(Karakura Town)
The group were making their way out of the Dangai, jumping out of the portal between worlds into the dark night of the living world. As the wind tore at them with their ever increasing descent, they all remained calm. Only one person said anything.
"Santen Kesshun, I reject." Orihime whispered as her shielding barrier activated beneath them, giving them an easy landing from their jump. Coincidentally, avoiding whatever it was Urahara had planned as something pass beneath them.
"Aww!" They heard the eccentric man groan as they settled down on the glowing barrier. Urahara was next to them on his own flying carpet device. "I was ready to give you all a ride."
"It's been a long day Kisuke." Ichigo said, walking to the edge of the barrier. "And I'm not done yet. Yamamoto wanted me to gather everyone." Urahara lowered his head in a rare moment of seriousness.
"Aizen escaped didn't he." He said, knowing before he asked. The look Ichigo had gave him all the answer he needed. "Fine. Have them head to my shop. I'll need to start making plans." His student nodded before jumping off Orihime's barrier and charging straight for the Vizards' warehouse.
"Could I get a ride to the hospital?" Uryu asked, the truth of his situation already known amongst his friends. "My father wanted me to report to him after coming back."
"I can take you Uryu!" Orihime chirped, ready to help her friend. "Sora is still supposed to be visiting our aunt so there shouldn't be anyone home right now."
"And I live nearby her place so we'll accompany ya." Tatsuki added while Sado got up from his place and went to the edge.
"Everything alright Sado?" Uryu asked, feeling a certain tension from the giant.
"I'm going for a stroll." He said before dropping off the platform, still high above the suburban building of that part of Karakura.
"I worry about that guy." Uryu said. Soon, the Soul Reaper mentors separated from the spiritually aware humans as they both had their own destinations.
"So, what did happen with Aizen exactly?" Urahara asked his old friend as they flew toward the Shoten.
"He got to Rukia and removed what you put inside her from that gigai." Yoruichi responded. "And then he tried to kill Ichigo."
"Hmm." Urahara hummed in thought. "That was a risky gamble, but it looks like it paid off."
(With Chad)
Chad took his time getting home, needing to clear his head. Finishing his mission of placing whatever those tags were all around Soul Society was not enough and his mind was still like a raging storm from the battle at Sokyoku Hill. He made a promise, there was one thing about that promise that he absolutely had to do. 'I'll watch your back and you watch mine.' And he couldn't even do that. Ichigo was almost killed when he wasn't there, he was too slow. Ichigo was almost killed when he was there, he was too weak. His powers seem to be growing every day, but what was the point to them if he couldn't keep his promise. He looked down at his hands, his large, strong fists that helped him for so long, that he used to help others. When he needed them to succeed the most, they failed. He was too weak, Uryu crippled his own power to pick up the slack and Ichigo almost died because he couldn't help him. Chad never felt so weak, so pathetic, in his entire life. It was a good thing he could keep his stoic facade, because he would be raging at his friends and crying like a child, the last thing they needed. With a single roar of anger, he threw one punch and made a large crater and spiderweb crack in a concrete wall. His right fist didn't even have a scratch on it.
"That was an impressive display." Came a voice from the darkness. "But I doubt punching rocks will help you strengthen your powers." Chad looked around cautiously. Whoever was talking knew about him and his abilities, that put him on edge. "If you want to fix that, to train your powers, we can help." A piece of paper fell from above with an apartment keycard and a phone. The card said, "welcome to our Xcution."
(With Ichigo)
He moved quickly, flashstepping as quickly as he could throughout the city to reach his destination. A single warehouse, hidden from sight behind a barrier beyond time and space to anyone unaware of its existence. Ichigo reached the building within the glowing force field and touched it, letting the ripples open a pathway for him to pass through. He went into the building to find each one of the Vizards, ready and waiting for him, in the ruined building of the warehouse.
"You made it back." Shinji said, pleased to see the young hybrid once more. "What's the word kid?" Ichigo reached into his jacket to pull out the message from the Captain Commander.
"He's happy to know you're all alive, and embarrassed that things got so bad." He said, throwing the folded envelope to the unofficial leader of the Vizards. "That is an official letter of pardon, personal apologies, and summons back to Soul Society so we can all plan out our next move." Ichigo told him as each of the former captains and lieutenants looked over the paper to confirm the message.
"Good to know the old man was actually willing to listen." Kensei said as they all dropped down to the ground. "Let's go gang." He said, leading the group as they moved to return to their old home. Hiyori was grumbling about 'lousy Soul Reapers' and 'stupid Kisuke' and other things that pissed her off.
"She really doesn't play well with anyone does she?" Ichigo asked, watching them all head for Urahara's shop.
"The only person I remember her actually getting along with was her previous captain, Kirio Hikifune." Shinji explained. "I think Unohana copied her in the way she interacted with her squad. Like a mom to a group of kids. Then Kisuke shows up, seems completely lazy and untrustworthy, changes everything about the squad by making the Research and Development Institute and freeing Mayuri from his prison cell. He replaced her mother figure and changed everything about her division, and she didn't like it."
"What happened to her?" The hybrid asked, never hearing much more than necessary about their own pasts.
"After she invented the Gikon, she was promoted to the Zero Squad and left without a word." The former captain said. "The Royal Guard of the Soul King, one of the most elite groups, if not the highest ranking under the Soul King himself." Ichigo was shocked, hearing the news and wondering what kind of beings they must be to personally guard the Soul King.
"You think Aizen could beat them?" Ichigo asked again. Shinji paused as he gave the question serious thought.
"If Aizen has his way, he'd be unstoppable. As it is now, he's just shy of that."
(Karakura Hospital: Ryuuken's office)
He was going over some final papers and reports, documents needed to keep his hospital running, when his personal secretary told him that his son was here to see him. He was clearing out some last minute necessities to get out of the way. His son returned from battle in Soul Society, most likely powerless. It was the circumstances as to why he removed the Sanrei Glove that interested him more than anything else. His child entered the office, looking downcast as could be expected.
"Father." The boy greeted, some traces of nervousness and defeat evident in his tone.
"Uryu." Ryuuken responded. "I see you used the Letz Stil."
"I had to." Uryu said. There was an uncomfortable silence as Uryu sat down in the middle of his office.
"Tell me what happened." The stern father ordered. "Start from the beginning."
"After we got out of the Dangai..." Uryu told him everything. When they infiltrated the Seireitei, separated, Orihime handling much of the lesser Soul Reapers, to meeting Mayuri Kurotsuchi. "He killed grandfather. Him and hundreds of our kind. I won't lie, I wanted to get revenge." He said, looking at the cross hanging from his wrist. "I wanted to rip off the glove and destroy him, hit him with all the power I could muster with the Letz Stil. But I couldn't. I couldn't waste my power for revenge when there was nothing to gain from it." His hand dropped limply to his side. "Grandfather's dead, dead for good and I can't focus on something that would just make me feel a little better. I still beat him, but I didn't kill him."
"Then what made you remove the Sanrei glove?" Ryuuken asked, a shadow of a smile gracing his lips at his son's judgment.
"Our enemy, Aizen. He had Ichigo outnumbered and ready to kill him. I needed power to stop that and save him." Uryu said, the weight of failing to stop Aizen coming down on his shoulders once again.
"So you threw away your powers, just for the chance to save your cousin?" He asked, making Uryu nod. Ryuuken raised himself from his seat and went to his son, giving him the first warm embrace from him in the longest time. "It's easy for anyone to say what they would do with their powers. But few actually have the strength of will to give up their power." He said, squeezing a little tighter on his child. When he pulled away, Uryu looked at his father like he was staring at another person. "You've made me proud of you as a father and as a teacher. You are ready for the next stage."
"But father, I've lost my powers." Uryu said, still in shock at the man's actions.
"No, they're crippled." The older Quincy stated. "They can, and we will, restore them. I want you in the training room first thing tomorrow morning." He told his son, making him brighten up at the prospect of gaining his powers back. Uryu was just about to leave when his father told him one last thing. "Make sure to visit your mother Uryu. I'm sure she'll be glad to see you." His son nodded and ran off.
(With Orihime)
The bubbly barrier maiden skipped her way back to her small apartment, eager to take a relaxing bath and wait for her brother to return from their aunt's place. She became cautious when she found her door unlocked. She opened the door and moved slowly, focusing her hearing as much as she could to catch whoever might still be inside off guard.
"-something is going on but it's not of any concern." She heard her brother say. Feeling relieved that it was just her brother being home, she decided to give him a little surprise. She crept along, ready to pounce, when his conversation put her on edge. "Orihime doesn't need to know, not yet. Her friends have everything handled. Yes her guardian sprites have awakened but she's fine for now." Her brother knew about the spiritual side of things? He knew about her powers and her friends? "I'll take care of it when it becomes an issue. Okay, I'll tell her you love her. Bye Oba-chan." He said hanging up. She slowly made her way into the kitchen and exposing herself. "Orihime, where have you been?"
"I was..." She trailed away, seeing a strange haze around her brother's body. The air around him was shimmering like something was there but invisible. "...hanging out with Ichigo and Tatsuki!" She recovered. "They went up into the mountains with Yoruichi sensei and they needed a cook." She said with a smile. Sora nodded as he accepted her excuse.
"They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Endear Ichigo to you with your cooking, and make sure your deal with Tatsuki works out." He said, pushing her to be more aggressive with her boyfriend.
"Mmmm! Don't be embarrassing Onii-chan!" She pouted, heading for the bathroom.
"Auntie sends her love Orihime!" He called after her as she left. "Looks like she's gotten much stronger." He said, speaking to the being that was hidden from sight. "She's noticed you. I guess we should get started sooner rather than later." The sound of a serpent hissing was the only response.
(Kurosaki Clinic)
Ichigo returned home to find his father, already in his Shinigami form with a Shihakusho and ragged haori over his left shoulder. He also was smoking a cigarette, surprising his son when he already had his one smoke for the year. When Isshin saw his son he took one more drag of the tobacco stick and threw it to the ground, stepping on it to extinguish the smoldering embers.
"Yuzu and Karin will be joining us when we heard to Soul Society." He said walking up to his son. "They wanted to meet their Shiba cousins and get stronger faster. They're went to Urahara's the moment we felt you return." He then pulled his son in for a hug, Ichigo slowly returning it. "I am so sorry that you had to fight him Ichigo. You were not ready for that kind of opponent."
"Maybe not." Ichigo conceded. "But now I have a milestone to reach. And our next fight will not end so easily in his favor." Isshin let out a hearty chuckle.
"That's my son." He said with a grin as they separated from each other. "So how were things back in Soul Society?" He asked as the father and son made their way to Urahara's, meeting place for all the Shinigami in Karakura Town.
"Remember that white haired third seat of yours?" Ichigo asked after thinking for a moment. "He became the captain of squad 10." Isshin let out a small cheer of approval for his former third seat taking over. He was the only one that ever did the paperwork while he was a captain. "After Aizen defected, the lieutenant of squad five is in a catatonic state at his betrayal."
"Ah yes, Momo Hinamori." Isshin said, remembering the smaller and more vague details from his past. "I remember her following him around like a lost puppy. She is not going to like Shinji taking back his old position."
"Oh yeah, he used to be squad 5's captain, didn't he?" Ichigo recalled. "What do you think is going to happen anyway?"
"Well, most likely the former captains will take back their former positions." Isshin reasoned. "Because of circumstances, like the need of more soldiers and having people that can lead them, the old man might plan something out." They finally reached Urahara's shop, where Ichigo was glomped by both of his little sisters.
"Onii-san/Ichi-nii!" They cried as they hugged him to near death.
"Can you tell they were worried?" Isshin asked sarcastically, the assembly of former captains and lieutenants smiling at the display.
"This is so great!" Yuzu cried in joy. "Onii-san's back, we're going to see more family, mom's-"
"Still at the hospital." Karin said quickly, covering her sister's mouth. "Resting. But she wouldn't mind a visit first. Right dad?" Karin said, talking through clenched teeth.
"Yes! Yes, go visit your mother Ichigo." Isshin said, catching on to what his tomboyish daughter was trying to convey. "Don't worry, we'll wait."
"O...kay." Ichigo responded, feeling a little concerned by the way his family was acting. But he wouldn't mind seeing his mother again. Seeing her alive, comatose but alive because of Urahara's assurance, kept him from ever being completely depressed. So now, he made his way for the Karakura hospital.
(Karakura Hospital: Masaki and Kanae's)
"Oh, Ichigo." The two cousins met up in front of their mothers' room and home for the past several years. "How are things on your end?"
"Well, everyone is ready to return to Seireitei and my dad is taking my sisters to see Kukaku." Ichigo told the Quincy. "How did Ryuuken take you losing your powers?"
"He said he was proud and that tomorrow morning, we were going to work on restoring them and my advancement in training." He said, earning a surprised look from Ichigo. "Yeah, apparently there is a way to restore my powers. Probably gonna put my life at risk, but I'm committed." He held out his fist to his cousin. "You can't get rid of me that easily it seems." Ichigo smirked and returned the fist bump.
"I wouldn't have it any other way man." The two shared another smile as they opened the door and immediately froze.
"Hello Uryu/Ichigo" The two mothers said to their sons.