard Masaki's voice. They spotted her bright hair through the mist as she neared them.

"I know…I wasn't blaming you," Ichigo said, finally distinguishing her figure through the haze when she within a foot from them. Her Zanpakutō scabbard was in her hands, proving that she must've been meditating with her blade. "It would've been better if you were the one behind it. It's going to be a drag to walk through this."

"Don't complain. It's better than rain," Rukia said.

"Mist is rain that never falls, you know," Masaki pointed out, her lips curving into a slight grin.

"It may not fall but I can feel the water. I suppose it is better than falling water except we can't see much."

They continued chatting for a few moments when a bright light suddenly burst from Masaki's neck area.

Masaki glanced down and moved aside the collar of her kimono. She stared in surprise at the tattoo like symbol glowing around her clavicle. It resembled a flower with two large, curved petals that swept upwards from a bulb with two leaves springing by it. In between the two petals sat a flame like petal.

"What is that?" Ichigo wondered.

"That's a Gentei Reīn, it's a seal that taichō and fukutaichō get placed on their bodies to restrain their power when they go to the World of the Living," Rukai explained, furrowing her brow. "I don't understand why it's active…."

"Huh? It's a seal? How does it normally get activated?"

"It's automatically placed on Shinigami when they go through the Senkaimon," Masaki replied.

"But you didn't go through a Senkaimon. Why the heck is that seal activating?"

"This isn't a normal Gentei Reīn. It should've faded away by now."

"Someone is doing this," Ichigo said, narrowing his eyes.

"The Gotei 13 has no reason to be doing this," Rukia said. "This has to be some kind of mistake."

The light refused to fade though a few minutes passed.

A sudden flare of Reiatsu assaulted their senses.

They stared at each other in surprise.

"W-What was that?" Ichigo said.

"I-I'm not sure," Rukia said, confused.

Masaki glanced at the sky, her brows wrinkling slightly.

"It's gone…it's a lot like…." she murmured to herself.

She closed her eyes for a moment. Her eyes flickered open as recognition shone them.

"I-I think I know what that was. I-I'll be back," she told Ichigo and Rukia.

Before they could utter their protests, she used Shunpo.

"Wait, Masaki!"

Ichigo stepped forward, but Rukia grabbed Ichigo's sleeve.

"Hold on, Ichigo…That Reiatsu was unusual, but it felt a lot like some kind of Senkaimon…If she's familiar with it then…"

Ichigo gaped at her. "You mean…"

---

Using Reishi to propel herself through the mist laced air, Masaki hurried as fast as she could.

"Their presence is gone. They couldn't have gotten far," Masaki said to herself as she increased her pace.

"Hey, are you there? It's me Masaki," she shouted as she scanned the white veil before her, but no one returned her call. Her voice was lost within its nothingness.

She tried again calling out again and again, but no one responded.

She climbed higher, bursting through the mist, and spotted two short Shinigami who were seemingly arguing with each other several feet away above her.

One Shinigami was a male with spiky white hair peppered with fiery red streaks. His eyes were like warm chocolate. A fukutaichō badge was wrapped around his left shoulder and a red sash hung across his chest. It held his red hilted Zanpakutō on his back. The other Shinigami was female with pure white hair swept into a ponytail with curtain bangs. Her eyes were a cool teal. A sky-blue sash kept her Zanpakutō tied to her back. A black necklace with a butterfly hung around her neck and in her right hand was a rectangular glowing device.

"Ran? Toshi? Is that really you?" Masaki called out to them.

The Shinigami halted their arguing and glanced in Masaki's direction.

A smile broke out on the boy's face while a faint smile formed on the female's face.

"See, Nee-chan? It wasn't hard to find her after all." He addressed the orange-haired Shinigami. "Does it look like we're part of your imagination, Masaki? I could burn you a bit with Enkōryūmaru if you think you're dreaming or hallucinating. You're not dead or something." He scoffed at the notion.

"As if you'd die. You're a one-woman army. Like it or not, you're the goddess of death. Most enemies would drop dead before they even knew what happened if you don't hold back."

"I'm not invincible, you know. I did nearly die," Masaki said quietly, her expression solemn.

A look of incredulity and disquiet flickered across the two Shinigami.

"Is that why you aren't wearing your Shihakushō?" Toshi asked.

"What are you two doing here?" Masaki asked, disregarding his question.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ran said dryly.

"We're here for you, idiot." Toshi grinned and shook his head in mock exasperation.

"But…how…?"

"Long story short, Urahara-taichō realized his time travel device was missing along with you. It took a while to make a new one, but he did it and then used your limiter as a homing beacon to track you down." Ran pointed to the device in her hand.

"I see…but why were both of you sent?"

"I was the one who was sent," Ran corrected. "This idiot decided to follow me."

"Oi..."

"Your parents wanted to come, of course, but they weren't allowed. Neither was your taichō, or your uncle for that matter."

"Dad offered to come, but he wasn't allowed either. Probably because they'd figured he'd probably be tempted to mess up the timeline."

Ran glared at him.

"Otou-san wouldn't do such a thing."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that…He hasn't bothered to promote you after all this time. Why wouldn't he jump at a chance to save his beloved fukutaichō?"

Ran's glare intensified slightly.

"I think your father knows better than to try and change the past," Masaki said quietly. "Ran is his second in command whether she has the title or not. He sent her in his place because he believes in her."

"He sent me because I was considered the only option," Ran said, eyeing her brother pointedly.

Toshi scowled. "Tch. It's not fair…I was an option…"

"In your own mind. No one thought you had the finesse for this type of mission. You were considered a liability," Ran pointed out coldly, a slight smirk on her lips.

"Shut up. I'm here to prove them wrong. I know how important this mission is…"

"You could've ruined the mission by tagging along."

"Don't be so dramatic. We made it, didn't we?"

"Barely." Teal eyes looked at Masaki. "Many offered to come retrieve you, but the reason none of them could go is because they all existed in this time. It was too dangerous for them to potentially interact with their past selves according to Urahara-taichō. Thus, I was chosen as the most qualified to come."

"I see." Masaki glanced at Toshi. "You shouldn't have come, Toshi. Why would you risk getting in trouble when your sister could do the job on her own?"

"Are you kidding me?" He raised an eyebrow at Masaki. "I've gotten in trouble for dumber stuff. Why wouldn't I risk coming here? We're friends, aren't we?"

"I know I haven't been much of one before you left…but…I've given it a lot of thought while you've been gone. I've forgiven you for trying to kill me…I think I can forgive your terrible taste in men…"

"Toshi, I know you've always had my best interests at heart. I'm sorry I—"

"You've got nothing to apologize for. I'm the one who didn't trust your judgment." Toshi grimaced and said begrudgingly, "Don't get me wrong. I think you could do way better but at least he isn't the complete perv I thought he was. He tried to come, you know, but he obviously wasn't allowed."

Masaki froze for a moment.

She furrowed her brow slightly. A flicker of disbelief momentarily shone in her eyes. "W-What…?"

"Don't worry he didn't make it personal. Not really…anyway…"

"What do you mean by that?" Masaki frowned, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Well, he just said this was the least he could do for your mom since she saved him."

"He shouldn't have bothered saying anything."

"I knew you wouldn't like it."

"You should've known I wouldn't want you to come either."

Toshi protested. "But that's different…I'm your friend…"

"It isn't any different," Masaki contended.

"It is too…"

"Can we save this for later? We gotta get back," Ran cut in, her eyes flashing at her brother.

"Fine, let's get going."

"But wait, we can't just leave…"

"Huh? Why not? Aren't you ready to get back?"

"I am, but I have to say goodbye…to my parents…I can't just disappear."

"Go ahead and do it if you want, but for them it'll be the same thing as you disappearing."

Masaki raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"According to Urahara-taichō, people can't remember people that don't exist. You don't exist in this timeline yet so their memories of you should fade."

Surprise shone on Masaki's face.

"I see," she said softly. "I'll be quick."

"Can I come? I want to see how your parents were like when they were young. I also want to check out how my parents were…."

"Stay put, you aren't going anywhere," Ran said, reaching out for Toshi's sleeve and jerking him backwards much to his dismay.

Masaki gave Ran a grateful nod and then left.

Within minutes, she touched down on the ground in front of Ichigo and Rukia, who had been staring at the mist expectantly.

"I figured out why the Gentei Rein was activated…. My nakama are here to take me back," she explained at once.

"S-Seriously? Rukia thought it might be something like that. That's great news."

"That is good news," Rukia agreed. "I'm glad that the Gentei Rein wasn't falsely activated."

"Me too," Masaki said. "I never expected that Urahara from the future would be the one to get me out of here."

"Well, I'm glad that he pulled through even if it's his future self. I'll have to get the Urahara here to quit working on the device he's working on since it's not necessary anymore."

Masaki stared at Ichigo. "You should…" she said quietly.

"Thank you for everything…" Masaki gazed at Ichigo and Rukia for a long moment. "I must go now. I'll see you in the future…Kaa-san…Tou-san…" She smiled at Ichigo and Rukia.

"See you, Masaki." Ichigo and Rukia both said in near unison.

Ichigo and Rukia watched as Masaki faded from their view as she took a step back into the mist and used Shunpo.

As suddenly as she had appeared in their lives, she was gone.

---

Glossary:

Nee-chan- older sister

Oji-san-uncle

Itoko- cousin

Aniki- older brother

Onii-chan-brother

Jii-san- grandpa

Kaa-san- mom

Tou-san- dad

---

AN: It seemed to me like Chad and Orihime were created as side characters that didn't quite fit the story of Bleach. Kubo created them because he wanted to fulfill the trope of the hero having friends, but I felt like Kubo didn't quite know what to do with them, Chad in particular. It was unfortunate Kubo never continued to develop the relationship between Ichigo and Chad. Chad and Orihime spend the most time together in the series. Chad's only goal was to have Ichigo's back, but it seems Kubo didn't feel like he could have Chad fulfilled this. At least not in a meaningful way that fans enjoyed. If you look back at it, it is incredible that Chad, a Human, was able to train with a Bankai user and become strong enough to beat a Privaron Espada. I think Kubo was trying to keep the series grounded to a certain extent by not having Chad grow to match the Shinigami characters. This was different in comparison to other stories where the friends typically grown stronger along with the protagonist.

As much it would've been cool for Chad to grow stronger, I felt he needed to die in my story for various reasons. The main reason was that it needed to trigger Orihime to explore her own abilities. Ichigo's transformation in HM had set her on the path that she needed to get stronger to prevent Ichigo from ever transforming again. She still needed to fulfill her character arc of using her powers to protect in a way that suited her.

In Chapter 80, Kūkaku states "The Shinigami…killed you…" It's an interesting line given that later it is revealed she knows Rukia was the one who dealt Kaien the killing blow. If she knew the truth, why did she say it? And why did ask for Kaien's forgiveness? Was Kubo trying to misdirect his readers? She was by herself, so it's a strange thing to say. It seems kinda ridiculous for her to hide this truth from Ganju all this time if she didn't have a reason, so that's why I did give her an actual reason. She states in that same chapter "You who…loved Shinigami and died as a Shinigami." It seemed like she didn't care for the Shinigami herself. I tried my best to incorporate this into her backstory. Maybe it was a bit much.

It's been challenging trying to make sense of the inconsistencies. I tried the best I can.

I begrudgingly adopted the concept of Kūkaku being able to launch people into the Royal Dimension because it would give Ganju more of a role. I had wanted to stick to my own ideas rather than being influenced by any canon events save for Zanpakutō abilities. I would've stuck to them if I had finished my fic earlier than Kubo finished Bleach.

Although I really liked that Kūkaku being able to launch people to the Royal Dimension gave her cannon a genuine reason for existing, I didn't think it was a well written retcon. Kubo had originally emphasized that the Royal Dimension was separate and that it was only accessible through the Ōken. His depiction in the final arc made it seem like it was above them this whole time which feels more like a contradiction rather than a revelation. The fact that the Royal Dimension was in a separate dimension guarded by Royal Guards and that a special key was needed made it highly unlikely anyone would ever reach it, so it felt weird that Kubo was claiming that the Seireiheki also protected it. Kubo likely only made this change to give Kūkaku a role in the final arc. He could've done a better job if he'd been allowed to take a hiatus to think things through and recover health wise.

In chapter 223, Yamamoto mentions that the Oken's location has been passed down orally by the sōtaichō of the Gotei 13 for generations. Yamamoto is supposed to be the one and only sōtaichō of the Gotei 13 since he founded it. Some fans view it as an inconsistency, I think it makes better sense to view it as a cover up. I decided to explain this by saying he was really referring to the clan heads of the Great Noble Houses.

Per Chapter 0, side B Ukitake mentions that Karakura is Rukia's first solo mission. It's kinda crazy, isn't it? I love Rukia, but I have a pretty grounded view of her. In chapter 201, Chappy mentions that Rukia has the skills of a seated officer which in theory means from seat 20 to third seat. For some people this generic statement along with her victory against Aaroniero made her vice-captain material. I never felt that was the case. I didn't think Kubo showcased her in a way that made her seem like her skills were vice-captain level. Her past flashbacks emphasized how she wasn't really that great, but Byakuya still had her graduate early regardless which is kinda weird, but I suppose she might've been lower-level seated officer material. Anyway, in trying to keep things grounded, I only laid the groundwork for Rukia's continued growth in this story.

Sorry for the delay for this chapter. I've been working on it from mid-2022 through early 2024. I certainly did not mean to take this long. I hope you enjoyed it.

One more chapter to go and potentially an epilogue. Here's hoping the writing/editing process won't be too hard.