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Chapter Text

Ichigo remembered coming home after the Grand Order. Coming home from an afternoon walk and reexperiencing her father's daily attempt to make her into a punching bag is nostalgic and has never been so easy at the same time. His body language is very slow to her eyes... She can read his moves as if they were textbooks. The next day at the breakfast table, her father looked at her like she was something unknown; he assessed her, making sure that the girl in front of him was truly his eldest daughter.

Her sisters were quite a Saint for not commenting anything weird about her.

She chose not to mind her father any further because that was just a plain hassle and decided to go out to (re)explore her hometown, Karakura City, with a new view of someone who had been through numerous catastrophes.

Peace.

There was only peace in this city. People went on their way to do their daily lives without concern of being killed by ravaging monsters, children can be children as they frolic in a sandbox, and summer break had never been so...so... Empty.

Which is a good thing for Ichigo since she needed that space after all. 

But everything is just strange. Since she never applied for that Chaldea intern job posted at the city hall, she will spend her whole summer doing absolutely nothing. Her blood was never drawn to test the Master's aptitude, she was never jettisoned to Antarctica, and Chaldea never existed, not anymore.

The Holy Grail War in Fuyuki never happened. Solomon was never summoned. Da Vinci was never summoned. Mash was never created, and thus, Galahad was never summoned. The Crypters never died or ever revived.

Toying with time was a fickle thing.

The once ever became never.

She came home again and found out she could not control her strength as she broke her supposed favorite mug ("Wait, I have a favorite mug?"), broke the chopstick she used to eat, and almost broke the dining table (Because she forgot how much of a d*ck her father can be); she scurried to her bedroom with her dinner, eating it by hand. She sneaked out that night and was way too far from any people to be able to witness her frustration by destroying someone's old car that was never driven. It took a whole night for her to be able to control it. 

The result of her training is still there, which is one of the evidence that the Grand Order ever happened. Aside from that, there is the photo album that Da Vinci made, putting the photos that Georgios had taken and some of her weapon designs written down; the book was able to exist as a form of thank you from Gaia and Alaya. 

Supposedly.

Ichigo refused to think about the mumbo-jumbo out of it.

Then High School happened.

Everybody looked at her as if she were some kind of freak.

Well, to be fair, she has always been a freak, but this is a different kind of freakishness since she was not supposed to master High School level education.

Starting with how she should watch her temper during History as she was not supposed to have a lengthy discussion with the teacher or when the chemistry teacher wrote down a basic formula and asked her to use it to solve a problem on a board; instead of doing so, she said that she could make a bomb out of it; it's not her fault that Paracelsus or Tesla kept inviting her to blow up their lab. Literature was a cheat as she already knew the context of the reading materials because she read those books for dinner at the writers' Servant lair- office. Biology reminded her of lying dead bodies with their entrails out. Math was not quite math anymore; it was a way of counting the input-output of a phenomenon, and she could not stop thinking about spellcasting.

She does not know why she chose French as an elective when she already knew how to speak French. She would rather pick Arabic, but Karakura High School does not have Arabic as an elective.

Home economics was like a second break time for her. However, cooking pork meat became a problem for her as the smell reminded her of burning bodies. 

One day, she was offered to join an English literature competition and she agreed so that she could fulfill the old dream of being wanted to go to Great Britain.

She won first place. Easily.

Rising at the podium to receive the prize, instead of wanting her old friends and family to be proud of her, she wanted to know if the Servants were looking at her from the Throne of Heroes. Of course, she proceeded to feel a bit like a villain for forgetting her friends and family.

Ah...

Guess she made an overachiever as freaky...

Except she was not an overachiever; she just knew stuff before it was time.

It is no use overthinking it anyway.

Ichigo realized she had never chronologically counted her time in Chaldea. The alarm clock was just a tool to signal that she had to start her daily activities. Whenever she woke up, she had to ask someone for the time or the day, whether it was the staff or the Servants since after a while, the calendar became useless too, especially when you roam into the sea of Imaginary Number Space. She forgot her age at some point, but she grew up from a teenager to an adult. Dealing with the Singularities was a bit clearer, but then she lost track at the Lostbelt.

Da Vinci said that she was in her twenties, but Ichigo thought that was not a huge matter in a larger context. Sometimes, when she looks into the mirror to see her reflection, she does not recognize the girl she saw; the skin is clear of scars as if her training never happened, as if her ordeal never happened, as if her pain never happened. Thank God for her jaded eyes; without them, she might not recognize her at all.

"It felt like yesterday..."

More like a month ago, actually...

Yeah, believe it or not, it had only been a month since Ichigo came back to her original timeline.

It has been forever since she has been a local nuisance by kicking delinquents. Why on Earth is she doing it again? For the sake of the charades? No... She could not help when someone disrespected the dead.

What a mess she created as she contemplated her life, resting her foot on top of the maybe de-facto leader of a skateboard gang.

"Does no one ever teach you guys to have some respect for the dead? Apologize to the spirit, or your ancestor shall curse you for being stupid. They must have been so ashamed to have a descendant like you!"

Why the Hell do I phrase it like that?

Then, the delinquents screamed as they ran.

Good grief.

Sometimes, she wonders if she is being too harsh to the locals. It was a simple mistake, after all. They are skateboarding around and then knock over some mourning flowers. It is not that it was a big deal.

Is she mad because she was the one who provided the damn flowers?

Maybe she is turning into those old folks who shout at youngsters for their youthful insolence. She can imagine that. Get off my lawn, youngsters. And get a walking stick to complete the look.

"I'll bring some fresh bouquet tomorrow; how do you feel about Marigold?" Ichigo said to a transparent figure of a little girl, bleeding on one side of her head, smiling brightly at her, unbefitting of her deceased status. She checked the flowers in the glass bottle she used as a vase, and they were starting to wither. No surprise that the stem has gotten rotten.

The one thing that is still constant after Chaldea is Ichigo's ability to see ghosts. She never quite resented the ability, and honestly, it is a part of her life.

"Any flower is wonderful. Thank you, Ane-san!" 

"See ya, kid. Take care of yourself."

Dork.

Why bother telling ghosts to take care of themselves? They are dead.

They should not be bound by the living anymore.

They shouldn't be. They really shouldn't be...

Ichigo looked up to the sky, sighing in resignation when the night sky was the one that greeted her when she finally got home.

Home? It hasn't been home for the last ******* years—

She shakes her head from the nasty thoughts.

Ichigo waited exactly ten seconds before opening the front door of the Kurosaki household while unconsciously scratching the back of her right hand where her Command Seal was. Inwardly, she did a countdown as she twisted the doorknob, opened it ajar, and sidestepped away at the same time, letting pass a flying figure that was her father, Isshin Kurosaki, exclaiming about her daughter being late, letting her guard down, or whatever. 

She wondered why she dealt with it seriously before, the schtick gets boring after the third time.

As Isshin crashes onto the asphalt, Ichigo steps into the house.

"Hey, I'm home. Sorry I'm late. I lost track of time in the way of life."

"What? What's that supposed to mean?" Karin, the dark-haired twin, was caught off guard by her elder sister's choice of reason.

"Oh, you know. Stuff."

"Welcome back, Nee-chan!" Ah, classic Yuzu, always so positive, "Do wash your hands before dinner."

This was her usual daily life that she practiced again: dodging her father's stupid antics, bonding with her sisters as they watched TV while eating, and being a diligent daughter in general. Ichigo used to be a bit temperamental, arguing with her father every time she got home because of the man's meaningless bravado for situational awareness, but she stopped doing it since it was pointless to waste energy on it.

Ichigo chewed Yuzu's cooking periodically while staring into the middle distance, also known as nowhere in particular. It threw her back at that time when she ate the spaghetti that Gordolf cooked after a whole day of fighting only to throw it up when her sense of taste got overloaded. He was disappointed, of course, and Ichigo felt guilty as he made an exquisite-looking but bland food as an exchange. 

She swore to herself that she would not be a picky eater, solidifying the promise even more when Chaldea got bombed, only to be betrayed by her gastric problem.

"Nee-chan, you're alright? You'll choke from eating too fast," Karin successfully cuts her older sister’s inner musing.

"I'm fine, there's a lot of stuff going on at school. I've been very hungry," Ichigo lied.

It was not school, it was the stress from her musing. Compared to the impromptu lectures from the Heroic Spirits, the normal school was just a playground.

"Ichigo, that's very rude! Dinner should be eaten and finished together!" Isshin boomed out of nowhere.

Ichigo is not even going to question when the fuck Isshin got inside the house since she did not hear the front door or window opening. 

She suddenly felt very tired and got up, collecting her dishes.

"Well, did you eat dinner yet, Goat-Face?" 

"Uh, no."

"Then I'm not the one who's not eating dinner together. Good night, everyone."

She faintly smiles at her sisters as she walks up the stairs to her bedroom, barely hearing Yuzu scolding their father for 'allegedly' making her elder sister upset.

Lying on her bed, she took out a big book from her drawer. Every night, she skimmed over a group photo of her with Mash, Dr. Roman, and Da Vinci. The first two, though, she wondered if they were reborn somewhere already. Will their name still be Mash and Romani (In his case, maybe Solomon or Jedidiah), or have they got new names? Becoming a father and daughter again? 

What about Marisbury? What is he doing when his Chaldea is nonexistent? Did he finally care about his daughter? Ichigo doubts it. That man's vanity knows no bounds.

Director Olga, though, can be great. She does not need to prove herself to her father to determine her Magus path. She just needs to find her strength. 

And the Crypters who never became Team A. How are they doing, honestly? Are they continuing their life at the Clock Towers or maybe seeking another path?

In no time, Ichigo felt her eyes getting heavier.

How nice to fall into a deep sleep so fast...

Hmm, did someone spray perfumes?

"Hey, Ichigo, I missed you! Come kiss this beautiful wizard~!"

"Oh, for fuck’s sake!" Ichigo shoves the hovering kissy lips away from her, his long white mane tickling her nose.

Merlin, the Mage of Flowers. How easily this person walks into her or hijacks other Servants' dreams; he is twirling around in this everlasting garden, Avalon. The place is also similar to one of her dreams, the Kingdom of Rainbows, Il Mheg. When Merlin visited that dream, he was beyond ecstatic, a place that once existed where fairies existed while neighboring mankind, though not of Britannian nature. Shakespeare was a bit confused that Titania was the king and Oberon was never in the picture, proof that this is not one of his plays being dreamt of.

There is another figure in this dream, Fray, who declares that he is Ichigo's other self: rage, regret, and anguish personified. Her Alter Ego. He looks so out of place with the darker coloration of his armor, mostly black and blue with a little bit of gold. Well, for being Ichigo's other self, it makes sense if this is his dream, too.

"Merlin, what do you want?"

It was a rhetorical question; she knew exactly what he wanted. A companion. Not that the Magus wanted to openly admit it. Being a half-demon, he could not quite understand human emotion. Ichigo could not claim that she knew better about him, but it is possible that he was emotionally deprived since he was also a half-human. That status does not make him less obnoxious, though.

"I just want to play! Come on, it's not every day I can visit you," Merlin pouted.

"Just what were you doing if you're not visiting people's dreams?" Ichigo relented. 

"Updating my Magi☆Mari website!”

"Not visiting some artists' dreams and copying their ideas?"

Merlin pursued his lip, hands on his hips, "Who do you take me for?"

Ichigo shrugged lazily. knowing she is not going to win that argument.

“Also, why is it that every time I visit you, he shows up? He's no fun at all!" Merlin pointed at Fray, who seemed busy making flower crowns out of Marigolds. The same flower Ichigo promised to bring for the ghost girl.

"I guess I have that side of me that is no fun at all. I never claim to be the most interesting person in the world."

"Lies and slander. Ichigo darling, you saved the world!" Merlin made an exaggerated motion with his arm. "Here comes the savior!"

"Geez, I wish Abigail, Edmond, and Oberon were here to protect my mind from a perverted Wizard," Ichigo drawled.

"Nu-uh, you're not getting rid of me that easily~."

"I'm truly cursed then." Ichigo huffed amusedly.

On her right, Fray opted not to say anything and kept fiddling with the buttercups after finishing one crown that he placed on top of his head— Helmet.

Ichigo and Merlin kept having their light-hearted conversation of downplaying insults until the scenery was so sweet and cheery was offed by the sound of thunder that wrecked the mood, they turned to the sky and saw a clump of grey clouds. A storm in Avalon was almost impossible since it was the land of everlasting peace. Sometimes, it decided to show its clairvoyant nature when trying to tell its denizens something. 

"Oh dear, it seems the Fate is set in motion again, maybe the person in question is metaphorically here that's why," The flowery Magus scratched his chin, if not being extremely cryptid.

"You're the one who kept bringing me here!" Ichigo is disgruntled. She sees what a lonely wizard Merlin is and comes up with an idea. "Hey, Merlin, what's your email?"

The next morning, Merlin's email address was etched on her brain when Ichigo finally woke. She jotted it down on a Post-it note before getting off to school per usual. It is not like she was going to contact him anytime soon, since she does not own a phone or a laptop. The only good thing is that Japan embraced the internet pretty early; if not, any of her recently bought electronic devices that required internet services would be useless.

The next problem was the money to buy the phone. Maybe she can apply for a part-time job. She cannot get a smartphone, which is like decades in the future. Chaldea was equipped with high-end technology because of SHEBA, and SHEBA does not exist anymore. Her country was known for the popularity of flip phones, so that is what she can get. Except, she had no idea how much cell phones cost these days. 

Is it expensive? Inflation in the future was a horror on its own.

"Oh! I almost forgot the about flower-"

She was then cut off when she heard people screaming and running for their lives. There was a loud explosion from a nearby office building, and the city sirens were blaring.

Ichigo has seen a lot of phantasmal creatures, this one is like a mix between a centipede and a praying mantis. The face is bone white, and a hallowing circle in the middle of the chest—Stomach? Is that the tummy? You know what, whatever, it is somewhere around there. What is a phantasmal beast doing in the modern age? It was way past their time of the man-eating period. 

It was the reason why Scáthach drilled her to control her spiritual abilities output; she was walking around like a leaking mead barrel, attracting those beasts. Dear every divinity above, the training she came up with was pulled straight from Hell; Ichigo could not help but shudder to remember it. Good thing that the petite lady in black was handling the beast quite well; otherwise, Ichigo might have to offer a hand.

By the way, what are those people dressed in black called?

Ushiwakamaru once told her about it since she had seen a lot of them in the aftermath of a battle, sending souls back to the afterlife. She also told Ichigo about this one that she nudged in concern because he was in a fit of coughing and wielded a pair of weird-pronged swords.

They refer to their uniform as Shihakushō, or Garments of Dead Souls.

Right, they called themselves...

"A Soul Reaper."

A cry of defeat from the beast as the figure finished it off. Ichigo did not see it as she continued walking to school.

Unbeknownst to her, the petite Soul Reaper was glancing in her direction, faintly hearing what she said.

Ichigo went through the list of part-time jobs she had written down on a piece of paper. She explored the shopping district, asking for information from many establishments there.

Should she choose to work in a franchise restaurant? She is not sure if she had the patient standing all day in front of the cashier.

Maybe the one at the flower shop? She does learn ikebana from numerous Japanese Servants after all.

Wow, is this what it feels like to be a regular teenage high schooler in Japan, huh? The Commander of Heroes is bested by monetary issues,s so she can appease a lonely wizard.

"Curse for being fifteen again. Time travel, time loop, singularities, Lostbelt-" Ichigo punched her pillow in agitation for being penniless.

She saw the petite lady Soul Reaper from the previous morning just passed through her wall.

First of all, rude.

The very audacity of this ghost.

She grabbed her pencil case and threw one of her pencils at the Soul Reaper's head. It landed at the small Reaper's head, which stopped her from doing whatever she was going to do, peering down at the helpless pencil on the floor that Ichigo had previously thrown.

Next was an eraser, then a ballpoint, then a mechanical pencil-

"Hey! Cut that out!" The Soul Reaper turned at the owner of the room hotly. Her eyes filled with befuddlement as if she could not believe that the said owner was throwing her things.

Ichigo cackled mischievously. She rounded in front of the Soul Reaper and pinched the Soul Reaper's nose.

"What the Hell, let go! Wait a minute, you just touched me!?" The Soul Reaper was flabbergasted. "You can see me?"

"Yeah, I can see you. You better not cross people's rooms like that. It's rude, you know."

"It wasn't a problem since regular people can't see me!" The lady Reaper interjected.

"So you don't mind entering someone's room as they're changing their clothes? My, quite a daring Soul Reaper you are."

The lady Reaper blushed instantly and did not argue back since Ichigo did have a point.

"Well, if you don't have any business here, you can continue-"

"Wait, wait, hold on. How do you know that I'm a Soul Reaper?"

Ichigo did not immediately answer; her eyes went upward, thinking of what she should say. "Yeah, I've seen one." She lied blasely. She had seen a lot of death and Gods of Death, but those who cater for death are quite new on her page. "Considering how you folks were depicted in folklore, it is kind of disappointing that you looked like a plebeian. No grim-looking face or wearing a skull mask while wielding a scythe." 

I was expecting Thanatos.

The lady reaper growled for being called plebeian, "How dare you! And you're just a simple human, who are you compared to us?"

"Us? Fascinating, there's more of you," Ichigo chuckled and thought how cute the angry-looking lady reaper was. "And who are you compared to the God of Death, Ms. Simple Soul Reaper?" 

"God of Death?" The reaper frowned. "Are you toying with me?"

"Perhaps."

Ichigo is satisfied when she succeeds at making the petite Soul Reaper look uncomfortable. 

"A-Anyway, you must have a lot of Reiryoku to be able to see us."

Reiryoku? Spiritual power? Would you look at that, a new jargon.

"Reiryoku, spiritual energy, spiritual presence, spiritual particles, esotericism, blah blah blah. Proponents and practitioners of various esoteric forms of spirituality and alternative medicine refer to a variety of claimed experiences and phenomena as being due to "energy" or "force" that defy measurement or experimentation and thus are distinguished from the scientific form of energy."

The reaper is speechless at Ichigo's wide statement.

"Suffice to say, I have my fair share of knowledge of it."

"But- But you don't feel any different from any normal humans!"

"Thank you, it's called practice," Ichigo waved her hand carelessly, "By the way, why are you still here? Don't you have a job to do? Like dragging unfortunate souls back to Yomi?"

"Yomi? No, I'm here on a mission to exorcise Hollow and send human souls back to Soul Society."

"... You're on a what to exorcise what and sends what to where?"

"To Soul Society!"

"What a crap name," Ichigo muttered. 

"Excuse me?!" The Soul Reaper screeched in offense.

"Is it a dingy bar where, instead of resting, souls hang out and drink their sorrow out?"

"I beg your pardon— Soul Society is a respectable place and held in high regard!"

Yeah, high regard in the ass. Ichigo snorted lowly, "But seriously though, Soul Society?"

The argument resulted in a series of jabs and kicks from the Soul Reaper, which Ichigo skillfully dodged.

The vibe of the word 'Soul Society' sounded less mythological and kind of killed off the mysticism of a place of eternal rest. Ichigo had reason to doubt it since she had been to Kur, met its Goddess, and traversed said underworld. The Ancient Sumerian citizens called it Kur, Ereshkigal called it Kur, Gilgamesh called it Kur, and the history book called it Kur. Not Soul Society.

Hades ruled the Underworld, consisting of Elysium, Asphodel, fields of punishment, Tartarus, etc. Not Soul Society.

Lady Izanagi's realm is called Yomi, the way the Shinto religion refers to the land of the dead. Still not Soul Society.

The Norse has Helheim, Valhalla, and Folkvangr. Ruled by Hel, Odin, and Freya. Again, still not Soul Society.

So, which cosmology textbook has she missed that mentions the word Soul Society?

Which Afterlife Divinity thinks it apt to name their dominion Soul Society? 

Uncreative much?!

And the petite reaper said she was here for a mission instead of sensing someone was going to die. She was here because people were already dead, and she was here only to collect... That killed the supernatural touch of it. Scratch that, it derived from the Shinto belief, and whoever believed that shit definitely will be called a heretic!

"So...you guys didn't wait at someone's side when they're dying?"

"No. Why would I do that?"

Why would she do that she said.

Why would she do that she said.

... This is depressing.

Maybe that is why ghosts exist. Not enough Soul Reapers to send them back to the afterlife. For sure, the little reaper currently standing in her room does not represent Death because she does not feel like one. There is no dread or overlooking fear of the incoming end that is the fate of every living being; very different in the presence of King Hassan.

Or a gentle death that Ereshkigal possessed.

This Soul Reaper is just... A person.

She is no God, only a Man.

Suddenly, something else piqued Ichigo's senses. It roars like a beacon from the far outside of the house. Averting her attention from the Soul Reaper, she opened her bedroom window, smelling the air and a waft of rancid entered her nose though not that of trash; it was a being, quite strong too judging by the presence.

Then she heard a ringtone from the lady reaper's sleeves. Ichigo almost bulged her eyes when it turned out to be an actual flip phone— What kind of afterlife had electronic devices available? Internet in the afterlife? That place is no eternal peace. 

"Move aside!" The Soul Reaper turned serious and shoved Ichigo away from the bedroom window, jumping from house to house to the source of the trouble.

"She is so rude..." And that monster is way too strong for her... 

Ichigo looked out of the window as she huffed, weighing her decisions, and let out a groan before following the Soul Reaper.

Curse my bleeding heart.

Ichigo dashed around the neighborhood, augmenting her leg and pinpointing the location of the beast and the Soul Reaper. It had not been that long since the lady reaper's departure. Currently perching on top of an electrical pole, reinforcing her sight to observe the landscape. Good thing the beast was at some local park; there is plenty of space to fight. But that is at least a Demon Boar-level monster; The shape was not of a boar, instead, it is huge and tall, like a man-lizard, and agile for something of such size.

It is so humanoid-looking that it is unnatural.

... Something that is not right in this situation.

-A cascade of red passed behind her-

Ichigo sharply turned around when she sensed that unknown presence—observing the surroundings to find nothing. She swears there was a gaze at her back just now, only then she made a choice not to call it out.

She wrote a rune of ice and put her palms together; a projected spear of ice came out of existence. Strengthening her leg again, Ichigo jumped away from a high point to another high point.

A man wearing a white and green striped hat came out of the shadow. His grey eyes, which were once shadowed by the edges of his headwear, shone in clear fascination under the moon as he watched a red-haired girl disappear into the distance with clear fascination.

Ichigo arrived at the scene and, at the same time, blocked a swiping tail directed at the petite Soul Reaper. She enchants her ice spear to be able to thrust at high speed before launching it at the neck area. When she was sure that it stuck halfway at the beast's neck, she snapped her finger. As in command, the spear exploded into a krone of ice that blocked the beast's view; a gurgled roar filled the air as it flailed while trying to claw the ice out.

Ichigo went to the Soul Reaper, who had a bleeding head. She hovers her hand over the wound, a green light appears, and the wound starts to stitch back.

"You okay?" 

"You again? Wha- How did you-?" The Soul Reaper blinked in confusion at the display of healing magecraft, "What are you?"

"... A Spellcaster."

They saw the beast forcefully snap the ice out of its neck and crush it with its bare hand.

Ichigo grabbed Soul Reaper and dashed to escape the beast, slamming its elongated arm. She grabbed a stray rock, chanted something, and threw it at the beast's face. The rock exploded into a ray of light, blinding their adversaries.

That will distract it for a second.

She thinks fast and looks at the Soul Reaper.

The Soul Reaper has a sword, the only matter is how good she is at wielding it.

"I'm going to trap that beast with a spell; can you land the killing blow?" 

The Soul Reaper gives Ichigo a weird look as if she had grown two heads or something, though she nods her head in confirmation a second later.

Ichigo taps her palm to the ground, and the ground of the park is covered in a thin layer of ice. She ran forward and slid underneath the beast as it tried to grab her, but she lost her balance over the slippery footing before it crashed to the ground. Ichigo bent the flat ice into a spike that pierced the beast's body in place.

"NOW, SOUL REAPER!"

The petite Soul Reaper aimed her sword at the beast's bone face, she was going for a slice before the beast threw its head forward, purposely colliding with the small figure.

"The neck can stretch?" Ichigo gawked. What kind of shitshow is this?

The whole body spasmed, wrecking the ice everywhere. Ichigo could only cross her arms as a shield at the sudden turn of events, hissing at her own conjured ice cutting her skin like tiny pieces of glass.

The beast has the petite Soul Reaper trapped in its teeth, and the amount of blood that spilled is a sign of a grievous injury.

Ichigo jumped at the beast, one leg at the lower jaw and the other one at the upper jaw, she used her inhuman strength to force its mouth open to let go of the body that it caught; the Soul Reaper fell to the ground helplessly; and then Ichigo open her palm, aiming the throat; she shot a white hot flame before jumping upward, the beast let out a pained roar, and she took the chance to swiped the Soul Reaper away, dashes out of the park.

Ichigo kept running to find a safe place so she could heal the Soul Reaper. The neighborhood is out of options because the beast can wreck physical material, denting playground equipment that is made out of metal.

She stopped when she saw a familiar riverbank in front of her and found herself hesitating.

"Holy shit, why am I going this way?"

The Soul Reaper grunted weakly, reminding Ichigo that she had to make a decision. 

"Wound, alcohol, bandages- Fuck, where do I get those? I need to find a pharmacy-"

There's a pharmacy in a nearby block... Wait, I have to break into the pharmacy...

.

.

.

"Ah, shit."

***

The CCTV of a pharmacy shows a crackle of electricity disturbance before the feed cuts off because it explodes.

***

Rukia slowly opened her eyes, and she saw a blurry figure of a human girl with vibrant hair that seemed to be the brightest thing in the lack of light. It is that same human whose room she stepped into. 

"You're still here," She weakly said.

"Yup, I'm still here." 

The human mumbled. A device that conjured light was held by her teeth as she snipped the bandage that was used to treat her wound.

"Why can't I feel any pain?"

"I gave you morphine."

"What?"

"Anesthetic."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh. I wonder if you walked outside and there are floating bandages since you're a ghost. Though I'm more surprised that human medicine works on you. I thought it'd be dropping everywhere because of the intangibility... Or should I say supposed intangibility."

Rukia does not know the exact answer either.

"I tended to your wound. It's not every day you see someone get bitten by a large tooth at the side of a dinosaur, it almost chopped your body in half."

"Something isn't right, the Hollow wasn't supposed to be this powerful. The reading from Seireitei can't be wrong," Rukia gets up from her lying position with the utmost difficulty, "I don't know what's going on..."

"Hey, take it easy. The patch is still raw. Besides, it's not your fault things got out of hand." 

Rukia smiled bemusedly at her situation. A Soul Reaper being helped by a human. She who wields a Zanpakutou and is supposed to protect the World of the Living is instead tended by the citizens of said World.

She felt pathetic and helpless...

Then she heard a roar of a Hollow from the distance. Dammit.

"Huh, I guess the big bad does catch up in the end."

The human mused.

The lack of fear irked Rukia.

"Well, I guess it's up to me then."

... What? "What? Are you crazy? You're just a human, you can't put up a fight against a Hollow." 

The human laughed.

"You've been with me for the last half an hour, Soul Reaper. All that jazz hand, and you think I'm just a human? Well, prepare to see more."

"Wait, no! That's not what I mean! You can't-"

The human had already run outside.

"You can't-" Rukia tried to stand up but fell, "You can't fight a Hollow without a Zanpakutou..."

***

It is known to be nearly impossible to defeat a spiritual being without a specialized weapon or in very conditioned circumstances. Emiya once told Ichigo that he needed to imbue or obtain a talisman to hurt spiritual beings. It got easier after he became a Servant since by becoming a Servant, he is not a human anymore.

So right now, it is quite understandable that Ichigo just pitted herself in big trouble as she is a baseline human who is going to pick a fight with a spiritual beast... And she has numerous drawbacks at the moment. She sucks at generating pure spiritual energy; which is a pain in the ass, she is in no possession of Black Keys; which are exclusive to the Holy Church, and she does not currently wield any Conceptual Weapons. 

"... Can't summon my weapons either. Prepare to see more. Ichigo, you and your brawny ass are going to be the death of you," Ichigo chastised herself, "Attacking is not a problem, it's how to exorcise it, however... Hmm."

She pondered while walking into the river. The water is not deep, she remembered how young children used to play in it, catching minnows or tadpoles in the summer. Then the moment her feet touched the water, she realized she had gone out from home without wearing any footwear. 

"Haha, silly me."

The rancid smell is getting closer and closer. Ichigo took a deep breath and flared her spiritual presence.

"I'd taken down a Gigas before, they're not very smart. Let's see how you go then."

The beast appeared in no time, trampling madness toward Ichigo, and yet she remained calm.

"Do you know what's the best thing about using Runes?" She wrote a Rune on the surface of the water; the river rose, enveloping the beast as it touched the water, she motioned her hand to the front and gripped it to form a fist, "I don't have to chant to activate it," The freezing water pierced the beast like a porcupine on defense mode, the freeze keep creeping froze on to the beast's body, creating a sculpt out of it.

Ichigo took a sharp breath when a red light formed on the beast's mouth, "Oh no, you don't."

A single pointy ice pierced the beast's jaw and its skull. With that, it does not move, turning pliant as if dead.

Ichigo exhaled, "Huh, maybe you're not so entertaining after a-"

Her senses suddenly went haywire, and she ducked to the side, narrowly avoiding a red blast; it nicked her cheek.

Two of them... Of course, fuck my luck.

She flipped backward to avoid being thrashed by the newcomer, who looked like a xenomorph, only this one actually had eyes, quite bulky, and had a hole in its chest... Oh, and claws, too, which she ducked in a nick of time and kicked the xenomorph's head with an uppercut. Then she heard a crack from the ice that encased the first beast; she turned around to see a hairline fracture on the freezing sculpture.

Ichigo thought fast and brought her palms together; crackling lightning conjured; she caught the limb that was going to hit her, essentially electrocuting the xenomorph look-alike, and swinging it at the beast who just in time in freeing himself, got whacked by its kin.

You can't keep this for long, you're not in a condition to cast spells too much!

"Shut up, I know Fray!"

An ice broadsword swung hard horizontally at the xenomorph beast, cutting its head off halfway. Ichigo snarled at her unsuccessful attempt and was struck by the other beast's teeth, which pushed her away with its elongated neck; she managed to shield her body by holding up her wrist in time and got bitten in turn, if she did not reinforce her skin, she would have lost it already. Hissing in pain, she grabbed the beast's teeth, generating lightning with her other hand so it could back off.

Her right hand sported a nasty open wound, which she freezes off to stop the bleeding. She ran to the side, cradling her injured hand when the beast struck again, ducking a red blast sent by the xenomorph and starting to count...

"3...2...1!"

Foregoing any pain, she held up both of her hands to stop another red blast directed at her. The bright red light blinded her a bit, but she could see the long-necked beast trampling toward her.

"Let's hope this works."

She misdirected the blast to hit the beast; its left torso took a clean hit as if it had been erased from existence.

"DON'T LET IT TRAVEL BETWEEN THE DIMENSIONS!"

Ichigo found the petite reaper shouting from afar, and before she could even wonder what it was about, the reaper shot a blue light at the beast, knocking it out cold.

"Human! Get over here!" The Soul Reaper shouted again.

Ichigo took a second to avoid getting clawed by the xenomorph, locking her leg with it as she swiped up; the xenomorph fell to the river ground, and she took the chance to freeze it with the water before going over to the petite agent of death as quickly as she could.

She saw the Soul Reaper holding her Zanpakutou to help her walk, holding her body upward as best as she could.

"I assume you have a plan," Ichigo went to her side.

"I do. You have to become a Soul Reaper," The Reaper said with a shaky breath.

"Good pla- Wait, what?!"

They took a pause when they heard angry howling from the xenomorph.

"Again, what? Is that even possible?"

"In theory, it gave a temporary boost of spiritual power so you can defeat the Hollow. Run the point of this Zanpakutou to the center of your being, and I'll pour my power into you." The Soul Reaper grunted in pain, and her knees met the ground, "We don't have much time, my injury doesn't heal as well as I hoped."

"Yeah, I should give you more morphine..." Ichigo grimaced.

The Reaper chuckled, "I'm sorry I dragged you into this. I sensed your power, and I knew if I could just give you enough boost, you could finish this. Though... I don't know what's going to happen to you as you get introduced to a Soul Reaper's spiritual energy-"

"I'll do it," Ichigo put her hand on the reaper's shoulder, "Tell me what should I do."

"Point this sword to the center of your being," The Soul Reaper said as she unsheathed her sword, "Then I'll transfer my power to you."

She could've said that she was going to stab me with it.

"Alright, let's do this."

In the background, the xenomorph Hollow freed itself from its frozen cage, looking around wildly to spot its prey, and as it finally found them, it ran toward them.

"What's your name, human?" The Soul Reaper started.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, how about you, Soul Reaper?"

"I'm Rukia Kuchiki."

Ichigo could feel her flesh being pierced, and the world suddenly turned white.

The xenomorph Hollow got pushed back by the blast of spiritual energy.

Fray smirked under his templar helmet, "Ah... and so the gear of Fate shall crank again."

Rukia closed her eyes when the white light appeared, and when it died down, she noticed her attire was completely white, signifying her lack of spiritual power.

"The human... Ichigo?"

She searched the perimeter and found no Ichigo. 

Fray turned to greet a beautiful woman in a white-purplish kimono who arrived at the subconscious,

"Hello, it seems I'll be accompanying you for the time being. What's your name, little snow?"

"I t's... Sode no Shirayuki."

"I see, call me Fray. Come, we'll keep you safe."

The Hollow that was unconscious courtesy of Rukia's blow slowly rose from his slumber only to be pinned down by a figure descending from the sky.

Ichigo Kurosaki now stood in black shihakushō to that of a Soul Reaper.

She whistled.

The xenomorph Hollow was intrigued by the noise and charged at her.

A katana appeared on Ichigo's hand; the sheath was royal blue, decorated in red and gold ginko and maple leaf. She unsheathed the katana; for a second, the metal blade glinted black in the moonlight. In one swing, she sliced the arm that trying to reach her; the Hollow roared in pain at the loss of one of his claws.

She waited for no payback as she swung her sword vertically, easily cutting the Hollow in half. It disappeared in a particle of darkness.

Then stabbed the Hollow down her feet before it could do anything, right on the mask.

Rukia was somewhat entranced by the display of easy kills when sometimes she had difficulty defeating them. She thought Ichigo would radiate a regular Reiryoku, but there is something different... And she never felt anything like it.

It had been a while since Ichigo felt so light, she looked at the sword in her hand in a trance and broke a smile.

"Ha... Now I've done it."

Then, the world tilted.

Chapter Text

Ichigo tunes out Merlin's complaints about not contacting him immediately after receiving his email address while lightly chewing a stem of sour grass flower and watching Fray with a white-themed lady in a pale kimono; who is Rukia Kuchiki's Zanpakutou Spirit apparently; explaining every type of flowers to her as a part of doing a good job of teaching her to ignore the resident perverted wizard.

Ichigo mumbled something at Merlin, it came out unclear because of the plant in her mouth, and the wizard whined again.

"I said I don't have a phone!" She spat out the flower at Merlin.

"And why don't you have a phone?" Merlin dodges the flower being spat at him with ease.

"I don't have money!"

What does he expect? Ichigo is back as a fifteen-year-old with pocket money as an income.

Merlin harrumphed and finally gave up with his arguing, an attempt that ended up hilariously one-sided.

After the pointless arguing about the phone, Ichigo decided to experiment with the power that was triggered by last night's incident. She willed the katana —Zanpakutou— to appear in her hand; the sword felt familiar in her hand, but its appearance was different; a mixed appearance to be exact—As if taking the glamour out of Rukia's Zanpakutou and the katana that is forged by Sengo Muramasa at the core.

So far, the triggered power had no side effect, although getting stabbed then suddenly clad in a shihakushō begged a lot of questions. While it was obvious that a Zanpakutou is not a normal weapon, it seems that Soul Reaper's uniforms are not a normal set of garments—it is most likely Mystic Codes of some sort. 

"Excuse me, are you the owner of this Inner World?" The Zanpakutou spirit approached Ichigo.

The one being asked tilts her head to the side questioningly at the unknown term of a world within a subconscious. This Inner World must be a term that Soul Reapers use.

"No, we’re metaphorically here because of this guy," Ichigo pointed at the sulking Merlin, "Loves to hijack people's dreams. If an Inner World is a projected view of oneself, then no, this isn't that. You got roped in because I absorbed you from Rukia."

Wow, that sounds weird. Really? Absorb? Ichigo scolded herself inwardly. The spirit lady is not a vitamin!

"Yes... I suppose," The Spirit nodded numbly, "Then what is this place?"

Ichigo glanced at Merlin for permission to reveal Avalon and got a head shake.

"Sorry, you're not allowed to know."

The spirit then hung his head numbly.

"Are you angry? It's alright, you have every reason to be angry with me for taking you away from your Master."

"No, it's just... Just as Rukia-dono can't wield me in this state, neither can you. We Zanpakutou Spirits are born with their master, as you are not my original master, I'm afraid I can't be much of some help to you."

Ichigo chuckled at the fact that the spirit lady would be the biggest disappointment in the current matter. "You're humble, I'll give you that. But never expect me to wield m'lady-"

"Ooooh, you said m'lady, neeeer-"

Ichigo elbowed Merlin in the stomach.

"I'm not your master; I'm not your anything. Don't give me your true name, I don't have the right. A bond between a Master and a Spirit is sacred, and I will never sully such things. Besides, I have Fray."

The spirit lady looked back at the Templar Knight who standing vigil on a field of flowers, seemingly doing nothing, with curiosity.

"Oh, he's your Zanpakutou spirit?"

"No, not a Zanpakutou spirit. Though he is a spirit...of a sort."

"Of a sort?"

"He's an Ego Spirit, to be exact. Materializing after I partake in a... It doesn't matter, it's a long story." The spirit looked completely underwhelmed. Ichigo smiled reassuringly, "You'll be fine here, there's no place safer than this field of flowers, Little Snow... Or maybe I should call you Yuki."

The spirit— newly dubbed Yuki is taken aback by the nickname, "How did you know that I wield the element of ice?"

"I've met enough Beings with element streak such as you," Ichigo twirled the sword, resting it on her shoulder, "The name's is Ichigo Kurosaki, Yuki-san. And don't worry, I'm pretty much very confident with my skills."

"Oy, what about me? Don't forget about me! Ichigo, I don't have friends to have a chat with!" Merlin whined.

That killed the mood instantly.

Ichigo decked him by the head with the butt of her sword.

"Yuki-san, I hope you're paying attention to what Fray instructed you about this guy."

"Uh..."

"It seems like the criteria for becoming a Grand Caster is losing their common sense. Here's a thought, since you're bored and you used to catfish Romani, why not catfish other people then? Like Waver or some random Magus in the Mage Association."

Unfortunately, Merlin's preference for dealing with humans is akin to a child who is picky with their food.

"Why would I catfish the Alexander fanboy of all people? He's boring!"

Ichigo was certain that the moment she got her phone, Merlin was going to spam her mailbox.

"Not because he's not your fanboy?" Ichigo huffed at Merlin's childishness, "Well, sorry that not everyone can be a fan of Magi-Bloody-Mari! You know what, I'm not going to get a cellphone. The day I have one, you're gonna spam my mailbox nonstop!"

She said as she stomped away 

"B-But... ICHIGOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"GOODBYE, MERLIN!"

Yuki blinked in befuddlement when Ichigo popped out of existence from the flower field.

"Uh... Where did Ichigo-san disappear to?"

Fray appeared beside her, looking at her funny, "She's not disappearing, she's waking up."

Ichigo caressed the spot on her healed cheek where the xenomorph beast's red blast narrowly snicked it and almost wondered whether last night was real or not. It was not just because she met the Soul Reaper's Zanpakutou Spirit in Avalon, it also because she is cursed to remember, always has been.

Being carried by someone unknown after she blacked out is making her skin crawl; the paranoia she built up over the years reacts badly. Although waking up in her bed exactly before her father's usual antics set the alarm off a little bit. It could be her father who carried her home... Or someone else, the one that was watching her.

That red streak...

Outside battle, one of her training was to sharpen her perception. One reason why warriors in the old days were often paranoid is that they made themselves like that. If one is good enough, it is borderline clairvoyance. But this is not a fifty-fifty chance guessing game; someone is watching her, and whoever that is, they are dangerous.

Ichigo exhaled in defeat at the lack of traces of the dangerous figure and examined her clothes. It is the same old T-shirt and blue cotton that she wore as she went to bed; no sign of shihakushō.

She looked at the date; it was exactly tomorrow after the incident.

Then, checking the clock, it was one and a half hours before school started.

She sighed. Time to be a teenager.

Ichigo couldn't help but bury her head in her hand when she heard the whole gossip about the destroyed playground, thinking that there was an earthquake, but everyone was too sleepy to even notice. Sure, she knew that living in a country with frequent earthquakes does make one numb to the danger, yet if the disaster is that severe, the sirene would have rung. Sometimes, she could not believe how unaware people can be.

The day has not even started, and she already feeling tired courtesy of the nonsense.

And speaking of nonsense...

"What are you doing here?"

The approaching Rukia Kuchiki is caught off guard as she is more likely trying to pry Ichigo's attention in a mean way.

"How do you-" The depowered reaper hissed.

"Oh, Ichigo, you know the transfer student already?" Keigo, an old friend since middle school, asked with a high amount of interest.

Ichigo's eyes squinted a bit at the transfer student cover-up. While it is true that Rukia is wearing the Karakura High School uniform, an otherworldly denizen enrolling as a high schooler in the middle of the semester is bizarre.

"We met at a drugstore yesterday, said she's new in town."

"At a drugstore?" Keigo frowned, "Not that pharmacy that got robbed during the earthquake?"

"There's more than one pharmacy in this town, Keigo." Ichigo, the robber of the said pharmacy, rolled her eyes.

Keigo then offered a handshake to Rukia enthusiastically.

"Hi! I'm Keigo Asano. Don't mind Ichigo, she must've been a bore to talk to. Consider me your new friend!"

Ichigo snorted out loud.

Rukia is simply unenthused.

"Nice to meet you, Keigo Asano-san. Excuse me, but I must talk to Ichigo."

Rukia dragged Ichigo out of her seat, leaving Keigo's outstretched hand hanging.

***

"Aw, not even one day and you're becoming a heartbreaker new transfer student. You don't have to leave him hanging."

Rukia pulled Ichigo to the school's backyard. Ah, yes, totally a safe area for High School students to have their otherworldly-themed conversations about monsters and magic swords.

"Don't make a scene, you idiot!" Rukia chastised.

"Hey, I caught your act immediately, if anyone here is making a scene, it's you." Ichigo folded her arms, "Interesting that you're solid now. That body can't be real. Let me guess; sulphur, salt, mercury?" 

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Nothing. Keep your secret."

Based on the petite reaper's reaction, Ichigo is certain that Rukia has no idea about the fake body she is wearing, meaning said body is provided by someone else. Sulfur equals the soul, salt equals the body, and lastly, mercury equals the mind; one of the most basic doctrines of Alchemy and a homunculus body was made with these ingredients for it is the same element within the human body.

Whoever crafted Rukia's fake body is a genius, for it is able to synchronize with the Being that she is.

Though she does look restless.

"I know you got me over here not for a simple chit-chat, so what's the problem?" 

"I can't contact my Zanpakutou spirit," Rukia said dejectedly.

"Snow-themed dress code, with long white hair, and wearing a purple shitake hairpin?"

"You met her? How is that possible? No one can communicate with a Zanpakutou Spirit unless the Master themselves!" 

I blame Merlin. "It's not that I have my way. My friend had no sense of privacy, he's the one who made me meet your Zanpakutou Spirit."

"That's... I never heard that someone could do something like that. Is he a Spellcaster like you?"

"You could say that. Unfortunately, he's a shut-in. That's why he created a spell that can connect consciousness to relay information. Your Zanpakutou is fine, by the way, although I do recommend you retrieve her as fast as you can since he's...can be quite a degenerate."

"I'm trying. While I'm not completely losing all of my power, I'm not even half of what a Soul Reaper should be." Rukia said dismissively, "What I did was against the law of Soul Society..."

There is always a risk in the act of transferring powers, if Rukia just gave her a small portion, it would come back pretty fast. Unfortunately, the person she chooses to give her power to is Ichigo, there is like ninety-nine percent guarantee not according to plan if it involves her.

The one percent was her luck of plain stubbornness in refusing to die.

Ichigo lamented how enjoyable her life had been.

"Can it be the other way around? You transferred your power from a reaper to a human, how about a human to a reaper?"

Rukia's face shifted to consideration, "You know what, I don't see why not. Okay, I'm going to-" She was going to put on the glove that was able to separate body and Soul, only to be startled when Ichigo whipped out a sword that was seemingly her Zanpakutou out of thin air, "How... Did you just-...."

Ichigo shrugged, "I'm full of surprises."

They quickly took a position from last night when Rukia had trusted her Zanpakutou to Ichigo's chest, except this time their position was switched.

Ichigo took one look at Rukia and asked if she was ready. When she got a nod, she poured spiritual energy onto the blade and pushed it forward. Instead of the blindingly white light, they went flying in an opposite direction as if they both crashed into a bouncy wall. Sprawling on the grass, both whined their pain out.

"What the Hell...?" Rukia got up and checked her center, her uniform was not nicked at all, the blade refused to go through, "Ichigo, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Ichigo grunted as she got up too, "What was that?"

"I have no idea."

A deafening silence is down upon them.

Rukia recovered faster.

"Well, I guess I have to use my original plan after all," She pointed at Ichigo with a gusto, "Ichigo Kurosaki, I want you to take over my duty as a Soul Reaper until my powers get back!"

"Excuse me, what?"

"You take over my duty as a Soul Reaper, fair exchange, right? You took my power, you do my job."

Fair exchange, right? No, you absolute simpleton! Contact your superior!

Rukia broke one of the laws of her organization, and she wants the other accomplices to continue the illegal action?!

"Are you sure this is okay? What if we get caught?" Ichigo is worried about the trial that is going to happen if being found out.

"We're already this deep, there's no turning back," Rukia then pushed Ichigo's Soul out of her body. 

"Holy shit..." Ichigo looked at her own slumbering body on the grounds as she was a Soul; wearing the Soul Reaper shihakushō and a katana on her side, "This is forced employment!"

"Come on, we got a Hollow to slay!" Rukia grabbed her accomplices by the collar.

"Wait, what about my body? We can't just leave my body here! People are going to think I'm dead! Rukia! RUKIA!"

Hollows are a race of creatures born from human souls that stay too long in the land of the living. They settle in Hueco Mundo (Spanish?), and they can cross over to the human world. To slay a Hollow, one must cut their skull and head in two with a Zanpakutou, their sin is purified, and they end up in Soul Society.

Much to Ichigo's dismay, Soul Reaper did not summon their uniform or their weapon like some kind of magical girl show. Zanpakutou is given during their academy days in the form of an Asauchi 'a nameless sword', and a shihakushō is given when they become an officer. Not everyone can manifest a Zanpakutou spirit, and it was considered rare for an academy student to do so, even a full-fledged Soul Reaper. 

An interesting notion. This means that Zanpakutou was created by someone who can forge a weapon that is capable of affecting Spiritual Beings since not everyone can wield, own, or inherit weapons forged supernaturally, not surprising since this was no Age of Gods, and for the record, some of the Gods took a precaution to the Heros they bestowed upon to return said weapon; such as Arjuna with his Gandiva. The thought of someone who can create a weapon to pour oneself into power and give birth to a new personality is no joke. It is the phrase 'sword is an extension of swordman's limb' being implemented quite literally.

"Are the Hollow called Hollow because of the trademark hole?" Ichigo asked her bokken crossed with her opponent.

"It's been called like that for a long time," Rukia breathed heavily as she tried to score a point from the spar.

Ichigo was not going to comment on how uncreative the word that Soul Reaper uses for the beast is, as if calling them empty and having no feeling whatsoever. The closest creatures she can pull off from a legend similar to a Hollow are Ghouls, which she used to fight a lot during her Chaldea days. Religious Servants like St. Martha or Suanzang always pray for the Ghouls after slaying them, so they find the route to Heaven because, allegedly, they are a creature that fails to become humans. She hoped that next time, they could finally become one themselves.

If Rukia's word about Hollow being called that for a long time was true, it means the epithet is specifically region-locked to Soul Society.

"Did you exorcise a little girl with twin tail hair recently?"

"I did. Yesterday."

"Oh good, I was supposed to bring her flowers. I got worried when I never saw her again, guess she's in a better place now."

If Soul Society is one such peaceful place...

Maybe not because schools still exist there.

Ichigo could feel Rukia was assessing her like an unidentified object, underlying that frustration of trying to beat her in swordsmanship. To be fair, she does not blame the Soul Reaper, who told her everything about her job, her home, and the organization system she worked for, yet Ichigo did not tell her anything about herself. Or even explain what a Spellcaster is. The problem was, it was not her whom she was worried about, it was Rukia.

Being in Chaldea, which was built by a Magus, made her carry some habits that Magus has; such as being overkill with secrets. They do not hesitate to have their hands on an exotic specimen, and a Soul Reaper like Rukia is a literal jackpot. There are two strong possibilities: imprisonment or experimentation. 

"You're good," Rukia breathed hard.

"Thank you."

"No, you're more than good. Ichigo, you're a master swordsman!"

Ichigo is staring with uncertainty. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well-"

"Ichigo?" 

Ichigo and Rukia jolted to the source of the voice.

Orihime Inoue is carrying groceries, her hand in a bandage and her leg marked by a bruise that screams foul. Yet she ran toward the two who were engaged in a sword spar as if she never got hurt in the first place. Injuries inflicted by Hollows could be mistaken as an accident, though, knowing how much of an airhead Orihime is, and as she could not see the Hollow... Yeah, Ichigo could imagine what she said to the doctor. Orihime is not a girl who can make up stuff as simple as falling in the bathroom. No, she made the tale of the fake incident as weird as she possibly could.

"You were late for afternoon class today, Ichigo," Orihime then saw the activities between the two Soul Reapers were much more interesting, "What are you two doing?"

"I was asleep on the roof," Ichigo said, not mentioning the Hollows' extermination session in the afternoon, "And I'm helping Rukia train. She's a Kendo athlete, so she needed a sparring partner to keep her sharp."

"Wow! Kuchiki-san, you're an athlete, that's amazing!"

In response, Rukia smiled brightly while secretly sending glares to Ichigo who ignored the emanating bad aura, and took more interest in looking at the ingredients inside Orihime's grocery bag; there were leeks, chicken, curry blocks, eggs, potato, some oranges, and apples; classic Japanese curry by the looks of it, unless the girl decided to elevate her cooking in a sideway...again.

Why Orihime is so stubborn about putting random things in her cooking never ceases to amaze Ichigo. It is not that she forbids Orihime's creativity; it is a sad thing when the food is served and it does not taste good. Considering her living conditions, she has no choice but to eat it.

"What happened to your arm?" 

"I got hit by a car yesterday." 

Ichigo was almost disturbed by the indifference of emotion in the answer.

"And your leg?"

"It got hit by a car last night."

"You did? There's a recent reckless driver in Karakura that I didn't know."

Now, Orihime looked conflicted.

The probability of someone getting hit by a car twice a day is extremely low in a small town like Karakura. Through the foul residue energy emanating from the wounds, it was clear that Orihime was attacked by a Hollow, judging by the numerous incidents, a Hollow that specifically targeted her.

Ichigo glanced at Rukia, who looked at Orihime's injured leg. Just how long does the petite Soul Reaper want to keep acting?

"Hmm, it seems to be painful," Rukia, still going with the act.

"Huh? Oh yeah, the one in the legs hurt so much more than my arm," Orihime said, rather innocently.

Orihime please, you are killing me here. Ichigo inwardly face-palmed and bit her tongue not to comment, "Let's call it a day. Orihime, let's walk home together since the streets are so dangerous nowadays."

"Oh no, no! I-I can walk home by myself. Bye!"

The almond-haired girl stammered and scurried away until she was out of the picture.

"That kid, what am I going to do with her," Ichigo shook her head dismissively.

Rukia frowned at her, "What do you mean 'kid'? You're the same age as her."

Only to flinch when she got a mysterious smirk as a reply.

"Oh, am I?"

***

Getting inside the Kurosaki house was quite a fun business for Rukia since she had to break in through Ichigo's bedroom window, which was quite easy since the father was the distraction they needed. Ichigo simply knocked Isshin in the face per usual while Rukia slipped through. So Rukia's feet were dangling from a closet, wearing (stealing) Yuzu's pajamas, she and Ichigo were freshly out of the shower as they are both girls and had no worries about indecency.

While Ichigo allowed Rukia to stay in her closet as a makeshift bed, the whole shenanigans made her think the petite reaper was somewhat of an unapologetic raccoon, which was more fitting than the rabbit Rukia loved to draw. 

"So, that Orihime girl, are you close to her?"

"No." 

Rukia frowned, "That's all?"

"I'm not exactly the nicest person to be around. Also, she liked me, which personally, made me uncomfortable."

"She liked you? Ha! Why would anyone have interest in you?" Rukia pointed mockingly.

"Why not? Besides, you don't even know me." Ichigo unflappably smirked before turning back to neutral, "Rather be a friend with her than anything, it's not healthy to feed the attraction anyway."

"Come on, it can't be that bad. She seems to be a pretty nice girl."

Oh, yeah, too nice, in fact. And not for a good reason...

There were a lot of reasons why Ichigo did not want to reciprocate Orihime; one was because she felt too old to have a teenage love life; two, Spellcaster was not officially a Magus, there was a chance of her getting involved; three, Orihime's not her type; and lastly, she refused to get the girl tangled with her family issues, especially her father.

"You're right, it can't be that bad, but who are you to decide? And rather than discussing my personal life, shouldn't you prioritize Orihime's injury that was caused by a Hollow?"

Rukia pursed her lips and took out her phone to check the report of Hollow activity in Karakura City.

In Ichigo's opinion, the said phone is outdated despite that it was a perfectly normal model in the current year, which is the early 2000s. Courtesy of SHEBA, Chaldea was able to equip itself with many future technologies, such as a holographic feature, touch screens, and telecommunication ear-pieces, which were not available widely for at least another decade. So, seeing a vintage phone, Ichigo cannot help but think classic.

The model gives Ichigo ideas on the phone she might want to purchase, but the money is still a problem.

"Say Rukia, did you get paid as a Soul Reaper?"

"We got an annual salary."

Has to be the same with how soldiers get paid.

"That's your only income?"

"Well, there's a bounty system. Some are quite notorious and hard to catch, we can get a reward for slaying them. If you are not dead in the process, that is."

"Ah, mercenary type of work. Question; is it like this Hollow?"

Rukia's phone suddenly beeped.

Ichigo caught the huge hand that went for her through the wall. 

The Hollow grunted in surprise.

It would be hard to fight the huge humanoid figure of a Hollow in a confined space, but Ichigo summoned her sword anyway. She shoved her sword onto the mask only to slip when the Hollow yanked back as hard as they could and made the cut a bit off.

They shrieked when the mask fell apart.

Ichigo widened in shock to see the face of Orihime's older brother, Sora Inoue.

Sora, still writhing in pain, slipped hurriedly from the wall he appeared, now nowhere to be seen.

"Damn, he got away!" Rukia gritted her teeth, "Why do you let him go?!"

Ichigo ignored being barked out.

Is there no Soul Reaper even bothered to send Sora Inoue to the afterlife?

This was not because Ichigo solely blamed the Soul Reaper or Soul Society; Death and Rebirth are Forces within the World that no man can control, unseen forces that are unlike nature, that are becoming less divine when handled by a bunch of people wielding magic swords.

She had no idea why Amaterasu or Izanami had not sent divine retribution to the Soul Reapers for making a mockery of Death. 

Ichigo took a long deep breath as Rukia kept bearing her and nudged her forehead playfully.

"Calm down, midget. You're not solving by kept berating me." Opening her bedroom window, perching at the edge, she says, "Coming? As I recall, you can't even... What was it? Shunpo?"

Rukia kept fuming as she hung like a koala on Ichigo.

Rukia thought that this must be what it feels like being carried around by someone shunpo-ing while conscious. The breeze that carried dust hit her face in a way she disliked. She almost doubted Ichigo could not catch a particularly new Hollow in the Seiretei database, but the human knew that Acidwire was going to enter her residence before the denreishinki sent a warning. Small-fry Hollow are notably hard to detect because of their already low reiatsu, and the most effective way to track them was by the trace of them traveling between dimensions, meaning Ichigo had a keener sense than Rukia could imagine.

"How...were you able to sense that Hollow? You react faster than the denreishinki," Rukia asked carefully.

"Instinct." 

Was Ichigo's short response.

Yet Rukia had a feeling that was not it.

They arrived at Orihime's apartment complex. Ichigo kicked the door to find Tatsuki Arisawa, her childhood friend, being choked to death by Sora, and Orihime shivered in fear in the corner. Her soul was out of her body, and the only thing that connected her with it was a long chain. 

... Is that a Fool's Chain?

"I gotta admit," She launched a kick at Sora, making him topple away from Tatsuki. "You got here pretty fast."

Sora swings his tail at Ichigo, then finds himself in shock as it is grabbed by a bare hand. She proceeds to haul him out of the apartment, destroying one side of the wall of Orihime's apartment. 

Uh, woops!

"That doesn't make any sense. He was able to go past through wall and now he can't?" 

"Ichigo, focus on the task at hand!" Rukia scolded.

"Ichigo, when did you get so strong?" Orihime exclaimed.

"Orihime you better stay right there, I'm going to knock some sense into your brother's slithering butt!"

Refraining from using the word 'ass' since this is still Sora Inoue, brother of the resident bubbly girl.

"Huh, what do you mean that that's my brother?"

Ichigo did not quite hear Orihime as she was already back in action, sword in hand.

"Ichigo, you idiot! If you're still in your body, everybody can see you!" Rukia shouted exasperatedly.

"You...You're the Ichigo Orhime's always talking about." Sora Inoue, or 'Acidwire' as Rukia's phone labeled him, growled menacingly, "You made Orihime abandon me!"

Ichigo is quiet. She took no action to fight the Hollow, simply resting her hand on the pommel of her sword.

"And that girl Tatsuki, after she met her, her prayers becoming less and less... I hate it, I hate it, I HATE IT!"

"The living kept moving forward, and the dead must let go, Sora Inoue," Ichigo finally lets out her voice.

"Why must you INTERFERRE!?"

"... Why must you keep interfering? You're dead, Sora-san."

"No, no, NO!" Sora became frantic.

"If you truly love Orihime, let her go."

"NOOOOOOOO!!!"

Ichigo heard Rukia shouting, questioning what she was doing. Orihime's low whimper and the sound of rage Sora emitted as he pounced at her.

"I only do this because you're Orihime's brother," She lifted her hand in the air, "You see, older siblings aren't supposed to hurt their little sibling."

The hand caught the smooth surface of a Hollow's mask ever so gently. Then, with her sword arm, Ichigo aligned her weapon at the center of the forehead and pushed forward...

Ever so gently...

Sora opened his eyes to a bright open space where everything never felt so clear in his life before. He looked down to see what he was wearing; it was the same white shirt, blue slacks, and coat from the day he got into an accident...

The same clothes that he wore on the day he died...

He touched his chest; the suffocating chain that was once dangling helplessly was non-existent. A flash of memory of the same chain that was on Orihime's chest sends a wave of guilt into his chest, for he knows he was the one who caused it.

"Sora Inoue."

Sora turned to see Ichigo Kurosaki, the girl that Orihime admired. She does not look like a teenager; instead, approaching him is a beautiful woman with a long mane of red hair that almost reaches the ground. She is taller than him, wearing a white robe and notably bare feet.

This was not the little girl of the Kurosaki Clinic nor the teenager that he had fought a few seconds ago.

"Are you really Ichigo Kurosaki?" Sora gaped in awe.

"Yes. I looked like the way you see me because of the nature of this space, where we are seen to the very core of our being; like how you're a simple man trying to make due in life, and me...probably a mix of how you recently see me and how I see myself, at least something that you can comprehend."

Sora scratched his chin, "Your core is...a priestess?"

Ichigo shrugged playfully, "I have no idea. What I see is the same as how I was outside this space."

"Oh..." Sora thought everything had just become so confusing, "What exactly is this space, though? I know I'm dead, so I guess this is a limbo."

"This is a space of exorcism, a technique that was taught to me. Here, we can communicate with the core of transformed spirits and hopefully make them willing to revert, and in your case, willing to pass on. I don't usually do this since it's much faster to beat them up. I make this exception because you're Orihime's brother."

"Y-You beat them up...?" Sora winced uncomfortably.

"Also, I always want to try this technique again anyway." Ichigo giggled, sitting down, and patted the space beside her, "So, what happened, Sora-san?"

Sora sat beside Ichigo, hugging both of his legs to his chest. He does not immediately speak.

"... I mean, I'm ready to go but... When I died, it turns out I didn't immediately move on. There was a lingering desire that I still have to protect Orihime. For years, I watched her grow, become independent, and make friends. Then I thought maybe it was time for me to go. So I'm trying to approach those people, they wore black and carried a sword and said they can send souls to the afterlife... But...."

"But?" Ichigo nudged him to continue.

"When one of them died fighting a monster and got eaten, I got scared. What's the point of asking for their help when they can't even defend themselves? So I just waited until the chain corroded away."

"And that's when you turned?"

"No... Those monsters dragged me into a place full of sand and forced me to change into one. As a monster, I couldn't control my emotions or desires, everything was just chaos, my memories distorted, and I was filled with hate. I didn't mean to hurt Orihime or her friends...but even as a monster, I don't want her to forget me."

Sora felt tears running down his cheeks. 

"This is all wrong. I don't understand. if I'm dead, then let me be dead! Why... Why is this happening to me?"

What is it that I've done so wrong in life that I've been denied death?

"Sora-san, what is it that you want?"

There was nothing Sora wanted right now than to go home. A home that was not of his lost human life. A home where his soul can finally rest, where he would not make any dumb decision anymore to intrude on his sister's life just because he became a monster. 

He wished for an end. An eternal end.

"I want to go home," Sora croaked.

"Then going home you shall."

Sora opened his eyes again to see that he was at his old apartment complex, where Orihime was the sole residence now. It was blown to bits courtesy of his monstrous act. From the rubble, he can see three pairs of eyes, one in shock and the other two in absolute wonder.

He felt saner. Whole. He was covered with this sheen of light. Instead of a monstrous form, he is human.

And... And he is holding hands with Ichigo. 

He blanched as his cheeks turned red quickly.

"Calm down Sora-san," Ichigo chuckled lightly, "I'm making you visible to the human eyes; it won't hold long; at least, it's enough for you to say some final words to Orihime." 

"I have no idea how you are doing this. I'm confused and grateful at the same time."

Ichigo smiled warmly, "I get that a lot."

By the looks of it, Rukia managed to heal Tatsuki's supernatural injury, though there were faint red marks on her neck. She also managed to shove Orihime back into her body. They came down from the apartment, getting closer to Ichigo and Sora.

Rukia is in absolute befuddlement and is going to interrogate Ichigo if she is not shushed by the girl in question, with an emphasis on the index finger in front of her mouth, telling her to be quiet.

"Sora-nii?" Orihime hesitatedly approached her brother.

Ichigo let go of Sora's hand, whispering to him to make the most of his last moment with his sister.

"Hi, Orihime, it's me."

Orihime extended her hand to confirm that what she saw was real and gasped when Sora caught her hand. It was strangely warm.

"Oh my God, this has been the weirdest day." Tatsuki looked like she was going to pull her hair off, "Is it normal for a family member to come back on their death anniversary?"

"No, truth be told, I was still around Arisawa-san." Sora joked.

"You know my name?" Tatsuki paled, "A ghost knows my name."

"Of course, I know your name. You're Orihime's first friend. She talked about you a lot," Sora's attention is back to his sister, "Look at how much you've grown, Hime. I'm glad that my little princess is doing well without me."

Orihime trembled, trying to hold off her tears, "I'm- I'm sorry if only I didn't yell at you that day-"

"Orihime, look at me, please."

Orihime looked up to see her brother's kind face. Her hand is now clasped with both of his hands, slightly grasping as if proving further that he is real, not a dream.

"None of that is your fault. Death was something we couldn't foresee. I bought you those hairpins because I simply think that they suit you, and I was right, the fact that you're always wearing it."

"I wore them to remember you."

"I know. I'm glad that you always remember me. I'm sorry for hurting you even when I've already passed. It shouldn't happen."

Orihime's shoulder is shaken, and she cannot help it anymore as she throws herself at her brother, embracing him.

"I-I'm just glad to get to see you again!"

Sora returned the embrace, "Me too."

Ichigo saw the edges of Sora's soul fraying, signing that he was going to disappear soon.

"Thank you, Ichigo Kurosaki. For giving me this last chance." 

Looks like Sora realized it, too.

"Farewell, Sora-san." Ichigo bowed respectfully.

Sora's form burst into a million lights like a firefly, and in his final words before he was gone...

"Goodbye, Orihime...and thank you...for loving me."

He dispersed into golden light, scattering it in the air.

After Sora was gone, the girls still stood there, whether they needed to process or wait for Orihime out of respect. 

Ichigo assessed the damage of the apartment, grimacing at the cost, and wondered why other people were not disturbed by the commotion. Also, what the fuck with the security system of that apartment? The fire alarm should have at least blared and potentially disturbed the whole neighborhood.

What sort of bystander effect was this?

Everyone was alerted when Orihime shifted from her position, wiping her finally streaming tears with the back of her hand.

"When my brother got me these hairpins, for some reason I hated it. It was our first fight, we ate dinner without saying a word, we both slept facing the wall, and for the first time, I didn't say anything to him as he left for work... What does it have to be that day? Am I selfish?"

"No, Hime. You're not selfish. I don't think so, it's-" Tatsuki tried to find the right word to comfort her friend, "Well, life is just like that, I guess..."

Orihime did not hate the hairpins she got from Sora. She was conscious of their economic life that she thought it would be better if her brother did not buy such a thing for her and also the fear of the inability to 'repay' such a gift, as she was a little kid who could not do anything. Sure, if they talked about it with controlled emotion, they could resolve the misunderstanding.

The bleak truth is that life worked in tandem with death. No one can predict when their loved ones will be taken away from them.

Ichigo knows that by heart.

"Life..." Orihime contemplated, "Hey, guys-"

Rukia clicks a lighter, and it puffs out smoke -and a silly springy-toy(?)- in front of Orihime and Tatsuki's faces as they instantly fall asleep...on the street.

"And here I thought you don't have your own brand of nonsense, Rukia," Ichigo face-palmed, her fatigue starting to catch up to her, "Could you at least wait to do whatever that shit in a safe space instead of the middle street?!"

"My own brand of nonsense? How about your brand of nonsense?!" Rukia was affronted, "You're risking people seeing being a Soul Reaper and doing that unknown thing to that Hollow! Do you know how risky that is?!"

"The worst people would assume I'm flailing a katana around is that I'm part of some criminal organization!" A K A. The Yakuza. And people have assumed Ichigo was part of it even before she wields a sword, "Are you seriously not recognizing how weird your workplace is? This is Karakura! People here would simply look away if they saw a supernatural incident!" 

Ichigo and Rukia kept arguing while also putting Orihime and Tatsuki back into the destroyed apartment. Luckily, Orihime's bedroom did not take any damage. They laid them there, covering them with blankets so they would not get cold courtesy of the living room being open air; after all, closing the bedroom door would not be enough.

They do not have to worry about authorities asking for details later because Rukia's weird device is apparently a memory-changing tool. Which is awfully convenient despite the replaced memories can be random.

Ichigo could not help but have a bad feeling about the random memories.

As random as pigs flying in the sky!

The next day at school, Ichigo can only call bullshit on Rukia's memory-changing tool. Rukia did not say that when she says random, it means it could be anything because none of the said replacement memories make sense!

That device is super useless!

"It's true, a sumo wrestler came over and shot a bazooka at the wall! Right, Tatsuki-chan?" Orihime said to the other classmates and tugged at Tatsuki.

"Eh...uh yeah, I think so...?" Tatsuki cocked her head to the side, not sure about it herself.

Ichigo wanted to hide in the corner when listening to them.

Chapter Text

It has been several weeks after the incident that made Ichigo safe keeping Rukia's power and she started to get suspicious about her whole situation. Contrary to the petite Reaper's belief, not once -not even a pinch!- Ichigo even used Rukia's trademark power. Now, like a belligerent child who does not want to go home from playing in the ball pit, it refused to return to its master. Not that Yuki is at fault. There is something fundamentally wrong here.

Ichigo guessed that Rukia was not the keenest observer out there. The Soul Reaper should have investigated what was going on with her, on why her power was not returning, and yet she lounging around in Karakura as some sort of vacation. She might be worried but no action is tactfully taken.

Yuki, the Zanpakutou Spirit, is getting restless and frustrated that Ichigo pities her. She should tell her situation so her master can realize how deep her problem is.

Soul Reaper duties also give Ichigo burnout for how a droning task killing Hollow is. Do not get her wrong, it is a noble duty but she used to janitorial far more extreme so do not blame her that the schtick is getting old.

That is why she does not have concrete energy at school, especially when dealing with Rukia and her human-life dilemma.

Such as how she does not know how to insert a straw into a juice box.

"Hey, Ichigo, how do I drink this?"

Ichigo, crouching on the ground and too lazy to explain, grabbed the juice box, poking the straw at the designated hole before giving it back to Rukia. Hopefully, the depowered Soul Reaper is paying attention.

They are currently situated on the school rooftop for a lunch break. It is a place where they can just launch into the sky whenever they want if there is a Hollow around without getting noticed. Well, most of the time. Some of Ichigo's Middle School friends sometimes used the rooftop as a getaway place too, it was not like she was going to make them scram; it was a public area, and they had the right to.

Mizuiro and Keigo come in, and from the way they are looking at Rukia, it is obvious that they are going to start to flirt.

"You two get along so well, how unlike you Ichigo, making friends this fast," Mizuiro said with his trademark condescending tone.

Condescending, not in a bad way. He just thinks he is cooler because his types are older women.

"Practice." Ichigo chimed. Chaldea has its perks.

Ichigo knows that many of her friends are guys because most girls think of her as a brute and have no general feminine interest. Tatsuki is an exception since she is a Karate athlete and taught Orihime martial arts. She is a bit of an odd duck because her feminine interest is the equivalent of a Victorian woman, like painting and embroidery, even she was surprised that she enjoyed those kinds of hobbies; even more surprised that she can be good at them.

If she was planning to go shopping, in the end, what she only did was probably run to the bookstore, then buy some food and go home. Shopping for clothes or accessories was a hit or miss most of the time.

Feminine interest... Wait until they see her in a dress, dancing the Waltz on the dance floor with the man of her dreams... If she can raise Edmond from the dead, that is!

Now, where is the Holy Grail when you need one?

Mizuiro sits between Rukia and Ichigo.

"Hello, Rukia Kuchiki-san, I'm Mizuiro Kojima. Age fifteen and my hobby is-"

"Womanizing," Ichigo rolled her eyes and cut his cheap flirting.

Mizuiro, faking gasping, said, "Ichigo, you're horrible! You know I'm only interested in older girls."

"That's why I told her to watch out."

Mizuiro throws her a confused look.

Rukia is very much older than anyone in the area. Ichigo had to guess she was around a hundred, judging by the rind in her aura. If she had to pull a comparison, she had to guess that Soul Reapers aged like the elves from Lord of the Rings.

Loosely, if Mizuiro is aware of Ichigo's 'past', technically she is his type too. But that is a can of worms she is unwilling to open.

"That's strange, Chad's not here yet," Keigo Asano commented as he looked around, "He usually with you here first."

Ichigo too, just realized that her best friend is not here yet.

"I don't know, I haven't seen him all da-"

"Wow, it's the beautiful transfer student Rukia Kuchiki! Why is she here? Ichigo, when did you become friends with her?" Keigo swiftly changed the topic as if he had recently been diagnosed with ADHD, effectively cutting off Ichigo's sentences.

"... A few days ago," Ichigo slurped her juice box till it was empty, creating a croaked sound of uncared, and gripping it hard till it flattened, then successfully throwing it to the nearest bin.

Keigo looked like he was going to preach about Rukia's beauty before someone kneed him on the back.

Ichigo catches him so he does not hit the ground and levels a stare at the resident school goons again, who never learn that it is useless fighting her.

"Oshima, I see your suspension is lifted."

"Cut the crap Kurosaki, when are you going to dye your hair?! You're copying me!" The goon’s leader, Oshima chortles annoyingly.

"Copying you? My hair has been like this since I was born, I say you're the one copying me, chicken head," Ichigo practically ignored him when he bristled, like a kitten, and merely continued, "Try rainbow, it'll suit you better."

Oshima chuckled darkly, he went to his pocket and took out an iron knuckle.

"Bringing a weapon to school? There you go for your extended suspension."

Ichigo glances at Oshima's friend, who cowers when he meets her eyes, and shrugs in defeat, knowing he cannot change his friend's mind.

That is why no one flinches when Oshima is suddenly flung away like a ragdoll, rolling somewhere around the corner, it is like they silently expect it to happen by the newly arrived Sado 'Chad' Yasutora.

He was not just a best friend of Ichigo, he was her comrade, against these people who prejudiced them for being biracial. Chad is half-Mexican, while Ichigo—Well, her mother did say the Kurosaki has Scottish-German roots. Masaki Kurosaki does not elaborate further on their family lineage, but it kind of explains where Ichigo got her red hair and Yuzu's dirty blonde hair.

Ichigo noticed that Chad's right arm and head were bandaged. The injury does not give off a glaring Hollow scent like Orihime’s, however, he does carry off a lingering trace of it. She knew Chad did not have a relative who died many years ago, aside from his grandfather. The difference is from Sora, Chad's grandfather, who was buried in Mexico, and even if he did haunt his grandson, following Chad to Japan would be almost impossible.

Ghosts do not travel if their bodies are properly buried. Ichigo knows because Chad told her about his grandfather's funeral rites, and considering how Mexican culture views death, they are sacred.

"What happened to you Chad?" Keigo asked.

"Yesterday, a steel beam from above, and when I went to buy bread, I collided with a motorcycle," Chad said neutrally, "The guy with the bike was seriously injured, so I took him to the hospital."

Ichigo raised one of her eyebrows in contemplation, surviving a falling steel beam is beyond normal human capacity. For many years, she has been friends with Chad, and she just realized it now. Chad was born with the hardest and the boniest body that a human could ever get, almost like a walking shield. Her best friend's body condition is similar to the story of Ferdiad with his tough-as-rock body.

That can't be a coincidence.

"So that's why you were late..." Keigo just bought it.

Yeah, of course, he bought it. Aside from Ichigo's abnormality, Chad's abnormality is infamous in Karakura's delinquent rumor mill.

"You brought a bird." Ichigo pointed to Chad's new little friend that is in a birdcage; it is a cockatiel, "You do love your small animals-"

"Hello, my name is Yuuichi Shibata, nice to meet you! What are your names?" The little bird said with a singing tone.

What. The. Fuck.

Ichigo blinked in shock at the little bird who spoke perfect full sentences. It is normal for a parrot or cockatoo family to speak, but the mannerism is more of copying what humans mostly said. The little bird's grammar is tidy, as if he knows how to speak normal human speech.

Oh, I see. I suppose that's normal for a bird to possess the Soul of a little boy.

That explains Chad's injuries, then. The Hollow was not targeting Chad, it was targeting this bird.

"Hello, little birdy. I'm Ichigo, Chad's best friend," She played along.

"Nice mister, have a best friend?" The bird whistled in joy.

"Yes, he does~!" Ichigo whistled back.

Her friends watched their interaction amusedly (except Rukia, the party pooper) and started to interact with the avian/toddler too, not knowing the morbid truth of it.

Later that night, Ichigo and Rukia were shadowing Chad from a tree near his house. Never thought Ichigo would do this to her best friend in her entire lifetime. She feels bad about it, and what is even more not helping, it has been an hour and there are no signs of Hollow. Her sixth sense was not catching anything, and Rukia's phone was not beeping for information either.

The Hollow is smarter than she thought. They know Soul Reapers more than any Hollow she has encountered.

"Tell me something," Rukia, deciding that tonight was a bust, fixed her sitting posture on a tree branch to be more leisurely, "What makes you think that the technique you did yesterday would work on  Sora Inoue? You know you can't always redeem every Hollow." 

Ichigo snorted, thinking the remark was funny, "Redeem? Oh, I know well I can't redeem anyone, redemption is about oneself effort." 

"Then why?"

"I don't know. Probably because he's Orihime's brother," Ichigo shrugged blasely, "I used to deal with creatures of mindless hunger other than Hollow, and most of the time, I do fight them since to survive, that's faster than exorcism. Some of my mentors call it a mercy to end their mindless hunger. Connecting with them one last time before exorcising them tends to be hit or miss," A trait that is common on Biblical and Christian Heroic Spirits; Martha, St. George, Amakusa; yet even they have their violence streak, "I simply think Orihime would be happy that I connect her with her brother one last time. I'm a sap like that."

"You have multiple mentors?" Rukia took an interest in that, "I have seen you fight; you know swordsmanship, martial arts, and tactics. You gave most talented Soul Reapers a run for their money."

"They tend to give a run of sanity too." Ichigo said with fondness, "One of them used to whack monsters with her staff and launch her huge turtle pet as a projectile."

"Huh... That's sure strange."

More stranger when on 'vacation mode', Martha goes full boxing with her Jacob's Limb, a martial art passed down by the prophet Moses himself, to beat the beach monsters to death. Good thing Ichigo stopped trying to make sense of those random beach Singularities, otherwise, she might have gone crazy first. Follows Martha's advice, "Just roll with the punches!”

"Yeah, but they're mostly gone. I know one is alive, away on another continent."

Ichigo gave a solemn expression so Rukia could believe she was sad about their passing.

Like chronologically gone, remembered as historical figures, and technically immortal on the Throne of Heroes. Sure, she missed them, but she was not that sad since they were most likely watching her from the Throne of Heroes. Jackasses probably laughing at her too.

If she wants to visit master Scáthach, most likely, she has to find the portal for the Land of Shadows to meet her.

Merlin is alive to,o and does count as her teacher... Unfortunately.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

It is not a lie, just a half-truth. Which is also a half-lie. 

"Maybe you can meet them someday in Soul Society."

That optimistic state almost made Ichigo burst out laughing. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to prevent it.

"Maybe." Doubt it. "Anyway, I guess this is a bust, let us get back so we can continue tomorrow." 

"Still... You didn't answer me about the unknown technique."

Ichigo got up from the tree branch that was her seat, giving Rukia a mischievous look.

"Keep asking the question, then."

The next day, when Ichigo came back from school, she was greeted by a busy clinic. Turns out there was an accident at the intersection near the house. Her dad was making calls to the Karakura Hospital for more beds since the clinic's equipment was limited. It was kind of awkward dissociating in the hallway, watching gurneys come and go.

... The blood...it's like that time after Chaldea got bombed.

"Nee-san, help me. This one is heavy!"

Yuzu's voice snapped Ichigo out of her trance. As fast as she could she reached her sister, thinking that something had happened to her. Much to her relief, she is glad that Yuzu's fine, then flaring up again as she spots Chad covered in blood. This time, a foul stench of Hollow emitted from him. She immediately took over, lifting her best friend onto a free bed.

(Not knowing Yuzu practically bulged her eyes out seeing her sister able to lift an equivalent of a full-grown man.)

Ichigo forced Chad to sit and took his shirt off in one swift movement. On his back was a peculiar foul wound that was shaped like a stomp of a velociraptor, blood oozing from the wound—it looked like a terrible burn. She cleaned the wound, making sure to stop the bleeding, before applying the bandage.

Her attention then goes toward the cockatiel that is placed on the table, which is strange; that bird is here, and yet the Hollow did not approach whatsoever. This one is way too clever; the Hollow is aiming for the soul inside the bird, and it attacks Chad because he is protecting the target.

She noticed her father steal a look at the bird before going back to deal with the other patients and internally scoffed.

"Ichigo, I need to-"

Chad is being shushed and startled when Ichigo lifts him in bridal style, grabs the birdcage, and moves at an inhuman speed. 

They went to the back of the laundry room, where no one could disturb them.

"Okay, I'm going to cut to the chase. It's a ghost stuff."

Chad raised his eyebrows high. He knew that Ichigo claimed that she could see ghosts, which he had difficulty believing since he could not see ghosts himself. But Ichigo is his best friend, and she particularly dislikes lying in cases like this. If she was in a chance with him, she sometimes pointed out the ghosts that dwell around them, sometimes they are people who died, and sometimes they are something else.

Ichigo understood why people had difficulty believing her. Not even her father believed her.

Chad always sees a streak of hurt every time she tells him about it.

He decided that he was different from those people...because he trusted his best friend.

"It's a ghost?"

"That bird you have is possessed by a little boy, and an evil spirit is chasing after him."

Chad blinked, "An evil spirit?"

"You know how in Japanese myth there's this thing about onryō? It's kind of like that."

The evil spirit is new. Ichigo tends to regard ghosts as an annoyance. However, the worried look on her face convinces Chad.

"Why would an onryō try to get Shibata?"

"I don't know. What do you think, bird boy? Why do you think the onryō is trying to get you?"

The cockatiel flinched as the two humans turned to him. He felt small under their stare, shivering in fear at the rush of painful memories that made him the way he was. Trapped in the body of a bird. Panicked, he flapped his wing erratically, the small space of the birdcage now felt like an actual cage.

He. Can't. Breath!

"Chad, take him out. He's having a panic attack!"

Chad had never moved this fast while at the same time gingerly taking a small bird carefully so he did not break any of its hollow bones.

"What do I do?!" His breath hitched out of fear that Shibata was going to die.

"Shiiiiii-take mushroom, I may shoot Gods on ten different occasions, but a bird having a panic attack is new."

"You...what?"

"Don't worry about it. Hey, hey Shibata, sweetie, calm down buddy, you're safe with us!"

Is that how a bird hyperventilates?!

This is a discovery and a crisis at the same time!

"Nee-chan, what are you doing here? Is that Sado-san?" Karin's eyes landed on the tiny yellow bird in Chad's hand. 

Karin didn't know what was happening to her. At first, she looked at the little bird, and she saw an onslaught of memories. It was horrible, she saw a mother protecting her son from a man holding a knife. The man got the mother and went for the son... Her head pinged with this terrible headache, and her stomach felt weird. She wanted to puke.

Ichigo can see Karin trying to hide being sick. The girl has a spiritual energy high enough to make her able to see ghosts much like her. It might be on the lower side than before she was inducted into Chaldea, but it will keep developing. Even Yuzu has spiritual energy despite the slower pace of development.

"Chad, upstairs. The twins' bedroom. Now."

Ichigo said imperiously.

Chad complied. Knowing nothing good comes out of defying his best friend when she's serious.

Ichigo caught Karin before falling unconscious on the floor. Carrying her sister to the shared bedroom, carefully placed the dark-haired twin on the bed. She quietly told Chad to close the door when he finally got inside, bringing Shibata with him. She sighed tiredly, pinching the bridge of her nose. There's too much going on today.

Chad, Shibata, Karin, and the Hollow that is smart enough to cause heinous accidents. If Rukia suddenly appeared from the window, she might have to knock her out.

She jinxed herself when the petite, off-duty Soul Reaper opened the twin's bedroom window.

"Ichigo, there you are-!"

Fucking devil!

"Quiet!" Ichigo hissed venomously, "Just get in and shut up!"

She knows Rukia doesn't deserve that but she had so much stuff going on. It was obvious that, considering Rukia's hotheaded character, she was going to explode for being chided like that. Thank god for Chad to pull her inside and bring his palm to shut her mouth.

Rukia was ready to fight back.

"Don't. Please."

Chad begged while pointing at her fretting best friend.

Rukia relented.

Finally, some peace.

Karin's body was burning from the shock of her uncontrollable spiritual energy. Ichigo placed her hand on Karin's forehead, letting a steady flow of her spiritual energy, soothe the wilder energy. Spiritual healing was not her worst subject, but it was the longest to master. She was just too good on the martial side, and sometimes, she hated herself for that.

"Karin, can you hear me?"

She got a pained hum.

"Take a deep breath, and when I say let go, exhale."

Karin took a deep breath.

Ichigo let her energy do its work.

"Let go."

Karin exhaled.

Good. Her spiritual energy is no longer spiking. 

She stopped channeling and let her sister sleep.

"Chad. Shibata, please."

Chad handed the slumped little bird to Ichigo.

She lifted the bird to her eye level, stroking the feather. Stray soul indeed had the ability of possession, yet there's always a cost. Possessing a human requires a stronger will than an animal, and a soul who chooses to possess an animal will start integrating with the animal, erasing their original personality. There's no concrete reason why this is happening, but it was thought that humans need to stay human; animal stays animal.

Maybe they are just tired of living as a human and living as an animal is easier.

"You made quite a mess, Shibata-kun."

Instead of getting a human speech as an answer, she gets a chirp.

"Who was the evil spirit to you, little man?"

"He...killed...my mom."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Ichigo whistled a song. A lullaby. Telling the poor soul to go to sleep.

"... Well, what do you think? Chad can't stay here forever and this boy has to pass on to the afterlife."

"A-Are you addressing me?" Rukia hesitated.

"Who else?" Ichigo mostly said this for herself, "We're wasting our time. The Hollow is smart. The traffic accident that was caused, it clearly enjoys killing. What we need is a plan."

Rukia gritted her teeth. She can't refute that. They know they need a plan to catch the Hollow but... How?

"Hollows can travel to a dimension between this world and Soul Society when they're not doing something evil. Suffice it to say, we can't sense them if they're in the in-between. Maybe that's why we can't track him."

Ichigo quipped an eyebrow, "Maybe? Don't work on maybe. Work on that info."

Being able to travel between dimensions when they're not something evil sounds like a bad translation. Dimensional travel could not sense evil or intention; it was just a skill, and the Hollow had a fun time abusing this ability.

Notification from Soul Society also cannot track Hollow's movement when they're in between. Rukia's Denreishinki always receives orders before or after the Hollow appears in the Human World.

Even afterlife technology is not that perfect. It's not like they have the S.H.E.B.A. or something. 

Ichigo closed her eyes, concentrating on every inch of her surroundings as multiple strands of white ribbon appeared.

"Spirit Ribbon?"

It was one of Scáthach's lessons that did not involve fighting. Ichigo is forced to sit and concentrate until her whole body is trifling by the lack of activities.

"That's right. Every living being has this, when you can't sense their spiritual energy, use this to track them."

Spirit Ribbon is a technique that combines imaginary virtualization and signature recognition. People's spiritual energy is visualized as a ribbon, and the color of the ribbon tells the status of the people's power.

Chad's and Shibata's ribbons are white, indicating the general state of their being.

Rukia's blotched in red, signs of her incomplete power.

Karin's pinkish but deep.

Yuzu's also pinkish but lighter.

As for her old man— Bah!

Ichigo blinked her eyes open staccato.

"Let's use ourselves as bait."

Karin stirred awake. She saw a mop of blonde hair that was her twin sister. Calling her name, and she promptly got hugged. Her breath was punched out of her. Thankfully, it does not last long.

"You're awake. Oh, I was so worried when Ichi-nee said you got sick!" Yuzu cried with a hint of helplessness, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah... I guess so."

Karin weakly got up. Remembering all the memories she got from the bird- No. The little ghost boy. She did not know why she could not control it, the sadness was so strong that it just attacked her.

Then there was warmth and her older sister's voice soothing her out of the pain.

"Where is Nee-chan now?"

"She went out with Sado-san."

"Did they bring...a little bird in a cage with them?"

Yuzu slightly tilted her head to the side.

"A bird? No. I don't think so." 

Was that all just her imagination?

"But I do remember that Sado-san brought one when he got treated."

Oh, so it was real. 

"Karin, what's wrong?"

"That bird was possessed."

"There. You're good as new."

Ichigo removed her palm from Chad's back.

Rukia watched the healing process with bulging eyes while on her lap, holding a cage with the cockatiel ghost boy inside.

"You can use Kaidō? Is there something you can't do?"

"I don't know what that is," Ichigo said absent-mindedly.

"It's a Healing Spiritual Arts."

"Briefer than methods of healing and purification by redirecting aether to replenish life force and bolster the target's natural healing capabilities. Sure, call it that or whatever suits your needs."

Rukia was speechless. Kaidō is a high-level technique that requires immense control of Reiryoku. How did Ichigo know of this? Was one of her many teachers a Soul Reaper? 

"When did you learn such a thing?" Chad asked with wonder when the burning pain in his back was magically gone.

"Summer vacation."

"Where did you learn it then?" Rukia's turn.

"I wonder, maybe... Somewhere~ Over the rainbow~ Way up high~"

Ichigo got up, avoiding the conversation and heading toward the nearest mart. Since it was deliberately sung in English, obviously the lone petite Soul Reaper does not understand it.

"She doesn't say where. That was a song," Chad, the helpful giant, supplied, "Basically nowhere."

Rukia huffed in annoyance, "You must be so close to her that you know each of her antics."

"No, that antics was quite recent. Ichigo wasn't usually like this. She's not usually this carefree."

"Really?"

"She's curt, mostly. The scowl on her forehead was always up, she wasn't exactly that approachable," Chad's demeanor is quiet, "Does it vex you that she acts like that?"

"I don't like it when she doesn't give a straight answer," Rukia scrunched up her nose.

Chad's not offended on behalf of his best friend; if anything, he looked like he agreed.

"She's been giving that kind of impression lately. I don't think she's alright."

"How so?"

"She seems to be all over the place."

Ever since Ichigo enrolled in High School, she had been strange. To Chad, who had known her for a long time, his best friend's personality seemed to take a 180-degree change. To new people who playfully tease her name to be after a berry fruit, instead of getting snappy, she simply confirms it. He said to her that she was not usually like that, and her answer was 'It's not like the kanji of my name appears midair'. Which is true. However, he doubts that it was because she was getting tired of being reminded.

When in class, Ichigo did not take lessons seriously but was always able to answer complicated questions easily if asked by the teachers. Not all of it is as smooth as it sounds. Specifically, on the first day of the history class, she and the teacher decided that they were enemies for clashing views on historical facts.

She is also suddenly somewhat proactive now. Back in middle school, Ichigo avoided extracurriculars like a plague. Now, she willingly joins the English Club and takes additional classes in French. Even though he had heard whispers that she actually could speak French already.

To the whole neighborhood of Karakura Town, Ichigo Kurosaki, the delinquent, seemed to become the town's local errand worker. Chad once saw her fixing a roof, and he had no idea how his best friend was able to do that.

If it was not for Ichigo openly admitting to him that all of those activities were so she could lessen her chance of seeing her father's face, he would be a hundred percent admitting that she was getting better. He knew she and her father were not close, but it sounded like they were getting worse.

Perhaps it was to make herself happier, and yet her mood...or mind...is all over the place. One second she was melancholic, and the next one she was sad, then manic, then gleeful, and so on before coming back to melancholic again. 

Chad was not sure if his best friend was turning crazy or just being the 'girls are weird' stereotype. 

He wanted to ask, but approaching her in those states felt like treading on dangerous water. He was not kidding when he was breaking in cold sweat when he tried to get closer, and he does not know why.

It was strange.

"What do you mean by Ichigo being all over the place?"

Chad shrugged, "No reason."

"Geez. I see why you're her best friend. You're both mutual hazy."

"I just don't say much."

Chad then heard Rukia lowly muttering 'Why are humans so fucking weird?' as if she was not a human herself. Considering that she was arguing with Ichigo beforehand about his involvement in the whole ghost business. Rukia was shouting about 'Horo' while Ichigo, with a casual attitude, said something about him not remembering any of the incident anyway.

Well, he is human, and he wonders every day why his kind is weird. If Rukia turns out to be not human, then that is okay; whether she is changeling or yokai, that is none of his business,

Yet, what kind of yokai goes to school? Ah, yes. The tiny teenage-looking one.

"Do you think this is a good idea? Using ourselves as bait for the Hollow?" Rukia is trying to have a concrete conversation again.

"No." Chad's answer is short, as always.

"And yet you just agree?"

"I have faith in Ichigo."

She inhaled strongly, trying not to lose her cool over the half-Mexican's quiet demeanor.

"Hey, guys! I bought some juice boxes!" Ichigo came back, swinging the plastic bag filled with goods in the air.

Rukia gave up and screamed, startling Shibata.

"Here you go, Shibata, I bought you corn to eat."

Ichigo placed a paper plate inside the birdcage. It was canned corn that the juice already strained and washed down with water. 

"I want juice too~" Shibata sing-songed.

"You can't drink these, buddy. It's not healthy as a bird."

The tiny bird then pecked the corn while downtrodden.

Rukia slurped the juice box with a terse face, watching Ichigo and Chad indulging the little boy with mild interest.

"Hey, are you sure this is going to work. We've been outside long enough, and the Hollow is not here."

Ichigo hummed mischievously, "Ara~ra. Who said the Hollow's not here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone, I think it's time I show you what I've caught when I'm shopping at the mart."

***

Rukia's jaws went down hard seeing a Hollow tied up by a rope of yellow light on a tree near the mart where Ichigo bought her goods. The binding, for some reason, reminded her of Bakudō#10: Hainawa. The appearance of the Hollow was not that unique, with a rectangular bone mask and trademark neat teeth, its bat-like wings tangled by the rope, and its seemingly sturdy posture.

Her denreishinki pinged. A piece of information from Soul Society just went in; the codename for the Hollow is 'Shrieker' and devoured two Soul Reapers that tried to perform a Konsō. 

After all this time, Ichigo had it under her grasp.

Her gaze fell on the redhead who tried to coax Chad to touch the Hollow.

"The onryō is there?" Chad pointed unsurely at the tree.

"Yeah, try to punch it."

He misses a few centimeters from the Hollow's face.

"Did I hit him?"

"A little bit closer. I know you thought you were going to punch the bark, but believe me, the creature is there."

Then Chad punches the Hollow squarely in the face.

"You're right, I felt that."

"See!"

Rukia was at a loss for words.

"It's him! It's him~!" Shibata cried from his cage, flapping his wings.

The Hollow growled dangerously, "You fool! Why do you think I was able to evade Soul Reaper for a long time? I wasn't alone this whole time!" 

A rain of tiny Hollows jumps out from the two sides of a towering wall, holding down all of them.

"Hey, don't make this into a damn circus. My teachers are going to laugh at me from beyond their graves."

They may even grab some popcorn to watch her misfortune. 

Ichigo summoned her sword and sent a single slash in the air, effectively killing the tiny Hollows.

The Hollow audibly gulped in fear.

"I've heard a little rumor about a serial killer, who five years ago infamously slipped and died from the fourth floor," She took out a piece of worn newspaper. The photo for the article was a broken railing of an apartment unit, "Was this you?"

"That little brat pulled my shoelace!" Shrieker roared in anger.

"Did he? Good job, Shibata-kun!"

Rukai's sweat dropped. She does not know if it is good or not to praise a child for causing an accidental death, even if the victim is evil.

"Oh well, I guess you were a famous serial killer but attention-seeking prude that you are..." She crumpled the paper and threw it into a nearby trash can, "Old news is dust anyway." 

That earns a severe agitation from the Hollow. Shrieker thrashed in the binding with no avail for an escape.

"Ichigo, don't dally."

Rukia reminded.

"Right. Chad, turn the bird away."

As Chad turned his body with the birdcage in his arms. Rukia watched Ichigo waste no time ramming her sword into the Hollow and trying not to wince when the blade was dragged at a slow pace, slicing her way up the Hollow's face until his mask split into two.

The next thing was unexpected, a gate with chains and skeletons on its surface appeared. Not everything that cut with a Zanpakutou went to Soul Society, it may cleanse the sin they committed after becoming a Hollow, but someone that sinned during their time alive is condemned to Hell. A gigantic hand wielding a wakizashi stabbed the Hollow in the middle and dragged it inside so the Hollow could serve his sentences in Hell.

Ichigo squinted and swore that she saw a face behind the void of Gates of Hell. The shape of a face that was covered in a tattoo and it was laughing as it dragged the Hollow inside.

"Is it done?" Chad asked.

Ichigo chuckled to break the tense atmosphere, "Yeah, it's done."

Facing his best friend again, what's on Chad's mind is the questionable sword.

"Where did the sword come from?"

"The end of the rainbow."

He stared at Ichigo for a long time, "... Okay."

"You're both so weird," Rukia commented.

***

It was late in the afternoon when it was time to send off Shibata. The little ghost boy feels reluctant. Afraid of what awaits him on the other side.

"Don't worry, Soul Society is a place you have nothing to be afraid of. Your body feels light, and you are never hungry!" Rukia tried to assure Shibata.

"Don't give the kid a false promise," Ichigo chimed in.

"Hey, I'm telling the truth!" Rukia missed hearing a slight scoff from the redhead as she turned back to Shibata, "A-At least it's a world where you can see your mother; she'll be waiting for you."

With that, the bird brightened; it is cute to see a cockatiel having an expression akin to happiness.

Before he goes, Shibata expresses his gratitude to Chad.

"Thank you, mister. You carried me around, so I didn't get hurt."

"Yuuichi..." Chad's voice is resolute, "When I die and go over there, can I carry you around again?"

"Sure!"

"Are you ready?" Ichigo addressed her best friend whose memory was going to be modified.

Chad looked at the strange device in Rukia's hand.

"What if against all odds... I still can remember?"

Rukia scoffed, "That's impossible."

Except Chad was not looking at her. He is looking at Ichigo.

"If it comes to that. Just do what you always do...Sink or swim."

Ichigo tapped his shoulder firmly.

"Then I'm ready."

Chapter Text

~It appears to be a normal-looking shop on the outside. However, if you are looking for a pepper spray that is strong enough to repel Hollows, you have come to the right place. Welcome to Urahara Shop, where you can buy anything you need, black market items from another world, weapons, fuel, talismans, and medicine. They do maintenance and even special orders!~

Thus was the song that Kisuke Urahara loved to repeat in his head every time he woke up in the morning before dealing with customers.

It looks like a stern but small, depowered Soul Reaper, named Rukia Kuchiki, is going to be the first customer today. 

"Welcome Kuchiki-san, we received some new products."

His grey eyes were shadowed by his green and white striped hat.

"What would you like to buy today?"

Honestly, Rukia found the man despicable.

"One spare fuel for the memory modification and thirty somafixers," Kisuke listed the items, "You know, if you consume the fixers too much, you're going to have some problems with the Gigai."

"Are you supposed to ask your customer?" Rukia chided.

"Don't say I warn you. Anything else?

"Can you convert bounties into human currency?" She hands over her denreishinki. "It would be nice to get around the Human World with human money."

"Sure, let me take a look at your hunt," Kisuke said, clicking over the kill folder in the phone. Fish Bone-D, zero; Hexapodus, nothing; Acidwire, nope; mostly small fry. This Shrieker, though... "This one is good, bonus cash for 5000 kan. This guy devoured two Soul Reapers."

"I'll pay with that, the rest of it put into Yen. And about my special order, has it arrived?"

"Oh yeah! Ururu, go get it!"

Ururu, a little girl with a twin tail, black hair parted in a zigzag, and a single long bang split into two by her nose, ran to the back of the store to get the stuff. She came back with something wrapped in an ominous white cloth.

Rukia checked it, a bit disappointed, "Is this the only one available?"

"Don't say that it's the second most popular, still hard to get," Kisuke flipped open a paper fan, resting it in front of his face.

She huffed in disappointment and had no choice but to relent as she pocketed the goods.

"By the way, Urahara-san, you have been living in this city for a long time, right?"

"I do."

"Do you know a kid named Ichigo Kurosaki?"

Under the shadow of his hat, Kisuke successfully hides his surprise at being asked a question regarding Isshin's daughter. He wonders if Rukia is aware of the sudden enigma surrounding the teenager; about her entire state of being. Her spiritual power; from chaos to sudden control.

Ichigo's actions had been unnatural too lately; oftentimes exorcising Hollows within her human body, stressing Rukia; in fear of being caught by other humans; and being able to summon a copy of the petite Soul Reaper's Zanpakutou; while somehow adjusting the weapon to her need.

From the cheeky look on her face, Kisuke knew none of those were accidental. Meaning... She knew exactly what she was doing.

"Kurosaki, eh... Isn't she the clinician's daughter? She's a local delinquent."

Kisuke masked his suspicion by using the teen's old history of being involved in neighborhood fighting.

"That's a no, then," Rukia sighed disappointingly, "I'm leaving. I'll come to you again when I need anything."

Not knowing that she left the shopkeeper in a state of bewilderment.

Rukia gave Ichigo a brown envelope, which contained her share of the bounty. Ichigo is shocked at the amount. For her, it is already enough to buy her a new phone by combining it with her savings. If eliminating Hollows with bounties can get her this much, then maybe she does not need to apply for a part-time job after all.

Before she could think any further about her budding mercenary career, she caught something else thrown at her by Rukia. It is...a toy candy?

"Artificial Pill Spirit. Gikongan.You don't have to worry about leaving your body unattended. Swallow one, and a temporary soul will inhabit yours when turning into a Soul Reaper. Push the duck's head, a pill will come out."

"Yes, thank you. Pretty sure I know the mechanism of the toy candy dispenser," Ichigo seamlessly ignored the growl from Rukia.

Does the petite reaper not realize that a dispenser, overall, is a human technology, not a supernatural technology? It was odd for Rukia to understand a far more complex mechanism of a toy dispenser than putting a straw into a juice box. She only understands how to operate the stuff she owns but not general devices in the Human World.

For example, Rukia knew how to use a cell phone but not a payphone and had zero idea about what a payphone was in the first place. That is a generational discrepancy regarding the evolution of communication devices.

That means Soul Society adopts Human technology to its advantage.

For someone who has fought God with a body of a machine, that information can be a bit jarring. But Ichigo's not going to judge if Soul Society's God is...organic.

"Why does it say Soul Candy?" Ichigo inspected the words on the toy dispenser. This thing has a brand...?

"The Soul Reaper's Women Association complained the name is not cute, it changed three years ago."

There is a Soul Reapers' what now at Soul Society? 

"Okay... And why duck specifically?"

Rukia flushed in the next few minutes, "I-I wanted the Chappy the Rabbit, okay! But they ran out!"

"Whoa! Hey, no need to get defensive." Ichigo tilted her head to the side amusedly. All of these gimmicks are just silly to her, "Uhm, and Chappy?"

"It's the rabbit that I drew when I explained everything about Soul Society to you!"

Is Chappy the Rabbit an actual trademarked character in Soul Society?

Who would have thought that a mascot culture is a thing over there, too?

(She distantly thought how different it was from back then.)

Ichigo did not particularly care about Rukia's conundrum, which was that it was a duck rather than a rabbit; either tasted good when cooked anyway. Though Rukia might have a heart palpitation knowing she dares enough to eat rabbits. 

Yum, rabbit stew. 

Not that she said it out loud.

She pops one round of green candy from the toy dispenser and swallows it, and she is instantly separated from her body. Unlike most times when her body unceremoniously slumped to the ground, this time, it kept standing straight.

The temporary Soul inside her body gave her a wide smile and a salute.

"Hello, my name is Ichigo Kurosaki- Huh? Why am I in a female body?!" The temporary Soul said with a squeaky male voice.

Ichigo raised one of her eyebrows, suspicious over the temporary Soul acting very surprised after knowing possessing a female body. The personality is too self-aware. Isn't this thing supposed to work like Artificial Intelligence? 

The Soul who inhabited her body started itching away from her.

Feeling a headache coming, Ichigo sighed. God, not even a day had gone by, and a new problem had arisen. 

"Rukia, what's the name of the duck product?" She massaged her temple.

"Yuki, but that doesn't matter, usually voices will synchronize with the body's gender."

Ichigo was going to say, 'Hey, that is the same name as your Zanpakutou spirit' then she refrained.

"Uh-huh. What are you going to do then?"

"I think... I'll get an exchange." 

After Rukia had said that, the temporary Soul went pale with fear and ran off immediately. The speed is quite astonishing, and Ichigo is almost impressed. It is nearly as fast as she cast the Strengthening spell on her legs.

"Oh, loo,k he's getting away," She said nonchalantly.

"After him! Damn, he couldn't be what I think he is!" Rukia shouted. 

Gee Rukia, do tell me what you think he actually is.

Ichigo rolled her eyes as she observed the false temporary Soul easily jump around fences, and buildings and even leap on a moving vehicle.

"Hey, stop doing that! I don't want to be called a circus performer by people. You're ruining my reputation as a delinquent!"

"That's what you worried about!" Rukia spluttered, aghast.

"Look closely! What does it say?!"

Jinta, a rowdy boy with red hair, pointed at the box where Ururu had picked up the goods previously given to Rukia.

"P-Po… Man... Cha...."

"What is that? A Hong Kong action star?!" Jinta berated non-stop, he pulled Ururu's hair in frustration, "What is wrong with you cockroach bang! You sold a poor-quality item to a customer!"

"Now, now don't fight, it was my fault for not disposing of it in the first place," Urahara separates the quarreling children.

"This could be troubling, we should do something, Tenchō," Said Tessai, Urahara's long-time friend and employee.

"Yeah, who knows what he will do, having gained a body for the first time..."

The soul inside Ichigo's body was called Modified Soul, there was once a project in Soul Society called Spearhead, basically inserting a soul created specifically for combat into a dead body and using it as a soldier to fight Hollow. This type of modification depends on which part of the human body will be strengthened; the one that possesses Ichigo's seems to be the leg, which means an 'Underpod Type'. They were supposed to be destroyed, but the current event indicates that there was an escapee after all.

Rukia's comment on the whole project was that it was a foolish plan. Unfortunately, Ichigo had known a far worse example with the whole thing about Mash Kyrielight being a designer baby and the only successful outcome out of the Demi-Servant project.

Director Olga has this fear that Mash would probably kill her someday for creating her. Well, not Mash specifically... If Galahad's personality was more profound, then he probably would have done the deed from the start, killing her father first before going for her because of the sin of a parent.

Olga having genuine paranoia in the case of the possibility of Mash rebelling was pretty logical. Alas, Mash, being a gentle soul is a stroke of luck. 

Back to the Modified Soul, look at him go! Good for him to immediately have fun when he tastes freedom. 

Oh, if he only knew how much of an extreme exposure that body had gone through.

"An artificial being complete with intelligence and strength…" Ichigo pondered about the situation.

"We have to catch him, who knows what he's going to do!" Rukia heaved in stress.

Smirking, Ichigo decided.

"How about...a taste of my own medicine?"

***

The Modified Soul (Mod Soul for short) blows out a breath in relief when finally able to lose his pursuer. He is finally able to look around and take in the scenery of the human world, they are especially fascinating. Unlike how cold and dark the Twelfth Division is, the buildings are shined by the great light that is the sun. Many of them are lined with wide glass that he can use as a mirror.

Using the glass of a building that the inside filled with many kinds of garments, he checked out the body he got. It is a little bit disappointing that he has a female body when he has a male voice.

Still, the body is not bad at all. This is a prime example of a healthy, strong, and beautiful body. Like seriously, check out the chest of this bode.

Maybe he can get used to this.

"Enjoying yourself?" Ichigo is suddenly beside him, half-cringed and half-amused, "So you're just a lame perverted guy who is desperate to be surrounded by women? Also, don't ogle yourself in a public place like this. Humans refer to it as embarrassing."

The Modified Soul jumped in surprise. How did she get here so fast?!

Ichigo hummed as looking at her possessed face. It is filled with a naïve streak and innocence.

An expression she cannot exactly recall when she was starting to lose it.

"Who are you calling lame?! I'm not lame!" He shrieked.

"Ha. Says the guy who is shrieking like a girl," Ichigo taunted, a wild grin plastered, "You Kaizō Konpaku-san had hit the jackpot for hijacking the body of Ichigo Kurosaki, you have no idea how many ominous beings had tried to do that."

"What are you talking abo-" 

Ichigo slung her arm onto her body's shoulders, securing the Mod Soul tight into her hold.

"Unfortunate for you too, that is the body of Ichigo Kurosaki. I have a lot of overprotective friends who might kill you if they know you have it. One can literally haunt your dream," Despite Merlin's easy-going nature. He was once one of Ichigo's Servants and is very fond of her. He will kill the non-pact unknown soul in his sleep when he knows Ichigo's not actually in her body, "Aside from that is the context of how dare you possess a body that has been through literal Hell without experiencing the Hell yourself. Normal people might just be angry, but me... I'm different."

The Mod Soul tried to wrestle out of her hold when he caught a hint of malice within her voice.

"Prepare yourself, Mod Soul, you're going to learn how to fly!"

***

"Oh, Kuchiki-san, you're alone?"

Kisuke arrived with three other of his shop's residents to resolve the Kaizō Konpaku problem, only to find Rukia alone and Ichigo nowhere to be found. This is a problem since she was not the one in control of the situation. In fact, he did not think Rukia had any control over her life lately. He pities her. Truly. She came to the Human World to do her duty only to be saddled with one unpredictable teenage girl who held a huge portion of her power and... unknowingly used as his pawn.

"Urahara, why are you here?" 

From the exasperated voice, she sounded like she aged a hundred years.

"Ah, I've come to realize that I gave defective goods, so I've come to resolve it... But you don't seem to have the goods."

Rukia sighed for the nth time, holding her head to gain some semblance of her life.

"I'm so tired of this shit."

Kisuke's upcoming questions were answered with a long shout laced with fear as Ichigo Kurosaki came whoozing past them from the sky, holding her body by the leg. She took a spin about two times before throwing her body like a lifeless cadaver, while from the manly shouts, it is clear that it was possessed by the Mod Soul.

The owner of the body is cackling like a madman instead of worrying about the injury she might lay upon her possessed body.

"YEAH! THAT WAS WHAT IT FELT LIKE BEING THROWN AROUND INTO A PACK WYVERN!"

Ichigo said maniacally before dashing to catch her flying body so she could throw it again.

The sight was unexpected even for Kisuke. The fact that Ichigo looked like she was not that concerned about her body being stolen, the fact that she could manipulate Reishi to traverse the surface of air, and the fact that she was being used to be thrown into a pack of Wyvern...?

***

"That was fun!" Ichigo beamed.

"Fun? You crazy bitch! You call that fun?!" The Mod Soul was enraged.

"In a way."

The Mod Soul fumed. So fuming that he completely missed the looming Hollow that was coming toward him.

Ichigo simply threw a sword at it.

The single strike killed the Hollow.

"Cathartic, isn't it, the taste of freedom? Until you face the trial that shall befall upon you to contest said freedom, you'll realize it was never that simple."

The Mod Soul stared at the dismissing corpse of a millipede-like Hollow with a sense of overwhelming.

"I was telling the truth about the cost of you trying to take my body. The identity of that body has a lot of friends or foes who will sacrifice or hunt to the end of the Earth, and as my Soul is still very much connected to it, you're not experiencing the excruciating pain of being incompatible. That is the cost of inhabiting that body without permission... Unless you wanted to test your luck."

He gritted his teeth in frustration, hearing that as if Ichigo throwing him around was not a test of his luck yet.

"All I wanted was to be given the chance to live my life. What is the point of creating me and being discarded right away? That my life is worthless?! If I'm a tool, then at least use me as a tool!"

"Be careful of what you wish for." Ichigo sternly throws at the Mod Soul, "While it's clear that you wished for freedom, I wanted you to realize that every action has a cost. You're an Artificial Soul, created to reanimate human corpses, and thus your kind was eliminated for ethical reasons, and then you escaped, wishing for a life. Do you know what that means?"

Ichigo sees him balling his fist in agitation... Well, her fist, more exactly. This is getting out of hand...

"With life comes a burden. Freedom is a gift. If you want freedom, then you have to fight for it. So... Are you prepared to bear the weight of life?"

The Mod Soul did not know if he could bear the weight of life, nor did he explicitly know what that was. His real form was just a tiny helpless marble, and his death was as simple as being crushed. For an Artificial Soul like him, a true life is a distant dream. Even if he gains a body and has a life, it is not the freedom he wanted it to be.

He knows himself. He is not a human Soul. He is not as sturdy as them. He is scared. To know that he is more fragile than humans is a terrifying thought.

He can never be more than an Artificial Soul, and he knew that... But...

He just wanted to live. After Soul Society had created him, he and his siblings were ordered to be destroyed. Inside the pill, he watched his siblings disappear each day, even after escaping the storage among other pills; he was afraid of being discovered.

Life is not something that should be taken by others, he was born like this, and he should at least have the right to live freely and die the way he wants.

"I have to try. I'm already here and I want to try it. I want to prove that my survival meant something. But I'm not something that can be something more! Artificial Souls aren't supposed to have a long life! So tell me, are you... Are you the one who can give me a choice?"

"A choice? For an Artificial Soul? There's one I can think of," Ichigo extended her right hand for an invitation, "I offer you to be my Familiar."

"F-Familiar? Is that like a family?"

Ichigo responded with a hearty laugh. A Familiar that is considered a family member is a lucky Familiar. For something that is only regarded as an extension of a Magus, created from unalive material, given form, and live by magical energy from their Master.

Not every Familiar is like that, of course, such as Merlin and Fou, but they are a horrendous type of special case.

"Depends. It's more of an arcane terminology," Ichigo's other arm rested on her hip to relax her pose, "Do you want a family? "

"I-... I don't know. What's a Familiar do?"

"As an extension of a will, you shall do what that will wanted you to do. I'm an easygoing type of person so I won't ask you much. When I told you to kick someone's face, however, then you had to do it. Other than that, run around as you like."

The Mod Soul's eyes brightened at the prospect of a fight. Right. It was his intended purpose.

"You will let me fight?"

"Not with that shell of a bean. I have to change your form-"

Ichigo felt her back contorted as she was attacked with a hug by the Mod Soul. She was hugged for quite a long time, and she could feel something wet spreading on her Soul Reaper's uniform. 

She was going to pat the Mod Soul on his— her head in a comforting gesture. Then, she suddenly engulfed him in her embrace and hid him in a safe spot when she smelled blood in the air, raising her leg to block a walking stick.

Ichigo's view is in slow motion with the blaring alert. She knows this familiar sense from being watched over by this kind of presence. This is the guy who had been watching the day she met Rukia for the first time.

The Assassin.

As she used to be guarded by the shadows of the Hassans, it gives her a firsthand experience of how she can differentiate which Assassin she can trust and which Assassin she cannot trust. While the first order of the Assassin in the world turned Servants entrusted themselves to be her bodyguard, this one is not.

"Whoa, whoa, stand down, we're not here for a fight, we just came here for the Mod Soul," He held up his free hand in surrender.

Ichigo glared at him. Then put down your damn cane, asshole. 

The assassin—she dropped the capital letter since it was impossible to summon a Servant right now— looked so unassuming with his mossy-green samue that showed the slip of his bare chest, a striped green-white bucket hat on his head, and a pair of geta on his feet. Because of the shade created by the hat, Ichigo could not see the assassin's eyes. Over his samue is a black haori with a diamond pattern on its end.

His murder weapon, which is his walking cane, had to be a shikomizue.

After all, what are assassins without their trusty blade of death?

When Ichigo noticed the assassin's blond bang under his hat and how a lock of it split between the bridge of his nose. The hairstyle reminded her of that shinobi from the Pseudo-Singularity that happened in what was supposed to be Soul Society.

No way... Is that... Dantenai? Holy shit, it's Kisuke!

"Ichigo, stand down. I know him." Rukia confirmed as she came beside her, "This is the shopkeeper that sold me the toy candy."

Ichigo refrained from skeptically twitching one of her eyebrows. Is that what you're doing now? Leasing illegal goods?

"Tell him if kept raising his damn cane then I'm not backing down."

Then Kisuke fucking pouted.

Ichigo almost spluttered at the sight.

"Come now, you don't have to make it so complicated."

"It can be more complicated when I decide to use the sword to stab your face."

Ichigo could feel the Mod Soul squirm at the sight of Kisuke, trying to make himself completely disappear.

Oh yeah, Kisuke was part of Soul Society's secret militia in that Pseudo-Singularity, and he might still be in a normal timeline. That made him super scary.

Well, was.

... But then why the Fuck is he in the Human World then?

"Both of you, stand down! The Hell's wrong with you two?" Rukia tried to settle the tension.

No, he can kill me.

But Ichigo complied by putting her foot down and taking a few steps back.

Kisuke came with two children and a tall dark man in a dreadlock— What the absolute Fuck? Tessai-san? Why are you here?

There were two young ones, a boy with vermillion hair and a small dark-haired girl with pigtails—the parted bang almost made her think that it reminiscence Kisuke—carrying stuff that is twice their weight, a gun-like weapon, and something long covered in sealing calligraphy. 

Holy shit, Kisuke has KIDS?!

While Tessai successfully becomes the most chiseled man Ichigo has ever seen in Karakura, even Chad is still in the lean area. Without the robe of the Kidō Corps, he looked like a pro wrestler...with an apron.

"The Mod Soul, miss," Kisuke opened his palm, asking for Kon.

Peh, miss. Like you don't know my name already. Ichigo scoffed at his face, "Yeah no, I'm keeping him. No problems here. Moving on."

"Are you sure? I won't able to do anything if he-"

Ichigo cut him off impatiently, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's my problem now, you can relax."

"Ichigo, he stole your body, you know," Rukia tried to make sure that her substitute made the right choice.

"Yes, I'm aware."

Kisuke, with his eyes shadowed by his hat, looked into the exchange between Ichigo and Rukia, "If that's what you decide, then my side can only play dumb. I can't help if troubles come with it."

"Fine by me." 

Ichigo watched them walk away after the banter. The red-haired boy is complaining about not jumping into action, and Tessai is scolding him. Kisuke gave her a polite tip of his hat before excusing himself along with his colorful group in a blur.

She tried to figure out what kind of family dynamic Kisuke, Tessai, and those kids had.

Are they like family 'family' or boss-employees?

Are those kids biological or adopted?

Kisuke had a one-night stand twice?

Divorced, or did she just not see the mother?

"Ichigo."

The Mod Soul cut off her inner musing. Seeing her own face and her gripping the Soul Reaper's uniform like a lifeline made her think that this was what the Servants meant when they said that she was cute.

... Nah.

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For protecting me."

Ichigo smiled, finally able to comfort the Mod Soul.

"Anytime."

.

.

"Now, about your body..."

Ichigo lamented over her depleted savings for buying a cellphone; indulging Merlin's wants was expensive. She was not sorry for buying the temporary Pikachu doll for the Mod Soul temporary body, although said doll was quite expensive since she had to buy the one that had a zipper where the doll loads could be refilled; until she could find the necessary ingredients to change the shape of said artificial soul, that doll would have to do. 

The Mod Soul was given the name of Kon, which is just a nitpick from his creation designation, Kaizō Konpaku. He does not like it at first, but Ichigo convinces him to take the name since he is the last of his kind; so he would be carrying their legacy.

On the matter of changing Kon's shape, that too is a matter of money. One needs to be rich to delve into arcane projects. She visited several antique shops around Karakura Town, and the items were horrible, could not even smelt them into something useful. Lots of fakes, too. Tch, these antique collectors could not even set the value right and conning people.  

Since Ichigo does not live in a Magus neighborhood, raw materials are hard to find, so she scours antiques for ingredients. It does require her to 'destroy' the aesthetic purpose and take the needed spice. For example, an antique vase that is lined with gold, it does not matter if it is a thousand years old, she only needs the gold. 

Maybe she does need a part-time job. 

And find a better store.

Preferring the silence of the stars in the night, Ichigo took out the post-it note she placed on her desk that contained Merlin's email and phone number. Telling Rukia, who is reading one of her Shakespeare books, that if she needs anything, she is on the roof with Kon. 

"Kon, you're in my circus now. If you meet my friend while sleeping, don't panic."

Ichigo took out her new phone. It is a red flip phone, there is a digital clock on the upper case, circular edges, and the center buttons reminded her of a game console. Considering that she used to operate a touchscreen and holographic device in Chaldea, it feels like traveling back in time, which she is... Technically. Time travel makes everything convoluted.

"Which friend is this?" Kon asked with a slight shiver.

She typed Merlin's email into her phone. Luv.magimari is the email, and if that is not the most cringe word she ever read, then she would eat a Scrabble board game.

"The one that can haunt dreams."

Kon let out a scared squeak.

"He's more of a troll, really. Just don't cross him if you don't want to bait his ire." When the email was finally listed on her phone, she weighed her options on greeting the wizard, "Hmm, should I say hello or a friendly insult?"

From Ichigo,

To Merlin: 

Yo, new phone, also your cape's ugly

Ichigo snickered.

From Merlin,

To Ichigo:

:( Why do you have to be so rude? also, FINALLY! 

So, what's up????????

From Ichigo,

To Merlin:

I got a familiar, but I haven't done the contract thing 

From Merlin,

To Ichigo:

WHAT?! HOW DID YOU GET A FAMILIAR IN THIS MAGICLESS ERA?

From Ichigo,

To Merlin:

Fate. Bye, I'll see you soon!

"Kon, come over," Ichigo put away her phone.

Kon obediently sat beside her.

"When I offer you to be a Familiar, there are a few things that you have to understand. First, I am not a proper Soul Reaper. I'm more of a jack-of-all-trades who hoards knowledge if it benefits me. There's a group of people that practices Magecraft in this world, and they are called Magus, You can say I'm more of that but I'm still not a proper one."

"Is it Magecraft like Kidō? And why are you not a proper Magus?"

"Yes, it's exactly like Kidō. Also, I'm not a proper Magus because I'm not part of a traditional Magus society, and for me, Magecraft is a tool. Not a lifestyle."

Ichigo holds out her hand and chants nothing, a ball of fire manifests. Kon knows a lot of strong Soul Reapers do not need to chant the incantation for Kido, but this one looks different. He watched her then close her palm, the fire froze and fell with a thump on the roof tile.

"Second, a Familiar is an extension of a mage, most treated as merely a tool. They are traditionally created with leftover thoughts inserted into a dead body, if other Magus ever found your existence, an intelligent being with an independent mind, I'll say they hit a jackpot, and I'm not exaggerating if they dissected you."

Kon was a bit disturbed by that information, but he recovered quite fast, "I'm sure if I came across a proper Soul Reaper, they'd dissect me anyway."  

"I can relate to that. If the Magus society knows about my existence as a whole, they'll hunt me down and dissect me too."

"... Is there no perfect civilization out there?" 

Ichigo brought her hands to the back of her head, lying on the roof tiles, and looked at the sky, counting the stars.

"When being good in mundane human society is already hard, for the supernatural for us, it's even harder. If we strive to look for a utopia, ruination what's greets us at the end."

"Is that what you mean by the burden of living?"

"To live is to suffer, Kon. That's an undisputable truth." She remembered Mash when she saw a lilac star, "I...had a friend. Like you, she was created as a weapon. She doesn't mean to live long, and when she is confronted with this truth, she keeps on fighting. She was the bravest person I've ever known. The freedom she got...the determination she had to live through it... There wasn't a day that I never wished that she was here, right beside me."

Kon too, looks up to the sky, wondering what is up there.

"So Kon... Don't go through it alone."

"I see... You're warning because making a pact with you can be considered a restriction on my freedom. But I don't think so. You seemed to be a great person, and I wouldn't mind following such a person," The Mod Soul smirked knowingly, "At least, it won't be boring."  

"That I can promise you." 

As a Master or not, Ichigo is a known trouble magnet.

"Well then, Master Ichigo. My whole being. I'm yours."

"Ha! Oh man, that's nostalgic!" She laughed.

Chapter Text

My nose... It tickles!

Reminded Ichigo of Fou, who loves kneading her face when she is on a particularly lazy day, not wanting to get out of bed before some Servant with the equivalent of a housewife (mostly Emiya) hauls her up. Ever since the end of Grand Order, Fou was not present in Avalon, so the creature that kneaded her face could not be him... and since when could Fou not talk or have a high-pitched male voice...

Wait a minute...!

"Kon?!" Ichigo woke up abruptly and grabbed the strange creature on top of her by the crook of its...his neck. 

Kon looked like a cross between a squirrel and a rabbit, judging by how lean his body was and how long his ears were. In the middle of his forehead is a red gem, a famous trait every Carbuncle has; it is even noted in folklore on Earth. His amber-colored fur is soft and seemingly compliments the color of her hair. And the three tails... Why is it Arcanist Carbuncle specifically?

"How curious, he's turning into a Carbuncle," Fray crouched to scratch Kon's ear.

Kon screamed at Fray's appearance, no doubt since the man was like a dark being lingering around in a pretty garden. The now Carbuncle scurried away, perching at Ichigo's other shoulder, peeking through some of her uneven spiked hair.

"Oh, he's cute!" Merlin crouched from the other side, examining Kon with such intensity.

"Who are you, and where are we?!" Kon screamed. 

"Dude, you're screaming through my ear. Calm down, these are my friends," Ichigo playfully flicked the Familiar in the nose, then she pointed at the resident wizard, "And this is the guy that can haunt dreams."

Being flicked startles the Mod Soul. He fell on the flowery ground of Avalon, only to be swooped by Merlin, who was exclaiming how fascinating and cute he was.

"This guy?!" The Mod Soul turned Carbuncle and pointed at the wizard in disbelief.

"What? You thought it was Fray?" Ichigo beckons at Fray, "Nah, Fray's my other self."

"Your other wha- WAHAAAAAA HEEEEELP!"

Merlin holds Kon by his front legs and spins him around like a merry-go-round, complete with the exclamation of wheeeee.

"Nope. I told you you're in my circus now, call it your firsthand experience."

Kon looks ready to barf.

"How nostalgic, I used to do this to Fou!"

Merlin let go of Kon, and the Carbuncle plunked far near a patch of lilies. Kon effectively started barfing, and after he had done that, he threw profanity and launched himself at Merlin, trying to claw the Magus's face just like Fou did a long time ago.

What is with Merlin and his hobby of antagonizing furry creatures? Sure, Fou was a nerfed Beast, but still... Sigh, this lonely half-demon.

"I know that Carbuncle form. It isn't Earth culture, here they are regarded as a lucky token, not a battle companion." Ichigo murmured to one in particular.

Fray hummed considerately, "Perhaps it has something to do with your exposure to other worlds. It incarnation as a battle companion, the guardian, the esper, the eidolon, the avatar, the Messenger of Dreams... Your power draws it from your heart and makes him into your personal summon. Think of it as a gift." 

"A miracle," Ichigo could not help but think of that.

An act of True Magic...

She looked around at the vast field of flowers, wondering where Rukia's Zanpakuto spirit was. It was not long until she spotted a tint of white near Merlin's tower.

"And how is she?"

"She's been wallowing in fear, it's getting worse every day," Fray informed.

Ichigo can empathize. A spirit dwells in a weapon, being separated from her master will plunge them into despair. She would gladly return Yuki to her owner if only she knew how to bypass that wall that made it impossible for her to come home.

For whatever reason, she cannot able to perceive what the wall is, it refuses to be 'recognized'. If it cannot be 'recognized', then she will not be able to dismantle the effect.

Something bigger is going on...

She can feel it in her gut.

Ichigo approached Yuki slowly, not wanting to surprise her. The Zanpakutou Spirit is holding a yellow lily, examining it gently; a creeping of frost slowly enveloped the flower.

"Do you like that flower?"

Yuki turned around, her movement like a gentle snowfall.

"I-I wonder what this flower means."

"Yellow lilies can have a lot of meaning; thankfulness, joy, and friendship. But I've known...a sage...who fashioned her meaning into it because it's her personal favorite. Reunion was her interpretation."

Ichigo watched as Yuki let go of the flower. Instead of falling lully into the ground, the creeping frost made the integrity of the flower denser and also brittle, as the the petals touched the ground, it scattered like a broken glass.

"I'm scared..."

Yuki's expression filled with mirth.

With that statement, it was morning already.

Ichigo exhaled drowsily.

Her hand ran over her face.

"Fuck."

"This meeting is to decide tomorrow's duties. Since the chairman is me, I have the final say in everything!" Isshin boasted.

Ichigo tunes out her father's prattle. She never uttered her opinions during his yearly speech on the anniversary of her mother's death; all she did was take the assigned duty. But everything had been different since she returned from the Grand Order. To her, he mother had been dead for a very very very long time and she never visited her grave since that was practically impossible. Now, being able to do it again felt like playing pretend; a game that seemingly her father created.

If she wanted to say anything, she would have said that she preferred to visit her mother in her own time but alas her sisters were here and she did not want to make the atmosphere uncomfortable.

She remembered the day she finally opened up to her Servants about why she acted so belligerently. Why does she act like being protected is an insult to her pride? Telling them that she killed her mother for being an idiotic child who saw a ghost that turned out to be a monster, that she did not deserve to be protected, that she did not deserve to be their Master because she was so weak.

What she got was a wave of silence.

Until Achilles pooped up 'You're the stupidest kid I've ever known.'

Scáthach drags Ichigo straight away into a training simulation. Her experience was a training that made her so close to death, forcing her to see why her mother died protecting her.

"Go shroud yourself in guilt all you like, but your mother's not coming back."

Boudica sat beside her bed as she recovered in the infirmary.

"There's no mother in this world that wouldn't protect their child."

In the end, Achilles was right. She was the stupidest child he had ever known.

Yes, she always had the guilt of causing her mother's death but...all those deaths that she had to face... the Singularities and Lostbelts, chains of events made her realize that... Everything died in the end.

Her guilt was just a response that she cares if she was not innocent, that she deserves punishment for all the horrible things she has done. Humans are masochists in that way.

It was a cold truth that she had to face on her journey.

She used to feel numb when nearing the date of her mother's death. Now that she had gotten the support on how to handle it emotionally at Chaldea, emptiness was the only thing she felt, and she did not know if that was a good or a bad thing. To her sisters, the family is gathering at the dining table, discussing the preparation of their mother's grave, which is still real. Karin voiced her disagreement with her father, but mellowed out after being assigned, to the staff director. Yuzu gets to be the lunch staff, as usual. Ichigo falls as the regular staff. Whatever the Hell being a regular staff means at someone's death anniversary.

All Ichigo had now was mixed feelings about her family dynamic. She glimpsed at her father's face to search for the word that lingers in her heart whenever she looked at him; Ah yes, mistrust and betrayal.

Like burnt foods kept wafting in her direction.

That was not a metaphor. Isshin's spiritual power literally smells of burnt food and ashy remains of a hearth. Everything about him was wasted and a charade and it hurts her to have this malicious thought toward a parent. It had been like this ever since she came back from the Grand Order. The moment Ichigo entered the house, her father's face twisted to shock before he schooled it.

Day by day, something spiritual increased within him. The theory that arose was that her father was not a regular human. Servants who were familiar with Soul Reapers and Quincies, knew that at least each of her parents was one of these.

Master Scáthach said Soul Reapers were far more distinctive as individuals because of their weapon of choice, and by that statement, Isshin was a Soul Reaper.

Their weapon was their own reflection. Have their own sense of self. An Ego.

Like Rukia and Yuki.

Like Isshin and his Zanpakutou that he hid somewhere at his side.

It was easy to regard her father as not a big part of her life. How could he? For countless years, she had been raised by the rest of the remaining Chaldea staff and the Servants she summoned. They are the ones who held her hand when a hammer repeatedly nailed her, asking, "Are you human? What about now? What about now? What about now?", and Ichigo could only wipe the blood off her nose and respond "I am. I am. I am." No matter how inhuman her bloodline is.

She may have come home... But she certainly did not come back for Isshin's sake. Maybe it was for her sisters. Yet the truth is, she came home for her own sake. Because after all those tragedies, all she wanted to do... was to come home.

Home is where the heart is.

Well, it certainly is not here at the moment.

***

Ichigo plops herself on her bed, sighing in contentment as resting her head on the pillow. Coming back to her bedroom was such a relief; getting away from the burnt food. She tried to make herself feel better by listening to her sisters' chatters, but it was all pointless being in that pretentious environment.

"That sounded fun. Are you skipping school tomorrow to have a picnic with your family?" Rukia, opening the closet door, sounded giddy.

"Don't eavesdrop; that's impolite." Ichigo lightly chastised.

"Hmph, what are you, my mom?"

Just don't start asking me to be one. She snorted and went quiet for a bit, "... It's the anniversary of my mother's death. We're planning to visit her grave." That broke the mood rather quickly. Rukia tried to apologize, but she stopped her from doing it, "It's fine. We do this every year," Ichigo waved it off.

"You don't sound as enthusiastic as your younger sisters."

"I love visiting my mother, but lately, I think I prefer visiting her alone rather than being accompanied by a crowd," She knows she is lying a little bit there, "Hey, Rukia. Do you remember your mother?"

"Huh, what? Why are you asking that?"

The question definitely threw the depowered petite reaper off.

"Just asking. You're a Soul Reaper. A Soul. How does it feel for someone whose job is to cater to the soul in handling the death of your family members or comrades? I mean, how do you feel about that? After all, your homeworld is an afterlife. Where do your loved ones go after the afterlife?"

Rukia visibly stiffened.

Maybe that was a bad idea. Touched some nerve. 

"I- I- I don't-"

"You don't have to answer it if you're uncomfortable." Ichigo waved her hands off casually. "Sorry, today was a lot. Just get some rest."

When Ichigo turned off the light, Rukia was still in deep thought.

If Ichigo never met Rukia, she would have found out late about Karakura Town filled with Hollows. At first, she thought they were afterlife beasts that only existed in the past, turns out, they constantly existed throughout history. Strange that she never noticed it before. Or maybe it was more like; Since when it was like this?

Who knew this little town would turn out to be batshit. Oh, right, Japan is cursed as a nation. That is the only explanation.

As the day of the death anniversary arrived. Each of the Kurosaki children took a 'day off' from school. Their school teachers already know about the family's yearly habit so much that they let it slide.

The sun was incredibly bright during this mid-spring. However, Ichigo knows this type of muggy heat is a sign of heavy rain, the air humidity is high, and it will pour later in the afternoon. She hates this type of weather because it makes her hands clammy and her skin sticky with the pouring of sweat.

Ichigo chooses to walk at the far back as they hike the steep hill, feeling the presence of Rukia and Kon from afar as they tail her.

Isshin starts his antics by walking on a handstand, trying to encourage his younger twin daughters, mostly Yuzu, to be able to bust through any obstacle that comes their way.

Then Karin kicks him in the face, and he tumbles down to the beginning of the hill again.

Heh, that was funny.

"Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water~"

Yuzu turned at her older sister in disbelief, "Eh, Nee-san, are you singing?" 

"Yes, something wrong?"

"Nothing. I just don't expect you to sing..."

Ichigo shrugged and went past her sisters on hiking the hill.

The twins looked at each other before continuing their hike, too.

***

They finally arrive at the cemetery. The Kurosaki sisters clean their mother's grave and pour water at the gravestone, lighting incense, offering food and flowers, and giving prayers.

Per their family traditions, they took turns telling how is their life lately. So while waiting her turn, Ichigo took her time to take care of some abandoned graves; the ones whose graves and family do not bother to visit or those whose family line ended with them.

A crow landed on one of the tombstones she cleaned from the many fallen leaves.

Ichigo stared at it as she cawed at her.

"Hello. Master Kiichi Hougen?"

The crow cawed loudly and flew away. Its wing knocks out Karin's cap. 

"Argh! What the-?! Stu-"

The palm of her older sister landed gently on her mouth. Karin confused by the act, looks up to her sister's face is a small smile plastered on it. Something is different about her sister...she never smiled on their mother's death anniversary.

"Yes, Karin?" Ichigo retracts her hand.

"Uh..." Karin said unintelligently, a bit stunned by her sister acting weird, "It's your turn to talk to Mom."

Her sister dipped her head in acknowledgment and went to their mother's grave direction.

Karin set a lingering gaze on her older sister's back.

***

On Ichigo's turn, her family always left her alone with her mother, since she was extremely sensitive and tended to bury herself when there were other people. Everyone knows that she was the most affected by Masaki's death. How she cannot be, she watched her mother die before her eyes and blamed herself for the death.

The image of a defenseless young girl, standing by the edge of the river, coursing wildly because of the rain, flashed in her memory. She approached her like a naive child, and her mother shouted not to go there. She did not listen. The next thing that happened was her mother's dead body lying on top of her.

The memory used to haunt her.

Now, it was just another memory.

Truly, Ichigo Kurosaki before Chaldea is a whole fucking mess. Such a messy child became the last Master of Humanity. The universe was laughing at her, and yet...it made her into someone more. That she was more than a child with a dead mother. 

She crouched down, imagining the name on the tombstone as her mother's face, and took a deep breath.

"It's been a long time since I set foot here. Fighting to save the world. All of those Demons, Gods, and Aliens, or put the last two together, Alien God. Well, don't worry, I came back alive. Strange that all my scars from battles are gone, though. It's almost like the universe itself trying to convince me that the whole experience is only a dream, which is a lie I almost believe if it wasn't for Merlin crashing my beauty sleep." The headstone in front of Ichigo replied in silence, "I also found what kind of guy I like; they have to be tall, dark, and shady, their outer billowing from the winds. You'll be jealous, for my first kiss is Edmond Dantès. Take that, Mom. That's right, the Count of Monte Cristo was my first kiss. Although he does end up breaking my heart..."

Ichigo kept continuing her story. Telling her mother that she would have loved Mash. How Dr. Roman, turns out to be Solomon, the King of Magic himself, and sacrifices himself for the world; epic showdown at the Temple of Time and punching Goetia till she passes out. Telling how Scáthach is a damn good teacher if not a little bit overkill since she cannot blame her for being Celtic, how awesome Da Vinci's inventions were, and the Shadow Border; the Nautilus reborn to roam the Space of Imaginary Numbers.

Then she went quiet. Her expression turned neutral. Her arms folded around her knees.

"I wonder, would you be disappointed that I ended up involving myself with the supernatural? I mean, what else do you hide your origin? I bet you want to stay away from it, with a bloody history like that, no wonder you wanted to escape. How do I know this? Well, who would've thought that David was a friend of our ancestor? The ancestors that cursed his people to be forgotten by history except themselves. That's why history doesn't remember the Destroyer, and I agree, humanity doesn't need a false God."

The tombstone did not say anything.

"And you want to know something. I'm angry at you...but I'm also thankful to you. So goodbye and thank you, Masaki Kurosaki. You used to be our sun. Now I'm a star on my own. You can rest well, for your daughter will be fine."

Ichigo heard the most annoying sound courtesy of her father blowing that blasted chicken whistle. He used the whistle to signal his kids that it was time to gather up. She clicked her tongue in annoyance and headed toward the noise.

"How come it didn't cross my mind when I came back from Grand Order to destroy that stupid whistle? Does he think we're farm animals?"

***

Rukia was sitting on a higher ground where she could see Ichigo crouching in front of her mother's grave. Kon came out of the backpack she carried, clearly bored from being inside too long.

"I said not to come out until I call you."

"Give me a break, it's hard to breathe in there," Kon complained.

"You breathe?"

The last time Rukia checked, Kon was still a doll. How can a doll breathe?

"Is Ichigo serious about not lying low today? It's her mother's death anniversary, after all?"

"I respect Ichigo's choice. I too need to stay nearby when a Hollow appears, or we'd be late dealing with it, this is also my job."

Kon crossed his plushy hands, "You know Rukia, you'll lose friends when you think about nothing but work."

Rukia does not respond to that.

While she truly appreciates that Ichigo did not choose to take a day off from slaying Hollow. She found it strange that Ichigo was completely neutral about it. On an occasion like this, she is willing for the redhead to have a break to process her grief. Staying vigil while grieving at the same time is not a good combination.

And she knows it almost too well...

She saw Ichigo lift her head from the headstone where her mother's name was etched. The redhead turned around directly in her direction. Rukia was almost reeling from the sudden attention. She was so far away, perching on a tree, almost without a trace of spiritual energy, and yet...

The bore of Ichigo's eyes is telling that the human knew where she was. 

The human waves.

Rukia hesitantly waves back.

***

Ichigo pursed her lips in annoyance when the sky turned dark as she had forgotten to bring an umbrella. Water started to pour from the sky but kept on walking, until a metaphorical thunder strike spread on her body, making her stop in her tracks, sensing a fluctuating rancid nearby.

Something felt manic and deranged.

There's a Hollow nearby.

She ran as fast as she could in her sister’s direction.

***

"Geez, quit crying like a crybaby when this day comes around. We're already eleven," Karin said to Yuzu.

"I know... I understand, but-" The lighter-haired twin cried even louder.

Karin sighed, their father already blowing the whistle, signs that it was time to go. She then however spotted a little girl over a cliff with cropped black hair, wearing a white shawl.

Is she suicidal or something?

"Hey, what are you looking over that cliff for?" 

"You...can see me?" The little girl said almost too dimly.

Oh, a ghost then, "Yeah, I can see you, but don't tell anyone-"

"You can hear me, too. EXCELLENT! YOU MUST BE TASTY!"

Karin felt her guts twisted by the dawning horror. There is something behind the girl, a white bone mask, its teeth grinning wickedly, and dark fur covering the body. It had the aura of a monster.

"Karin, what's wrong?" Yuzu approached her sister, who shivering in fear.

"YUZU RUN!"

Karin felt that it was almost a second too late when she sensed that looming presence that was getting closer and closer. Her hand stretched forward, trying to grab Yuzu, who only stood in confusion, from being snatched by a dark tendril, while she too could feel another tendril going to grab her.

I'm scared. I'm scared. I'M SCARED-! 

"Gandr!"

Karin lifted her head to see her older sister coming down from the sky to stand between her and the monster. Her right hand pointed like a gun at the monster, and for whatever reason, the monster froze in its tracks. She is inclined to believe the branching good pattern on her sister's right hand is the cause of it. Then, her sister sent a spinning kick to push the monster away from them. It did not tumble far, by the size of it, perhaps it was too heavy to get far marks.

"Where's Goat-Face?"

Karin never saw Ichigo looking that harried. Sure, she beats up local goons every day, but this...this is different. She swore her sister's eyes glinted predatorily at the monster.

"I don't know!" Karin is more unnerved that her older sister is so calm about this.

Rukia arrives at the scene, Kon already popping out from the backpack; bracing himself to support his master. 

"Sorry, the order came in late! I don't know why HQ is so slow lately!"

"Screw that. Kon takes over my body. Rukia, find a safe place for my sisters!"

On Ichigo's command. Rukia grabbed Karin and Yuzu away. The twins were flabbergasted that their sister trusted this unknown person.

Karin was trying to shout to question Rukia's identity.

Yuzu is still on the verge of trying to grasp what is happening.

"Nee-chan wait-!"

"Not now!"

Yuzu flinched at the sharp answer.

"Come on, it's not safe here!" Rukia urged them away.

Kon pukes out his green pill form, which his master catches and swallows fast to separate from her body from her Soul.

"Kon, go. Pretend to be me in case you met my old man."

The Familiar obeyed.

Ichigo walked toward the Hollow that she had kicked before and calmly raised her sword when the Hollow dashed at her with a fist, blocking the attack.

"It's just you and me now."

The Hollow cackled.

"My, you seem pretty strong. It's pointless, though. You're facing a Hollow that has been eluding Soul Reapers for fifty-four years!"

"Yeah? And I punched a Demon-God in the face."

With her other hand, Ichigo catches the red tentacle-like limb that hangs from the Hollow's forehead and is directed at her. With her inhuman strength, she dashed back, pulling the angler as far as it allowed.

The Hollow resisted, but she willed herself to be stronger.

Spinning the creature a few times before throwing him into a nearby forest.

Grand Fisher hit a tree before he landed on the ground, rolling roughly. He grunted as he got up and saw a spot of shadow getting bigger under him, he instinctively jumped backward when a sharp steel barely missed his head. He growled, elongating his hair, and shooting it at the Soul Reaper.

Ichigo gets into an iai stance, sending a concentrated slash of energy that manages to cut half of the hairs, the Hollow evades a lone slash mid-air. It is enough to distract him as he realized too late when she jumped behind him, catching him with both of her legs and wrestling him to a nearby cluster of trees.

The impact is strong enough to create a small crater, breaking some trees, and it becomes a zone for them to have their brawl with all their might.

The Hollow has way too many tricks, he regenerates every limb Ichigo's cut off.

"I must say you're yet the toughest one I have ever encountered; tell me, Soul Reaper, you seem to recognize one of my lures, but I don't remember seeing you."

Ichigo does not answer as she cuts off a limb that barely grazes her head, while at the same time disliking the Hollow's ego.

Grand Fisher easily grabs the wood with his wide arm. The Soul Reaper sees it as an advantage to dash forward, however, swinging her sword in a strong swing only to be caught by his teeth. She should have let go of her sword, switched to ranged attacks, except Grand Fisher's other arm was ready to strike at her way too fast at her left side, considering it is her blind spot.

It stopped a few millimeters from her midsection before claws sprouted out from the dull fingers, effectively stabbing her. He let her slump to the ground, clenching her wounds to stop the bleeding, as she was trying to heal them, the Hollow kicked her in the face.

She skidded on the muddy ground, seemingly helpless.

The rain starts to pour even harder.

***

Karin was awake in the local shrine around the cemetery, she was seeing Ichigo. No...she swore she saw two of them this noon, her older sister ate a green pill, and a black-garbed version of her with a sword came out, immediately fighting the monster. Was all that a dream?

"Karin, you're awake."

Not-Ichigo smiled.

Karin flinched in wariness. Not-Ichigo is using her sister's voice.

"I found you and Yuzu asleep near a tree. Man, this outing seems to have worn you two out, huh."

"I was sleeping?" For some reason, her brain fought the statement, telling her that it was not true. What is this fog in my brain?

"Yeah, I'll call dad, just rest more." 

Kon gets out of the temple and rubs the eyebrows area. How does Ichigo knit her eyebrows together all day, this is exhausting.

"Kon stays here, I'm going to check on Ichigo." 

Kon grabs Rukia's hand, shaking his head in refusal.

“Nu-uh. I’m going with you, Ichigo needs her body when she’s done!”

Rukia was ready to berate him, only to be left first as the familiar set out.

Seems Kon inherits Ichigo's penchant for leaving first just by inhabiting her body.

***

Grand Fisher spat out the sword, His lure took the form of Ichigo's mother, Masaki.

"Ah, I see why I could create your mother's body. You see, when I use my claw, I can dig out memories and make copies of some loved ones. You poor thing, I wasn’t trying to eat your mother, I was trying to eat you! Children are the best meal!"

Grand Fisher laughed maniacally. Taunting the reaper with the lure that is taking the form of her mother

"You see this lure, and you thought you could kill your mother's killer? Poor little girl, trying to get her pointless revenge, HAHAHAHAHA!"

Then, he realized that he was not the only one laughing.

The Soul Reaper is laughing, too. Far louder, hiccuping from how loud she was, as it strained on her throat.

"Why are you laughing?"

Ichigo got up too relaxed from the muddy ground, lifting her hand from her injury.

Grand Fisher was stumped when he saw no blood at all.

"Cause' you're a stupid fuck who went inside my head." 

The Soul Reaper's eyes showed pity, but she bared her teeth mockingly.

Grand Fisher was going to snap at her before he seized up as if he was having a stroke. He started gasping hard, unable to say something coherent.

The lure started to lose focus, and Masaki's form disappeared.

"W-WhAT iS tHis?!"

Excruciating pain ran through his being, the memory of a mother protecting her child was gone, replaced by the horror of being burned by this dark flame, feeling like maggots eating his body, and locusts coming out of his mouth.

Three different kinds of howling laughter resound in his head.

"Revenge? Please. You're overestimating yourself. All of those children you've killed and for what, to satisfy your hunger? Some say you can't help yourself because you're a Hollow but oh no... You just can't help yourself, do you? As expected from a common criminal."

Ichigo stood up, letting the rain wash off the dirt from her dark uniform.

"My friends left a series of overkill anti-virus in my head. Any techniques that involve memories will be eliminated because they're overprotective and...don't like to share. After all, what's a cursed fairy king, a vengeance personified, and a Lovecraftian horror compared to a mere Hollow? Nothing."

Ichigo leisurely takes up her fallen sword by tipping it up with the point of her feet, twirling it playfully, while ignoring Grand Fisher yowling crazily and losing himself. His body started to convulse, and he was ripping his face.

It was gory.

Grotesque. 

Ichigo was used to it.

The Hollow's blood is red like human blood.

"I don't mean to torture you, but this is the automatic consequence," Drawing a Rune in the air, a glowing stick of blue, "Isa."

When Ichigo said the Ice Rune, cold breath came out of her mouth. Every drop of water around started to cumulate together, forming multiple chunks of ice shards. It does not stop there. The shape of the shards elongated and became much finer until they had the shape of swords.

Grand Fisher panicked at the display and tried to escape, only to find himself trapped by the creeping ice she had conjured before. He keeps trying to pull himself free to no avail. Every time he breaks the creeping ice that covers his body, a new creeping ice traps him in a much faster tempo, not to mention more biting. 

"YOu...bItcH..." Grand Fisher garbled weakly.

"Oh yes, I am a bitch. A bitch that is your Death,” Ichigo held up her palm for demonstration. An ice sword immediately formed on her hand. She flicked her other hand that is not holding a weapon. All of the ice swords in the air turned in targeting Grand Fisher in command, "Didn’t your mother teach you not to play with your food?”

Grand Fisher roared in rage, trying to charge despite his mind breaking down from the heavy strain of reading Ichigo's memory.

All swords rain down on him, mercilessly stabbing the Hollow’s body and holding him down in place.

He tried to scream. He could not. Multiple ice swords break through his teeth and stab the inside of his throat.

Ichigo calmly walks toward him, and holds it up at Grand Fisher’s face, “Your move.”

A weak grunt is pitching.

“That's what I thought.”

The metal of her blade flawlessly cut him down.

A crow passed by.

It laughs.

Ichigo is now back to her body, patting down Kon's head as a form of a 'good job'.

“You've thrown Grand Fisher quite far, it's difficult to track you down. You're okay, I hope?”

Rukia cannot help but ask after seeing Ichigo's shihakusho ripped around the waist area.

"I'm fine. I May have overshot it a little bit. I don't want him to trample this grave site. And guess what, Grand Fisher won't be a problem anymore,” Ichigo said, giving a thumbs up, "Also, your organization really needs to come up with a better name. Seriously, Grand Fisher?"

"Not my division, unfortunately."

Ichigo shrugged playfully, walking away. 

"Wait, you're not going to hide Kon in the backpack?" Rukia stopped her substitute.

"No need. I'm going to have some quality time with him. I'm going out with my sisters after this. I'll see you back home."

Rukia wanted to refute that and then decided to back away after considering what was happening this whole day.

***

Ichigo walked through the cemetery, inhaling the calming smell of petrichor. She stopped in front of her mother’s tombstone again, simply standing in front of it, not saying anything. She heard known heavy footsteps splashing the puddles created by the rain. It was her father, when her eyes reached him, he had this indescribable gaze. Scratch that. His eyes do not reach her at all.

She whispered low to Kon to play his doll persona as the man approached.

“I was wondering what’s taking you so long, it must be a long story you're telling your mother.”

Ichigo caught how the sentences came out so forced. When he took a cigarette and lighter out of the back pocket of his pants, he fumbled it ever so slightly.

"I thought you stopped smoking when the twins were born."

“When we were still dating, your mother said my hand looked cool when I was smoking,” Isshin flicked burnt ashes from the cigar. “Now that I think about it, that was the only time she complimented me on my looks. So, I only smoke on this day, just in front of her.”

Ichigo does not respond and simply leaves him alone after.

After his eldest daughter had gone from his vicinity, Isshin stood in front of his wife's grave in silence.

No words are exchanged whatsoever.

***

Ichigo found her sisters sitting near the local shrine. They were silent, confusion plastered on their faces. 

"Hey, you tiny tykes."

Karin and Yuzu lifted their heads.

"Look, talking doll!"

Ichigo presents Kon like that scene from Lion King, the abrupt act caught him off guard that it made him drop the doll persona.

"What? Ichigo, what are you-"

"Aaah, it talks!" The twins pointed at him.

"Excuse me, 'it'? I'll have you know-"

"Wait," Karin spoke up, approached the doll, "I think I know you can talk. No, I know you can... What did I know that?"

Kon and Ichigo exchanged a look, one in concern and one in reassurance.

"How about we freshen up a bit?" Ichigo winked at them, "Let's go to a cafe."

"Karin, Yuzu, this is Kon. My familiar."

The twins look at the Pikachu doll posing on top of their sister's hand.

"Uh... Yeah, but what is it?" Karin tilted her head at Kon.

"You know how a witch has a cat that they call their familiar, it sort of like that."

After the funeral, Ichigo thought it would be a good idea for her and her younger sisters to do some... reconnecting. Rukia respectfully agrees with her wanting some time alone with her family, it is just that she does not tell her that she secretly bringing Kon. They were sitting in the hidden corner of a cafe where Ichigo, at least, could sneak to look out the window.

The coat is clear so far. No Kisuke, no Rukia, and, no Isshin.

"Is this part of the ghost stuff?" Yuzu asked while also looking a bit downtrodden.

Ichigo knows that Yuzu often felt left out since she could not see supernatural beings. She is the opposite of her twin who can see them as clear as day. Yuzu can see a blurry outline of the ghosts mostly, so she knows they were there, and real.

"Well, ghost stuff is an oversimplification when there's another world out there. Kon's here was from there, and he was alone. So I took him in."

"Wait, he's from another world?" Karin frowned, "You've been to this world."

Ichigo opened her mouth and then closed it again.

"Nee-chan?" Yuzu reached worriedly.

"I'm going to be honest with all of you. Yes, I've been there before."

"What? Ichigo, you've been to Soul-"

Ichigo raised her hand to halt Kon. 

"There's a ghost in the cafe. Do you want to see her, Yuzu? If yes, hold my hand."

"Hold your hand?"

Ichigo nodded, "Do you trust me?"

Yuzu stared at her older sister's outstretched hand and grabbed it.

"Of course, you're my sister."

She gasped when she felt an energy run through her body. It was warm and promised her protection, she blinked her eyes, feeling her senses change. Her eyes landed on a ghost of a waitress with a bleeding stomach. The sight almost made her reel in shock, but her sister squished her hand, silently telling her to keep it together.

"Do you and Karin see this every day?"

"Well, not every day," Karin sighed tiredly.

Ichigo gave her a look. 

Karin exhales exasperatedly, "Yeah, we see this every day... By the way, since when you could do that?"

Ichigo let go of Yuzu and took a long time to ponder.

"... Karin, Yuzu, I can't tell you specifically because I can attract some unwanted attention from some certain circle. Do you remember me going out of the house during summer vacation and when I came back...I came back different?"

"I mean, you got a lot during that time, hanging out with Sado-san or Tatsuki-" Karin tried to pinpoint something in her memory.

"But I remember that one time you argued with Dad, which made you storm out of the house. You came back not long after, and you looked...tired." 

They certainly count on Yuzu to remember such details since she is so sensitive about the household.

"Oh yeah, and then Goat-Face is acting weird the whole day at Nee-chan."

"Now try to imagine an alternate timeline where I came back, bringing a paper on a volunteer job sponsored by the UN, went through the whole process, and since I can't go without parental consent, Goat-Face signed the agreement. Then I stormed off to another place and never came back."

"Huh, what are you talking about?" Karin said in disbelief, "What do you mean you never came back? You're here."

"The truth is Karin, before enrolling in High School. From the day I stormed off to said another place, I hadn't been home for a long time."

"Was this another place... UN headquarters or something?"

"No, but the UN does get involved, and no Kon, this other place is not the world where you were born. I've only been there one time."

Kon put down his cotton paw.

"What happened?" Yuzu asked.

"Some terrible events. People died. I met some people. People were trying to kill me. I fought back. The whole thing has matured me. Technically, I'm not a teenager; mentally, I'm an adult. I grow old there."

"... Nee-chan, it was a really, really, really long time, wasn't it?"

"Yeah...it was a really, really, really long time, Yuzu."

"Wait, hold on. You said to try to imagine a different setting from a certain time, so you went...forward?" Kon made a pushing motion with his paw.

"To put it simply... Yes, I guess. It's more complicated than that."

"And you came back to that certain time. You were time traveling?"

"Time travel is just one part of the events. To be specific, erasing a suggestion that was made, since that suggestion was now erased, technically those events would never happen, so that's how I came back."

"What is this suggestion?"

"An organization that was created to prevent an incineration of humanity but, turns out, it wasn't just about an incineration of humanity on the latter note."

"So this organization doesn't exist now?"

"Not anymore, no. Listen, the fact that I'm telling you all of you about the 'incineration of humanity' is already dangerous. Yuzu, you're always feeling left out regarding ghost stuff, and Karin, you like to pretend that those ghosts weren't there. That's fine. You two have a choice of not involving yourself. But me, I have no choice but to fight, and I know you two know that I'm always about that. And that comes down to today's events. Your memory is hazy, right? That's intentional."

Kon snapped his head at Ichigo, "You're telling them?"

"I have to." Had to be censored, though.

"I remember you were wearing something dark and a monster..." Karin lowly said.

"I remember I was being pulled away, and you were shouting at me, Nee-chan." Yuzu's lips trembled.

"Hey, look at me," Ichigo gently pulls her sister's attention again, "I'm sorry, I shouted at you, Yuzu. You need to get away as I was fighting the monster. The point is, I choose to fight again. But I'm not alone, I have Kon with me. I just want you to know that I'm back with my nonsense again. Unlike the old me, I'm not powerless. I know things and can do things outside normal people's comprehension. So, I'm alright."

"Why do you always have to fight? Why can't other people do it?" Yuzu hissed in anger and balled her fists.

Because our family has secrets.

Ichigo sigh.

"I wanted to tell you both so badly why. Yet even I'm scared of what's going to happen if I do. This ghost stuff...is going to be more than just a ghost stuff."

Karin and Yuzu are quiet.

"That's why, I want you two to promise me one thing; when your ghost stuff becomes more than just regular ghost stuff, tell me everything, and I'll do my best to help you both. Okay?"

Ichigo lifted both of her hands to show her pinky.

The twins shared a look before connecting their pinkies to their older sister's.

"Promise."

Chapter Text

When Rukia gave Ichigo her share of Grand Fisher's bounty in the form of a thick envelope filled with cash, needless to say, it was a massive KA-CHINK!

"Kon, look at all this money!" Ichigo made the money rain on her.

"It's a lot 'cause Rukia doesn't use human money, anyway." Kon grabbed a single stray paper money, looking at it as if he did not see the appeal.

Ichigo clicked her tongue. Tch, these natives' Soul Society dwellers are missing out.

"You two are uncultured pigeons. You have no idea how this easily covers my whole life as a High Schooler. Man, being paid is great!"

Rukia is out again and probably going to Kisuke's place—wherever that is. And to think he lived in Karakura this whole time.

"Hey, Kon, do you remember turning into Carbuncle in that one dream when you met Merlin?"

"I don't know why you two kept calling it a dream. That doesn't feel like a dream. It felt real!"

"It's the whole schtick that you can only meet him when you're asleep."

Saying it as a simple dream is an insult to Merlin's talent as a mage, even calling it a metaphor was not correct either. It was like an in-between of fantasy and reality, so perceiving the phenomenon with these words together or separately is correct too.

"So, how do you like turning into a Carbuncle?"

Kon blinked twice, "You can do that?"

"As I said before, I know things. You just have to decide whether you're in or not."

"Dude, other forms than a stupid pill? Of course, I'm in!"

While Ichigo can crank up methods of changing Kon's form, finding the material for the arcanist is a whole other matter. Stuff like this always needs something old, something dusty, something expensive; old vintage kinds of stuff. Antique shops are her best chance. Hopefully, one that would not question why a seemingly fifteen-year-old jaywalked in there and said 'Show me your best antique stuff' while flailing her wad of cash. 

Japan actually has a lot of antique shops. Her fear was mostly what if she met a Magus and created some altercation. It is an opportunistic view if the owner accepts spellcaster customers too. If not, they are most likely trying to kill Ichigo on the spot.

Can she go anywhere without some sort of a throw-down?

Ichigo is not going to central Tokyo, oh no, that is a recipe for disaster. From using the internet of Karakura's local library, she found a shop in Taitō City that had posted an ad about old books dealing in an antique community webpage. She perused the store's personal website and it looks promising; despite the early 2000 aesthetic webpage.

Taitō City is quite near, nothing a short train could not handle. Convenient.

Strangely willing to open on Sunday. It is a win-win.

Ichigo paid no mind to the store owner having the same surname as her since Kurosaki is a common last name in Japan.

Though, there was no substantial evidence that the store would or would not kick her out from a being minor and having quite a lot of money. Those usually did not go well together, she can be thought of as dealing with selling illegal substances. If the store was not normal, they would not kick her out since their customer's business is not their business. It is going to be a hit or miss. 

Since she went out on Sunday, no one bothered to ask where she was going. At least, in her family, it was normal. It is Sunday, every business is your own on that day. Then again, what was she supposed to say? Hey, I am going to a neighboring city to buy magical stuff.

Her sisters may know potentially unusual ghost stuff but not the magecraft.

Her father did not care.

However, Rukia is going to flip if Ichigo is not there in case of emergencies.

Oh well, go big or go home, as everyone loves to say. One tiny Soul Reaper is not going to stop her.

Grabbing a still-sleeping Kon, carefully not waking Rukia, Ichigo runs out immediately to catch a morning train.

"Rukia is going to kill us."

Kon muffled from inside Ichigo's bag.

"Guess she has to get used to us having a life outside her. Now be quiet or people going to think I have a talking bag."

Unfortunately, Kon is a curious little thing. He peeks from Ichigo's backpack whenever he can despite being shoved back numerous times. Human life fascinates him so much and trains are one of the many unknown things back in Soul Society that he comments that they should have built one to commute between gates. 

"Oh right, Ichigo, you said you've been to Soul Society, you know what I mean right?"

Praise every deity above the wagon they are in is quite empty or people will look at an actual talking Pikachu doll.

"It takes several weeks to travel from one entrance to another entrance of Seiretei."

"Yeah, that's right! I don't know it myself, but there was some information inside my head. I wonder how I got it." 

Ichigo hummed, trying to get some extra sleep from the train journey.

***

It almost takes one hour to arrive. Taitō is smaller than Karakura, yet denser in population because it is a far more developed city, and there is a lot of attraction in it. Most notably, Ueno Park and Asakusa Shrine. It is a beautiful small city, bustling, and the air felt cleaner in terms of spiritual energy. It is a breath of fresh air from Karakura Town, that can be quite spiritually suffocating.

As much as it was tempting to go sightseeing, Ichigo had a mission. The antique shop was only a twenty-minute walk from the train station. It is not a huge place but it easily gave the vibe of 'don't-break-anything'. There is an array collection of porcelains, high craftsmanship of Japanese cupboards, and rows of glass cases to showcase those vintage wares.

The place felt... Different. It smells of ozone... And thyme?

"Welcome, young lady. How may I help you?"

A seemingly regular middle-aged Japanese man greeted Ichigo. He looks kind, greying hair swept back neatly, with a small braid on the back head giving the impression of a Padawan. He is wearing a plain dark gray shirt, onyx trousers, and leather shoes; like a salaryman. What enshrouding him is an expensive haori with white and sky blue as a base; it is embroidered with an intricate pattern of trees, clouds, and birds.

The patterns are quirky. They are swaying and gliding as if they are animated to mimic real life.

Is that a Mystic Code?

"Your clothes, they're...?" Ichigo points unsurely.

"You can see it. You're a wizard, then, " the man tilts his head slightly to the side. Though I've never seen you before. Homeschooled?"

Wizard? Home...schooled...?

How odd.

No Magus ever dare to call themselves with such a title, unless you are Merlin. Yet, he often tells Ichigo about another sub-human group branching out from the first magicians who fashion themselves to wielding a wand made out of arrays of wood, specific creature parts, and sometimes gemstones.

Master Scáthach acknowledged they existed but never commented further. She does not seem interested in indulging in them.

"No. I'm a... Spellcaster. Specifically." 

"Ah, a Magus."

No...but yes. Just do not say that around official Magus.

"You don't look like one." Now the store owner, looking at Ichigo curiously, "And yet you can see the pattern on my haori moving."

"Magus can't see it?" 

"Some don't. Some yes. Yes, if you have mystic eyes. They're a 'so-so' case," The man took a minute before speaking again, "Since you're calling yourself a Spellcaster, it's safe to assume you don't have ties with the Magus Association then?"

"I hide from them."

The man pulls out a pale wooden stick —Oh my God, it's just like what Merlin said!— and gives it a simple flick, and everything in the whole store flips over. The layout changes, becoming more of a Showa Era-themed store. The atmosphere rises, and the smells of ozone are heightened, telling the occupant that this place is magic.

"Hide from them? That is an interesting thing to say from a teenager. But I'm here to sell goods, not to pry." The man does several swishes with his wand before the interior finally settles. "Well now, my name is Noriyuki Sato and I ask you again young lady, how may I help you?" 

Ichigo stood in stunned by the previous display of interactive magic. Courtesy of Servants, she was most used to destructive types of shows.

The newly dubbed Noriyuki Sato chuckled, "How shall I address my customer today?"

Ichigo smirked. It looks like this day will not be lame after all.

***

"So, a Wizard is not the same as a Magus?"

Ichigo drank the tea that was served by the store clerk, Sato-san. They chatted while the store clerk prepared the stuff she needed.

She gave him a list that she needed: a traditional leather-bound book, arcane-based ink, a red gemstone, chalk, etc. She was rather lucky in the case of her first need as Wizards in Japan do not normally use leather-bound books, they used the stab-binding 'yastume toji' books. The store had some stocks because of hobbyists and the occasional foreign customer. They are imported from Europe because it is still used constantly in their wizarding community.

"Us wizards and witches see the Magus Association as...violent; their Enforcers, their law, and their culture. If you met the right people, they and us perhaps weren't that different but I'm one of those who knows that there are some lines I can't cross." Sato heaved a selection of bound books onto a mahogany table, "However, each wizarding community in every country has a different approach regarding magic. Here in Japan, we almost have no visible relationship with any Magus community."

Unless they hire a 'Magus' who works in a mercenary type of work. Such as Kairi Shishigou or Kiritsugu Emiya (Pepe-san counts, right?).

"Though I have to say, neither world is flexible with their way of thinking."

"The Tower of London has a professor who taught young Magus how to use their gift in modern times. Some questions about why that class exists, and yet, he was regarded as one of the greatest secret society political and philosophical leaders."

"I thought you said you're not associated with them."

"Nah. I just knew the guy."

The guy, as in Wever Velvet. Referred to as Lord El-Melloi II. The Lord of the Department of Modern Magecraft Theory and owns the El-Melloi Classroom.

Technically, the Waver Velvet residing at the Clocktower right now, does not know Ichigo. Unless fate decided to say that it was time for them to get involved again.

Waver wins in the Magus community because of his brain. Like a mathematical problem, normal Magus's way of thinking is just way too complicated and uses multiple steps, but Waver can finish it with one or three steps. He does not come from a prominent line of magi. They called him Lord El-Melloi II, but they all knew that he was a regent until Reines came of age. They belittle him for being a piss-poor of a Magus and yet they keep him around because he is such a genius. That is how he got the moniker 'The Sherlock of the Clocktower'.

Though, even Ichigo can understand why some of Magus's problems can be solved by pure logic. It is their stubbornness to stick int their their way that made them unable to evolve. They have logic, just not progressive.

Ichigo wishes he could meet Waver again even though he does not remember her or his body was being borrowed by Zhuge Liang.

Reines though, the vessel of Sima Yi, not so much. She rather avoided the little blonde.

"By the way Sato-san, when you change the layout of the store, is that real magic?" Ichigo asked as he observed a moving painting of a Geisha playing koto. 

"Mind you, we just call it magic. If I'm not wrong, in Magus's view, every magic that we do now was simply an imitation of real magic, was it not?" Sato takes out some keys from his yukata's sleeves. Choosing which is the correct one to open the door to the back of his shop. 

"I think there are two types of layouts in this place, when, let's say set of gears, is triggered, it changes accordingly to the blueprints." Ichigo deduced. Using the logic lesson Waver taught to her.

"Wow, that's... I don't know what to say. That was the simplest term of how it can be explained. And yeah, you're right, there are two types of layouts in this place."

"Not mentioning the diagram for the space compression, of course."

"Of course. I'd say you'll excel in Magical Theory class," Sato smiled wryly, "I suppose Magus isn't wrong calling it 'not real magic'. It's just that our magic is the only magic we ever know and Wizards use the word very universally. Though I'm curious from their point of view, what is real magic to them."

"Anything that breaks the fabric of reality, probably."

"Probably, indeed."

Sato went to the back of the shop after finding the correct key. It took a while for him to come back with tons of boxes and cases, piling in his arms, blocking his view even. He closes the door with his leg as he sets down the goods on the same mahogany table.

Ichigo takes that as a cue for her to come closer. A box of dark velvet's latch is opened and an array of beautiful shiny faceted rocks is in front of her. 

"This is something that wandmakers or alchemists usually buy. What are you using it for?"

"A foci." She opened her bag, "Kon, come out."

When Sato saw a Pikachu doll plop out of Ichigo's bag, suffice to say, he was in shock by the sight.

"Why is it there a Pikachu?!"

Kon simply stares with an unimpressed stare while an accusatory finger points at him.

"Who are you, old man?"

"It speaks?!"

"Correction. He speaks. Kon, what do you think of this one?" Ichigo holds out a piece of gem.

Kon tilts his head at it. His expression does not hold a concrete opinion.

"I'm sorry, did you charm a doll or something? I'll have you know Wizarding Japan has laws regarding charmed dolls ever since the increase of mascots throughout the country."

"No. It's more of a highly unethical experiment gone awry and he escaped. The doll is temporary." 

"Something is inhabiting the doll?" Sato frowned, poking unsurely at Kon.

The familiar slapped the store clerk hand's away.

"Sato-san, how much for this one?"

Ichigo finally hands Sato a gemstone. He takes a look at the red garnet that is being cut into a cabochon. It was not even a flattering shade of red; it had a hazy dark cloud on the inside. Red garnet, is also in abundance, so it does not value that much in the market.

However, all gems from that velvet box have papers. So there must be something about it.

He took out a worn book from an archive to check its record and found none of it.

"Huh, that's strange... Ichigo-san, what is the purpose for you using that gem? A talisman, perhaps?"

"Nothing of the sort. I'm reshaping Kon't spiritual matters."

Ah, the Pikachu. "... And Kon is what to you?"

"My Familiar."

Sato blinked in disbelief, "He's a Familiar? Truly?"

"I'm trying to make it official."

"I don't understand you, Mages... Fine, let me search more about that gem. Do something else while I'm at it."

Sato then off to rummage through archives from a deeper section in the store.

***

Ichigo busied herself with checking the other wares she needed. Grabbing a vermillion leather-bound book, a quill with a black feather with a green hue if the light hits right, a bottle of arcane-gold-mix ink, and a box of chalk, then wanders somewhere to grab a bottle of mountain ash and a huge jar of sulfur, silver dust, beast fang, and bones.

She took a seat, opened the book and the bottle of ink, and started to write on top of it.

"You sure the old man allowed you to do that before paying?" Kon asked.

"Hey, he said to do something else while he's at it."

Kon takes a peek at what Ichigo writes in the books, and all he sees is gibberish. There are some drawings with more charts and diagrams, like geometries, that he does not understand. 

"Ichigo, what is a Carbuncle?"

"In South American folklore, they're a legendary species of small animal with a shining mirror on its head, like a glowing coal. Their ears are said to have the form of a maize ear, with more than four feet. In other Worlds; they're a companion summoned by Arcanist and Summoner through arcane geometry and aether manipulation. Then in another world, they're considered an astral, an eidolon, an esper, a guardian force."

"But what is it to you?"

"Fuzzy, cute, fox-bunny-esque companion that you can cuddle with. My favorite incarnation at least, some of them tough like an armadillo."

"I see..." Kon hopped to a counter where a glass jar filled with animal eyes was being kept, "You know, if you're an official Soul Reaper, I think you'll fit in the Twelfth Division."

"Hmm, what's that?" Ichigo kept writing religiously.

"It's where I was born."

"Do you think I'll thrive in a place that knowingly almost kills you?"

Hearing a scoff, Kon sighed, "No, I suppose you're not."

Ichigo stopped her work, setting her attention on the artificial soul.

"Ichigo, what am I? All my life, I've known that I'm an artificial soul. I have to be put into some sort of a medium so I can be useful but... Was it really artificial? My existence. I mean, I exist... But what is considered to be alive in Soul Society?"

"When you're strong."

"Is that so..."

"I've only known Soul Society as they're on the brink of end. And by the speed of how fast they give me their respect, strange for an afterlife where strength is coveted the most. I kept it to myself mostly; quite a pretentious afterlife in this place. However, there's some truth too, if you consider Soul Society as a true afterlife. Karmic existence, that is."

"Karmic existence?"

"The idea that a person's actions in life will eventually come back to them, either in this life or in the next. A good deed is thought to lead to a positive outcome, while a bad deed is thought to lead to a negative outcome. And yet, people think they are in the right when they think they're right, but other people consider it wrong. Then we say to each other, 'It's not your place to judge what's right or wrong', you ask who, and they say, God. Then you're on your hands and knees, but where is God? What is the answer?" Ichigo shrugged neutrally, "To me, to be alive is to see, to hear, to breathe, to taste, to say, to touch, to feel, to think. How you decide to live your life is your business. Because life is a mystery."

Kon was silent, pondering the words he received.

"You don't have to be my familiar. I can change you and if you choose to leave, I allow it."

"No, you can't just say that after your offer!" Kon was in aghast, "I will be pulling back my words."

"Yet I've known people can change their minds, and that's alright."

"No! I'm not backing off, I want to fight!" Kon looked away, "I'm just... I don't think I'm ready to comprehend the world when my form changes."

"Well, you're not alone, you have me."

Kon smiled and opened his mouth-

"Found it!"

Sato appeared from the back of the store, in his hand were several parchments.

"By the grace of Ōkuninushi, this thing is such a hassle- Uh, what are you doing?"

He is looking at the mess Ichigo created on the table.

"Relax, I'm buying all of it."

From the parchments, the garnet cabochon was revealed to contain an unknown fluid in its structure, hence the murky color on the inside. It was cut just right for the content not to spill. 

And that was not the only surprising information.

"It wasn't supposed to be on sale?" Ichigo raised one of her eyebrows.

"It wasn't supposed to be in that box. I called the store owner, he said that it used to stay in his warehouse." Sato explained.

"So, it moved here?" Kon questioned.

"Yeah, it magically moves here by itself."

The edge of Ichigo's lips quirked, "How much?"

"It's free."

"Free?"

"The boss can't really put a price on it. This parchment was written by a Goblin from the Heian Era, it says to 'keep it as long as you can'. Besides, if that thing came here because you stepped into this place, it chose you, except this isn't like selling a wand. This is your lucky day."

Ichigo smirked, tossing the garnet into the air before catching it again.

***

When Sato wrapped everything and asked for some sort of proof of identity, he was given a Karakura High School student ID.

"Your name is Ichigo Kurosaki? What a coincidence, my boss's last name is also Kurosaki. Even the kanji is the same."

"I know. I read the store webpage," Ichigo acknowledged. Stuffing the stuff she buys in her backpack.

"You read the store webpage?" Sato laughed, "A Magus surfing the internet? Now I know everything." 

"Don't say anything about me when you have other Magus or Spellcaster customers."

"Sorry." Sato received the money for the goods, "You sure have a lot of money for a high schooler. What did you do?"

"I kill monsters."

"You're a high schooler."

"Yes."

.

.

.

"You know what, Ichigo-san. Off you go wrecking the world."

Ichigo cheekly salutes as she leaves.

A few minutes later, Sato remembered that he was still holding the student ID.

Kon is confused about where they are going. After the shopping spree, he thought they were going to go home. Instead, Ichigo seems to redirect her route to Ueno Park. The park was not particularly crowded in the early summer and it reached its peak of heat in the middle of the day. 

"I thought we weren't sightseeing."

Kon whispered from Ichigo's hold. He has been in her hands since she cannot stuff him in her full backpack.

"We're not. I need access to a leyline to trigger the enchantment. The problem is that Earth hasn't been Aether rich ever since the end of the Age of Gods. But luckily, we're in Japan. Where the decline of the Gods is much slower than the rest of the world. Ueno Park or Mount Ueno was the precinct of Buddhist Temples, and the territory of a daitengu, Myōgibō. We're going to make an offering."

Ichigo made her way to the Kaneiji Temple, which is located on the outer edge of the park.

"What are you gonna offer?"

"Seventeen bottles of sake."

"You can buy alcoholic drinks as a minor?"

"No. I just snatched the goods."

Alright. Kon may not be the most well-abid creature. He is a pervert. Which is something he cannot deny. But man, his going-to-be master can be quite a criminal. He was not sure if he could have uttered Ichigo's previous words as lightly as she could.

"When did you have the time to do that?"

"Uh, methodically, over the week. I'll settle the payment after we get back."

Soul King's ball, she's insane.

"How? By leaving the money by the window?"

"Sure, why not?"

Absolutely fucking insane.

When they arrived, Kon wondered why the security did not react when Ichigo sauntered to the temple. When he heard the sounds of crows' wings flapping, he realized something. Those birds had been following them the moment they entered the park.

"Those crows, are they..."

"So you finally noticed. While I'm not familiar with Myōgibō, I do know Sōjōbō. You know what they say, you're buddy-buddy with the king, you can do anything."

Kon had no idea what the redhead was talking about, and he was pretty certain nobody ever said that.

Ichigo placed the sakes in a row on the altar of the temple, "There you go, Sensei. Drink till you pass out." A white crow with white eyes landed on the hip of the Nyorai statue. It cawed at her, "Don't ask me to steal more, how about next time you send me the money, then I'll buy it for you."

Kon blinks a few times, "That's your Sensei?"

"One of them."

"You can understand it?"

"Her."

"Her?!"

"The form she chose made me get a habit of calling Sensei 'her'."

Once again, Kon does not understand. What did Ichigo mean by form? Her Sensei can change their form, is that what she meant?

Still, that does not answer whether Ichigo can understand the crow or not.

As Kon watched on, the white crow made a gesture as if saying she was going to jump, Ichigo held out her hand and the talon gripped gently on the fingers. Positively ensuring that yes, she can understand her Sensei perfectly well despite being in a bird form. He flinched when the bird was brought closer to his doll face. The avian red eyes show intelligence beyond, sending unease to his gut, assessing him thoroughly.

The bird then nodded, and plucked a feather from his wing, giving it to Ichigo before flying away. Gone are the bottles of sake, as those are missing from the altar.

Kon is out of his depth. He knows Soul Reapers, Hollow, and Humans. But this... This is another level. 

He got the chance to bulk his eyes again when Ichigo simply plopped a heavy tome out of thin air. It was like cutting the space, and a book falls out of it. She opens the book on a certain page, shoving her hand inside the paper, sinking into the cellulose, and pulling a thick braided hair out of it with the color the exact shade of her hair.

"Is that your hair?"

Ichigo nodded as storing the unknown tome back into the thin air, "My hair used to be long. When it was cut, it was kept in this book so I could use it one day. Magi's body parts are first-rate catalysts: purer the eye color, the better, and the longer the hair, the better. In this case, I'm going to use it to make your body, along with the gem, and the formulae in the book."

"... Purer the eye color? You mean like-"

"Eye is a commodity in the Magus world."

Kon could only grimace at the remark.

Ichigo took out all of the ingredients from her backpack and started to work. She drew a complicated diagram with chalk on the ground that is in front of the temple, pouring mountain ash and sulfur, sprinkling silver dust; methodically, the beast fang, bones, and lastly her hair. Then holds her formulae book and the garnet in each hand.

"Stand in the middle when you're ready?"

Kon gave the diagram a brief look before staunchly moving to the middle.

"I'm ready."

Ichigo bit her thumb, letting the droplets of her blood fall on the chalk diagram, or what they say when they are in Rome; magic circle. Her blood triggers the Earth's leylines on the temple complex. The sulfur burns, blooming with blue flames, accumulating the other concoction and ingredients.

She walked up to Kon, placing the garnet on his Pikachu doll's forehead.

"End."

Kon shivered to hear the ominous whisper. He steeled himself, trying not to feel doubt in the moment.

"Rend."

The cotton of the doll burned away by the blue sulphuric flame, leaving the lone form of a green pill floating in the air, which was soon absorbed into the garnet. Kon felt tight for a moment, and he feared that he might be developing claustrophobia. Then he heard the sound of a book being opened.

"Spend."

He felt like a jelly when his body elongated, it was white and bright at first. His liquid form moves like a slime, reaching for the book and pouring himself into the papers.

"Lend."

Kon is fully in the leather-bound book. The book itself starts to change shape, forming a ball that is slowly sprouting ears the length of a corncob, a snout that is akin to a rabbit, four tiny little feet, three tails pooped out; the middle one being the longest as the other two in the same length, and a red gem appeared on the forehead.

When he finally touched the ground, he opened his eyes.

"Tend."

He looked up and saw Ichigo smiling serenely at him.

Kon observed himself; the shade of his fur was the same as his master's hair, and his fingers were that of a squirrel, he thought he might be considered to be a giant squirrel. He touched the smooth surface of the gem on his forehead. It was all the features he appeared in the world where that crazy wizard named Merlin lived.

"You're still a spirit, so regular humans can't see you-"

Ichigo steadily catches a leaping Kon, he snuggles her face in pure gratitude and happiness.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou-"

"Okay buddy that's enough, you can drool for real now," Ichigo put Kon away from her face, "And get hungry."

"Hungry?"

As far as Kon knew, only those who have high spiritual energy can feel hunger in Soul Society.

"The fluid in that gem was the spinal fluid of a magical beast from ancient times, that gives you integrity to your soul structure. They were alive, they could eat, so you must eat. You also retain your old conception ability, speed is your friend. Now, you don't even know half what you can do."

"What can I do?" Kon ears pers perked up.

"Lots of things."

When Ichigo got back to Karakura, it was already late noon. Finding Rukia fuming and trying to greet her with a kick, is both hilarious and terrifying at the same time. It was a cat-and-mouse game throughout the neighborhood.

"YOU ARE LUCKY THERE WERE NO HOLLOWS WHEN YOU WERE GONE! COME BACK HERE ICHIGO, LET ME EVISCERATE YOU!".

"I told you, she'll get angry," Kon pops out from the bag.

"Meh, it was worth it."

Chapter Text

Ichigo does not quite understand why her father and Yuzu enjoy watching the Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip. The show with the punchline 'Cazh Soul' is a paranormal-psychic TV show hosted by Don Kanonji; the guy can interact with ghosts to some degree, but he is not as keen as her. He can understand some ghosts, and yet there are some ghosts that he cannot understand.

Do not get Ichigo wrong, it was not because she hated the show. It is just that since the man's ability is not as sharp as he thinks it is, he creates a lot of misunderstanding with the ghost he communicates. He also deals with them as if they are comic book villains. So most of the time they get antagonized rather than gaining enlightenment.

Like right now, she can see the ghost screaming their head out at Don Kanonji for violating their personal space as he does not exactly get their consent to be interviewed. More like getting their consent to be tantalized.

The show also has this catchy gag of crossing arms in front of the chest and going laughing 'BUHAHAHA', it resonates well with a lot of young audiences and adults with questionable taste. 

It resonates well with Yuzu, who also wants to see ghosts like the rest of her siblings.

To Isshin, however, Ichigo thought it was more complicated. She has a feeling that her father enjoyed the show because it was a degrading view of his supernatural background. He is certainly not insulted by it, but simply amused by how silly the human host is.

To her, the show was simply disrespectful.

"Look! Nee-chan, he really can see them, right?"

"Eh, his sight is pretty good."

If it is a sight then yes, he definitely can see them. Ichigo watches as Don Kanonji gets slapped by the ghost, the poor translucent hand passes through Kanonji's face which fumes the astral being even more, and he laughs it off. 

: SMELLS LIKE A BAD SPIRIT!:

Don Kanonji shouts his tagline, crossing his arms like an X on his chest, followed by the 'BOHAHAHA' laugh.

Smells. Yeah right. Having the ability to smell supernatural beings is on another whole level. Since that ghost passes through him, his other senses except his sight are debatable.

Ichigo rolled her eyes. A bad spirit? More like a bad human. 

: Ladies and gentlemen! The next episode will be shot in Karakura town! And remember, it's live from the spot! BOHAHAHA!:

Oh, for FUCK sake!

Ichigo steps into a school with an outbreak of epidemic disease, everyone starts doing the Cazh Soul gag pose since they know that Don Kanonji's next show will be set in Karakura Town. 

"BOHAHAHA!"

Orihime exclaimed just after Ichigo entered the class.

She does not know how to react which made her look like something neutral in front of an activity. Which is no reaction at all.

"Eh, Ichigo, you don't know this pose?"

"Uh," Ichigo said intelligently.

"It's Cazh Soul! They're going to shoot their next episode in our town, isn't that great? Now, let's do it together! BOHAHAHA!"

"..."

Again, Ichigo simply does not know how to react. She was away for so long that she was kind of detached from her own timeline. Is this... Is this what an early 2000 TV show in Japan is supposed to look like?

"Come on, Ichigo, say it with me-"

Orihime was promptly dragged away by Tatsuki.

The show does have a rating of 25% which means one out of every four Japanese people watches it. Unfortunately for the broadcaster, she is not one of those people.

"Hey, Ichigo," Keigo greeted her.

Then he and Mizuino went.

"BOHAHAHAHA!"

"..."

Ichigo turned around only to meet Cha, who had his hand in the Cazh Soul trademark pose.

"..."

"..."

"...!"

"No."

Even today, Ichigo mostly uses the television, if there is alone time, to watch rented DVDs. Sometimes, she reads local and worldwide news in the morning and the evening. When you went around the world, provided with time travel, and beating the crap out of monsters along the way, her choices of entertainment become a bit weird. 

She found joy in watching three British men reviewing and crashing cars in multiple different ways manners. It is a great exposure therapy and a great show.

So if everyone thought Ichigo was an absolute killjoy that day, then so be it.

"Rukia-chan, let's do the BOHAHAHA together," Keigo tried his charms.

"Oh no, I'm too demure to do that," Rukia faked her blush.

Ichigo prayed to any divinity to free her of this nonsense.

So, why did Ichigo agree to watch Cazh Soul's live shooting next Wednesday? Because Rukia thinks it will be a hot spot for Hollow hunting. Damn, her prayer was not answered.

All of her friends and her family were coming and it was apparent that Ichigo, Karin, and Tatsuki, were in the group of the not most enthusiastic at the occasion.

"Oh, Ichigo, you came. I thought you hated this show?"

Ichigo eyed Orihime for a while before giving a light shrug.

"It's no big deal."

"But you came anyway." 

"Well, my old man and Yuzu are big fans. I couldn't let them come alone."

Orihime smiled at the statement, "You're very thoughtful."

"Am I? I thought this was very normal. I don't trust my old man with Yuzu, he tends to get carried away."

That seems to stump Orihime a bit, she was going to say something but Ichigo beats her to it.

"Besides, it's not like I hate this show."

"Eh, you don't?"

"It's more like I don't have feelings for it."

"O-oh..."

"I'm going to stay at the back, it's suffocating here."

Ichigo strayed away from the crowd as she sighed for the nth time in the last twelve minutes. She wanted to be anywhere else rather than at Cazh Soul's shooting spot. She saw Rukia approach Kon, who dangles like a cat that is being held between their front legs. The petite reaper becomes obsessed with Kon's new form because of how cute he is. It was rather effective to blow down the fuse of her anger when she found out that Ichigo and Kon left Karakura without telling her. 

Ichigo asked a silent question to her Familiar, if he was uncomfortable she could take him away from Rukia's hold.

'Are you alright?'

She gets a relaxed wave with his right front paw, signaling that he is fine.

"What's wrong? You seem a little down." 

"I'd rather sleep." Ichigo chimed distastefully.

Ignoring the unseen plight, Rukia continued on, "What is this TeeVee show shooting anyway, is it a festival or something? We're shooting something?"

"Is this why you wanted to come here? Because you think this is a festival?"

"Is it not? There's a lot of people." 

Rukia gestured at the crowd, who was waiting for the arrival of Don Kanonji.

Right, silly of Ichigo to assume there is a television in Soul Society. Master Scáthach did say that the supernatural dimension did not exactly follow tech development.

"Do you know the box that lets out pictures and noises down the living room? Most show is pre-recorded before aired, in this case, it is going to be shot straight from the place."

"Air, does it fly? And Shot?" Rukia is genuinely confused, "Someone is going to get hurt?"

"It's a media jargon. Air means the show will be on the box at a specific time, hence why it was pre-recorded. The shot is not about shooting people to harm, see those cameras?" Ichigo pointed at the shooting crew, "The person is going to be shot with those cameras through a mechanism of light. That's why the recording works."

"Oh, fascinating. Those camera things looked different from what my family has, every time we pressed the button, smoke came out from it."

"That's a late 19th-century studio camera. Photographers exposed the pictures onto a glass plate at the back of the camera. The glass plate was coated with light-sensitive chemicals and immediately put into the camera."

"Ah... So it's outdated?"

Obviously. Ichigo did not say, "Yeah."

The premise is an abandoned hospital. Thanks to it, for the first time in the history of Karakura city, the grim place is finally crowded. The reason why it was abandoned was because of a heavy fire in 1999, and the one who set it on fire was the owner's eldest son. He is screaming about his greediness; about why he should be the one who inherits it, not his younger brother, buying many expensive kinds of stuff with the hospital profit and many more. His soul is chained to the building like he refused to let the place go, and on his chest is a half-formed Hollow hole.

Ichigo rubbed her ears hearing the ghost cry, it was starting to irritate her. She remembered the whole incident and as a result, Karakura General Hospital was built soon after.

"I thought he at least passed on. Didn't think he became an earthbound spirit," Ichigo wished he bought an earmuff the block the noises.

"You know what an earthbound spirit is?" Rukia said with a little bit of surprise.

"Earthbound spirits are quite a universal term. There are cases of people trying to kick them out of their houses or those who cling to people."

Or they cumulated together to become a tiny assassin who does not like to wear pants and calls Ichigo their 'Mommy. '

"Really? I thought-"

"Only Soul Society knows about it?" Ichigo finished the sentence, "Oh, Rukia. Sooner or later, you'll have to realize that there are more worlds than Soul Society, Karakura, and Japan."

Rukia threw her a weird look, "By the way, what are you referring to as an earthbound spirit?"

"Hmm..."

A crewmember went past them. Then, an unholy screech can only be heard by those who are spiritually sensitive throughout the area.

Ichigo jammed her thumb at the source of the noise, "Perhaps that one."

She scanned the area, pinpointing the location of her family members and friends. An interesting sight that Tatsuki, Orihime, and Chad seemingly reacted from the screech. As for her family, Yuzu went to their father, her body language looked like she was asking something to him, and from the shake of his head, he was denying whatever Yuzu asked him. Karin was clenching her stomach, her expression showing discomfort.

"Do you know this whole time that there's an earthbound spirit here?" Rukia's tone sounded investigating.

"Yes, there's nothing in this small town that I don't know," Unless a certain assassin's house that is. Ichigo grabbed Kon by the back of his neck and whispered, "Remember the remedy spell I taught you. Go to Karin, she seems unwell."

Kon nodded as he skittered away.

"So tell me, Rukia. What is an earthbound spirit to you?"

"Well, usually they appeared when their territory was crossed, just like a few minutes ago. And they haven't got their Hollow mask, and the hole in his chest hasn't fully opened, which means he hasn't lost most of his conscience. We called them Demi-Hollow."

"Okay, and what is our best course of action?"

"Nothing."

Ichigo sighed again, "Nothing, huh."

There is an announcement that the show is about to start. A countdown from the crew signals all the workers and the audience.

A co-host said the opening for the show.

"GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Tonight Cazh Soul is an emergency live broadcast special that brings us to an abandoned hospital here in the Karakura district of Tokyo. The residents are tormented by the cries of an evil spirit at night and won't come near this place!"

Ichigo raised one of her eyebrows skeptically. Why would anyone want to come here anyway, there's nothing here.

"How will our hero cook it up for us tonight? Without further ado! This is the century's premiere spiritualist! Hell's messenger!"

Ichigo guffawed at the last moniker. Enma-sama would definitely find this whole ordeal amusing, but a messenger? Nah.

"DON KANONJIIIIIIII!"

Don Kanonji arrived by jumping out of a helicopter, parachute on his back while shouting,

"SPIRIIIIIITS AAREEE WITH YOOOOOU!"

Holy crap, what was the budget of this show?

Ichigo cringes when people, especially, shout the 'YOU' part together with him.

"What a swanky way to make an entrance!" Rukia was mesmerized by the whole act, "So that's the star of tonight's festivities! I have to say, well done!"

Yup, I'm sure it spoiled your Edo-adjacent amusement.

The two death agents watched Don Kanonji doing his skit, one was amused and one was not, waiting for something catastrophic to happen. No Hollow was dwelling around for a while, business had been slow ever since Ichigo eliminated Grand Fisher, so what she had been doing was exorcising soul.

"Shouldn't we exorcise the ghost, though?" Ichigo inquires. She has a foreboding feeling that this whole situation will go awry.

"Relax. It would take months or years to become a Hollow, he won't turn in an hour. Besides, it's way too exposed in the open, people can get hurt, we can do it after the festival."

"Alright, whatever you say."

Don Kanonji approaches the chained ghost, saying this one is bad, smells bad, this bad, that bad. As usual, the ghost prattled at Don Kanonji unflatteringly, telling the dandy guy to get out of his hospital.

"You're such a worry wart, Ichigo. Unless no one aggravates the hole, it's still a long way down before he becomes a Hollow. It'll at least take six months to become one."

Ichigo watched Don Kanonji raise his decorative cane into the air...

"TAKE MY SUPER SPIRIT CANE, I'LL FINISH YOU IN ONE BLOW!"

... And jammed it into the spirit's half-holey chest.

Rukia gawked at the sudden turn of events.

Ichigo rubbed the bridge of her nose as people kept cheering. Oh, the thing that humans do after she saves the universe from calamity.

Don Kanonji chants his exorcism spell which is gibberish; keeps stabbing the ghost with the phony staff, backs away, declares his ultimate spell, and stabs the ghost even harder. 

"Congratulation, Rukia. You just jinx this day into a funky night."

Ichigo's tone was blase, with the attitude of 'Oh dear, what can you do'.

"I didn't-"

Rukia's retort was cut off by the ghost's agonizing cry. His chains are breaking and flailing.

It is a funky night, and God forgot to put on a disco ball up in the sky. 

"We need to stop him!"

Good idea, Rukia.

Ichigo forms an “OK” sign with her thumb and index finger or thumb and middle finger, putting it between her lips and blowing hard. The whistle was so loud that it interrupted the whole premise. Everyone turned their heads to find the source of the noise.

Kon's ears perked up. He moves from Karin's hold to stand like a meerkat on top of her head and sees Ichigo from afar giving him a code with sign language.

"Guy. Cane. Away."

With 'Guy' directed at Don Kanonji.

"Sorry, Karin-chan, I gotta work to do!"

Kon ran fast toward Don Kanonji and the ghost, opening his mouth, and chomping down at the super spirit cane, taking it away from Don Kanonji's grasp.

"A bad spirit stole my super spirit cane!"

The audience gasped in shock at the suddenly floating cane.

Then, Don Kanonji chased Kon around. The co-host followed him frantically, and cameramen had to chase Don Kanonji to get the footage. The gathering people, of course, followed the stars of the show, not wanting to miss the action.

When Karin and Yuzu passed by their sister, Ichigo gave them a wink.

"There they go. Now we need to handle the ghost before Kon rounds back."

Rukia stared at Ichigo with a kind of awe.

"You sure are prepared."

"No, just used to dealing with this kind of problem. What should we do with him?" 

Rukia takes a look at the earthbound spirit with uncertainty because she honestly does not know what to do. As far as she knows, the protocol against an earthbound spirit is Nothing. Should an earthbound spirit exorcised with a konso? Or should they be a Hollow so they can be slain? She had no clue.

"No idea, huh?" Ichigo voiced the doubt.

"What about you? You get any ideas?"

"No, Very much like you I never deal with being in a state that has no concrete solution. But we know two things; if he's a normal soul, we can perform a Konsō on him. If he let him be and we waited he became a Hollow, we can slay him, which doesn't quite help our current situation," Ichigo summoned her sword, "So what we only can do is try."

Rukia watched Ichigo walk to the ghost and crouch at his level. The ghost is screaming and screaming at Ichigo, shouting about how he should inherit the hospital, buy a lot of luxurious goods out of the hospital's profit, and so on.

But Ichigo still did not react.

Rukia almost thought the redhead was going to aggravate the spirit, forcing it to turn into a Hollow so that he could be slain. It was then that there was this sharp snap in the air that made the spirit dead quiet. It was not anything she ever heard. It was as if there was something big looming over them, and the snap... She cannot pin it, like an animal stepped on a twig, maybe.

No. It's something different.

"Do you know why you can't have this hospital, ghost? Do you know why you can't swim in leisure on its profit and enjoy a luxurious life?"

For the first time ever since Rukia had known Ichigo, this was the first time she sounded so cold. The ghost who was spouting endlessly is now cowering like a scared dog.

"In 1999, Jiro Takeda set fire to this hospital. Some people got out, but the hospital director and both of his sons died in it. Do you know who Jiro Takeda is? He's you. You're one of those sons who died. Do you know what that means? You killed your father and brother."

Ichigo unsheathed her sword, gripping the spirit by the jaw, pointing the sword right at one of his eyes.

"You got two choices. I can cut you down in your current state, and I don't care if you're half-mad, you forgot your death, and I'm going to kill you again. Or you can try to fix yourself and I shall exorcise you, don't expect Heaven or Hell, I don't give a shit."

"T-This hospital is-is mine," The ghost squeaked.

"No, it's not. You're dead."

"It's mine!"

"You're dead."

"Please, it's mine." He cried pathetically.

"You're dead."

Something that Rukia thought would never able to happen is happening in front of her. The hole in the ghost's chest is regenerating, it is getting smaller and smaller, until finally, it is a form of a normal Plus that is liable to be exorcised with Konsō. He is a sobbing mess though.

Ichigo and the ghost did not seem to be inclined to do anything for seconds. Then the ghost looked her in the eye. Like a silent agreement, Ichigo tapped his forehead with the end of her sword.

"My, my, you're full of surprises."

Kisuke Urahara entered the scene while fanning his face with a white paper fan.

"What are you doing here?!" Rukia asked with an annoyed retort.

"What? Can't a local shopkeeper see a famous show being aired live like all normal people do?"

"That's not what I mean!"

Ichigo's back with the sighing and sheathed her sword, "You were hiding in the bushes, were you?"

"No. Of course not. I was-"

"On a tree then?"

It caught the shopkeeper slightly off guard, "No. I-"

"Behind a lamppost?"

"No."

"Behind a pillar?"

"No."

"On the roof?" 

"I just got here, Kurosaki-san," Kisuke forced his tone, indicating to stop the investigative questioning.

And you just contradict your words about why can't a shopkeeper see a famous show being aired live like all normal people do.

Ichigo smiled winningly, "Okay, whatever you say."

"Why do I feel like I've been swindled?" Kisuke muttered.

"By the way, Ichigo, did you know that would work?" Rukia asked about the matter everybody had been curious about.

Ichigo took it as a chance to dismiss her sword out of existence, which made Kisuke's eyes blown wide under the shadow of his hat. He's still like a cat.

"No, I don't know what would happen, but since he hasn't lost much of his sanity, I guess pushing his conscience through fear might be a possible method. Some say a fear of death is what makes humans human."

"Can't believe you rejuvenated a ghost by instilling fear in them."

"Oh, not just fear. Primal fear. Something that you cannot control or face to stop. The triggers cause our fight, flight, or freeze response whether we want them to or not. Yes, in that sense, if he wants to fight, he can turn into a Hollow instantly... However, if you have no fight left to fight, what would you do?"

Rukia's mind flashed to when the ghost looked Ichigo in the eye. it was empty, and yet it was sending a message. A surrender in life.

"... But you said he can fight if he wants, why didn't he?... Ah, the snapping sound! It must be what makes him afraid. I can't pin what it was, though."

"Like a match being swiped, perhaps?" Kisuke suggested.

"No, it's-"

"Maybe like some big creature with a huge jaw," Ichigo crowned her hand and clamped it down to mimic a crocodile's jaw move, "Like that."

"What creature big enough to make such noise?"

Ichigo then says cryptically, "A Dragon."

"DON KANONJI, DOTH THEE REALIZE WHAT HAS THEE DONE!" 

In front of Don Kanonji was a figure of black with a singed white fabric covering the whole body.

"There- There is a fabric flying?!"

Regular people can only see a flying fabric. It is enough for the co-host to sound rather hysterical, he is trying not to lose his cool over some new ghost.

The crowd goes into chaos. They are urging Don Kanonji to tell what he saw.

"Ichigo sure has a talent for theatrics," Rukia mused.

"It looks like I got a competitor," Kisuke agreed.

Both hide with Ichigo's body, watching the scene unfold.

As the show goes on, Ichigo hatches a plan to become the official ghost of the hospital. After operating on her body, she had to rummage through the hospital to find a fabric that was still intact enough for a classic ghost custom. It was an old bed cover that she had to poke a hole in and it was super dusty, the dust did not seem to get off despite her flapping the fabric multiple times. 

Right now, she tried hard not to sneeze, or it would destroy the performance.

"Thee claimeth to sendeth this apparition to heaven, but instead thee condemn that gent to beest a demon!"

Fuck. Cough! The dust entered my throat!

Kon flopped on top of her head with Don Kanonji's cane still clenched between his teeth.

"I did?! Wait, will you please tell me who you are?" Don Kanonji falls into dogeza.

"I am the Grim Reaper! Hitherto punisheth to those who are dareth interfere with the flow of life! The kami sendeth me to dealeth with thee! Thee were not enlightening, thee were torturing that gent!" Ichigo summoned her sword, menacingly flailing it in the air, "What is thy standeth in this act of tomfooleries?" 

Don Kanonji gulps. Finally, finds his voice, "Most who watch my show are children, they watch my actions, and their hearts leap. When they see me stand up to evil spirits, they know what an act of courage is, to them I am a hero! I never run from evil spirit, I never run from my enemy, and to that, I am a hero!"

People were cheering him on, some even shouting, 'Please forgive him, Grim Reaper-sama. '

"I've did deal with the sir by sending that gent to the aft'rlife. Doth not maketh the same misprision again 'r heaven shalt giveth thee a judgment!"

"Yes! I swear on my pride as a hero!"

"S'rvant, giveth backeth his scept'r!"

Kon dropped the cane to the ground. Ichigo then threw the singed white fabric at Don Kanonji as he bailed, which was caught by the TV personality.

The last thing he heard was...

"SMILE AND GRRET THEE PEOPLE! HERO'S DUTY NEVER FORGETS IT!"

Dan Kanonji sniffed, holding the fabric as if it were the greatest gift in the world.

"THANK YOU SO MUCH, GRIM REAPER-SAMA!"

Chapter Text

Rukia believed her phone to be malfunctioning; the navigation had shown many spots where Hollows would appear, but when they got there, the Hollows were never there.

Something is afoot. Yet Ichigo does not mind the waste of energy, as there is too much going on in her head lately. Rukia's Zanpakutou, Yuki, has been very somber about the blocked bond between her and her master. Rukia's powers should have been recovering since the day she transferred them to her. It has been two months, and nothing has changed. 

Handling said problem alone getting her nowhere. But who could she ask? Kisuke Urahara? Yes. She should be. It was his dealing with Rukia, her Gigai, and then the incident with Kon, he imported him, that made Ichigo have this distant hope that he was just as a smartass as his Pseudo-Singularity self.

His connection is tantamount. He appears as he pleases. It is Kisuke Urahara.

It is Dantenai.

And yet, something within Ichigo made her hesitant to confront the man. This is the Kisuke she doubts, not trusts. He has grown up and does not possess the memory of the ordeal, the ordeal in which Soul Society was swept away in a near-apocalyptic event.

Well, I can always start anew...

Ichigo mused inwardly as she sheathed her sword after performing an exorcism on a Plus.

"You need to get that thing fixed if this keeps going."

"It shouldn't be like this; did I get coned?" Rukia scratched her head, uselessly fiddling with her supernatural phone in a futile effort.

"Maybe it's been dealt by another Soul Reaper around, you can't work alone?"

"It's not like that. Each district is handled with one Soul Reaper." 

Huh...

What?

Bullshit!

Ichigo hides her displeasure on the statement the best she can. It was not her place to openly critique Rukia's workplace method to ensure the job's success. It was just that Soul Society had the Gotei 13 and the Gotei 13 is a military organization, and a military organization relies heavily on cooperation; soldier to soldier, division to division, sub-department to sub-department.

For comparison, pulling on Ichigo's personal experience, Soul Reapers handling districts might be akin to handling the Subcategory Singularity. Which is a huge stretch but the point is, she was never alone in handling it. She was backed by several Servants and communication back in the center.

The standard team was a Shielder, a Saber, a Lancer, and an Archer. A defense, a front, a flank, and a rear; or as Master Scáthach said 'go snack on Art of War'. Anyway... Based on this Rukia will at least need three or four more people. 

So what makes Gotei 13 confident enough to send a single person to handle a single territory?

"Rukia, how long you should have stayed for work here?" 

"One month."

One month? ONE MONTH?! 

"It's been two months," Rukia frowned.

"Well, if I didn't lose my power, I can come back just fine," Rukia shot back with a drawl.

Ichigo cannot decide whether Rukia does not understand her situation or just playing it cool. Her superior should have sent someone to check up on her.

"Rukia, this is serious. Your Zanpakutou spirit is frustrated, she's weeping because of the strained bond. This situation is out of control. Call your superior and explain your situation. You need help. We need help."

"You think I don't know that?!" Rukia shouted back, "What I did is against the law and the punishment will not only go to me! You too will be held accountable! I don't regret my actions, I don't. But you..."

Rukia stopped as if something suddenly lodged in her throat.

"You have a family. You can't just throw your life away..." She croaked.

Ichigo blinks at that. Several scenarios went through her head at once.

She opened her mouth and then promptly closed it.

Neither bring it up again on the way back.

Mid-term exams were easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy for Ichigo. She is someone whose head gets bombarded with knowledge by Servants. The majority of them also the key that shapes nowadays social studies: the study of humanities, the arts, and social sciences, mainly including history, economics, and civics.

Trouble in Math? Charles Babbage. Sucks at Chemist? Paracelsus. Biology? Ironically Romani because he is flipping Solomon (Or Avicebron if she can get past his extreme behaviour).

Home Economics? As if there was a shortage of motherly Servants. Ichigo was taught embroidery by the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette!

Languages? She just conversed with the Servant's native language until she was fluent. She even went so far as she could understand jidaigeki.

P.E.? That is her daily torture.

So, yeah. Ichigo was never short on teachers.

Still, she does not want to draw any attention for suddenly being 'too smart'. What she did was observe fellow high schoolers who seemingly had the same criteria as her old self and place herself above them but also place herself below those who consistently ranked above her.

Like Tatsuki and Kunieda, who is the school's prized athlete. Competing is a privilege so must have good grades.

Like Orihime, who must have good grades so her distant aunt did not cut off her funds.

Like Chad, who was consistently a person that more diligent than her. 

Sure it must have made her an ass if people are aware of her capability on manipulating grades, but even she had some pride, and did not deliberately answer all the tests wrong. It had to be selectively wrong and controlled. Rather than the stress of getting good marks, she struggled with whether she should be horrible in some subjects or not.

To be perfectly honest, Ichigo forgot what school subjects she was horrible at.

"Ranking fifteen? Since when you are that diligent in study?!" Keigo was aghast at seeing the class ranking, "You did not just place yourself in rank fifteen because of your name! How did you place yourself so high?!"

"Seriously, I study, what else?" Ichigo rubbed her eyes tiredly.

She is truly not in the mood to listen to Keigo's dramatic rant. Yuki's sorrow at Avalon made her anxiety rise, making her unable to sleep lately.

"Is that why you have eye bags? While we're having fun like idiots, you've been locking yourself in your room? You such a nerd!"

Was being called a nerd a compliment or an insult? That was just a fact about her.

"Ah, so you admit that you're an idiot. Good to know you're self-conscious." 

"Why are you so mean?!"

Ignoring the screech, Ichigo subtly glanced at the name on the top of the class ranking.

Uryuu Ishida.

She knew that name because his father, Ryuuken Ishida, was the one who her father usually called for clinic backup if the patients were too much for a small clinic to handle. The patients were then transferred to Karakura Hospital, where his father worked as a doctor and director.

She is suspicious of Uryuu Ishida because he reeks of silver. Every place where the Hollow was supposed to be had a lingering taste of silver.

That boy was the one who was slaying the Hollows.

"Ichigo we need to go!" Rukia appeared from the classroom window. 

Ichigo groaned exasperatedly, "Uuuugh, go where?"

Rukia gives her a mean look that is saying 'You know where, stupid!'

"Fine!"

Throwing her hand up and standing up from her desk to comply with her employment demands. Proceeding to shock all of her classmates by exiting her classroom from the window in which Rukia appeared.

"W-What are you doing, Ichigo?!" Mizuiro gaped like a fish.

"Haven't you heard?" She spotted Uryuu Ichida peeking from the classroom's door before jumping, "Ballet!"

So, he is following me...

Let's see how long he can keep this up.

Ichigo lazily made music by tapping her sword's scabbard on the asphalt while letting Rukia fume alone by the hunting bust. She was waiting for someone who was technically behind the wall a few meters away from her, waiting for the perfect moment to go 'Boo! It was me all along!'.

Hehe, he's quite silly. 

She thought of the hide-and-seek game as trying not to giggle.

"Trouble finding your hunt?"

Finally, Uryuu Ishida comes out from behind the wall he hides.

Ichigo turned and observed the boy's get-up. He is wearing clothes akin to a priest with a blue line forming a cross on the collar.

"Oh, Uryuu Ishida, wasn't it? Hello." She waved civilly.

That broke the stiff body language he had been shown.

"... You know who I am?"

"Of course, I know who you are. We're classmates."

Classmates who never interacted with each other ever since the first day of school. To be fair, Uryuu never interacted with anyone, except in a group project, and not once, did Ichigo ever group with him.

He cleared his throat, the faint blush on his pale cheeks disappeared.

Heh, cute.

"Kurosaki, you can see spirits, aren't you?" He said oh so business-like.

"Ah, so you've heard my infamous reputation. Oshima especially called me crazy."

Which breaks his business manner even more. Ichigo knew that there was a potential that Uryuu knew of her supernatural ability through his observation but messing with him was fun.

"I did not find it through Oshima or anyone. This is strictly my observation!" He hissed.

Ah, he got mad. Sorry. Thanks for the confirmation though.

Then Ichigo felt a Hollow coming fast from her right.

"There is a Hollow over there."

Uryuu points in the direction where she senses it before.

Followed by Rukia's phone late beeping.

There is a Rosary around Uryuu's wrist, it bursts out energy into the shape of a bow. He sets an archer stance, pulls the chain link, a blue energy arrow appears, and then he easily shoots the Hollow from miles away.

The Hollow disappeared.

"You are not at that level of understanding and yet you call yourself a Soul Reaper." 

"Ah, but what makes you think I'm a Soul Reaper, I'm not even wearing black," Ichigo saw a diagram on the back of his clothes. I see, so that's who you are...

"Don't play me for a fool. You said wearing black, you know what a Soul Reaper is!"

The Quincy Zeichen.

"I'm a Quincy and I hate Soul Reaper. Which means I hate you, Ichigo Kurosaki."

ooo

"I'm surprised, you guys don't find me that strange for being able to see ghosts."

Ichigo breaks her bread into two pieces, dipping it into her pumpkin soup. At her table are Mash, Jeanne d'Arc, Saint Martha, and David, which is fairly an odd combination.

It is dinnertime and after that, she has a scheduled history lesson.

"Well, because I can see them too," David spooned food into his mouth, chewing it thoroughly before swallowing, "In my age, it was fairly common. Djinn, Apparitions, Spirits. They're Beings who can manipulate themselves to be seen or not to be seen by anyone. But you, little one, are quite special because lingering souls are another matter. Even I don't see them all the time."

Ichigo made herself quite a subject when she spotted a dead Chaldea staff, a victim of Lev's bombing, lingering around the communication center.

"Why is it that any Being you mentioned able to able to be invisible but lingering souls cannot?"

"Mana saturation back then was more compact. Djinn is considered a living being, Apparitions could be the work of God, and Spirits are born out of Nature. Ghosts who stay because they can't pass on, they were people. They were humans. And humans are complicated."

Mash tilted her head to the side, "But aren't ghosts of living people also often called spirits or apparitions?"

"I'm not responsible for the development of the terms, am I? If modern people are comfortable with it then so be it. When I say Ichigo's eyes special is that she can see evil that transcends even after death. There was a group of people dedicated to killing the dead that were mutated. Some of them are nomads and some of them choose to stay. I have a childhood friend who was just like you, Ichigo. Even your hair is the same as his." David mused happily, reminiscing the memory, "Generally, they can conjure bows and arrows to fight. Variation exists, my friend was especially fond of swords."  

"Bow and arrows... Are you certain Lord David? These troublesome people were friends of yours?" Martha frowned in distaste.

David is not offended, on the contrary, he looks understanding.

"Met with the heretics were you? Back in my time, there was a civil war within these people. Those who were with my friend and those who ascended this... Hmm, abomination I guess. Haha, My friend cursed his kind to be never remembered by humanity, maybe that's why there's no Servant of them. What's your story, Martha?"

"It's just that they're rude. My neighbor was bothered by, one of the heretics I suppose, to join some sort of a crusade. She refused but they won't leave. So I-"

"Wrestle them?" Ichigo, Mash, and David supplied. Jeanne giggled.

"Kindly tell them to leave." Martha pressed as her face went red, "The heretics call themselves Quincy. Their symbol is this five-pointed cross, they carried it around as if it were their rosary. A mark passed down by their supposed Messiah. The sight was just a debauchery to me."

"Not all of them are bad though, there were some of them in the troops and they're noble people. They did say they can conjure bows. Never shows it though." Jeanne added.

Martha then said the Maid of Orleans got lucky for meeting the polite one and the two went to chat among themselves.

As Ichigo finished her meal she saw a hard streak on David's face.

ooo

Stories about Quincy started with David's childhood friends, to heretics who set foot in Tarascon, to soldiers who fought in the Hundred Years War, to Georgios's one-time impertinent adversary, to a decimated sub-cult in Egypt's desert; this insular group of people who sworn themselves to fought Evil of the Death; connects to Ichigo in a much familial way. Usually, those who were formed within the subconscious cannot able to speak about the past. When the White and the Black finally spoke their whole reason before being purged so Muramasa could forge her a sword, they said her father was a Soul Reaper and her mother was a Quincy.

Her dead mother was a Quincy.

The Quincies were not always called Quincy. An insurgent during Ancient Rome made them fashion themselves with the language of the most powerful empire on Earth at the time. They chose the Latin word for five, the word that announces the very symbol of their people; the Five-Pointed Star of Destruction; the Quincy Zeichen. They are... Controversial, to say the least. Servants who follow the Abrahamic religion regard them as sacrilege because they serve a 'God' with the epithet of 'The Father of Quincy' whom they regard as their Messiah.

They are an insular group of people who made an insular type of community. Which made Ichigo think they had a cultist mentality.

She found out about the secret within her parentage during the Lostbelts. The majority of the Servants who used to share their Quincy story were not around anymore so she does not what their opinions regarding her bloodline. Though some of the Lostbelts Servants do know of their existence, such as Qin Shi Huang Di and Brynhildr, despite having a neutral opinion of them.

There were stories here and there and yet none ever mentioned the strife between Quincies and the Soul Reaper. Stories about Soul Reapers are as less as the Quincy one, which is often confused with the entity of the Grim Reaper itself.

So yeah, with the lack of information, Ichigo does not know why Uryuu Ishida hates Soul Reaper.

"... Okay? You hate me? Big deal. But how does that make sense? I know you're anti-social and I'm certainly aware that I never talked to you even once."

"I'm not anti-social!"

Uryuu roared as he visibly shaking in anger.

While Rukia notably tensed for caution, Ichigo thinks he is adorable.

"Why are you here then? People who dislike me always pick a fight because they don't like how I look. Surely you're not that shallow."

The Quincy gritted his teeth, turned away from the two girls, and disappeared in a swift motion. 

Teenagers. Ichigo now openly rolled her eyes. 

"A Quincy? I have no idea what that is," Rukia muttered, arms on her hips, "Maybe I should ask Urahara tomorrow."

"Mind if I come? I'm quite curious about him. He's quite elusive isn't he, come and go wherever he likes."

Rukia cannot quite understand why Ichigo is curious about that inauspicious shopkeeper.

Kisuke was leisurely fanning his face to ease the hot temperature from the Summer when he heard the familiar marching stomp of Rukia Kuchiki.

"Oh, if it isn't Kuchiki-san! What's up-" 

THWACK!

A flying phone to the face is what is up.

"What's up?! You didn't answer no matter how many times I called you damned Getabōshi!" Rukia roared at the shopkeeper.

Kisuke rubbed the ache on the cheek where the phone landed. He heard an unfamiliar laugh, making him realize that his angry customer was not alone. It is... Ichigo Kurosaki?

The carrot-top teen had this unknown animal that he had previously seen during the Don Kanonji incident on her shoulder.

"Will you forgive this old shopkeeper?" His eyebrows nudged in question when Ichigo suddenly snorted as if he was so amusing, "We've been busy restocking and closing the store. I see you brought Kurosaki-san with you, Kuchiki-san. Now what can I do for the both of you?"

Rukia clicked her tongue in annoyance, "I should've just punched you."

Ichigo is still in her humor state before speaking, "Do you sell food, Urahara-san? Most of us haven't eaten."

"We sell dango. Two portions?"

"Three. Kon will be eating too."

Kisuke's eyebrows went high under the hat. That's Kon? He needs to eat?

"Right away. Tessai-san! We got customers!"

Kisuke finds that the motive for their visit is about a race of supernaturally powered humans; Quincy.

Ah, yes. Ryuuken's boy had been gallivanting around was he not?

Well, it is not his business to mind somebody's else child. He subtly glanced at Ichigo who so innocently munching on Tessai's homemade dango and Kon who gulped a whole three from a single stick. The latter intrigues him so much. He looked like an amalgamation of several kinds of rodents and yet his mannerisms were so human; just as the way a Kaizo Konpaku designed.

How did he achieve this form?

"Oi, Urahara. I ask you about the Quincy?" Rukia snapped.

That cuts off his inner musing effectively and rests his chin on his hand, "I haven't heard that name for a long time."

"Indeed, it brings back memories. It's been two hundred years since I heard that word," Tessai supplied.

"What do you mean? What are they?"

Of course, Kuchiki-san doesn't know.

She is young. A babe compared to many upper echelons in Soul Society. 

"They are a group of humans who are dedicated to fighting Hollows. But they all perished two hundred years ago." Kisuke secretly glanced at Ichigo who fed Kon her shares of Dango, "They developed their spiritual powers to vanquish Hollows, just like how Soul Reapers operates. However, Quincies had different ideas about how it should be accomplished. The crux of it was whether Hollows should be cleansed or destroyed. Soul Reapers purify Hollows with their Zanpakutou and send them to Soul Society, while Quincies stick to the thorough killing of Hollows. It was a logical human conclusion to fight back what harms you."

"Understandable sentiment," Ichigo commented offhandedly.

"Indeed. Hollows devour human souls, they murdered the Quincies' friends and loved ones. Why should they enjoy the peace of Soul Society? I can't blame them entirely. So they insisted on the killing of Hollows to avenge their fallen comrades, but their actions eventually led to their downfall."

"What kind of downfall?"

"Hollows who been pierced by a Quincy's arrows wouldn't be exorcised rather they're destroyed. You see an equal amount of Souls must be maintained in the Soul Society and the Soul Society, if the Quincies kept killing Hollows without consideration, it would bring destruction to both. In Soul Society, Soul Reapers are often called Balancers, it's their job to adjust the number of Souls of the two worlds. The Souls released by Soul Society are accounted for by Soul Reapers when they're born into an earthly creature, the same goes for the opposite, and that includes the Hollows. Quincies completely eradicate Hollows, so they don't return to Soul Society, the number of Souls only increases in this world; which would make the universe tilt. Soul Society starts spilling into the Human World, life and death mixing, creating chaos."

"So in short, the end of the world."

"That's right Kurosaki-san, A+ for you!" Kisuke spotted the skeptics on the redhead's face, "You disagree?"

Ichigo tapped her chin considerately, "Disagree? If that's your belief, who am I to deny it? It's just that..."

Kisuke raised one of his eyebrows, "It's just that?" Also interesting choice of word... Belief.

"It's just that you speak as if you understood what the end of the world is."

There is weight in those words. It spoke like a challenge not simply for him alone, but to all who were present.

"Ichigo, you have to understand that such a scale of unbalance is catastrophic," Rukia said resolutely. 

"I'm sure it's catastrophic. What I ask is 'Do you understand what the end of the world is?'. What does it mean for the universe to collapse? What does it mean for the Human World and Soul Society to collide? What does it mean for life and death to mix? Is it to never die? To never live? Catastrophic is an effect. If you ate something too much that it became an addiction, it's undoubtedly catastrophic for your body."

Everyone has these unreadable expressions, something in between thinking she had grown two heads and made pigs fly.

"When the world ends, what events it will initiate? Stars dying. The surface dried off. The surface frozen oven. Seas takes over. The wind rages. Time stops. If humanity can end itself with a simple push of a button, then what does that mean for Soul Society? Overcrowding?"

Kisuke lets out a forced laugh, "My that's quite morbid thoughts you have, Kurosaki-san."

"Is it? I think it's pretty normal. Humans do it all the time. Sometimes morbid thoughts are what keeps us alive," Ichigo chuckled when everyone's expression faltered, "The Quincy kills too much Hollow and it sped up the heat death of the Universe. Kind of accusatory, don't you think?"

"The heat death...?" Rukia is unfamiliar with the term.

"It's a scientific theory. The universe will evolve to a state of no thermodynamic free energy, and will therefore be unable to sustain processes that increase entropy."

"Ichigo can you stop saying depressing stuff?" Kon finally speaks up.

"Force of habit, if I do so say myself. How can I not? Instead of birds and the bees, it's birds and despair. Say Kon, weren't you the one hesitating about living before you turned into this form?"

"That doesn't have anything to do with this! And what the heck with birds and despair? What would birds have anything to do with despair?"

"Finally, the forbidden question!" Ichigo declared, her fist pumped up in the air, "I shall tell you the story of a band of warriors defeating despair at the edge of the-"

"On the second thought, I'm good!" Kon backed away.

Rukia brought her hand to her face, "I'm surrounded by weirdos."

Kisuke and Tessai exchanged a contemplative glance.

"But the point still stands everyone," Ichigo gathered their attention once more, "Do you actually understand what the end of the world is?"

"... No. I don't think we are, Kurosaki-san." Kisuke finally uses his voice, The redheaded teenager in their little group sends him a look of boredom as if she expects him to say those exact words, "But one cannot be too careful."

"At the end of the day, we can only believe what we want, whatever it takes to make us happy. So don't take it personally," Ichigo stood up from her seat, "Well, I for once don't mind this one Quincy decided to take over the job for a while. I haven't had the chance to attend my English club since Rukia always dragged me away."

"Ichigo-" Rukia was going to scold.

"For a while. It can't be that healthy operating around with such complex."

"Such complex, Kurosaki-san?" Kisuke questioned.

"Inferiority complex. Oh, but what can you do, he's just a boy, after all." Ichigo shrugs, "Coming, Kon?"

Kon stretched his body like a cat before jumping onto his master's shoulder.

"Rukia?"

"I'll be staying here, for a bit."

Kisuke watched Ichigo's figure swallowed by the horizon not long after.

That girl... He does not know what to make of her. She was not the same naive yet grumpy-rudish teenager Isshin fashioned her to be, in fact, he thought she was rather bright-eyed; she is... Aware. She was not thirsty for purposes. She already got it. 

Ichigo's whole talk about whether knowing or not about the end of the world felt like she subtly told him that she was challenging Soul Reaper's ideals. Judging by Rukia's uneasiness, it is clear that she was not used to such debate, or even dealing with someone like Ichigo. Every day, her Soul Reaper's lifestyle was challenged by this mysterious human.

When Ichigo calls Ryuuken's son a boy as if she is not a child like him. It was hard to determine if she turned out to be a fraud who pretended to be a teenager, her Reiatsu is somewhat mischievous and hidden. Only professionals can control their Reiatsu like that.

Kisuke remembered when Isshin had asked to check on her when the seal that keeps the Hollow at bay suddenly broke around a year ago and compared it to the situation today.

It was just too quiet.

Is this a good thing or not?

He has no idea.

Tessai's dango is great but Ichigo needs other types of sustenance. It is the real reason why she took off from Urahara Shop, to find a nearby konbini and buy many assorted foods and drinks. The shop is not a restaurant, she does not want to ask Tessai to just cook for her even though he is a great cook; it is rude. Leaving them hanging with a talk with a heavy topic worked perfectly. And no, she had no scheduled English Club today.

She and Kon must have looked like people who had never eaten in their life, that was why they hid behind the konbini, aside from hiding Familiar who made food float as he ate to normal human eyes.

Kon opened the plastic seal of onigiri and gulped it whole in a single swallow, the sight reminded Ichigo of Arturia when she was eating.

"God, being hungry it's the worst. It's this what humans and animals feel all the time?"

"Oh, for sure," Ichigo took a big bite of an egg sandwich.

Kon flicked open a bottle of soda with a single claw, chugging it after.

"What the..."

Ichigo and Kon look up to see Uryuu Ishida, a juice box in hand, staring at them indignantly.

"What are you two doing here?" He asked, rather snappish.

"Whoa, dude. Who pissed you off?" Ichigo said while chewing her food, "Eating what else?"

Kon put down his soda and let out a loud burp, "This drink's awesome!"

Uryuu has this pinched look of disgust.

"Don't drink that too much, the sugar content is off the roof."

"Would that affect me?"

"Eh, who knows? Maybe it's like those rodents who get diabetes."

"Not funny."

"Hey! I'm still here!"

Ichigo and Kon turned their heads again to see a red-faced Uryuu.

"Uh, why are you still here anyway?" Kon took another onigiri, "We don't have any business with you."

"I think he means me." His master pets his head fondly.

"Oh, come on, Ichigo. He's a textbook of stuck-up. Just because you're a Soul Reaper, doesn't mean he gets to unload his grudge on you." 

Uryuu gritted his teeth, "Why you little-"

"Okay, no need to flame the fire, Kon. Finish your food."

Ichigo grabbed Uryuu by the hand and dragged him away. Not without resistance, the Quincy boy practically tried to claw her grip off his arm while shouting nonstop to let go of him, too bad for him, Ichigo's stronger. As an archer, she thought he would have some meat, not skinny as a plank.

She finally let go of him when they reached a pedestrian bridge that overlooked the scenery of Karakura Town as it was a hilly town.

"There, try to cool off for a bit before you start talking. For someone who is disciplined in a spiritual-based martial art, I thought you'd be mature."

Uryuu still gritting his teeth, "That creature... What was he?"

"Don't tell me you're planning to hunt him down just because he mouthed you off. Look, you hate Soul Reapers, I get it. Avoid me forever, that'll solve your problem."

Ichigo starts to walk away.

"Aren't you curious why I know you're a Soul Reaper? Or Rukia Kuchiki for that matter!" Uryuu shouted in frustration.

"If I'm concerned about people knowing what I am, I would've left this town a long time ago. Then again what are you going to do to Rukia? Hurt her? Never mind. You've known Rukia as a Soul Reaper and I got turned into one and yet you decided to confront us right now. Why not from the start?"

Uryuu is looking down, both of his hands balled into a fist, and his body is tense.

"I was observing you both."

"And you observed enough, well done. What is it that you want from us?"

Then Uryuu shot Ichigo with a look of steel.

"Would you like to play a game Kurosaki? To see who's superior, a Soul Reaper or a Quincy? I'll show you how worthless Soul Reapers are."

Ichigo stared indifferently for several seconds before sighing, rubbing the area of the base of her neck. So this is a contest of pride...

"Hmm, no. I don't think so."

"Oh, so you're afraid," Uryuu fixed his glasses, "I know you got power from Kuchiki, which makes you only a substitute Soul Reaper. Without her guidance, you're aimless."

Ichigo, honestly, wanted to laugh at his haughtiness.

"No, you silly little man. You're mistaken if I hold Rukia's ideal just because I take over her duty, I may respect her, but I have my own mind. You wanted to have a contest with someone who doesn't have pride in their power, are you sure you're going to be satisfied with that? It doesn't take a dumbass to know that no, you won't be satisfied. If this is about you and me, we can settle this in a much simpler way. Except this is about you and your selfish needs to prove something by dragging me in. Call me a coward, I don't care. I don't exist to fuel your needs."

"And that's why you'll fail!" Uryuu declared, "You said you have no pride in being a Soul Reaper and yet you needed that power to protect your family! They're not the only people in this city with spiritual gifts-"

"Show me how you know about me and Rukia being Soul Reapers."

"Wha-"

"I said show me."

With slight apprehension, swirls of ribbon sprouted from the ground around Uryuu. He grabbed a red ribbon that was like it was dunked in fresh blood.

"From your Reiraku. They're a manifestation of spiritual energy, a good Soul Reaper can see it right away, and a skilled one can touch it, if you're any good-"

"What you hold is mine." Ichigo held out her hand, letting those ribbons lay gently on her hand, sorting one by one while announcing whose is whose, "Yuzu, Karin, Chad, Tatsuki, Orihime, Mizuiro, Keigo, Ochi-sensei, the school janitor, the konbini employee; and I can pinpoint where they are right now; at the football park, at home, at the shopping district, at the school ground, over in Naruki, at the teacher's room, at the second floor of our school, and most obvious, at the konbini where we just buy foods. You even point out that Soul Reaper's Reiraku is red," She held up a fading red ribbon, "You're right, this one is Rukia. But you know what's interesting, did you think a Quincy Reiraku would be white because they counted as fellow humans?"

Two lines of blue ribbon appeared. They are rather light hue from their shade of color.

"Nope. They're blue. See, this is you and this is your father. Word of advice, don't straight away assume your enemy doesn't know anything, it's called being careless."

Uryuu bristled at the mention of his father. Not because he took it as a silent threat, but rather it was more of a dislike.

Great, daddy issue. Ichigo inwardly groaned and dismissed the ribbons.

"You're right about that I needed power to protect my family. I indeed covet power but for you to brand it as Soul Power power is an oversimplification. If it needed to be something worse than Soul Reaper then so be it, I'll be something that you can never imagine."

Uryuu now starting to reconsider that approaching Ichigo Kurosaki is a bad idea. He hates it... Being denied like this. He knows she is right, that he was being selfish. But he still wanted to do it, he wanted to prove that Soul Reapers are unnecessary in this world. He simply refuses that... Grandfather died for nothing!

Oh no, his ass is not listening. Ichigo experienced being a belligerent teenager a long time ago and unloaded unto her Servants and Chaldea Staff, easily guessing the Quincy's train of thoughts.

She was going to leave the bespectacled boy with his inner hurdle before she heard a buzz and smelled mercury in the air. The buzz reminded her of a bee, something she never expected to be significant enough to be caught on, mercury on the other hand, a lot of supernatural involves mercury...

Then a wave of dread enveloped the city, she sensed multiple planes of dimension being ripped open. An array of hunger makes their presence clear in the Human World. Ravenous wails echo throughout Karakura Town.

It is a swarm of... a swarm of Hollows?

What the Hell is going on?

"What the- Hollows, this many?!" Uryuu just sensed their coming, "How- How could this happen?!"

Ichigo caught a thin and transparent material that was flying, it was smooth like glass, the breaking pattern like porcelain, and what is more important, it smelled like mercury.

"Do you know what this is?" She held it up to the Quincy.

Uryuu looked closer and shock was his reaction.

"That's a Hollow bait! But how? I'm sure I didn't break mine," He reached for his pocket to take out a silver coin with a Latin inscription on the edges, "It's not mine. Could it be my father? But he wouldn't do something like this."

"Then someone is toying with you. What is the possibility of that Quincy tool being stolen, recreated, and made bigger?"

"That's-" Uryuu stopped when another train of thought interrupted him, "Wait, I need to isolate that piece!"

Ichigo noticed the Hollow bait she holds is getting thinner and thinner, dematerializing into spores. It was snatched from her hold by Uryuu, who put the piece into a glass tube that was smaller than those used in a laboratory, poured a bluish liquid into it from an even smaller glass tube, and sealed it with a cork. She watched the Hollow bait dissolve into the liquid and felt inwardly amused.

Did he just bring those everywhere? 

"This is the only piece you caught, the others might already be dispersed and there's no time to nullify it. This city is infested. All we can do is slay the Hollow as many as possible."

They both winced when they heard a crash from afar, it sounded like a car crash. Smoke billowing soon after.

"Right. Preferably now," Ichigo supplied, "Kon, get over here!"

Uryuu gaped when the creature that mouthed him before appeared out of thin air and landed on Ichigo's shoulder. There was some leftover rice in its mouth.

"Kon cha-"

Kon burped loudly.

Ichigo pinched her nose to block the smell.

"Sorry."

"Change now!"

Kon saluted.

It was the most bizarre sight Uryuu might ever see when the unknown amber creature entered Ichigo's body. It made her able to separate herself from her human body as her Soul Reaper form stood face-to-face with it. The creature possessed the human body successfully by the male adjacent voice it let out, which is something that Ichigo chastised, and then the creature swiftly used her voice. It sure made Uryuu want to ask so many questions but no, with this ideal situation, he can still prove himself better than the Soul Reapers.

"I'm going first. Do keep up Kurosaki, I'm sure you don't like being not in the lead."

He activated his Hirenkyaku, ignoring the shout Kurosaki spouts at him.

"You idiotic piece of-" Ichigo exhaled, vein-popping, "Kon, this town will be in chaos. Can I rely on you to extract the civilians? Also, take them to the hospital if you must."

Kon nodded, watched in slight trepidation as Ichigo gone from his sight. 

Chapter Text

Kon in Ichigo's body is running to a crash site. A car hit an electricity pole, the caved, and its engine smoked. One would think that it was strange that no one was around to help, but it seems that there was a bigger disaster somewhere, that all the ambulances and firefighters went in the opposite direction. The Hollow that went for this lone driver seems to be smarter for deciding that they should have a personal meal. The humans in the car do not have enough spiritual energy to see the Hollow with their naked eyes, but it is enough to attract them.

He jumped to kick the Hollow in the face, punting it far enough from the disorientated driver. 

"Sir! Are you okay?" Kon planted his face on the window.

The driver is a middle-aged man, blood trickling from his head.

"The door-" He coughed, crowing weakly, "It's jammed..."

"Hang on, sir!"

Kon stared at the car door and suddenly realized he did not know how to open a vehicle door.

"Oh shit, is it like a house door? Slide it? Where's the knob?!... Aaargh, screw it!"

He pried open the door by denting into the metallic frame. There is a strap around the man that he has no idea how to disable, so he breaks that was some latch point and carefully unravels it. He grabs the man, carrying him bridal style.

Ichigo's body is practically inhuman, despite him being a specialized artificial Soul that focuses on legs. 

"I got you, sir! I shall bring you to the hospital!"

With his inborn ability and possessing Ichigo's body, Kon successfully made a bizarre sight of a teenage girl running across the town who was seemingly able to break a record.

***

Ichigo is practically flying through the shopping mall, killing Hollows left and right. The mall is in the process of being evacuated because of a pipe bursting- at least, that was the official reason. The firefighters and police are here, trying to escort a bunch of people out of the building. 

At the far edge of her sight, a little boy was hiding in a corner with a Hollow towering over him. The boy possesses spiritual energy higher than usual, which makes him a person of interest. She throws her sword at high speed and effectively beheads the Hollow; hoping the child does not get nightmares from witnessing that.

She went closer to retrieve her weapon, which was embedded in the wall, walking past the boy; assuming he could not see her, only for his tiny hand to grab her hand. She sensed the boy trying to calm down, pulling his spiritual energy in.

"Are you...a good one?" The boy asked.

She nodded. This tiny town wasn't as oblivious as the general population's spiritual beings believed.

The boy nodded in gratitude. Then stood up, running to join the evacuating crowd.

Ichigo plucked her sword, slashed a Hollow coming from her left, and smelled the air, seeking the traces of mercury. Satisfied that it was clean, Ichigo proceeded to take out the lingering Hollows that were hidden by using an uncommon method that Master Scáthach taught: using a controlled spiritual wavelength that was let out by whistling. Weaker spiritual beings who lack intelligence, act more like animals. They are not as keen to feel innate spiritual energy in people, but rather the exhaust from breathing and voices.

A thrilling noise echoed through the mall, and the Hollows started to crawl out. Using their best senses to feel the exhaust energy from the noise. Since it was utilized by someone who had high Reiryoku, it was pretty delicious. They soon gathered into groups because it seemed to have a center. It led them to an open space in the middle of the building that was usually used for an exhibition; in the middle of it was a lone redhead with one arm hidden behind her back. 

Ichigo played a fun note at the end of the whistle as if saying 'Come here'.

The Hollows scrambled to get her like a pack of hungry wolves.

From behind her, she revealed her sword.

"So what do you think happened?"

One of the firefighters asked the medic of his team. They all sat on the sidewalk beside their firetruck, taking a brief break from the chaos before returning to work.

"They said a gas cylinder was flying in the air before it exploded," The medic said as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, "The gas then caught a faulty wiring at the top floor, hence the fire."

"Flying? You mean like someone threw it?"

"Nah. Check this out!" One of their brawnier-looking teammates, holding a dented gas cylinder, said, "If it exploded, the metal would have been jaunted out, but this looks like it's been bitten by a tiger!"

"A tiger in a shopping center? We're not even nearly close to the nearest zoo."

"Oh no, no, no. See the size of the dent? This would make the tiger's teeth at least the size of a rhino's teeth. This is not just a tiger, this is a monster tiger!"

The conversation was cut short by the sound of glass breaking from the smoking building.

"What was that?!"

"Another explosion?!"

The firefighters rush back in as an invisible Ichigo drags an unconscious giant tiger-like Hollow that starting to diminish its features by its tail, walking past them.

"Sorry about the glass, not that you can hear me anyway."

She spotted the little boy who was able to see her sitting in the back of an ambulance, draped in a blanket. He waved at her and shouted.

"Cool cat!"

Right after that, an older lady who seemed to be the boy's mother came over with a frown, asking who he was talking to.

When 'the cool cat' is finally done with its Hollow death, Ichigo hears a caw from a nearby huge tree; the cawing tells her to hide under the shade. Looking up, she saw a white crow that was the extension of Sōjōbō-sensei perching on a branch. She extends her right arm so the bird will perch on it.

As it landed on her arm, the crow stared straight into her eyes, and in that instant, there was a click in her mind.

: Ichigo, my good girl! Finally, some actions after quite a while, eh?:

Said a strong, womanly voice that rang in her head. That was the Tengu King, Sōjōbō.

"Sensei, is there something you want to tell me?"

: Straight to the point are ye'. Scáthach said she wasn't worried and yet asking me to look out for ye'. You sure attract trouble like the flame to those moths. Anyway, I lent some of my help and managed to collect these, hold out your palm, dearie.:

Ichigo held out her palm, and the crow coughed pieces of the so-called Quincy bait, which she froze immediately with an ice spell, caging them in an icy sphere.

: That should lessen these creatures pouring out of this dimension, I'm sure you and that Quincy youth can take care of the rest.:

"Thank you, sensei. I appreciate it."

: ... Ye' know, none of us are quite happy with you involving yourself unto that dimension's businesses. If I had my way, I would've pecked your old man and that shopkeeper's eyes.:

Ichigo chuckled, "Now, now, don't give them the satisfaction of knowing about you."

: Oh, how very tempting that is... I took out some of the pesky flies that were watching you, but not all of them, can't be too apparent or they'll get suspicious. Be careful, Ichigo. Don't let them wrench out your freedom.:

"I know. I promise."

The white crow flew away.

Chad was out with his bandmates to get some lunch when he started feeling uncomfortable. When there was a crash behind him, he and his friends turned around to find nothing, but the horrid feeling was getting even worse. His friends thought it was a gas explosion. He knows it was not. Something just fell from the sky. In his eyes was something simmering like heat waves.

Today was a hot day, sure, but this is different. These heat waves have a shape. An unnatural shape that neither humans nor animals can have.

He felt this presence before somewhere.

Where? He honestly could not remember.

The heat waves raised its arm, Chad knew that was an arm, and it was about to stomp him. He pushed his friends away from his vicinity, the ground shook when the arm landed. It raises again and comes toward him with a swing. He dodged in time, it landed on a stop sign that was easily broken into two.

It is after me.

He broke into a run, ignoring his friends' shouting. The thing was certainly big, a car was easily crushed by its big invisible foot. He looked for an open space to avoid further landscape destruction. There was a soccer field up ahead, unfortunately, it was still occupied.

As he arrives, he is face to face with Ichigo's younger sister, Karin, who just in time to want to get out of the park.

"Ah, you're the cockatiel guy, wasn't it?"

Chad swooped the little girl when his instinct blared as a warning, the ground quaked when a fist descended. 

"It's- It's the creature that Nee-chan always fought!" Karin gasped from his hold, "That thing is bigger than the one I saw at the graveyard!" 

"You can see it?" Chad blinked in surprise.

"I'm like Nee-chan," Karin admitted with a heavy heart, "Look out. Behind you!"

With the warning, Karin is brought up Chad's shoulder and evades the attack. She realized fast that the half-Mexican guy could not see much of the beast, rendering her to be his second eye.

"We need to find Nee-chan, she can kill this thing!"

"What do you mean Ichigo can kill them?"

His best friend had been gallivanting around killing invisible beings. Quite a step up from bullies.

"No time to explain! Just run!"

Chad ducked down and felt a mass swathing the point of his hair. 

"This is insane- GO LEFT!"

Chad swerved to the left, it felt like something barely missed swatting them.

There was a loud crash from some other side of the field.

"KARIN!"

"NEE-CHAN, OVER HERE!"

Chad did not see Ichigo or hear her. Then he heard a loud thump from his side and thick dust forming as if something was rolling away in the ground harshly.

"You just throw that thing?!"

Karin chats with something invisible.

Chad followed her line of sight and saw nothing, not even those heat waves.

"What's wrong?" Karin asked in a worried tone. Then she turned and horror-painted her eyes.

"What's going on?" Chad asked, feeling left out.

"Those creatures...are eating, eating each other."

Chad, obviously, does not get the horror. He then heard tiny steps from a bunch of boys who approached them, They were Karin's soccer mates.

"Hey, Karin! Why are you riding on that big dude's shoulder?" 

Everything happened so fast for Karin. Before she can even warn her friends, a red blast comes out from the Hollow's mouth and is shot towards them, she thinks they are done for if it were not for her older sister scooping them up together and taking the brunt of the blast. They were flying in the air pretty far before crashing on the ground as her sister shielded the impact for them by landing on her back.

Her friends were confused about what just happened since they could not see the person who grabbed them, and Karin panicked when her sister did not move. 

No...is she-

The howl from the beast broke her out of the stupor, reminding her that they were still in danger. The beast is bigger, bulkier, and scarier. She shouted something, but she could not hear her voice, the sound of her beating heart drowned it.

It made her miss out on a fist coming straight at her and Chad. The next thing she saw when she opened her eyes—that she does not even remember closing it out of fear—was that she is embraced by Chad. She felt something wet and red.

"NO! NO! NO! DON'T DIE!"

Karin tried to lift Chad, but he was way too heavy. She helplessly saw another fist coming and closed her eyes again.

Chad does feel lightheaded. Ichigo's sister's voice was like a distant dream; telling him not to die. 

They are still in danger. 

"Did you hit someone again Yasutora?"

He had to get up. Or else... Or else!

"What comes from hitting? And what remains? Yasutora, you are strong, you are big, and you were born with everything that most people would desire from God. Those who are different are persecuted, in this world, that is how it works. However, you must be kind, find out the sake of those strong fists of yours...

He is big. He is strong. He had to learn how to be kind. He raised his fist, and it met with the monster's, and it did not hurt. The sight of the monster is suddenly as clear as day. It looked like an ape with a very dense cloud. It losing it other hand courtesy of him.

The monster charged back. He wastes no time to hit it back at the center with his left hand; encompassed in black, jagged prongs on the shoulder, with maroon and white stripes adorning it. 

It did not die.

A sword is flying at high speed and embedding itself into the monster's flesh.

"CHAD, USE THE SWORD!"

At his best friend's instruction, Chad grabbed the sword. Moving it upward and slicing the monster into two. It turned into dust as it died.

Kinda anti-climatic. 

"Karin! Chad! You two are alright?" Ichigo limped toward them, she was promptly hugged by Karin, who was shaking in fright, "Ow, easy. I just got blasted."

"I thought you were dead!" Karin is almost in tears.

"I'm mostly fine, I think I dislocated my ankle. That was a bad landing," She pats her sister comfortingly, "Chad, you look different."

"So are you... And dusty."

Ichigo smiled weakly, "You should sit down before you crash."

True to her word, Chad felt his body simply lean to the side before touching the coarse dirt. He looks up to the sky, wondering what just happened.

"Tired?"

Chad hummed and lifted Ichigo's sword, "Nice sword."

Ichigo reached down to retrieve her weapon, sheathing it aside for now.

"Wait, what about my friends?" Karin asked.

"They're fine. You two, however, have spiritual energy higher than normal. The Hollows sense those and feast on those who have such energy, we need to get you both somewhere safe. Luckily, I knew a place not far from here."

"Nee-chan, what about your leg?"

Ichigo looked down, "Oh right, I almost forgot that my ankle busted. Uh, do look away if you don't want to see this."

Karin and Chad winced horribly upon hearing the crack as Ichigo fixed her ankle.

"That should do it."

Karin, still grimacing, said, "Shouldn't you go to a doctor?"

"Doctors are often optional if my injuries are like that and remember, just for me. Now up you go."

With Karin on her back and Chad in her arms, Ichigo moved as fast as she could to Urahara Shop.

"A Hollow? At a time like this- Eh, it's gone?" The phone stopped beeping as Rukia took it out of her skirt pocket. Then it started beeping again. On and off and on and off again, "What- What's happening? Is this thing broken?" Then she checked the screen, her eyes blinked in shock at the amount of Hollows that it detected.

She was going to run outside before the front door of Urahara Shop slid open rather hard, revealing Ichigo in her Soul Reaper get-up with Sado Yasutora prepped on her side and Karin in tow.

"Hey'yaz. So the whole town is screwed, if any of you are willing to help, it'll be great. Also, please allow my friend and my sister to stay for a while."

Tessai came to take over for Chad. Karin is a bit hesitant before a silent encouragement from her sister eases her, and she follows the big man inside.

"Ichigo-" Rukia began before being interrupted.

"Urahara-san, heads up."

Kisuke caught the thing that was thrown at him. It is cold in his like holding an ice sphere. Encased in it were some pieces that were silver in color, and from the manner of its breaking pattern, it was as if made out of glass. He knows what this is: a Hollow bait. Used by Quincies to attract a small number of Hollows to shoot them for practice. Except these pieces are as big as a normal Hollow bait.

"I'll put that in a jar before it melts. A warding jar if you can."

"What makes you think I want to investigate it?"

Ichigo threw her head back with a laugh and kept laughing when she looked at the shopkeeper like he was not supposed to say, a look of onfusion was what she got as a reply.

"Seriously?"

"I don't-"

"You know what, do whatever with it. I still have a little competition with a pompous Quincy."

"What exactly is this competition?" Rukia frowned judgmentally.

"Killing Hollows."

"What? Exterminating Hollows is not a game, Ichigo. You know better than that!"

"Tell that to the Quincy boy, I'm not the one who expects the outcome of this contest to mean something to me," Ichigo waved her hand casually and gave the group one last look, "Teenagers, am I right?"

And she disappeared from their sight with the speed of a Shunpo.

Kisuke blinked in surprise. Was she using Shunpo?

"Kuchiki-san, did you teach her that?"

Rukia, who was massaging her temple, answered irritatingly, "Teach her what?"

"Shunpo."

"No, I didn't."

"And you don't find that weird?"

"Everything is weird about Ichigo, Urahara. Get a move on!"

The ice sphere in Kisuke's hand started to melt. He sighed and went for an empty candy jar near him.

Then the shop opened up again by Ichigo.

"By the way, the Hollows are devouring each other to become stronger. Bye, again."

Three seconds after a thump of the closing door, Rukia screamed her frustration.

Orihime's first thought was 'I wish I hadn't seen it' and then she thought 'We have to get out of here' when she saw that strange monster on top of the school water tank. The air did not feel right, yet it was a familiar feeling; distant as it was in her mind, like a memory that she could not access. From her gut feeling, she was sure, that the creature was dangerous. Every cell in her body shivers and screams to run away. Run away as far as she can.

Tatsuki and Chizuru are with her, and she does not want them to get hurt. They all will be torn apart by that creature; they must escape.

But she must not raise their alarms.

Act like nothing's wrong!

Orihime knows that it is not like her to skip chores. She urged her friends to go home with her early because there was a show she wanted to watch. When she looked back at the spot where the creature was hanging, it was already gone. That was unnatural. A creature that big and yet releases no sound when it moves.

She finally panicked when Tatsuki said that she could go on without her.

"No, Tatsu-"

Suddenly, she is being loomed on. A shadow that was only visible to her.

"You can see me, don't you?" 

She looked up and saw the creature breathing down on her. Her heart thundered.

"What's wrong Orihime, is something up there?" Chizuru asked her friend, who stared into nothingness.

"Chizuru, you need to run..." Orihime pulled her voice with so much difficulty.

Chizuru, of course, cannot sense the looming danger and is confused by the behavior.

"What? What are you-"

"RUN! FAST!"

The creature growled, "Run? What are you saying?"

Orihime watched it flying even higher, cocking it bulbous toward them, and things started flying out of it. She raised her arms to cover her head only to find none of the projectiles it threw hit her. She does not stay long thinking about why she did not get hurt and went for Chizuru, who was lying on the ground, shoulder bleeding.

"Chizuru, you're bleeding badly! Oh no, what should I do?!" She fretted over her friend.

"You're crying? You're so sweet Ori," Chizuru got up, grunted after, "All right, I'm fine now! I don't know what hit me. I'm bleeding a lot, but it doesn't hurt much. I'm totally fine, don't worry. See, it moves! I'm totally-"

Chizuru's hand that went for Orihime's throat was caught by a much stronger hand.

"- fine?... Huh? Ichigo?"

No, that's not Ichigo. Orihime just knew it. Something's different about the tall redhead. She winced when Not-Ichigo hit Chizuru in the back of the neck, so she fell unconscious. Not-Ichigo sneered, reaching for something that made Chizuru bleed. When she(?) took it out, it looked like a giant eye.

"YOU INTERLOPER! HOW DARE YOU INTERFERE WITH MY ENTERTAINMENT!" 

"Your entertainment? Ah, you mean this dirty trick."

Orihime was almost thrown off by the chirpy man's voice that Not-Ichigo as he(?) crushed the eye with a bare hand.

"Inoue-chan, wasn't it? We need to get out of here, it's not safe," Not-Ichigo slung Chizuru onto her back.

"B-But- Tatsuki-"

A male schoolmate came at Orihime in a zombie-like state, charging heedlessly at her. She was saved by Tatsuki, who kicked him away.

“Tatsuki-chan!" 

"Sorry, I didn't notice that creature before." Tatsuki noticed Not-Ichigo carrying Chizuru, "Ichigo, you're here?"

Not-Ichigo sighed tiredly, "I'm not Ichigo. Come on, we need to get out of here."

"YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY! I WANT TO PLAY, AND YOU SHALL BE MY TOY!"

Not-Ichigo slides Chizuru to Tatsuki, ignoring the protest from the latter. Like a swift wind, it kicked the Hollow in the bulbous head as it crashed into the school gymnasium.

"Screw you, I have a whole shitty day."

"Hey, that's the school gym, idiot! You-"

They all heard a loud howl. Not-Ichigo steadily went forward and took a stance, a little too late, seeing a red blast as it blasted her far from Orihime and Tatsuki. It happened so fast that two of them could not process what just happened.

An angry screech released them out of their stupor, they looked up to see a white crow with red eyes glaring at them.

Then, a howl sent them back to their state of fear.

"Tatsuki, what should we do? Can you see anything?” Orihime shivered in fear, "We should check on Ichigo."

“No, not a damn thing. I swear I used to see a transparent outline of them, but now-“ Tatsuki was cut off by her schoolmates charging at her again, “What is wrong with them?”

“It's the monster, it did something to them," Orihime backed away from the mob of zombie-like schoolmates.

"Dammit, I can't fight while carrying Chizuru like this. Fine, let's find Ichigo first. On my mark, then we run as fast as we can."

Tatsuki hoisted Chizuru on her back and bowed her body. Like a bull, she charged through the mob as they tumbled down, Orihime following after her. They run toward the direction that they think Not-Ichigo would have landed.

"I don't like conflict..."

"Tatsuki-chan, I- I heard something," Orihime stopped running at that voice.

"Where? Is it the monster?"

"Can you all just kill each other..."

Tatsuki looked back to see the mob catching up, and she clicked her tongue, "Orihime, grab Chizuru, I'll hold them off!"

"Wait, Tatsuki don't- HUMPH!" 

Something coiled Orihime and forcefully lifted her into the air.

"Orihime?" Tatsuki turned to find no sight of her best friend.

Something swiped her legs, making her fall backward and drop Chizuru. That was when she saw Orihime in the air, gasping for air as she was seemingly being crushed by something invisible.

"ORIHIME!" 

Tatsuki tried to get up, but the zombie-like schoolmates held her down, and no matter how hard she tried to fight them, more kept hounding her, adding more weight and weight, forcing her to the ground.  

"NO! HIME!"

“Ta-Tatsuki-” She could hear Tatsuki screaming for her.

"So please... DIE!"

Orihime felt her hair yanked back, the coil on the body was almost gone, and she was almost hanging only by her hair.

No, not the hair, please!

All thanks to Tatsuki, I can grow my hair long again, ever since it was forcibly cut and my brother died...

My long hair is a symbol of my trust in Tatsuki!

"This time..."

Orihime's hairpins glowed.

"I'll protect you."

Lights were flying in the air. Forming a shield that crashes onto the zombie-like schoolmates, a dome of orange protects Tatsuki from those who came back and are now headlessly hitting the dome. One light cuts the coil, which restricts Orihime's body and hair and barrels the zombies. She falls to the ground rather harshly, but she gets up resolutely.

"I will show no mercy to anyone who hurts Tatsuki!"

"Why won't you DIE!" The creature roared and advanced its tentacles.

Orihime instinctively lifted her right hand as a command for the lights that were floating beside her. It shoots with the speed of a bullet as it easily obliterates the tentacles. She saw it reared back and red energy started forming from its mouth.

"Don't let it hit you!"

At that exclamation, Orihime brought up her other arm, positioning it as if she were trying to stop the incoming energy with her bare hands. Instead, an orange three-pointed arch appeared in front of her, shielding her from the red energy that was shot into a blast toward her. She cannot believe she just did all that.

A single light came back to her side after the arch dispersed; it glowed, and somehow, she knew what needed to be done.

"SANTEN KISSHUN! I REJECT!"

The light shot forward at the creature, so powerful that it sliced the creature in half. Orihime watched it crumble away into nothingness. She was in absolute danger and now, it all disappeared. It feels like a dream. Why did she suddenly know she could do this? What is this...power?

She does not feel it when she closes her eyes.

"Orihime!" Tatsuki catches her best friend's unconscious body. "Hey, wake up!"

"Don't worry; she's just exhausted."

Tatsuki lifted her head to see Ichigo, who was a bit banged up. A white crow that she saw before perching on her shoulder. Except she remembered the bit when 'she' said 'she' was not Ichigo and spoke to her with a more masculine voice, although in a much higher octave. Beside 'her' is an older, bespectacled man with silverish-white hair tending to fallen zombie-like schoolmates. He is handsome but he has the most unfriendly expression at the moment. There was a white bow slung on his shoulder, and his demeanor was just quiet.

"You little gnats, return to your sealed state," Not-Ichigo suddenly addressed into the thin air.

Tatsuki does not see anything. Though there were small ripples in the air, multiple divergent that did not match the sky, flying around. Then Not-Ichigo sort of snarling at the ripples, arguing viciously. As they were done, the ripples gathered around, uniting to reveal Orihime's sets of hairpins. Her eyes widened when the accessories appeared out of nowhere; she grabbed them, safekeeping them for her best friend.

The white crow laughed, startling everyone.

"Seems everything is taken care of over here. Ryuuken-san didn't expect you to be here."

A clack of geta approaching.

The silverish-white-haired man huffed, "The situation turns out to be more troublesome; it seems my son had been reckless."

"Ah, well... It's not your son."

Before Kisuke could say anything else, something crashed nearby. For those who could see it, it was the real Ichigo, sword stabbing a winged Hollow. She hissed tiredly, retrieving her weapon as she got off the beast, not looking back as it crumbled. She threw an icy sphere at Kisuke, who caught it steadily. When she sees Ryuuken, she stops a little bit as if questioning why the man is here but decides not to linger and makes her way to Kon.

"Are you alright?" She asked her familiar, seeing bruises on her human body, "You're injured."

"I'm fine. The Hollow blasted me, but this Quincy man patches me up... Even if he was trying to shoot me beforehand."

Ichigo leered at Ryuuken, "Truly? Why?" 

"I thought he was stealing a human body. I didn't know if he was associated with you."

Ryuuken informed. His face is stone cold.

"Hmm..." Ichigo merely commented. Equally stone cold. 

"I'm sorry, who are you talking to?" Tatsuki stands up, carrying Orihime by her side.

Kon took a moment before answering, "Ichigo, the real one. Though that shopkeeper is invisible too."

"Ichigo? She's here? And what shopkeeper? Why can't I see them? Are they some kind of a ghost?"

"Yes. Oh wait, she can't hear me," Ichigo giggled, finding the humor in the situation. "Kon, tell her I said yes."

"Ichigo said yes," Kon relays the feedback.

Tatsuki could not seem to find anything to say as she was overwhelmed, so her mouth went agape and closed a few times.

Kisuke's geta clacked forward. "If I may, Ryuuken-san and I will handle the kids here. While you can continue slaying Hollows, Kurosaki-san."

Ryuuken was affronted for being included.

"As I will explain to you what was going on, Ryuuken-san."

Kon looked at the two males unsurely before going for Ichigo, who gave a simple hand motion, indicating him to relay the message.

"Right, uh, the shopkeeper guy said he and...Ryuuken...guy...will take care of you and your friends while Ichigo continues slaying Hollows."

"Hollows?" Tatsuki does not know the term.

"The invisible monster that..." Kon gestured to all the mess, "... Did all of this."

"Nicely done," Ichigo pats the head of her human body.

"Okay... Can I trust these men then?"

"The pristine one, sure, he's a certified doctor. The shopkeeper though, no."

"Now that's just cruel," Kisuke pouted.

Ichigo cackled at him as she was leaving.

The white crow followed her.

"Should... Should I tell her that too?" 

Nobody answer Kon.

***

Tatsuki is sitting on a stool in the school's infirmary as she watches her schoolmates wake one by one; they are confused about how they ended up there. It was almost late in the afternoon, and the school's doctor was already gone. The man dubbed as Ryuuken was pretending to be some sort of a substitute. His stern face effectively sent the students to scurry away, none dared enough to ask any question. Some stopped to ask her, but she was told not to say anything, so all she could do was shrug. Beside her is a possessed Ichigo, bored out of their mind, flipping one magazine they found in the infirmary over and over again. While Orihime lay on one of the beds temporarily before, as Ichigo in possession said, she would be brought somewhere else later. It is quiet, too quiet perhaps. Yet there was a conflict inside her seeing all of this.

Tatsuki does not like the sound of Orihime being taken anywhere, not by some stranger. Even though Ichigo knew of these people. The problem is that the one who was going to take Orihime is the invisible man. When she asks if she could come along, it says that she does not need to. Looking at the Ryuuken guy talking to the invisible man while not caring whether he looked crazy or not made her anger grow more. She does not like not knowing what is going on; she has no ounce of control at the moment, and it made her sick. She does not like not knowing what to do. 

Then there was the fact that Ichigo can turn into a ghost, which is crazy. Tatsuki remembered she was being told that she could see ghosts when they were little kids. She inclined not to believe her, not because she distrusted her, but because she could not see the ghost itself. And to think that her childhood friend's...ability...made her get involved in something like this. She wondered how Ichigo felt about all of this.

"Hey, you said you're not Ichigo, right? Who are you then?" 

Kon flipped the magazine pages for the nth times, "Kon."

"Just Kon?"

"Yes."

Tatsuki silently swallows, "What is going to happen?"

"I already told you."

"But why can't I go? I have to make sure Orihime is safe."

Kon stopped flipping pages and looks straight at Tatsuki, "Overprotective, are you?"

"Of course I'm overprotective, Orihime got no one to take care of herself."

"You worry too much. Urahara is probably just checking something since she got powers. Are you really that adamant about coming along?"

Tatsuki nodded vehemently.

"I could put some good words so you can come along, but you probably won't remember it after."

Something inside her faltered, "What do you mean I won't remember?"

Kon glanced at the shopkeeper, who was talking quite seriously to the Karakura Hospital doctor, that apparently the same kind as the guy who challenged Ichigo into a Hollow slaying contest.

"It's a standard practice. Those who accidentally get involved in a spiritual incident usually get their memory altered. The less they know, the better. It kept them alive."

"Is that why I have this strange memory about a drunk actor setting out a firework in Orihime's apartment?" Tatsuki recalled the strange memory. I was involved, and I didn't know. "So, what was actually attacking the apartment that day was this invisible creature?"

"I wasn't in the picture yet, but yeah basically."

Suddenly, the sirens of firefighters can be heard from a distance. From the view of the infirmary window, Tatsuki can see bits of fire. The Ryuuken guy quickly hogs the view, he looks stricken.

"Is he trying to destroy the whole city?!" He growled.

Tatsuki knew then he was chatting with the invisible man after. Again, the feeling that she was just sitting here...now with the possibility of her memory going to be altered... She doesn't want that.

"Man, today's sucks." Kon commented, "This is the busiest day Ichigo has ever experienced."

When he got no answer, he turned to the seat where the tomboy-looking girl was sitting.

On the stool was a pair of blue hairpins of the unconscious girl.  

Chapter Text

Ichigo is tired. She wants a hot bath after all of this is done. What is wrong with these Hollows? Their abilities are getting too creative. Some of them even begin shooting those red lasers after consuming enough of their kin. She was not a mile away from her school, and there was a Hollow that looked like a condemned Kirin who started burning everything around them. They came out of a doorway that was akin to ripping reality. By the Reiatsu alone, she can know how strong the Hollow is. When she stabbed the surface of its body, her blade would not cut through.

The stray fire that it evokes manages to burn a series of store units just because Ichigo landed on their roof for footing. The Hollow really sets their eyes on her. Weirdly sets on her. They chase her whenever she goes, trampling other Hollows in the process. When she heard the firefighters' sirens, she knew she had to bait the Hollow away from the commotion, or else there would be corpses lying around. She needed a wide open space to fight it.

The soccer field is too far, and there was no way a tennis yard would suffice. The closest wide space near her is her high school's sports yard.

Ichigo bitterly relents to the idea, making a run back to her school's grounds.

***

"You're saying that all of this happened because of Isshin's daughter?" Ryuuken scowled hard, "Is this because of what she inherited from Masaki?"

"No. At least, I don't think so. She was able to revert some Hollow into their Plus self, summoned weapons out of thin air, conjured ice that's not a standard Kidō or Quincy spells, fought like a professional swordsman and martial artist, performed flash step flawlessly, and— Look, I could go on. But what she was able to do wasn't normal by Soul Reaper standards. I bet it's not even normal by Quincy's standard. Do you think a fifteen-year-old girl can suddenly do all this out of the blue because her father rigorously taught her? No. We know Isshin's choices in raising his children, but not once did he conduct formal training for his children, especially Ichigo Kurosaki. Aizen knew she wasn't normal. He'd been watching, and he wanted to see more. That's why he did this."

Kisuke explained pretty calmly, despite the hard grip on his cane.

"How very unlike you for not knowing what's going on." Ryuuken scoffed, folding his arms to his chest. "Yet, you standing here, meaning you also wanted to see more."

Kisuke does not take the insult to heart, even though it is true. Out of his sleeve, he took out the ice sphere, covered in paper seals to prevent it from melting too fast, that was given by Ichigo. He could only stare at it as if wanting it to answer the immeasurable number of questions he had about her.

The two adult men then saw a giant four-legged Hollow trampling to the school's soccer yard with Ichigo dangling by the side of it. Like a scene out of a Texas rodeo, the Hollow bucked back and forth, trying to shake off the involuntary redheaded cowboy. Instead of falling, she climbed further until she reached the Hollow's back. When it stands like a mad horse, she holds on to the mane while also unsheathing her sword. They saw the sword glow blue and soon crackling with electricity.

"Is that her Zanpakutou ability?" Ryuuken squinted his eyes.

No, it isn't. Kisuke turned to the ice sphere in his hand. Could it be-

A relatively hard stomp made Ichigo lose her hold on the mane. She got thrown in the air but managed to throw her crackling sword at the Hollow's upper vertebrate. The Hollow howled in pain and blood that rained down when the lightning imploded.

Kisuke's eyes widened in fascination. As I thought, she was imbuing her weapon with a lightning spell.

Kidō and Zanpakutou do not always work in tandem since the latter mood can vary. For example, if one has an ice-type Zanpakutou, the Soul Reaper would not dare to imbue it with a fire spell. It is a contradiction. It might be working in a sealed state, though, that itself requires immense talent. If the Zanpakutou is in a Shikai state, it has to be held with one hand while the other works as a caster. Or acquire a weapon that is specifically used for this purpose. In short, there was no way that Ichigo was wielding Rukia's Zanpakutou. This whole time, Kisuke thought she was, despite being unable to use the Shikai. Because Ichigo does not need Rukia's Shikai. That 'Zanpakutou'— whatever it is, merely copies the appearance of Rukia's Zanpakutou like a camouflage.

Kisuke watched Ichigo ease her landing by rolling on the ground, crouching at a safe distance to observe the situation. Since her main arsenal is gone, he is curious about what she is going to do. Except he heard a shout of Kon's voice from below and saw him chasing a running Tatsuki Arisawa. Ah, those kids... What are they doing?

"I thought he was looking after her?" Ryuuken's tone is dull.

"Oh, you know how teenagers are."

***

Tatsuki ignored Kon's shouts and kept running to the source of the little tremors. The soccer yard looked empty except for the gigantic outline of a near-invisible monster. She was trying to find an outline of her childhood friend before getting yanked backward by Kon. There was a shimmering heat in front of her, and then a thin ice sheet formed on the ground, settling down the invisible fire. There was an outline of a human figure, faintly recognizing it in the shape of a female human. 

"I don't know! I was looking away for a second, and then she just ran out!" 

Guessing by Kon's exclamation, Tatsuki was sure he was talking to Ichigo. Her childhood friend, who said that she could see the dead, now is one of the dead herself.

The outline of Ichigo moved away in a flash, then there was a sound that was similar to a thunderclap.

"Great, now she's angry. Hopefully, that roundhouse kick broke the Hollow's jaw." Forcing Tatsuki on her feet, he hissed, "What were you thinking, running out like? Isn't enough of you edging with dangers for one day?"

Tatsuki is quiet. Because honestly, she had no idea why she did that. Perhaps she was selfish for wanting to be at Orihime's side, or perhaps she did not like the feeling of uselessness while Ichigo was out there, fighting for her life. Ichigo and she used to do karate together, she was a little red-headed girl who always cried when Tatsuki beat her in sparring, but the moment Ichigo saw her mother come to pick her up, she was smiling again as if nothing happened. Then her mother died, Ichigo turned into this abrasive person that tried so hard to protect her younger sisters, people are calling her a delinquent. Ichigo always carries this lingering sadness; since she cannot outright express it, it is delivered into something physical.

Then High School started. And for the first time in those many years of knowing Ichigo, Tatsuki noticed something different. Ichigo enters the classroom with a strange confidence. Instead of a scowl that set off so many people as they thought she was not friendly, there was a smile, light and honest. She was not as temperamental as before, less apprehensive, and less moody. She became more active in school, willing to join extracurricular activities, participating in competitions that made the teachers see her in a better light since she brought up the school's reputation. 

"Is it wrong...to want to become like her?" Tatsuki whispered.

Kon raised one of Ichigo's face's eyebrows, "What are you saying? That you want to start seeing ghosts like Ichigo?"

"I was the first person that she ever admitted of her ability, but even then, I was skeptical. If I can see them too, perhaps I can understand her more."

Tatsuki watched Kon throw a judgemental expression at her. It was kinda eerie that he was done with Ichigo's face. Her insides churned when he finally scoffed out loud.

"I'm positive that every person will think of that regarding their bond with Ichigo. But, let me tell you something: even if you could and yet you weren't at those moments that shaped her into who she really is, can you truly understand her more? No. Because Ichigo tells me things, and I don't get it. To her who outgrew her basic ability and you who just recently wanted— Trust me. You won't be able to keep up. I don't think she'll appreciate you for wanting something like this. Do things for your own sake, not someone else's."

"But I can't leave Orihime-"

"That's not for you to decide. After all of this, her life will be different, and that's for her to experience. Though, that doesn't mean you lose your friendship with her; that is up to you and her." Kon tapped Tatsuki on the shoulder, "Go back. There was a difference between wanting to involve yourself and accidentally being involved."

She gritted her teeth out of sheer hate that Kon rightfully predicted her track of mind. It took her a couple of minutes to relent, following Kon going back to the infirmary.

In the distance, Ichigo jumped into the sky, aiming her leg to stomp on the tip of her handle sword. A shockwave filled with lightning echoed. The body of the Hollow gruesomely shattered. She stands before the remains as they are slowly dispersing into dust. Her sword is lying on the field, and she casually retrieves it.

Watching it filled Ryuuken Ishida with something incomprehensible in his gut. 

The shopkeeper beside him noticed.

***

"NO! NO! I SAID IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"

Orihime squealed as she woke up from her dream with a jolt. She looked around and recognized the school's infirmary. In the room was a man with a striped hat and black haori, a white-haired man with glasses, Tatstuki, and two Ichigo; one in school uniform and one in all-black clothing. She thought she was still dreaming, so she rubbed her eyes, only to see that there were still two Ichigo.

"Good morning, Orihime."

Ichigo, in all-black clothing, blazed a greeting.

"Huh...HUH!? Wha- What? There are two Ichigo!" 

Realizing she was the only one who was having a crisis with the situation, Orihime stopped immediately. She was wondering why everyone was so quiet and looked mildly uncomfortable, except for the Ichigos. Tatsuki especially looked sad.

"Uh, what is going on?"

Nobody answered while Ichigo in all-black clothing, merely shrugged. In that brief moment, Orihime realized that everybody's discomfort stems from Ichigo in all-black clothing being in the room. Why though? Could it be that this is a doppelganger that she sometimes reads in a manga? That one of these Ichigos is not real?

Orihime watched the one in all-black clothing go to a cabinet and retrieve a jug, filling it with water from the infirmary dispenser. The pitcher is filled until it is full, then it is used to drink like a regular mug filled with beverages in one go. Ichigo in all-black clothing must be very thirsty.

"Didn't you have a hospital to run? Besides, your son is almost here. Unless you wanted to have a conversation with him."

Ichigo in all-black clothing said as she put down the jug with a touch of finality.

The white-haired man stiffened. He was gone in the next second in a blur.

Orihime blinked in amazement. Whoa, he just disappeared!

"So Orihime, what was the last thing you remember?"

She cringed a bit when suddenly addressed. Still in her doppelganger agenda, she glanced at another Ichigo, who was lying leisurely in a medical bed beside her, thinking she was the real one.

"The last thing I remember? Well, I-...I ..." A memory of a monster holding her up by her hair sent a horrible shiver down her spine. She grabbed her hair as a reflex, making sure that it was still there, at the correct length. "There was a monster..."

"Skip through it if you want to."

Orihime swallowed, trying to pin down what she wanted to say, "Ah! Those fairies! I summoned those fairies to defeat the monster so I could protect Tatsuki-chan."

There was a flash of pain on Tatsuki's face.

Ichigo in all-black clothing, merely hummed.

"Fairies, huh."

"Yes. At least, I think they look like fairies. They're little humans with wings in cute clothing."

Orihime thought Ichigo Ichigo in all-black clothing was not very impressed as one of her eyebrows raised, but her expression quickly turned neutral.  

In the next second, the infirmary door slides rather forcefully, emanating a loud bang. It was Uryuu and Rukia, both out of breath. They are rather dirty and decorated with scrapes and bruises. Their white school shirt are almost not white anymore.

Uryuu seemed to be far worse as his hand that was used to pull the bowstring was bleeding profusely.

"Oh good, this area is safe and sound." He heaved.

As he looked up and saw a redhead in a Soul Reaper uniform, looking far better than he was, his face crumbled.

Ichigo rolled her eyes, "Still think this is a contest?"

Uryuu does not answer. 

"Rukia, you good?"

"Peachy." Rukia aridly said.

"Good, good. Since the swarm died down for a bit," Ichigo in all-black clothing took out two plastic glasses from the cabinet, filled them with water, "Do take a rest and have a drink. Also, let's take care of your hand while you're at it, Ishida."

"I don't have time for your pleasantries, Kurosaki."

"I am..." The edge of Ichigo's lip lifted, "... So thoroughly impressed that you still think you can relieve your inner problems."

The atmosphere turned tense by the end of those sentences.

Kon shifted on the bed.

Rukia steps away from Uryuu, not wanting to be in the line of the feuding figures.

Orihime's fear increased, thinking that her friends might start hurting each other.

Even Kisuke, who was loitering at the corner of the room, looked one step closer to stopping an impending incident.

While Tatsuki is deaf over Ichigo's voice at the moment, she can sense a rising heat from Uryuu.

"You might be unable to use your little thingamajig to bait these Hollows, but to think that you consider that it'll be worth the trouble just so you can prove that you're better than someone..." Ichigo does not finish the words; instead, she sighs, "People almost died today, and we're prancing around increasing kill count— Imagine that it happens when you use your bait device instead of whoever is orchestrating this. Is it honorable for you? You who swore to protect humans from Hollow, to just do it?"

"Ichigo..." Yet Rukia was hesitant.

Uryuu balled his fist, blood dripping to the infirmary's cold floor.

"My Master died before my eyes. He insists that Soul Reapers and Quicies need to fight together. He thought of ways... Soul Reapers are slow to respond to the threat of Hollows in this world, he argued that it would be better to have a contingent of Quincies here to be constantly on the lookout for Hollows and able to deal with them quickly. But the Soul Reapers are always the same: Don't interfere with our work. And so he was killed. There were five powerful Hollows that day, he was no match for them without the help of Soul Reapers. As always, they were slow to arrive. They showed up and defeated the Hollows two hours after my Master had started fighting. He was dead an hour before they arrived. In the end, his philosophy never reached them. If they had embraced his ideas, they would have arrived to save him, and he wouldn't have died. Do you understand, Ichigo Kurosaki? I must demonstrate to you the strength of the Quincies!"

Everyone turned to Ichigo, waiting for her reaction. They did not expect her to smile warmly.

"You demonstrate them enough."

Uryuu was caught off guard by her facile answer.

"I'm not trying to undermine you or anything, but every day, people are trying to prove themselves to change what could've been despite what already happened. If only your Master were still here, if only he was here to guide, if only he was just still here... 'With me'. Right?" Ichigo chuckled lightly, finding her audience dumbfounded. "Your Master loved being a Quincy. That is expanded to his duties, oaths, dreams, and ideals. And I know you love being Quincy. The fact that you kept fighting until your hand bled is proof of a Quincy's strength. You have pride in being what you are. As for me... I'm not."

"What?" He astounded. Eyes wide as a saucer.

Ichigo heard Rukia take a sharp breath.

"Despite meeting Rukia and being lent her power, I can't value it enough to plaster it into who I am. Of course, that doesn't mean I disregard Soul Reapers. Rukia is proud as one, and she worked hard to get to where she was. And yet, before she lent me her power, I already knew how to fight. So much that it overshadowed her. She gave me a way to fight these Hollows so no one else could go through what I experienced after my mother was killed by one. I used her power as an excuse, and while I meant no disrespect, I feel like I disrespected her. You see, compared to you, I'm shameless."

Rukia was in aghast, "That's not true! Ichigo, what are you-"

Uryuu gritted his teeth, "If you say that for humbling-"

"It's the truth. Honestly, if I tell you what truly defines me, I think you will detest me. But I suppose that's a conversation for another time. We still got more things to kill."

All of them heard a loud crack. Everyone rushed to the window to see what was happening except for Ichigo, who was turning her head to see a glimpse of the orange sky from where she stood. They all see the sky breaking like a piece of glass. Two gigantic hands with bone-white claws rip open the crack, opening it wide, to reveal a giant; it is as if his whole body was cloaked in dark, they only know the head is the head because of the mask with protruding nose and tidy teeth on it etched upward.

"Things like that, for starters." Ichigo wistfully says, propping her elbows on the windowsill, "That explains why those Hollows stopped attacking. Are they praying to summon that Morran?"

"A Morran? No, Ichigo, that's a Menos. A giant Hollow that was formed by hundreds and hundreds of Hollows, but I have only seen illustrations in the textbook." Rukia stared in disbelief, "Impossible. Why does it appear here? The Royal Guard has to deal with it, it's way beyond the capabilities of one Soul Reaper."

"I called it a Morran because- You know what, never mind. You wouldn't get it anyway."

"Seriously? Did you have to equalize it to a creature from a kid's show?!" Uryuu snapped derisively.

"Aha, a fellow Moomin Valley enjoyer spotted."

Ichigo smirked as she successfully made Uryuu burn as he looked away with all of his tsudere-ism might. Then, she set her attention on the looming hole in the sky where the Menos slowly crawled its head out. Thankfully, because of its size, the Menos was slow at every attempt of trying to walk out of the dimensional portal it ripped, so it gave her time to contemplate the situation. Master Scáthach once tells her a story of giants that came from the abyss that towers as high as the ancient trees. Most of the time, they are not dangerous, and all they do is lounge in their home dimension. But once they gained a hole in their center, they became aggressive. This, of course, contradicts what Rukia said about Menos being a Hollow and formed by a gazillion of Hollows. If she wanted to take her Master's story as fact, then the Menos were not a Hollow; they became a Hollow.

Though that makes the Hollows she just fought even more stranger regarding their behavior. With the appearance of Menos, she thought they were trying to become one since they were eating each other. Could it be that she simply kills them despite their efforts to become giants, rendering it vain, so they had to summon one? But that does not make sense. There are pieces of evidence that these Hollows were baited to swarm Karakura Town. So why swarm a human civilasation, proceed to devour each other, and then summon a Menos? Unless... Unless all of those three aren't connected at all.

Yes, that must be it.

Whoever used the Hollow bait, whether it was some rogue Quincy or not, meant only to cover the city. But from past instances, Ichigo knew that Hollows were driven by the hunger of spiritual beings. If they were not eating human souls or humans with adequate spiritual energy, then it would make sense that they would eat each other. But what if those are distractions? Like the first wave. She does not know what kind of Hollows that Uryuu faced this day, though she bet it was the distractions. There were some Hollows that came just after her, and they were strong, unlike the rest. They do not go after him because they specifically target her. As if someone told them to.

That was the second wave.

She looked at the Menos as it ripped the portal even wider, wide enough for its body to step through. The Hollows at the ground were cheering at its arrival, akin to celebrating the arrival of a king. Except, what happens next is shocking; the Menos opens its mouth, long tongue swiping through the Hollows below, it retracts with the prey it catches, and it crunches as it eats them. So they were naturally practicing cannibalism.

This is the third wave. The second wave gave her a clue that someone was toying with her. All of these Hollows were sent just to test her. But... A test of what?

"Alright. Can somebody tell me exactly what's going to happen when a Menos steps into the human world, besides the obvious?" 

Everyone turned to Ichigo with plain confusion that was mixed with the horror of seeing a giant Hollow. Everyone except the lone shopkeeper.

"What do you mean besides the obvious?" Uryuu frowned.

"It's a giant. Obviously, things get crushed under it. What I mean is, what was going to happen metaphysically?"

"Nobody knows." Finally, Kisuke spoke up. His eyes were shadowed by his hat, "Menos never present to the human world. They don't hunt here, nor do they ever need to appear here. I don't think they are even interested in chasing humans with high Reiatsu. Like you said, they were most likely involuntarily crushed under it."

Ichigo rubbed her eyes, trying to shake away the weariness that started creeping in.

"Fuck, so it just unnatural for it to be here?" Ignoring the fact that they were appalled by the profanity, grabbing Uryuu by the collar of his shirt, and leaping out of the window. "Fine. Ishida, let's go. We still have work to do."

"Wait, Ichigo! You can't fight a Menos!" Rukia shouted helplessly. She was going to jump out, before being stopped, "What are you doing, Urahara? Do you want to get them killed?"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. This battle is for Kurosaki-san's sake, after all."

"For her sake? I know Ichigo's strong, but this is different. Eliminating a Menos would exude a huge amount of Reiatsu that breaks from Soul Society's regulation. When they take notice, her life in the human world would be disrupted more than it is now. I'm not going to plaster her with that burden!" Rukia levelled in anger at the sole shopkeeper in the room, "You're someone who doesn't want to get involved with Soul Society, aren't you? Is that why you won't fight that Menos yourself?"

"What makes you think I can defeat a Menos?"

She scoffed frostily, "Does it matter? It seems nowadays my opinion doesn't matter."

***

Uryuu was relieved when his feet finally touched the ground, only for the Hollows around them to immediately set their eyes on them after Ichigo let go of his collar. He quickly materialized his bow, anticipating the incoming attacks but beaten by a group of eccletic people that arrived to deal with them. There were two kids, each wielding a different weapon; the carmine-haired boy wields an iron mace, and the girl with twin pigtails is shooting with missiles through a talisman-covered firearm. Not far is a huge man with dreadlocks who was able to decimate the Hollows with his bare hand. Then there was... Sado-san with a baseball bat?

"Sa- Sado-san?" Uryuu was astonished as he watched the tallest guy in his High School swinging the bat at the Hollows.

"Let's not dwindle." Ichigo dashed forward, passing all the obstacles.

Her voice stiff and cold. Which made Uryuu worldlessly follow. He thought she had a lot of time to get angry, considering the situation. So it is strange that she decides to be one in this instance. When they arrived at the closest proximity and yet save distance from the Menos, he waited for Ichigo to say or do anything about the situation. Instead, she stared at the Menos with contempt.

"Kurosaki, do you have any idea how to deal with this Hollow?"

Uryuu almost expects her not to answer, knowing her spiced emotion. Anyway, she does. It is just that it takes a while.

"Ishida, as a Quincy, you gather supernatural energy from nature, coat them with yours, and then materialize them into a weapon. The same goes for your arrows. How much of energies you'll able to gather inside, so you can stop that thing?"

"I- What? How do you know- Never mind. You're asking me to deal with the Menos? Not that I don't want to, but... Why not you?"

Ichigo kept staring at the shredded sky.

"Because I fear things will get worse if I'm the one who kills it. Do you remember when we coss upon a piece of a Hollow bait? If the suspect is a rogue Quincy, then I wonder why they set so much of interest to me. Well, after that discovery, you declared a competition and we were separated. In that span of separation, some Hollows seemingly targeted me, which made me wonder... Does the Menos appear because the Hollows are desperate to win, or was it sent here...to test me?"

Uryuu blinked in disbelief, "You? Why you?"

"There are theories. But I don't have the bigger picture."

"So you wanted to use me since I'm not the person of interest?"

Ichigo nodded, completely aware of her intention, "And you have every right to be angry."

Uryuu grits his teeth, lifts his bleeding hand, and balls it.

"You said you're afraid that things will get worse if you're the one who deals with it. I don't want things to get more out of hand, too. I'll do it, but even I'm spent after all of that."

Ichigo knows that what she asks is unfair since she is far more hale compared to Uryuu. It could be that the Hollow he fought was far stronger than he normally faced in his daily endeavors, or he never expected to deal with so many Hollows at once. 

"I can help. You just need to aim true. Also, you should invest in some archery gloves."

"I- I own some!"

"Then why don't you wear it?"

Uryuu turned around, back facing out, "I don't have time to wear them!"

He definitely forgot to bring one. Ichigo mused inwardly, "I'm going to lecture you for being careless right now. But if you choose to shoot with a hand like that, then you have to endure it."

"I know! I can do it!"

"Alright. On my mark then."

When Rukia reached Ichigo and Uryuu, they were both standing side by side with the Quincy aiming his Reishi arrow at the incoming Menos, a bead of sweat running down from his temple as he did it. Seeing his bleeding hand, she concluded that he must be bearing the pain. As for Ichigo, she was closing her eyes, her fingers forming in some typical Kidō hand sign, except she was not chanting or murmuring, but she was focused.

As much as she does not want to get them killed and make their life even more complicated, Rukia is actually curious. Curious about what they are planning to take down the Menos. She had less than an hour to get to know the Quincy. Ichigo, though, is a different story. For the past two months, she had seen the human girl do the impossible. In a sliver of hope, Rukia is certain that maybe...Ichigo is able.

At the tip of Ichigo's finger, a small puff of fire emerged. 

The ground shook as the Menos walked.

"Anytime now, Kurosaki," Uryuu gritted.

Ichigo exhaled, she too gritting her teeth. Looking to put more effort into the fire, until the little flame turns into sapphire blue. She directed it to the Reishi arrow, and like a match being lit, the arrow became the same fiery blue.

"What...? Hnngh-"

Uryuu almost dropped his spiritual weaponry as it suddenly turned heavy if Ichigo did not steady him by propping his hands.

"Make it count!"

Uryuu raised his arrow, aiming it the best he could at the Menos despite the added difficulty. It is shaky. The last time he was a shaky aim was when he was eleven years old. He wanted to ask what this flame was, as it did not seem to burn his hand except giving weight, but he threw it aside to focus. The Menos seems to sense the danger as it prepares to fire a Cero from the formation of its teeth.

"Got it!"

He released the arrow. At the same time with the Menos fire the Cero. Gawking when the arrow flies through the humongous red blast. But when the arrow lands on the surface of the Menos and gave no damage, a dread settled in his stomach as he though they fail. Ichigo tapped his shoulders, he saw her assuring face. She points at the Menos, telling him to look at it again. Sure enough, there was a line of blue that missed the Hollow mask, but that line of blue burst, making one side of the Menos hang awkwardly to the right.

The Menos does not attack again. It retreats with his lolling body, back to the dimensional portal it opened. The sky goes back to normal.

"You, you did it..." Rukia said out of stupor.

"Yay, we did it."

Uryuu turned at Ichigo again, who raised her right fist in the air, then put it down rather forcibly because of lethargy. He wanted to ask about what she did, only to be cut off with a grimace as the pain came back.

The sound of a fan being opened and geta clacking made it obvious who was approaching them. Behind him is his store staff and the teenagers that were the victims of today's Hollows attack.

"Shall we go back to the shop and have some respite?"

Uryuu was thinking of going back to his own place, yet he does not seem to have the energy to say no at the man's invitation. 

"Let's. Come on, Ishida, I'll treat your hand."

Ichigo beckons him and Rukia. The latter sighs acceptingly.

Uryuu, though, swore he heard a bite in her voice.

***

Tessai serves tea to the guest. Everyone finds their own corner in the small family room inside the shop. Ichigo is back in the human body, busy checking Uryuu's hand. Rukia is beside her and seems restless. Kon's sleeping on her lap fails to ease her. These two do have some questions, but they have to be patient.

Back to Uryuu's hand that was used to pull bow strings, lacerations on the fingers are common injuries for archers, though Uryuu's petulancy about winning this so-called contest pushed it too far. His skin was torn on the three main archery fingers, the middle finger looked twisted; shaking through the pain, and some of his nails were broken.

"Say, since you're a Quincy, wouldn't you say you heal much faster than normal humans? These are quite severe, normal people will at least take a month. So, for someone like you, what is your estimation?"

Ichigo was thinking of the first-aid kit, but knowing he is a Quincy, maybe it is not too nebulous to heal him conjuratively.

Uryuu blinks in befuddlement, taking a moment before answering, "... A week. I think."

As Ichigo expected. They do heal much faster than normal humans because of their physiological differences. Maybe she does not need to use conjuration to heal Uryuu. Let it heal naturally so he can learn self-control. 

"Then consider a week not shooting Hollow for your own sake."

Uryuu visibly deflated.

Ichigo asked for a box of first aid kits from Tessai. Ignoring Uryuu's hissing when drenching his hand with alcohol, cutting the loose skin, dabbing iodine, wrapping it with cotton gauze, and securing it with tape. She can tell that Uryuu dislikes not being able to freely use his fingers.

"So, about that arrow..." He started.

Ichigo chuckled at the brimming curiosity, "It's a spell. I think the closest term would be cleansing fire...? Right now, I can actualize it only that much. Since you're the guy whose whole technique is to construct with Reishi, I then augmented the fire into the fire."

"Why is it so heavy?"

"Dissonance between the caster. If you can form Reishi construct and make that fire, there would be no problem."

Uryuu does not quite understand what that means, but he chooses to move on, "You seem to have knowledge about Quincy."

"That is different from what Urahara told?" Rukia added.

"Ah, I was told by some people who've known the Quincies. They share some basic information about them as I was once involved in a situation that mentioned them. I never personally met them before you, Ishida. They also taught me how to shoot; that's why I know how to treat archery injuries, since I used to get them too. If you say I gave vague info, I meant it to be vague. I can't divulge it any further. But I can tell you more about the archery."

Ichigo knows perfectly well that these folks are not ready to know that she was told about Quincy by a bunch of Servants. 

"Why you were taught archery?"

It was clear that Uryuu asked that so he can glean into the undivulged.

This amuses Ichigo as she knows the answer will fail his expectations.

"To hunt food. It's more of a traditional hunting-gathering activity. You chop a tree, dry the wood, shape it, use animal sinew for the bowstring. For the arrows, carved a lot of arrows, attached feathers, and sharpened rocks for the heads. Then you go into the woods and shoot a prey. You thought I was taught fighting Hollow?"

"Are you saying you aren't?"

"Nah. Those people just know your people, Ishida. They're not Quincy themselves. They can't even see ghosts." Not without me giving them said effect.

"Huh? Then why did they know the Quincy in the first place?" 

Ichigo raised one of her eyebrows at Uryuu's skepticism that the Quincies might have known other people outside their group.

"Is it that unbelievable that they were friends?"

There is some sense of his confusion, considering how morbid the Quincies's line of work is, but in the defense of the original selves of the Servants who knew them, they were not ordinary people either, supernatural power-wise or political power-wise. She also did not expect that Uryuu regards his people's history in relation as surprisingly narrow. Perhaps bias from his grudging past with Soul Reapers made him pessimistic about making connections; that when a Quincy reaches outside their group, it only invites trouble...that it only invites death.

Then okay, that is fair. She cannot blame him for his trauma. Forget Soul Reapers, it is not like modern Quincy going to reveal themselves to regular humans without risk. The reason why it worked in the past was probably because their power was not that out of ordinary. What was so great about being able to kill monsters with materialized bow and arrows when others can kill with their magic spear or sword with the same rate of success? It is not the Quincies' fault that ancient times are just bullshit.

Judging by the change of shape on Uryuu's cheek, it seems that he is biting the inside of mouth, refraining from saying yes.

"Well, I'll leave that to your mind. Rukia, Kon, and I are going back first. It's getting late, Yuzu is probably wondering why I'm not back yet."

"Ah, wait, Ichigo..." Orihime faltered.

"Don't worry, Geta-bōshi will explain everything to you." Ichigo gave the group a reassuring smile.

The sound of the shop's door being shut was the loudest after Ichigo and Rukia's departure.

Uryuu fixes his glasses, "I'm going back too. I've spent too much time in this place."

Unlike Ichigo, Uryuu lands a glance on the shopkeeper before going out.

They were not going back to the Kurosaki residence. Ichigo invited Rukia to eat in a small eatery that only sells oyakodon. Rukia does not get it. Why did Ichigo take a detour if she understands that her family worries? Especially about that sister of hers, Yuzu. She was the one who was in charge of cooking for the family. There was no way Ichigo had done something so shallow as refusing to eat her sister's cooking.

"How much bowl do you want?" 

Rukia was caught off guard by the question, adjusting her hold of the sleeping Kon in her arms.

"Uh...one. How much do you think I need?"

"Well, I don't know. How hungry are you?" Ichigo faced the sole lady cook, who was also the owner, "Four bowls, please." 

The lady cook receives the order with such brightness, despite the wrinkles adorning her face.

"Ichigo-chan, you're still in your uniform?"

Ichigo scratched the back of her head awkwardly, "Yeah, I've been...busy."

"Well, you and your friend do sit comfortably. I'll be there soon with your food."

"Thanks, Miura-san."

Rukia followed Ichigo to the furthest table from the kitchen and away from other customers, clearly hiding from people's line of sight the best they could. A habit that she found weird about Ichigo since she was a person that was brimming with confidence. Yet she also found that she is someone with a lot of secrets and skills. This is someone who was able to transform Kon into something that is a step further than a Mod Soul.

The oyakodon came shortly after. Steam comes up from the freshly cooked chicken and egg that was spread over the white rice. Rukia's stomach reacted out of hunger when she saw it. One thing that she found about the human world is that how they process ingredients into food was much more better than Soul Society. While oyakadon is something that exists there too, in her opinion, humans just cook better.

"Go wake, Kon. He needs to eat."

Oh, right. Rukia almost forgot that normal humans cannot see Kon. It is just his form that was formed, but his status as a soul does not change. Now that she thought about it, it would make sense that Ichigo made them eat here instead of at home. Ichigo's sister cooks in portions of four instead of six, and if Ichigo does not ask Yuzu to cook extra today, then there would not be food for her and Kon.

Ichigo usually has to bring their breakfast and dinner upstairs with the fake reason that she wants to eat alone. 

"Do you always eat this much?" Rukia asked. By the count of the bowls, that means Ichigo had to two bowls.

"Not usually. Today, I had to exert more energy than usual, and I don't think Yuzu's cooking would cut it. She'll have my food in the fridge, so I can reheat it later."

Ichigo looked around discretely as she set down Kon's shares of food beside her so he could eat while being covered by her body.

"Oh, you're going to eat again at home..." Rukia mused, "I'm sorry that you had to bring me food every day. Your sister must be wondering why you always eat so much."

"No, Yuzu always makes extra. She knew Kon existed. It's him that I say eats a lot. Oh, by the way, we need to eat to cover the noise of a floating bowl and chopsticks."

Rukia does not find Ichigo telling about Kon's existence to be that dangerous. If anything abnormal that she is unwilling to keep it secret from a sibling, then Kon is the best option. The Mod Soul turned into a cute furry thing that eats ravenously. The sound of chopsticks clinking the porcelain bowl repeatedly while the they that can be seen by naked eyes has not start eating yet will raise suspicion. So she complied and ate. Ichigo, though, had to mimic Kon's action on her first bowl, something that she thought to be very amusing since the speed became matched. It was when Kon finally finished that Ichigo started eating normally.

"You maybe not be that hungry if you're living in Soul Society. The environment made you less hungry despite the strenuous activities." Rukia says wistfully, "If I have to guess. Slaying all those Hollows equals one bowl of oyakodon."

"When was the last time you had to eat three bowls of oyakodon in Soul Society, then?" Ichigo moves to the second bowl.

"Me? Uh, never I guess... Other people, though- Actually, I don't think there was any bombastic event there, since..."

"Since never?"

"Since never."

Ichigo hummed noncommittally, "... Hey, Rukia. I don't mind your presence in the house."

Rukia blinked, "What was that?"

"I mean, I like your company. I know full well that you're a freeloader, but I don't mind it. You're an unusual freeloader." Ichigo fiddled with her chopsticks, "Maybe it was fate or just meant to be. Your arrival made me realize that I always wanted to come back to that part of my life."

"What life? You mean your life as a Spellcaster?"

"No. Being a Spellcaster was something that I picked up. What I mean is that I thirst for adventure. I'm glad that part of me hasn't gone away. The fact that you were able to make me realize it means you mean so much to me. That's why you don't have to worry about food or a pillow to sleep. That's why you're not a waste of space that you think you are."

The wide grin plastered on Ichigo made Rukia think that she had never seen her smile so purely before.

"So, Rukia. Want to go on an adventure with me?"

Rukia blinks a few times and thinks. Why... Why does that sound like a- She can feel her cheeks heating up.

"W-What?! What are you- Why are you saying this thing?!"

Ichigo just laughs.

Back at the Urahara Shop, where it is quiet as all the Karakura High School students have left. Kisuke stood at the back area of the shop where the backyard is located, smoking a kiseru. He heard Tessai footsteps from behind.

"Tenchou, are you sure they're going to believe it?"

Kisuke inhales his red smoking pipe, tasting the tobacco immersively.

"They're kids. They'll believe anything."

"But that's not what you initially wanted to convey, was it? You wanted to use Ichigo Kurosaki as a reason that they're developing power. Why change your mind?"

Kisuke pulled his fan out of his sleeve, waving it around. "Karakura Town is known as Jūreichi, it's the point in the Human World that possesses the greatest concentration of spiritual beings. In it also exist hidden individuals like Kurosaki-san, Sado-san, Inoue-san, and Arisawa-san. But of course, not all of them had the potential to awaken their power. It takes a near-death situation and willpower for it to manifest. As a result, there was Sado-san with his arm, Inoue-san and her fairies, and Arisawa-san; you might start to be able to sense Reiatsu. The latter is a basic requirement for spiritually adept individuals, but for a normal human like you to be able to do that, well, if you come across those certain individuals, it'll raise some eyebrows."

"I wonder why. Maybe because..." The image of Ichigo Kurosaki's sharp eyes discreetly watching him through his machination flashed in his mind, "Maybe because we can't afford her to be our enemy."

Chapter Text

Ururu was sweeping the front of the store while Jinta was playing with his broom as a makeshift sword. She reminds Jinta of his duties, only to be ignored as he keeps swinging his broom wildly. A black cat suddenly appeared out of nowhere beside her, she looked at it for a little while before calling her guardians. Boss Kisuke seemed ecstatic at the cat's arrival, lifting the animal in the air with such fanfare.

"Yoruichi-san, you're back~! You, fuzzy little troublemaker! Who is the cutest? You are!"

"What's with the cat?"

Jinta asked as he and Ururu watched the crazy antics.

"That's Yoruichi-dono. Tenchou's best friend."

"His best friend is a cat? That's pathetic."

"Hmm, I can see why you might think that. Now, let's get inside and let them have a moment." Tessai ushered the kids inside the shop.

"Should I get you some milk, Yoruichi-san?~"

"Enough, Kisuke." Said the cat with a man's voice, placing his paw on Kisuke's face. Claws out. "You know very well that they are already here."

Kisuke's eyes narrowed.

The next day, Ichigo went to school as usual. Before getting ready, she briefly watched the morning news on the local channel, which covered yesterday's incident. They call it a strange event where a lot of accidents happen in one day, ranging from gas explosions, fires, and traffic accidents. Thankfully, there were no fatalities, only bad injuries. Karakura Hospital was not even that full, which was good news.

On the way to school, she bought a newspaper from a bookstore to cross-check the news. Overall, it is the same. Guess it was too much for Kisuke's memory device to handle.

"Ichigo, why are you reading a newspaper?" Keigo asked, finding it odd that his friend read a newspaper in class.

Not just him, apparently; others stared at Ichigo with strange curiosity

"Is there something wrong with me reading one?" 

"Uh, no. I mean, you looked like those old people."

Well, I am old. Ichigo shrugged, "I'm looking for grocery coupons."

Keigo sweat-dropped.

"Okay, everyone. Settle down. Class is starting. Eh, Ichigo, you're reading a newspaper?" Ochi-sensei noticed her oddest student, "What are you reading?"

"I'm looking for grocery coupons," Ichigo repeated as she folded her reading material, keeping it in the slot of her desk.

Ochi-sensei once again excuses her most quirky student. Before she could start her class, one student had just entered. It was Uryuu Ishida, now both of his hands adorned with fresh bandages.

Ichigo noticed that it was different from yesterday's glasses; he tended to use oval frames instead of square ones, after all. 

"Whoa, what happened to you?" The injury took their sensei aback.

Uryuu fixes his glasses.

"I fell down the stairs."

What a lame excuse. Well, more like an overused excuse, to be accurate.

Ichigo heard her classmates talking to each other, commenting that Uryuu's bandages made him look like a mummy. Keigo, in particular, said that he spotted Uryuu talking to himself at a construction site, which was the location of the Menos' appearance, in a really dramatic voice. Then says that there was a guy in weird clothes, a couple of kids dancing around him, and explosions. Concluding that Uryuu must have been rehearsing with his theater buddies. 

Ichigo thanks the Universe for making Keigo not the sharpest in mind. Uryuu isn't even a member of any theater club.

"Are you worried?" Rukia asked quietly.

"This is typical of youth. You should've seen how I was with my teachers. I was worse."

***

During the break time, Ichigo were invited by Tatsuki to eat lunch together at the school's back lawn. She was interrupted by her cell phone's silent notification. It has to be the latest news from Merlin about the development of Rukia's strange condition. She found a single email that said: We need to talk. 

Those simple words felt ominous. Asking Merlin to investigate Rukia's condition turns out to be not an easy task for him. He was surprised, and that intrigued him. A Magus as great as Merlin loved a good challenge. It was not every day that there was something that managed to tickle his brain.

"Sorry. There is a call that I have to make. You can go on without me."

Ichigo ran toward the school's rooftop, leaving a group of classmates in the hallway.

"I didn't know Ichigo had a phone. Do you think she has a boyfriend?" Said a girl named Mahana Natsui.

"Who cares?" The school's track field athlete, Ryō Kunieda, rolled her eyes.

"Ryō, that's not nice." The athlete's best friend, Michiru Ogawa, scolded. "I wonder if he's from another school."

Orihime watched Ichigo's figure disappear as she took a left turn to the school's stairs.

***

Ichigo dialed Merlin, which connected right away.

"What do you have?" 

He heard the Magus of Flower sigh before speaking.

: You made me do check-ups on someone's Soul for two months, and this is how you greet me? You're still the rude child that Chaldea recruited.:

"I'm rude, and yet you ended up liking me."

: I don't know if that is unfortunate or unfortunate. Anyway, humor me first. How do you think a living being went dormant during winter?:

"By lowering their internal temperature so they can go to sleep?"

: Correct. Miss little Soul Reaper fancies herself as a wielder of ice power, but the truth is, I think she was more capable than that. You see, despite Yuki being in Avalon, it doesn't mean that her wielder can't wield their power. This power came from the depth of her soul; Zanpakutou was just a tool to channel it. That fake body of hers internalized her Soul so that it became so centered that it rendered her almost powerless. Borderline normal human, even. Imagine a box, then there's another box, and this last box is a freezer...:

"The question is, what are these boxes trying to hide... And to freeze?"

: Now that you reported that two of your friends are developing powers. I can say that it trying to hide and freeze a Pseudo-Spiriton Computer.:

Ichigo's eyes widened. That can't be good. There is an apparatus capable of fast processing by defining the soul of the machine and making use of its Spiritrons right under her nose, this whole time? So far, she only knew a few: Logos React Generic, TRI-HERMES, and TRISMEGISTUS. They all have their purposes: to create a simulation, being the brain and heart of Atlas Academy, and the last one, especially, making Rayshifting 'exist'. 

"And what is the purpose of this Pseudo-Spiriton Computer?"

: If I have to guess, to achieve Third Magic. Do you think there is someone you know in that hometown of yours who is capable of doing it? Or, if I want to be forward, why is that amusing blond boy you befriend back in Pseudo-Singularity Soul Society in the human world?:

Something irrational settled in Ichigo's guts instantly. No one knows, to be precise, what Third Magic's actual capabilities are. It says that it shows the future, and its domain lies in the materialization of the soul. This simple fact of its 'domain' made Da Vinci dub the Pseudo-Singularity, where it involves Soul Society, as 'Dimensional Third-Magic' because of the very nature of its existence. It is a place where souls can end up after they cannot be recognized in the living. In time, some will be able to wake the very power of their souls and realize their true potential as a person.

"Wait, wait, wait. What does that mean? I don't understand why he created something like that only to hide it."

: Maybe he didn't know its full capabilities either. Typical 'oh shit' moment. Now he's scrambling to hide it, fearing it will fall into the wrong hands and eventually...destroy the world. I'm just saying. Come on, Ichigo. You've been through this multiple times.:

"Doesn't mean I want to go through it again."

Merlin went quiet. Took some time before speaking again.

: Whatever your choice, Ichigo. We'll support it. You're not alone; you never are... What would Mash say?:

Ichigo ended the call, feeling tears running down.

***

Rukia was sitting on the tallest tree in the school's backyard when she heard her name being called by her classmates. There was no Ichigo in the small group, and she wondered where she was. Was she running off chasing after Hollows without her?

She thought they were nice because they shared their lunch with her when she said she did not bring any food to eat. The juice box that was given to her reminded her of Ichigo teaching her how to drink it.

"Say, Rukia, how do you get along with Ichigo so fast?" Mahana asked out of the blue.

Rukia put her High School student game face on.

"What do you mean? Are you not close with her?"

"Hmm, not really. I mean, it's not like I know what she likes or her interest is, you know, stuff you share among fellow girls."

"Stuff like what?"

Rukia does not get what Mahana means by stuff that is shared among fellow girls. It must be some kind of human thing.

"Oh, you know, like fashion, favorite nail color, idols, what's the latest on magazines..." Mahana is listed on, "Seriously, what's between you two? I never saw Ichigo so eager when you called her just to run off from class or jump out of the window."

"Uh. We're just friends."

That's right. I didn't notice before, despite the occasional grumblings... Ichigo was herself the most when she was out there. Running around the city, wielding a sword like an extension of herself. Even as a Soul Reaper, Rukia never thought that she enjoyed what she did. It was a duty, not something she should take as entertainment. She was busy doing her job. She was trying not to be a-

"Hello, Earth to Rukia. You went quiet suddenly."

"Ah, I'm sorry. I was trying to glean what Ichigo likes after spending time with her..."

"Oh, then what does she like?" Orihime brightly piped.

"She likes..." Fighting Hollows? No. I can't say that, "Uhm. Sword..."

"Sword? Like a kendo sword?"

Rukia dumbly nodded. Metaphorical sweat was dripping down the back of her head.

"Sword, huh. Oh, maybe her boyfriend is a kendo athlete from another school!"

Boy...friend...?

"As if Ichigo had a boyfriend. A person as intense as her will be difficult to be around." Ryō said rather offhandedly.

"I like that Ichigo is intense!" Chizuru declared, standing with pride, "Her body is one of the best! Tall like a supermodel and muscle-sculpted like a Roman Goddess statue!" 

"Quit it, you pervert! Don't just say those things out of nowhere!" Tatsuki chided.

"Tatsuki, you should try touching her bicep."

Chizuru was smacked by Tatsuki with that statement.

"Shut up! It's not like you say those things to her. You chickened out whenever she's around!"

Rukia thought that this was what it was like to be a human. Love, companionship, friendship...jealousy. This is too troublesome. Soul Reaper should not have these unnecessary feelings. She realizes that she has become too attached to the Human World. After the Menos incident, Ichigo and the others will be on the Soul Society's radar. 

So, Rukia. Want to go on an adventure with me?

She closed her eyes, imagining herself saying no to that invitation. Why can't I-

"Hey, is that Ichigo at the top of the rooftop?" Chizuru looked up.

Everyone looked up to see Ichigo on the rooftop. They could not hear her because of the distance and the wind, but they could see that the redhead looked mad, shouting while on a phone call.

"Whoa, are they breaking up? Over a phone call, even. Her boyfriend sucks."

"Seriously, Mahana. Enough with the boyfriend."

"Wait, is she crying?"

That pulls a string within Rukia. When she saw Ichigo turn away from the rail on the roof, she wanted to chase her, to ask her what happened, what was making her so sad, but instead, she stayed still. A part of her scolds her for being attached to this mundane human life. They're burdensome...

She cannot stay here any longer...

I stayed too long in this world...

***

Keigo, Mizuiro, and Chad had just arrived on the rooftop to eat their lunch when Ichigo almost crashed into them as she ran up the stairs.

"Wha- Hey, Ichigo! Watch out!" Keigo retorted.

"Is she crying? I never expected Ichigo to cry." Says Mizuiro 

Chad does not say anything, but concern settles in his heart.

***

When Ichigo did not come back for the next class, everyone who saw her the last time that day was riddled with concern. Though they did notice that Rukia was not present, too. Those who got involved in the Hollow incident yesterday thought that they must have been out again.

***

In the girls' bathroom. One faucet open, water endlessly pouring. Ichigo kept washing her face, trying to stop the flow of tears. Memories of bodies littered on the floor, the neverending smoke from fires that never seemed to die, finding out Siduri became a Lahmu, Dr. Roman turning out to be Solomon, Patxi telling her to hold his head high up and be proud of herself, Gerda regarding growing old as an alien concept, Asha's hopes to see her father again... Mash...

Mash...

... Mash...

Ichigo screams.

The mirror in front of her cracks.

No. Mash would be disappointed in me. I have to tell Rukia... Before it's too late.

"Where is Ichigo?" Kon's tiny feet pattered on the empty street of Karakura Town, "It's not like her to shut her presence off like this."

"Oh, it's you... Er..."

Kon now lifted his head, facing the arrogant Quincy boy who had asked for a stupid competition the day before. 

"Why are you alone?" Uryuu asked, crouching down.

Kon flipped his tails forward, heads down.

"I'm looking for Ichigo."

"... I see."

"Do you know where she is?"

"I haven't seen her since lunch break at school. Actually, Kurosaki and Kuchiki were not in class after that."

"What? That's- If they're out fighting Hollow, why did Ichigo not summon me? She promised Rukia not to work with her human body."

Uryuu's eyebrows went high at Kon's amplification that Ichigo used to slay Hollows while still in her human body.

"Hey, what do you-"

"Oh, well. I'll go home. They'll be there anyway."

***

"I'm back."

Kon plopped in from the window of Ichigo's bedroom. He was going to nag the owner of the room, but stopped when he saw her reading a letter with a glare.

"We need to leave, now!"

"W-What's going on?"

"Rukia's gone! We need to find her now!"

Rukia ignored the heavy feeling in her heart and assured herself that she had made the right decision. The note she left at Ichigo’s desk explained how grateful she was for taking care of her for the past few months. Perhaps it does not matter whether Sode no Shirayuki is going to return or not; she accepted her fate that side of her is probably lost forever. She could not go back without opening a Senkaimon, the official gateway to Soul Society, the key to which was within her Zanpakutou. So, she will ask the shady shopkeeper to do a favor for her.

“I found you, Rukia Kuchiki!”

She stopped in her tracks at that familiar voice.

“Renji? Renji Abarai, is that you?”

A crimson-haired Soul Reaper crunching on top of a lampost, Zanpakutou resting on his shoulder. He landed in front of her by swinging her sword down. An act that threw her off.

“Hunters from Soul Society are on your heels, and you're so lost in your thoughts that you didn't notice. I realize you're in a gigai, but it took only a couple of months to completely lose your edge." Renji lifted his blade from the crater he made, "Talk, Rukia. Where's the human who stole your powers?

“What are you talking about? Just because I'm in a gigai doesn't mean my powers were stolen. Y- you can’t prove that my powers had been stolen…“ Rukia excuses. She cannot tell him about Ichigo. Renji will kill her. "How dare you to suggest a human could take them from me-"

"It was a Human. That's why you have a human expression on your face." 

Rukia stilled.

"You grew up in the Rukongai and were taken by the illustrious and noble Kuchiki family! Rukia Kuchiki, you were trained to be a Soul Reaper! You are not allowed to wear a human expression! Isn't that right, Captain Kuchiki?!"

Rukia immediately felt dread when 'Captain Kuchiki' was uttered. Behind her was a black-haired man wearing a teal prized scarf around his neck, kenseikan adorning his head, no emotion etched on him as she turned back and found him looking down on her.

"Ni... Nii-sama..." 

"Rukia..."

She instinctively dodged a swing from Renji. There is a gash on her cheek as a result.

"The transfer of Soul Reapers' power is a grave offense. The high order was kind enough to entrust us with the execution instead of the special task force. Now, where is the human Rukia? We want the human who captured you and stole your powers to be killed. Don't try to protect them. You know my sword strike; you didn't evade them, I let you evade them. Next time, I'll cut you."

Renji senses an attack coming from the side and dodges backward.

"Two grown men against one defenseless girl. What's this world becoming?" Uryuu said with his bow out, "That kind of thing really makes me sad."

Renji grits his teeth, "Who are you?!"

"A classmate who hates Soul Reapers."

"Ishida, what are you doing here?"

Uryuu fixed his glasses.

"Just passing by. No big deal. If you must know, I got the sudden urge to Sunflower Seams, that twenty-four-hour dressmaking shop. There's a branch near here. That's where I headed at this hour. I certainly didn't bring this plastic bag with me as an excuse for suddenly leaving the house because I sensed the Reiatsu of Soul Reapers."

Wow... That had to be the worst lie ever told. I thought he was at the top of the class.

Renji sliced the Sunflower Seams plastic bag from Uryuu's wrist.

"Stop yapping, four eyes. I'm asking here. Suppose you don't feel like I'm answering, fine. I can kill you."

"Wait, Renji. He's got nothing to do with-"

"What was that? I told you already. I'm a classmate of Kuchiki-san, who hates Soul Reapers."

Uryuu stalled as he sensed Ichigo's presence getting closer.

Rukia sensed it, too. No, Ichigo, don't come!

"I'm Uryuu Ishida. Nice to meet you."

"Man, you sure are strange."

"Well, I just thought you had the right to know the name of the person who is going to kill you."

Renji's vein popped, "That does it! You're dead meat!"

***

Ichigo gasped in horror when she sensed those opposing Reiatsu and the one who fell.

"No... NO! ISHIDA, YOU IDIOT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

She came right in time when a crimson-haired Soul Reaper was going to swing his sword on Uryuu. Landing her feet right on the blade to push it aside, missed the Quincy's head by a few meters. Then, picking him up, jumping backward right to Rukia's side when the Soul Reaper attacks again.

"Another human? There sure are a lot of you today!" The Soul Reaper snarled, "Who are you anyway?!"

Ichigo observed the Soul Reaper. He is tall. Wearing a huge visor. She can see glimpses of his very elaborate eyebrows— Wait a minute, those are not eyebrows. Those are tattoos. Seeing how gaudy those were made her want to laugh, which she painstakingly stopped by biting her cheeks.

"I'm... The human who stole Rukia's power."

"Ichigo, you fool! Why did you come here?!"

Rukia does not sound that happy, though. 

"Why are you leaving?! Are you seriously going to leave your Zanpakutou spirit behind?"

"Stop it! I- I accepted that she's not-"

"My teacher just found out recently why your power's not returning. We need to go to Urahara immediately. He's-"

"OI, OI, OI. I'M STILL HERE, YOU KNOW!"

Ichigo and Rukia evaded a swing that crushed the stone wall behind them.

"You're the one who stole her power?!"

"Yeah, and I can prove it. But please, let this man be brought into a safe place. He has nothing to do with this."

"Very well."

Ichigo turned at the new voice. It is a man, and he is a fellow Soul Reaper. He had long pitch black hair, familiar hair accessories adorned his hair, and a beautiful teal white scarf circling his neck. His entire being screams old money. Impossible... Sōjun-san?

"But Captain!"

No, not him. A relative, maybe. Also, he's a captain? Where's his signature haori?

"Be quick, human."

Ichigo froze the bleeding wound on Uryuu's waist, then gave a signal to Kon for the body exchange. She handed him Uryuu and told him to go to the Urahara Shop so he could be treated. Now, she stood with the standard Soul Reaper regalia. Both of her hands are up front, indicating that she is not aggressive while at the same time subtly covering Rukia behind her.

The crimson-haired Soul Reaper bulged his eyes at the display of body swapping, unlike his composed captain.

"My name is Ichigo Kurosaki, and I'm the human who has Rukia's power. She transferred her power to me because of her heavy injuries back in the middle of May-"

"Why would Rukia transfer her power to you?!" The crimson-haired Soul Reaper is obtuse.

If Ichigo were not trying to be diplomatic, she would have clocked him.

"I'm not... I'm not a normal human to begin with."

Rukia gasped, "Ichigo, don't-"

"No, I must. Rukia, we're just pawns in a big game. That gigai that was given to you, that's the thing that made your power unable to come back." Ichigo hissed lowly. Then conjured a ball of fire on her right hand, "As I said. I'm not a normal human, I'm a magician of a sort. See. That's why she's confident in her decision. But I must implore you, if you take Rukia now, it'll be for nothing."

"Are you dumb? Transferring her power to a human is a crime. Even if her power somehow came back, she'd be executed at the Soul Society."

Ichigo blinked in shock. She had no idea that the Soul Society had such a rule. What kind of law is that?

"She ran away to protect you. You should've stayed home, but you had to chase after her-"

"I'll come with you."

All of them stared at Ichigo with incredulity.

"No, Ichigo!" Rukia grabbed the back of the redhead's shihakusho, clenching it with her clammy hands, "Why did you do this?"

"You have to live, Rukia. You can't just die, not because of something like this. But I've prevailed worse. I can take it."

Ichigo outstretches both of her hands at the two Soul Reapers.

"I surrender."

Suddenly, before anyone could take action, a figure in black descended from the sky, landing in front of Ichigo. The figure is garbed in a stereotypical shinobi attire, his whole face is covered, and not even a strand of hair is seen. The eyes are covered in mesh, unable to discern the optic color. On the back is a ninjato, glinting menacingly by the ray of the moon as it unsheathes.

Ichigo quickly pulled her sword out to block a heavy swing from the shinobi. Planting her feet on the ground firmly as she felt she getting pushed back.

"Is that an Omnitsukido?!" 

Ichigo overheard it. Omnitsukido? That was Kisuke's old battalion. Then does that mean the shinobi in front of her is Kisuke? She cannot know for sure since she cannot sense anything from him. She did not even know if that ninjato was his Zanpakutou's old sealed form since all Omnitsukido's Zanpakutou all looked the same when sealed. All of them chose this ninjato form for a reason.

The shinobi loosened the force of his attack, which made Ichigo slip forward, and they spun, kicking her from the side. Putting distance between her and Rukia. 

It has to be you, doesn't it, Kisuke? After all... She felt the sting from the left side of her body as she got up. You never hold back in your hand-to-hand combat.

She did not notice it until she felt a cold, sharp steel on her neck.

"Go with them, or I'll kill her."

It was not Kisuke's voice, but it was not surprising if he could fake his voice. He is a man of many talents.

"Wait, she already surrendered-" Rukia tried to reason.

"Since when has Soul Society had mercy for those who made fun of the rules? Humans can't enter the Soul Society. She has to die here."

Ichigo hissed in pain when the blade nicked her.

"Wait, wait. Alright, I'll go. Just don't hurt her." Rukia goes to her older brother and Renji, "Now please, let her go."

The shinobi put the blade away from Ichigo's neck.

Rukia breathed in relief.

Only for the shinobi to jam their sword right through Ichigo's heart the next.

The one who was being stabbed took a second to register it. Fuck you... Kisuke...

The shinobi pulled the blade, letting blood smear on the asphalt. 

"You can take it from here."

Rukia, watching the gory scene in front of her, felt repulsion within her. Not because of Ichigo getting hurt, but because of how merciless this whole ordeal is. She ran at her friend, who stared at the blood pouring out of her center and then her mouth. She was stopped by Renji, who slammed her into a concrete pole.

"Let me go, Renji! She-"

"Forget it! She's going to die! Don't make things worse by crying over a corpse! If you touch her, they'll add twenty years to your sentence!"

"I don't care! I got her into this... She was killed because of me..." Rukia sobbed, "What's wrong with going to her?! She gave her life to me!"

Something inside Renji stilled.

"And you!" Rukia turned at the shinobi angrily, "I'll kill you! You hear me! I'll kill you!"

Her older brother covered her view from the shinobi and Ichigo.

"Despite your punishment would be increased. You feel you must go for this girl?... I understand, Rukia... This child is very much like him."

Rukia tensed. 

They heard coughing.

"Heh, I'm not going to die. You have no idea how many times I've died," Ichigo smirked as blood kept spilling from her mouth. "Hey, Rukia. Do something for me."

She gave the energetic, petite Soul Reaper, whom she had known for the last two months, a final word.

"Have... Hope."

Ichigo could not remember when she finally hit the ground or when her world went dark. Rukia's voice turned into a long scream when the effect of blood loss finally hit her. The image of her struggling to let go of the crimson-haired Soul Reaper's hold became blurry.  

Water is pouring down from the sky. Pain. Heaviness. Cold. Hurts. The blood kept pouring out... It would not stop. Hah. Once again, one second away from the death door, she cannot wait for Tezcatlipoca to scold her.

Oh, well. It doesn't matter.

"At least... You get what you want..."

Kisuke took off his old Omnitsukido headdress, letting the rain pour over his flaxen hair.

Chapter Text

Kisuke stared at his old Omnitsukido uniform, which was wet because of the rain, and threw it into the corner of his room. Not once did he ever think that he would wear it again, at least, not for this reason. But Ichigo Kurosaki she moved way too fast for him nowadays. When he arrived at her room to find her already gone, he came up with a thousand scenarios of what she would do about Rukia's ordeal. Will she just swipe the girl from her brother? Attack them right away? No. He did not expect her to choose to be diplomatic and end it with her coming to the Soul Society. How... Altruistic, this girl can be? Just what had she become?

No, I must. Rukia, we're just pawns in a big game. That gigai that was given to you, that's the thing that made your power unable to come back

How?

Just how did she know that?!

Not forgetting how strange it was to claim to be a magician to define her abnormality. Kisuke thought she meant about her whole heritage. He sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose, and felt like stress really did come to him. 

Heh, I'm not going to die. You have no idea how many times I've died.

"... Just who are you?"

Everything changed on the late afternoon of April 1st when Isshin arrived at the shop in panic, saying that the seal that linked to the Hollow, which was previously in Masaki, then transferred to Ichigo after birth, suddenly broke. No warning whatsoever. They both searched for Ichigo after that, fearing that the Hollow trapped within would send her into insanity or soul suicide. What was happening was the opposite. Nothing. Nothing was wrong with her. She was on the way home, strolling beside the riverbank, stopping on the site where her mother died to throw a paper plane...?

Isshin had to go home so her eldest daughter would not catch her absence. What Kisuke did for the next few weeks was observe the girl. In a slight, she still the same teenager with punkish attitude at the eyes of Karakura Town, though he catches how she take down goons in a much swift strike, impeccable balance as she skipping on the road rail, start doing random errand for the citizen (who could have thought she know how to fix a roof); if the errand involve heavy loads, Kisuke noted how easy she lifted them.

Those are small things. What was shocking was her Reiatsu. She was like a leaking faucet, uncontrollable and wild. Then take a sudden turn to be centered. What is this absolute control? Only captains have suck skill.

Obviously, the abnormality becomes more apparent the moment she meets Rukia and has the Soul Reaper power transferred into her. Occasionally, she ran around with a Zanpakutou, slaying Hollows and exorcising Plus, which she summoned out of thin air; a great swordman and martial artist; somehow able to change a rogue Mod Soul form; conjure ice, lightning, fire; and able to perform Shunpo. It vexes him so, so, so bad.

Kisuke grabbed a towel to dry himself half-heartedly, got dressed, transformed his Zanpakutou into a cane, and got out of his room. Kisuke went to his living room to face the music. There was the body of Ichigo Kurosaki, placed upright beside a cupboard, and a growling Mod Soul, Kon, trapped in a square Bakudō, placed on top of his coffee table. The eyes that were set on him... If looks could kill. He approached the Mod Soul and was positive that Kon's fang was getting longer.

When he came back with the unconscious Ichigo, he brought her to be patched up by Tessai. Ryuuken's son, who was finished being treated, and an observing Tessai had to witness a feral Mod Soul suddenly going at him as the door opened. He palmed him on the forehead, flinging him out of his master body, as the human body unceremoniously crumpled, yet it did not deter an orange snarling bunny-squirrel(?) from trying to maul him with all his might.

As his hand was full, Tessai was the one who trapped him. All of them watched the creature claw the Bakudō cage spell. It left marks, but the spell kept regenerating. Uryuu does not say anything, somewhat taken aback by the whole scene, but there is a clear mistrust in his eyes. 

The Mod Soul sure knows how to cuss like a sailor. It reminds him of a raging badger. There was a sound of vibrating phone from Ichigo's skirt pocket, which made the Mod Soul promptly stop cussing.

"Pick it up," He says.

"I'm sorry?"

"If you do anything to her, I'll bite your hand off! I will! ... But I can't. So do yourself a favor and pick up the phone."

Kisuke reached for the phone with Kon's threat in mind. He knew the Mod Soul could not do anything in Tessai's foolproof Bakudō, but he was respectful of his wish. He also kept in mind that there was something strange going on. Tessai said that Kon received a call, which made his temper rise, and he directed his anger at Kisuke when he appeared. If he deducted it correctly, someone told Kon about what he did to Ichigo through a phone call.

How? Does that mean he was being watched? Is he getting rusty?

He read the name of the caller... luv.magimari...? That does not give him any clue at all.

He picked up anyway.

: Tell me. Do you at least get what you want?:

The last word before Ichigo's consciousness has been repeated but altered to an investigative and condescending tone. 

"... Who is this?"

: Why do you care?:

"I wouldn't want her parent to be worried."

: Wow, bullshit went through the roof right there. Level it up a little bit, will you? I haven't heard good excuses for several hundred years- Or was it thousands?: The next was biting cold, : You have no idea how many people you angered. Answer the damn question or I'll let them creating inhibited chaos on Karakura just to get Ichigo away from you lot. Do you at least get what you want? :

Kisuke refrained from biting his bottom lip, "I did. I don't want Kurosaki-san to die."

The reply was a scoff.

: You mean you don't need her to die?:

"I-" The words stuck in his throat when the guess was spot on.

: Spare me. I know the likes of you.: There is a long silence, then a groan, : I want to kill you so bad, Twll tin. It doesn't seem real for someone to threaten you while they can't touch you, does it? I bet you're laughing that these were all just empty words. This call will end, and you'll be back with your nefarious plan. Use Ichigo's compassion to get your stupid toy, knowing that she'll save the little Soul Reaper girl, no matter the cost. :

While Kisuke was not a stranger to a threat, he had never heard someone yearn for it out loud. This person also openly taunted him, and he found it unsettling that he sounded unashamed.

: Can't say I'm wrong, are you? Hmm, I wonder... Just how many people did you condemn because of your actions?:

The person says, condemning with a purr that he shudders in dread. He does not think that he wants to cross whoever this person is.

: Do release Kon, will you? You don't want Ichigo to see him like that when she wakes up. I believe she will overreact.:

"He'll bite me."

: Oh, boohoo. That's a given, don't you think? Man up.:

The call ends. Kisuke did not know what to make of that whole conversation. He barred himself from nitpicking the phone because enough was enough.

"Tessai-san." He wistfully calls.

Tessai entered the room as if he were waiting behind the door this whole time.

"Release the spell."

Sure enough, Kon launched forward after the cage was gone. Kisuke brought his hand up to protect his face and let that hand get bitten. It drew out blood. It hurts. And he deserved it.

After the Mod Soul lets out all of his anger, he retracts, and what was left of him was this empty expression.

"I'll take you to Kurosaki-san."

Kisuke lifted Ichigo's human body, and Kon followed, emotionally and physically tired.

Ichigo woke up, feeling a soft ball of fur curled by her side. Her mind thinks of Fou at first and jumps to Kon after being reminded of how impossible for the Beast to be here. It had to have been forever since she was this lethargic. Her human body is on a futon beside her, seeing without being possessed, giving her a sense of eeriness. Turning away from it, she ran her hand on her chest, where she was stabbed. It is covered in bandages. The strips are set tidily. Not an amateur.

She slowly got up and felt naked. Since she is wearing nothing but bandages and her Soul Reaper, now white, hakama. Yet, she felt like she was too tired to process it, despite sleeping for a long time. Decided to just lay there and pet Kon's soft fur, helpless to the familiar sound of birds of the early morning.

"Good morning, Kurosaki-dono." Tessai steps in with an array of food on a small table, placing it down. "I brought you breakfast. If you are willing to eat, that is. I'm here to check on your wound. May I have your hand?"

Ichigo lifted her hand from Kon and wordlessly extended it to the man. Letting him do a Soul Reaper's kind of diagnosis spell.

"Where's the bathroom?" She asks.

"Turn right, down the hallway."

Tessai tapped the vein on her hand.

"Is it sufficient to take a bath?"

"... I wouldn't recommend taking a bath with those injuries."

"I'm bathing my human body." Ichigo pressed a little bit, rather sick of the coddling.

It is the old song all over again. Don't do this; you're sick. Don't do that, you're injured. Tessai may not be to blame for stabbing her, but he is not Nightingale or Asclepius. Nobody can force her to have ultimate bed rest unless they are a Chaldea doctor. However, they sometimes sedate her out of spite because she is too stubborn. Tessai does not stop her intention. Who knows if it was because he could feel her passive anger or share the guilt with his Kisuke; the second one is utter nonsense, to be honest. 

As if sensing she would not do anything unless his presence was gone, Tessai left, excusing himself for his politeness in customer service.

Ichigo does not feel bad about it. She knew she normally would. What was stopping her was this rage within her, fueled because of... Well, Everything.

Rukia will be executed no matter the defense or truth, indicating that the once fallen in Pseudo-Singularity judicial law organization has stiff standing; law may be iron-clad, but she offered herself in exchange, and Rukia was still executed? No sacrifice shall be recognized. That is plain cruel. Then there was Kisuke, who stabs her to prevent advancing further into the Soul Society soil. It makes sense that humans cannot be allowed to be there; it is inconceivable for them to glimpse the place they shall end up after their death.

Orpheus, maybe, but I'm not Orpheus.

Or maybe she is Orpheus. She came back from Kur and Mictlampa, right? Special circumstances aside.

Getting up was painful. Thankfully, Ichigo can work with this pain. If only she could get more painkillers. She glances at the breakfast, uncertain whether she should eat it or not as she does not have that much of an appetite, ending up picking up the grilled salmon by hand and eating only that. Her rustling ends up waking Kon.

"Mmmrrp... Whu- Ichigo?"

"Hey. Go eat first. I'm going to wash myself."

Ichigo lifted her human body, slinging her arms around her shoulders.

She had a feeling why she was being horrid today.

 ***

She groaned at her own stupidity. Of course, it's that time of the month. She checked both of her underpants, her human body, and her as a Soul Reaper; there was a patch of red on them. What is she going to do? Run back home at the speed of lightning to grab changes and some pads? What about the fundoshi? How is she going to get a spare fundoshi?!

Why am I suddenly getting modern and samurai-era problems at the same time?!  

God, this is the Rayshift issue on women all over again.

It is already a whole mystery why it is that when she came out of her body, she had a full-on Soul Reaper attire, and now that attire is soiled because of a biological reason— And why is it white now? Like fuck does she have to always wash twice whenever this stuff happens?

Ichigo flinched when she heard the bathroom door being knocked on. 

"Kurosaki-dono, are you alright?" Tessai said from the outside, "I came bringing towels, but I heard concerning noises."

"I'M FINE!"

She wanted to drown herself.

"Forgive my rudeness, but I don't think you're fine. If you're in some trouble, please let us help."

As much as Ichigo wanted to scream and tell him to mind his own business, she did need some help. Perhaps it is fine to be transparent since they are all adult here, even though they did not know she is not an actual teenager.

"I need...pads." Great job, Ichigo. For being vague as fuck!

However, it seems that was enough for Tessai to catch on.

"Oh... I see." He cleared his throat, "Ehem, is it affecting both your soul and body?"

Looks like they are already guessing about the possibility that this might happen.

"... Yes."

"Please, hold on for a moment."

Ichigo hears whispers outside. Heated discussions between— Is that another man's voice?

"You idiot! How can you be this daft? She can borrow mine!"

Woah, woah, woah. Borrow the unknown man's what?

"I almost forgot a woman is living here."

It is what Kisuke said.

A woman is living here in this shop?

But with the way the unknown man and Kisuke are exchanging words in the convo, it seems the unknown man IS the woman. The next thing she heard was him yowling and a loud thud. It does not take long for Tessai to knock on the door again, telling her that he brought all the necessities. The kimono and the shitagi of her Soul Reaper uniform (that is white), two towels, some pads, two different clean underwear, each for a Soul Reaper and a human.

It was placed outside, as Ichigo was already inside, and there was no way they were going to barge in.

They were nowhere to be found when she opened the door to get the stuff.

***

Ichigo now sat face to face with Kisuke after all of those ordeals. Well, not just him. A black cat is sitting on a pillow beside him, cleaning their paw. Strange that his pet appears now. She spent more than an hour in this shop for the first time, and he finally took out his cat from the back. Did he bring it out to ease her ire at him? Yeah, it's not going to be that easy, dickhead. Or he brings it to match Kon's presence.

Like, look, I have a Familiar, too. Which... Okay. Do whatever you want, but... He cannot be that childish, right?

Kon, looking like he was going to launch himself at the shopkeeper, does not help that it was going to be him versus the cat any time soon. 

"It's great to see you recovering well, Kurosaki-san."

Kisuke finally opened his mouth. 

Damnit, I thought I was done being sour.

"Thanks... I'm gonna go now."

"Wait, where are you going?" Kisuke is trying to stop his esteemed guest from leaving. He is not used to being put off like this.

"What do you mean, where am I going? To school, duh!"

There was a snort from the cat...?

"But aren't you curious why you cannot use power anymore?"

"What power?"

"Your Soul Reaper power."

Soul Reaper power, he called it. Sounds needlessly extra. Ichigo supposed there was a reason why those uniforms became white. It makes sense that those are not normal clothing; a Mystic Code, if she had to classify it. Does not provide any protection or specific spell; instead, it tells the state of her power. Her Soul Reaper power. 

"What makes a power, a Soul Reaper power, anyway? The power that enables me to fight ghosts?"

"Yes, exactly."

"That's not Soul Reaper power. Don't refer to the spiritual side of a power within oneself as a Soul Reaper power. You're going to anger a lot of people." Yeah, she called it. That cat is not normal. Not when it can have the same stunned face as Kisuke, "Is that why you stabbed me? To lock my spiritual power?"

"You are... Unusually keen in this matter."

"It would be a disappointment to my mentors if I'm not."

"Mentors? Is that magimari person count as one?"

Ichigo raised one of her eyebrows and turned to Kon, who nodded in confirmation. Of all the time that Merlin had to use his Presence Clairvoyance...

"Yes. Did he say anything?"

"He was taunting me."

"It would be weird if he didn't. Also, better than being thrown a spear." Ichigo stopped for a while before going out, "I know we're not done yet, so I'll come back later. Do pay my gratitude to your wife for allowing me to borrow her undergarments."

She heard a choke as she turned her back on him.

Tessai approached Ichigo, giving her a bottle filled with pills when she was putting on her shoes. It was medicine made by Kisuke that supposedly allowed her to recover much faster. If the skull and crossbone that was printed on the label was supposed to be a light prank to make her uncomfortable, she had to say, he failed spectacularly.

"Please take one every hour... Kurosaki-dono. I know it's been very unpleasant for you, but we do hope the best for your recovery. With that, we're sorry for what we've done."

Ichigo takes the medicine, "... You're not the one who should be apologizing. You know that."

"Tenchō... He's going to make a lot of mistakes again. I'm afraid there will be no amount of forgiveness that shall be able to fix it."

"Tell him this, then. If he wishes for my cooperation, then he had better give me all the information. I'm going to Soul Society to save Rukia, that's the priority. If he wants his toy retrieved, that's a different matter."

Tessai bowed.

"I shall relay the message."

***

"I thought you were joking. Kisuke, that was not normal!" Yoruichi leaped onto the table, facing her old friend, "Did Isshin-"

"No."

"Then what?"

Kisuke is fond of mysteries, yet right now, he does not have a single clue about Ichigo.

"She said she has mentors. You met one."

"I spoke to one. He said he wanted to kill me so bad. Taunting me and rightfully guessing my intention. I was like an open book to him, and he wasn't in the room. I don't think he was in Karakura Town, either. He phrased it as 'doesn't seem really for him to threaten me since I can't be touched'. I think he can't be here, it just doesn't stop him making a call."

"Sure. And then she said, 'better than being thrown a spear.'"

As much as Kisuke is aware of how smart he is, he still believes he is not the smartest person in the world. He does not know every person out there, and as long as he does not cross them, he is comfortable being left alone. However, getting Ichigo's bad side might potentially harm that idea.

"It just doesn't make sense. Teaching someone how to control their Reiatsu in the matter of one night? Unless they said they knew how to create a space where time doesn't flow, I can support that theory." Kisuke rested his forehead on his arms. His voice was weak. 

"You sound disappointed that Isshin's daughter is self-sufficient before any of you steps in."

"No, I didn't. She's going to be strong, but for it to happen in this immediate... I'm scared of what Aizen will do."

To her, left unsaid.

"Knowing or not, there's nothing we can do. What's done is done. You have no choice but to work around her."

The cat sauntered off.

"It's been centuries, Kisuke. I shouldn't keep telling you what to do."

Ichigo had to buy a new toothbrush and toothpaste from a minimarket and brush her teeth in the school's bathroom since she had not done it when she showered at the Urahara Shop. She was not going to borrow their toothbrushes; that was gross. She also was not usually the earliest student who came to school, but today, it seemed she was one of them. As she entered her near-empty classroom, she noticed that on Rukia's seat sat a boy with a neat haircut she did not recognize.  

More and more people started to fill the classroom, saying their greetings, commenting on her earliness, and yet none of them commented about Rukia's absence. It is as if she never inserted herself into Karakura High School to begin with. Seems like Kisuke put to use his best memories wiper. This is what it means by returning to Soul Society. She was erased from people's memories, so no one was able to spot the discrepancy.

Just like how Chaldea and the threat of the Alien God had been overcome. 

Just like how Mash was never created to begin with.

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo tensed when a white cloth appeared in front of her eyes. Her reflexes acted much faster than the person who was going to blindfold her. She effectively dodges to the side, grabs the person's hand, and flips him backward.

The familiar pitiful whimpers made her realize that it was Keigo.

"Oh, sorry... What's up, Keigo?"

Keigo recovered fast; he was never flipped some seconds ago.

"You seriously just ask that after flipping me?" Crocodile tears were running from his eyes.

"What else am I supposed to say?"

Then, they gathered in the backyard after eating lunch per Keigo's insistence to discuss summer vacation. He listed all the beach activities and necessities, proposing that they all go on a ten-day beach trip starting tomorrow.

"That sounds great, Keigo. But I can't." Ichigo declined.

"What?! Why not?"

"I mean, I won't be able to do most of what you mentioned anyway, like beach sports, swimming, and the hot springs."

"Wha- Oh... Right..." Keigo understands since he has a temperamental older sister. "I can reschedule."

"Sure, but I need to check my schedule too. I'll tell you when I'm free."

"Sorry... I can't go, either." Orihime said.

"Sorry, I've got nationals." Tatsuki followed

"Well, if Orihime and Tatsuki aren't going. Neither am I." Mihana did not quite like going anywhere without her friend group.

"Same here, I'll pass," Chad said last.

Keigo's crocodile tears kept flowing, then he turned to Mizuiro with hopeful eyes.

"Oh, I'm off to Phuket tomorrow."

"YOU?!" Keigo grabbed Mizuiro's shoulder, "With who?! Are you going with those two sexy older girls?! Tell me the truth!"

"N-No. Close enough. Actually, it's Mari, my girlfriend, nine of her friends, and me. It's eleven of us."

"Okay, that's enough. Stop fueling the fire, Mizuiro." Ichigo clapped her hands two times. "Keigo, it's six weeks away. Do something you like while we're not there. Don't be desperate. Pick up something like a part-time job or volunteer work. It'll do good for your portfolio."

Her friend pursed his lips.

"That's not fun."

"Who says it's not fun? You haven't even tried it yet." Ichigo got up from her seat and slung her arm around his shoulder, leading him away. "Come on, let's explore the choices in your city. What about that second-hand shop that sells vintage clothing?"

Keigo winced in fear, "Eh, that shop?! There's a scary guy who works there!"

Their voices were getting faint as they were farther away.

"I wonder if Keigo noticed that he and Ichigo are almost the same height." Mizuiro smiled, watching them. "She's a good influence on him."

Unbeknownst to him, Chad and Orihime are watching Ichigo with different feelings.

***

"I know you're there. Come out."

Orihime flinched when she was been called out. She came out from the intersection of a walled street where she had been secretly following Ichigo.

"Is there something you need from me, Orihime?" Ichigo inquired.

Her grip on her school bag tightened as she gathered the courage to speak.

"Where'd Kuchiki-san go?"

Orihime watched as Ichigo and the creature on her shoulder simply raised one of their eyebrows at her question.

"Why did everyone suddenly forget about her? Do you know?"

"Are you the only one affected?"

"No... Sado-kun too."

"Yeah, that tracks. After what happened to you two, it would make sense that you two are immune with by the memory device, " Ichigo now fully face the other girl, "To answer your question. Rukia went back to her homeworld. She was the reason why I suddenly started wearing black attire and fighting monsters. She wasn't supposed to do what she did to make me like that... So she had to face punishment because of she did."

"Oh... I see..."

"But don't worry. I'm going to help her. You'll be seeing her again in no time."

Ichigo started to turn away when Orihime's question stopped her.

"What are you going to do?"

"Excuse me?"

"Kuchiki-san came from that world in the first place, right? Her family, her friends, everything... They're all over there. What are you going to do? After you save her? Will you take her away from her family and friends and bring her back here? Is that the right thing to do?"

Orihime was startled when Ichigo laughed.

Not out of amusement but of mirth.

"What kind of world... What kind of home, family, and friends condemn one of theirs so horribly before she can make her justification? Is that a home at all? Put aside the sacrifice because something needs to be done? The thought of it made me sick."

Orihime does not know what to say, hearing those words. When did Ichigo gain the ability to speak like this? 

"Do you want to know why I want to save Rukia? I believe in her. She made me believe that what she believed in was worth living for. That's why I have to save her, so she can see what she believes is worth fighting for."

Ah... I was wrong about her. It took a considerable amount of effort for Orihime to put on a smile. "... Then go save her. And good luck. I don't want my friend to die too."

She watched Ichigo longingly until her figure was gone from the horizon and bit her lip.

***

Yuzu found a note on her study desk written in her older sister's handwriting.

"Nee-chan wrote a message."

Karin leaned her head to take a peek.

"Eh, she's not coming home again. She sure is busy with her ghost business."

"At least she made a habit of telling us whenever she had to leave, unlike before."

The note on Yuzu's hand then folded itself into a pinwheel as if to entertain the twins.

"Yeah... She changed."

"It's a good change."

"I see. Yes, I shall send someone for you two." Kisuke ended the call

"Tenchō, Kurosaki-done has arrived," Tessai announced.

"Yes, let's meet her."

Tessai glanced at the shop's personal landline before following his boss. 

"Kurosaki-san, welcome. I trust you healed well."

Kisuke greeted the redheaded girl standing in front of the shop, now in casual clothes instead of school uniform. She brought a sports bag with her.

"Well, aside from your special pills, I can heal pretty fast."

Tessai kicked Kisuke in the tibia so he would not speculate in that instance.

"G-Good, good. I hope you get permission from your family."

"You don't need to worry about my family." Ichigo walked past him, beckoning to the entrance of the shop, "So shall we?"  

For the first time in forever, Kisuke gingerly entered his shop. 

Tessai goes to the back to make some tea while placing a wooden bowl filled with rice crackers on the coffee table. Kon was the only one who reached for the snacks while Ichigo and Kisuke could not stop assessing each other's danger.

More intense on Kisuke's part, actually.

Ichigo looked plainly bored.

"Who told you about the trinket that I put inside Kuchiki-san?" Kisuke started.

"The 'magimari' guy," Ichigo rolled her eyes, propping her head with her hand, "How? Well, you see, implanting a 'trinket' on someone is not exactly a new method."

"I see. Who was his...victim?"

"What's the most cursed family bloodline on Earth? That's the hint."

"That's not a hint; that could be anyone."

"Is it?"

Kisuke almost gave her a dirty look.

Ichigo counts it as a win.

"What's with these questions to satisfy your curiosity? Aren't we here to discuss how to save Rukia? Ah, right, that's impossible now. You lock the flow of my spiritual power, which makes me unable to fight spiritual beings. You barred me from going with them, so I can't make my defense for her. But who cares, right? No matter what I say, she's going to die, and I'm going to die for just being there. It was never about her, it was never me. It was about your fourth-dimensional trinket. Rukia retrieved. You get what you want. I get what I want. Everybody's happy. So, to satisfy my curiosity, I'm going to ask you questions, and you will answer them. Why are you here, Kisuke Urahara, and who are you hiding from? Who is your enemy? What's that trinket for?"

There was a sound of a bamboo door gliding open, signifying Tessai bringing the tea. He could feel the tense atmosphere as she silently put down two cups.

"Hey, can I come with you?" Kon pleaded with the big man.

"Of course."

The two left with a low thud of the door.

"His name was Sousuke Aizen. He was the reason why we were here: me, Tessai-san, and some more people who hid elsewhere. Based on the same idea, he too was making the same fourth-dimensional trinket. He was experimenting on multiple high-ranked officers, and I was framed for it. Tessai-san was involved in helping me bring those officers to safety. I was originally going to be sentenced to the lowest depth of a prison. But, in the end, we escaped... As for the trinket. For me... It was wild curiosity, honestly. At the time, I just thought I could do that. When it finally took form, that's when I realized it was too dangerous for it to exist. I called it Hōgyoku... And I don't have a goal for what it's for."

Ichigo is a bit skeptical of the revelation at the end, yet she chooses to move on.

"So this Sōsuke Aizen wanted the Hōgyoku despite already having his own?"

"My informant tells me that he was beginning to get desperate since his work was getting nowhere or at least, unable to achieve the desired result. I, too, share the sentiment; when I work on mine, something is always missing. Always less, never complete. But it already has its own mind toward havoc. So I encased it in a protective filament to reduce its effect."

"And yet still wasn't enough. Until Rukia came along, benefiting from her inherent power to set the Hōgyoku to dormant."

"... Yes... Is that from this Magimari person?"

Ichigo gave him a pointed look. What do you think?

"Right. Then you came along. Kuchiki-san transferred her power to you, and that's when the dormancy started to dispel. I had to put her in a special gigai that rendered her nearly a normal human."

"That still wasn't enough. Look at what it did to Chad and Orihime."

"... Is that also-"

"From the 'magimari' guy, yes, yes." Ichigo waved her hand impatiently. "I bet you didn't actually tell the truth to them. Aren't you?"

"No. I gave them an equivalent of 'there's something in the water.'"

Oh, for fucks sake. Kisuke, you're a whole mess. She massaged her temple, groaning at her growing stress. God, all those years in Chaldea and roaming Lostbelts must've been to prepare me for this...

"What kind of 'there's something in the water' is this?"

"That Karakura Town, referred to as District 3600, is situated on the current Jūreichi, the point in the Human World that possesses the greatest concentration of spiritual beings-"

"Oh my God, you use leyline logic? One of the many topics that is regarded with great schism in the world?!"

Ichigo covered her face for the second-hand embarrassment. Praying to every deity above who was willing to listen and give an infinite amount of patience. I'm so disappointed in you, Kisuke.

"The Jūreichi part is true. Just not the correct reason for their power."

"No shit. They don't know anything about the spiritual. You gave them that, and they ate it as fact."

"... I'm sorry." Kisuke faltered.

"Don't be sorry yet, mister. You had a lot of explaining to do when it was time to come clean to them. You owe them that."

Ichigo pressed her forefinger to the man's chest. 

"Right now, you need to choke on your pride and tell me exactly how I get to Rukia?"

***

Ichigo was brought into an underground chamber under the shop. Some might say that it was a hassle to dig out such a huge space, but she was certain that this had not been dug. This is a pocket dimension. Japan's frequent earthquakes would not allow an enclosed space as big as this without a proper foundation to stand. She swiped the ground, feeling the dirt in her hand. The coarse texture of it is dead.

There was an imperfection within this space, considering the numerous dead trees. The dirt itself exists as it is, not as a foundation for where life can grow. Life did not flow in this space.

It was made to be this way. If she had to guess why...

"To avoid detection. Any drop of energy will give it away; that's why no one spotted this location until it was shown to their very eyes."

"Keen eye, you."

Kisuke snorted lowly. He pointed his cane at the two poles of wood placed at the opposite horizontal beam.

"See that. Tessai and I will stand on each, letting our Reiryoku flow and cut the space in between to create a gateway. Or as Soul Society calls it, a Senkaimon. But you see, Kurosaki-san, it has to be you. Because I never faced my imprisonment, the Soul Society forbade my very essence from getting through. Well, I could, but that would take a long detour, unlike this shortcut."

"Interesting that they can do that." Ichigo mused.

"Yes..." She's not thinking of keeping me out of the way, right?

"Moving on. To enter Soul Society, I must re-awaken my spiritual power. How am I going to do that?"

Without warning, Kisuke taps the butt of his cane at Ichigo's forehead. She is instantly separated from her body. A chain that she always sees on the human ghosts is now on her chest, connecting her to her body. What was curious was that she was wearing her casual clothes, not the Soul Reaper uniform, whether it was the black or white one 

"When I stabbed you, the booster of your spiritual power, Saketsu, and its source, Hakusui, were destroyed. You're now a normal soul without any powers. To jumpstart it, you have to increase your Reiryoku enough to move freely in your spiritual body and then cut your Chain of Fate to call out your Soul Reaper power."

"It's funny that you kept calling it 'Soul Reaper' power. I wonder why?" Ichigo smiled at the shopkeeper suspiciously. "You see, Rukia once told me that to become a Soul Reaper, you must be enrolled in a school. The sword was given to the student, and shihakushō is only given when they're becoming an officer. Imagine my confusion whenever I came out of my body; I have a uniform and a Zanpakutou. I may take Rukia's power, but the question is, why?"

She tilted her head to the side at the tensing Kisuke.

"Urahara-san, tell me honestly, is transparency a competition for you?"

"Kurosaki-san, that's... It's not my place to tell you."

Ichigo shrugs, turning away from him. Casually walking to a space, preparing to keep a safe distance.  

"What do you call this chain? Chain of Fate? Dramatic. I was taught that it has a different epithet." She twirled her chains playfully, "Fool's Chain. A chain was created to bind down transient souls into this world, keeping them from ascending to heaven. I wondered why it's gray instead of burning red."

Kisuke heard Tessai and the kids running toward him, and he held out his left hand to the side, telling them to step back.

"Suit yourself. Just so you know, my inner world used to be this whole mess. I was in denial, used to trying to get rid of it, that they're a stain on who I am. Then, I realized that I had to work for it. So yeah, just so you know... I saw everything."

Ichigo gripped her chain. Suddenly, the whole length was engulfed in blue fire until there was nothing left to connect her to her body. 

Kisuke felt panic rising inside him.

"What do you mean you say everything?" He shouted.

He widened his eyes when a katana with an obsidian blade, so black that it was blue, appeared in Ichigo's hand.

"Isn't it obvious? It means I know everything."

She winked and raised the blade in the air, from its tip a white light blazing brighter and brighter, swallowing all sight.

Chapter Text

"Hey, Muramasa-ossan. You wanted to forge a katana that cleaves through fate, destiny, and karma, right? I'll give you a challenge."

The Alter Ego summoned by the Alien God frowned at Ichigo.

"Hey, young'un, you know I'm summoned by your enemy, and yet you approach me carelessly."

"Am I?" The Master of Chaldea smirked knowingly.

"You cheeky sprout," Muramasa smirked smugly. "Are you sure you can give me a good challenge?"

"The challenge is to forge swords using my soul."

The swordsmith's eyebrows went high.

"Your soul?"

Black and White cannot survive too long in this Gray world.

Blue is the blood of the Mother.

Red is the rage of the Beast.

Gold is the color of the King.

Invincible is the nature of the Matter.

Ichigo discovered that the day she was able to awaken her soul's self-actualization was when she realized that she could do anything. Find yourself, perfect yourself, change, limit, and break yourself. She can make a devil or a fool out of herself. Gone is the shell of a Hollow that has no other choice than to be painted white, and gone is the shell of a man who claims to be a primordial father. Each slam of a hammer from Muramasa, fire that sparked out of for may shape the swords. The purging of the soul was of her own will.

Everything in her inner world is about her. This is who she is after breaking her limit. Forgone the rain, here comes the star shower. Dull concrete left this world, taken over by the nebula. A flat plane that never ends. The night sky is filled with stars as the ground reflects the very sky itself. Walking on the ground, each step creates a ripple like water. Something was swimming under it, but they were not fish; instead, they looked like slivers of light that followed the colors of the aurora borealis. 

Ichigo gasped for air when she came out of the water. There was a hand clasped in dark vambrace and leather gloves lent out to her; at the tip of the leather gloves are iron claws. It belonged to a tall figure dressed in dark yet decorated by steel adamantium ornament armour. The head is covered in a veiled helmet, only the eyes visible; they are like molten gold.

He is the Ego that always sets a contrast to the rainbow of Merlin's garden.

He is her Ego. A representation of her soul.

"Need a hand?"

Fray crouched to his master's level. Ichigo grabbed his hand, and he pulled her out of the water.

"Thanks."

Like a scene from a movie, she was wet a second ago, then dry in the second frame.

"Do you miss this place?" Fray asked.

"I will forever miss it."

Fray huffed in amusement. He reached for a shining vermilion star in the sky, plucking it; the light in his palm shifted into an obsidian sword. The blade is so dark that it is blue as it reflects the shine from the other star. He rested its full length on both of his hands and got one knee, offering the sword to Ichigo.

"Until the last of your breath, you always found reason to wield it."

Ichigo picked the sword, feeling the cold, dark steel on her palm.

"Do you think she will be lonely?"

"There will be a time when her brother shall join."

Fray's right. Everything has its time.

Ichigo closed her eyes. She held her sword with both hands, held it upright, vertical to her being.

"Come with me... Akina."

The world turned around.

Renji glided through the Sixth Division in the morning, exchanging greetings with all of the subordinates he passed. He stopped in front of the division's confinement facility, twirling the key in his index finger before twisting it into the keyhole. He saw Rikichi Yuki, an unseated officer, trying to seduce a Hell Butterfly with a toy one. The officer's most defining feature was the tattoo above his left eye that was modeled after Renji's, which the lieutenant of the Sixth Division thought was ridiculous since it looked unfinished. 

"What are you doing?" Renji kicked the short officer in the back of the head to stop him from embarrassing himself further.

"Renji-san, what was that for?!" The shorter male rubbed his throbbing cranium.

"Why are you messing around like an idiot? You should be able to handle the Hell Butterflies on your own, you fool."

"But... I thought you were off today...?"

Renji threw his face away. "I'm just checking on the prisoner. How is she? Still sulking?"

"I'm not sulking. I'm just not hungry... Fukutaichō-dono."

Rukia emphasized the crimson-haired newly achieved rank. She is sitting in a lone chair inside a cell, white kimono hugging her tiny body, facing Renji with no ounce of meekness. This successfully made him lose his cool, so he gripped the bar of the cell tightly.

"You got a problem that I'm a Lieutenant now?!"

"Not at all. You must've worked hard to get yourself promoted during the two months I was gone. Very impressive. I'm happy for you." She said, the tease laced in her words, "Good luck, fukutaichō-dono. You're strong, fukutaichō-dono. What's with the funky eyebrows, fukutaichō-dono?"

"You're dead, you hear me! Step outta there!" Renji banged on the cell bar in annoyance.

Rikichi does not say anything during their interaction. 

The banter stopped all of a sudden.

"Renji... Am I really going to die?"

"Of course you are!" Renji grunted, "Any day now!"

"... I see. Why wouldn't I be?" Rukia relenting.

"C'mon, I'm only kidding!" He banged on the cell loudly, then leaned on it. "Kuchiki-taichō is on his way to headquarters. He'll probably request a reduced sentence for you. He's your older brother. He won't stand by and let you be killed."

"... You're right. He'll kill me himself."

Rukia's words cut a slice to Renji's gut.

"I know well what kind of a person he is. In the last forty years, the Kuchiki Clan took me in... That man...not once did he even look at me."

"..."

Rukia perked up, "Did you say something, Renji?"

Renji was startled a bit since he was tongue-tied by her, and it was out of nowhere.

"No. I didn't..."

Rukia suddenly shuddered. She felt hot and cold at the same time.

What? What's wrong with me?

She cannot help but wonder.

... Sode no Shirayuki?

Merlin wiped the sweat from his brow as he worked his magic. He stands among the patch of frozen flowers; among them lies a beautiful katana that is as pure white as snow. On its surface were golden inscriptions, slithering around its surface as if dancing.

"Here I am doing bothersome things while she's having fun."

He sighed and pouted. Continuing his work.

In front of him stood Ichigo Kurosaki in a Soul Reaper standard uniform, the shihakushō. There is a slight variation; the arms are covered in long fingerless gloves, and instead of wearing the traditional straw sandals, she is wearing black ankle boots. At her side is a black saya (scabbard) with blue sageo in a wrapped knot. On the dark lacquer surface, there was a decoration of silver laurels. The light that was released by the summoned sword started to die down, getting thinner and thinner until he could see that it literally moved—like a piece of silk shawl, swirling, coiling, uniting into the blade of an obsidian katana, which he took a second note that it had no tsuba (guard). The blade was shaped to kissaki-moroha-zukuri style.

All of Kisuke's plan for Isshin's kid had gone off the rails. His original plan was to set Ururu to fight Ichigo so she could increase her Reiryoku while her Chain of Fate was still connected to her body. Then he was going to throw her into the ground that had been dug so that the burst of the transformation could be contained. Ordinarily, Chain of Fate enroachment might take months or years; that was why he put gas in the shaft to quicken the process. His estimation was three days. What he did not expect was for her to burn her chain away with no trace of remorse.

In theory, considering that she inherited a template of a Soul Reaper, she can turn into a pseudo Soul Reaper, but that also includes turning into a Hollow. Not just any Hollow; the Hollow that was sealed within Masaki Kurosaki, using Isshin Shiba's power to suppress it. But he should've seen it coming. Since that seal broke and with her never went into Hollow madness, those are sure tell signs that she got everything under control.

"Isn't it obvious? It means I know everything."

So, as she said. Kisuke's lips quirked a bit. "Aha... You're starting to terrify me here."

His weariness increased, and at the same time, he shivered in excitement.

Usually, a shift within the soul releases a burst of massive Reiatsu, but it was more alarming when there was nothing. For Reiatsu to stay constant even after transformation, it does not require precise control. No. That is damn near impossible. No matter how small or big, there has to be a shift in the frequency, like changing the channel of a TV show or radio. Such things make it hard to gauge her hypothetical strength, which is an overall very assassin-like battle tactic. However, even he and Yoruichi had inconsistencies when unleashing their Reiatsu.

The consideration that the fighter in front of him might have found a method or been taught this type of Reiatsu control is possible. Kisuke did not know what kind of mentor this 'magimari' person was; he could only measure him by his previous conversation with her. If he had done what he did to Kuchiki-san—implanting a concept into someone's soul, then the man is potentially lethal. And that man taught Ichigo, a human with inhuman lineage, who kept boundless possibilities.

Ichigo Kurosaki does not need this farce of a shopkeeper to gain powers. She only needs him to open the portal to the Soul Society. Cooperation, not favor. Someone like him is not a new thing to her. Needless to say, he has been reduced to a measly gatekeeper in this situation.

"Tenchō..." Tessai weakly concerns from the back.

Jinta and Ururu are hiding behind him. Shielded, in case the situation goes awry. 

Well, it is already awry within their pages since the plan got thrown out of the window, the awriness probably is if Isshin's kid chooses to go rogue. Kon was the only one who did not feel the same trepidation as he popped out from Ururu's hold, ran past all of the shop's residents, and jumped into Ichigo's welcoming arms. It is almost cute that his master scooped her Familiar up to the level of her eyes.

"You felt different. I meant you felt different when Rukia's powers were with you, but this is.. I don't know how to describe it..."

Ichigo tilted her head with a gentle smile. "Different?"

"Yeah!" His ears went up in excitement, "It feels more like you."

"I suppose that's one way to put it. However, Rukia's power is still with me. That's one more reason to save him: to give back her Zanpakutou." 

"Oh? Oh. You're right... She's still with him."

Kisuke raised one of his eyebrows in suspicion, hearing it. Kuchiki's Zanpakutou is what?

Ichigo scoffs in amusement when she sees the searching look on the shopkeeper's face. Guess it is high noon for massacring people's expectations once again. She wanted to laugh, not because it was funny, but because she missed this. The feeling of using her powers. It is like fire and freedom. She can feel them thrumming at the tip of her fingers, wanting to be released. It felt like the eyes of the universe daring her once again as she turned to them and exclaim, 'Bring it on'.

Rukia's power could not even flip that switch. Intentionally or unintentionally. No. Ichigo forged her power herself. Others will find it daunting if it licks even the surface of their skin. Especially Fray. She was surprised that Yuki did not address how different he was from her.    

"Satisfied?" She addressed Kisuke Urahara that is standing who stood a few distances from her. Noticing the steel grip he has on his cane. "You wanted to see a person clad in black, accompanied by a sword, and plaster them with the notion 'Thou art Soul Reaper.' Well, here you are."

"It sounded like you disagree." Kisuke weakly said.

Ichigo shrugs. "My opinions don't matter." Just don't gawk when it shifts into something else. "So are we done here? I can go to Soul Society, now?"

She did not flinch when a thin blade was a couple of inches from her throat, and the wielder was suddenly beside her. A silent order that she shall not be going anywhere anytime soon. 

"I'm afraid I can't let you leave just yet. You don't know what the Gotei 13 is capable of."

Ichigo rolled her eyes in response.

True to Kisuke's word, she does not know of the current Gotei 13's capabilities. It was not that she was impatient. Perhaps a bit overconfident since she broke into a stronghold way too many times in the past. She just does not get why he chooses to play poker. He waited for her to take out a card from her sleeve, then he revealed his card, and so on. Being frank is an allergy to him. A dog to a bone that cannot help but play mind games. Ah, yes, Kisuke Urahara, formerly of the Second Division. The little scamp who was trained in assassination, reconnaissance, and every clandestine operation. What was Ichigo expecting, honestly? Of course, he plays mind games.

Just what it it that he wanted to hear out of her? That she was not clueless about said supernatural military organization because Seiretei was once the setting of Pseudo-Singularity? Maybe. But that was not about what he wanted to hear anymore; that was about how he never thought that he was going to hear. Since she knew what an absolute rascal he was, that kind of shit made him more giddy. Not that she was not curious about the Seireitei and Gotei 13 today. Perhaps it was stronger, more structured, more pristine; pride and honor that skittering away now clad them like steel. She might be presented with the perfect stronghold instead of a ruin.

And yet, the whole debacle that she was getting into made her think otherwise. The fact that Rukia's situation is laced with suspicion, Kisuke and Tessai being exiles. She gets it, nothing is perfect. But for an organization that audited death, why then there was there so much drama lying around?

But at the moment, that does not matter. What matters is that Kisuke just would not tell her. No, he wants a demonstration of her abilities since she is supposed to be a brash teenager, not a teenager looking septuagenarian who is actually a fighting machine. Like, what is he? A freaking five year old? 

How does she know this? That same cascade of red that she sensed on the night when she decided to chase Rukia. It rises, dancing like a beautiful cinnabar red silk shawl that is akin to dripping blood. The dripping red that is spreading on the ground, reaching the very edge of the underground basement. It does not smell of iron or unpleasant, instead it smells sweet; a sweetness that lulls into a false sense of security.

By this interpretation, Ichigo knows that Kisuke is excited. There is a mystery that he needs to crack, and he is Excited!

"Can you do that without waving a weapon around? Do I look like I'm going to jump into any dimensional portal at any moment?"

His Zanpakutou clinks a bit, a sign of faltering. "Well, your words sure made you look like it."

"Cause' you took your sweet ass time to get to the point. If you want a fight, just ask, no need to make yourself a weirdo out of it."

Ichigo smacks aside Kisuke's Zanpakutou with her ebony colored blade, which she ensheathes in lightning speed. She spins around and spots the man bringing down his Zanpakutou as if trying to cleave her. She avoided this by taking a few steps back as the blade barely nicked her. The ground sports a small splinter, and her uncanny extrasensory perception heard the blade hissing Red.

"Oho, I'll keep that in mind, then." Kisuke chuckled. Eyes shadowed by the brim of his hat, his tone is low but spirited. "You weren't taught amateurs, are you?"

He's still a sadist. Ichigo dipped her head to Kon, who took it as a silent order to get as far away from the incoming mock battle. "You could say that."

"Tessai-san, do take the kids to safety. It looks like we're jumping straight to lesson three." Kisuke's orders follow suit. Tessai obeyed right away by taking Jinta and Ururu as far away as possible from the incoming fight. "You have no idea how much enrichment goes out of the way, especially, the armor and handband of justice; there goes all the fun. I was going to train you for the next ten days, I guess that also goes out of the picture, too."

Ichigo squints at him. Her hand, which was not wielding a weapon, rested on her hip. "You call that enrichment? More like crushing dignity," she started to get the impression that Kisuke is running out of cracks, since he thought of those silly methods for personal enjoyment. Seriously, headband of justice? Someone had been watching Super Sentai way too much. She shook her head dismissively. Cracks the joints of her neck as she lands on a iai stance. "Just give me three days to warm up. Rules?"

The brim of the striped hat is tapped. "If you can knock my hat with your Zanpakutou, you pass."

"That's it?"

"That's it. No time limit."

Eugh. God forbid. No time limit? No, thank you. "Five minutes." Ichigo pressed snidely and cringed when Kisuke pouted. Fucks' sake man. Heel. You're prancing like a puppy.

Rukia does not quite hear it when Byakuya Kuchiki comes in to announce how extensive her sentences are. It was Renji who was in disbelief. For some reason, she does not care. She does not care that she has been found guilty of a capital offense or that twenty-five days from now she is going to be taken to the Sōkyoku Hill to receive the ultimate punishment: an execution. Because it is impossible. It is impossible that she sensed Sode no Shirayuki!

Oh God. Ichigo, what did you do?

She winced when she felt pain in her chest. The pain made her want to forget about her connection with her Zanpakutou—... Wait, why would she need to forget about Sode no Shirayuki? That does not make any sense.

"Hey! Don't be sad! They could still change their minds!"

Guess Rukia's pinched expression interpreted by Renji as sadness. She refrains from rolling her eyes. Said childhood friend of hers, who was banging the bars of the holding cells with his feet, was never the sharpest anyway. 

"I'm not...sad."

"Don't lie! You're obviously disconsolate! Hey, eyes over here!"

Rukia then laughed hysterically. The pulsing pain on her chest continues, but she does not despair. Strange that she felt vigor. That she wanted to fight. 

"That ruling came from Central 46, silly. It can't be overturned! You think I'm upset by the ultimate punishment? It just makes escaping more interesting, don't you think?" Felling playful. She gave Renji a piercing look. "What's that? You seem awfully worried about me. This little old me? You should be worried more about your goofy tattooed eyebrows!"

Every vein on Renji's face twisted horribly.

Rukia counts it as a win.

"Fine, sit there and rot! I couldn't care less about your problem!"

He left. The door slammed shut so harshly that it echoed in the nearly empty cell... And Rukia did not flinch. Instead, she was filled with this trepidation that was not out of fear of her impending end, but rather the possibility of something different. This irrational feeling that made her heart race...

She tried to find the word for it.

What do they call it?

***

"You seem calm, Captain Kuchiki. Unperturbed as ever, even though yer' sister is going to die. Yer' truly an ideal Soul Reaper." 

"Are you joking? You and that Captain of the Ninth are the Soul Reapers who are afraid of dying."

 Byakuya stopped in his tracks and tried not to regret giving his fellow Captains his attention as he turned to face them. Each of them has a different common edge in the way they speak since they came from different parts of Rukongai. One has this rather languid snide, and the other has a crash yet guttural flair.

"Can I help you two?"

Captain Gin Ichimari of the Third Division sat on the railings while Captain Kepanchi Zaraki leaned against the wall.

"Well, we thought that yer' upset about yer' sister going to be executed," Gin said. Not an inch of consolation in his tone.

"This has nothing to do with you."

"Why should he be sad? The blood of a criminal only dishonors a distinguished family." Kenpachi utters brusquely.

Despite not showing it, Byakuya is astonished that a man as wild as Kenpachi can be thoughtful.

"How charming for a commoner to understand the way of the nobility."

"Nah. I've always been observant. Perhaps I can assist you," Kenpachi smiled savagely. If you want to, I can behead the criminal before the execution."

"Hmm. I'm not sure you and your skills can manage it." Byakuya's eyes crossed with the burly captain.

Kenpachi's stare became more menacing.

"Why don't you test me then?"

"Do you want to be tested?"

There was a short cast of a Bakudō spell that swept Kenpachi away from Byakuya's sight. He turned to the roof across his position and saw Gin had hold of a thrashing Kenpachi who was throwing endless profanity at the silverette.

"So sorry about this, Captain Kuchiki. It wasn't ma' intention to provoke ya'." Gin ignores his captive's foul mouth. "Give ma regards to ya' sister!"

With that, they were out of Byakuya's vicinity. He then walks away as if the previous encounter never happened. 

"What does it take for something physical to affect metaphysical? And what does it take for something metaphysical to affect something physical? Understand that. For it is the key manifestation of the soul. Remember that, Ichigo. Realize it. Then you shall prevail at anything."

One minute and thirty seconds had passed...

"Awaken, Benihime!" 

And there it is, ladies and gentlemen! Kisuke Urahara finally said the thing! He finally unleashed his magic sword! Woooooo!

Ichigo inwardly beams with success since she can make the man give up the pretense of using his dainty old shikomizue. He ruffled a little bit when she gave no sign of surprise or shock, seeing a transforming sword. Why would she? She had seen magics more spectacular than that. And no, she does not care whenever they say that it was not magic regarding their Zanpakutou. No mundane mind with enough imagination would not call it magic. Personally, there was an agreement on that notion that it was not magic. Soul Alchemy might be more precise, but she was not a connoisseur of the topic, so whatever. Anyway... Zanpakutou and their Shikai. That was something she had not seen in far too many years...

"It would be nicer if you paid attention, Kurosaki-san."

Ichigo dodged a red slash coming towards her by tilting her body slightly to the left.

"Oh, you and what money?"

... Things had been pretty nostalgic.

"I do find it unfair that I revealed what's in my sleeve and yet you did not."

Psssh, shut the fuck up. You haven't revealed shit! ... Which is what Ichigo would exclaim if she had less impulse control. There are two battles here after all—physical and wits. As childish as it sounds, she wants to win both of them.

"Nooo." She said in a mock petulant tone. "Besides, I'm doing fine."

"Yeah. I notice." Kisuke exhaled, feeling out of breath, and turned to the rock formation that had been cleaved in half, which was not of his doing. "You're one hell of a scary kid."

She bowed dramatically, straight out of the theater.

Kisuke huffs derisively.

"Hah, I know it has been years since the last time I fought, but I didn't expect to be so out of practice."

"Is that so? Well, no one asked you to skip the gym!"

Truly.

Kisuke did not expect her to be so daring. The way she shot back at his word game and attacks shows evidence of experience. She knows exactly how to control her body. Her footwork does not feel like a swordman's footwork, which is combined with dashes while jutting the tip of her sword at him. Almost fencing and yet not. The juts were so strong that they cracked the surface of his conjured shield, then finished with a sword-slam to utterly destroy it. A move that is so uncivilized that he pulls from rowdy kids in an alley, as one of them wields a baseball bat. He almost asked what her problem was, only to bite his tongue, knowing what kind of person he was.

He was trying to land a hit, but she was playing tap dance with him. She also has this technique where she fills her sword with energy and then unleashes it area-wide, which he doubts is the same technique as her father's. 

It is just that... She's quiet.

Not that the messes she causes are quiet, even he inflicts messes in the fight. Rather, she does not call out the name of her Zanpakutou or her techniques.

When their swords clash, Kisuke senses no hesitation in her blade. To think that she is confident enough not to call out anything to win a fight. It is a theory that a Soul Reaper that able to unleash their Shikai without a command, signing an incredibly deep bond with the sword spirit. 

He sometimes can do it. While he fancies the possibility that Ichigo can do it too, what made him spur a doubt was that every time Benihime crossed steel with that ebony blade, it sends a big, blaring question mark.

It does not feel like... It doesn't feel like I'm encountering a Zanpakutou.

But that does not make any sense, right?

"Kurosaki-san. Don't you know your Zanpakutou's name?"

This time, she freezes. She throws a wide-eyed look at him. Kisuke could not call it a gotcha moment since she was not caught off guard. If she did, it was not the one he was looking for.

"That came out of nowhere." Ichigo finally said. "Whyever compels you to say that?"

Kisuke does not know how to deal with this kind of miscommunication. He talks about 'Soul Reaper', but his adversary always strays from the idea of it.

"Kurosaki-san, you kept throwing strange questions, and I hope you're not doing it so that you can sidetrack me. Surely you realize you needed to know your Zanpakutou name to save Kuchiki-san."

"I do? Oh, I got that covered then since I know my sword's name."

Kisuke noted that she said 'sword's name', not 'Zanpakutou's name'. Peculiar.

"Unfortunately, he doesn't want to know you. I can only offer countless apologies to your dear Benihime. You see, he's quite shy."

That threw him off. "He?! That's-" Unheard of! "This... This is the first time I heard a male Zanpakutou spirit belonged to a female Soul Reaper..."

"Congrats, you found one." Ichigo drawled. She supposed the universe said Congrats, it's a boy, when Fray was 'born'. Why Kisuke made a big deal out of this, she does not get it. It is not exactly monumental. As far as she can tell, it was not raining gold when Fray took the form of a human male. "What does that have to do with anything? Personal taste aside, that doesn't hinder how effective the Soul Reaper's capability."

Kisuke frowned. Looking affronted. "It doesn't have to do with personal taste." 

Yes. It has something to do with personal issues. Ichigo does not say it out loud since that would be telling. "Well, you just want to see if my sword can transform or not, right? If a show of transforming weapons is what you want, then you shall have it."

She then leans down, bringing her ebony arsenal closer, while her other hand covers her mouth, so nobody can read her lips. Especially to Kisuke Urahara. Because lip-reading is obviously part of his long list of skills.

"... Kurosaki-san, what are you doing?" 

Screwing with you. Ichigo is nonchalant about looking like a weirdo since she is committed to the bit. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm whispering!" 

"Why are you whispering?"

"Has anyone been telling you that you're very chatty today? For once, try to zip it when someone is trying to coax their sword to come out."

Fray's laughing uncontrollably somewhere in the subconscious. As he should. It is not every day he and Ichigo can make full-blown messes with people's minds. The month after coming back to their original time had been chummy despite Rukia's entering their life.  

"I don't think Benihime likes me," Fray stated. His voice echoes from the subconscious.

"But Fray, my guy, we're not trying to make anybody like us," Ichigo smirked inwardly.

"True."

Then the form of the ebony blade's Ichigo wield shifted from a simple katana to a heavy-looking long sword. Its length almost rivals her height. It is full steel from its handle to the very tip of the blade, which is shaped like a scimitar, though crescent less in shape. The dark color is constant as the light hits the steel, and a glint of shining blue flashes.

"Now that wasn't so hard. Was it?" She said. Still 'talking' to the sword, now adding a touch of pride in her tone.

"Boooo." Fray rolled his eyes. 

"Come on, let's get that stupid hat!" Ichigo brandishes her ebony weapon, "Urahara-san!"

Kisuke was alerted by so many things. The mischief that was plastered on her face or the sword, seemingly promising death to him.

"Mind your head!"

He brings up Benihime to summon a shield, and he thinks he shouted "Nake!". But everything seems to fail when that torrent of pure energy hits him. There was an explosion that shook the whole training ground. His bones ache as he hits the ground.

It is disorientating. Kisuke does not remember when he lost consciousness.

***

He is awake, which he guesses many hours later, with no shield for his eyes against the light of his underground facility. That was enough evidence of the absence of his hat.

"Tenchō. You're awake." Tessai greeted. His tall figure gave shade.

Hold on... He is still in the training ground. Why is he still in the training ground? He thought Tessai would have carried him to his room for respite.

"How long was I out?"

"It's only been a minute."

"A-A minute?! But I-... I thought it's been a couple of hours."

Kisuke got up and looked around. He swore there was an explosion and expected extreme damage in the training ground; crumbling or nearly destroyed, only to find it was still standing. The pain he felt was so real, but he felt fine now. He ran his fingers through his hair, which felt naked without a hat.

"What happened?"

"To be honest. I don't know either..."

"Hey, you two."

Chad and Orihime flinched horribly as they turned to find Ichigo casually twirling a white-green striped hat on her forefinger, leaning on the doorway. Kon, the ever-present Familiar, is perched on her shoulder. She looked down to find a black cat staring at her, golden eyes slightly widened.

"Huh, or should I say three?"

"I-Ichigo, what are you doing here?" Orihime stammered.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?" Ichigo says pointedly. "And why are you two drenched in sweat?"

"Aren't you supposed to be at Urahara?" The black cat's tone sounded almost scolding.

"He went down, so I decided to take a walk."

Ichigo noticed the slight freeze from the cat, which it masterfully schooled. Guess it does not expect Kisuke to be easily taken down. Well, if she had to be honest, she just caught him off guard; that is all. When he finally realized what took him out, he would not be easily defeated... If he realized it.

"I was wondering why there was stray supernatural energy around and went to check it out."

"You can sense them?" The cat hissed. "They've yet been able to call upon their power, and you can sense them?"

"Every living being has a signature. They're rather visible after the incident. So, I ask you two again. Chad, Orihime, what are you doing?"

The two teenagers exchanged a look.

"We've been trying to summon our power..." Chad started.

"So we can join you in saving Kuchiki-san!" Orihime followed, turning sheepish right after, "Although. That was supposed to be a surprise."

Ichigo raised one of her eyebrows. "Why does it have to be a surprise?"

"Oh, y-you don't like it?"

"Like it or hate it, I just don't understand the notion that it has to be a surprise. Urahara-san put you up to it, didn't he?" The hesitation to answer is enough confirmation. "Why train in this dour place anyway? Wouldn't it be better if you two train at the underground facility he has?" 

"We don't know he has an underground facility," Chad said.

What? Is this favoritism at hand?

"I don't think he wanted us to bother your training. After we asked Urahara-san for help, he sent Yoruichi-san to train us." Orihime was twiddling her fingers.

... Yoruichi? As in Yoruichi Shihōin?

Ichigo's eyes went down to the black cat once again. Oh, Yoruichi finally gets the hang of that animal transformation, after all. Eh, what was she thinking? It had been several hundred years, of course, she had.

"My training's done. You two can use the facility."

"Done?" The cat narrowed its golden eyes.

"Yes. Done. I trust you can show these two the location." Ichigo crouched to the feline's level. "Would you, Yoruichi-san?"

Yoruichi's eyes narrow even harder.

Chapter Text

Chad tries to shake the feelings of how awkward it is trying to re-summon his power with his best friend being there, despite her paying no mind to him and Orihime. Ichigo busied herself with an old book while sitting cross-legged on a rather tall...hill? He supposed it was a hill. It is just that he never expected that a hill could exist under a trap door of a candy shop. He watched her flip a page; she widened her eyes, followed by a snigger; there must be some funny passage in that book. Then there is this pang of jealousy of knowing that her training is done, while his effort to call back his power has been fruitless. He questions himself about how he is supposed to help Ichigo in her journey when he is powerless.

... Well, she does not exactly ask for my help, isn't she?

He does not understand why he cannot just tell her that he wanted to come with her to the Soul Society. They were friends; how hard could it be? Instead, Chad chose to shut his mouth and reveal himself until the day they were going to leave. He knew from the look of Ichigo's eyes, she did not appreciate his or Orihime's decision to come, not with the way they were going to deliver the news initially. One thing that was so certain about Ichigo is that she dislikes sudden intrusiveness in her life. He noticed the twitch in the eyes when Orihime said that they were coming with her was going to be a surprise. 

Oh... Stupid of him. This is Ichigo, after all. She is someone who has two little sisters to take care of, and he and Orihime's sudden involvement will be seen as an added responsibility, not help. Since he did not want to be seen as a burden, he did not say anything. He should have known that his decision would not help his case, as he had spent more than half an hour shouting endlessly, hoping that his power would come out.

"Not even close. You're never going to get to Soul Society if you keep continuing this way." Yoruichi neutrally stated. "If you can't activate your powers at will, you won't last even a minute there. Remember the first time you used them and retrace it. They're your powers. Summon them!"

"That sounds reasonable, but-" Orihime heaved, she took a deep breath. "The first time I was just desperate-"

"Desperate to do what?" 

Two voices said it at the same time. One came from Yoruichi's firmness, while the other came from Ichigo's casualness. The cat's eyes drifted to the approaching redhead, who folded a page inside the old book she was reading, marking the page that she would continue to read later.

"You- Is that Kisuke's old Kidō academy's book? Where did you get it?" The cat is slightly interrogating.

"From his bookshelves. Where else?" Ichigo replied, keeping it casual. "Back to the problem. Desperate to do what? Let me tell you to do this. Why do people do anything anyway? They say people discover their true power when they want to protect something. Well, I disagree."

Chad blinked under his long bangs. He does not expect someone as driven as Ichigo to disagree about having the power to protect someone. 

"People discover their true power because they want to live. People who live to have status and protect said status. People who live to love and protect said love. It doesn't matter how your power manifested; all you need is a reason. For example, I wanted to boil some water; therefore, I need fire, and I'm someone who can manifest that fire." Ichigo snapped her finger, and a burst of fire manifested on her hand. "Of course, this is not exactly a good example since none of your powers are elemental. It enters the esoterism and it manifests not through an immense discipline or a bloodline you are aware of. That's why it's difficult to remember even the simple shape of it. With that, I'm sorry for not regaling you two to call upon your power to protect someone. Because of the truth that it's so much more than that, and most of it all, it is not a game."

Somewhere inside, Chad cowered out of shame. He wondered if this is what it feels like to be scolded by parents. Scolded by people who actually care about you. He wondered if Orihime feels the same, judging by the redness in her cheeks and how she looks downtrodden, he is certain she does.

"So, how are we supposed to summon our power if it's not from the desire to protect?"

Ichigo lifted his right arm, the arm that shifted form at that time he received his power. She grabbed hold of his face, forcing him to look forward.

"Feel it, Chad. Why do you breathe? What makes you get up in the morning and willing to live through it? That simple desire to reach out for everything you haven't experienced. Haven't you realized that you've been taking it for granted all along? Close your eyes and start trusting yourself."

At first, he closes his eyes like following an instruction. Then he starts considering her best friend's lectures. All of it felt a little heavy for him to comprehend before he made his brain run. Why did he breathe? What makes him get up in the morning and willing to live through it? To be honest... He had no clue. Isn't that something all people naturally do? He wakes up, goes to school, and tries his best to be a good student. That is what all normal high-schoolers do. Then one day, a monster attacks him, he gets this power, and he is still a normal high-schooler, he supposed.

No. That is not right. A part of him was trying to convince himself that he is, but that is not true. What does it mean for him to have this power as a high schooler? So he can fight with his best friend even better? To punch someone even harder? Fighting those supernatural monsters? Is that it? Truth to be told, he does not want to fight forever. 

Be gentle. Abuelo said. Because of how easily he injures others by exploiting his size and strength. When Abuelo stepped in to take the punishment, the fathers of the children he fought that was meant for him, that was when he finally decided to be a decent person. But long after Abuelo's death. He has never felt that he was truly good. Some people consider him good.

He made a vow to protect others even if his own life was in danger... Because he wanted people to believe that he is good. He wanted to believe that he was good.

Oh. So that's why.

He opened his eyes and found his right arm covered in an armor shoulder extension that made him able to fight the invisible monster.

"Sado-kun, you did it!" Orihime cheered.

"I did it..."

"Good start."

Ichigo prepares herself to go to Shibuya. Today is Tatsuki's final round of the karate championship. She did not tell her childhood friend or anyone that she would come. Putting the prepared gift into her bag, she set off to the train station.

She does not particularly like mingling in national competitions because...Well, this is Japan. It is a pothole of people with ancient lineage within their families who traditionally follow the arts of Jujutsu, Hōjutsu, Ommyō Dō, and Shikigami. 

Unlike in the West, these people had no problem following the development of technologies through the ages, making them hard to discern in public. What makes it even harder is that wearing traditional clothes in Japan in daily life is considered the norm. Ichigo bets that the guy wearing striped hakama is a master swordsman or a Hōjutsu practitioner. Or maybe he is just a regular guy commuting from one place to another.

You never know until they look you in the eyes and their paranoia starts to go haywire, but usually, they simply acknowledge each other and move on. Unless their families are rivals.

When Ichigo looks at the list of competitors, she finds at least ten prominent families that are traditionalists. Not to mention, those families are quite possibly related to each other because of the political marriage.

She does not know why, but she was glad she found no Myourenji in it.

Speaking of Myourenji, Ichigo wondered if Scandinavia Peperoncino still killed the children who were kidnapped by the tengus, whom they would abandon when they could not keep up with the training. Aside from that, she wondered...

How is he today?

47th JKA All Japan Karate Championship

Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium

Sendagaya, Shibuya City, Tokyo

People are cheering their champions, Orihime and Chad sit side by side among their schoolmates, Karakura High School had come to support Tatsuki, they brought banners and stuff. Keigo especially put on a headband with 'FIGHTING' written on it, leading the chants of 'Arisawa, Go Arisawa!'

"Tatsuki-chan, do your best!" Orihime shouted as loudly as she could. Chad is beside her, silent as ever, enjoying the atmosphere around him.

"It's almost felt like a soccer game match, our schoolmates sure are something else."

Orihime and Chad are surprised by the new voice; it is Uryuu!

"Ishida-kun, you came!" Orihime happily greets the bespectacled teen. Chad simply nodded at the arrival.

Uryuu looks around the rows filled with the Karakura High School residents, "Kurosaki is not here?"

"Ah, well, we tried to contact Ichigo, but we can't seem to get a hold of her."

"Military school is strict," Chad supplies. Truthfully, he was joking.

"Oh yeah, you're right!"

Uryuu twitched his eyebrows, hearing Orihime take Chad's answer seriously.

Tatsuki is in the locker room, having a brief break and drinking some water. After this, she is going to fight Risa Wakabayashi, and that girl is very much what you call a prodigy. Of all participants, Wakabayashi's skill was clearly among the top, as she easily reached the top, but Tatsuki had a bit of a struggle even by fighting the last one. Yoruichi pressed her to be careful not to manifest her power, considering it as control training. Which is fair, honestly. What national news it would make if Tatsuki catches on fire in the middle of a match.

"Risa Wakabayashi, huh? In my advice, Tatsuki, you should go all out on her," said the newcomer.

"Ichigo?!"

Only staff and participants are allowed to go in, so Tatsuki assumes her childhood friend was breaking in to be able to get to her. Which makes her wonder when Ichigo becomes such a burglar. Ichigo's wardrobe also looks like someone who will raise suspicion by just walking beside her, with a green hooded jacket, shirt, cap, and mask in black.

"Are you planning on stealing a store after this or what?" Tatsuki gave Ichigo a piercing gaze.

"Don't be silly, I'm not that bored," Ichigo chuckled playfully and took out a wrapped gift with a red ribbon on it, "Here, for you." 

Tatsuki opens it to founds a red bracelet with silver beads; a single cylindrical bead paired with round beads at the end of each side. It is not gaudy jewelry for a tomboy like her.

"Now I know you're not allowed to wear jewelry during a match, but think of it as a good luck charm. Sorry for coming only during the final, I was busy the days before." 

"It's okay..." Tatsuki inspects the bracelet, "So, go all out against Wakabayashi?"

"Trust me. I wish you luck, Tatsuki," Ichigo pats Tatsuki on the shoulder. Because that Wakabayashi chic is an Onmyoudou user.

Ichigo left soon after. Tatsuki holds the bracelet, the two competitors' name is announced, and it is her time for her final match. She took a deep breath, filling herself with conviction; this match is the peak of her training, no superpower, she will go out there with pure skill and her heart.

The reason why Ichigo gave her childhood friend a good luck charm was that... It does not seem she ever shows great support for Tasuki's passion. Even today, she only came to the final and left, so she can stock her crafting materials over at Taito City. She crafted that bracelet for Tatsuki to show her hope for her.

She should have done it a long time ago, but then again, better late than never.

Maybe she should stick around for a little while, it is the last match after all.

From afar, Ichigo was watching from the highest point on the row of seats. She saw Tatsuki and Wakabayashi exchange numerous jabs, and neither of the two wanted to back down. Tatsuki then sends a kick, Wakabayashi skilfully dodges, and the crowds are so mesmerized by the display of the two that they are.

Ichigo grimaced. This is not a normal karate match anymore.

It is a fight between seasoned fighters.

The thing is, when someone came from a family that practiced Onmyoudou. They walk differently, which is why Ichigo can guess when she passed Wakabayashi in the hallway. She thought she felt Wakabayashi send her a brief gaze of suspicion. Guess the competitor knows that Ichigo was not supposed to be there.

Two possible things can come out of being an Onmyoudou, either you are the greatest caster or the best fighter.

Much like the Association, the Onmyoudou have their community but refused to work with the Western side since they do not want their thousand-year worth of cultivation to get corrupted by foreigners. Although if their service is needed, they can get hired.

Money.

One factor that kept the world running. No matter how absurd the people are.

"Do you think Tatsuki-chan will win?" Orihime wondered.

"I don't know, her opponent is very strong," Uryuu even sweated seeing the fight.

Chad slurped his soda in anticipation.

"How fascinating to see you around here, Former Chaldea Master, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo almost choked on the snacks she purchased in the cafeteria. It is not that enjoyable and is somewhat corn-flavored. She looked up to see a tall man with impeccable fashion: a sleek flower-patterned suit, skin-tight undergarments, and a black tie. The hair was dyed pink, and the shaved part was dyed lilac. The man confidently uses blue lipstick on his lips.

She only knows one person in her life who has quite a fashion sense.

"I totally jinxed myself today. You know, I was just thinking about what you were doing when I took the train to get here, Pepe-san."

"Oh my, you do miss me, Ichigo-chan. I'm flattered," Pepe teased.

"... How's the other?"

"Well... Kirschtaria and Ophelia are in Britain; the last thing I heard, Kadoc went to Russia, the slave of love he is; Hinako's at the Throne of Hero, Daybit is in the future, and... I killed Beryl."

Ichigo almost choked on her snacks, again, "You killed Beryl?!"

"Kirschtaria hired me."

It is not a secret that despite being a fellow Crypters, Beryl is not very well-liked in the group. Not even his Servant, Morgan le Fay, liked him. 

"How is it? Killing him?"

Pepe reaches out his hand to grab some of Ichigo's snack, "When I arrived before him, he is definitely someone who just waits to be killed out of fun. He said it's fine because life isn't that interesting without Chaldea without Mash." He rolled his eyes as he chewed the snacks. He then reveled in disgust, "Girl, you ate this shit?"

Ichigo laughed wholeheartedly, "I eat it to kill time, not for its taste. By the way, what are you doing here?"

"Some bodyguard job. That Wakabayashi girl  is going to get engaged to a prominent family, and I was hired to get rid of the potential assassination attempts."

"Easy stuff, then?"

"Oh yeah. What about you?"

"Tatsuki Arisawa is my childhood friend. I'm here for moral support."

Pepe hummed in confirmation.

Tatsuki moves one second faster and lands the winning blow!

The Karakura High School cheers blare loudly in the gymnasium.

Ichigo stood up, preparing to leave. She held out her hand for a handshake, "Well, it's been nice meeting you again, Pepe-san."

Pepe accepted the hand and gave a firm shake, "You too, Ichigo-chan."

Winner of the 47th JKA All Japan Karate Championship, Tatsuki Arisawa!

In the photograph in the newspaper, Tatsuki wore the bracelet given by Ichigo.

There is a fireworks festival that happens annually every year in the neighboring city. Isshin is always so energetic about it, even claims that he slept on a sidewalk last night to have the best spot to watch it. Ichigo's father and Keigo get along so well in matters of festivities, even saying Isshin is not bad at all for an adult.

"Hey Ichigo, thanks for the lucky charm, without it, I might not be able to win," Tatsuki playfully nudges her childhood friend. Even now, she is still wearing the bracelet.

"What? Ichigo, you were there? I didn't see you," Orihime said.

"I left after they announced Tasuki's win. I have some errands to do." More like stocking ammunition for the incoming D-day. Ichigo was promptly crashed by her little sisters, who looked strangely cheery and red-faced. Yuzu nudged her face with her chocolate-dipped banana, forcing her to eat it. Wait, are they- are they drunk? She smelled a lingering sake around them, "Dad, are they drunk?!"

"Old Man Ken was selling juices at the food stall. He mistook the water for sake, and he thought the juices were too strong, so he replaced it with water." Isshin is swaying too.

They are all drunk! Ichigo facepalmed, thank goodness it was not that bad, her family still has enough function over that body to run into the spot where Isshin booked to see the fireworks. That old man named Ken is shrewd enough that she should call the police on him...and her dad, too, maybe. Ichigo feels like a headache is coming, and Orihime tries to console her by patting her back.

Seven days after the festival, Urahara sends her a message about the gate to Soul Society by sending an exploding balloon into her room. The balloon crashed onto her cupboard, revealing a message as if it were written in blood, because the light is not on, shading the words even darker.

That absolute fucker! He was filled with strawberry jam!

Asking her to leave tonight, and yet he made a message out of something that will turn rancid if she leaves it. Ichigo took a deep breath. This is fine.

I'm so going to deck him again!

Before she can make her way to the shop, her instinct to avoid her father's daily attacks is ringing. Ichigo takes two steps to the side and lets Isshin fall face-first on the pavement. Her old man knows that she was leaving before dawn today. How suspicious... 

"Cut it out, old man, what are you doing?"

Isshin handed out an omamori (a good luck charm), what a dusty little thing.

"Your mom gave it to me. When you come back, make sure you give it back."

Ichigo bit the inside of her mouth and tasted her blood. He knows. Her father knows everything. Urahara must have been informing him, or Isshin can always see her as a Soul Reaper. It sprouts even more questions inside her head, though one thing is clear: her father had been hiding something from her after all this time. Should she call him out?

"Alright, I'm borrowing this then," Ichigo gave her father a (fake) reassuring smile. There is a sense of bitterness inside her.

Everyone sees Ichigo deck Urahara in the face with the end of her sword sheath... again. She did not say anything as she walked over to her friends, who chose not to address the matter, and the black cat, Yoruichi, was laughing at the shopkeeper's misery.

"Do you have to?" Urahara said in a pained tone.

"Yes."

At first, Kon wanted to go, but Urahara advised him not to, because he is technically a fugitive himself at Soul Society; if they know he is an escaped Mod Soul, chances are he will be caught and experimented on. So, he has to pretend to be Ichigo until the body owner comes back from the Soul Society. He had been given a lot of tasks just by pretending to be his master, one of the most important was replying to Merlin's texts; otherwise, Ichigo's phone would get spammed.

As Ichigo bid her farewell, she pats the Carbuncle’s head (her head). "You can leave my body when it's time for bed, and don't forget my old man's daily antics."

"Okay... Ichigo, you promise to come back."

"Of course," She pumped her chest with her right hand. The hand that is etched with a magic seal that she and Merlin created in Avalon, if activated in Rukia's vicinity, Yuki will come back to her wielder.

They heard Urahara clap his hands to get their attention. "Alright, let me explain how this door works. The only one who can move freely is Kurosaki-san because she's a soul, so the door will act as a converter for you humans, but the problem is time. Because the normal time allowed to go through it is only four minutes."

"And what happens if we get trapped?" Ichigo questioned.

"You will be locked inside a 'Dangai', a bridging world between Soul Society and the Human world. The thing is, to prevent enemies such as Hollows, it's filled with a current called 'Kouryuu', it stops souls from moving, just one foot caught by it, the chance of leaving Dangai in time is almost impossible."

"Then we just need to make it in time, we decided to be here, so we've got nothing to lose." Tatsuki fisted her palm.

Ichigo wonders where Tatsuki got her combat gloves, it has vambraces, and the material seems very durable. Is it the black market? Oh, she is also wearing the bracelet again.

"We plan to win, Yoruichi-san," Ichigo said resolutely.

"Well said." 

Urahara and Tessai activate the gate, and the Karakura gang wastes no time dashing in.

Urahara touches the portal, and the energy running on it electrocutes him in refusal. He balled his burned hand, "It's all up to you, Kurosaki-san.”

Ichigo is low-key panicking, not because she thinks the Dangai is scary, but because she is questioning too many unanswered questions about 'Oh my God, is this the Void Space? How are we not dead yet? How are we running around here without Nemo's Nautilus? Here, she thought she had seen everything concerning the dimension. The good thing about this 'not Void Space' was that they were still able to breathe, which is a good thing, the air does smell like ozone, though, meaning there is a concentration of ether here.

The wall around began collapsing, ah, so this is the Kouryuu, Dangai's equivalent of white blood cells. Uryuu's flapping part of his clothes caught by it, Chad helped him out and slung the Quincy over his shoulder. Then the gang heard a train getting closer... that is weird, why would there be a train in a place like this?

"GUYS, THERE'S A TRAIN COMING RIGHT UP!" Uryuu warned.

"That's not a train, it's the Kototsu! Comes to clean this place every once a week, it's just our bad luck that it has to be today!" Yoruichi keeps urging the band of teens to keep running.

Once a week? Ichigo remembered Urahara's message that came in seven days after the festival, August 1st to 8th... That son of a- 

"We won't make it! Orihime makes a shield!"

"Ichigo don't-"

"None of our souls will be licked by it! Everyone, when I'm blasting that thing, jump on the shield, we'll get pushed out by it!"

Ichigo is gathering the ethers, concentrating them into a plasma, and Orihime creates her triangular shield.

Yoruichi widened his cat eyes. Kidou? No! She’s not using Reiryoku?! 

"JUMP!" 

Ichigo throws the plasma at the Kototsu, creating a blast that pushes them out of the Dangai.

They landed in an Edo-style neighborhood, Chad and Tatsuki manage to stick the superhero landing, while Ichigo and Uryuu are less sophisticated. 

"Wow, Ichigo, the way land shows tremendous artistic flair." Orihime, the sweet summer child, can think otherwise.

Uryuu huffed. "I knew it would get through that gate, but I had no idea that it would take a toll on my equipment." He pulled a new piece of clothing from his lapels. "I wasn't expecting to use my spare cape so soon."

"Wow, did you hide other parts of your clothes inside there, too?" Tatsuki drawled.

"Hmmph, at least unlike you, I have a sense of style."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

These children are way too relaxed. Yoruichi sweated.

Are there no people in the neighborhood? The emptiness felt like the house was just a diorama. Across, there was a similar building, only they are built on top of a shining, rich blue pavement, segregation in the land of the dead. Ichigo had read Dante's Inferno, and this was not it. This was no layers of Hell, but social segregation of the poor and the rich. 

"Is this Soul Society?" Ichigo can see the political system already.

"Yes, the place we landed on is called Rukongai, it's the poorest, freest, and most populated area. Over there is called Seireitei, it's where Soul Reapers live." Yoruichi explained.

"That's great! That means Kuchiki-san is right over there!"

Ichigo held up her hand. "Wait, Rukia explained that the Soul Reapers are the fighters in Soul Society, which means the Seireitei over there is an army base. See what's lacking just by looking on the outside?"

"There are no guards," Chad concluded.

"Exactly, that alone is unusual."

Or... Ichigo picks up a stone, walks to get closer to the blue pavement, and throws it. Nothing happened, well, that is just a regular rock, she took one step on the pavement, and walls rained down from the sky. As expected, it has an otherworldly security system. Ichigo, not fazed by the dust created by the falling heavy objects, just assesses the sight in front of her. Automatic walls, hmm, not bad.

Yoruichi inwardly gawked; he appreciates critical thinking. Kisuke was right, that girl has balls made of steel.

Ichigo notices there is a shadow that has grown to loom over her. Looking up, it is a person the size of a Spriggan. His uniform half-covering his torso, wearing a red Fez like that monkey from Aladdin, and funnily, his mannerism is that of a gorilla. She snorted at the images in her head. Bless Yuzu and her obsession with Disney. 

"It's been so long since someone wants to break through without a pass," He said as to brought out his gigantic ax.

Huh, the more thing that reminded Ichigo of a Spriggan.

"Ah yes... Hello, what's your name?" This giant can speak coherently, unlike Spriggan, which piques Ichigo's curiosity even more.

"What the...Ichigo, you idiot! " Yoruichi shouted at the redhead who was approaching the giant man, "Don't ask him that!"

"My name is Jidanbou Ikkanzaka!" Jidanbou bellowed.

"See, it's no problem," Ichigo gave a thumbs up, "Hi, I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, nice to meet you!"

"So... This Jidanbou guy, who is he?" Uryuu decided to avert his attention from Ichigo's shenanigans.

Yoruichi scratched his ear in... Stress? If the cat is human, he is probably pinching the bridge of his nose. "He's one of the elite guards of Soul Society; there are four gates, and Jidanbou guards the western gate, Hakoutoumon. He's been guarding for three hundred years.”

"How strong is he?"

"A swing from his ax and you'll disappear from this world. He's the legendary Hercules." Too bad Ichigo is not near enough to hear that. "Ichigo, retreat! We'll come up with a plan -Hey, where are you three going?!"

Chad, Tatsuki, and Orihime ran toward Ichigo, intending to help, only to be stopped by Jidanbou's descending ax. The ground surged, creating a wall between them and Ichigo.

"How uncivilized. In this city, there are three rules: first, wash your hands when you come back home; second, no eating food that has fallen on the ground; and three, duels are nothing but one-on-one."

Ichigo takes a double-take at that, two domestic rules, and lastly, a fighting rule. Who the Hell had been telling this guy about such a thing?

"And Miss Ichigo Kurosaki came to me first, before I'm finished with her, you should keep quiet."

Aww, he called her 'Miss' how cute, "It's alright guys I can handle him," Ichigo informed her friends, it is not like they knew about her ever-fighting enemies in Jidanbou's sizes before, there is one spell where she launched herself and planted it on the Spriggan's head. It can crumble their stature easily, though it is overkill for Jidanbou since she does not want to kill him.

"What are you saying-" Tatsuki did not have the chance to finish, because Uryuu came sauntering in.

"Yeah, exactly what Arisawa said! You've seen how strong Jidanbou is, I don't care what you have learned in the past ten days with that shopkeeper, but this is the type you can handle by yourself!"

"Oh, you're here to Ishida?" Ichigo piped up.

"I've been here the whole time!" Uryuu ticked by it.

"Sure, I recovered my power in two days, but all I did was just fight him," Ichigo inwardly scoffed, fighting with Urahara does not feel like learning how Soul Reapers fight, it is more like how to fight Urahara himself. That man is vindictive, but Ichigo was taught better by Scáthach to expect the unexpected.

"Then he taught you battle skills?"

"Nada, he taught me nothing," Ichigo unsheathes her sword. "Well, here I am, Jidanbou."

"So, you are one of those uncivilized people, so disrespectful. I wasted my time waiting," Jidanbou swings his ax. "You should be grateful!"

The ax did not touch the ground, nor did it decimate Ichigo; it was stopped by the redhead's katana.

"Thank you for waiting. I appreciate it." 

Honestly, if I'm the intruder, shouldn't you just kill me right away?

It was very courteous of him to wait.

Chapter Text

Ichigo easily won over the giant gatekeeper and destroyed two of his axes in the process. There were several facts she listed from Jidanbou; poor math skill; though the need for him to count his attacks was a bit unnecessary, he is a giant; his movement was slow in her eyes, and last but not least; he is way too underestimating his enemies. When Ichigo blasted him away, Jidanbou fell on his butt with a comical stunned expression, like a monkey caught off guard. Then he quickly back on his feet and laughed.

"I just got distracted for a second and find myself knocked down!"

Ichigo rested her cheek on her hand, staring at Jidanbou in pity. Oh no, he's in denial...

When Jidanbou finally realized about his destroyed weapons, he wailed like a siren, while curled on the ground. 

"Now, now, don't cry I shouldn't have broken your axes, I'm sorry," Ichigo consoles him. If Jidanbou is a Spriggan, he would have cried out in vengeance.

"You-you're such a good person," Jidanbou sobbed. It is also Ichigo's first time seeing huge droplets of tears this close, "I have been guarding the gate for three hundred years... I have never lost a battle..."

That is debatable, was Ichigo his first opponent after that span of three hundred years? If not, what kind of enemies he has been fighting then?

"Well, since you have beaten me, I grant you permission to pass through the gate!" Jidanbou declared.

"Just like that? You sure you can allow passage?" Ichigo blinked twice in surprise. Because in her personal experience... That is not how it is supposed to work.

"Yes! Do take care Ichigo Kurosaki. I don't know what's the reason you need to go through, but fair warning the warriors inside are powerful."

Jidanbou opens the gate with immense strength. Everyone was giddy in anticipation except Ichigo. She had a bad feeling about this.

As the gate was lifted, Ichigo saw a man with silver hair and with fox striking face, wearing a standard Soul Reaper uniform and a white haori over it. A Captain.

Two things are flashing in her mind; the selection at Camelot's gate and... I shouldn't have let him open the gate!

Jidanbou's left arm suddenly was flying away from where it should be. A rain of blood was caused by his wound.

Shit!

Ichigo jumped in front of Jidanbou and pushed him away, effectively making the giant slip his hold of the gate. She mentally says sorry for him because it must be painful for him. She spares a glance at the silver-haired man, who was in preparation to attack again. Ichigo sent him a silent Gandr before the gate closed completely.

Gin was confused why his body suddenly spasmed. He tried to lift his arm and found a brief difficulty until he can move his fingers normally. The thing is, he did sees the small light the Ryoka girl sent at him and thought he can deflect it with his sword. Only to be absorbed and sent the effect through his body.

A stun Kidō?

Was that Bakudō number one, Sai, or was it something else? 

"Where is his arm? Quick, we need to attach it again!" Ichigo gushing over Jidanbou's injury, "I shouldn't have let you open the gate; don't you know what the premise of your job is?!"

"But I..."

"Shush! No talking!"

Jidanbou should have fought Ichigo to death. Gatekeeper is a sacred position. No one who holds the position normally survives when losing to an outsider because that is what being invaded is all about. Kill the guards and charge through in!

Why did they land right at the front door? This is a mistake!

Ichigo heard a kid calling her from the empty village neighborhood, except it is not so empty anymore, there are people! Among them was a little boy who was waving his hand at them. He seemed to recognize her and Chad.

"Mister! Nee-san! it's me Yuuichi Shibata!"

"Bird boy?" Ichigo dubbed him.

"Yu-Yuuichi?" Chad said in surprise.

The previously hiding Rukongai citizens decided that Ichigo's group meant no harm to them. They are now helping to transfer Jidanbou's detached arm, which landed on some house's roof. Ichigo leaves it to Orihime's ability to attach the hand and heal most of the giant's injury. 

"Most Soul Reapers are jerks, but Jidanbou came from around here," One of the locals decided to chat with Ichigo, "Seeing you fighting Gin Ichimaru to stand up for Jidanbou, you must be a good person."

"Thanks, Jidanbou said that too."

These Souls...they are wary of their own supposed protectors?

Ichigo decided to wander her attention. She saw Chad picking up Yuuichi on his shoulders, then move on... People. Grass. Houses. Uryuu. People. Tatsuki. Black Cat- Ah! Just the 'animal' I need to talk to.

She walked toward the black cat and crouched to get down to its level.

"Yoruichi-san, that was a disaster, wasn't it?" The thing is, She did not say it in a questioning tone, it was more like a statement.

Actually, Yoruichi could not agree more. He was going to say something, but Ichigo beat him to it, though he did not quite hear it.

"What did you say?"

"It was my fault, I'm sorry," Ichigo repeated.

"What?"

"I blindly walked there, testing the security-"

"No! I mean-" Yoruichi wanted to say it was his fault. He did not expect that the Captain of The Third Division will be there to greet the, "It's not your fault..."

"You know that Jidanbou will do that, do you? Letting us pass through because he misinterprets his duty as a Gatekeeper? Guards aren't supposed to survive, they are meant to die," Ichigo pressed. Implying they have been using Jidanbou's emotional and intelligence instability to be let into Soul Society, "Fox-face was there as his executioner. So... Do you know?" 

"It was not the best of the ideas."

Ichigo gives the cat a blank look, then decides that the trees over there are interesting, leaving the cat alone in his thought.

Yoruichi is observing a bunch of teenagers in front of him. They are invited by the village elder and were served tea. Among all of them, Ichigo looked so detached; the way she chatted with her friends was a bit like a parent responding to their children's chatters. When Yoruichi was interrogated by Ichigo, he does not expect the girl to be very insightful. Finding out that Yoruichi did plan to manipulate Jidanbou, except he did not expect a Captain would intercept, and the giant was not supposed to get hurt.

"Guards aren't supposed to survive, they are meant to die."

Why did Ichigo say it as if she had seen some guards die doing their job? 

"Can we use the other gates?" 

Yoruichi took a second before realizing that he was being asked, "No, it took at least ten days to get around."

Ichigo hummed, "Can we pass through without touching the gate or the wall?"

"What? Jump over it?" Uryuu frowned.

"We can build a catapult?" Orihime added.

"A trebuchet," Chad concluded.

"That's insane and also makes sense at the same time," Tatsuki commented.

"We build a trebuchet, and use it to throw rocks over the Seireitei, as it alerts the securities and they open the gate to checks, we rush through it," Ichigo proposed her plan. It could not be worse than Arash launching her with a slab attached to an arrow back in Jerusalem, "Or use it to throw us in, there's no difference. I mean it's not that hard to build such a contraption."

"You are insane," The only Quincy in the group became the voice of reason.

"Ichigo does have a point."

"Do not encourage her, Arisawa!"

Lord, please help me. Yoruichi shakes his head in dismissal, leaving the teenagers to their chatters, and asks the village elder, "Do you know where Kuukaku Shiba is? Her place used to be around here but since she's a drifter, is there a chance you know where she moved?"

The village elder looked uncomfortable, "Well, you see-"

Someone was thrown into the house by a massive pig with a cute red bow on its back, breaking the already thin wall of the village elder's house. The sight easily gained everyone's attention. He was a muscular gangly man with chin-length black hair and a partially missing left eyebrow. He wears a vest, scarf, bandanna, and pair of goggles. He got up, posing as if the incident of him being thrown by his ride is never happening.

It was all peace until his eyes landed on Ichigo.

"What a shitty Soul Reaper doing here?!" The gangly man pointed at her with great dislike.

Ichigo turned back and found no Soul Reaper-- Oh wait, he meant her. Practically ignoring the gangly man, she felt her tummy grumbling in hunger and nudges Orihime for some snacks which she happily offered some homemade rice crackers which somehow are pastel colored.

Ichigo picked the pink one.

"Ganju, she's not a bad Soul Reaper!" The village elder warned.

"A Soul Reaper is a Soul Reaper, there is no good or bad one!" The now-named Ganju snapped, "You should've known better Elder."

Huh, this guy's nose looks like Dad's. Ichigo bites the pink rice cracker. Oh, cherry flavor.

"Hey, I'm talking to you Soul Reaper!"

Ichigo swallowed her food, "I was eating, sorry."

"Okay, I respect that."

"..."

"..."

The pig sneezed.

"Wait a minute, you punk! Why should I care about you eating?!" 

Honestly, Ichigo does not get where this is going at all. What is this Ganju guy want from her? Sure, he is against Soul Reaper but she is not an 'official' licensed military member of this world, she just dressed like one. God, the guy's nose is just like her father's, she almost wanted to punch him. Oh yeah, which brings the question of where did she get the uniform anyway. Popping out from her body and already dressed in black? Why can she choose to wear a coat or a dress? What is the explanation for this?

"Ganju where is your sister?" Yoruichi apparently knows who Ganju is. She sees the sky is getting dark, and the sooner they meet Kuukaku the better, "These people are with me; we need to get into Seireitei."

"Wha-! Yoruichi-san, you're here? Wait I mean..." Ganju looked around to find Ichigo. He found her scratching the tummy of his pig, "Even that Soul Reaper?!"

"Yes! Even that Soul Reaper. Now get a move on!"

The Karakura gang is escorted by Ganju's pig-riding gang through the night, with a single lantern and fireflies illuminating the road. It is a grass and paddy field right and left, completely separated from the Edo-styled building in Rukongai. There was only a single house there, it is normal from the outside except for a pair of gigantic statues of a hand holding a banner with 'Kuukaku Shiba' written on it and a super tall chimney (is it a chimney?) at the back.

The owner of the house sure has quite a taste.

They were greeted by a pair of twin-looking guards named Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko, they were a little apprehensive when seeing Ichigo as a Soul Reaper, but they instantly let it pass when realizing that Yoruichi is with them. The house was bigger on the inside, Ichigo observed as the guards led them to the underground, much like Urahara's training dome, a spatial magecraft was applied to this place.

They soon arrived in a tatami room where there is only a single person currently smoking a pipe. Kuukaku Shiba is a well-endowed woman, who wears bandages over her long messy black hair that parts down in half at the small of her back. She wears a white skirt and provocative red robe exposing her ample bosom. She is missing her right arm and has a tattoo on her left arm.

Kuukaku greeted the cat, "Yo, Yoruichi, long time no see." 

"Kuukaku, I came here to ask you for a favor."

"Thought so, is it complicated?"

"I think so."

"Okay, tell me," Kuukaku stored her smoking pipe, smirking widely, "I love complicated stuff."

And so Yoruichi tells her old friend about their plan to infiltrate the Seireitei.

Ichigo is mentally playing chess waiting for the talk between Yoruichi and Kuukaku to be done. Then she hears Urahara's name mentioned, Kuukaku said she cannot refuse if the man was involved. Looks like these three were childhood friends.

When Kuukaku set her eyes on Ichigo, effectively made the person being stared at immediately on guard.

"Carrot-top, what's your name?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo is the only one to be asked for her name though. She wonders why.

"Right, all of you come with me," Kuukaku brings them to a room where a lone black pillar standing in the middle, "I'm going to send you into Seireitei from the sky with this bad boy!"

"What exactly is this?" Uryuu asked.

"A cannon." 

The adults (and cat) immediately hear a collective of snorts except for Uryuu, who twitched his eyebrows in annoyance. Orihime murmured something along the line of 'we predicted the future and 'we're a psychic', Tatsuki lightly hit her best friend's shoulder while at the same time trying to contain her laughter, leaning over Chad who smiled in amusement.

Ichigo rolled her eyes fondly at her friends. Teenagers.

Kuukaku cocked her head to the side, "Am I missing something?"

"These kids already thinking of building some sort of catapult to enter, as you can see, Specs over there it's, unfortunately, way too sane," Yoruichi said.

"Huh, poor boy," Kuukaku proceed to give orders to her guards, "Pull us up!"

Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko are wheeling outside, the ground is leveled up the chimney outside is the continuity of the cannon, hidden by the white cast that fell apart as the ceiling opened. Kuukaku threw a crystal ball with a red bird logo on it to Ichigo.

"That's a Reishuukaku, transfer your spiritual energy there."

She definitely named her creation to rhyme with her name.

Ichigo does as Kuukaku, pouring her spiritual energy just enough to create a sphere around her.

"... Very good."

Is it Ichigo's imagination or did Kuukaku look at her as if she expected her to blow the Reishuukaku?

"Alright, listen up, if you think the wall around the city, it's the only defense, you're dead wrong," Kuukaku continued her explanation, "The wall around Seireitei is made out Sekkiseki stone. It releases a special energy wave from the cut surfaces, in other words, both above and the ground area covered by a protective sphere."

"Aww, so much for building a catapult," Orihime said so disappointingly.

Wow, she sure is adamant. Ichigo thinks maybe it is because Orihime stays at home too much.

Also, the description of Sekkiseki stone is similar to Sesshōseki; a stone in the mountains of Nasu that is said to kill anyone who comes into contact with it. The stone is believed to be the transformed corpse of Tamamo-no-Mae.

Not that Ichigo ever tries to touch it to confirm it.

"If you crazy kids just blindly fly in, your spirit body will be destroyed," Kuukaku took out her pipe, filling it with tobacco, "That's why I invented that ball to create a hardened spirit shell that can break the protective sphere, by launching you lot as a cannonball."

"Why?" Ichigo piped up.

"Hmm?" Kuukaku cocked her head to the side.

"Why did you invent something that can break into the protective barriers of Seiretei specifically?" It cannot be just because Kuukaku can. Or is it some sort of a grudge?

"Reasons," Kuukaku's face is clearly saying 'don't ask me that ever again', "Now all of you go to the training room, if you can't do it tomorrow, you all be blown to bits!"

That is not a very encouraging word on the road to success.

After all of that introduction, Ganju confronted his older sister.

"Nee-chan are you serious about helping them?" 

"Why do you mean by that? Just go help those kids in their training already," Kuukaku dismissed him and blows a cloud of smoke.

"But I will never help a Soul Reaper! I don't care what will you say to Nii-san-"

"That's enough! And they're not Soul Reapers! Why do you think they needed our help to break in?!" Kuukaku raised her voice at her brother. 

Ganju did not say anything about his sister's outburst.

Kuukaku dismissed him once again. When she is finally alone, she sat down and takes out some sake.

"Interesting band you have gathered Yoru, Carrot-top especially is quite interesting," She said to the approaching Yoruichi.

"Ichigo is not Soul Reaper, Kuukaku. Maybe you should warn Ganju not to be antagonistic toward her."

"Her uniform does not bear a mark from any division, he should've known better," Kuukaku down her sake cup, "Excellent energy control she has though, did you teach her?"

"No, I didn't."

"Oh, Kisuke then?"

"... No."

"Huh."

Kuukaku down another cup.

Rukia was sitting calmly in her cell at the Sixth Division before Renji came in with some Onmitsukidou guards, telling her that she is being transferred to the Senzaikyuu.

Senzaikyuu, a tower where she can overlook the place of her incoming execution, the Soukyoku Hill. The hill is visible from most of Seireitei. It has sheer cliffs on all sides. One end of the hill is heavily undercut, where the Soukyoku and the bridge are located. The opposite end is covered by a white forest.

Rukia does not object. She has her crimes; therefore, she deserves this.

"Lieutenant Abarai, thank you for escorting us. Now let us be on our way," One of the guards said.

Renji, however, grabs Rukia's shoulder and leans over her to whisper.

"Listen, it's an unconfirmed report. The other days there are some troublemakers who tried to break into the Soul Society, a group of six, and one of them was a Soul Reaper with bright orange hair."

Rukia paled. Ichigo?!

Chapter Text

Ichigo used to be suck at energy control.

While she learns fast in martial lessons, for magecraft however, as many Casters said that it is not the worst case they ever dealt. Yes, it is still bad.

According to Scáthach, Ichigo's situation kind of makes sense because she already has massive reserves of energy, unlike many people that gradually built up as they grow. It was considered a rarity itself since ancient times for a normal human to have such conditions. Not even all Demigods have such conditions. So Scáthach gave her some advice...

Git gud.

This a piece of simple advice that ensures Ichigo's survival till now.

Nobody questions Ichigo about how she was able to activate the Reishuukaku on the first try, maybe they just assume Urahara taught her. Really, in just ten days? Nah. It took her two months in Chaldea to finally get the hang of energy control.

Before that, hide and seek was meaningless.

Sometimes the Servants leave Ichigo alone when having a tantrum since they knew they can just find her; then drag her out from her hiding place like the childish brat she was.

The land where Kukakuu's house was located was more than grass and paddy fields; there is the barn where they kept the farm animals; plantations with honesty to God, greenhouses, and a horse racing field. The latter seems to be abandoned as there are unattended weeds and mosses. Ichigo jumps over the fence and looks around, was there used to be a horse race in Soul Society?

She felt a breath down her neck, jolting in surprise as she found a huge grey stallion with a rich black mane behind her.

"Get away from that horse!"

She heard Ganju shout.

The horse briefly snorted before galloping away, not bothered by Ganju's outburst.

"Get out of there! You're lucky that beast doesn't try to kick you or anything."

"Sorry," Ichigo quickly gets out of the horse field, "Nice place though, do you own this place or something?"

"My family owns this place," Ganju looked at her like she is dumb, like saying something too obvious to him.

"Wow, you guys must be rich."

"Yeah..." Ganju throws a confused face at Ichigo, "You are not from around here are you?"

"I'm from the World of the Living."

"Then why are you dressing around like a Soul Reaper?"

"Oh, I don't know, Urahara said I need to turn into one. Before I got here, he threw me into a hole and BAM! I came out complete with the uniform and my trustee weapon!" 

Ganju is pretty sure that is not how someone becomes a Soul Reaper. Is she telling him that she just magically acquired a shihakushō and an Asauchi?

While he does not know Urahara as well as his sister, he does know that guy was smart and yet sketchy at best. Some old stories from he were young, especially that one day his sister came home, cackling like a maniac, together with Yoruichi and Urahara. Father scolds them hard for whatever they had done.

What exactly has Urahara done to her?

"Anyway, why do you want to infiltrate Seireitei?"

"Saving someone. She also saved my life, one way or another..." Ichigo conspicuously hides her right hand behind her back, "I borrowed something from her but since I have one on my own, It's time to give it back."

"... Well, one piece of advice for you," Ganju pointed at Ichigo's feet, "Soul Reapers don't wear boots."

After dinner, Orihime asked Koganehiko where Ichigo was. The latter finished her dinner, then went out rather quickly. The house guard brings her to a library, where Ichigo is reading books and scrolls, already changing her clothes into a comfortable blue yukata. Orihime said her thanks and approach the redheaded girl.

"Hey, Ichigo-kun what are you doing?" Orihime greeted.

"Research. Check this out. Can you believe that this Gotei 13 only consists of two hundred Soul Reapers in each division?" Ichigo held a book with the title 'Structure of the Gotei 13', "You can practically remember everyone's faces from different divisions. Well, if someone IS that diligent. Heck, they might even go to school together in their youth."

Orihime saw the pages and papers that are laid out on the table; mapped structures of Soul Society, Omnitsukidou, Central 46, Kidou Corps, and many more. Why did Ichigo go to do this alone? She could have helped her.

"Found anything...useful?"

"Well, the most useful is," Ichigo pointed to an area in the middle of the map, "This is called the Senzaikyuu, it's where the convicts are held before being executed at the Soukyoku Hill."

"So, Kuchiki-san will be there then?"

"Oh yes, because one of the laws makes you go there if you broke it," Ichigo opened a book containing the law of Soul Society and reads a certain page, "It is against the law for a Soul Reaper to give their spiritual power to Humans. Do you know what that means?"

"It means...?"

"It means this had happened before!" Ichigo closed the book, "Or not, maybe it was already common knowledge about what you shouldn't do as a Soul Reaper."

"Oh... Do you need any more help?"

"Not really. A map would be helpful but still, navigating the Seireitei needs an actual local, which is where Yoruichi's came in. I'm merely allowed to access the general section, not the in-depth section. That's why Shiroganehiko is watching me right now, to keep my hands off the juicy information."

Orihime did not notice the man when she came in. Shiroganehiko was looming in the corner of the room the whole time; he let out a heavy gruff when Ichigo waves at him.

"Can't help being a stranger in paradise. Well, I think you can help me put these back," Ichigo cleans up the mess she created.

"Sure..."

Ichigo knew that her friends are there to help her fight, Uryuu might have another agenda, but among all of them, Orihime is the only person that did not understand how dangerous this is. Kon was the one who witnesses the birth of Orihime's power and based on his story, the girl role is suited more as support.

To be honest, even if they want to deny it; Ichigo, Uryuu, Chad, and Tatsuki are 'violent people. They can easily express their desire to fight as a part of their daily activities. Orihime, at the core, is not a violent person.

But what makes her want to fight is what makes Ichigo worried and maybe the whole reason why Orihime joined the entourage in the first place. Her desire to be needed. Unknowingly for her, this is her fatal flaw.

Ichigo tapped her finger patiently, "Shiroganehiko-san, would you please tell me what time is it?"

"It's almost eight, Kurosaki-dono." 

Ichigo must do this, if not, they have to leave Orihime behind.

"Ichigo, why are you bringing me here?" Orihime asked.

It is the backyard of Kuukaku's house. The only sources of light are the fireflies fluttering around and some lanterns hanging nearby.

"Orihime, I'm going to be crass to you. What is your reason why to join this endeavor?"

Orihime is taken aback by the sudden question. it takes a second to find her voice, "I want to help, the same as everyone," She said, in Ichigo's opinion, with innocent conviction.

"Help has a lot of contexts, you have to be more specific," Ichigo sighed tiredly, "The names of your spirits are Ayame, Baigon Hinagiku, Lily, Shun'o, and Tsubaki; call them forth, I need to speak with them."

Orihime did what Ichigo asked. As usual, while the rest of them are docile, Tsubaki was complaining and berating his master as usual, with Shun'o trying to stop him.

Through the interaction of Orihime and her spirits, Ichigo already sees the problems; the rest of the spirits are docile while Tsubaki looked like a rebel among them and Orihime has no control over his attitude.

That is not good. 

To Ichigo, Tsubaki is someone who is dissatisfied with having Orihime as a master. People might think that it was the spirit's unique personality but no. She can see Tsubaki is as passionate as the others. Only to be disappointed for not being used as he should be.

Tsubaki is a weapon and he wanted to be used as a weapon and Orihime's refusal to hurt is a hinder.

Ichigo approached the spunky spirit, "You must be Tsubaki, the attacker of the group?"

"Yeah, what do you want?" Tsubaki sounds haughty.

"A certain 'rat' told me about you. Well, all of you to be exact," Ichigo undid the sageo off her scabbard, "Tell me Orihime, why do you think Tsubaki is always mad at you?"

"Huh? I thought that was just his personality."

"Don't be silly. You are his master, you need to have some sort of control over him," Ichigo enchants a spell on the sageo to move on her command, and with it, she binds all Orihime's spirits except Tsubaki.

"Hey! What the heck are you doing?!" Shun'o, Orihime's spirit that is also a talkative aside Tsubaki shouted at Ichigo in anger.

Ichigo ignored the spirits' cries and tied the other end of the sageo onto a tree branch. Orihime's spirits are hanging on like a pinata, swaying to the right and left in protest. Then Ichigo pulls out her sword and beholds it in Orihime's direction.

"The one who needs help right now is you Orihime. Think fast!"

Orihime panicked when she sees Ichigo coming straight at her with a sharp weapon. There's no way that Ichigo will hurt me. The bloodlust in her friend's eyes instantly made her think otherwise. She manages to get away from the lunged blade in time. Ichigo actually cuts a few strands of her hair.

I need a shield!

Then Orihime remembers she cannot summon her spirits since Ichigo died them. She had no other choice but to use Tsubaki.

"Tsubaki! Koten Zashun, I reject!"

The male spirit flight speeds up, sharp edge energy forming around him, and he tried his best to land a blow on Ichigo, but all of his attempts were being held off by her sword. Tsubaki is easily thrown back with a simple push, unceremoniously stumbling on the grassy dirt.

"Tsubaki are you okay?!" Orihime dashing at the lying spirit.

"Do you know why his attack doesn't work?" Ichigo asked sternly, "Thoughts that ran through your head, you needed a shield, but you can't, there's no other choice but to use Tsubaki, and that's your biggest mistake."

"My biggest mistake...?"

"That you always treat Tsubaki as a last resort. Ayame and Shun'o are healers. Hinagiku, Baigon, and Lily are in charge of defense. What exactly did you think Tsubaki is in charge of?"

"He's...he's the..." Tsubaki is an attacker. Why Orihime cannot say it? Is it because she thought of him otherwise?

"He's your sword, Orihime."

Orihime widened her eyes. Tsubaki is her sword? She never thought about it like that, "I don't understand. He was just fine when I commend him to attack the Hollow that was hurting Tatsuki, why I can't do the same thing anymore?"

Ichigo plants her sword on the ground. Came toward Orihime and crouched at her level. She scoops Tsubaki who writhes in pain and heals him with her own healing technique so he can regain his strength. As he is a bit leery, Ichigo transfers him to Orihime's arm.

"What do you think? Uryuu, Chad, and Tatsuki had known how to fight for all of their life, and no, Tatsuki teaching you karate doesn't count. It's not about that."

Ichigo said the latter in particular as Orihime was going to rebuke her that she also know how to fight.

"You are not used to the notion that when you must protect others, you might have to hurt others. You are our main healer, however, just because there are a lot of fighters, doesn't mean we can protect you the whole time. There are times when you need to fight for yourself," Ichigo gets up and goes back to where her sword is, "That's why you need to respect Tsubaki's ability. With that, you can stand as an equal with any of us."

"But why am I...?"

"It's your desire to be needed. That's your fatal flaw. The moment people said they don't need your assistance. You felt as if you just did something terrible, isn't it?" 

Orihime can feel her face getting hot when hearing the bleak truth.

"It's not like I want you to kill people. God no. That's horrible. But you eagerly involve yourself in something you barely understand just so you can help...when you barely understand about yourself. It's not just you; Chad and Tatsuki too. Ishida is complicated," Freakin' Quincies. They are all complicated people, "I ask you to stop pushing yourself to serve your flaw right now before you end up hurting yourself."

Orihime sniffed, "... I'm sorry, Tsubaki. Please forgive me." 

"Don't sweat it, woman, if this is what it takes for you to clean your head, then so be it," Tsubaki huffed, the tsundere spirit he is, crossed his arms, and harrumphed.

"Get up you two. Let's do this again," Ichigo plucks out her sword from the ground, "This time strike me with all you might."

Orihime nodded, now with her newfound confidence. Tsubaki is beside her, ready anytime.

Ichigo takes her stance, and lunged at Orihime again, this time with even more bloodlust than before.

"Koten Zanshun! I REJECT!"

Ichigo is satisfied when she has difficulty holding back a far stronger Tsubaki, even pushing her quite far before she decided to let the attack slide away, cutting several trees and huge rocks behind. Tsubaki came back to his normal form and flew back to his master's side.

Ichigo snaps her finger, releasing Orihime's other spirits from the bind of her sageo, "Well done."

"You're a meanie!" Lily shouted in disgruntlement.

Ichigo made faces at her.

"Thank you Ichigo, I... think I need that kind of push sometimes," Orihime blink back her glassy eyes, "Strange, when I trained with Yoruichi-san, I was the first one that was able to call back our powers." 

"Is that so? Have you ever asked them how they can call back their powers? Their reason might be a bit different than yours," Ichigo sheathed her sword, gesturing to Orihime that they should go back to the house, "I'm sorry, I have to do that since tomorrow is the big day. It's not your fault either, for newly acquired powers with only a little understanding of them."

"It's okay. I mean I already made my choice to come with you, so I deserve it!" Orihime exudes positivity.

Ichigo felt like her therapist now.

"... You know, if you want to create a shield, you can simply command your spirits."

"Huh? But how can I when you held them hostages."

"I simply bind them; you can just retract them into a hairpin."

Orihime and all her spirits gave Ichigo the same look of disbelief.

"Wow, you are all Orihime's spirits alright. You're all inherited her airheadedness personality."

"Ichigo you jerk!" Orihime pounced at Ichigo, who laughed weakly in response. She stops when something crossed her mind. "Oh. By the way, Shun'o once told me that my power was born because of you."

"Really?" Hearing that tidbit of information, Ichigo casually hides her surprise very well behind her nonchalant face.

"Yeah! Does that mean you're their mother-- Wait, I guess that's me. Does that mean you're their grandmother?"

"... Well, I don't know," Ichigo teased Tsubaki by poking lightly his tiny head, "Am I your grandma?"

"LIKE HELL!" The spirit exploded.

Today is the day, it is time to break into Seireitei. Everyone has their bags, filled with med-kit, rations, and other necessities, like scentless soap. Kuukaku said one of the captains is of canine origin.

Werewolf?

Ichigo is given a pair of waraji, straw sandals, to blend with a sea of Soul Reapers. The feeling of wearing a straw sandal is a bit weird, better than sandpaper though.

Do not ask why she knows the feeling of wearing sandpaper, it involves a prank coordinated by Billy the Kid. 

"Alright you bunch of crazy kids, prepare as I, Kuukaku Shiba, Soul Society's number one fireworks maker launch you up in the sky!" Kuukaku proudly declares at the gathering of people that she is going to send off. 

Did Kuukaku ever make a gigantic firework and launch it into the sky? Like that one episode from One Piece? Wait, dumb question, she probably had.

"Wait for me!" Ganju runs in late. He is wearing a different outfit that he called his battle suit, "The heroes always came in late!"

"What? Are you coming with us or something?" Ichigo questioned.

"Yeah, I am! Got a problem with that?" 

No one said anything about having a problem with it, Ganju.

"Ganju, what are you thinking? Are trying to kill yourself out there?" Kuukaku snapped.

Seems like he did not consult with his older sister first.

"Nee-chan, please. I want to go," Ganju shows his determination, "I need to."

"... Fine. Just don't run away mid-way brat," Kuukaku relented, "You better give it everything you've got!"

"I will!"

It is almost dawn. The gang gathered inside the cannon. Yoruichi gave them the instruction on what they should do after landing inside the Seireitei; make sure to run when fighting a captain-class enemy, the objectives are to rescue Rukia, not take unnecessary risks, also the barrier will break when collided with Seireitei's own, forcing them to split up upon entering.

"That's an inconvenience. Very well, let's set up in a pair, range with melee, Chad you go with Uryuu, Tatsuki you go with Orihime, I'll go with the odd one." Ichigo divides the team.

"Are you calling me odd?" Ganju offended.

"It means I don't know what you can do. What about you Yoruichi-san?"

"I'll go with you," Aw yeah, pet companion, just like with Fou all over again. Too bad, Ichigo left Kon at home.

"Any question?" No one disputes Ichigo's decision, "Great, then we're set. I'll send a signal where you guys can find me, trust me, you will know it's me. And don't forget to wear the fake Soul Reaper uniform, it might be marked less, but it's better than nothing." Because from afar, at least no one can discern which one is real and which one is not. 

They might be not that stupid, Ichigo inwardly winced, then again it is the efforts that count. 

Kuukaku starts her chants for the launch. The gang immediately focuses their spiritual energies on the Reishuukaku, and not for long, do they find themselves airborne.

In the Senzaikyuu, there was only a narrow view of the sky. Rukia sighed, it is the only thing that she gets as entertainment. However, the light that came through from the narrow window is too fast for a rising sun. What is this?

Seiretei's alarms are blaring for the sign of intruders. From the sky, a large bright ball descends. Every Soul Reaper felt dread when the ball did not disappear as it hit the city barrier, what a high concentration of energy!

Oh, bother, there goes Zaraki Kenpachi running away from the meeting hall like a loose dog. They were gathering to decide on Captain Gin Ichimaru’s punishments for misinformation about the intruder at the West gate. He kept on his leisurely demeanor despite the incoming danger looming in the city, well so is every captain. If you cannot carry a certain grace when handling a crisis, you cannot be called one.

"The alarm sure came at a perfect time," Captain Sousuke Aizen said.

"I'm afraid, I don't understand what you mean, Captain Aizen," Gin does not sound apprehensive at all.

"Do you think you can get away with this? It is best not to underestimate me."

The two captains parted away.

Captain Toshirou Hitsugaya overheard the conversation, glancing at them with a lingering unreadable look.

Ichigo sense a deja vu. It is going the same way as how they landed in Soul Society in the first place.

Not this shit again!

Chapter Text

Ichigo spat a bunch of sand. Who would have thought that Ganju is capable of earth magecraft? She is thankful to him for softening the landing by turning the ground into sand.

The whole street of Seireitei is covered in bluish limestone, maintenance must be expensive. It was a richer environment than Rukongai, in fact, because of the density of the air, Ichigo felt more like a human than a soul here. For a soul without spiritual energies, it might be too overwhelming.

Unfortunately, they are straight away being intercepted, by a bald dude with a red marking at the outer corner of his eyes; a strange way of applying eyeliner, he must be a fan of a kabuki play. His friend is even weirder in facial appearance; colorful extensions on right lashes and brow, each yellow and red, hair in a bowl cut, and he is quite feminine looking. Baldy's clothing is normal, but the other, what is that orange piece of clothing that is connected to an orange sleeve on his right arm? By the textures, it looks like a sweater.

"Peh, here I thought standing guard was troublesome, yet here's the prey right in front of me!" Baldy exclaimed and started to do a weird 'ceremonial' dance, "Lucky, today is my lucky day~!"

"Are people in Seireitei always like this?" Ichigo whispered.

"Sort of," Yoruichi licked his paw.

Ah, because you were one of those people right, Yoruichi?

Chad and Uryuu are hiding in a tree. A mob of Soul Reapers unknowingly passed said tree.

"When do you think Ichigo starts sending signals?" Chad questioned, a tiny bird perching on his armored hand.

"Who knows, knowing her track record, she probably already fighting," Uryuu said.

Chad hums in agreement, "We should change to our disguises."

Uryuu sneered in disgust at the need to change into a Soul Reaper uniform. However, vigilance is a must in this kind of situation.

Orihime failed at landing when utilizing her shield. Shun'o scolds her before going to heal her with Ayame. Tatsuki has rather quick thinking when breaking her fall, which is why she is alright.

"You're okay Orihime?"

"Yeah, guess I need to take some gymnast lessons." Orihime is done with the healing.

"Hey now, one step at a time okay? Right now, we better move before they find us."

They were rather lucky when landing in some empty area. Their crash is still loud enough to attract attention, which is why they need to keep moving.

Bald Dude did some weird ceremonial dance to celebrate his luckiness, after he is done, his friend, Pretty Guy, helpfully gave him a clap. Ichigo silently appraises him for having strong toes to do such ballet moves. Man, talk about first impressions.

"What are you people still standing in there?!" The Bald Dude suddenly gets irritated, "I did the Tsuki-Tsuki dance to give you some time to climb out, yet you do nothing but stare?! You ungrateful bastards!"

He is giving the intruders some time to get out from the sand crater by doing a DANCE?! 

Ichigo thought he was asking for praise instead. This is very satirical.

"Ichigo, I can't fight these people!" Ganju hissed roughly.

"Why? Are you intimidated by the dance?"

"No, you idiot! Their spiritual pressure is higher than a normal Soul Reaper!"

Ichigo lets a choked sound. Oh, so there are normal Soul Reapers, what a piece of surprising information!

She remembered Ganju promising his sister not to run away mid-way, but that does not mean he has to throw himself into a suicide mission, pretty sure Kuukaku wanted him to come back alive. Judging by his expression, it seems to be the common sense here to flee from Soul Reaper with higher spiritual pressure here. Ichigo grabs Ganju's arm and moves her finger into a symbol on his palm, what is more confusing, there seems nothing drawn on it though.

"Fine, go with Yoruichi, I'll find you guys later."

Ganju follows Yoruichi. Pretty Guy was going to chase them only to be pulled by the scruff by Ichigo, throwing him at Bald Dude's side again, he landed gracefully, a bit disturbed by the act that he gradually shakes off. A blade shot toward Ichigo, and she easily blocks it, Pretty guy dashed to her right to strike and she uses her scabbard to block the other. The two Soul Reapers look surprised by the display.

"I see, guess your fighting style is like me then!" the Bald Dude gets even more excited. 

Ichigo pushes them off. There is some truth to it, except Bald Dude is left-handed, and she is predominantly right-handed. He also holds them in the manner of a sword and shield, unlike Ichigo who holds her in a dual-wielding manner. The way Pretty Guy wields his sword is generic, however, he is still a Soul Reaper, what he holds is a Zanpakutou and it can transform into something else.

Bald Dude and Pretty Guy are working together to overwhelm Ichigo. They did a pretty great job at it when Bald Dude sends heavy strikes, so Ichigo can focus on him more. Pretty Guy is getting a free pass at injuring Ichigo's cheek, and getting pushed away when gets swung hard by Ichigo’s scabbard as retaliation. In exchange, Bald Dude tries to hit her with his, only to be used as a jumping tool, so she can strike from above. Bald Dude smirked and happily receives it.

Bald Dude and Ichigo now sporting the same wound on the top of their right eyebrow.

"My, you sure are a brutish woman," Pretty Guy got up nursing his upper torso, where Ichigo's scabbard specifically landed, "A brutish woman wielding a beautiful sword, the guard is similar to mine, and that sageo; what a beautiful shade of blue it has!"

... What? Why is he talking about how attractive my sword is? Is he...sword-sexual?

Ichigo saw Bald Dude open the pommel of his sword, there is some kind of healing ointment that when he swab it on his wound, stopped the bleeding. Quite practical, Ichigo did stop her bleeding too by freezing it, not that her opponents noticed it. 

"Ease up, Yumichika," Bald Dude said to Pretty Guy, now dubbed to be Yumichika, "Oi, what's your name?"

"Uh... Ichigo Kurosaki."

"That's a nice name."

"... Thank...you...?" Most people will tease her out of it.

"You see, people with the word 'Ichi' in their name are often powerful and talented, like me and Yumichika. My name is Ikkaku Madarame! Since we all have the 'Ichi' in our names, let's make this a great fight!" Ikkaku declared.

Ichigo let out an amused huff. What a bunch of weirdos.

"You're a good fighter, tell me, who is your teacher?" 

Ichigo had a lot of teachers, even if she told the truth, it would not make much sense. Not wanting to make a long conversation she decided to throw someone under the bus.

"Kisuke Urahara."

Mentioning the name sends the two men into brief shock. Okay, Urahara seems to have left a reputation in Seireitei, maybe not even a good one. She will figure that out later.

Then, as if it would be too cruel for Ichigo to die easily, Ikkaku and Yumichika release their Zanpakutou. Houzukimaru, a Kikuchi spear, and, Fuji Kujaku, a multi-sectioned sickle...ish? Yumichika seems to have won at weapon obscurity for now.

Ichigo releases Zangetsu. A long sword, a spear, and a sort-of-sickle walk into a bar, she inwardly joked.

There is the sand puddle that Ganju created and Ichigo got an idea, backflipping into it and throwing her opponents' faces with sand. Yumichika is the most insulted, cursing Ichigo for dirtying his garments. She poses trouble equal for both, fighting on top of dry sand and continuously throwing it in front of their faces for distraction as if her body poses no weight on the coarse ground, she dances around blocking their attacks.

Yumichika strangely backed away. Ikkaku is breaking his weapon? -No! If Ichigo is someone slower, her right arm probably already gets lacerated by Houzukimaru's Sansetsukon -three sectional staff-  form. As the battle turned into a sword vs a flail weapon, it is the oddest fight that Ichigo ever experienced.

"Speaking of transforming weapon," Fray's voice resounding as if he was beside Ichigo, "Let's do it!"

Yumichika tries to attack from behind, planning to cut Ichigo's leg. His target jumps up. Ikkaku and Yumichika stop right in time before their attacks came barreling into each other. Then their blades were locked into each other by a spearhead that dives down.

No one heard the Shikai that commands Ichigo's Zanpakutou to turn into a spear. It was a dark spear, much like how Zangetsu's blade is dark, the spearhead is almost a reminiscence of a crab claw. The blue sageo that was on the sword scabbard is now at the other end of the spear, tying itself like a bow.

This is when Ikkaku realizes that Ichigo combined her sword and her scabbard much like him in calling the spear form.

"Surprise," Ichigo said in a sultry way. Kicked the two men so hard in the face that they lose the grip of their weapons.

Ikkaku recovered far quicker, throwing a punch that Ichigo blocks with the spear handle. Pushed her back with a series of movements till he can pick up his weapon. He still lost, when he thrust Houzikimaru forward, it was easily destroyed by a rather hard blow from Zangetsu.

"Che, tough luck."

Ichigo slashed him up.

"You're pretty good at this?" Ichigo sat on the other side of the lying Ikkaku.

"At what?" Yumichika does not want to talk right now.

"Healing, what was it called here? Kaidou?"

"Whatever, just don't tell Ikkaku that I'm able to do this."

Yumichika looks pretty (Ha!) banged up, minus the excessive bleeding like Ikkaku. The bruise on his face courtesy of Ichigo's kick got his eye, making it bleed. Ikkaku got lucky because it landed on his cheek.

"I was expecting to get shot by Kidou, but all I get it's a fight that is entirely physical."

"Eleventh Division is a direct-combat Division with a specialization in swords-only combat, we don't cheat by using Kidou."

Yumichika's voice is getting, even more, pressed the more he talks. Kidou is a sore point for this guy. Ichigo pities him, by limiting himself solely to melee, he is torturing himself. Yumichika has talent in Kidou, like saying someone has a knack for magic. It hurts seeing his overflowing guilt.  

Ikkaku blinked awake, snapping out Yumichiko from healing him. What impeccable timing. "Ichigo, why are you still here?!" 

First name basis already? This guy holds no grudges for being beaten by her, "What is it look like? Chatting with your friend here."

"Did you heal me?" Ikkaku bristled. "What a shame gets saved by the enemy, if only I could move, I would kill you right now!"

Ichigo did half of the medical procedure, the rest was Yumichika. She sends the pretty man a knowing smile, and he looked away.

Sigh, he keeps lying to himself.

"Sure you will. Alright you two, I'm off my way!" Ichigo stands up.

"Why are you invading Seiretei anyway? Flatten it up or something?"

"If that's what I need to do to save Rukia Kuchiki, yeah, maybe."

Ikkaku and Yumichika thought they had heard crazy, apparently, they had not.

Ichigo Kurosaki here came to Soul Society with only six people, one of them is a cat, separated by the entrance, and her reason to raid Seireitei is to save a girl on death row?! What a bunch of idiots!

"Hey Ichigo, are you the strongest in your group?"

"More or less."

"You better watch out for our captain. He has no interest in the weak, if what you said it's true then he'll seek you out."

Ichigo follows the tracking spell she put on Ganju. Ah, she almost forgot to send her friends the signals. Grabbing a branch from a nearby tree, she enchants four leaves so it can find them, and after that, finds her too, all they had to do is to follow the flying greenery. And so Ichigo, off to find Ganju and Yoruichi, while also on the lookout for Kenpachi Zaraki.

"It's another dead end!" Zaraki Kenpachi exclaimed, face to face with a wall, "Yachiru, we're lost because of your intuition!"

Yachiru, the pink-haired child in a Soul Reaper uniform popped up from Kenpachi's shoulder, "Mou, it's Ken-chan that has no sense of direction!"

"Forget it! Let’s try the other way!"

"Ooookie Dokie~~~!"

"Are they gone?"

"Yeah."

They felt Kenpachi's spiritual pressure, which is why Tatsuki and Orihime were hiding on the roof. 

"Which way we should go now? Ichigo hasn't sent any signal." 

"Oh, I remembered about a white tower that Ichigo showed from a map in the Shiba library, it's where convicts are being held up, could it be that to-"

Orihime felt the looming presence and summons her shield, misdirecting a slash of a sword as jumped to Tatsuki's side.

"I missed? To be able to dodge me, not bad." The Soul Reaper is huge, not as big as Jidanbou, still effortlessly making the two girls' sizes equivalent to ants, "Nevertheless be remorseful, if you hadn't appeared before me, you might have lived longer."

"Great, just before I thought we were not getting any action." Tatsuki rolled her eyes.

When the Soul Reaper starts to count out of nowhere, Tatsuki and Orihime exchanged a glance of confusion. They share a shrug, Tatsuki moves first and kicks the giant in the shin. Orihime calls upon Tsubaki, to hold off the gigantic Zanpakutou from cleaving her. Tsubaki wins, tilting the giant backward, but he manages to find his footing.

"WHY YOU LITTLE-"

Tatsuki came barreling from his side. He tumbles to a wall that was crumbled by his weight.

"Nice kick Tasuki-chan!" Orihime cheered.

"Thanks, you too Hime." Tasuki swiped the sweat from her brow.

Orihime moved fast, conjuring her shield to cover Tatsuki and her from the swarm of flying blades.

"You'll regret that! I'm Jiroubou from the Seventh Division, nicknamed Kamaitachi Jiroubou! Fighting with me, an expert in airborne weapons-"

Orihime sends Tsubaki at high speed, destroying all of the flying blades in place. Jiroubou tried to create more of the blades only for his Zanpakutou to be struck by Tsubaki. Destroying its structures. Tatsuki charged up her flames, and punch Jiroubou in the chest, at the same time as Tsubaki.

Jiroubou lying unconscious on the ground.

"Is he dead?" Orihime winced, wondering if she did all of that too hard.

"Nah, that guy is big, he lives." Tatsuki pats her best friend on the back, "Speaking of his nickname, Kamaitachi, maybe you should be the one who holds it,"

"Ew no!" Orihime sticks out her tongue.

They both laughed at their silly jokes. A bit morbid since there is a lying body near them that they are unsure whether alive or not. Suddenly, two flying leaves are circling them, as if wanting them to follow them.

"Hmm, what's with these leaves?"

"Maybe, it's Ichigo's signal, I saw her making a rope flying before," Orihime remembered Ichigo binding her spirits with a sageo the night before.

"Is that so? Since when is she capable of making things fly?"

They moved out from the scene, following the leaves.

"Making things fly...do you think it's magic?"

Tatsuki snorted, "What like the parlor tricks?"

Orihime is not sure, it does not feel like it though.

Chapter Text

Third seat Iemura's team left him when he tied his loose straw sandals. Then Hanatarou meets this red-haired lady on the way back to the team, she seems to be kind enough to accompany him. He wonders from which division she came, judging by her spiritual pressure, she must be a high-ranking officer. Hanatarou tries to remember each of the seated officers and lieutenants, not a lot of them have bright-colored hair, but he never recalls any of them having a such shade of hair color.

"Excuse me miss, what is your name?" Hanatarou asked.

"My name is Ichigo."

Hanatarou blushed when she said her name with a smile. Gosh, she is beautiful.

Her name means strawberry, maybe she is from the Fifth Division. Lieutenant Hinamori's first name means peaches. Do all fruit named Soul Reaper got sent into the fifth? Lieutenant Abarai was from the fifth before being promoted to the sixth, and his head looks like a pineapple.

"Are you from the Fifth Division, miss?"

"No, I'm from the..." Ichigo paused for a second, "The Nowhere Division."

The Nowhere Division? Hanatarou never heard about it before. 

"Uh, where is that Division located?"

"Nowhere."

Huh...

"HEEEY ICHIGO!" Ganju waves at Ichigo, and behind him, a mob of Soul Reapers tries to kill him. Yoruichi leisurely perched on his head, not helping one bit.

"Hi, Ganju, what a parade you lead on?" Ichigo waves her hand at the victim. 

"HELP ME DAMMIT!" Ganju shouts in annoyance.

Hanatarou watched as Ichigo unsheaths her sword, seemingly, in a very slow motion in his vision. She shot forward at a high speed and took down the whole fleet of officers without even needing to use the sharp end of her weapon.

Ah, those are the Eleventh Division member she beat up...

Hanatarou then looked at this Ganju person, who was busy catching his breath, and the black cat that resting on his head. Are they... Are they the intruders that the Gotei is supposed to be fighting against?

When Ichigo finished her carnage, she has a streak of blood on her face, it was from a Soul Reaper that she punched way too hard. Hanatarou felt like he never saw something more intimidating, excluding his Captain, in his life!

"Oh yeah, what was your name? I don't think I ever asked," Ichigo said in a friendly way, like someone who did not just beat the living day out of some people recently.

Hanatarou's leg did the jitterbug dance. What am I ever done in my life that she needs to know my name before killing me?!

"Hey, you alright?" Ichigo stretched out her hand to check on him.

Hanatarou bid his farewell to the world, body unceremoniously crumpled to the ground.

"I think the blood on your face scares him," Ganju pointed out.

"Ah, so that's the source of the continuous smell of iron," Ichigo caresses the dried blood on her face, "Anyone got some tissue?"

Yoruichi takes them to a storage building to hide and get some rest. The cat did not expect Ichigo came out unscathed from fighting two seated officers. It is a bit of a shame he was not able to watch the fight, must be quite a sight to watch. He takes a look at Ichigo who is cleaning her Zanpakutou, the girl is so thoughtful that she brought a personal katana cleaning kit.

Hanatarou suddenly woke up from the sweet dream of playing with his pet chickens, only to see Ichigo thinking she was preparing to cut his head off and scream at the top of his lung.

The scream is so long, even when Ichigo packed her cleaning kit and stores her sword in the hope to calm Hanatarou down, he has not stopped his screaming.

He still screaming...still screaming...still screaming.

Okay, he finally lost his breath.

Ichigo is almost impressed, "Are you calm now?"

"Please, spare me! I'm just a medic from the Fourth Division. I'm not good at fighting, I will not tell anyone about you! I swear!" Hanatarou cried as he does a dogeza.

"Relax, I'm not killing anyone," Yet...maybe...who knows. Ichigo silently adds, "What's your name?"

"My name is Hanatarou Yamada."

Ganju commented that Hanatarou's name is a lame name. The owner argues that his name is a good one. Now the two bickers over it.

Ichigo wanted to say how rare it is for the Japanese to name their son with the word 'Hana' as it blatantly means flower unless you are some protagonist in a basketball anime. Except, of course, Hanatarou will ask what is a 'basketball anime' which she does not incline to explain. 

Observing the citizen of Soul Society, Ichigo was not sure if Soul Society is exclusively Japan's afterlife, the people here did not generally look like Japanese. There is Renji with his crimson hair and Urahara's blond, they both looked Eurasian even. Byakuya though, is a proper Japanese, with the bonus that he might actually be what a feudal handsome Japanese nobleman looked like. 

Ganju and Kuukaku looked like they are from Hokkaido island, where Japanese people with the highest frequency of Jomon/Ainu genes are.

What are the racial demographics in Soul Society anyway?

"Let's get back on track, shall we? Hanatarou at this moment we're kidnapping you."

The meek Soul Reaper squeaked at that statement. Ichigo decided since Orihime is not here yet, Hanatarou as an extra healer is a given.

"It's temporary," Ichigo assured him, "And, we need to strategize how to save Rukia."

"Did you say Rukia-san? Then you must be the Ichigo Kurosaki she's been talking about," Hanatarou piqued, "I know how to get to the place where she is being held."

Ichigo raised one of her eyebrows at how fast Hanatarou setting along with them. Did he still think she is going to kill him if he did not give them any help or was he just as bonkers as any Soul Reaper here?

"You're leading us to her? Just like that?"

"Ah well..." Hanatarou lamented, remembering her moment with Rukia, "The way she's been telling me about you Ichigo Kurosaki-san, I'm sure you're not a bad person or anything. I don't mind helping you."

Ichigo cannot decide whether Hanatarou is stupid or clueless. Is this...the 'because you were nice to me' trope in action?

After that, Hanatarou leads them to the sewer which apparently the Fourth Division used as a shortcut whenever there is an emergency around Seiretei.

"Hooo, an underground sewer system, that's smart," Ichigo marveled at the fact that this is probably the cleanest sewer she has ever seen, not that she ever went to any sewer, but the smell is not as strong as she expected.

It is super clean and it is a SEWER!

"You can practically go anywhere through the sewer, though those who know how to navigate through it are the medical team of my Division," Hanatarou informed.

"I get it, since you guys need to get fast to the victims, you use it as a daily route," Ganju summarized.

"Not really, I mean cleaning the sewer is one of the Fourth Division's duties, we're not that strong in combat so we end up doing the chores..." Hanatarou's voice gets even lower the more he explains. His low self-esteem showing up.

Ichigo disagreed. Hygiene is the most important thing in a military base. If anyone was such a grub in Chaldea, the staff would probably kick them out or get fired. Hanatarou's division is the daily actual life-saver by ensuring no one is getting infected by bacteria in their sleep.

"What about the division that handles intel, I mean they must have known how to navigate this place too," Ichigo finds that it is a bit naïve that there is only one division that knows how to navigate the sewer system.

"I heard the Third and the Second often use it, but I never cross any of them while cleaning this place."

Duh!

It breaks the whole meaning of being clandestine if you spot them! Anyway, Yoruichi has been silent during this whole trip.

Hmm, Ichigo wonders why?

"Kurosaki-san, I sincerely hope you will save Rukia-san. Before she was transferred to the Senzaikyuu, she was put in the holding cell of the Sixth Division and I was assigned to janitorial duty there. At first, I was a little scared, she's a noble after all, but..."

"But?" Ganju sounds quite urging.

"I call her Rukia-sama at first but she scolds me for it, her voice is softer than I imagined and it made me at ease. When she starts conversing with me she mostly talked about you Kurosaki-san, even though she has only known you for a few months, she has unbelievably high faith in you. Also, because of her, your life changed forever, no matter what she does she can never make it up to you. During the time I've seen her, she was all gloomy."

"... It seems that she's another weird Soul Reaper," Ganju said offhandedly.

"Aww, is Rukia getting sentimental about me? Oh no, she's losing her mind, the more reason to save her," Ichigo giggled and pats Hanatarou on the head, "Well then, let's not waste her unbelievably high faith on me then. Oh, by the way, just call me Ichigo, okay?"

Hanatarou brightens at that. She really is a good person!

Renji does not want to believe it. Ikkaku-san and Yumichika-san are out from the front lines, each division reported some minor injuries, and the entire squad assigned by the Eleventh Division was wiped out.

All happened in the span of a few hours.

He would not know about the other Ryoka but there is only one familiar figure in his head who positively had been weeding them out, the orange-haired girl who stole Rukia's power; the one and only Ichigo Kurosaki. Is she truly the same girl that Captain Kuchiki had taken down? How is she so strong now? This does not make any sense!

Third seat Iemura said that witnesses saw the two Ryoka had kidnapped a member of his division and are moving toward the center of the city. That is all Renji needed to hear as he bolted out from the lieutenant's meeting room.

He ignored his colleagues calling out his name and run as fast as he can to the center of the city. The intruders' are heading to the Senzaikyuu. The place where Rukia awaits her doom.

When he arrived, he waits for those intruders to appear. From afar he saw a floor tile removed, it is the janitor that used to clean Rukia's cell in the Sixth Division. Two more appear; a man with the Shiba clan symbol on his pants and the thief, Ichigo Kurosaki.

That girl catches on fast to his presence.

Good. 

"Long time no see, remember my face?" Renji shouted.

Ichigo narrowed her eyes, both of her hands resting on her hips. Renji's glasses got even tackier than the one she broke. He bought new pair of sunglasses, does this guy go to the beach every day?

She can feel the rising panic from Ganju and Hanatarou, except Yoruichi, because the so-called feline can beat the shit out of Renji if he is not under a guise. Oh yes, she knew from the start that the cat is not normal, much like Urahara, the cat has this lingering danger around him. Although, instead of referring to the feline as 'he' might it be more proper to refer to it as 'her'. 

In mere eyes, no one can detect an assassin unless maybe you are an assassin yourself. Ichigo's experience just helps a lot. Which one is poisonous that you literally cannot touch her or has Satan's arm or a walking death sentence despite his towering body?

Actually, the last one seemed pretty obvious with the sword he wield.

But how does Ichigo know Yoruichi is actually a female? Trade secrets.

"Yoruichi-san," Ichigo called out to the cat to look the cat straight in the eye and speak in a low voice. So low that Ganju and Hanatarou cannot hear it, "If you know the way and choose to stay silent, better take care of these two boys then."

It is not everybody Ichigo sees a cat with a surprise akin to a human.

Yoruichi wasted no time snapping Ganju and Hanatarou out of their trance, commanding them to follow him.

With the following shock of the medic's 'the cat can talk?!', the space is as if reserved for Ichigo and Renji only.

"I don't know how you survived Captain Kuchiki's attack, but congratulations. It's worth complimenting," Renji descends the stairs that are the way to the Senzaikyuu and pulled out his Zanpakutou, his Reiatsu flared, getting ready for a fight, "I've said this before, I will kill whoever stole Rukia's power. If you're still alive then her power can't be restored."

Ichigo fought the urge to roll her eyes. With Merlin's inscribing a seal on her right hand, killing her is now the reason Rukia's power cannot come back. She doubts these people understand the 'magic' behind it.

She took a deep breath and curse the very being of this misfortune, "Fine, bring it on."

Yeah, let's beat the shit out of each other because you're angry at me for no reason... God, people here can't chill. Ichigo felt a bit famished honestly and she felt the heat courtesy of the sun hanging high in the sky. Is it lunchtime already?

"Is she insane? That's a lieutenant she's fighting at!" Ganju looked back to see Ichigo and Renji, both weapons interlocked.

"No... Ganju-san, I think Ichigo-san completely overpower Lieutenant Abarai..." Hanatarou does not know why he said that, but he can feel it. Is it because of his faith in Ichigo?

Truthfully, the battle does not seem to be in Renji's favor. It is almost like their previous battle in the Human World was Ichigo immensely holding back. 

"Let me ask you, how do you plan in saving Rukia?" He is currently pushed to a wall, holding back the opposing's sword. Damn, quite a strength she has.

It is not because of her opponent's strength alone, Renji felt like the other sword is getting heavier and the wielder benefitted it by momentum, throwing the weight at him.

Ichigo was irked by that question. Now he is asking how she is going to save Rukia. Dude, her fate is my her hand, LITERALLY! 

"Even if you defeat me now, there are still eleven more lieutenants and above that, there are thirteen captains. Unless you can defeat all of us, there's no way you can save Rukia. Are you sure you can do it?"

"I'll take that as a challenge," Ichigo adds more pressure. Her action made Renji get even more pushed to the wall behind him until it cracked, "Look at me in the eyes Renji Abarai, do you think I will stop before I can reach Rukia? If defeating them is what I need, then so be it."

Renji hated the sheer confidence she has. Who does she think she is?! Such arrogance!

"With only one or two life-and-death battles, you can think you handle anything!"

"One or two life-and-death battles?" Ichigo scoffed. Oh, how she wanted to laugh at him, "You have no idea what kind of life-and-death battles I've been through!"

Renji released Zabimaru so he can push Ichigo back. Strange, he did not feel her spiritual pressure getting higher, and yet she can keep adding pressure to her blade?

"Renji you fool! She focused all her spiritual energy on her blade!" Zabimaru scolded.

"What?! What's the difference with our attacks then?" Renji cannot help but be confused.

"I don't know! Somehow it's different than activating Zanpakutou's abilities, Renji be careful!"

Because of what Zabimaru said, he cannot feel any change in Ichigo's spiritual wavelength, it stays constant the whole time and he did not know how strong the next impact is. That girl is two times more nimble than the last time he fought her, and the sword in her hand is not Rukia's sword anymore. Not even that long ago she is out of submission and now she has her own power.

"Did you know? When we go to the Human World, to avoid unnecessary disturbances to the souls in the living world, every Soul Reapers' spiritual energy is reduced by about eighty percent in order not to cause unnecessarily high damage. A Gentei Reiin was placed on us. Right now, I'm definitely stronger than the last time we met, still think you can beat me?"

Ichigo cannot hold it anymore and bursts out laughing, "Well, I was told not to win by someone when fighting you and your captain, so I guess we're even," The blade of Zangetsu glowed blue, it did not change shape, rather a crackling of lightning emerged from it. By imbuing Sowilo, a rune that represents the element of lightning, "I can see why he told me to hold back when fighting, it's a salt to the wound, but I can't risk a manhunt on me."

Is that her Shikai? She can unseal her Zanpakutou without a command?

Renji braced Zabimaru up. Again, he senses no change in Ichigo's Reiatsu.

"I guess it's time to find out each other capability by fighting each other for real this time."

Why would Ichigo set a meter to her power anyway? That is too definite. Also, she hoped Seireitei did not mind the upcoming construction bill.

"I shall tell you de secrets o' a winning battle, as fellow students o' de Queen o' de Shadowland!" Cú Chulainn (Lancer) said one day in sparring, otherwise known as Ichigo's daily beat-down session, "Ye have fun with it!"

"That's easy for you to say, you came from an era where being good at fighting is considered to be a huge achievement," Ichigo takes this chance to plop down on the soft grass, "For me, I don't think it's always a good thing."

"Maybe so. However, take some pride in it. like Ferdiad and I, we were enemies in the war, and we have no choice but to fight. so we decided to 'have fun in that battle. In de end, we 'ave nothing to regret, even when one of us ends up dead."

"... Do you ever regret killing Ferdiad?"

That is a surprise, Ferdiad is a close friend of Cú Chulainn after all. And the way he recounts his tale to Ichigo, it sounded as if it is a 'summer fling' kind of thing.

"Nay! We bot 'ave our fun, better make de best out o' it... And that's not de battle I' ave regret for... Besides we still meet others at de Thrones o' 'Heroes, so it's not a big deal!"

"I'm not Celt," Ichigo sighed, "I can't be that crazy to enjoy a battle."

: Hey, Ichigo! Do you know when you said your mother has Scottish ancestry, Da Vinci confirmed that it's as old as the Celtic!: Romani said through a comlink, : The Irish heroes are having a party, cheering that you're one of them. It's pretty loud.:

"DOCTOR ROMAN, YOU JINX! I HATE YOU!" Ichigo screamed with Cú Chulainn (Lancer) laughing along.

She should not have done that genealogy test.

: What? How is this my fault?!:

When Ichigo arrived at the Chaldea canteen. All of the Irish heroes organized an ancient Celtic coming-of-age ceremony which consist of numerous rituals because she basically missed all of them, the one for age seven and thirteen, as she is already seventeen. 

Ichigo found no joy in this fight because Renji is fighting her as if he forgot all of his training. They say anger dulls the blade and here it is she served with the full sight of the whole karma in that phrase.

She almost pity Renji. She can see he really care about Rukia and he is helpless for not being able to help her. He does not want Rukia to die. Seriously, if only they can just talk about it peacefully.

Can't have everything can't I?

Ichigo's sword caught Zabimaru's jagged edge; with a hard yank, she flipped upward and with her feet she descent on Zabimaru, stucking it to the ground. She tapped the surface of the Zanpakutou, a trail of lightning sped through the elongated form Zabimaru and since Renji cannot simply let go of his trustee sword, he effectively get electrocuted.

Renji grunted in pain. It's...it's not her Shikai. It's a Kidō!

He sees Ichigo kept switching between fire and lightning as she bends the shape of the elemental attack with her blade movement. There are no Zanpakutou with two elements in this world, it is simply impossible.

She has not unsealed her Zanpakutou, at all!

Renji has a burn injury while simultaneously getting electrocuted at the same time. He tends not to use Kidō because he shit at it. He is frustrated that all this time he was giving his opponent an injury equivalent to a papercut.

She's looking down on me...she's looking down on me...

"DON'T LOOK DOWN ON ME!" Renji angrily shouts, "FACE ME WITH YOUR SHIKAI ICHIGO KUROSAKI!"

He's pissed. Ichigo grimaces upon hearing it. She could have just end it. Send a single blow to knock Renji out immediately... If she was not being watched the whole time.

There are flies, everywhere. 

Why? She have checked her surrounding, they were not being near trash or anything. When those flies got caught by her lightning, they are fried but not completely disitregated. Weird. Flies was never that sturdy, not when they come contact with a 5000 Fahrenheit worth of heat. They also able to dodge Renji's violent whipping of Zabimaru.

Surveillance cameras?

Why is someone watching their fight like some kind of entertainment? If those are patrol cameras, a backup should have arrived, since Renji is having a hard tome fighting. 

At some point, Ichigo has to backflip to avoid being swept by Zabimaru, her palm touches the ground, grabbing the dead flies while at it.

Something else is at play. Whoever she fought is a puppet in their game. 

This is not a simple invasion anymore.

Ichigo conspicuously inscribe the Kano rune on the ground, creating a ring of fire that surrounds her and Renji.

Cú Chulainn was very happy to pass down his talent of arson to his junior.

"Strife of the Heaven, Zangetsu!" Ichigo activates her Shikai, now wielding a long sword, and behold it toward Renji, "Give me all you got, Renji! Show me if your will are strong enough to defeat me!"

"I'LL SHOW YOU!" Renji declared.

The two lunged at each other. Blood for blood. Leaving destruction in their wake.

All attacks have a beginning and an end, there is always a limit to the number of consecutive slashes. There are six shots in a firearm and a rocket only fires once. Any combo attack has limits.

Ichigo let Zabimaru fly through, shredding her shoulder, and stabs Renji's thigh as a comeback. Then using a palm strike to paralyze him in the middle.

It does not matter when it hit less sometimes. The most important is by knowing the limit. When a fight gets rough, the enemy always uses the technique with the highest number of possible hits.

Renji's felt his body tilting backward, yet he does not give up. He forces himself to lift his sword and successfully kicks Ichigo in the head. 

Once you dodge them all, you'll find an opening. The enemy is left defenseless.

Ichigo curses Renji very being for blinding her with her blood and headbutts him, breaking his nose in the process. 

Have determination in your blade. Became capable of it.

Renji swung down Zabimaru, only for Ichigo to catch it with her bare arm. It was all become slow for him after that...

And do not ever forget it.

Ichigo sends a lateral slash at Renji, creating a wide-open wound. She heaved as she thought of the rundown of Urahara's tactical when fighting someone. That man play too much video game.

Renji's blood splattering on the ground. A broken pair of sunglasses lay forgotten. His crimson hair come down, the color matched with his blood. Zabimaru is destroyed. He cannot move his feet, and it is difficult to speak, the tang of iron filling his mouth. He refused to falter.

Renji manages to grab Ichigo by the collar, "Ru-Rukia, please save...her-"

He spats a rain of blood and start losing his conciousness.

Ichigo gently support him upward when he is going to fall, "Let's save her together."

"ABARAI-KUN!"

Kira Izuru saw his long-time friend go unconscious. There is a flash of vengeance within his heart when the orange-haired Ryoka turned to him; her face smeared red, hard to be recognized.

"YOU-!"

A circle of sand starts to form beneath the Ryoka's feet and Renji's body, swallowing them like quicksand.

Kira tried to reach them but the floor already turned back into the usual green limestone. He balled his fist and hir the ground. His friend is gone and he can do nothing about it.

"You should have leave him! I wasn't planning on bringing him too!"

Ganju berated Ichigo down in the sewer.

Ichigo rolled her eyes at him. She cannot reply, biting a towel as she applies alcohol to her wound. She refused Hanatarou's aid and told him to help Renji instead. First him now a red pineapple, she is becoming a kidnapper.

"Stitch my shoulder please." 

Ganju grumbled but complies anyway. 

Ichigo made an eye contact with Yoruichi. She opens her palm, revealing dead flies. When was the last time she saw a cat can winced so horribly? Probably never.

We have a lot to talk about, Yoruichi.

Chapter Text

Everything around Renji smells like old tap water, vaguely putrid on the edge, pretty sure the Fourth Division should not smell like this, otherwise Captain Unohana will throw a fit. His eyes are still heavy but he forces himself to open them because he was curious about his surrounding. He saw a shadowy figure of Ichigo Kurosaki crouching, on her hand is a clear bag of unfamiliar substances filled with colorful grain in the shape of a ring, and she spoons them into her mouth, letting loud crunches every time she chews. 

Is this a dream? A nightmare?

He saw her practically beaming at him.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty! It's a good thing that Soul Reapers are durable folks, if not you might have to spend a whole week in a hospital," Ichigo zipped close her plastic bag, "Hanatarou! Renji's awake! Bring the congee for him!"

"... What...are you doing?" Renji's voice is weak and croaking, "Why are you saving me?"

"I'm an intruder, not a murderer," Ichigo received the bowl of warm congee handed by Hanatarou and offers it to Renji. Floating on the congee are two eggs, cooked in two sunny sides up style, and a piece of bacon. The lining of it looked like a smiling face with a pair of bright yellow eyes, "Look, it's happy to see you! I hope you don't mind that we stole the rice from a nearby office building."

"You don't get it, do you? I threw my badge so I can fight you-"

Renji gets up to retaliate only to be shoved in the mouth by multiple spoonfuls of food by Ichigo.

"No time to talk. You must regain your strength to be able to save Rukia. Here have some more."

Ichigo taps Renji's acupuncture points that make his jaw permanently hang and shoves the rest of the food into his mouth. She retaps the same points so Renji can close his mouth, he tried his best to swallow all the force feeeded food.

Naturally, Renji coughed as he felt some of the food get lodged in the wrong pipe. Hanatarou swiftly takes back the empty bowl and hands Ichigo a glass of water, which she gave to Renji. He drank it with the utmost relief.

Are they trying to kill me?!

"Don't worry it's not sewer water, we stole it too. Hanatarou put some painkiller in it," Ichigo helpfully added.

"What the Hell, you Madwoman!" Renji barked back.

"Me? Madwoman? Trust me, this is still in my sanest moment, my dear new friend, " Ichigo hooked her arm around Renji's shoulder, she whispers to his ear, "So tell me about Rukia, what is she to you? A friend? A lover?"

"Yes!" Renji clamps his mouth in reflex, "I mean no! We're old friends!"

"Just old friends or old friends 'friends'?"

"What the Fuck is that supposed to mean?!"

"Oh, you know." 

Ichigo made an ambiguous gesture with her hand

In Renji's eyes, the gesture does not look like it means anything at all!

How did Rukia manage to befriend this weird human?!

He's fun to tease. Ichigo nudged a wide smile. She then felt multiple familiars' spiritual signatures from above. Looked like the leaves she chanted with tracking and direction are working well, probably a bit confused about why they cannot go to the ground.

She leaves Renji alone with his existential crisis and went up to greet her friends.

Ichigo opened the tile, surprising her friends because she suddenly popped out of nowhere.

"Hi everyone! Glad you all made it ba- Oh wow, you guys look like shit."

Quite an understatement of the battered appearance her friends possessed.

Renji cannot help but think about his recent fight. Is she the same Ichigo Kurosaki that his captain easily brought down? Her swordsmanship almost had no opening. At the same time, she was using fire and lightning Kidō without chanting. He remembered she can conjure ice out of thin air, shaping them into swords, back in the Human World before Captain Kuchiki decided to release Senbonzakura.

They thought she was using Rukia's Zanpakutou abilities, however when Rukia was interrogated, apparently that was not Sode no Shirayuki being released. Before turning Ichigo Kurosaki into a Soul Reaper, Rukia already had seen the human's doing ice Kidō.

So it was true that Ichigo was hiding her true capabilities as someone told her to hold back when facing him and Captain Kuchiki.

It was not about her getting stronger in a short time.

She was always strong.

Though Renji never heard of ice Kidō in his entire lifetime. Maybe it is because of his lack of knowledge of it but he is sure the fire and lightning Kidō looked different than the one Soul Reapers' studied at Shin'ō Academy.

How old is she anyway? To have such skill in swordsmanship and Kidō must have been a lifetime of training. 

That sent him into a reflective state.

Can he even save Rukia with his current skill? When Rukia was adopted by the Kuchiki clan, they started drifting away, and he thought that is fine; she found herself a family. That is why he trains himself every day, to have Rukia at his side again. Yet, not even once did he ever win against Captain Kuchiki. That man is way too strong. Is he that powerless? He sees the reflection of his bandaged face on the glass of water he holds and sees an image of a pathetic man.

"PINEAPPLE HEAD!" Ichigo suddenly appeared, making Renji lose the grip of the glass, the splashed water wetting his hakama, "Come meet my comrades in this invasion!"

"You..." Renji's vein is ready to pop.

"Guys, meet the Soul Reaper I kidnapped, Renji Abarai. You might cross him that day if I didn't tell Urahara-san to pull you away Ishida."

"Kurosaki, why are you holding a hostage?" Uryuu shakes his head in exasperation.

"I don't know, it just kinda happens!" Ichigo had the gall to look cheery.

The Karakura gang are gathering in a circle, using the fire that Ganju used to cook porridge as a campfire, they have a lot of things to catch up on. Ichigo got to listen to their stories; Uryuu and Chad fought this lieutenant from the Seventh Division, Tetsuzaemon Iba, and according to Chad, the man was reminiscent of a Yakuza. Uryuu deemed the man to be weird, saying that he became a lieutenant to please his mother, not out of ambition. Why the lieutenant suddenly gets personal in the middle of a fight is something they never understand.

Ichigo actually kind of understands that. She went through that with all of the Crypters. When the fight starts to hit close to home...

"Anyway, because of that fight, Sado-kun arm was broken. It's not completely healed despite Inoue-san efforts," Uryuu was the one who provides Chad with a sling for his arm. Leave it to the son of a doctor to know how to do it.

"Hmm, quite a story... You look sad Ishida?" Ichigo commented.

"What? What do you mean I look sad?" Uryuu was almost startled by the odd question.

"Why do you think you look sad?" 

"I'm not sure... I understand."

"Oh," Ichigo took a sip of water, giving him a calculative gaze, "Do you?"

Everything suddenly fell into an awkward silence.

Uryuu was going to ask again before Ichigo cut him off by turning to her attention Tatsuki and Orihime.

"What about you two then, Tatsuki, Orihime, who you had been fighting with?"

Whoever the two girls had been fighting, giving them extreme burnout. The skill discrepancy is too high between them and their opponent. Must be another high-ranking Soul Reaper officer. 

"His name is Shuuhei Hisagi, lieutenant of the ninth division. We didn't win..." Tatsuki looked very disappointed, "His weapon is a two-pair of scythes and if Orihime didn't bury him with those piles of debris, there's no way we can't escape."

Ichigo perked at that, "Pile of debris?"

"I used Tsubaki to cut the building near him," Orihime recounted what she did.

"That's great Orihime, though that's the first you did something that powerful right? Remember you can attack, heal and protect. You choose to concentrate most of your spiritual energy on the attack. That's why you can't fully heal Chad, not enough energy."

Despite the criticism, there is also praise in Ichigo's words, and Orihime evidently blushed because of it. 

"Now that I think about it, Orihime was a bit overkill. It's like destroying the whole neighborhood," Tatsuki added.

Well, that explains why Ichigo felt a lot of fluctuating spiritual energies yesterday, the whole Seireitei probably felt it too. It seems Chad and Orihime did their 'ultimate attack', making them unsafe to be involved in a fight tomorrow. Uryuu and Tatsuki are mostly okay, physically. She just hopes tomorrow there were not a lot of fights involved.

"Does any of these lieutenants use Kidō? Chanting spells and fires beam at you?"

"A bit, though he mostly attacks us with his sword," Chad supplied.

Meaning the lieutenant he fought with Uryuu prided his swordsmanship more. They win because Uryuu covers him as a ranged attacker.

"Mine did that a lot, I think the reason why we got overwhelmed was that we got the smart one," Tatsuki is disgruntled and crosses her arm.

If Ichigo cannot control her expression, she would have thrown her childhood friend quizzically. Tatsuki did you hear yourself? The man you fought might be several hundred years older than you. Smart one? More like more experienced.

"But didn't he say something about not liking his Zanpakutou form? Because the shape is to 'reap life itself' he said, but he’s a Soul Reaper and trying to kill us, how was that not an attempt of reaping life?"

It seems Orihime remembered Lieutenant Hisagi's monologue.

By the way, another thing people do when the fight starts to hit close to home; Monologuing.

"Because he got issues Orihime, let him be," Ichigo took a sip of her water again. Instead of just Uryuu, she now gives all of her friends a calculative gaze, "You guys look tense, what's wrong?" 

"Tense? We're not tense," Tatsuki answered, looking confused, "Ichigo, what's wrong with you? Why are you being weird?"

To their surprise, Ichigo snorted out loud. The noise is nearly hog-like.

"That's right, I am weird," Her gaze shifted slowly to Uryuu. Once she met his eyes, it is particularly a dead gaze, "But nothing is wrong with me."

The Soul Society's natives did not join in the Karakura Gang's conversation because of their lack of familiarity with them. No one knows where Yoruichi disappeared, Hanatarou is busy changing Renji's bandages, and Ganju is a bit aimless at the moment. The latter sat not too far away from the Renji.

"You're from the Shiba clan are you?" Renji decided to indulge when Hanatarou had finally done.

Ganju is surprised that the injured Soul Reaper decides to start a conversation with him.

"I am."

"Any relation to Kaien Shiba?"

"... He was my older brother."

They were silent for quite a while, hearing the human teenagers laugh (that sounded nervous for some unknown reason) winning over them.

Both of them faintly heard Ichigo finally gets to the part where she was fighting Renji; the said man in the tale faintly hears Ichigo say 'he was like, remember me? It was so dumb!' and wisely ignores the rest of the chatters.

"I heard Lieutenant Shiba was an idol among his men. I'm sorry for your loss."

When the Kuchiki Clan let her graduate early, it was hard for her to fit into the Thirteenth Division because of the blatant nepotism. Of course, Rukia did not mean it and it is not like she can do anything about it either. Renji suspected it was not about nepotism because logically, it does not put the Kuchiki Clan in a good light as Rukia, despite being adopted, is still not an actual Kuchiki by blood.

Do they want Rukia to graduate early since it looked bad for them for a family member not to graduate normally? Because she was not in the advanced class like him, Kira, and Hinamori? That she might have to repeat classes?

Kaien Shiba was Rukia's mentor, he personally took her under his wing and helped her at achieving her Shikai. Ever since then she had never been happier. That one time Renji saw Rukia from afar, looking happy in her workplace, he thought maybe he can be a bit at ease, knowing that she was okay.

Only to be replaced with misery in the next summer with the news of Lieutenant Shiba’s death.

"I came here...because I wanted to know why he loved being a Soul Reaper, even though he was killed by one," Ganju did a dental click.

Renji breathed in, barring himself from lashing at Ganju. Sure his brother's death is unfair but that was not the point. As stated in the law, it is forbidden for a Soul Reaper to acquire or attempt to gain Hollow-like powers. When Rukia killed Lieutenant Shiba, it was unclear whether it was out of sense of duty or, as the rumor mill said, that it was an accident.

The Gotei 13 cannot directly meddle with the affairs of the Five Great Noble Families, they only provide an investigation. The Kuchiki Clan and the Shiba Clan agreed to settle it peacefully; the fuse died down very quickly. 

The incident was also classified information, the Thirteenth Division was not allowed to share the details with others.

Then not long after, the Shiba clan lost its status as the Great Noble. Central 46's decision to dismiss the Shiba Clan was also not in the know and nobody dares to question it. Weirdly enough, the Shiba Clan did not put on a fight against the decision. People just assume the clan must have done some great mistake, burying the assumption of Hollow involvement.

Renji can see the connection but since he is not allowed to dig the additional info, resulting him unable to see the actual justice behind it.

"The one who killed Lieutenant Shiba...did they give you their name?"

"I'm not allowed to know. I only remember her cold eyes when she brings my brother's body to the clan compound."

Intertwined into noble politics are sucks. Renji is amazed that Rukia survives it till now.

“And then his blood rained down on my face! It was a bitch to wash!” Ichigo exclaimed.

Renji really wanted to kill this one human.

"The Ryoka kidnapped Abarai-kun?!" Momo Hinamori, lieutenant of the Fifth Division, gasped in horror.

"If I get there a little bit earlier, I could have assisted him in the battle..." Kira said regretfully. The look of emptiness when the Ryoka turns at him, her face washed in the blood, not sure if it is her or Renji's. The lieutenant of the third division almost shivers to remember it.

"Do you see the faces of the criminal?"

"It wasn't that clear, her face was covered in blood. Her hair is very distinct, almost like the shade of a...carrot," Kira was not trying to be funny but he cannot help it, it was the first thing that came up to his mind when seeing the Ryoka's hair.

An amused chuckle resounds in the pair of lieutenants' ears. It is the captain of the Third Division, Gin Ichimaru.

"Carrot huh? Izuru, ya' sure don't describe someone like that every day."

"I- I don't mean it that way," Kira instantly became sheepish.

"Now, now, it's fine. It's good to indulge in humor in this time of crisis. Speaking of crisis there's a lot of things we need to do," Gin prepared himself to saunter away.

"Wait! What about Lieutenant Abarai, shouldn't we search for him?" Hinamori interjected.

"No need," Said Byakuya Kuchiki, the captain of the Sixth Division, Renji's superior, "He was fighting alone, there's no reason that he should have lost."

"Sheesh, Captain Kuchiki no need to be so harsh to your subordinate, even though he's not here," Gin tries to reason with his fellow captain.

"Former subordinate."

And Byakuya went on his way to the captain's meeting.

Kira sees Hinamori is going to shout at Byakuya, he stops her by firmly placing his hand on her shoulder, silently telling her not to pursue it. The situation is already beyond their control, no need to add more fuel to the fire. With a heavy heart, he leaves Hinamori, trailing behind Gin.

"Hinamori." 

"Yikes! What is with captains always appearing without making a sound?! Oh, it's you Shiro-chan." Hinamori recognized her childhood friend.

"Don't call me that! I'm a captain now!" Toshirou Hitsugaya was recently made captain of the Tenth Division. The youngest Soul Reaper in history for achieving such a feat, "I'm here to give you some advice, watch out for the Third Division."

"What do you mean? Is something wrong with Kira-kun?"

"I'm talking about Ichimaru, lookout out for Kira as well..."

There has been mistrust among the captains. The timing could not have been more perfect.

The Gotei 13 may soon begin an all-out war.

Ichigo did not sleep right away, instead, she is busy cutting those dead flies with her Swiss Army knife. Urahara forbids the gang to bring a backpack to avoid 'contaminating' Soul Society since most of the human stuff is an unknown concept in said dimension; aside from avoiding leaving evidence, it is also so the resident of Soul Society would not get any foreign ideas about humanity. It was not until they reach Kuukaku that they were given some survival necessities. Even so, Ichigo has a lot of baggage from the start as those are easily hidden in her baggy clothes; if Uryuu prioritized his costume change, Ichigo brought a multi-tool pocketknife; Orihime brought her weird snacks, Ichigo brought fruit loops. Not to mention, the 'magical' item she bought; the assorted gemstones fresh from the Earth especially, which is her ammunition.

"Ichigo what are you doing?" Yoruichi sees the butchered insects.

"What is looks like? Butchering insects. These flies are organic apparently. I thought they were some kind of robot since they were tactically watching me fighting. Someone manages to control these insects from afar despite being a living things. It does seem to be genetically engineered."

Yoruichi stilled. How did she get her hands on Aizen's camera flies?

"Ah, but you already know about that aren't you, Yoruichi-san?"

Of course, Yoruichi knew. It was created by the Twelfth Division to aid surveillance measures, recon, and spying. The flies are bred the same way as Hell Butterflies do.

"Ichigo listens to me, the reason I didn't say anything is that I need you to focus on saving Rukia."

"I am focused and good at multitasking. Don't underestimate me."

Chaldea changes her so much that Ichigo's mind is not crucially single-minded anymore. The running joke was 'fixing the world while doing taxes.

"No! Please, I'm begging you, don't add this to your worries... Kisuke and I dragging you into this place are already asking too much, you and your friends..."

When a cat can sound so desperate...

Ichigo stares at Yoruichi, then lifts her right arm where she never took off that long fingerless gloves. Undid it to reveal an intricate golden seal, Welsh alphabet, and Celtic runes circling the lines, segregated in between by what looks like to be an image of a sword.

Merlin specifically drew it after Caliburn. This is a key to opening Rukia's state of being, with that Yuki can return safely to her master.

"No? I guess we don't get anything to say since none of us has been honest with each other. You see this seal Youruichi-san, this is the reason why I'm saving Rukia, I took a part of her and I have to give it back. This is the proof of my promise to her and don't you dare to say that I'm not focused on saving her," Ichigo practically spats her words at the cat, "If this mission has a hidden layer behind it, I need to know."

Yoruichi gapes at the display of the seal. Never in her lifetime she ever seen anything like it. Just what kind of people did Ichigo know to be able to craft such a seal for her? 

"Ichigo...what is that?"

"Rukia's Zanpakutou."

"WHAT?"

Oh, shit. Yoruichi brings her paw to his mouth. Some of the sleeping figures groaned and stirred but not enough to make them awake.

"What do you mean that's Rukia's Zanpakutou?!"

"It's the spirit, she cried when she can't come back to her master. There's a wall between her and Rukia."

"Wall?" 

"The Great Wall of China."

Ichigo nearly cackled when Yoruichi growled, not that it is a funny growl. It is the fact that the growl is identical to a normal cat.

The 'wall' between Yuki and Rukia is almost sentient as if it refuses any entities to replace its seat inside the host. If Yuki and that wall are at the same level of power, there would have been a destructive battle between them in Rukia's soulscape. Another thing that supports even more of that semi-sentient's success was the fake body that Rukia uses. Merlin was unsure what it was made of since unlike a natural human body that was started as a simple clump of blood, 'foreign substances' were used in its creation.

The main reason why Mash can become a demi-servant was because of 'foreign substances' too, but unlike Rukia's fake body that was created by Urahara, Mash’s body is still human as a base. This is why during each journey of the Singularity her body was gradually deteriorating; human flesh is fragile, this is a fact.

"Orihime once spoke to me, this world is Rukia's home, if we did rescue her, we're taking her away from her friends and family, then I replied that's fine as long as she's alive, she can always have a chance to meet them again," Ichigo lightly scoffed, and wears back her glove, "What came from the mouth is easy. If there's something else aside from the execution then I want to know if that will hinder this mission or not."

"If you really want to know... How long do you plan to sleep tonight?" Yoruichi hung her head low. There's she said mission again...

"Five hours. I can press it to three."

"Five's enough. Come with me on a patrol tomorrow morning." 

Ichigo sees Yoruichi disappear when she turned into a corner. That cat definitely knew the sewer route. As expected from a assassin of Soul Society.

Ichigo goes to Renji and leans down on his ear, "Do you hear that? We have patrol in five hours."

Renji shivered instinctively. She knew that I was eavesdropping?!

"Yes."

Fuck!

"Exactly."

By the time of the stakeout, the sun is barely up and Ichigo informed Yoruichi that they are bringing Renji along.

The cat openly fought facepalm, irritation as a whole; sighing in defeat.

God why is this girl is good at complicating stuff?

She gave them a black cape that was able to hide their Reiatsu, one of the many inventions that Urahara left behind.

"Alright, Crimson, why did you want to join us?"

"... I wanted to know who the real enemy is. For Rukia's sake, I will do anything to have her back."

Ichigo almost smirked. Easy there, lover boy.

Yoruichi hummed thoughtfully, "Here's some advice for you. Forget everything you know about your colleagues." 

Renji is dumbfounded. What does that mean?

"When we were fighting someone is watching us with camera flies. When I said flies, it really is those bugs that are fond of garbage. Anyway, here are a lot of them in the air. While it sounds unassuming, I wondered myself; why would there be flies around us? There wasn't even trash near us. In conclusion, unless the Gotei has such surveillance technologies…" Ichigo helpfully supplied.

"I never heard about a fly being a surveillance camera," Then again Renji never knew what the R&D department came up with. Ichigo's right though, what is the need for those camera flies watching their fight?

"Someone is spying on you two." Yoruichi stated firmly, "Let's go, we don't have much time."

Renji is getting more confusion because the way they are going is to the Fifth Division.

When they finally get there, Yoruichi instructed them to hide in a tree that overlooked the barrack. He never sees the barrack from this view. It felt as if the cat knew how to pick a spot for spying on people.

They stay there long enough for the sun getting high until they see Lieutenant Hinamori running fast as she seemingly late for today's schedule.

Strange…

Renji thought that it is so unlike her to be late.

"Follow that girl."

Yoruichi already leaped away when Renji was going to ask why.

What Renji sees at the same time as Hinamori's anguish scream is unbelievable.

The body of Captain Sousuke Aizen was stabbed high on a wall, blood flowing down, painting the building.

"What? What is the meaning of this?" Renji choked on his breath.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo is clueless about what is going on.

"Don't you see the body on the wall?!" Renji stressed.

"Body? There's nothing on the wall. Ah, but there's a sword," Ichigo squinted her eyes, "Why would someone nail their sword up there?"

Renji looked at Ichigo like she was crazy.

It is madness, Hinamori pulled her sword toward Captain Ichimaru who just arrived, and Kira intercepts her. They are having a shouting match that Renji could not quite hear since it is quite far from his position.

Then they released their Shikai!

Holy shit! What the fuck is going on?!

"I too see the body of Sousuke Aizen there," Yoruichi said. Indifferent to the sight in front of her, "The reason why Ichigo didn't see anything was that she never saw the Shikai of Kyouka Suigetsu. Renji, tell me what did Aizen tell the Gotei about his Zanpakutou?" 

"That Kyouka Suigetsu is a water type Zanpakutou. It can confuse enemies by using the reflections of mist, causing them to fight among themselves, Captain Aizen said so," Renji winced when he hears a blast sent by Hinamori's Zanpakutou.

The fight ends when Captain Hitsugaya appears, preventing the situation to get even more escalated.

"That's not Kyouka Suigetsu's ability. Its real ability is hypnosis. He showed it very willingly in front of all of you." Like what he did a long time ago... "The flies were from the Twelfth Division since Aizen is a captain it was easy for him to get it" ... And duplicate it. Aizen is quite of a scientist too.

"But why would Captain Aizen do this?! To Hinamori especially!” Renji flared his emotion, “He was the reason why she joins the Fifth Division! This is a bunch of bullshit-“

He then suddenly remembered the cat’s words to him.

Forget everything you know of your colleague.

No, this had to be a lie, it has to be!

Yoruichi is going to snap at Renji, only for Ichigo to beat him into it. Except the girl's expression is serene and holds no emotion.

"That was his intention, Renji. This was all his plan," Ichigo cannot help but lament, "Causing them to fight among themselves may not be Zanpakutou ability but it's sure is one of his skill."

Rukia's execution, camera flies, and today's incident. All of it is a part of this Aizen's guy plot.

Ichigo felt like a certain detective, smoking out of his tobacco with, whispered beside her right now. 

Living is a means to encounter mysteries that are beyond our wildest imagination. Now, shall we investigate?

She bemusedly smirked as she crossed her arms and leaned on the tree-wide bark she was perching at. Whatever you say, Sherlock Holmes, whatever you say.

Chapter Text

Ichigo did not realize when Hanatarou collects her empty dishes, arms put together down her chin, too deep in her thought.

She cannot bring Chad and Orihime, that is obvious. Uryuu and Tatsuki are only physically alright. Chad's broken arm, Orihime's low spiritual energy, and Uryuu's Quincy's power in slumber. Leaving only Tatsuki who is healthy enough to press on. Yet one day of rest is not enough for her total recovery.

How did Ichigo know? Before her friends told her their crafted stories of their battle, she hugged them when reunited and analyzed their being. Emiya taught her Structural Grasp Magecraft, usually, it only works on objects. However, with Hohenheim's help, they manage to develop it for medical purposes (much to Nightingale's joy), to save time in an examination.

Her friends did not tell their stories chronologically, because it is supposed to be friendly chatter, so Ichigo did not pry. The fight with Testsuzaemon Iba left Chad with a broken arm, Uryuu cannot heal him so he provides him with a sling arm. The fight with Shuuhei Hisagi, Tatsuki, and Orihime did not win. They are in separate places.

So where is the event where Uryuu loses his power?

With the knowledge of Sherlock's bestow to Ichigo, here is the possible chronological story: After the fight with Tetsuzaemon Iba, Chad and Uryuu fight someone else next, the first cannot fight because of his injury, and the outcome; Uryuu had to sacrifice his power so they can win. Next, Tatsuki was hurt, badly. Orihime destroys the building to bury Shuuhei Hisagi (might be even out of rage), then heals Tatsuki. At some point the two groups met each other, Chad asked Orihime to heal Uryuu that is more injured than him. It was a success.

Chad is supposed to be next for Orihime to heal, but she just healed two-person with extreme injuries in a short time, so she cannot do it. No matter how great her healing capabilities are her spiritual energy is not as much as everyone else. A healer is a godsend, but they are people too in a group of brawn.

Is it because Ichigo used that wayfinding spell on those leaves? Making her friends encounter dangerous enemies on the way. Ah, but they are a bunch of stubborn teenagers, despite Yoruichi's warning not to fight any captain or lieutenant, they evidently ignore it.

Speaking of which, what kind of injury did Tatsuki get when fighting that scythe-wielding lieutenant?

Wait a minute, a scythe...

Ichigo glanced at Tatsuki's legs. Could it be...

... Did her leg got cut off?

"The cat is right, you know. You should focus on Rukia, regardless of...what Captain Aizen's planning in the background."

Renji's voice entered Ichigo's ears.

"Fine, I'll knock it down to a notch about this Aizen guy." 

"I wanted to ask, how long exactly you people trained for this invasion? Excliding the Shiba kid, of course."

Shiba kid?

Huh, what do you know? Renji's older than Ganju.

Damn, they really do age like elves.

"Hmm, approximately ten days."

With Ichigo as the only one who read Art of War by Sun Tzu because of the bullshit that Marisbury Animusphere created. 

"Ten-? Wait a minute, how old are you, people?" Renji flabbergasted.

"Three of us are sixteen, two of us are fifteen," Not for Ichigo, she is technically sixteen again.

Renji is lost for words.

"... How are you made it this far exactly?"

"Sheer fucking will," Ichigo clapped her hand to get everyone's attention, "Today we're going to get Rukia from the Senzaikyuu. I already decided; Chad, Ishida, Orihime, you are not coming."

She got a wide range of expressions, from helplessness to shock, and anger. Chad and Uryuu are resigned to their fate, Orihime is timid in her denial, and Tatsuki yanks Ichigo by the collar.

"What is that supposed to mean, we're here together to save Rukia aren't we?!" Tatsuki shouted.

Ichigo swatted Tatsuki's hand and nudged her in the leg with her sword sheath and the karate practitioners visibly shivered. Fortunately, her face did not shroud in fear. 

"Bringing you it's a gamble itself, Tatsuki. I'm not bringing Chad, Ishida, or Orihime because after all, when this is over I want to bring them back alive. Keep recalcitrating me and I'll change my mind."

"But-"

"ARISAWA!" Uryuu shouted. Stopping Tatsuki's insistence.

So, Ishida is the one who asks them to lie for his sake. Ichigo wished they were just honest with her. Deep down, she hoped they did not turn into... Well, her.

The reason why she asked the Heroic Spirits to teach her was so she can stop hiding her weakness, that it is fine to be powerless sometimes. She had to be reminded that it was not her purpose to be the one who spills blood in battles.

Unlike this time, her Servants are mostly the ones who fight while she is supporting them from the background. Since she was not used to it, she often stubbornly wanted to fight everything by herself.

Suffice it to say, she was a brat.

Ichigo still remembers when Mordred hit her out of annoyance.

"You really can't let people do their job, do you? Listen you piece of shit, stop being a child and let us, Heroic Spirits, do what we're supposed to do! You're useless if you're dead! And when you're dead, humanity's hope is gone! Do you want to be responsible for that?! Stop me again from protecting you then I kill you myself!"

"Maybe I should've said this from the start... It's still too early for all of you to be able to lie straight to my face," Ichigo is satisfied when her friends went frozen, "Ishida, I don't care if this is about your pride for being what you are. What do you think I will do? Mock you? Cut the crap, we’re not a gaggle of five-years olds."

Uryuu wisely kept silent.

Renji and Ganju are looking at the group of humans with visible confusion as they do not understand what the issue is.

And as Ichigo concluded; they don’t need to know.

"Right, that settles it. Those who can't join, get some more rest. However, a sewer it's not a good place for recovering."

Too bad Ichigo cannot think of a place in Seireitei that is safe enough for a good rest and Soul Society's equivalent of the black ops might find them sooner or later.

"I know a place, leave them to me," Yoruichi said.

Ichigo turns to Renji, "You're good to go?"

Renji scoffed, "Obviously." 

"I suppose with our numbers, we need to come up with a plan..."

Ichigo, Tatsuki, Renji, Ganju, and Hanatarou are running toward the Senzaikyuu. Everything seemed to be going smoothly.

Why would not it be? They just need to run toward that big giant white tower.

No problemo.

Except for that immense spiritual pressure looming over them that felt like someone held a sword against their neck constantly.

"This is...- Shit! Ichigo, it's Captain Zaraki Kenpachi's spiritual pressure!" Renji warned.

Kenpachi Zaraki? That is the name of Ikkaku's captain-- In the next second, she felt it.

A sWoRd ruN thrOuGh hEr bOdY liKe shE Was noThiNG bUt a PiEce oF luMpY fLeSh.

Ichigo gasped and looked down to check her abdomen. She found no sword currently lodging within her.

It has been a while since she senses such killing intent. Some of the Servants were keen on projecting it to Ichigo for her to experience when training her to see her reaction to it; Kojirou slicing my neck, Mordred stabbing my stomach, and Scáthach piercing my chest...

Ichigo put her hand on her heart as sweat trickled from her forehead. This one wanted to eat her alive.

She saw Tatsuki, Ganju, and Hanatarou starting to have difficulty in breathing.

"Slight change of plan, all of you keep moving!" Ichigo commanded.

"Are you insane! That guy is a monster!" Renji looked as if Ichigo went mental. Is she seriously wanted to fight Captain Zaraki?!

"Then you know, he's not hesitant to kill us all! You'll take it from here, Renji. I'll catch up later."

As Renji leads the group away, Ichigo immediately unsheaths her sword and releases her Shikai, turning and beholding it firmly toward a tall figure of a man resembling a punk. His hair is in literal spike with bells at the ends of it. Never thought the sounds of a bell could be so eerie. He wore an eyepatch on his right eye, it connected to his neck like a choker.

A limiter? That has to be a limiter.

"Hmm, can't remember the last time I've fought a woman," The man grinned maniacally, "Doesn't matter, my name is Kenpachi Zaraki, captain of the Eleventh Division, I've come to kill you Ryoka!"

Madness, his spiritual pressure is filled with madness. A rampaging beast that wanted to pLaY. 

It's a goddamn fucking Berserker! What kind of military is this? Keeping a rampaging Berseker as a captain!

Ichigo sees a cloud of shadow flashing over her. At first, she that it was a prank when a little child with pink hair, laughing at the same melodies of Kenpachi's bells, used her shoulder as a stepping stone. The little kid bears the same wavelength of spiritual signature much like Kenpachi and she let it wash over her. 

She isn't like Jack...?

The tiny assassin of London, a cumulated existence of vengeful unborn children's souls. The pink-haired girl is not vengeful nor is a cumulated existence of anything, but she is ThirSty for playing.

The kid IS Kenpachi!

She's his--! But why is she outside in an open reality?! No way, a projected existence?!

"Hey, pay attention!"

Ichigo crossed her blade with Kenpachi's serrated one. To fight off Kenpachi's Reaitsu she has to release hers too at the same amount. Kenpachi laughed as he sees Ichigo is able to fend him to a standstill.

"So you're a monster too! That's good! Because I'm here to fight you to the death!"

Ichigo pushed his blade away to get some distance from him, "Fight me to the death? Not much cared to avenge your men are you?"

Kenpachi is cleaning his ear with his pinky, "Bah! I'm here for my enjoyment, Ikkaku told me you're strong, so I have to check it out. Enough talk, let's fight!" 

Kenpachi Zaraki lacks techniques in his attacks. Sure. But he is still a Berserker. Mindless attacks, unless they are in an absolute frenzy, can cover methodical fighting. He is not exactly a sane Berserker, sort of fifty-fifty. His attacks may be rambunctious, but his passion for seeking a good fight made him pay attention to what his opponents do.

Ichigo is hesitant at increasing her Reiatsu as being watched by those cameras flies again. This Aizen person has taken an interest in her, spying on her even with his deceased status. Is faking his death part of the ploy to capture the intruders or it is part of the bigger plan? 

It is a bad idea, to think while fighting a Berserker.

Ichigo is pressed to the ground, blocking that dented screaming Zanpakutou of Kenpachi Zaraki.

"Good, very good! I love a good challenge!" Kenpachi declared, "I haven't had this fun for years!"

Ichigo gritted her teeth in annoyance. This is not how she going to imagine spending her day.

Yachiru Kusajishi, the Lieutenant of the Eleventh Division, watched the fight on top of a smooth cliff, humming cheerfully.

"Kenny seems to be very happy!"

"And Ichigo seems to be very ticked."

Yachiru turned to see a man wearing templar garments sitting beside her. She cannot see his face because of the helmet.

"Wah! Who are you, mister?" 

"Me?" Fray chuckled at her innocent, "The question is who are you?"

"Hey, that's not fair. I asked you first!" Yachiru pouted. 

"Not fair as unfair as someone sending bugs around them, what if it interrupts their fight?" The man pointed at seemingly empty space around the battleground.

Yachiru looked at where the man pointing. She squinted her eyes as best as she can and focused. He is right. There are bugs around Kenny and Ichi!

"Wow, you're right! We should kill those bad bugs!" Yachiru did a little jump on her feet.

"I'm afraid I have to rely on you for this. You see unlike you, I'm immaterial. Though... I'm sure you know why you can see me."

"Eh, is that so? Then, I tell you my name and you tell me my name, it'll be our secret!" Yavhiru took out her pinky.

The man linked his pinky with Yachirus's pinky, "My name is Fray."

"And I'm Yachiru!"

Kenpachi throws Ichigo back with the swing of his swords. Ichigo rolled her body to the ground to ease the force as she got up by crouching while keep skidding backward. They are going to clash again only to be held back when Kenpachi's lieutenant lands in the middle between them, pulling her Zanpakutou out and seemingly cutting the open spaces around them.

The slashes Yachiru did was a confirmation for Ichigo that the tiny lieutenant is no regular lieutenant either as each slash gave out sonic waves.

"Yachiru, what are you doing?" Kenpachi gruffly asked.

"Oh, Kenny I hope you don't mind for this one. I was getting rid of some bugs for you and Ichi!" Yachiru beamed.

"Bugs?"

Ichigo saw the falling camera fly at the edge of her vision. She felt a tap on her shoulder. I see, I appreciate the help, Fray. With those bugs being found out, the perpetrator will be a bit hesitant to deploy another batch.

At least not for quite a time.

"Peh, bugs. I don't see any bugs. Get out of here Yachiru."

"Okey-dokey!"

And with that Yachiru's away.

"I have to thank your lieutenant, those bugs are indeed meddlesome," Ichigo bowed briefly at Kenpachi.

"Whatever, let's just continue."

"Yes, let's."

Kenpachi looked down and sees a long streak of a wound on your chest. He grinned. Finally. FINALLY!

"Finally... You dare to strike!" His yellow Reiatsu rose through the air, "No wonder Ikkaku lose to someone like you! The power you have it's very impressive!"

"I told you, those flies are meddlesome. With those gone, I can fight you seriously now," Ichigo steadily controls the rise of her Reiatsu, "You're quite a judge character too. The fact you decided to wield your sword even though this is the first time we face each other... You... don't just do that to everyone. Isn't it?"

"That's right! We monsters get to choose how are we going to decide the course of battle we want!"

Renji was starting to get annoyed because none of these people are fast enough to get to the Senzaikyuu, which is why he now carried Ganju on his shoulder and the Tatsuki carried Hanatarou on her back. The human girl could not do Hohou, but she can boost her speed with her power while leaving a trail (that disappears, thankfully) of fire behind.

He then sensed the rise of Captain Zaraki's Reiatsu. What the... What exactly is Ichigo getting into? To be able to make Captain Zaraki this compassionate in battle. She better be not dead at the end of this, after all, she also promised that she will catch up.

"Do you think Ichigo-san will be alright?" Hanatarou looked back to see a pillar of yellow Reiatsu in the distance, "That's Captain Zaraki she's fighting."

"No time to worry about her. We can only hope that she is!" Renji answered.

After beating the Soul Reapers that are guarding the cell gate, Hanatarou; while notably a meek child; is sleazy enough to steal the backup key for the gate.

Renji has to watch out for Ganju's reaction when seeing Rukia. The Shiba clan member must be very young when Rukia brought back Kaien to the clan compound. His family might be preventing him to know that Rukia was a member of the Kuchiki Clan so the Ganju would not have a grudge toward said clan.

Rukia was wondering about the two clashing Reiatsu outside when Hanatarou opens the gate of her cell. She was dumbfounded when there is a group of people who is not the prison guard who is barging in. 

"Rukia-san!"

"Rukia!"

"Ah, who? Hanatarou? Renji and Arisawa?" Rukia blinked in confusion, "What are you doing here?"

As Renji expected, Ganju reacts horribly when seeing Rukia. Renji has to stop him from lashing out at her.

"Stop it!" Renji held back Ganju by the back of his collar.

"Let me go! That's the Soul Reaper that killed my brother!"

Rukia widened her eyes when she finally recognized the symbol on Ganju's pants. The symbol of the Shiba Clan; The Collapsing Whirlpool of the Crashing Heaven.

"You're the boy at that time... You're Kaien-dono's younger brother..."

Alright. That's it!

Renji decked Rukia and Ganju in the head. The two were decked so hard that they literally hit the floor after.

He took a deep breath, "First of all, hey you Shiba kid. Do you know the whole incident of why Kaien Shiba died and Rukia had to bring his body home to his family?! When the day she killed him Kaien Shiba was actually possessed by Hollow!"

"Renji, stop! How do you even know about that? No one is supposed to know it outside the-"

"Your family, this brat's family, and the Thirteenth Division's captain. You're not the only criminal here, Rukia! I have sharp ears!" Actually, Renji simply put together the rumor mills spoken by the Thirteenth Division's members. As Rangiku-san said, gossip is useful too. "We don't have a lot of time here! Ichigo is fighting Captain Zaraki and soon other captains are going to be here too."

Worst. Byakuya is going to be there too.

"But you said you killed him that day!" Ganju shouted, "He was cut in the neck and stabbed in the chest! Don't give me the crap that he was possessed by a Hollow!"

Renji then slapped both Rukia and Ganju on the head.

"Why did you hit me too?!" Rukia snarled at her childhood friend.

"Because people never talk and create a millennia-old misunderstanding! Especially your and his family!" Renji snarled back, "Listen, kid. I know her since we were young but if you think Rukia Kuchiki is going to kill someone without reason then I can assure you that all Soul Reapers are trash!"

"Renji!" Rukia flabbergasted.

Renji ignored her, "That's right! I swear on it and I bet your brother knows that too! You nobles are so complicated, can you folks just say the truth to each other for once?! I mean why never tell this brat was possessed by a Hollow? The law I tell you, it's fucking stupid! It's not like Lieutenant Shiba is trying to gain a Hollow power or something, I bet it was the Hollow that killed his wife and her team too!"

"SHUT UP!" Rukia had enough and kicked Renji in the shin, "Lieutenant Kaien Shiba was possessed by a Hollow, he was not in control of his body when I stabbed him. See, I did kill him! I'm not an innocent person! Happy?!"

"Good thing you still have to spirit to kick me, short stack!" 

Tatsuki and Hanatarou have no idea what to do as the two arguing Soul Reapers kept throwing curses at each other. Ganju, however, was lost in thought.

"... You said your surname is a Kuchiki... Right?"

"Uh, yes," Rukia numbly nodded. Technically, Renji is the one who said it.

"... Let's get you out of here. We're wasting time."

Everyone was confused to see Ganju'c change of demeanor. Renji was going to ask for more clarification before felt that familiar Reiatsu.

It is his captain. Byakuya Kuchiki.

Being garroted by serrated blade stings. Choose how are we going to decide the course of battle we want, he says. Ichigo gritted her teeth. She gripped hard of her sword and block every attack delivered by Kenpachi. Their blade crossed, pushing her blade as strong as she can to push him back.

Kenpachi embedded his Zanpakutou in one of the walls between him to brake the push.

It does not hurt, not really. Maybe it hurts so much that Ichigo's brain is shutting down the pain. 

"It's starting to get interesting! isn't? We should drag this out as long as we can!" Kenpachi declared.

Ichigo narrowly dodged the point of his sword, nicking just below her right eye, "You're a crazy bastard! Do you like fighting so much that you're not afraid of dying?"

"I'm crazy? You're so strong why don't you like to fight?" Kenpachi laughed as he looked up at the sky, "An equal match! Not even by a little. You're definitely stronger!"

Kenpachi's hand which is not holding a Zanpakutou moved up to his eyepatch, "A WORTHY OPPONENT! I GO ALL OUT ON YOU!"

Ichigo watched and reflectively blocked her ears with both of her hands. His Reiatsu...!

"HEY, PAY ATTENTION! IF NOT YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!"

She can see him swinging his sword diagonally at her and for some reason, she stretches her hand forward at the deathly sonic wave sent by it as if trying to block it.

Steady now, ... 

Ichigo woke up with a gasp on the grass of the nostalgic city in her soulscape. She turned to her right and left before getting up on her feet. From the distance, she saw a male wearing a white mask of Hollow with a long pair of horns, black stripes, and teeth of Hollow. Each time he breathed through the mask, an air puffed out from the interstice of the teeth. Dressing in a black cloak that is a reminiscence of the Soul Reaper uniform and barefoot. He has long hair and it is her hair color. 

"You... You're here."

"Yes." His voice came out low.

He took off his mask. If Ichigo had an identical twin brother, this would be his face. However, he does possess some features that are unlike a human. His eyes are yellow with black sclera, instead of intimidating; those are the saddest-looking streaked pair of eyes.

Which makes Ichigo wonder when was the last time she was that sad.

"Of all times that my conviction has to be tested," She gave out a resigned sigh, "I was the student of warriors who enjoy fighting, some of them even sought enjoyment in bloodshed. But I can't, I simply couldn't. No matter how monstrous I turned out to be in the end."

"True. But you're not exactly a pacifist either."

Ichigo glared at him.

A clink of approaching boots resounded in the quiet spatial scape.

"Now, now, let's not fight needlessly," Fray settle down the tension, "Zangetsu, how nice of you to appear, or should I say, how bold of you to be able to maintain your position here. Well, I suppose there's nothing you can do when you're an envoy." Ichigo's other self then dutifully stands beside her, cockily putting his hand on his hip, "For an old spell you're very stubborn." 

Ichigo walked closer toward the man now dubbed Zangetsu, "He's right though. I'm not exactly a pacifist. It's not my fault that I am what I am. A King...and you Zangetsu, are the horse. This what you said to me a long, long, long time ago."

Instinct?

Ichigo scoffed, "But now... I know we're better than that. That's why we're going to play a game with Kenpachi. A tag."

Steady. Now.

Kenpachi suddenly saw Ichigo in front of him, a sword in her hand, blocking his blade from killing her.

What was that? Is he seeing things?

"You're wondering what was going on, didn't you? It's called a paradox," Ichigo stooped blocking Kenpachi's sword, and stepped to the side. The serrated blade unceremoniously falls to the ground while still being held, creating a creeping crater to her side. She twirled her sword and rested it on her shoulder, "You're right, I don't like fighting. I only like it in a normal amount. That said, you speaking that I'm a monster and an equal. I have the right as much as you for deciding the course of battle we want."

Ichigo jumped and use Kenpachi's shoulder as a stepping stone to reach as high as the other end of the other wall. The one side Yachiru was not on.

She set her forefinger in front of her mouth and smirked, "Your fun is not my fun. But that doesn't mean we can't stop fighting. I have an offer. Shall we up the battleground? It's kinda dull fighting in such a boring landscape, don't you think?"

Kenpachi grins in anticipation.

Byakuya saw Renji walks out of the cell, behind him is one of the Ryoka, a Soul Reaper from the Fourth Division, and a man bearing the Shiba Clan symbol, shielding Rukia from him. 

"Move Renji."

Renji shakes his head, With all due respect, sir. I can't do that."

"Very well, there will be no mercy for you," Byakuya unsheaths his sword.

Byakuya was going to say his Shikai command only to be interrupted by those approaching two tremendous spiritual pressures.

They are coming closer and closer...

It is Zaraki and...!

"Impossible." He muttered. 

"Shit, we're really doing this, aren't we? Everyone, hold on to each other!" With Renji's warning, they gathered around Rukia to create a barrier around her.

They heard a crash of buildings falling over, Kenpachi's crazed shouts, a child laughing, and Ichigo's loud yelp of 'OW' and endless profanities. 

"This wasn't on the plan, I'm supposed to blow the bridge with bombs!" Ganju shouted.

"With Ichigo bringing a literal bomb toward us? Save it for later!"

Ichigo appeared first by flying in the air, followed by Kenpachi and that pink-haired child on his shoulder. They are creating a shadow that looms over Byakuya, eyes wide in disbelief seeing the scene before him.

"Hello there!" Ichigo salutes the captain of the Sixth Division. While at the same time blocking Kenpachi's sword, misdirecting the crazed man's energy slash to the narrow piece of structure that is called a bridge that is connecting the mainland and the Senzaikyuu.

"Byakkun, you're here too! Ichi is right, this is going to be fun!" Yachiru cheered.

The wooden bridge that connected the Senzaikyuu cannot hold the energy of Kenpachi's sword, it shatters and all the people on it are free falling.

"We're going to what?!" Renji cannot believe Ichigo's plan. It does not sound like a plan at all. It sounded like plain atrocities.

"Destroy the bridge' It's the only thing that connected the Senzaikyuu. Let's make sure she's not going back in there. We're going to use an airborne path to get away."

"We're just going to fall!" Renji affronted.

"Not if someone catches us, I can provide a ride. There's one contraption Urahara made that can help us," Yoruichi said. "But if there's a distraction in the way, it needs to be settled fast."

"Not if we can use the distraction for ourselves!"

Ukitake arrived late at the Senzaikyuu. When he arrived there, the bridge that connected said prison is gone!

"What...happened here?"

Chapter Text

Good day everyone, this Haytham90 also known as Runessa90 is here to open a very special show that I'm not sure I will do annually. I mean I did this because I want to celebrate the birthday of Ichigo Kurosaki!

"Happy birthday to me yay," Ichigo walks onto the stage.

By the way, this is the original Ichigo guys, mine still napping in the waiting room. Anyway, is it not considered a spoiler if you're here?

"What do you mean?"

Nevermind. Also, please do not forget that Ichigo is not the only one who was born in July. There is Nanao Ise on July 7th, Tatsufusa Enjouji on July 8th; he is the eight-division third seat, Shunsui Kyouraku on July 11th, Tatsuki Arisawa on July 17th, and finally, Tesuzaemon Iba on July 18th. Happy Birthday to all of you! Give them huge applause!

(CLAPCLAPCLAPCLAP)

Now I'm going to announce today's host, aside from Ichigo here we have Fray Myste, also known as Derplander, the poster boy of Final Fantasy XIV, and Merlin Ambrosius of Fate Grand Order universe. To be honest, I don't have enough budget to ask Tite Kubo, Yoshi-P, and Kinoko Nasu, so I can only borrow their characters. Fray! Merlin! Please come in!

"Hello everyone, it's me Fray Myste. My role is to be this fanfic's Ichigo's sort of Zanpakutou spirit and Alter Ego. I shall be your host today!"

"Hi! It's me, Magi☆Mari! Please support me on Tw*tch Stream! My role in this fanfic is hopping into Ichigo's dream. I hope the writer gives me character development!"

Well, I do not know about that. You are here as a projection, not even a physical presence. Vivienne will curse me if I let you out of Avalon. Everyone, if you do not understand what I just said, it is okay, it is Fate lore, do not worry about it.

"Right, let's just start. First of all, a small question for the Writer-san; why there are two names, Haytham and Runessa?" Ichigo read his card.

Like FGO, there is a male and female choice of protagonist and we can just switch, it is basically like that. My FFXIV character is using the Runessa name, while this AO3 ID is using the Haytham name. The '90' is the intended birth year.

"So they are OC?"

Yes, they are.

"Okay, didn't take you to be a hermaphrodite," Ichigo flipped his card, "Now, let us see what is my counterpart doing in the waiting room. Gudako Ichigo, can you hear me?"

-Hi guys I just woke up and now I'm playing Fate/Grand Order on my phone-

"You must be tired from shooting all day, Writer-san is cruel. Good thing I have a small role," Merlin commented.

-Not everyone can be a protagonist Merlin. Why do you guys call me anyway?- 

"It's the celebration of our birthday Gudako Ichigo," Ichigo said.

-Oh... I forgot about it. Hold on, is this live? Oh cool! Have you tried the expanded Free Trial of our critically acclaimed MMORPG FFXIV? You can play through the entirety of A Realm Reborn and the award-winning Heavensward expansion up to level 60 for FREE with no restrictions on playtime!-

"Okay, I think that's enough," Fray tells the crew to cut it off. "Second, what's with the title of this series Writer-san?"

The first part of this series is 'This World is Ours to Live On', a preview before you get into the main story. It is kind of a spoiler but I think this one is alright, it heavily foreshadows reincarnation. However, with Fate/Grand Order not finished and Endwalker not being released yet it is not safe to continue that preview. The main series title is 'This is Why We Can't Love You' and is based on the joke 'this is why we can't have nice things. 

"Foreshadows reincarnation and foreshadows the destruction, nice." Fray nodded.

Also, someone will say that somewhere around the -Nope! That's a spoiler. Moving on people!

"I'll say, the fanfic has a lot of magecraft shown in it. By the way, I'm also Gudako Ichigo's magic teacher-" Merlin got cut off. The screen is on again revealing Gudako Ichigo.

-I learn from you with extreme prejudice!-

"What I'm saying is," Merlin shut off the screen, "Gudako Ichigo's ability in magecraft is immense, even though in the story she has a loose understanding of which one is magic or magecraft. She's shown to be able to do elemental magecraft, runecraft, and spell crafting; which was helped by me."

Ah, most of them are plot devices. I mean she has a lot of time in Chaldea to learn all of those.

"But Writer-san, if Grand Order technically never happened because Gudako Ichigo fixed the timeline, doesn't it feel sad that she can't meet all of her friends she made along the way anymore?"

Ichigo, if you think Gudako Ichigo is less sad than you are, don't worry, she is not. I just have not gotten to the angsty part yet. You know how people love to hide their sadness through positivity, hahaha!

"..."

"..."

"I'm perfectly happy the way I am," Ichigo said.

Are you though?

"..."

(CUT)

(Backstage Recording)

Ichigo sobbed on a sofa, curled inside a security blanket. Gudako Ichigo is beside him, wearing her bunny hoodie and headphone, playing FFXIV with her new PS5 console.

"Estinien is dead," She said soullessly.

: How can you let me die? You're much worse of a healer than Urianger!: Estinien shouted from the discord server.

"I’m a Red Mage, not a healer, get your facts straight. Maybe because you're a Dragoon, why don't you try Dancer?"

KONO HITO DE NASHI!

Here we are in the Land of Shadows, where the infamous warrior woman Scáthach dwells. There she stands on a rock, overlooking the stormy seas and lightning crackling non-stop. Luscious hair flapping in the wind. She sighs for the tenth time today, then turns toward the camera.

"What?"

Nothing. Uh, it is your student's birthday. Want to join the party?

"Which student?"

The living one.

"... Yes," Scáthach sniffed.

It is a hard time for those who have a dimension to rule.

I think this is enough decorations for the celebration, we might need more blue roses. Ara, Gin why are you doing here?

"Hmm, I'm exchanging Kurosaki-Kun in hosting, you know that I have experience in this." Gin sauntered in. He is wearing his Hueco Mundo costume.

Hmm, the Arrancar Encyclopedia segment, you like that costume, are you? Also, that is the old costume from the old anime, I do not have the budget to order a new one.

"I think it's nice and it's okay, the costume budget goes for Gudako Ichigo's new Bankai after all."

You are right! I know there is a reason I like you Gin. HIGH FIVE!

(HIGH FIVE!)

"Why are you bunch of dumbasses doing?" Toshirou Hitsugaya steps in. 

Oh no, the party pooper is here. Toshirou-kun is so cruel and uptight, well I guess it makes sense considering what Is-

"SPOILER!" Toshirou warned, "Why are breaking your own rule-!"

A bang of loud music suddenly plays and Gin twirls as the light are on him.

"That's no big deal!"

"What decides what rules are the right ones?!"

"Not this shit again," Toshirou facepalmed.

Guilty as charged. Unfortunately for you, I have to drag Gudako Ichigo for taking a bath, if not she is going to attend her birthday with a morning breath. I will be back in a minute.

"Just where is the truth!"

"Do ya know?!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

The music stopped. Gin looked around in his fake confusion and his eyes (Ha!) landed on Toshirou, "Eh?"

"That's not even the original catchphrase, you idiot," Toshirou said.

"There's this thing called improvising Hitsugaya-kun," Gin fox-smiled.

I'm back! Toshirou-kun help me add these roses and Gin do the bits!

"By the power bestowed upon me; crackshit, mumbo jumbo, and this gun that I found. I present you with the birthday people! Those who are not the main characters please line up first!"

Is that Billy the Kid's gun?

(BANG)

(It's My Party by Lesley Gore plays in the background)

All Bleach characters who are not the main characters and have their birthday in July lined up first, holding hands and giving a deep bow. Fray and Merlin gave them bouquets.

"And finally, the main characters!"

The line parted away leaving a space in the middle, Ichigo Kurosaki and Gudako Ichigo walk out while being escorted by Kisuke Urahara. They wave happily at the audience and throw strawberry kisses.

Oh my, Kisuke-san why are you there?

"Because Writer-san is part of the UraIchi Discord Server!" Urahara keeps waving his hands.

That is right everybody!

Congratulations on getting slightly older!

Chapter Text

Ichigo's friend's voice went in through her ear and out from the other, screaming about her stupidity, idiocy, dumbassery, yadda yadda. Would not it be nice if Orihime was here though, catching these falling people with her barrier?

Hanatarou, being the good child he is, hugs Ganju by the torso and screams for his dear life instead of yapping at Ichigo like the others

Ichigo was tempted to turn on a piece of chill music in her head to tune them out but honestly, that is just way too cruel. Almost too cruel.

She missed the day when every single Heroic Spirit is the insane one as they simply sling her onto their shoulder or forced her piggyback before doing their death-defying stunts, found out that screaming is tiring so she stopped after the fifth time Cú Chulainn carried her around like a potato sack or was it the third time when Scáthach propel her at a pack of Wyvern for training purpose? Does not matter, all of them are a bad influence.

Squinting her eyes to see what are those specks of pink and yellow in the distance. Ah, she almost forgot about them.

Kenpachi was able to jag his sword on the wall of the cliff to stop his falling and now running on it sideways. That is quite impressive! Wait, was not there a pink-haired child dangling on his shoulder before?   

And Byakuya is using his Zanpakutou to surf in the air. Look at him go riding that wave of cherry blossoms! Gorgeous!

Ichigo should be worried about the enemies on their tail, she tried and failed horribly. How could she not when she has an infamous track record of fistfighting Goetia, banging his face with a shield? Falling from above while being chased by a battle-crazy lunatic and an asshole brother is nothing compared to that.

She can feel her collar being grabbed by Rukia grabbing her by the collar; her face is red with frustration and anger. Hmm, what is she angry about she is not sure. She cannot really make out what is it that Yuki's master screaming at her.

Good thing she can read lips.

"Stupid! Idiot! Scatterbrained-"

Ah, nothing substantial!

Seriously...

"Anytime now Yoruichi."

A wide white fabric snatch them mid-air, fuddling them inside before they reopen and became flying transportation. Steering it is a familiar black cat. Ichigo snorted, well you do not see a feline capable of steering an equivalent of a flying carpet every day.

"Thanks! I almost thought you won't come!" Ichigo shouted at Yoruichi. Her voice fights the strong wind that most likely dampens any weak voices.

"Tempting and should I remind you that we got a tail!" Yoruichi shouted back, "This plan is already reckless as it is so you better make it work!"

"Snnrk, you got a tail," Ichigo snickered.

"What was that?!"

Oh yeah, cat and superior hearing. Damn.

"Nothing! Ganju, go use your bomb! We got to fend them off!" Ichigo ordered.

"You know my fireworks are useless against them right!" Ganju's face shifted back to normal.

"Doesn't matter! Our choice in ranged is limited! You and Tatsuki better make it work! Hanatarou you can help by lit up the fuse!"

Hanatarou let out a squawk and fumbled at the stash of fireworks that Ganju shoves at him, while Tatsuki got onto her stance, ready to kick the fireworks at the approaching enemies. Poor little medic is shaking as he cannot handle with the sudden adrenaline pumping in his body and work his best to pitch the explosive with Ganju as Tatsuki uses her kick to send a bunch of TNT toward their pursuers.

There is the sound of explosions and Kenpachi's laugh booming in the air. That man finds this as an amusement, but cannot say the same for Byakuya though,

"Yo, Kuchiki! Today is surely a lot of surprises! I'm glad that carrot-top set this so you can join the fun!" Kenpachi cackled.

"Shut your trap." Byakuya then makes a mistake slicing Ganju's ball of fireworks, only served with a rainbow of sparks on his face.

Kenpachi's ever-growing glee only sours Byakuya's mood even more.

"Ha! That'll teach him to never rig a Shiba's firework! Think by slicing it he can cancel the forthcoming? Wrong! My family art is unstoppable!" Ganju boasted.

"We need to keep it coming, who knows what Ichigo's going to do after we spent all of it!" Tatsuki fixes her stance. Every time she kicks the more she slides off from her position. She is after all on top of flying transportation moving at high speed.

Hanatarou is chanting Amitabha endlessly.

"Those three surely having fun- OW! Rukia what gives?!" Ichigo rubbed the spot where the petite girl hit her.

"What the Hell are you doing here?! I didn't ask to be saved, you idiot!" Rukia hit Ichigo once more, "Didn't I tell you not to come? Now you all bleeding everywhere! Looking almost half dead like you just trying to reattach your limbs!"

"Cut me some slacks, Soul Society has a Berserker as a captain. Of course, I'll be looking half dead fighting him. By the way," Ichigo posed cheekily with her rags after-beater fashion, "Like the new look?"

"You know what, maybe you're not trying to save. Maybe you're trying to kill yourself!"

Ichigo nudged her eyebrows up amusedly. Killing myself? Oh boy, I might just be. All of the dried blood plastering Ichigo's skin making the ripped clothes glued to her body was not her intended impression if she want to meet Rukia again. It is fine, she can take a bath later.

As much as being dubbed a monster by Kenpachi, which she is, she would not deny it. She still has one problem, she is not in her prime so the output she uses is limited. Continue this even further then her body will be forced to shut down.

She cannot wait to be in her twenties again. Getting de-aged is suck!

"And when exactly did you tell me not to save you?"

"After Nii-sama attacked you!"

Ichigo takes a good look at Rukia. Snappy as she is; the petite Soul Reaper becomes pale, thin, and extremely low in spiritual energy. Perchance is some sort of sign of malnutrition for Soul. And Rukia is already small in stature but when they first met, she was anything but frail, and now...

Honestly, Ichigo is glad that Rukia still got some energy to scream at her.

"I was unconscious! How am I supposed to hear anything after your brother butchered me alive!"

"I thought you might be a bit awake..." Rukia sheepishly said.

"He was trying to kill me! You expect me to be a bit awake?!"

"Can I say something?" Renji decided to butt in.

"No! You helped Byakuya butcher me alive!" Ichigo refuted.

"Well, clearly I failed and you broke my favorite glasses. Twice!"

"Whatever, they're ugly anyway!"

"I agree," Rukia nodded, "I don't know about the second one though. Renji, when did you buy a new one"

Renji gawked in disbelief at the two girls who suddenly found camaraderie in criticizing his taste in glasses. Then they could not help but fall into silence, Ichigo however abruptly stands up, grabbing Rukia by the shoulders and forcing her eyes to look upon her.

It is a pair of eyes that uphold promises. and swear to never break it.

"Even if I did hear you telling me not to come, I definitely will come anyway. Since I have promises to keep."

Rukia blinked in confusion, "To me? But I never made you promise any-"

"I'm sure this is not how it suppose to work," Ichigo then held up her forefinger to the front of her lip and winked, "If a piece of you asking me to help you then it only makes sense that I have to save you."

Renji did overhear the talk the night before between Ichigo and Yoruichi. Ichigo then talked about a seal that held the spirit of Rukia's Zanpakutou that was etched on her left arm and as today she said 'If a piece of you asking me to help you', it almost sounded like the Rukia's Zanpakutou spirit, Sode no Shirayuki herself, manage to communicate with Ichigo.

Renji does not know if bearing a Zanpakutou's spirit in an array of seals is supposed to be impossible or not. He stared at Ichigo, who currently basking in satisfaction seeing Rukia's dumbfounded expression.

Just who and what exactly is she...?

"If you're telling me to run away, I will not do it. Not even the most stubborn attitude you muster can evict me," Ichigo flicks her forefinger to point at Rukia's nose, "From this point, all of your opinions are rejected!"

"What is that supposed to mean, what kind of strange rescue attempt is this?!" Rukia protested.

"I admit it's strange, like I said technically you asked to be saved."

"Huh?! I never said that! Just what are you..." Rukia is at loss for words and sighs in defeat, "You never change, do you? Ignoring everything I say."

"To be fair, Rukia, you only know me for several months. Even those who had known me since I was a toddler don't fully know me. Relax, I won't die. I refuse to die stupidly in a place like this." 

No one sees Tatsuki's almost non-existent flinch except Ichigo when she utters those words. She inwardly shrugs at the possible denial in her childhood friend's mind.

She also saw Ganju's bombs are starting to run out.

Guess, it's time for the next step.

Ichigo unsheaths her sword, combining the end of the scabbard and the butt of her sword, amber light erupts from the weapon as it joined together and shifts into a spear. She observed Kenpachi and Byakuya mildly with clear fascination. Which one should she hit first? Boy-in paratheses-s Over Flowers or the Cookie Monster?

To Rukia, the way Ichigo hold her spear reminded her of Kaien and his trident Zanpakutou. It is an uncanny resemblance.

Her Zanpakutou can turn into a spear? Ikkaku-san's story was right. Renji then seemed to realize what Ichigo is going to do, "Ichigo you can't fight both of them alone!"

Cookie Monster it is then. "Then I'll take down one first and since our battle is long overdue," Ichigo jutted the point of her spear in Kenpachi's direction, "Kenpachi Zaraki! It's time to finish this!"

Kenpachi saw the provoking manner that Ichigo threw at him, "FINALLY!" 

Blaring his monstrous Reiatsu that cowers over everyone in the radius. Those who did not are Yoruichi, Byakuya, whose face literally says 'The heck is wrong with you!'; and Renji, who dutifully shields Rukia from it, and finally no other than the challenger herself, Ichigo.

"I'M GOING TO ENJOY THIS, ICHIGO KUROSAKI!" Kenpachi soared past his fellow captain.

Ichigo takes a deep breath and sets into a stance that her Celtic master taught to all of her disciples; to Ferdiad, the Stoneskin; Cú Chulainn, the Hound; Connla, spawn of the Hound; and finally, to her. However, it was known to her mentor that she may master it but the effectiveness is not as destructive as them evoking it.

She has to find an alternative to land a bigger blow on her enemies when using a spear and the solution is not throwing it but rather jumping from above, closing the gap by descending like a shooting star. 

She does not create it, that would be taking the credit from where the style originated.

And she know, at the moment, throwing the spear would not do much damage to Kenpachi because of her de-aged body. 

Because it involves a 'shooting star-way of jumping', many Servants made a joke out of it.

The Kangaroo dive.

Ichigo was not amused.

"I made you fight too many Wyverns that you practically dive for it," Scáthach hummed while fiddling with a piece of roasted boar.

"... Is that a pun? Did you just make a pun?" Ichigo cannot believe what she just heard.

"You know what, we should call you that. Dragondive!"

"Don't you mean Wyverndive?"

"Oh, you silly student of mine," Scáthach points the bone of the finished roasted boar at Ichigo, "You are the dragon."

Although everyone called it 'Hoppity-Hop, Hop! Kangaroo Dive!' and  Ichigo punched Achilles for making that epithet. Screw the Grail for making Heroic Spirit know what a kangaroo is!

Thankfully there were almost no cases of Australian Heroic Spirits.

"Ichigo, are you crazy?! You can't beat Captain Zaraki!" Rukia shouted at Ichigo.

She does not listen.

Ichigo tapped her feet firmly on the flying platform she was on and everyone near her covers their eyes when blue spiritual energy is suddenly ablaze from the point of the spear. A mirage of a creature formed from the blue spiritual energy; she position her spear upright and the energy creature, separating itself from her, soared toward the two captains.

Byakuya was going to do so he can intercept the creature to be used as a stepping stone by Kenpachi to push forward. Like a madman he is, engulfing himself in the fiery creature, not caring how much it burns his skin.

The creature slowly phases away and everything is finally clear, he saw Ichigo is no more on top of the center of the flying fabric.

Everyone heard a roaring beast from above in the next second.

Briefly, Kenpachi saw something blue coming at him with the speed of homing missile from on top of him. Just in time, he held up his sword to fend off the pointy end of a spear that intended to tear his body.

He grins. HOW EXCITING!

Gathering all of her willpower, Ichigo's eyes flash yellow, and Kenpachi goes down...down...and down, with the force of such a spine-shattering dive.

The ground where they landed was caved in deep. Gravels and sand lifted up, creating a thick layer of dust that effectively hid them for a while if not for the wind clearing them after.

Kenpachi Zaraki still held his sword, blocking the spear that never reached his body. Trademark grin plastered in satisfaction.

Ichigo breathe steadily, holding the spear, and did not budge from her position. Her face is unreadable.

The two did not speak for a few seconds.

Then the Kenpachi's Zanpakutou broke.

The sound of steel clanking on the ground is the only noise filling the silence. Blood spurting from the specific degree of angle of Kenpachi's new wound. Despite the spear never reaching him, the sheer force of it went through.

Ichigo calmly retrieves the form of her spear into a sword and scabbard, sheathing them, and kept them at her side. Her legs gave out, gasping, and gathers as much oxygen in her lung.

"You cheat, I expected a rematch," Kenpachi spat out some blood. His body fell backward.

Ichigo rolls her eyes and tries to get up, but as if there is a stray banana peel, she fell. No energy in her limbs. Pushing down this lunatic is like moving a stubborn bull!

"Can't promise you that, I got a friend to save."

She has no choice but to stand down for a moment and deal with the burnout. 

"... Hey, kid. What's the name of your Zanpakutou?"

"My Zanpakutou name?" Ichigo finally manages to sit her body up, "What's with the sudden interest?"

"Zanpakutou are tools of war. Fighting side by side with it is just a whining word of those spineless who won't fight by themselves," Kenpachi says as the pink-haired child that always clung to his back appeared out of nowhere. She comes to his side and crouches with a wide smile, yet not saying anything.

"My sword has several names," Ichigo looks at her with an unreadable expression, "For you people who live in Soul Society, the name it bears is called Zangetsu. That's all I can give to you."

"You...fight side by side...with it?"

"I do. I fight side by side with him all the time."

"Him, huh? That... sound...ticklish."

Kenpachi kept on grinning before darkness take him.

"Thank you! Thanks to Ichi, Kenny was having so much fun! He hasn't been this happy for a long time!" The pink-haired child bowed to Ichigo. She lifted her unconscious captain with ease, "Don't die okay? Hopefully, you can play again with Kenny in the future!"

No, thanks. Thanks to Ichigo's first-hand experience with overpowered children, the scene before her does not quite shocking, "... Right." WHY MUST MY MOUTH BETRAY ME?!

"I'm off then-"

"Why didn't you didn't tell him, about who you are?" 

The child stares at Ichigo curiously, letting out a childish hum, "Don't be unreasonable. He's not that far off."

"... Considering his feelings. I'm sure he wants to get stronger with you. Right, Yachiru?"

Yachiru giggled, "I know! Ichi you're so funny, telling me what I already know!"

Ichigo wanted to go home.

The clashing of two spiritual pressure has finally died down. Byakuya senses none of Kenpachi's nor Ichigo's spiritual pressure. Who won?

To think that brat whom he defeated in the World of the Living ever dare to take down Kenpachi. It seemed like yesterday she was lying worthlessly on the pavement and now she thought she is strong enough to challenge Soul Society. 

What strife her to do all of these pointless things?

Byakuya lifts his hand and sends Senbonzakura toward the group that took Rukia. No matter if there is Renji or the Shiba kid on it too.

Then an explosion startles him, the petals he is riding on seem to be thinning.

Something is attacking his Shikai.

It happens again and one of his feet slipped, quickly renewing the structure of the petals he looked down.

In the next second is an arrow with the color of tourmaline in front of his face...

Cracking her back, Ichigo stands with the help of her sword to balance herself. Okay, eliminating Kenpachi was dumb as it made her too far away from the rescue group.

When was this part of the plan? Argh, forget it.

"Now where's that Boy-in paratheses-s Over Flowers?" Ichigo looked up and squinted her eyes to spot a wave of pink chasing a white fabric. There he is!

She untied the blue sageo that always adorns her scabbard, and thought that it is time for improvisation.

"Ichigo you're still unfit to do anything strenuous," Fray reminded her, "You need at least twenty minutes for recovery."

"We're not going to use our own arrows, I brought gems."

Ichigo untied the blue sageo that decorated her scabbard and once again unsheathed her Zanpakutou, combining it with the scabbard again. Instead of a spear, this time it turned into a bow.

The sageo automatically attaches itself to the bow, turning into a bowstring

She took out a blue gemstone from her unruined sleeve and with magecraft, she turned it into an arrow. 

A thousand away on the ground, Ichigo aims and nocks several arrows at Senbonzakura. The tourmaline gemstones were enchanted with ice runes, when they hit the petal blades, the ice effectively freeze them.

Ichigo nocks this one particular arrow and as it is getting closer to Byakuya's face, she snaps her finger.

"Heulen."

A krone of ice sprang out, blinding Byakuya, and he lost his focus.

"What was that?!" Renji cannot see what is making Byakuya stop on his track because of the blinding sun.

"An ice spell!" Rukia cries out in relief, "Ichigo's alive!"

Yoruichi heard that and turn the flying mount around, descending so fast to reach the ground. Ichigo's alive? Rukia just said an ice spell, so Ichigo is capable of more than fire and lightning Kidō? Based on what Kisuke told her about the fight between him and Ichigo is apparently a Kidō practitioner.

However, he concluded that the fire and lightning spell the girl used was not Kidō, at least it was not cast in the way how standard Kidō that Soul Reaper used. Instead of chanting long words, Ichigo used Norse runes.

They came down to find Ichigo wielding a bow. A Zanpakutou with a form of a bow as a Shikai form is non-existent in Soul Society, Yoruichi suspected it because of her association with the... Quincy.

The bow Ichigo wield is also far cry from the blue-and-white-Reishi bow to that of Soul Reaper's sworn enemy, it is black; like the spear she previously hold, laced with a red highlight and its bowstring is blue in the color of the sageo that always decorated Ichigo's Zanpakutou's scabbard.

It is an unusual bow and Yoruichi wondered if Ichigo used Reishi to create her arrows. She refrained from asking.

Yoruichi thought it is weird. In Kidō, elemental spells are not real nature elements, they are Reiryoku controlled to mimic the effect. Sure they burn, electrocute, or blast but they are not the real deal. An ice spell especially is non-existent; unless the Soul Reaper wields an ice-aligned Zanpakutou.

Yet it has boundaries, there was no Zanpaktou ever to have two elements attributes. The wrath of Mother Nature is unforgiving. If wielding one element can already cause a significant natural disaster, why bother with two elements in one sword? That is plain greed.

Ichigo's Zanpakutou...it is not clear what kind of attribute it possesses.

"Ichigo, you're okay!" Rukia runs to hug Ichigo.

"Uh, yeah...sort of," Ichigo pats the hugger reassuringly.

Yoruichi took a double-take at Ichigo's eyes. Since when are her irises yellow? It looked like a Ho-

"We got company!"

Ganju points to the sky at an angry Byakuya who dives down with a wave of pink.

What is worse, Ichigo sensed that creeping shadow from behind and blocked a katana and a wakizashi with her bow.

The man who is responsible is wearing a straw hat, lifting his head, and giving her a small smile. He has high cheekbones, grey eyes, and long wavy brown hair. He wore a flower-patterned pink lady kimono on top of his captain haori. He stuck out like a sore thumb. He has this look of fascination at Ichigo before jumping back.

(There is surely a lot of pink today.)

"C-Captain Kyouraku?!" Rukia gapped.

Ichigo cursed their luck.

And Byakuya is coming, thousand of blades charging toward them!

"Everybody gather up!" Renji shouted.

Ichigo has no idea what Renji is planning but she trusts his decision. Sending a Gandr at this Kyouraku guy to stun him so he will not come closer when they are gathered. They huddled together in the middle with Renji in the center, Zabimaru pointed at Byakuya...

"BANKAI!" 

The dust cleared. A segmented bone resembling a mix between a snake’s vertebral column spinning in a dome motion, protecting the group from the blade of petals that rain down mercilessly. It uncurls to reveal Renji...alone.

"Hihiō Zabimaru."

A puddle of sand is on his feet.

"Through the sewer system, I see," Kyouraku hummed thoughtfully. He flexed the muscle of his body, feeling the stun wearing out, "Clever bunch."

Renji suddenly outstretches Zabimaru in a direction that is not Byakuya or Kyouraku. The giant snake-like head gains some distance before opening its jaw; Ichigo, with Rukia on her back, jumps out from the maw and kept running farther away from the battle. 

Way too clever. Kyouraku huffed in amusement and dashed after them. This is Byakuya's and Renji's fight.

"Thank you, Hanatarou, for doing this," Ichigo said to the small medic on her back.

"You're welcome... Uhm, Ichigo-san," Hanatarou blushed, "Did you see me changing?"

Oh, to taste humor in a time of crisis.

"I swear to you, I close my eyes tightly." 

Chapter Text

Renji risked it all by using his incomplete Bankai to fight Byakuya. Zabimaru wanted to fight with Zangetsu again, but Renji said he and Ichigo are no enemies, not anymore.

Maybe he can ask to do some mock battle with her if she accepts.

So, why does he want to fight now?

To Hell with his rusty Bankai; ever since his academy day, the moment Rukia was adopted into the Kuchiki clan, he made a vow to surpass Byakuya Kuchiki, so he and Rukia can stay together like their time in Rukongai before. Rukia's safety is far more important.

He will do it even if it is mean he had to smuggle her out of Soul Society and beyond Rukongai.

But troubles keep finding them.

The arrival of Captain Kyouraku is unprecedented. Thankfully, Ichigo used her quick thinking to use Hanatarou as a decoy since he and Rukia are almost of the same stature, looking like they are escaping from him with the real plan to drive him away.

The boy from the Fourth Division only knew Rukia as who used to clean her cell in the Sixth Division and yet he still agrees to their crazy plan. Not caring if Captain Kyouraku, or worse, Captain Unohana, might kill him for it.

Renji braced himself, Hihiō Zabimaru slithering mad at his opponent.

Even with all of the trials that come before them, they must not be deterred. Not now. Not ever.

"Bankai? When did you come to achieve it?" Byakuya asked. Not even a minuscule muscle around his eyes shows changes.

The demeanor stung Renji's ears. Their subordinates are reluctant to interact with Byakuya because they have no idea how to put up with it, still respectful but afraid. If anything happens, problems in the subordinate's circle, Renji is the one who had to deal with it with genuine expression.

Every single day he has to deal with this treatment.

"You're never someone who has time to interact with any of your subordinates," Renji spats. When he became the lieutenant of the Sixth Division, interacting became his primary job because his captain's cold nature is a whole level, "I'm not expecting you to know any better." 

Byakuya let Senbonzakura circle around the area, his blank expression as if he is not affected by his lieutenant's new display of power, "Step aside Renji, or I have no choice but to kill you."

Renji scoffed, "It doesn't make a difference whether you kill me or not..."

Ichigo and Hanatarou step inside Zabimaru's maw. Around them is a swirling bone of Renji's Bankai, protecting them from a rain of petal blades.

"Ganju, Tatsuki, follow Yoruichi-san through the sewer system. Protect Rukia!" Ichigo handed Rukia away. Before they execute their plan, she displays her fist at Renji, "Whatever it takes?"

Renji nods and replies with a fistbump, "Whatever it takes."

Even if it cost their own lives.

Renji's eyes filled with courage, "The most important thing is that I swear, I'm going to save Rukia. Whatever it takes!" 

"You swear...to who?"

Byakuya bends the petal blades into the air. Letting them do their deadly dance.

A baboon with a snake as a tail spoke to its master, their voices collided in one, "Tell him Renji."

"To myself!" Renji launch Hihiō Zabimaru, and its jaw opens wide.

Hihiō Zabimaru crashed into Byakuya who cancel the transformation of Senbonzakura to block the snake teeth. It pushed him continuously before to the side of Sōkyoku's cliffside, then destroy the structure of the gigantic slithering snake very easily with his petals sword. The scattered remains fall to the ground, leaving Byakuya standing seemingly victorious.

How surprised he is when he sees the remains reattach themselves into a familiar shape of a whip that is always wielded by Renji.

"What's with the look?" As in command, the ground shook and some more segments launched up" These segments are connected by my spiritual power. I scatter them on purpose so I can fend off your tiny blades."

Byakuya barely avoids them as he tries to find his footing on the ground. The segmented parts of Hihiō Zabimaru shredded him, creating multiple wounds on his body.

His knees touched the dirt below and showed the consideration that he may need to get serious.

Miles away, Ichigo senses the raging Reiatsu that is owned by Renji. She silently wished him and all of her friends who were escorting Rukia all the luck in the world and kept on running away from the flamboyant captain.

Flamboyant yet shadowy.

As expected from a captain, the essence of the creeping shadow easily catches up to her. 

At the same time, Ichigo ducked a swipe coming from her left. Kyouraku has caught up to her.

Skidded to halt her speed and took some steps backward to get some distance from the shadow. There is a sense of concept around him that reminds her of a reality marble, it forcing her to participate...in their little game.

His essences-footing is much more solid than Byakuya's.

One thing is clear, this Kyouraku person is stronger than Byakuya.

Ichigo gritted her teeth. Of all the times my True Sixth Sense finally able to be activated is fighting this type of adversary!

.

.

?!

There is a child with purple hair with her back turned. She sings and claps to the rhythm, strangely what comes out of her mouth is an adult voice.

When, oh when will it come out
In the night of dawn
The crane and turtle slipped
Who is behind you now?

"ICHIGO!"  Fray's voice drowns the song.

Without Fray's warning, Ichigo almost loses her head. A good thing also is that Hanatarou always lowers his head while he clung to her back so would not lose the casing of his brain. Why is the song of Kagome Kagome ringing in her ears? Shit. Learning the True Sixth Sense is so troublesome sometimes.

True Sixth Sense was the main reason why Scáthach trained Ichigo. They both have the criteria to be able to learn it; their Spirit Origin allowed it.

Her teacher taught her a magecraft of how to use 'translate things' around here as long as those other 'things' have their own Origin. Loosely said, translates a phenomenon into a different version of a phenomenon that they are able to understand.

Information received by their five senses and processed by their brain, with their additional sense; the sixth sense, got the task to project it back to their physical five senses.

The image of the purple-haired girl and the song is the result of Ichigo's Origin and Kyouraku's sort-of-a-Reality Marble' clashing with each other. 

Also, Kagome Kagome?

What kind of a Zanpakutou is asking to play a childhood game as a battle tactic? This cruel universe and its penchant to make something innocent be horror.

"I never thought Katen Kyoukoutsu is ever been this happy, or perhaps never at all" Kyouraku said while looking at his sword like it was an impatient person, "Sorry, you see my Zanpakutou is usually moody all day. But for some reason, she seems to be very keen on playing with you today."

Ichigo let out a heavy sigh. Seriously, feudal people and their magic swords. 

"SMH, " Fray said.

I can't believe you said 'es-em-aitch' instead of 'shaking my head'!

Kyouraku let his sword guide him where he wanted to slash. Decapitating is definitely in his schedule today.

Ichigo swear to herself for this is not the day she is losing her head!

"Ryoka-san, will you please hand over Rukia-chan? No need for needless bloodshed... Eh?"

Hanatarou gets down from Ichigo's back and fully reveals his freckled face.

Kyouraku gave out a disappointed sigh, then he got excited immediately after, "Aha! Good one, I didn't see that coming! The real one is in the sewer system, how they will manage to navigate there?"

"Well, they have a black cat who knows the way," Hanatarou meekly answers.

Kyouraku widens his eyes comically, contemplating for a second before smiling, mildly amused, "With a black cat leading them, don't you think bad luck will strike them?"

"..."

"..."

"Oh, come on! It's a good joke!" Kyouraku defended.

He honest to God pouted in front of the two young'un in front of him!

"Why execute Rukia?" Ichigo changes the topic immediately, "Transferring her power to a human it's illegal in your law, yes. But why resort to execution? You can just grab me, extract her power, and wipe my mind. Isn't it better that I don't remember that I ever encountered a Soul Reaper!"

"And yet you're here and trying to save someone you barely knew. Why did you try to save Rukia-chan? She's practically a stranger," Kyouraku shot back casually.

Because I am a big fucking LIAR!

A Soul Reaper has to treat all spirits equally...was Rukia's lesson the day after Ichigo turned into a Soul Reaper. She said Ichigo has to accept to save all spirits, to even give her life to make such commitments.

Such is the duty of a Soul Reaper.

Then Ichigo reiterated that she did not accept shit. She saves because she wants to save. If things get bad she might run away, she is not good enough of a person to sacrifice herself for a stranger.

Except, the same kind of question was uttered once upon a time to the last master of Chaldea. Why bother to save humanity? They are nothing but a bunch of strangers who once Ichigo succeeds will not convey their gratitude for her saving the world. She often wondered why she did it; is it because of her family and friends who live in this world? Is it justice? Is it duty? Or is it because she simply wants to survive and did it out of instinct?

(She just wanted to go home.)

All of those dead and destruction and people still believe that the world can be saved. Those remaining staff of Chaldea, Heroic Spirits, Doctor Roman, and Mash. They stood by her side, no matter what she believes about the outcome.

When it was finally over, Ichigo realized it was all of that. Some people love her, there is rightfulness, and there is life. It was balanced with the same cost, for those who once loved her, there is wrongness and there is dead.

But still, why did she do it?

Because it was the right thing to do! No matter how bleak the world is, it is still her home. Full of life, dream, and hope!

(For those, we have lost. For those, we can yet save.)

"Simple, because I'm stupid."

Kyouraku is taken aback by that.

"Rukia is no stranger, she's my friend. And I will succeed, no matter what the cost," Ichigo brandishing her longsword at Kyouraku, "Hanatarou, stand back."

Hanatarou ran far to a place where he will not be affected by the incoming blast of two strong Reiatsu clashing.

"So young and vow in sacrifice already, that's not healthy, you know?" Kyouraku shakes his head.

"Oh, don't I know it," Ichigo rolls her eyes, "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki, knowing this is inevitable, will you accept my challenge?"

Kyouraku tips his straw hat respectfully, "Shunsui Kyouraku, captain of the Eight Division. Since I have no other choice, I accept." 

There is a beat... Suddenly the sounds of metal slamming into each other resounds in the air!

"Oya! You were even fighting Captain Zaraki before and you still have the strength to fight more. That's quite an endurance you have there!" Kyouraku whistled seeing his opponent able to withstand his advance, "Also, wasn't your Zanpakutou turned into a bow before?"

Ichigo does not answer his question and lets herself falter. It made her slip backward, midway through her fall she stopped it by tapping the ground with her left hand and using the odd momentum to kick Kyouraku's wakizashi from his left hand. Kyouraku merely raised his eyebrows at the dirty move, swinging his katana downward at Ichigo, who jumped away to the side, and quickly returned to her standing position; she transferred her sword to her left hand, using her right arm to reinforce the defense to block a blade which comes from her right side.

Kyouraku is quite surprised. She's ambidextrous? Hmm, how about attacking her with Kidō then?

"Shakkahō!"

Kyouraku was aiming point-blank at Ichigo's face only to find his Shakkahō to explode-- No! It is not exploded! Something fired back his Kidō with another Kidō! 

Ichigo replies back by casting a spell point-blank too at him!

The act made them thrown back several feet. Kyouraku had better footing to stop his body from being thrown more while Ichigo choose to roll on the ground till she stop.

Kyouraku dusted his slightly singed haori and found out his hat is missing. Reply back to an offensive Kidō with another offensive Kidō will literally get an earful from Genryūsai-sensei. That girl is out of her mind!

"Are you trying to blow yourself up?!"

Oh yeah, it's Tuesday for me. Ichigo got up wobbly, "Are you?" 

Brat. Kyouraku sighed. He searched where his wakizashi was. When he found it he nicked it up with the point of his katana, "What I mean is don't fight as if you've got nothing to lose for." He saw his hat lying innocently on the far side. When he tries to make an effort to reach it only to be beaten by Ichigo, who took it up and wore the hat for herself.

Oya, shy isn't she? What do you think Ohana?

"Quite a talented player she is," Ohana, the Katen (Heavenly Flower) of the Katen Kyōkotsu mused, "Can't say I'm interested. I like her Shunsui. What about you Okyo?"

Okyo, the Kyōkotsu (Madness Bone) of the Katen Kyōkotsu nodded silently.

Ohana circled Ichigo in curiosity, joining her hand to Ichigo's eyes, "Now, guess who~?" 

Kyouraku crossed his dual Zanpakutou in a cross position, "hana kaze midarete, kashin naki, tenpū midarete, tenma warau; Katen Kyōkotsu!"

Instead of a pair of katana and wakizashi, on his hands are a pair of huge, black, heavily curved Chinese scimitars; at a glance, their size looked the same, but the one on his right hand is bigger than the one on his left hand. 

Ichigo can feel it. The narration Katen Kyōkotsu trying to write. I've piqued your interest. Under the hat she wore, her eyes blazing yellow...then she wrote back.

Katen felt the person whom she covers their eyes touch her hand and they turn around... It was not Ichigo.

It is a man down with a templar attire.

His eyes blazing yellow.

"Oiran-dono, don't you think you're being a little bit too much?" Fray blankly answers.

Kyouraku whistled in awe as all of his attacks are continuously deflected by Ichigo, "Not bad, kid!"

Ichigo can only grit her teeth, he manages to cut her cheek. This type of fighter is the worst!

"Ara, ara! Kishi-san you've found me!" Katen smiled viciously.

Fray grunted.

Renji saw how easily Byakuya destroy Hihiō Zabimaru's form, even though he meant it to happen.

Senbonzakura, a Zanpakutou with the ability to turn into thousand tiny blade petals, reflected light in such a way as to resemble cherry blossom petals. Renji claims that he knew inside and out of that sword, or so he thought. The truth is, he knows he is not strong enough to beat Byakuya. His captain can beat him by speed alone, does not matter if he knew how Senka works.

His training for the past decades is not enough!

But the way his captain fight somehow gives him an idea. Hihiō Zabimaru's form is connected by his spiritual power, its main feature is the extension. If Senbonzakura has so many petals and because of its size it can penetrate every blind spot. Then what if Zabimaru has no blind spot? What if he keeps elongating it? The faster he whipped it the faster he swept those tiny blades...

" You finally use your brain Renji," The Baboon mused, "Don't think you had it in you."

Renji has no idea why the spirit of his Zanpakutou is so chirpy this way.

"It touched the ground, your knee that is." Renji rested his weapon on his shoulder, "I will defeat you, Byakuya Kuchiki, it's time to put an end to this."

Byakuya gets up, "Very well...the curtain that falls at the end shall be pulled down by my blade."

Renji once again throws his serpentine weapon at Byakuya again who raised his hand at him.

A Kidō spell!

He pulled back his whip to curl around himself as a blast of Sōkatsui without a chant blasted toward him. Tsk, trying to disrupt the rhythm of his attack is he? It would have worked if Renji is careless and did not see the same trick beforehand.

His fight with Ichigo changed everything it made him see where is he lacking. It is funny that the one who showed all of his weak points was an enemy, not his own captain. 

"Renji, it's too early for you to use Bankai in battle, there's a reason why someone needs to train at least ten years to master their Bankai," Byakuya said in his cold voice.

"I already know that. Though, at least I can stall some time for Rukia to get away."

Maybe someday, Renji can fight Byakuya till his heart is content. Right now, his priority is Rukia, he does not care if he loses.

It was quite a satisfaction seeing that vein of anger in Byakuya's temple.

Way to lit a fire on your ass Renji Abarai. He said to himself as he inwardly tap his shoulder for consolation inwardly.

"You should know Renji that I too have a Bankai," Byakuya let his Zanpakutou drown and a parade of swords rise from the ground, "Scatter..."

"Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

Byakuya's Zanpakutou sinks into the ground and a parade of blades rises.

Renji took a deep breath. Flails Hihiō Zabimaru into steady and makes his count.

Ichigo ignored the spike of Byakuya's Reiatsu and opted to dance her blade to parry Kyouraku's rather vicious swordplay.

The games are ever-changing.

Hanetsuki; is usually played with a rectangular wooden paddle brightly colored shuttlecock, turning into a match of exchanging sonic waves, if you missed you get slashed, resulting in blood dripping from her leg. Marbles; she cannot believe she is the marbles inside the circle, Kyouraku is spinning around and it is up to Ichigo to predict where he throws his swords, resulting in the gash on her torso.

In other words; !@#$%^^&*!@#$%^&*.

Then she suddenly stepped on the line of Soul Society's expensive bluish-limestone tiles.

"Gotcha, you're out!" Kyouraku exclaimed, successfully slicing Ichigo's left sleeve.

It got the glove too, now a golden marking of a magical seal peeking from the torn area. Dammit!

"Since when did it change into Hopscotch?" Ichigo hissed.

"Just now~!"

The arrival of Shunsui Kyouraku is out of her calculation, why would a man who is in no need of petty fighting to be here?

Ichigo knows he is no Kenpachi, who seeks thrill in battle; or Byakuya who is tied to whatever the Hell he is having an epiphany at so he can ensure his sister's execution. There is no sense of duty in exterminating intruders, vengeance, or any actual desire from the man. So, why is he here?

"Why are you fighting me? I know you don't come here willy-nilly to play children's games," Ichigo thought it is might be the time to use the reserve Zangetsu made.

Kyouraku had the gall to scratch his goatee, "Hmm, my main objection is to retrieve Rukia-chan with my friend. I thought it was quite funny to see the whole bridge of Senzaikyū's gone. Now how are we going to escort prisoners there? Jumping across? Oh right, you were saying why Soul Society didn't grab you, extract the power, and wipe your mind? Come on, did you think we were that barbaric?"

... There is a literal execution on the way and he said THAT!

"Then again, you can say I just complying with what my Zanpakutou want, no big reason, "Kyouraku made a motion of habit at his head, most likely the tip-hat motion, "Ah, I forgot I didn't have my hat. Can I have my hat back missy?" 

Instead of responding, Ichigo grabbed her scabbard and joins it at the sword end, turning her weapon into a spear. It is no Gáe Bolg, the crimson barbed spear with the curse of an eternal wound, but she still can utilize it in the technique of how Scáthach taught to her students. 

"You can turn your weapon into a spear-like Madarame-kun?" Kyouraku said in fascination, "I hear you bested him several days ago. You know what, I love to play more but it's getting late. Last one?"

"Why not," Ichigo set her stance to that of her senior, Cú Chulainn. 

Renji has done it! He countered Byakuya's Bankai. Hihiō Zabimaru was circling him akin to a high-speed jumping rope, almost unseen like a string in the air with no blind spot. Then he saw Byakuya's frown getting deeper and pointing at him. 

Blue flame engulfs Renji's vision, there is the heat though it never reached him. Hihiō Zabimaru protects him but to think that Byakuya could cast a mid-tier Kidou without an incantation and its firepower is so great... 

Argh, shit! 

"It seems I can't breach your fortress..." Byakuya said sullenly, "How long you can keep that up, however, I wonder?"

"I don't have much of a trick and I admit my talent in Kidou is abysmal compared to Rukia or you, nonetheless I have no reason to have to back down," Hihiō Zabimaru soars into the sky, breaking the swords that come to end Renji, "That's why this attack is all I have left...,"

Hihiō Zabimaru roars its might, and segments open up with spiritual energy, spiraling toward Byakuya. 

"HIKOTSU TAIHOU!"

Ichigo scoffed; the straw hat was on the ground, trashed beyond repair, and she is crouching in a pool of her blood. Even with the technique of Gáe Bolg, she was still outlasted by Kyouraku. She stands with the help of her spear, turning to face her opponent.

Piercing Crimson Lance...was a terrifying technique. Still, she could not utilize it to its full potential because of the lack of divinity and unmatured condition.

Kyouraku still has his back on Ichigo, his twin-looking Zanpakutou were broken. He is not exactly unscathed, the left shoulder is unusable and bleeding but the attack she enacted on him should have torn his shoulder off. Why didn't though?

"What's with the hold-back?"

"I didn't... hold back, that...was the only firepower I can manage. I just know I couldn't win fighting you."

Not yet. Kyouraku bet in such a short time, Ichigo can duel perfectly on par with him, "And yet you disabled my shoulder, it's quite an accomplishment, I tell you that."

Ichigo abruptly perks up, it is Renji's Reiatsu, it was so high and suddenly died down.

He lost...

Suddenly a woman appeared beside her; purple highlight on her dark hair, set in a high ponytail with chin-length bangs framing the sides of her face, an orange over-shirt with two white straps on each shoulder, a large beige sash around her waist, and black stretch pants with a pair of lightweight brown shoes.

She carries the same grace as the familiar black cat.

"Yoruichi?"