Oh, I should've mentioned it in the last chapter, but 'Aneki', the term that Tatsuki uses for Ruby, is a rougher/slang variation of "sis"; Also used to refer to higher-ranking members of a gang. You get the picture.

Chapter 19: Invasion

Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu were standing before Urahara and Isshin in the same underground training grounds they always trained in. Uryu went ahead to train by himself while Chad, Orihime and Tatsuki went along to meet the one called Yoruichi for their training. As for the three here, they were so used to the place, that coming here always felt like they were there for a casual workout session. But today, the feeling was different. There was an uneasy tension in the air that they hadn't felt before this.

"So? What do we do Mr. Hat and Clogs?" asked Ichigo.

"Why, that's simple! The three of you need to die first!" he said with a goofy smile, confusing the trio. They didn't even react when Urahara, Tessai and Isshin knocked their spirits out of their bodies. Karin and Yuzu were standing just fine but Ichigo was barely able to manage, struggling to even breathe. There was a long chain connecting their bodies to the center of their chests. Pain and unease was what they felt. The desire to yank out the chain was even more.

"Only spirits can become soul reapers. In your case, you're still alive, your souls still attached to your bodies. So therefore, we need to remedy that. But, there's one more step before that, since young Ichigo has lost all of his powers to Byakuya Kuchiki, we need to restore it first" he explained.

And so, Ichigo spent the next few minutes running for his life from Ururu. Though his life was really in danger, the situation couldn't be more comical.

"Ichi-nii…this is really pathetic" said Karin deadpanned.

The situation was escalated even further when he made a complete fool of himself as he tried to put on the head gear Urahara gave him all while trying to chant the ridiculous 'spell' that Urahara asked him to chant to 'activate' the headband. This time, even Yuzu couldn't hold it.

"Pft…..ahah..ahahahahahahahahahahahah! So….sorry Onii-chan….it's just…." she said with stifled laughter.

"Oy Ichigo! Take this seriously! You're not doing the best job of setting a good example for your sisters!" said Isshin.

"Grrr.….you little brat, making me look this pathetic in front of my family!" growled Ichigo, before turning back at her and retaliating against her assault. Though he gained the upper hand and even managed to scratch her, that was all he could do before the shy young girl completely went berserk and sent the orange haired teen flying into the wall with a single kick. If not for Tessai cushioning the blow, there was no telling what state he would've found himself in later.

"Urgh…that…..doesn't look too good…next time, remind me not to piss her off" said Karin with raised eyes.

"I'll say…..why isn't she the one going to the Soul Society…" asked Isshin deadpanned.

Elsewhere, Uryu had decided to do his training in isolation from the others while Tatsuki, Chad and Orihime were still having trouble digesting that the great and talented Yoruichi was the same black cat in front of them. And that the cat was talking.

"A….a talking cat….?" said Tatsuki, with a scowl and sweatdropping.

"I don't think it's that bad though…." said Orihime in a ditzy manner.

"After hollows and soul reapers…..a talking cat hardly surprises me at this point" said Chad.

"Oh..? You're Tatsuki, aren't you?" asked the cat, looking at her.

"You know me…?" asked the short haired girl, curious. She still was having trouble accepting the fact that she was holding a conversation with a cat of all things.

"Indeed. Let's just say that…a dear friend of mine used to talk about you quite a lot" replied the cat, looking to its side. It was very subtle, but Orihime could make out the cat's eyes narrow in reminiscence, just briefly.

"A dear friend…you don't mean Ruby-onee do you…..?" she asked surprised. "Wait, aneki was friends with a talking cat…?"

"Uh huh..…she used to drop by quite often. We were…quite close. She was always happy when she spoke about the 4 of you and the times that she would spend with you and the Kurosaki family….." she replied. "I've never seen her as depressed as I did on the day she had to leave"

"Aneki….she…left because we would be in danger because of her, right? Because we were weak…?" asked Tatsuki. "If…If I train with you, will I be strong enough that she won't leave us again when we see her again?"

"I can't guarantee something like that. However, I CAN guarantee that you will be strong enough to protect yourselves" said Yoruichi.

"In that case…..please. I'll do what it takes. Please train me" she said, making a small bow. Orihime watched her friend lower her head to someone, or rather, a cat in this case. Something that was so uncharacteristic of her. And yet, just to see her aneki, she would even lower her pride.

"Very well! I like your resolve, and as a debt of gratitude to her, I'll be sure to whip you 3 into shape!" said the cat.

Back at Urahara's base, Ichigo was just done with step 1 of their training, and to initiate step 2, Urahara had Tessai cut down the soul chains of Karin, Yuzu and Ichigo and then threw them down a long shaft after binding them with kido. Also warning them that if they failed to reach out to their soul reaper powers within 72 hours, their soul chains will eat themselves, causing them to become hollows.

"That bastard…!" cursed Karin as she struggled to get through her binds. "Heey! Is all this really necessary?!" echoed her voice from beneath the shaft.

"~~But of course!~~Its so that I don't have to be near you three when you become hollows~~" he chimed, waving his fan.

"That perverted old-!" snapped Karin, more determined to get through with her challenge. She looked at her chains. They were still slowly eating themselves, and the chains reached till her thighs. If they failed, they would turn into hollows. The same beings that killed their mother. The same thing…as that bastard. She shivered at the thought. No way, she thought to herself. No way she was going to become one of those things. Never in her life.

Elsewhere, Yuzu was calmer, sitting down, thinking of various ways to go about it. Before being thrown inside, her dad had advised them to sense their own self, and try to reach within their own mind while doing so. The first reaction to that statement, had been to sense her own reiatsu. She could feel it, calm and glowing with a light blue radiance. She closed her eyes. Slowly, the voices and noises from her surroundings were drowned out, instead being replaced by a surreal scene in front of her.

Fields of wheat, the kernels and leaves swaying gently in the light breeze that gently caressed her hair. Such peace. There was such peace here. The sky was lit with the dim glow of the full moon, the stars accentuating the night sky. The light fragrance of hay, wheat, the earth, grass and dew wafted throughout the surroundings. Just then, she felt a presence. No, more like a calling. Like she had to go there. She took her time, to walk through the field, making sure to enjoy the peace she found here as she moved towards that which was calling her. In the distance, she could make out trees, mountains and even a small shack. A shack that was suspiciously as big as her house. When she reached the shack, she saw someone. He was a boy, about as old as her big brother. Short black hair, blue eyes with a contended and warm expression in his face. He had a black vest with a dull deep blue jacket, white pants and deep blue boots. Covering him was also a transparent blue cloak, with a full moon medallion.

"Who….are you….?" asked Yuzu. But strangely enough, he didn't feel like a stranger to her. Being near this boy, she felt such peace. And she had a feeling, that she knew him and that he knew her better than anyone.

"You already have a hunch, I'm sure. But I'm the source of your soul reaper powers, as well as the manifestation of your quincy abilities" he said, his voice warm and gentle. "Ever since you awakened your powers, I have been with you, watching you struggle and grow, all for the sake of those around you. You, who would never dare harm even the tiniest creature, had the resolve to fight against your nature. And even then, you never lost your gentle and merciful ways. And for that, I have been blessed to be a part of your being. I would love to talk more, but we have little time" he continued "As your soul chains continue to erode, your inner world will continue to fall apart. You may have found me, but, if you truly want to get out of here, you must call my name. Do that, and from that point forth, my powers are yours to wield, and your battles are mine to face as well. My name is…."

Karin Kurosaki was nearly at her wits end. The chains reached all the way till her stomach now. There were but a few links left. At first, she thought she was imagining it, but now, she was dead certain. The chains were eating themselves much faster than before. What had her dad told her before? To look within themselves and their minds? The heck was that even supposed to mean?! But…she was panicking. Way too much. She needed to calm down. To think about this rationally. The sounds of the chains eating away themselves didn't help, but she tried nonetheless. From the nearby pit, she could sense her sister's calm reiatsu. That's when it hit her. How could she have been so careless! She just needed to sense her own reiatsu! True, she wasn't as skilled at it as her sister, but even she was way better than Ichigo whose reaitsu sensing and manipulation skills were practically non-existent. She pitied her poor brother, something that brought a light chuckle to her face. That worked wonders on calming her down. The sounds were being drowned out. Her surroundings were slowly disappearing as she closed her eyes. She found herself being immersed in a different sensation.

A grassy meadow. A cold wind blew, causing her to shiver slightly. She could feel her breath form a white mist as it left her. In the distance were grassy, rocky structures and terrains. Two massive ones formed an overarching structure in the distant horizon. But the most beautiful part of this place, were the many stars that illuminated the moonless sky. And in between the sheet of infinite stars, was a radiant band of stars, forming a magnificent spiral galaxy in a splendid otherworldly view. Strangely enough, being here, she felt such vibrant energy, such understanding and such enthusiasm. Like all of her worries had been melted away. She just wanted to run around, lost in her own thoughts and feelings. Her own personal space, so as to speak. How strange, she thought to herself. She wasn't one to go all bug eyed over such scenery.

She ran along for what she felt like several minutes. For the most part, simply out of curiosity. But she also felt a sense of urgency. Like she needed to do something. Just then, as if responding to her woes, she could feel a call. Subtle but surely present. She followed it, followed the feeling gnawing at her, as if following the moon in the sky that was present and yet hidden from plain view. The call became stronger, like she needed to really reach its source.

And after what felt like hours, she finally reached it. Atop one of the arching cliffs, overlooking a surreal waterfall illuminated by the starry sky and the river of stars above. Sitting at the edge of the cliff, was a girl, about her brother's age, with long silver hair, a red jacket with a black corset, long black stockings, and black pants. She was sitting by the cliffs, watching the sky.

"'Bout time you found me dumbass" she said casually with a playful and casually snide tone. "Any later and you would've dragged me down with you as well"

"Huh?! Who're you calling dumbass?!" retorted Karin, a vein popping in her forehead.

"Zip it short stuff! And listen up! We don't have much time, your chains of fate are already making desserts out of itself. Ya took your own damn time finding me, but if you really don't want to end up with a hole in yer chest, hurry up and call my name!" she snapped at her.

"And just who do you think you are, ordering me around?!" asked Karin.

"Ya know damn well who" she said, glancing at her. It was then Karin got a look at her face. She had sharp red eyes, her long hair forming twin bangs parted in the middle. "So, stop wasting time and call my name pipsqueak! And just for the record, and I'm only sayin it once mind ya, my name is…"

It had been close to 60 hours since the kurosaki siblings had been struggling to find their soul reaper powers. But the noises had been practically non-existent in the shafts of the twins. He could tell, they were close.

"Shroud, Mangetsu!"

"Unveil, Shingetsu!"

Power erupted from the twin shafts that contained each of the twins. Two blurs emerged from the shafts, landing in front of Isshin and Kisuke. There stood the twins, now completely covered in black garb. Each one held something in their hands, and considering the peculiar names they heard, it could only mean one thing.

"My, my my" remarked Kisuke, lowering his hat.

"Tch…..damn brats…you actually went ahead and became shinigami at your age…" said Isshin half irritated and half proud. "Heh, and you even kept true to the Kurosaki family '-getsu' naming style!"

The twins each looked at their hands. Karin held a weapon that was shaped like a giant sleek arrowhead, with a tapered and long triangular blade, a circular hilt with the motif of the new moon and a simple hand and a half handle wrapped in cloth. The circular motif was also present as the pommel of the blade. Yuzu's weapon on the other hand, was unlike any weapon they'd ever seen. The handle was a hand and a half handle like Karin's zanpakuto, and there was a circular ring around the handle, enclosing it. But there was no blade to be found. Yuzu however, was not one to be discouraged. In fact, she rather liked it.

"Uwaah! It looks so cute!" she said sparkly eyed.

"Lol, that just looks like a 'no entry' sign board" snickered Karin.

"Wh…?! Well yours looks like a giant broken arrow!" said Yuzu pouting, pinching her sister's cheeks.

"Still better than a.." started Karin.

"Looks like congratulations are in order~~" chimed Urahara, breaking their little sibling bickering. "For passing step 2! But the two of you still have a long way to go!~~ And young Ichigo it would seem is still far from done" he said, looking down. They all witnessed Ichigo still energetic and struggling to get out of his bonds, even comically trying to climb out of the shaft.

After he saw that the two of them had become shinigami, he groaned in displeasure. Something about an elder sibling's pride, he said. But he was also undeniably proud. Despite his best efforts, they could nothing as they watched Ichigo have his soul chain eaten away completely, a hollow mask forming on his face. Though it shocked the twins, Isshin and Kisuke had different reactions.

"So that's white's mask…looks quite different from what I remember" said Isshin to himself. Karin and Yuzu rushed to help, but Kisuke held them back, saying that it wasn't all lost. He explained that normally, when a plus becomes a hollow, their body explodes and reforms elsewhere, with the mask forming afterwords. But in his case the order was all mixed up and that he still had a chance to make it back. They continued to watch as the mask became more and more corporeal.

"Zangetsu!" came a cry that was unmistakably Ichigo's.

There was the same explosion of power, as a dark, blurry figure sped up the hole and into the ground. Standing in front of them was Ichigo with a mask and shinigami clothes. The only ones not on guard were Isshin and Kisuke. Because, his resemblance to her was striking. Nay, that wasn't completely true. Her reiatsu was much darker, and her eyes looked far more menacing than the menacing look Ichigo sported now. Using the handle of his meat cleaver, he cracked his mask, making his reiatsu feel identical to a soul reaper's.

"~Phew, you had me worried there for a minute, young Ichigo, I'm so glad you-gwarhghghgh!" cooed Urahara comically as he was sent rolling away by a punch from Ichigo.

"I thought I told you that I'd kick your ass if I ever got out of that hole!" said Ichigo

"And what was all that about?! Ichi-nii nearly became a hollow?! You mean to tell me we would've become that way too?!" asked Karin. Urahara dusted himself and adjusted his hat.

"That's right~~! Young Ichigo got lucky somehow, but in the event that either of you became hollows, one of us would've stepped in immediately and purified you. Then, all we would need to do was to rescue you from the Soul Society along with Kuchiki-san~~!" he said cooing. "I never said it would be easy or that there was a better way. Your father was glaring daggers at me the whole time, so I'm glad none of you actually became hollows. Because not only would you have lost all of your memories, it would be quite the effort to look for a single soul in the vastness of the Rukon District in the soul society" he said with a nervous laugh.

"Don't say something so ominous so easily!" shouted Karin shaking her fists. "Sheesh, what did I get myself into…" The three siblings spent their time discussing each of their weapons.

"Alright, let's see what the three of you can do" said the familiar voice of their father. However, his garb was identical to theirs.

"Dad…you're a soul reaper…." said Yuzu surprised. "And the strength of your reiatsu….."

"Damn, who would've guessed the old fart was this powerful…" said Karin.

"But…..why do you have your powers back now…?!" asked Ichigo surprised.

"The hell do I know" said Isshin dismissively. "But I sure ain't complaining. This way, we'll actually stand a chance of saving Rukia"

"You're coming along?" asked Karin.

"Sure am. There's no way I could let my cute little daughters go all by themselves to the soul society, now could I?" he said with a mischievous smile. "Ahh Masaki~~! Our angels finally get to visit their dear old dad's ancestral home!" he started in a sing song voice, lifting the two of them with his hands.

*KATHWACK!*

The shinigami dad was sent rolling away comically as Karin wore the same irritated expression on her face.

"Mom, how in the world you even fall for a perverted old geezer like him I'll never know.." she said to no one in particular.

"Aaaaah~~Masaki! The first thing they do after embracing their dad's family is try to sock their old man~~" he cried comically.

"Oy, take this seriously dammit!" complained Ichigo.

"Tch, don't be such a spoiled sport now, its not often that a father gets to see his daughters become soul reapers you know!" he said with a goofy expression, thoroughly making Karin and Ichigo disgusted.

"Whatever, let's just start already!" he demanded. A titanic pressure fell upon them at that very instant.

"Geez, not one to take things slow are you?" asked Isshin, getting up. His expression was serious. The look he gave them was deadly.

"D….dad…..?" whimpered Yuzu, dropping to the ground under the pressure.

"O..oy…..what's…." called out Karin. Ichigo was down in a similar fashion.

"Move" he said simply. "That's all you have to focus on now. Try it. Try and move, try to fight me back. If you can do that, I'll consider step 3 done" he said. "You really think you understand huh? The repercussions of going out there to fight? Out there, you won't be fighting hollows, but shinigami. Like me. Or like that creepy hobo right there" he said pointing to Kisuke. "Shinigami that you might have to kill if needed. Can you really do it? Can you really say that you're ready to shed and stain your hands with blood? Brats like you? If you have the resolve, the determination needed to stand up even as you're crushed under my spiritual pressure and my intent to fight you, I'll give you a pass. Otherwise, you can forget about it" he said. "The three of you…should learn to cherish the importance of what you have. But even so, do you really think you can look for your sister in the state you're in? With such a lack of resolve…?"

"Wh….what the hell do you…?" asked Ichigo, struggling to lift his head from the ground.

"Clear step 3 and actually manage to fight back and land a hit on me, I'll gladly allow you to go rescue Rukia, go look for your sister, whatever it is you want to do. Until then, stay right there" he said. Kisuke looked at the Kurosaki family from afar.

"Yo boss, why's Mr. Stubble there training them like that?" asked Jinta, confused.

"Boss, isn't that….?" asked Tessai.

"Yeah…..it's how Ruby-chan was trained by her master. Not a bad method I'd say. It tests both their resolve and without a doubt, will make them stronger" said Kisuke.

And so, for the next few days, while Urahara worked on making a passage to the soul society, Isshin and Yoruichi continued to train those under them nonstop. The kurosaki siblings on one hand, took 3 days to just stand up. It had been hell on their spirit bodies, that were constantly aching and cramping throughout. So much so that they needed an entire day to just recover. After that, they tried practising their usual kendo exercises that Isshin had taught them, all while being subjected to their father's spiritual pressure. Naturally they were extremely slow and it was extremely tedious compared to when they practised during all the times before. Surprisingly, Karin was the one to falter and fall down first, followed by Ichigo. Yuzu was the only one that was doing relatively better.

"Tch….hah…..ha…you're resilience is something else…." breathed Karin. Ichigo was already out for the day. Yuzu continued to practise some more. Just then, sparks of reishi came from the point where the handle was connected to the ring. The sparks became larger and larger until the reishi materialized into a shining spear head like blade about the size of her fist that rested on the circumference of the ring. Her zanpakuto now looked like a kunai with a ring passing through the two ends of the handle.

"A reishi zanpakuto…." said Kisuke in observation. "I suppose its only fitting that someone with affinity to reishi would-" Before he finished his sentence, Yuzu's zanpakuto continued to morph, until it started spinning. The reishi blade was spinning around the ring, creating a glowing blue spinning shield of reishi.

"An energy shield…." exclaimed Isshin. "Made from reiatsu…"

"How fitting her nature…." added Kisuke. "She was always the pacifistic, defensive one. A zanpakuto that protects….'shroud' was it? She seems to have inherited Masaki's nature quite well" he said to himself. But after that, she too gave in to her fatigue, falling down next to her sister. The reishi from her zanpakuto disappeared.

Things continued in a similar manner until Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu got used to Isshin's spiritual pressure to some extent, being able to comfortably move around, though they were yet to land a single hit on their soul reaper dad.

The training with Yoruichi was going in a similar fashion. Just like with Isshin, she used her reiatsu to test their resolve, to test their determination to go up against countless soul reapers, risking their lives, all for someone that wasn't particularly close to them. Not to mention the fact that these kids weren't even soul reapers, quincies or otherwise. Orihime and Chad had trouble even bringing out their powers. Tatsuki on the other hand, managed quite well initially. Her resolve was clearer than the rest and her power was so in tune with her spirit and her nature. But she literally burned herself out too quickly. Her ability, which transformed her Gi into clothing that resembled a costume heroine, allowed her to shoot explosive flame powered punches and kicks using her reiatsu. She could even shoot these flames which then exploded on contact. But at the end of it, she was left too exhausted to resist Yoruichi's spiritual pressure.

"An explosive spirit that likes to go wild. I like this one" said Yoruichi "I think you and I will get along really well" she said, pawing Tatsuki in the head.

However, after a few helpful pointers from Yoruichi and an extra push, Orihime and Chad managed to call upon their abilities in the next few days as well. Orihime's hairpin transformed into six fairy like beings that could form a shield, heal injuries and even attack, but the orange haired girl simply found it against her nature to use that particular skill. Chad on the other hand could manifest a sleeve on his arm that enhanced his punches and he could even shoot energy blasts from it. In the next few days, Yoruichi taught them control and restraint of their abilities.

Soon, the ten days had passed and the time was here. Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu stood before Isshin, as before.

"Well, today's your last chance. If you can't land a hit on me, you can forget about going to the soul society" he said. "And if you ask me, that's for the best"

"No way! I'm not leaving unless it's to save Rukia!" said Ichigo determined.

The three charged in together, but he was fast. Way too fast than any opponent they had faced earlier. The twins were forbidden to use their quincy techniques. They swung, sliced, charged, punched and yet, nothing worked.

"Shallow!" he barked "You won't get anywhere with advances like that which have no real intent behind them! Looks like you kids still don't understand…." He said, raising his reiatsu and causing them to stagger. He focused his deathly glare solely on the three of them. "One last hit. If you can't hit me with your next move, I'm calling the whole thing off. If you can, I'll tell you what I said earlier. But if you fail, remember that not only will Rukia die, but you will never, ever see your sister ever again. And that's a promise she made herself"

The tensions were instantly high. Not just from his declaration, but also from the reiatsu and intent he was projecting on them. This really was their last chance. His mention of Ruby only made them more nervous of failure but also more determined. If they failed here, Rukia would die. They would've let another one close to them die. Not to mention, there was Ruby herself. And the look in their father's eyes told them he was dead serious.

Ichigo let out a slow breath, and raised his sword. His reitsu spiked, his very eyes seemed to glow with power. Isshin returned a smile. Yuzu and Karin sharpened their own reishi as well.

And then, Ichigo brought down his sword. At the same time, Isshin swung back in response. A blind flash of light illuminated the entire underground training ground. The ground shook violently. Even Kisuke was worried, but mostly because he knew his underground chamber would be a big mess after this.

"Heh heh, not bad at all, idiot son of mine!" he said with a hint of pride and satisfaction. "I actually felt that! Though you still didn't manage to cut me"

"Hey, aren't you forgetting something old man?!" came Karin's voice.

*SWISH!*

A blue blurry object sped past the dust cloud, right at Isshin. He instantly reacted, catching it with his hands and dispersing the arrow Yuzu shot at him.

"Never thought you'd be the one to strike first, but you really should be aiming somewhere like my face. I will commend you for using your Quincy techniques despite being asked not to. That's one step closer to the right answer. However," he said. "You really are too soft for your own good, Yuzu"

"Heh, you think so? I think she marked you quite well"

*Whooosh!*

Isshin felt another blur coming right at his face.

"Ack damn!" he cursed, before barely reacting to the object that sped past immediately following the first arrow. It was Karin's zanpakuto, shot by Karin using her quincy bow. It flew right after Yuzu's arrow, which made it difficult for him to keep track of. He had just enough time to tilt his head, but that still didn't stop it from slightly grazing his chin, drawing a thin line of blood. The three stood tall, with confident looks on their faces as if to say "That good enough for you?". Isshin was shocked at first, and then his mouth slowly curved into a smile.

"Tch, damn brats…who would've thought you'd actually manage to cut me. Let me tell you that I got your message crystal clear. I would've never imagined you'd follow up on each other so well. You knew I wouldn't take you brats seriously and you made use of it. Well done, you pass step 3" he said. "But don't get cocky just yet, you three still have much to learn"

"You're bleeding!" said Yuzu worried, running over to him.

"What, this thing? A scratch like this is nothing to worry about. And you should try to get used to such injuries if you plan on going to the soul society to fight"

"Oh dear, your little family squabble has left my place in shambles.." said Kisuke, placing his hand on his hat, interrupting the kurosakis. Only then did they see the damage their bout left behind. Across the entire underground training space were deep chasms left behind by Ichigo and Isshin's attacks.

"Urgh, that looks like it'll take a while to clean up…." Said Karin.

"Woah, the hell were you guys doing here!" exclaimed the voice of Tatsuki. "This is way beyond the point of simply 'training'!"

"Tell me about it" said Chad.

"Sado-kun, we did destroy some windows and walls too, I wouldn't really say we're too far off….." said Orihime sweatdropping. "What about you Uryu?"

"No comment" said the bespectacled quincy.

"Yoruichi-san! Looks like you're done too!" said Urahara chiming. "Then, If we're all ready, I can set up the gateway to the soul society"

"Wait, you're coming along too, Isshin?" asked Yoruichi, surprised. "Though I must say, it has been such a long time since I've seen you in that attire"

"Isshin-san…..you have soul reaper powers…." Said Tatsuki in wonder.

"Tsuki-nee, what are you doing here…?!" exclaimed Karin.

"Oy, don't tell me you guys are also coming along…" asked Ichigo. " You can't! It's too dangerous! You're not stron-Oogghhh!" groaned Ichigo as Tatsuki punched him squarely in the gut, her fist burning with orange reiatsu. Ichigo coughed violently before falling to his knees.

"Tsuki-nee is as scary as always…" sweatdropped Karin.

"Onii-chan…!" called out Yuzu in worry.

"Still think I'm weak, Ichigo? Just like old times, you're the one that falls with a single tap" said Tatsuki. She then grabbed him as he was falling. "Didn't we agree that from now on we'd do things together? So stop trying to leave me behind!"

".…Yeah, you're right. Sorry…..damn, that was a good punch" he said with a weak smile. Orihime came over to check on Ichigo, whilst Chad could only observe her deadpanned.

"Well, it looks like someone has more spine than you, foolish son of mine" said Isshin, Heh, she didn't even hesitate to bonk him, even though they're like family. "I'm glad someone capable like Tatsuki-chan is there to look after my son!" he said with a goofy grin.

"It's not like that!" came the unified reply from both, causing everyone else to laugh.

Soon, things were set up, and everyone was ready. The kurosakis + Yoruichi could travel in spirit form but the rest were humans. Therefore, Kisuke gave them survival food pills for sustenance, telling that a single pill would be enough for one day. Kisuke then opened the gate to the soul society, and cautioned them that they were entering the dangai, which was a tunnel dimension that was constantly monitored by a being called the cleaner that would mean bad news should they come in contact with it. He also warned them not to come in contact with the walls, since that would completely immobilize them.

And so, the group entered the dangai, only to be chased by the cleaner as their luck would have it. Uryu was nearly caught in the current, but Isshin pulled him out of harm's way, berating him for being so careless.

After comically falling out of the exit of the dangai in a variety of different poses, the group looked around.

A deserted, rural looking town. A place that was supposedly the afterlife looked no better than any slum they would find back in the world of the living.

"West Rukon huh?" wondered Isshin. "Her place shouldn't be too far from here"

"Wait a minute dad, is this really the soul society? This place looks like a dump!" commented Karin.

"It's no heaven for sure" said Ichigo.

"Well, this is the soul society, but not quite" explained Isshin. He then went on to say about how the soul society was actually divided into different districts numbered from 1 to 80, with district 1 being the most posh locality and district 80 being no better than hell on earth. And that it was in the Sereitei, the enormous white structure in the center that was the adobe of the soul reapers.

"So what are we waiting for? Let's go to the seireitei!" said Ichigo, but Yoruichi pawed him in.

"Hold on Ichigo, no need to be reckless. Do you really think that the seireitei would just let anyone waltz in? There are 4 gates and we're now at the western gate. Each gate is guarded by a guardian. Being reckless is something you don't want to be" said Yoruichi. "But…..why are we going to Kukaku's place Isshin? Why don't we just get past the guardian?" asked the cat.

"Even if we make it past Jidanbo, there's no way the wall wouldn't come crashing down. That would only alert the others. Better if we make only one huge distraction rather than raising an alarm first and risk tightening security" explained Isshin. "And besides, I think it's best I drop by there first. About time these three met them as well". Yoruichi nodded her head in agreement. "There's some truth in what you said. Let's make haste then. I'll ask around to see where she's moved her place this time"

"Whom are you talking about, dad?" asked Karin.

"You'll see when we get there. And nah, it's good. I've found her reiatsu. Let's get a move on" said Isshin.

And soon, the group was standing before what they could only describe as the most bizarre 'house' they'd ever seen. Isshin and Yoruichi however, beamed as they stood before the whacky house. Two giant hands were holding up a banner with a name on it, no doubt the name of whoever owned this place. And behind the house was a towering chimney.

"Ah, I see she hasn't lost touch" said Isshin with a smile. "This does bring me back"

"Wait wait wait, hold up…." started Ichigo with a flat look on his face.

"Oy…is this really the place of someone that's going to help us get into the soul society….?" asked Karin deadpanned.

"And I thought Orihime's taste in cooking was…..outworldly" said Chad.

"I think…it looks a little cute…." said Yuzu.

"That's some self-confidence….." said Tatsuki, looking at the banner.

"Halt!" came a booming voice, and before they could approach any further, they were stopped by a pair of identical looking, towering men with stern looks on their faces. "Nobody approaches any further!"

"Yo! Koganehiko! Shiroganehiko! It's been a while!" called out Isshin. They took a moment to notice Isshin, and even longer as they squinted at him first and then gasped visibly after looking at his face.

"It…it cannot be…..!" called out the one called Koganehiko.

"Ma….ma….master….master Shiba! You're back…!" called out the other twin. "And Master Yoruichi…!"

"Good to see you both still up and kicking. But leave the formalities for later. Is Kukaku still inside?" asked Isshin.

"Ye…yes of course! Please, come in!" they said, showing them the way.

"Wait…master…?" asked Ichigo surprised.

"Shiba…?" asked Yuzu.

"That was just my family name before I met your mother, don't worry too much about it" assured Isshin.

"One second they were stopping us and then, as soon as they saw Isshin-san, they completely changed their tone" said Tatsuki.

"They gave the same reaction to that cat as well" said Karin, looking at the said cat who was simply making its way inside with its tail raised. The group walked down a flight of stairs following which they were before a sliding door.

"Koganehiko? Is that you?" said a feminine voice from inside. "Well, it looks like we have a rare guest, don't just stand there, open the door already!" she ordered.

"Ye..yes ma'am!" he replied, and opened the door. Sitting in front of them was a youthful looking woman with black hair and green eyes. She had bandages over her head as well as smoking pipe on her right hand. She wore a white skirt, a cloak and a provocative red robe that exposed her ample bosom. Her right arm was missing, with only a bandaged stump left behind. But the moment the sliding screen was opened, her mouth was agape, the smoking pipe falling out of her hands.

"Un….uncle…" she called out slowly.

"Wa…what did she just say…..?!" exclaimed Ichigo.

"Uncle….?!" exclaimed Karin, looking at her father.

"Yo Kukaku..! Been a while….sorry I haven't been dropping by" he said, rubbing his head. "I suppose Ganju is here as well? Anyways, why don't we catch up?"

"Yes of course!" she said with a grin "I see you've brought along Yoruichi as well. Oy! Ganju! Get your ass out here!" she called out, and from the sliding door nearby, a gruff male voice answered "Coming, nee-chan". From within, a tall muscular man with chin length black hair and a partially missing left eyebrow wearing a vest, scarf, bandana and a pair of goggles appeared in front of them. He too, like Kukaku, fell agape upon seeing Isshin.

"Uncle Isshin!" he exclaimed. "Your…..powers are back…" he said, a slight distaste in his voice.

"Long time, Kukaku, Ganju" greeted the cat. Isshin then turned to his kids.

"Kids, meet your cousins. Kukaku Shiba and her brother Ganju Shiba" he said, pointing to the two.

"Wait hold up just a sec uncle….cousins?! You mean to tell me that carrot top punk and those two brats are your kids?!" exclaimed Kukaku.

"Who the hell are you calling a punk?!" retorted Ichigo back.

"And just who are you calling a brat you exhibitionist?!" called out Karin.

"Karin-chan, Onii-chan, we shouldnt be rude to our cousins-"

*WHACK!**THUMP!* *KWHACK!*

Aaaaaan within seconds, the kurosaki siblings were down with bumps on each of their heads.

"Would you look at that, you're already getting along just fine!" beamed Isshin.

"And just how is this 'getting along just fine' shitty old man?!" argued Ichigo.

"Next time, perhaps you should give us a warning when someone you're introducing has a short fuse, owww.." groaned Karin.

*WHACK!*

"Owwww….why mee too….." whimpered Yuzu.

"This is…the weirdest family meeting I've ever seen. And I can tell they're definitely related to that guy with a single glance" said Tatsuki deadpanned., pointing to Isshin.

"Luckily, I don't have any cousins of family like that, I never had to worry about such things! And besides, I don't think its that weird" said Orihime in her usual ditzy manner.

"I don't…..think that's something to be that cheerful about…" said Uryu sweatdropping.

"Uncle…..what are the three of them doing in shinigami outfits? And you as well…?" asked the one called Ganju.

"Huh..? You have a problem with that you ass?!" asked Ichigo, a vein popping in his head.

"Damn right I do! I hate shinigami!" he declared. "I could never accept a shinigami as my cousin!"

"Oh yeah?! I couldn't bring myself to see a bozo like you being related to my family either!" said Ichigo.

"What was that?!" said Ganju, giving a light tap on his shoulder. Which was returned by another. And then another. Soon, this escalated to them actively punching each other. Which then turned to a full blown brawl. A brawl into which Karin got dragged into as well. She her best to keep herself away from the Ganju with a disgusted expression, but then ended up joining Ichigo in his brawl against the Shiba. Yuzu could only watch helplessly as the three of them wrestled, threw, punched and kicked each other all over the room.

"Would the three of you pipe down!" shouted Kukaku annoyed, bonking Karin, Ichigo and Ganju squarely in their heads. But this also had the added effect of scaring the rest of the onlookers, save for Isshin. Yuzu inched upto Kukaku with puppy dog eyes and her hands folded in a pleading manner.

"Kaku-oneechan, Ganju-oniichan we terribly apologize for intruding in your house and causing trouble. Please let it slide this once, I'm sure if you gave them a chance you'll see they're really nice! I'm sure they're just excited to know they have cousins from dad's side, because I am too…!" she continued with puppy dog eyes. Ganju was immediately taken in by the 'Ganju-oniichan', a level of respect he never got from anyone. Even Kukaku sported a grin when she saw Yuzu's adorable face.

"Well, would you look at that! I like this one! Atleast one of them knows proper manners!" she said with a wide grin, rubbing Yuzu's head. "Alright, I can't possibly refuse that face. Just this once"

"Yuzu…..you're doing this for us…" thought Karin inwardly.

But immediately following that, Yuzu quickly turned her head with a smug smile on her satisfied face.

"You mean that was a farce?!" exclaimed Ichigo and Karin to themselves with a deadpanned expression.

"Heh, at times like these, she really is a spitting image of Masaki" thought Isshin in a fond manner. Before anymore time was wasted, Isshin quickly explained the situation to the Shiba siblings. And Kukaku was equally adept in understanding the situation.

"Alright, I'll get the spirit cannon ready. Normally I would've sent this idiot along, but seeing as you're here uncle, I don't think that's really required" she said.

"Wait, cannon…?" asked Uryu suspicious. "You can't possibly mean to.."

"Yup! You guess right!" she grinned, showing them to the secret chamber in her house, which housed the large cannon. "You'll be entering the seireitei through the sky!"

"The sky?!" exclaimed Orihime, Tatsuki, Chad and Uryu.

"Aaah, those were the times…" said Isshin to himself.

"Wait, you mean you've tried this before?!" exclaimed Ichigo with an incredulous expression.

"That looks…fun…ahahahaha!" laughed Yuzu with an awkward expression. Uryu however, was in no mood for games.

"Don't be ridiculou-guh!" he cried out as Kukaku threw a transparent sphere right at his head that bounced off and landed exactly in Ichigo's hands. She explained that they were to form reishi shields around themselves to make a literal cannonball around themselves in order to punch through the soul society.

Isshin could do it perfectly, as well as Karin, Yuzu, Orihime, Chad, Uryu and to the kids's surprise, even Yoruichi the cat. Tatsuki and Ichigo however, had trouble. In that Tatsuki's tended to explode while Ichigo couldn't form anything resembling a sphere at all. So while Kukaku prepared the cannon, the rest ate dinner while Tatsuki and Ichigo were practising.

Kukaku and Ganju took that time to catch up with their uncle. He explained everything that happened after he supposedly left the soul society, including Masaki, White, the birth of their children, Ichigo's unique nature and even Ruby. And how the entire reason his kids and even he was there was partly due to what happened 7 years ago with Ruby.

"That's just….." said Kukaku.

"In a way, they're similar to you and me. They too know the pain of losing a sibling and don't want this to be another such time" said Isshin. "Try not to be too hard on them will ya?"

"Tch, you don't have to tell me twice" said Ganju "Of all the things, even his face looks similar to Kaien-nii chan". Kukaku looked down solemn.

"I know, I know, I didn't want to bring it up in front of you" said Isshin. "I know its a painful memory, especially for the two of you. If it helps, try not to think of this as helping Rukia. You're helping your family, your cousins to make sure they don't lose someone they care about again"

"It wasn't anything less to you too uncle" said Kukaku. "But you needn't worry about them" she assured. "I'm happy you brought them along"

Tatsuki and Ichigo were focusing on their tasks, both of them determined to get it right before the cannon was ready to fire.

"Say Ichigo…is she really worth all this trouble?" asked Tatsuki. "You could…..die out here. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I want her to die or that I don't care about her. But if it means the three of you would be in danger of getting killed, then I would never want you to go rescue her at the cost of your lives. And I'm sure…..aneki wouldnt want to either. So then why….?" she asked him.

"Because she was always like that" said Ichigo simply. "Nee-san…..she never cared about herself whenever it came to taking care of us. I still don't know what caused those scars on her face. But I'm sure that it must be something really painful for her. But I never once remember her making a pained face when she was with us"

"Ichigo…."

"And here, Rukia saved my life that night, along with the lives of my family without a single regard for herself. If she had simply continued to look out for what was the best case scenario, she wouldnt be in this spot right now. I simply couldn't help but see nee-san in Rukia. Even when she lived with us, I'm sure, to Karin and Yuzu, though she wasn't Ruby, she was as good as family as she was. And now, she's going to be executed. I…..could never face nee-san if I just worried about my own life. That's why…" said Ichigo.

"Now that you mention it…I guess you're right" said Tatsuki. "I'm jealous…that I never got to see her as often as you did" she said with a weak smile. "So when we find her next, she's going to be staying with me" declared the raven haired tomboy with a look of confidence.

"Yeah right, in your dreams" said Ichigo with a witty look.

"I don't see you practicing!" came the cry from Kukaku, setting them both straight and putting their minds back to work.

Finally, after the entire night's worth of practise and Ichigo nearly destroying the house in one instance from using too much power (a feat which earned him his cousin's fist bump on the head), the group were ready to launch themselves to the soul society. They entered the cannon, and Kukaku launched it, instructing them that to maintain the sphere, everyone had to match their reishi outputs. They were also briefed about the structure and ranks of the soul reapers of the 13 squads and were absolutely warned to steer clear off any captain and in some cases, even lieutenants. Isshin focused on reciting the chant needed to control the speed and direction of the cannonball. As the cannon blasted into the sky and then straight at the barrier, Ichigo's unstable reishi output caused his concentration to waver, which caused the shield to spin out of control. In a last ditch effort, Isshin asked everyone to make a break for it an pour all of their spirit energy in an effort to break through. Though it was successful, the high amount of spirit energy clashing inside the sphere caused them to be flung apart in different directions as they broke through.

It was a peaceful day in the seireitei. Nothing was out of the ordinary. And then, all of a sudden, with no warning whatsoever, the alarms went off. Nobody was prepared. Nobody was looking. And now, orders were being barked, and instructions were being thrown around. Weapons were drawn as a masses of black scurried about in different directions in search of the intruders. However, despite the alarm sounding, nobody saw anything out of the ordinary. Out of all of the 13 captains, Kenpachi Zaraki was the first to head out immediately the moment he heard the alarms. A fool who was confident enough to intrude the soul society had to be strong, was his reasoning. Perched on his back was his lieutenant Yachiru, directing him. Aizen Sosuke was the next to notice the anomaly in the sky, which seemed to literally crack apart. Something powerful was trying to break in. One by one, the rest of the captains could see it too. A glowing sphere, with people inside it. The barrier appeared to hold them at bay, but then the sphere broke through, melting and shooting off the people inside in many different directions. Apart from the captains, the other officers of the 13 court guard squads were also actively chasing the different groups of intruders that shot away in different directions.

Yoruichi and Isshin. Ichigo and Tatsuki. Karin and Yuzu. Uryu, Orihime and Chad.

"This couldn't have been split in a worse way!" cursed Yoruichi as she and Isshin were sent flying away.

"We'll just have to make our way to them as soon as we can" said Isshin.

Isshin and Yoruichi were skilled enough that they could stay hidden in the chaos. But the rest would not be so lucky.

Yuzu used her blut to soften the landing while protecting Karin. The moment Yuzu and Karin landed, they were immediately greeted by two enemies, one with a bald head and the other with short dark hair, colorful feathers on his eyelashes and purple eyes.

Ichigo and Tatsuki crashed so hard, that they actually landed in the sewers as none of them had any means of slowing down. Down there, cursing their luck, they looked for a way out, only to meet the 7th seat of squad 4, who doesnt fight them and even agrees to lead them out of the sewers.

Chad, Uryu and Orihime on the other hand, make it past a group of shinigami at first, only to be ambushed by the 4th seat of the 7th division.

Only time will tell how these encounters will change the very course of the soul society.

Omake 1

After Ruby's ascension to her position of 5th Espada, Aizen Sosuke and his gang of soul reapers would only come around once in a while every year. But when they did, the crazed zanpakuto of the 5th Espada found it her calling to sate the questions eating away at her. This, was during the time following immediately after that event.

Aizen was sitting in his room, glasses and all, focused on reading some documents.

"Say, why are you reading books here if you could just read them in the Soul Society? Seems like such a waste to me" asked Summer rose, popping in from behind him. Aizen sighed, shutting his book. He knew he wasn't going to go back to it for some time now.

"What do you want, Summer Rose?" he asked in a tired voice. "Amusing as it is to see you take over your daughter's body for something like this, unless you have something important to discuss, I suggest you stop wasting my time"

"Geez, why do you have to be such a sourpuss, if you play along nicely, I just might consider telling you about Hell you know" she said with a playful voice. "And besides, she's sleeping and I'm bored. I thought you might be interested to hear what I had to say"

"Alright, fine. What is it that you want?" he asked, paying his full attention to her. Summer snickered to herself.

"You really are like a little brat" she said giving him a goofy grin. "But tell me, how in the world do you serve tea when there's no water here? Knowing you, I'm more than inclined to think there's something fishy. I'll turn absolutely monstrous if you've been serving my cutie pie something shady...although it really did taste like tea.." she said, lost in thought.

"Why ask such an obvious question? I ask Tier Harribel to use her resurreccion to create water in storage tanks when needed. Water is an important resource needed for my research after all. I can't believe you decided to interrupt me for something so obvious" he replied in an un-amused manner.

"No no no, I think what's obvious is how trivial you make this sound when I'm not even sure if I should be impressed or worried" replied Summer deadpanned. "Next thing you'll tell me you use Hado for boiling tea..."

"Hmm, for once, you aren't as much of a dunce as I made you out to be" he replied.

"Eh...ehhhhhh..." cooed Summer, deadpanned. " Ladies and gentlemen, Ruler of Hueco Mundo everyone"

Omake 2

Not even 10 minutes had passed since their last conversation and the crazed mother of the 5th Espada was back again. Aizen was visibly annoyed this time.

"I thought I told you…" he started, but Summer shushed him.

"It IS something important, so just hear me out" she insisted. "I was wondering, if you could get your hands of tea leaves, then surely you could procure other things, right?" she asked.

"Where are you going with this?" he asked.

"Well, I'm not one to say, but I really think your meetings could use a bit of an upgrade. I'll be honest, it just lacks a certain something. Know what? If you can get your hands on it, why don't you get me some flour, sugar, eggs, butter and some chocolate? I'll liven up those dull meetings" she said with confidence.

"And just what makes you think you can order me around to act like I'm your servant? And what makes you think I can just get them in the first place?" he asked.

"Once again, you really take everything to heart. That wasn't an order, just a request. And I was offering to help improve the morale of your subordinates as well as suggestions on how to hold the Espada meetings better. You should be happy that someone is willing to work on it with interest. And besides, this is for you as well. Trust me, you'll appreciate it. And why wont you be able to get those things? After all, you CAN get tea leaves somehow, so why not these things?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Not until you tell me what you need them for" he said sternly.

"You know, for a genius you can be quite oblivious at times. Cookies! I'm talking about cookies of course!" said Summer excited. "How can you have a meeting with only tea and no sweets to go with! I thought you were all about perfection" she said in a provocative way. "And besides, don't soul reapers have the chance to go to the world of the living in gigais for their duties? Surely that's how you got tea right? Pfft, I can tooootally imagine you as an upstanding gentleman waiting in line in the store to buy-" she snickered, earning a sharp glare from Aizen.

"That's quite enough" he snapped, shutting his book. "I think you've overstayed your visit. I would quite appreciate it if you headed back" he said in a final tone. "Our discussion stays here"

"Hmph, I was only trying to make a conversation" said Summer with a pouty, childish voice. "No need to be so rude about it" she said as she left.

Aizen sighed once more as he finally watched her leave for good. His visits here would be much more tiring than he initially anticipated.

Despite that, the following Espada meetings would be accompanied by Summer's freshly baked cookies. But that's a story for another time.

Sorry, I know I know. I said I might possibly end the SS arc with this chapter. But I've been really busy since last 2 weeks with my new work and the SS arc is HUGE. Not to mention, it's kinda difficult when I'm not following canon since I have to come up with scenarios all by myself. But I really want to release a chapter every week with a schedule. As always, I appreciate all the feedback and reviews. I hope I can continue to improve and keep you guys interested till the very end.

Response to reviews:

Argorok: Thanks as always!

Momentei: Thanks a lot my man. Always, always appreciate your support. Hope I did justice to the Shiba family reunion! I know, everyone's waiting for Ruby. But soon my friend. We'll get to her real soon. Yeah sure, she can eat Aura. Even dust I'd say. I think dust would be like candy to her. Some she'll like, some she wont.

Vedahzii: I'm honoured to hear such a compliment, thanks a lot!

djmegamouth: Thanks! I felt that too. In my fic, I really wanted to focus on characters whom I felt had potential but weren't really talked about often.

ccl1995: Yeah indeed. That's why the SS arc is taking time, as you saw in this chapter. I want to keep it at optimum length. Tatsuki and Ruby's conversation will be interesting when it happens soon.

Lucian Naruto: Possibly this chapter and next.

Mobian: Yeah as you saw. Grand Fisher's fate will be decided in the arrancar arc's beginning. Thanks a lot, that was the point. I hope I kept it at such a length that it isn't expanded upon too much and yet, its condensed enough that anyone can understand bleach as it happens.

Orchamus: Oh boy, definitely.

Misaka Phenex: Female harem huh…..? It sounds….interesting for sure. But I'm not sure I'm good enough to pull it off, ahahahaha!

Lawrence Limequat: It's a ship with potential. And yeah, you're absolutely right. I do have a lot of characters. But here's the deal. I'm not skilled enough to give all of them screentime so I feel that inevitably, I'll end up making some of them side characters. But my idea is that I wont really throw too much light on characters that have been well established in cannon. Like a majority of soul reapers, Chad, Uryu and so on. I wont ignore them of course, but you get the picture.

NEGATARO: Yup! Thanks a lot man, appreciate the support!

firewyrm2: Yes, SS arc is a huge arc. So much so that I need to take my time with it otherwise it'll feel rushed. Bount arc is non-cannon, so I'm not going to go there. But true, I understand your concerns completely. But think about this. The soul reapers and Ruby being in the SS is a scenario that has been explored a gazillion times in many other fics. If I did the same, it would be no different. I never had any intention on spending too much time in the SS arc, let alone keep Ruby there. Even now, logically speaking, she has no real reason to be there. So it would not make sense if she suddenly came to the SS. As for her conversation with Rukia, personally, it would really be nothing special since the two don't even know each other. I think they would introduce each other and Ruby would thank Rukia for taking care of the Kurosaki siblings in her place. One more thing to note, is that though Ruby is absent, her influence couldn't have been clearer. And that was really what I wanted to show. How Ichigo and his companion's lives were totally changed/influence by her rather than her actually being there all the time. I added an explanation for what aneki means in the beginning of the chapter. As for the Omake thing, that idea is actually cool! I've implemented a couple of them as you saw. Thanks a lot!

Spartastic 4: Yeah you're actually close! Logically, she has no reason to be here in the SS. So it would not make sense for her to come any other time but during the arrancar arc. Hope spelling mistakes were fewer in this chapter and thanks a lot!