Ichigo stayed silent as he sat within Robert Accutrone's office…or the remains of what was left of it. The building was destroyed during the battle between Kurosaki, Sado, and Nnoitra, reducing the headquarters of the elder sternritter into a pile of shattered rock, twisted metal, and broken furniture. Forcing the Quincy, fullbringer, and shingmai to make the best of what they have by sitting on a group of stone slabs as chairs. With Cang Du also joining in on them. While the only bit of privacy can they have was a reishi barrier made by Robert to shut off all sight and sound from anyone outside of it.

'Okay…so you are telling me that you switch your version of Ichigo with me?' Ichigo questioned, and Uryu nodded.

'We did. Through the advancements made by BJ9 and Yhwach. We were able to see a swath of alternate realities to find a version of you that could help us in our time of need, and among all the Ichigo's we have seen…you were the one who was the most ideal.'

The shingmai youth then remained silent as he began to take everything in, as he could barely comprehend or even believe what the White prince was saying when he mentioned alternate realities.

'Okay…so basically you choose me… and out of all the countless different realities of me, you found this me… the ideal version to save your reality?' Ichigo asked slowly while Cang Du shrugged.

'Or at least the closest thing we could find,' the sterrnrriter of iron commented. 'Most versions of you when we were looking…were to make a long story short weren't so ideal.'

Ichigo's eyes then shot in confusion and disturbance.

'Really…there are that many bad versions of myself?' He asked, and everyone in the room looked uncomfortable until Uryu spoke up.

'More than we want to know. Especially those with the power to rival the emperor's power himself and most of them incapable of using their power properly….' The Prince then hesitated. 'And of course, the issue is whenever or you would even want to aid us.'

A vein then pops on Ichigo's forehead upon hearing that comment.

'So, wait, you tell me that even when you watch over my reality. You still thought I would abandon you or something!? The teen declared in anger.

'Well, Ichigo Kurosaki…'Chad said slowly while pressing both his hands together. 'We didn't know how far you were willing to protect us.'

The youth then raised an eyebrow in question. At the same time, the fullbrigner continued to explain.

'After all, we took you from your home without permission, made you fight in a war that was not your own, and forced you to impersonate a stranger. By all accounts, you have every reason to dismiss us as best or treat us as an enemy at the worst.'

Ichigo listened to what Chad said and took a deep breath after a moment of thought.

'Alright…did you mean to teleport me to my room while I was sleeping?' Ichigo asked, and Robert shook his head.

'You were meant to be teleported within the technical department center in the soul society. But something went wrong with the interdimensional transfer,' the elder Sternrrtier explained.

'So it was a glitch that was beyond your control...got it' the teen nodded and then stared back at Uryu. ' And do you have any plans for me beyond helping you with the Hollow invasions?'

'We do Kurosaki, and including the fact, you might become his majesty's successor,' Uryu said, hesitating though the teen still looked impassive.

'So you want me to replace your king too, huh…figures. Since something like nearly happened in my world,' he casually commented and then narrowed his eyes at the entire group. 'Now for my last question….'

The Fullbriger and the Quincy then got tense.

'Why did you think…your Ichigo wouldn't be able to save you all?' Kurosaki asked, and the rest of the group remained deathly silent, which the boy took that the answer must be grave.

'…did he do something wrong…do any of you hold a grudge against him? Ichigo continued to ask, and then Uryu steeped forward.

'The Ichigo Kurosaki of our world…is not someone to freely offer his protection, and even with this barrier in place…I cannot risk this information coming out until we get you to the Royal Palace of the soul society…but I will say you are closer to the answer than you realize.'

The shingmai then sighed. 'So you all are still keeping secrets despite you saying it was overdue…' the teenager then out another breath. 'But then, this is also not the first time people kept secretes from me for my own good.'

Ichigo then laid back in his stone rubble of a seat. 'So…how do you want me to save your world?'

The rest of the group then looked at the youth in puzzlement.

'Wait…' Uryu then began to say with confusion in his voice. 'You are still willing to help us? Even when we took you from your home and refused to give you any more knowledge about your circumstance?'

The white prince asked. Which only made Ichigo growled in annoyance.

'Didn't I just say I would help you, and I was okay about you all keeping secrets from me?!' He ranted angrily. 'Yes, I am pissed you took me from my home. But that is only because you didn't ask first, and even then, I am willing to believe you didn't have an option of doing that either!'

'Well, yes, but….' Ishida begins to say, but Ichigo lifts his right hand in front of the Quincy prince's face to silence him.

'Look, I get it. You need my help, and I am willing to give it to you. Even when your asshole version of me won't. So there is nothing else to talk about other than how you want me to help out,' he explained and then wrapped his arms around himself.

'That's all there is to it.'

Everyone in the group then looked at each and gave relief, Robert steeping forward.

'Well…you are everything that his majesty said you were, and I would be overjoyed for you to fight alongside us,' Robert declared, and Ichigo smirked back at him.

'You bet your ass I am..so when are we going to the soul society?' Ichigo asked, and then Ishida walked up to him.

'Well, lucky the sun gate is still intact despite nearly the entire city being leveled and because many working staff and civilians retreated to the underground bunkers. We should be able to arrive in the soul society by tomorrow,' Ishida explained, and Ichigo nodded in approval.

'That's good…' the teen said, but he closed his eyes. 'In fact…with my whole cover blown and everything…there is someone I want to talk to before leaving.'

Uryu and Chad then looked to Ichigo in a moment of understanding.

'Take all the time you need, Kurosaki, ' Chad said. At the same time, the shinigami walked out of the ruined office and out of the barrier.

For a couple of minutes as Ichigo walked across the city. I noticed the multiple ambulances, police cars, and work crews surrounding the various buildings that had collapsed across the streets. They all tried to locate any wounded or dead among the wreckage, and luckily most of them were freed victims from the eighth Espada's infection and mind control.

But much to the teen's sorrow, others weren't so lucky...

However not want to indulge in his sorrow. Ichigo used his spiritual senses to locate his other friends, and upon finding their location, he used flash steps to arrive at his destination.

But upon arriving at the place, his heart immediately snaked.

It was like Karakura Town, where its hospital was filled with the wounded during the hollow raid led by Grimmjow and Grandfisher. But instead of Quincy soldiers and xcuation agents. It was instead filled with injured and dead civilians. Who couldn't make it to the bunkers and got in the crossfire of the battles beforehand. With Ichigo only hoping he wasn't the one responsible cause of their suffering and or deaths.

However, the scene was made much less dreadful when he saw Orihime using her Satan kishin to heal dozens of the wounded within minutes. All the while keeping a stern but supporting solid smile on her face. Which lifted the young shingmai sprites.

'So I guess you are done with the acting?' Riruka snarked at Ichigo, and the latter couldn't help but jump back at the director, who then gave him a questioning eyebrow.

'Well?' She asked again in impatience, and Ichigo gave a tired breath.

'Yes, I am done with acting like the black prince. Is that what you want to hear?' He asked, irritated while Riruka huffed.

'If only so I don't have to pretend to be your girlfriend anymore…' the girl said back and remained quiet before speaking up again. 'So, are you going to tell the truth to the rest of them or not?'

Ichigo remained silent and then answered, 'I have to, though most probably won't believe the whole story unless Uryu and the other sternrriters tell them. But it is still something I owe them in my part of deceiving them.'

Riruaka then snorted and giggled at what the teen said. 'Deceive? It's a wonder they only suspect you at most.'

Ichigo then frowns in agitation. 'Uh, I might have been bad at it, but I still lied to them, and they deserved to know the truth!'

Kurosaki's face then lowered. 'Even if they reject me.'

The fullbring director then looked at Ichigo in pity and then sighed. 'Well, luckily for you. Tatsuki and Mizuke are pretty reasonable about these sorts of things. I am sure they will forgive with no problem' her face and voice then faltered. 'It's Keigo that you have to worry about.'

Ichigo then stared at Riruka in surprise.

'Was he and my alternate close?' he asked, and Rirukia shook her head.

'Not just close. Since junior training, they have been practically brothers…; if it weren't for Keigo, you likely would never make friends with any of us…not even with Orihime' Riruka said sadly. Ichigo could only drop his jaw in confusion and guilt.

'Really…was this version of me that anti-social?' Ichigo asked, but Rirukia just shrugged.

'I think you should ask him yourself,' the director said and then gestured her head to a bench where Keigo was sitting.


Okay, so now we have officially started the third Arc of the story, setting Ichigo finally going to the Soul Society and learning more about his alternate self.

Be sure to you next time.