Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or the name Kurosaki Masaki, both belong to Tite Kubo. My OC belongs to me under the name of Mai.
Feedback: Reviews are encouraged. Flames are not. Thank you to everyone who reviews and supports this fic. I'm deeply grateful for your support.
I was pleasantly surprised that my muse cooperated so well for a chapter I thought would be difficult to write. I hope you enjoy it.
Edited formatting: 5/11/18
Time itself seemed to have frozen as Isshin awaited Masaki's answer. Amber eyes instantly connected with violet. Horror, trepidation, shock, and alarm flickered through both pairs of eyes. Neither violet nor amber could tear their gaze apart from each other, could even so much as twitch, as the pure, cold shock running through their systems rooted them to their respective spots. They would have remained that way if the sudden silence that had descended upon the area with enough strength to quell even the crickets' chirping had not been pierced by Kurosaki Isshin's voice once more.
"Well, if I had to take a guess, I'd say you must be a sibling of Rukia-chan's," Isshin said, blinking and breaking the spell that had even enveloped him as he peered into the violet orbs of the young woman before him. "You both have the same beautiful violet eyes."
Several moments later, Masaki inclined her head and murmured, "Arigatō."
Isshin turned and exclaimed, "Why, Rukia-chan, I had no idea you had such a lovely sister!"
Rukia just stared at the elder Kurosaki with a sheepish yet bewildered expression. A tentative smile crossed her lips.
Before she could say anything, Isshin returned his attention to the orange-haired Shinigami woman. "And what is your name if I may ask?"
Masaki hesitated for a fraction of a second, as she opened her mouth to speak. "It's—"
"So, it's true then. You are alive and well, Kurosaki Isshin."
Masaki turned.
Isshin stared at the new figure standing in the veranda.
"Word sure does travel fast," Isshin noted, stepping forward. "I'm touched you came to greet me, Byakuya-bo. I wouldn't have expected that from you. Don't tell me you actually missed me?" Isshin flashed the Sixth Division taichō a teasing grin.
Byakuya's face remained a perfect mask of stoicism. "Hardly. I merely came to see why you dared trespass upon the grounds of the great Noble House of Kuchiki."
"Ah, I see, you're just upset that I managed to evade your guards. Looks like the security you have in place is quite lax. If I were you, I would consider getting new guards."
"That won't be necessary," Byakuya said, his slate eyes looking coldly upon Isshin. "Collect the kozō and leave now, Kurosaki Isshin."
Surprise shone in Ichigo's eyes.
"Ah, Bya-kun, really? We should try to get along, you know…now that these two kids"—he jabbed a finger in the direction of Ichigo and Rukia—"are bound to get hitched. They're already having dinner here, won't be long before the yuinō is signed off…I already consider Rukia-chan, my third daughter. I wouldn't mind incorporating you and Rukia-chan's lovely sister into the family."
"Sister?" Byakuya repeated, creasing his brow slightly. For a moment, his steely gaze wavered, allowing confusion and pain to arise to the surface. His eyelids fell shut. "She is no longer of this world. Why do you speak as though she is?"
There was a moment's silence. An unusually solemn and considerate look dawned upon Isshin's face.
"I wasn't talking about Hisana-san," Isshin said quietly. "Even if she's gone you know, she's still with you...She's still family…I consider her a part of my new family too." He paused. "Masaki, my late wife, is still very much alive within our household. Isn't that right, Ichigo?"
Ichigo stared at Isshin with a disturbed, perplexed look, as though he couldn't believe he was divulging this information.
"We have this huge poster of her in our living room. I talk to her everyday about how work is, my daughters—besides, Ichigo I have two amazingly wonderful daughters who have just hit puberty and it's hard for me to try to talk to them so I must consult with Masaki how—"
"If you weren't referring to Hisana, then who were you referring to?" Byakuya interrupted, apparently uninterested in hearing Isshin's daily activities.
"Why to this young lady, of course." Isshin nodded towards Masaki.
Byakuya's gaze moved towards the young woman, looking as though he was barely registering her presence. He froze. A glimmer of surprise and understanding shone in his eyes. Ichigo and Rukia stared at him with tense, wary faces.
Byakuya closed his eyes and did not speak.
"She's not exactly a replica of Hisana-san like Rukia-chan is, but you can definitely see that she inherited the same eyes. I'm amazed you took it upon yourself to find all of Hisana-san's sisters and that you actually succeeded"—a nearly imperceptible twitch occurred in Byakuya's temple— "It's a pity Hisana-san wasn't able to witness the reunion. I'm sorry, but what was your name?"
"My name is Mai," Masaki replied.
"Mai," Isshin repeated. "I like it. I'm Kurosaki Isshin, father of your soon to be brother-in-law."
"Nice to meet you, Kurosaki-sama," Masaki said.
"Don't address me as sama, that's far too formal. We're gonna be family soon…I'd prefer you address me as —"
"You seem rather keen on believing that we will become family through a marriage between your kozō and my imouto, Kurosaki Isshin. Is this a ploy of yours to restore the status you once had?" Byakuya said, narrowing his eyes.
"A ploy?" Isshin echoed.
"I can understand why you would attempt such a tactic, considering your family name no longer means anything because you—"
"This is no ploy," Isshin interrupted, his tone unmistakably serious. The crickets who had recommenced their stridulating seemed to finish their last notes rather hastily. "I would never use my son like that. I'm just calling it like it is…Call it a father's intuition if you will. I knew since the moment my third daughter set foot upon my house, that she was someone special, that she would change my son's life. And she did, there's no doubt about it, but every decision regarding Rukia-chan has been made by Ichigo's own accord. I was never involved. Whether he and Rukia-chan decide to ultimately walk the path that leads them to marriage that will be their decision, not mine.
"I won't pretend that I wouldn't be ecstatic to have Rukia-chan officially be named as my third daughter, but it's not my choice. I could care less whether Rukia is a Kuchiki or not. Unlike you, I do not hold someone in high or low regard because of their social status. I never have.
"What matters is whether having Rukia-chan by his side makes my son happy. I thought you understood that when you took Hisana-san as your wife. Don't tell me you're going to marry Rukia-chan off to someone merely because it's convenient to the clan? Doesn't her happiness count too?"
Mahogany bore into slate grey. The air was rife with a palpable tension. Ichigo and Rukia stared at the scene with stunned, surprised faces. A glimmer of astonishment shone in Masaki's eyes.
"It remains to be seen what Rukia thinks of any proposal," Byakuya said evenly, after a long silence.
"I suppose so," Isshin agreed softly.
The chirping of crickets restarted in an almost hesitant manner, as though unsure of whether their cries should disturb the evening air that still carried a certain degree of tension.
"Ichigo, let's go," Isshin spoke. " I wouldn't want to overstay our welcome."
Byakuya's face remained unexpressive at Isshin's sarcastic humor.
"See ya, Byakuya-bo." Isshin waved as he turned around, and in that instant, Byakuya vanished.
"Oi, Ichigo, let's go," Isshin ordered, seeing that Ichigo remained in the same place. When the teen failed to move, the elder Kurosaki sighed then appeared beside the orange-haired Shinigami and gave him a simple flick to the forehead that surprisingly sent him reeling and rolling several feet on the dark grass.
"Sorry again for the interruption, Rukia-chan. I'll make sure my son makes it up to you." Isshin grinned as he swooped to collect Zangetsu from the spot where Ichigo had placed it in order to eat.
"I-It's okay, Kurosaki-oji-san," stammered Rukia, flustered.
"It was nice meeting you, Mai-chan." Isshin grinned at the orange-haired Shinigami woman. She returned his smile.
Isshin grabbed Ichigo by the scruff of his robes, a moment just after he stopped rolling. He tightened his hold intending to move when Ichigo suddenly said, "Wait, Oyaji."
Isshin glanced at his son questioningly.
"We can't go yet," Ichigo said, staring at the ground. His brows quivered over his eyes in apparent agitation while the corners of his frowning lips twitched as though contemplating something.
Ichigo's mind and heart whirred inside him. He could feel his throat starting to dry up, impeding his tongue from rolling out the words that had to be said.
What he truly wanted to do was give voice to the thousands of questions swimming through his mind. Did his dad pretend not to realize Rukia was there when he had told him about a burglar being in the house? Had he been aware of what transpired that night after he left the room? Had he been aware Rukia inhabited his closet for two months? Did he know that over the summer he had gone to the Soul Society to rescue Rukia? His words seemed to imply as much, but why didn't he ever say anything? Why did he act like he was a normal Human?
The only explanation Ichigo could think of was that he was in hiding like Urahara-san and Yoruichi-san, and the Visored. He could understand that acknowledging Rukia would have cost him his cover as non-Reiryoku possessing Human, but the question was what had he done that made him leave the Soul Society? Byakuya had mentioned something about his father losing his status, that his family name no longer meant anything, but that offered little answers.
"What is it, Son?" Isshin asked.
Ichigo could feel his dad's concerned stare as well as that of Rukia and Masaki's. His questions unfortunately had to wait. He swallowed, preparing to instead admit a truth he felt should be admitted. "M-Mai isn't Rukia's sister."
Understanding and acceptance flitted through Rukia's face at Ichigo's announcement.
"Huh? What do you mean she's not her sister?" Isshin said, wrinkling his brow.
"She's not her sister," Ichigo repeated, lifting his gaze from the floor and cocking his head to the side to meet Isshin's gaze.
"Why didn't anyone say so?" Isshin wondered, glancing from Ichigo to Rukia and Masaki. "Mai-chan is definitely related to Rukia-chan though. Is she a cousin, then?"
"She's not a cousin either."
Isshin looked puzzled, unable to believe he hadn't been right.
"Her name isn't even Mai. This is going to sound strange, but it's the truth. S-She's…not even from this time…"
"What are you saying, Ichigo?" Isshin said, contorting his eyebrows even further.
"I'm from the future," Masaki said before Ichigo could explain.
Isshin stared at her, surprised. "The future?"
"Hai. The reason you think I'm related to Kuchiki-san is because she is my mother in the future."
"Mother…" Isshin murmured, looking quite astonished at this information.
Several moments later, he lowered the tip of Zangetsu to the ground and went completely rigid. His knuckles glowed white as they tightened over the neck of Ichigo's robes and caused Ichigo's head to jerk back with the sudden movement. Realization shone in Isshin's eyes.
Ignoring his uncomfortable position, Ichigo gazed at his dad, surprised to see him so stunned, so immobile. He had not seen his father remain so quiet since he had lost his wife….
"O-Oyaji," Ichigo said, when he realized it had been too long since Isshin had moved. "Oi, Oyaji… Say something. Are you okay?"
Several more moments passed, before Isshin stirred. "Y-You're her father…S-She's your future daughter…."he croaked out, his voice laced with awe.
Patches of pink erupted across Ichigo's cheeks. Averting his gaze, he muttered, "Yeah."
"But how?" Isshin whispered. "How is this even possible?"
"Urahara Kisuke invented a time traveling device that I accidentally used," Masaki said. She pulled out the obsidian butterfly holding a key from within her robes and recounted her arrival to the past and the reason she could not return to her time.
Isshin remained once more uncharacteristically silent and still for some time after Masaki finished her explanation.
"Oi, Oyaji," Ichigo said, as he made to pry off his father's fingers from his robes. His neck was throbbing now from the awkward position he was in. "Come on, let go…"
And then without warning Ichigo's wish was granted. Isshin released his hold on Ichigo's robes so abruptly and quickly that Ichigo fell unceremoniously backwards onto the grass. There was a dull thunk as Zangetsu fell to the ground beside him. A sudden wind stirred the grass near Ichigo's face.
"What the…"Ichigo muttered as he rolled over to the right. His eyes widened as he realized his father's intentions.
With his arms outstretched, Isshin raced liked a speeding bullet towards Masaki. Rukia, who by now had vacated her seat and was standing on the veranda, swayed underneath the force of the dark blur blazing past.
Ichigo watched in shock as the imminent collision approached. At the rate Isshin was going, he would surely crush and steam roll Masaki…One, two, three….
It never happened.
Isshin crashed face first onto the wooden floor with a noisy thud that resounded across the area. An unharmed Masaki stood a foot away, watching him groan and moan.
"But I thought she was real… Oh, why did it have to be only a dream….My granddaughter…Why must I be tortured like this…"
"Gomen nasai, but it was instinct."
Slowly, as though afraid she would not be there, Isshin rolled over to the side. His eyes widened.
"Y-You're still here…. Are you real?"
"Hai."
Isshin made a movement as though he was going to rise, but he groaned, falling back onto the ground.
"Would you please help an old man get back on his feet, then?" he asked, stretching his hand out towards her.
There was a beat in which Masaki seemed to consider this; she eventually reached over, clasping her hand over Isshin's. Isshin closed his eyes and a content smile swept over his face. Within seconds, he was on his feet and embracing the orange haired young woman in a tight, bone-crushing hug. Her feet dangled in the air.
"OH, GRANDDAUGHTER, I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE! OH, MASAKI, I'D NEVER THOUGHT I'D LIVE TO SEE THIS DAY! OUR GRANDDAUGHTER HAS BEEN BORN!" Fake tears of joy streamed down his face. He was oblivious to his granddaughter's breathing difficulty. "SHE HAS OUR SON'S HAIR AND OUR THIRD DAUGHTER'S EYES. ISN'T SHE BEAUTIFUL?"
"Oi, Oyaji, let her go, she can't breathe!" Ichigo said, as he appeared a short distance away.
Realizing the truth of his son's words, Isshin reluctantly loosened his iron clad hold on Masaki, so that she could restore the airflow to her lungs. She stumbled slightly away from Isshin as her feet hit the ground.
"Forgive me, Granddaughter! I got carried away with meeting you and having you in my arms!"
Masaki did not reply. She was too busy getting her breathing under control. Isshin took the opportunity to study her with rapt attention. Apart from inheriting her parent's most prominent features, she did not really resemble them. He supposed her nose was very much like Rukia's, but her face was more oval like as opposed to Rukia's heart shaped face. And yet, there was something strangely familiar about her face, that he couldn't quite place…
"What's your real name, Granddaughter?" Isshin wondered.
"It's Masaki," Masaki replied.
Isshin froze upon hearing these words.
"K-Kurosaki-sama," Masaki said tentatively, after a minute passed.
Isshin blinked. A huge smile lit up his features. "OH, MASAKI, OUR GRADDAUGHTER HAS BEEN NAMED IN YOUR HONOR JUST LIKE IT IS DONE IN WESTERN FAMILIES…SHE EVEN BEARS A RESEMBLANCE TO YOU!"
He now realized why there was a certain air of familiarity within her face; he could see traces of his wife within her visage, just like he saw them in Yuzu.
"Oh, Masaki-chan, we really are family," Isshin said, reaching over and grabbing Masaki's hand. "You must address me as Jii-san…I'm your grandfather after all. There's no need to keep up the charade anymore. How could you try and keep my granddaughter a secret from me, Son?" Isshin demanded, glaring at Ichigo.
"W-What? You're the one who assumed she was Rukia's sister!"
"But you didn't bother correcting me," Isshin retorted.
"That's because Byakuya came along!"
"You could have said something when I was going on about how Byakuya managed to unite the sisters! Poor, Masaki-chan, had to deny who she was because you didn't say anything. I'm sure Rukia-chan wanted to, but you probably told her to keep quiet."
Ichigo looked aggravated at this. "No, I didn't…"
Rukia looked slightly apologetic and guilty.
"And Byakuya he knew all along she was his niece…and he still acted like she wasn't even going to be born! That you and Rukia-chan weren't going to get married!"—Rukia and Ichigo blushed at this— "Why that little stuck up punk. Ha, my fatherly instincts were right. I'm gonna make sure he pays for that!"
"I think you already did. You let all the Kuchikis know who she is with your yelling to Kaa-san," Ichigo pointed out.
"Unlike him, I have no qualms about admitting who my family is…"
"Look, Oyaji, Byakuya might not be happy about, the, um…future, but the truth is we can't go around saying Mai's from the future…and who she really is…"
"Well, I had to let your mother know, didn't I? And what's with you calling Masaki-chan, Mai? It's not like strangers are around here…They would never ever think to make the connection of Masaki-chan's relationship to you. There's no way they could ever tell you off for breaking tradition…"
Ichigo ignored the latter question and said, "Somehow I doubt Kaa-san heard you all the way back in the World of the Living."
"Huh? Why wouldn't she be able to hear me hear me here?" Isshin said.
Ichigo froze, wondering how could his dad say that? Was he not aware that Grand Fisher was lurking out there somewhere? (Guilt swept into his chest at the memory of being unable to finish him off) He surely must have known Masaki had died at the hands of a Hollow…but did he even know which one and that he hadn't been killed?
Isshin let go of his future granddaughter's hand and reached inside his robes. Seconds later, he whipped out a photograph bearing Masaki's image.
"Y-You carry a picture of Kaa-san with you…in your Shihakushō…"Ichigo deadpanned. He knew his father carried his wife's picture in his wallet, had multiple pictures within the clinic, but this was just ridiculous.
Rukia stared at Isshin in disbelief.
"Why do you think I was telling Masaki about our granddaughter while I was hugging her? I wanted Masaki to have the experience of hugging her as well," Isshin said, as though it was common sense to make such an assumption. "You felt your grandmother's presence, didn't you, Granddaughter?" Isshin asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulder while the other held out his deceased wife's photograph in front of them. "You can now talk to her face to face though—"
"Okay, Oyaji, that's enough. Come on we need to get going. Byakuya's bound to come out again with all the racket you made and kick us out with Senbonzakura. Frankly, I'm amazed we aren't surrounded by guards already."
"But, I was just getting to know my granddaughter," Isshin protested.
"You can do that later. Let's go," Ichigo said in a forceful tone. He doubted Masaki wanted to be in the company of her insane grandfather.
"Okay," Isshin conceded, after a moment. "But Masaki-chan and Rukia-chan have to come as well."
"Why?" Ichigo said. "I thought you wanted to talk to me."
"I do, but there's no reason they can't come with us. They're family."
Ichigo stared at his father questioningly.
"Come on, Granddaughter," Isshin said, as he stopped embracing Masaki and grabbed her hand to lead her forward.
"But, Kurosaki-sama," Masaki started.
"I already told you, you should address me as Jii-san."
There was a beat.
"But, you're not my grandfather," Masaki said matter of fact.
Isshin released her hand, looking as though a bucket of ice-cold water had drenched him. His lower lip trembled and he looked on the verge of tears as he stared at the photograph he had not yet stowed away in his robes.
"OH MASAKI, OUR GRANDDAUGHTER HAS DENIED ME AS HER GRANDFATHER! WHAT HAVE I DONE TO BE DISOWNED? OH, GRANDDAUGHTER, HOW COULD YOU BE SO CRUEL TO YOUR GRANDFATHER WHO MERELY WISHES TO GET TO KNOW YOU AND TO BESTOW AFFECTION UPON YOU? WHY—"
"You're not my grandfather yet," Masaki clarified, interrupting him. "I have yet to be born in this time."
"So, it doesn't change the fact you are my granddaughter. We share the same blood. Time and space doesn't change that. Why should you refer to me as a stranger when I know the truth? Don't tell me that that is how you refer to me in your time?"
"Well, no, but—"
"But, nothing! Call me Jii-san!" Isshin said. Noticing Masaki's indecision to listen to his request, Isshin shouted, "PLEASE, GRANDDAUGHTER—"
"Fine, Jii-san," Masaki said hastily.
"OH, MASAKI, I'VE FINALLY BEEN CALLED JII-SAN! IT'S SO WONDERFUL!" Isshin said gleefully, before he put away his late wife's photograph and grabbed Masaki's hand. He quickly led her forward.
"W-Wait, Jii-san, my Zanpakutō." Masaki gestured towards the white sheathe that rested next to the zabuton she had been sitting on.
"Oh, so you really weren't having a date, you were having a family dinner," Isshin noted, as he and Masaki passed Ichigo. Now that he was standing on the veranda, he could clearly see the third zabuton he had failed to see when he had appeared in the garden. "How won—"
"Shut up, Oyaji," Ichigo said annoyed, his cheeks slightly pink.
Once Masaki had retrieved her Zanpakutō, Isshin glanced at Ichigo and Rukia and said, "Let's go, Ichigo, Rukia-chan!"
"Um, Kurosaki-oji-san, I—" Rukia started, uncertainty flooding her face.
"Come along, Rukia-chan, you wouldn't be intruding on family affairs, you are family," Isshin said, with a knowing tone at what was bothering her. "Don't call me oji-san. It's Otou-san, okay?"
A pink flush swept over Rukia. "Um, arigatō, but…"
"Ichigo grab her hand and take her with you," Isshin ordered,before he and Masaki vanished.
There was a moment's silence.
"Come on, Rukia, let's go," Ichigo said, reaching over to scratch the back of his head. "Knowing Oyaji, he might come back and make you go. It's better just to do as he says."
"Fine," Rukia consented.
With only the moonlight and Isshin to guide them, Ichigo and Rukia trailed after the elder Kurosaki and his future granddaughter on a dark, deserted road. An eerie air hung over the area, making Ichigo's insides squirm slightly with unease. He could not believe this area was supposedly still within the residential area of the nobility. What happened to the bright lighting adorning the well-kept streets and the air of magnificence and wealth surrounding the neighboring homes?
Judging from Rukia's face, she had never ventured this way. Ichigo doubted anybody bothered to travel down this path, which is why there was no illumination. A high wall covered in vines arose next to them. A rustling noise emitted from them when the wind brushed over them. As they continued on, Ichigo couldn't help but feel as though the hissing and whistling of the foliage sounded as though snakes were hiding within its midst.
Several minutes later, Isshin suddenly stopped. As he and Rukia approached him and Masaki, Ichigo realized they were now at the gate of the vine-covered property.
Nobody said a word.
Isshin, who seemed almost reluctant for a moment, glanced up at the ivy-covered door.
"I guess it wasn't so bad that you were at the Kuchikis, Ichigo. It made the trip shorter," Isshin remarked.
Ichigo said nothing, just stared at the door. Underneath some of the top most vines, he could scarcely see some type of symbol imprinted there.
Isshin thumped the slightly ajar door and it gave way. A loud, piercing creaking noise pierced the night as the door was opened. Isshin gestured for Masaki, Rukia, and Ichigo to enter.
As soon as they stepped through the doorway, a horrendously unkempt garden greeted them. Weeds, grass, and plants overran what was once surely a well-manicured lawn. A large pond on the center of the lawn at their left hand side was waterless, but filled with overgrown foliage and rocks. Close to them, on their right hand side, stood an old guardhouse nearly completely covered in vines and moss. The path stretching out before them was covered with strewn leaves from the trees adjacent to it. At the far end of the large lawn was what had been an impressive and handsome manor. With the vines and moss gripping its roof and sides, it radiated an ominous, imposing energy making it seem as though it were an ideal venue for a horror film.
Ichigo glanced at Isshin, who was standing at the foot of the path leading towards the manor. His face was unusually somber and forlorn. A moment later, determination was etched on his face as he strode forward. Ichigo silently followed him along with Rukia and Masaki.
As Ichigo glanced to his left, he noticed Masaki looked rather horrified and disturbed as her gaze roved over their surroundings. She looked pained, but he quickly lost her sight of her gaze when she turned her head. Next to him, Rukia was surveying the area with interest and curiosity.
Within minutes, they arrived at the entrance of the manor where Isshin stood with his back turned against them.
"You're probably wondering why I brought you here to this abandoned house. This was once my home; this was once the home of the Kurosaki Clan."
"K-Kurosaki Clan?" Ichigo repeated.
"Yes," Isshin said, his back still turned. "I'll explain everything inside."
There was a harsh groan as the front door was pushed; it obviously had not been used in a long time. Isshin batted cobwebs out of the way and immediately produced a red light from his palm. He entered, lighting the entryway.
Dust and cobwebs decorated the essentially empty interior of the manor. Several feet away where shōji screens with gaping holes in the paper. Surveying the area, Isshin quickly spotted a long lamp rod on the grime-filled floor. He quickly picked it up, blew away some of the dust coating it, and ignited it with the red light, allowing a fiery glow to illuminate the room.
Masaki, Ichigo, and Rukia stepped into the room and stared at him expectantly.
"I was once head of the Kurosaki Clan. A clan that was just below in status to the Five Noble Clans and then Four Noble Clans when the Shiba Clan fell out of status."
"Shiba?" Ichigo said, furrowing his brow slightly. "As in Shiba Kūkaku and Shiba Ganju?"
"Ah, yes, you did meet them," Isshin said, smiling knowingly
"You mean Shiba Kūkaku and Shiba Ganju were nobles?" Ichigo asked, deciding not to ask how his father was aware of their meeting. He had a hard time believing that as much as hearing his father was one. The latter at least had clearly shown him there was more to him than the wacky side he constantly exhibited.
"Ganju-kun never got the chance to live the life of nobles. Kūkaku-chan did during her early years," Isshin said, his smile fading. "He didn't miss out on much. A noble's life isn't all that it's cracked to be," Isshin added bitterly. "The Shiba Clan fell out of status a little less than two centuries ago. Apparently, the clan's funds had been suffering from misuse and poor financial investment for decades. They were so in debt that they had to give up their house. With the little money they had, there was no way they could afford to live in the Seireitei; they had no choice but to move to Rukongai."
"Back then, it had been a major scandal for a clan of such prestige to fall into nothing because the clan's leaders failed to organize their finances. My father had been devastated and horrified to find out that our association with the Shiba Clan would taint our family instead of benefiting us. He was quick to make sure society knew we would not associate with the Shibas any longer. My nee-san, Sayuri, had married the son of the head of the Shiba Clan. She was the mother of Kūkaku-chan and Ganju-kun as well as Kaien-kun, the eldest Shiba sibling, who died a couple of decades ago."
Rukia's eyes widened.
"Ganju's mother was your nee-san? What? G-Ganju and I are r-related," Ichigo said,shocked.
"That's right, he's your cousin. I know he didn't take on the good looks of the Kurosakis, but he's still family. He just has more of the Shiba genes unlike his other siblings."
"It looks like he doesn't have any Kurosaki genes," Ichigo remarked.
Isshin chuckled slightly at this and continued with his story. "When the Shiba Clan fell, I was young, a kid really, still adjusting to life as a Shinigami during a time of peace; the war with the Quincy had ended recently and I had been thrown into that conflict not that long after I graduated from the Academy.
"My father told my mother and me that we were not to interact with Nee-san and her family in order to preserve the Kurosaki Clan's dignity; among the nobility, kinship matters only when it preserves the clan's pride. If a relative disgraces it, then they must be discarded. We were supposed to forget about them and act as if Nee-san never existed. He also urged me to leave the Fourth Division as soon as possible and to move to a more acceptable division, one that would actually allow me to bring prestige to the family."
"You were part of the Fourth Division?" Ichigo said, surprised yet at the same not entirely surprised. He knew his father genuinely enjoyed helping heal his patients, but he had not really thought about whether his father had ever formed part of the Fourth Division during his time in the Gotei 13. He could not envision his father as someone that got walked over by his Eleventh Division patients or that got sent around doing menial tasks like Hanatarō though he supposed not everyone was like that. Unohana-san was a clear example of someone that commanded respect; he had a feeling it wasn't merely because of her title as a taichō.
"Yes, I was," Isshin said, a hint of annoyance interlaced with pride in his voice. "I suppose you've already heard that the Fourth Division is looked down by most divisions, especially the Eleventh Division."
Ichigo nodded.
"My father felt exactly the same way about the Fourth Division as the Eleventh Division does. He hated that I had joined that division; my mother had been the one that convinced him to allow me join the Fourth because she knew I was interested in healing. He saw the Shibas' fall as the perfect chance to convince me to leave the division. I refused both his requests, but I ended up agreeing not to interact with Sayuri. My mother had implored me to do so to appease my father. From time to time, mother and I, however, managed to sneak visits to see Sayuri.
"It wasn't until about 96 years ago, when I finally became eligible to take the captaincy of the Tenth Division—the former division taichō had died a little over a decade earlier, but they had not managed to find a suitable replacement—that I interacted more with my nephew, Kaien-kun. He had managed to become a fukutaichō of the Thirteenth Division some years before; he had been a real genius. Otou-san would have probably wished he had been his son, but seeing as that wasn't the case, he was just glad that I had finally ascended ranks and was out of the Fourth Division.
"Though the Shiba Clan's reputation was starting to get restored because of my nephew's prominence within the Gotei 13, the nobility still regarded the Shiba as commoners—no, probably worse than that if even possible; nobility can be quite nasty to their own or former equals. Kaien-kun did not behave like a noble at all and did not seek to restore his family's status so that he could live in the Seireitei again. He was fine living in Western Rukongai. My father did not want me to interact anymore with Kaien-kun anymore than I had to.
"My nephew and I did not make a point of openly saying we were related or openly interacting publicly while off our duties. The Shinigami within the Gotei 13 were not aware we were related, not unless they were nobles and aware of the Shibas' history with my family. We usually met within his home or at some other location within Western Rukongai; we always took care to dress incognito." Isshin paused.
"The only time my father ever alluded to the fact he had grandchildren was when he pressured me about getting married and having a son that resembled me or him. Otou-san had always loved that Kaien-kun as a toddler had greatly resembled him; the resemblance became more pronounced as he grew older except for the eyes. They were that of my mother's. But, of course, that didn't matter because he wasn't part of the family anymore. With my promotion, I was able to ward off my father's badgering for years about getting a wife and becoming the clan head; he was willing to step down if I did as he asked. I wasn't interested in doing either; my otouto, Daiki, was the one who was more interested in that. However, because of seniority and my greater rank within the Gotei 13, I was the one with the responsibility.
"Thirty years ago, my father died and I had no choice but to step up as head of the clan. I refused to marry though. The elders were not pleased, but I managed to keep them off my back because my father had explicitly stated that no matter what I was supposed to be instated as the clan head. Neither the elders nor my otouto were happy about having me as the clan head. I ignored them and just acted the way I thought was best. I had too much on my plate to care about what they thought.
"Nearly ten years later, Kūkaku-chan invited me one day to attend a picnic she was having in one of the mountains near the 60th district in Western Rukongai; Kaien-kun had already died some years before and with him the improved reputation of the Shibas. My sister and her husband as well. Despite this, I still visited Kūkaku-chan and Ganju-kun when I had the chance. I often took my niece, my brother's daughter, with me on these visits, because she often seemed bored with the kids around her, and I wanted her to experience life outside the Seireitei and the five Rukongai districts in any direction surrounding the Seireitei that the nobility dared ventured to. When we picnicked, we usually chose different spots and my niece enjoyed coming on these trips. She enjoyed playing with kids near the Shiba house; Kūkaku-chan always brought them to our picnics when my niece could come.
"To take my niece out on these trips, I always used some kind of pretense about treating my niece to a shopping for a day or weekend, though I suppose my otouto suspected otherwise at times. He had realized that over the years I visited Rukongai far too much for reasons other than work despite what I told him and my family. "
There was a pause.
"During that trip, my niece played with her friends as well as kids that lived in that area. It had been a really enjoyable day. Several days later, though, she grew sick. Looking at her symptoms, I just thought she had caught a cold or flu bug. I advised my brother to just let her rest, drink fluids, and take some medication to alleviate her symptoms. Two weeks later, her symptoms worsened. She was too weak to get out of bed and she was constantly feverish. She even had difficulty breathing. It seemed to me like that her illness had turned into pneumonia. Daiki, unhappy, that she wasn't better consulted the clan's physician. He ended up making the same diagnosis. He was really concerned about how rapidly her illness had progressed to pneumonia. I was too. It was unusual the way her symptoms had progressed; she had always been a healthy girl. Knowing she wouldn't last much longer under those conditions, I took her to see Unohana-taichō." A faraway expression came over his eyes.
A sleeping dark haired girl rests in a bed in a white room. A breathing mask covers her face and tubes run from her tiny form into nearby machines. Beeps punctuate the otherwise silent room. Isshin sits nearby in a chair leaning forward with his hands fisted underneath his chin, a look of concern etched in his face. He is wearing a Shihakushō with a sleeveless, white taichō's haori over it. A silver squared ornament adorns his left shoulder.
He sits there for several moments when the door slowly creaks open. He glances at the arrival and immediately stands up.
"Unohana-taichō," Isshin says, looking expectantly at her. "Do you have the results?"
"I do," Unohana affirms quietly. "After thoroughly analyzing your niece, I have to say she does not have pneumonia."
"What, then what's wrong with her?"
"At first glance, it seems she has merely contracted a strain of a very strong flu virus, but the truth is, there is another strain of a virus within it that has altered the way her illness has progressed. This strain is disrupting the bonds of her Reishi body; it's even weakening her Reiryoku making it difficult for her to heal. I have never come across a virus like this. Its specifically targeting these aspects of a soul."
"What are you saying, Unohana-taichō? Do you think this virus has somehow been created by someone?"
"The nature of this virus is very unnatural. A virus likes this could easily kill anyone with Reiryoku if left untreated."
Isshin looks shocked.
"Where did you say she contracted the virus?" Unohana asks.
"The mountains outside Western District 60," Isshin replies.
"Kurosaki-taichō, I would advise you to see if anyone else has contracted the virus. A virus like this could pose a threat to the Soul Society. We must quarantine them and—"
"Find the one responsible," Isshin says solemnly.
"Hai," Unohana agrees softly.
"I'll organize a team as soon as possible." He glances at his niece. He swallows and then says, "Unohana-taichō, will…"
"I will do my best to counteract the effects of the virus. I will devise a treatment immediately," Unohana says, moving forward to the young girl.
"Arigatō, Unohana-taichō," Isshin says, bowing his head. "I'll have to let Daiki know she's staying here."
Unohana nods and he slips out of the room.
As he walks hurriedly down the corridor, he bumps into someone.
"Oh, sorry—Aizen-taichō," Isshin says, glancing at the man he had bumped into.
"It's all right," Aizen says pleasantly. "Is something the matter, Kurosaki-taichō?" Aizen asks concerned, as he eyes Isshin.
"I-It's…my niece she's fallen ill," Isshin explains.
"Is that so? That's a pity," Aizen says. "What does she have?"
"She's contracted a virus that has weakened her greatly," Isshin says.
"Sounds really serious. You've come to the right place, though. I'm sure Unohana-taichō will be able to cure her," Aizen says reassuringly. He places a hand on Isshin's shoulder.
"She's looking at her right now," Isshin says.
"Good. I came to ask her if one of my subordinates was going to be discharged soon, but this is much more serious. I'd rather not disturb her." Aizen removes his hand from Isshin's shoulder.
There is a pause.
"Kurosaki-taichō, do you have any idea how she came into contact with this virus?"
Isshin hesitates slightly. "We went out to Rukongai."
"I see. One must be careful, when venturing out there. Hygiene isn't strictly enforced there. Illnesses can't help but develop."
Isshin frowns slightly at this. "Aizen-taichō, if you'll excuse me, I need to—"
"Oh, gomen, go on ahead. I do hope things get better for you and your niece," Aizen says smiling warmly.
"Arigatō, Aizen-taichō."
"I didn't really think much about being Aizen there that day. I had other things on my mind. As soon as I could, I organized a team to come with me to District 60, Sector 3170. I ordered my subordinates to search the village while I searched in the mountainside where we had picnicked. I came across one of the kids my niece had played with and started questioning him about his companions and whether they had become ill. He admitted they had, but now they were all dead. He said their bodies had disintegrated. I asked if his friends had encountered anything strange or someone strange…The only unusual thing that had happened was, they had gotten candy and water from some passing Shinigami. He had been upset he had missed out, because they had left without telling him. He had no idea how the Shinigami looked like.
"When I met up with my subordinates, they didn't have much to report. They hadn't encountered any sick people or heard of any Shinigami that had passed through. I ordered them to continue investigating in the surrounding areas. After two days of investigating, we headed back. We had no information other than what I had found out. We had encountered two Shinigami from the Fifth Division that had been stationed in one of the sectors of District 61, but they had recently been stationed there; they had no idea of what had been going on these last couple of weeks. I had no evidence to find out who had created this virus." Isshin was quiet for a moment, his expression deeply forlorn.
"By the time I came back, my niece had died. Unohana-taichō said she had done what she could to try to stop and reverse the damage caused by the virus, but it had been too late. Her body could no longer maintain its form. Daiki and his wife were devastated. Shortly after the wake was held, my otouto confronted me. He was furious with me; he blamed me for causing her death since I had been the one to take her into Rukongai. I understood he was grieving so I tried not to take it to heart. I vowed that I would find the real killer, but he wouldn't have it, he kept blaming me. As we argued, one of the maids came to announce that Aizen had arrived.
"He had come to pay his respects. He had met Daiki when my otouto had stayed at the Fourth to watch over Naoki. I left them. Over the next days, I focused on trying to figure out who had created this virus when Daiki's wife fell ill. She had been showing mild symptoms, but then they grew full-blown. Many others within the main manor, even the elders in their compartments also started exhibiting symptoms as well after Daiki's wife was confined to bed.
"My otouto was upset. I told him I would get Unohana-taichō but he said that wasn't necessary. The Onmitsukidō arrived with an arrest warrant. I didn't understand why, but my otouto said I was going to pay for what I had done to Naoki and the clan."
"I was taken to the Central 46, the Soul Society's governing body, where I was tried the following day. I was accused of engineering a lethal virus to wipe out my clan. I told them it wasn't true, but the judges wouldn't have it, they silenced me and presented the evidence that had been found against me. Tests indicated that my clan members including my otouto all had the same virus Naoki had within different stages of progression. Within my house, evidence of experimentation was found along with traces of the virus within the food supply. Given my experience in the Fourth Division, they felt my medical knowledge was more than capable to engineer such a virus. "
"But that's crazy!" Ichigo said angrily. "You took your niece to Unohana-san. If you really wanted her dead, you wouldn't have done that."
"They considered the fact that I had taken my niece to Unohana-taichō and then launched an investigation about a possible perpetrator in Rukongai an attempt to throw the trail off me by making it a matter concerning the Gotei 13. You see, by law the Gotei 13 does not interfere in the affairs of the nobility, unless there is evidence that a clan has broken a law. And in order for this evidence to count, it must be obtained outside the family's home.
"Seeing as the children mentioned in my report were no longer of the living and that the only eye witness to their deaths did not even see the alleged perpetrator, they considered my report a fabrication. In addition, they acquired testimony from my family members and the servant about the various butting of heads that often occurred with Daiki and the elders ever since I became clan head. The testimony convinced Central 46 that I was tired of dealing with them, which is why I devised this method to get rid of them. I was subsequently convicted of murder and treason for engineering a dangerous weapon that threatened the Soul Society."
"Aizen was the one who did everything, not you," Ichigo said, shaking his head half in disbelief and half in anger.
"I didn't realize it then, didn't even imagine that Aizen had been the one to set that up until later," Isshin admitted. "After the trial, I was placed in a temporary cell where I would await my transfer to the prison I had been sentenced to. I started noticing that my throat was hurting, I even felt a bit fatigued though I figured that might just have been because of the stress of the day. By the following day, I was pretty sure I had caught the virus through the food at the manor. I tried to tell the guards about it, but they ignored me. They thought I was just trying to get out of staying in prison by going to the infirmary.
"Two days later, I was finally being transferred. As we walked towards the prison, we were ambushed by what appeared to be a bomb attack. Amidst the chaos, I was grabbed by someone. They told me they were here to rescue me, and that's when I realized it was Kūkaku-chan. In order to sneak me out, she stuck me in a bag. She had come into the Seireitei with the excuse of meeting with Ukitake to pick up some stuff of Kaien-kun's that she hadn't bothered to pick up. It's the only way she could think of entering and getting out of the Seireitei without drawing too much attention other than the bombs she released."
"When we arrived at her house, she explained that she had heard about my sentence and that she had enlisted two of her friends to help out with the rescue mission. She knew no matter how much the elders annoyed me, I'd never try to kill them, least of all my niece. I thanked her, but I told her I was better off at the prison, I was bound to die anyway. I told her I had to leave. I couldn't risk infecting her or Ganju-kun. She refused to let me leave. She erected a barrier to keep me there. She passed me food and remedies through it to help try to calm the symptoms though I told her it was no use. She said she knew someone that could help with my illness, and that I had to hold on until everything was ready for me to leave.
"A day and half later, I was surprised to see Shihōin Yoruichi. I had not seen her in nearly 80 years… She quickly outfitted me in a special garment to both block my Reiryoku and to keep my illness to myself. She explained that Urahara Kisuke had fabricated them and we were going to his base of operations in the World of the Living. "
"So, that's how you came to the World of the Living," Ichigo said quietly.
Isshin nodded.
"When I got to Urahara's base, I explained how I came to be sick and he immediately set out to find a cure. Knowing that the dangerous aspect of the virus was the breakdown of Reishi, he focused on that. I was given medication to try to calm down my flu symptoms, but they didn't have too much effect, and as the days wore on they only got worst. Urahara concocted various medications, but none of them slowed down the virus' progress effectively. I felt like I was going to burn from the inside out, but a combination of Tsukabishi Tessai's fancy Kidō and Urahara's medicine kept me from decomposing for a while longer. Urahara then enlisted the help of Ishida Ryūken—"
Ichigo interrupted, "Ishida?"
"Yes, the father of Ishida Uryū-kun if that's what you're thinking," Isshin said knowingly.
"But why would he help Urahara or you? He's a Quincy."
"He owed Urahara and to an extent me some favors. Let's leave it at that," Isshin said, as Ichigo stared at him curiously. "Urahara figured that perhaps Ishida's Quincy expertise regarding the manipulation of Reishi as well as his medical knowledge could be the key to figuring out how to stop the virus. And it was. Between the two of them, they figured out a way to neutralize the virus and a cure for how to strengthen the Reishi bonds of my body once again. The medicine was placed in an untraceable Gigai that unlike the one given to Rukia-chan did not drain Reiryoku, instead it worked to heal my Reishi body as well as restore my Reiryoku. The virus had weakened my Reiryoku terribly, even damaged the natural restoration progress, leaving me essentially powerless. Urahara was not sure whether my Reiryoku would ever fully heal.
"He figured it could take years for my body and Reiryoku to be restored to full health if ever. In order to live, I had no choice but to abandon my Shinigami form and inhabit the special Gigai he had made for me. After I received the Gigai, it took me some more time for me to recover from the flu, but when I did Urahara shared with me his story about how he had become exiled and Aizen's role in it. He explained his theory on how Aizen had managed to pin this virus on me. Urahara believed that Aizen or at least someone working for him must have been present the day my niece and I went to the picnic. Because of this, Aizen must have been waiting for the moment I would realize the virus affecting my niece was something that required Unohana-taichō's assistance. He knew that would mean the true nature of his virus would be uncovered and that an investigation would occur. With the kids sure to die, he was sure my investigation wouldn't yield much, but in order to stop further inquiries about the virus, a culprit needed to be found. Urahara theorized that Aizen must have researched into my clan to see if he could find a possible angle to involve me, which is why he set his sight his sights on Daiki while I was away. When my niece finally died, Aizen took advantage of his caring façade to pay Daiki a visit and then plant the virus and the evidence. He probably even implanted ideas into Daiki's head about it being an attack on the family while he was at it.
"I was furious. I felt like an idiot for being played like that, though there was no way I could have known…I wanted to storm into the Soul Society and oust Aizen for what he really was…Urahara told me to calm down and that that day would eventually arrive. In the meanwhile, I had to live my second chance. Aizen had meant to kill me regardless of whether I went to prison or not. I learned later from Yoruichi-san that none of my clan members survived and that Central 46 had proclaimed me dead, and that the reason I had been sentenced was because of poisoning my family. It was the same as with Urahara, the Central 46 hid the so-called real crime. They probably feared that others would attempt to create such a virus if they knew it was possible.
"To help me start my new life, Urahara convinced Ishida to help me get a job at the hospital at least for a while. Ishida wasn't really keen on the idea, though I told him he should know I was perfectly capable of healing Humans, I just had to brush up on modern human machinery and techniques. Eventually, he agreed and he and Urahara falsified my medical degree and history. I worked there for a while and I eventually met Masaki. That's when my life actually began to have real meaning again…And well the rest is history."
"You were able to recover your Reiryoku," Ichigo noted quietly.
"Yes, finally after twenty years, my Reiryoku fully recovered. You know, I never really thought about you inheriting Reiryoku. I was just focused on that fact I had lost my Reiryoku that I didn't even think about the possibility that my genes could affect you in that way." He paused, and looked Ichigo right in the eye.
"With Masaki and you and the girls, I didn't really care about becoming returning to my Shinigami form, but if there was ever a time I did regret not being to return to it was when your mother died." Isshin swallowed a lump in his throat. "I'm sorry, I was unable to protect you and your mother—"
"It wasn't your fault," Ichigo cut in sharply. "Even if you had your Shinigami powers, you were too far away…there's no way you could have protected me and her from Grand Fisher. You said it yourself Kaa-san wouldn't want you to blame me for dying to protect me…She wouldn't want you to blame yourself for not being there either."
Isshin stared at Ichigo. Slowly, his lips tugged into a small smile. "You're right, Son. She'd be mad at me. At least, she can rest easy now that Grand Fisher is gone."
Ichigo had uttered the name of his mother's murderer without conscious thought, without even thinking of whether his father had known who had been the killer, here was proof he had known…And then slowly the meaning of his dad's words sunk into the depths of his brain…
Amber eyes met mahogany eyes.
"You mean…"
Even without Isshin's slight nod, Ichigo had known the truth. An overwhelming sense of relief flooded through him, warming him, making him feel light headed for the briefest of moment's…
Grand Fisher is dead…Kaa-san's soul is…
Underneath the satisfaction of the knowledge, there stirred the slightest of disappointments, but it was lost amidst the understanding that it had to have been his father and not him that had slain the bastard. His father had lost so much, his family, his powers, his wife. It was only fitting he had finally been able to at least avenge his wife.
As he wondered when his dad might have done the deed, realization descended upon him. Never having felt his father's spiritual presence, he had not realized who that enormous Shinigami Reiatsu belonged to the night Hirako had tried to recruit him….He had even failed to recognize Grand Fisher's amplified Reiatsu….He had been really terrible at recognizing presences then…
"Good," Ichigo finally said in a firm, approving voice, when he had managed to rein in his emotions so that he could speak.
A silence settled over the room.
"Aizen thinks you're dead. He doesn't know you survived. He doesn't know there's a cure," Ichigo said, several moments later.
"He thought I was dead," Isshin corrected. "The moment you came face to face him with him, he probably realized the truth. Urahara believes that's part of the reason he became interested in you."
Shock rippled across Ichigo's face.
Lying on the floor, an injured Ichigo helplessly watches as brilliant beams of gold engulf Aizen, Tōsen, and Gin and elevate them, higher and higher towards the gaping Menos filled hole in the sky. He can hear the sōtaichō's explanation about Negacion, but he can't quite believe that nothing can be done to stop these traitors from fleeing. How could that be force field be so powerful? If he could just get up, if only they would dare try…
No one does anything though. The white-haired man, Ukitake, merely makes some comment to Aizen about his alliance with the Menos, and after Aizen gives his reply and shocks the Shinigami with his new appearance, he says, "Sayonara, Shinigami."
"And farewell, Ryoka boy. For a Human, you were truly interesting." He looks down upon Ichigo with a smirk on his face, before he disappears.
"Aizen probably couldn't believe that I had managed to survive his lethal virus let alone have a Human son that developed taichō class Reiryoku faster than a normal Shinigami can do in decades. The fact that you're a natural hybrid, someone who gained both their Shinigami powers and Hollow powers at the same time without artificial means, is something that is of high interest to Aizen. I'm sure by now, you realize, Aizen loves his hybrids. Urahara figured he would send Arrancar to the World of the Living, not only to test his Hōgyoku based army, but also to specifically see how they fared against you. That is why he immediately warned the Gotei 13 about Arrancar coming to the World of the Living."
"I see," Ichigo murmured, feeling disappointed that the element of surprise had been stolen months ago.
"The virus he is using now is not the same as the one he used on me. The virus used on me weakened and damaged Reiryoku. The virus being used now does not do that. Looks like, Aizen perfected it so that it could suit his plans. It's also now specially attuned to breakdown the Reishi of a person faster depending on the infected person's Reiryoku."
At Ichigo and Rukia's horror struck faces, Isshin said, "Urahara and Ishida are working on a cure for this version of the virus that can easily be ingested by water and can quickly begin to heal the Reishi bonds. Since this virus doesn't damage Reiryoku then there won't be an issue of people losing their power. Urahara believes he has a greater understanding of the virus after my case and can fabricate this cure faster than he did with mine; of course, the issue right now is time, and the Hollows. Their numbers keep increasing."
"It still comes down to the same thing, doesn't it? Even if we have a cure, we can't cover all fronts, there isn't enough time…People will die and help him feed the Hōgyoku…"Ichigo said bitterly.
"Of course, people will die—are dying right now, Ichigo, it's war," Isshin said. "But as long as in the end, our worlds still exist that's what matters…We can't let Aizen get away with trying to murder everyone—"
"I know that, it's just I thought—I thought for some reason having the cure would make things easier, but I just realized it's still seems harder and even more impossible than I'd originally thought to get the cure out to everyone so we can just focus on the Hollows—on Aizen. It just seems impossible to stop Aizen from activating the Hōgyoku or…"
"We probably won't be able to stop that, but we can slow him down by stopping his virus," Isshin said. "Otherwise, everyone will die for sure. It's the reason I came to warn the Gotei 13 about the virus, though you already knew. I already gave Kurotsuchi Mayuri last night Urahara's notes regarding the virus to see if he could come up with the cure faster and give it to the Shinigami infected here, and even put it into circulation in Rukongai. The virus situation is in their hands; we just have to focus on defeating Aizen when he makes his move."
It was quiet again.
"It probably won't be long before he's here," Isshin admitted, "but that's enough about Aizen. I'd rather talk about what's to come after this war is over." His demeanor suddenly lightened dramatically. "The wedding."
Ichigo gaped in his father in disbelief. "W-Wedding?"
"Why, you and Rukia-chan's wedding, of course," Isshin said, grinning
Ichigo could scarcely believe his father was reverting to the annoying, idiot goat chin that grated on his nerves with his annoying comments after just having held the most intense, serious discussion with the most solemn faced version of his father he had ever seen.
Now that he knew his father's history, he supposed it was a miracle he didn't totally crack with all he had been through. He supposed his idiotic tendencies were a side effect of all he had been through (high fevers must have burned too many of his brain cells)…. Or perhaps, they were some sort of coping mechanism he had developed…
"Okay, let's not talk about the wedding yet," Isshin relented, noticing Rukia's startled, disturbed face.
"We should probably talk about getting this place fixed up first. It's in need of a major clean up and renovation."
"What?" Ichigo said blankly.
"Well, you and Rukia-chan are gonna need a place to live in. As much as I'd love to have my granddaughter around with me all the time."—he grinned at Masaki— "There just isn't enough room in the clinic. And, anyway, there's no way Byakuya would approve a marriage for his imouto without evidence of proper housing. He'd probably want you guys to live at the Kuchiki Manor, but the elders will probably be complaining as it is…Idiots… As if we care about becoming a Kuchiki…"
Isshin suddenly bounded forward and seized Ichigo's right shoulder.
"Ichigo, I entrust you the responsibility of reestablishing the honor of the Kurosaki Clan and continuing the Kurosaki line…"Isshin intoned in a serious voice. "I name you the family head…"
"W-What?" Ichigo stammered, unable to believe what he was hearing. Was being here and recounting his history affecting his father? It seemed that it was, but didn't his father say noble life wasn't all it was cracked out to be? Why was he even saying this?
"I'll give you this later," Isshin pointed to the silver squared shoulder guard adorning his left shoulder and holding his haori. "But for now at least know that will be your duty. It's what we used in the Kurosaki Clan to denote the clan head. Smaller ones were used for family members. Unlike the Kuchikis, our clan head or members never used something as girly as a Kenseikan…unless, of course, they were women and preferred to use something more feminine."
"Kenseikan?" Ichigo repeated.
"You know the hair piece, Byakuya-bo wears…" Isshin said.
"Oh, right," Ichigo said, recognition lighting his face. His father was right; that was girly.
"Hmm, you know what, I wonder if the clan's emblem is around here somewhere," Isshin said, letting go of Ichigo and glancing around the room. "There's just so much dust. I don't know if it's around here…Maybe in the other rooms…"
"I have it," Masaki said.
Isshin glanced at her.
She withdrew her sheathe from her waist and walked forward towards Isshin, handing it to him. He got closer to the light as he glanced at it, beckoning Ichigo and Rukia to look at it. Beneath the three rings covering the mouth of the sheathe there was an engraved hexagonal shape with a crescent moon at its center. A small star sat upon the end of the moon's bottom curve and from it reed like plants sprouted from either side of it, curving alongside the crescent moon's arcs. Embossed waves surrounded this design at the top and bottom angles of the hexagon.
"This is it," Isshin acknowledged as he stared at the emblem with a reminiscent look in his eyes. "Looks like you did succeed, Son," Isshin said teasingly. "I'm so glad I don't have to worry about the clan failing…Hey, Granddaughter, you write your name differently than Masaki," Isshin said, noticing the kanji beneath emblem. "It suits you, I think."
Isshin returned Masaki's sheathe to her after several moments.
"I take it this manor will be restored to its greatness, right, Granddaughter?" Isshin asked. "It will become the envy of all."
"I don't know about that, but it will be restored," Masaki reassured him, smiling slightly.
"It should be the envy of all," Isshin said, disappointed. "Come, Ichigo and Rukia-chan, let us present to you your future home," Isshin said, as he reached for Masaki.
The Kurosaki Manor resembled the Kuchiki design in the way the buildings were organized though on a much smaller scale compared to the massive Kuchiki Manor; Ichigo supposed most homes probably followed this general traditional design in the Seireitei. What era these homes resembled he was not sure. History class seemed like a lifetime ago, and frankly Japanese architecture across the eras had not been one of his favorite chapters in his history book.
It was surreal to think this disheveled, abandoned manor would become his and Rukia's someday. His mind couldn't quite wrap around that despite hearing his father and Masaki talk about what building had been there, what building would replace it, or what garden would be placed there instead…That in itself was bizarre how he and Rukia were in the company of a former inhabitant and a future inhabitant of this foreign residence. It was quite clear though that it pleased his dad immensely to know the Kurosaki bloodline would carry on and inhabit these walls once more.
It felt odd to walk down the halls, knowing that this had once been home to a family he never knew, never even realized existed…that had been murdered here… Perhaps, that was what was most disturbing and difficult to think about, that made the idea of living here even more unreal….He supposed that idea would wore off once this place was completely renovated.
"Rukia-chan, what do you think of the putting flower pots down this corridor? It would brighten this place up, wouldn't it?" Isshin asked.
"Um, yes, Kurosaki-san," Rukia agreed quietly. Despite Isshin's insistence, Rukia refused to call him otou-san. Isshin had to settle for just being called Kurosaki-san. Ichigo had to whack him to make him cease his pleas.
Ichigo frowned as he eyed Rukia. She had been acting unusually reserved and withdrawn. Her demeanor was odd. Something was troubling her; he just didn't know what. He had a feeling it wasn't Isshin's enthusiasm for redecoration.
Ichigo watched as Isshin and Masaki pulled ahead of them and rounded a corner at the far end of the corridor. Ichigo, who had been lingering behind everyone, lengthened his stride to catch up to Rukia.
"What's wrong, Rukia?" Ichigo asked.
She eyed him briefly and then returned her gaze to what was in front of her.
"Nothing's wrong," she said.
"Don't give me that," Ichigo said. "Something is bothering you."
"Nothing's bothering me," Rukia said. "I'm just tired."
"Something is bothering you," Ichigo insisted.
Rukia stayed quiet.
"Is it this house?" Ichigo wondered. "Is it Oyaji?"
And that's when Ichigo noticed her tense up. He could have considered her stiffness as a reaction of leaning too much on her sore leg, but he knew it wasn't the reason she had reacted that way.
"No."
"You're lying," Ichigo said at once. "What's bothering you about him? Has he annoyed you—"
"It's not that, Ichigo," Rukia interrupted in a quiet, firm voice.
"Then, what is it?"
"I have nothing against your father. He is who he is…It's just..."
"It's just what?"
She looked uncertain and troubled as though she didn't quite know how to express her thoughts, or if she should even say them.
"What is it, Rukia?" Ichigo asked quietly, stopping. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" His brow was deeply furrowed as he awaited the petite Shinigami's reply.
After what seemed like forever, Rukia finally murmured, "It's…Kaien-dono."
Quick Glossary
Yuinō- engagement
Imouto- younger sister
Oyaji- informal way of saying dad/old man
Okaa-san- mother
Otou-san- father
Oji-san- this can mean uncle (not to confused with ojii-san which means grandfather) or mister. The Japanese use familial titles to address strangers. Oji-san is used for middle-aged men.
Jii-san- grandpa
Obaa-san – grandmother (not to be confused with oba-san which means aunt).
Hai- yes
Nee-san- older sister
Otouto- younger brother
Imouto- younger sister
Reiryoku- spirit energy or spiritual power
Reiatsu- spiritual pressure
Reishi- spirit particles
AN: As stated in a previous chapter, the Japanese do not name their children after relatives. The Japanese take into consideration other factors such as the qualities they want their kid to have or how many strokes are in the kanji of the name. While modern Japanese people may decide to break tradition like the model Hikari Kamikawa who named her kid a non-Japanese name, Ace after One piece character, Portgas D. Ace, the Japanese are not really fond of such changes especially when it's a foreign name. They consider it difficult on the kid.
With that being said, there is a way the Japanese can name their kid after a relative and it's done by utilizing the kanji of the namesake within the new name. Although the kanji can be pronounced differently or it might be the same resulting in what appears to be a different name, it doesn't change the fact that the kid was named after someone.
In this chapter, Isshin stated that his granddaughter spelled her name different than his wife's. That's because Tite Kubo's Masaki spells her name真咲 which means "True Bloom" while my character's name is spelled雅樹 which means "Elegant Tree."
It's interesting to note that most of the names within the Kurosaki family are associated with plants or fruits with the exception of Isshin.
Isshin means "whole heartedness" or "one mind" looking at the individual kanji.
Ichigo means "one who protects" and is a homonym for "strawberry."
Karin can refer to the quince fruit. Her name has the kanji for "summer" and "pear tree.
Yuzu means "play child" and it's also homonym for a grape fruit like fruit.
Keeping that in mind for my Kurosaki OCs:
Sayuri means "small lily"
Daiki means "great noble" or "great tree"
Naoki means "docile tree"
The Shiba family on the other hand follows a different pattern. That is containing a bird and an element.
Kaien- ocean, swallow aka "Swallow of the ocean"
Kūkaku- sky, crane
Ganju- cliff, eagle
If you'd like to find out more try googling Bleach character meanings and you'll come across the soul society live journal webpage.