Ichigo is a fascinating protagonist to me because, like, he doesn't really do the standard hero thing. He isn't motivated in the same way. He's dragged into shit and the only reason he sees it done is because he's stubborn. I find that much more realistic, considering he's a teenager, than what usually happens in a shonen anime.

I've always loved Ichigo.

He's a good boy.

.

"I'm not the kind of guy to lie just because the guy I'm talking to is having trouble with something, even if I like him," was Ichigo Kurosaki's first statement after Hitsugaya laid out his trouble. Hitsugaya realized immediately that he wasn't going to get the kind of answer he'd been expecting. "I think you're grasping at straws, man."

"Go on . . ." Hitsugaya replied, carefully.

"Look." Ichigo lifted himself from the bench where he'd been sitting, and shifted the messenger bag he was wearing so that it fit properly. "I get it. You're a military leader. You gotta take threats to security seriously. Especially right now, since everything's all . . . I mean, fucked."

"Mm-hm?"

Ichigo spread out his hands, like he was presenting his point. "The thing is, just because there's a few assholes who've managed to upstage you . . . and trust me, I know there's been a lot of 'em. I've dealt with a lot of 'em. You guys have this habit of calling me in to help, then pretending like you didn't once the threat's gone."

Hitsugaya opened his mouth to speak, then stopped himself.

He gestured for Ichigo to continue.

"I'm not saying you guys should just do nothing." Ichigo cleared his throat. "Clearly there's some weird shit going on with this Kasu-whatever family."

"Kasumioji," Hitsugaya said.

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah, Kasumioji. So, yeah, look into them. Definitely still do that. You want my advice, if you're trying to figure out how to do things covert-like, go talk to Sandal-Hat. He's the sneakiest bastard you guys ever had, and if you need to make sure he plays ball? Take Karin with you when you talk to him. She won't leave 'til he does whatever you need."

Hitsugaya laughed in spite of himself. "That is . . . a sound strategy, actually."

"What I'm trying to get at," Ichigo went on, "is I don't think you should be jumping at shadows just because this Nishi dude has shadow powers. I think that's probably the worst thing you can do. It's gonna get you paranoid, is what it's gonna do, and what do paranoid people do? Make stupid decisions."

Hitsugaya rubbed his chin. "You are certainly not wrong about that," he admitted.

"I think," Ichigo said, "that's precisely the kind of shit this guy wants you to be doing. If he's got you side-eyeing little kids, he's winning. You follow me?" Hitsugaya nodded. "Now, I'm not pretending I know everything, all right? I don't. I danced and bashed my face through every day of training I ever had, and the fact that I'm alive flies right past miracle into work of God territory. So, don't ever think I'm saying I'm smarter than you. I'm not. There's actually a very simple point I'm trying to make here, and the reason it's taking me so long to get around to it is because I ain't slept right in a week."

". . . What is your point, Kurosaki?" Hitsugaya asked, carefully.

"If protecting children is what ultimately breaks Soul Society, then Soul Society deserves to break."