Kurosaki Ichigo, Substitute Father!

I am so sorry that you guys have to go through this again. Like…seriously…but they say that third times the charm right? Plus I've got my new desktop setup, and I'm listening to sick tunes right now…I'm really feeling this…and I now have a ROBOT SHOULDER! Yes…I got a shoulder reconstruction done…about time too…it was really bothering me XD

No Review Corner for this since it's a new story. I have deleted the old one and will upload this.

You have no idea the amount of times that I have re-written this…I wanted to get this just right for you guys and gals that I kept on writing and deleting and writing and deleting and writing and deleting over and over and over and over until it was perfect. So you better enjoy this.

Enjoy!

I own nothing!

Chapter 0: You recruited a what?!

Everything hurt.

His arms burnt from holding his swords.

His legs from carrying him forwards all the time.

His head from all the time that bastard Ywach punched him.

And his chest, the pain coming from there was due to the fact he had a hole in his chest, right where his lungs should be.

If by this description, you think he looks bad, well then, you should see the other guy.

Lying before him, finally dropped to the ground as a lifeless corpse, was Ywach, his head taken from his neck, which were both quite a distance away.

The hole began to itch.

Coughing, more like hacking, blood dribbled past his lips.

"Ah, shit. This isn't good." He held his hand up to his mouth, but it was a futile attempt to stop the blood from escaping past his lips. Groaning and swearing reached his ears.

"Goddammit! This fucking hurts. Oy! Kurosaki! Have you beaten Ywach yet?"

"Well, if you pay attention to the distinct lack of destruction and the stillness of the air, then yes, there is a victor. I only sense Ichigo, but for some reason, his reiatsu is weak. Much weaker than it should be."

"No one asked for your opinion Aizen. Why don't you help me find Kurosaki instead?"

"There is no need for that."

"Huh? Already skipping work?"

"No…because I found Ichigo."

Looking at them from where he was barely managing to stand, Ichigo weakly waved. "Hey Ishida, Aizen. I won."

Both powerful souls looked at Ichigo, eyes wide. Noticing their concern, Ichigo looked down at the hole. "Oh don't worry about this. It only itches. The wound has actually been cauterized since Ywach tried to gut me with Zanka-no-Tachi."

"Ichigo. We need to get you to Orihime. Now." Moving quickly, Ishida rushed up to his cousin, his spirit on the verge of breaking. "Come. Move you daft bastard."

"Oy, be gentle. I hurt…everywhere." Ichigo chuckled when Ishida glared at him. Before Ishida could move him any more, a hand rested on his shoulder.

"I think, it would be more beneficial to bring the woman to him. Moving him may prove dangerous. Go, quickly, and don't think that I'm sending you so I can exact revenge on Ichigo, I'm sending you because my presence will be less than welcome." Looking at Aizen, Ishida couldn't help but agree.

"Don't you dare try anything, or I will kill you. Marble be dammed." And with that, he vanished, leaving the two demi-gods alone on the empty battlefield.

"Ichigo. It pains me to see you like this."

"Oh cut it out you. You want nothing more to see me like this. The only issue you have with my current state is that you didn't leave me like this yourself."

"Come now Ichigo. It really does pain me. You're the only one I consider my equal, the only one who knows my level of strength, and knows how lonely it can be. You and I are very much the same, with the only difference being that you are not bound by the laws and traditions of Soul Society. I honestly…want to see you live. And for that, I must do this." Aizen clicked his fingers, and behind them a Garganta opened up, allowing two women to walk out, one with crimson red hair and the other with deep blue hair. "The red haired one is Yang, and the blue haired one is Yin. They shall keep you alive when you're on the run." Frowning, Ichigo tightened his grip on his sword.

"On the run? What are you talking about?"

"This. Understand me Ichigo, I do this to save you. Mother…wills it." Reaching up, Aizen plunged his hand into his chest, and ripped out the one thing keeping him alive. His wounds opened up, and blood started to pool on the floor.

"AIZEN! What are you doing?! That thing is keeping you alive!" Ichigo tried reaching out, but his wounds started to burn more and more with each passing second, and the hole in chest had become a throbbing pain.

"I am…keeping…you…alive…" Reaching out, Hōgyoku in one hand clutched tightly, he placed his free hand over the hole in Ichigo's chest. There was a couple seconds before what happened…happened.

Both Ichigo and Aizen were engulfed in a titanic burst of purple reiatsu. "This time, I won't let you die, Ichigo." Looking up, Ichigo watched as Aizen slowly vanished. "I know you don't want this, but there is no other way to keep you alive, and prepare you for what is to come. You need power, but most importantly, you need control. I will guide you all the way…Ichigo…that is…my wish."

The reiatsu climaxed in an explosion that rocked the foundations of Soul Society, prompting all the survivors to race towards the centre of the explosion.

When they arrived, they came across a rather unexpected scene. Standing on his own, Ichigo was animatedly looking around, both confused and concerned as to what exactly happened.

"Ichigo-kun." Looking up, Ichigo found himself looking at the remnant forces of the Shinigami. The current Head Captain, Kyoraku Shunsui, stepped forwards. "What's happening? What was the massive burst of reiatsu?"

"Believe me when I say, that I have no idea, Kyoraku-san." Blinking as if he just realized something, he looked down at his chest, where he expected to find the massive hole that was itching like it was on fire, but found smooth skin instead. "But I do know something."

"And what is that?"

"Whatever Aizen just did, it saved my life. I was literally on my last breaths, I had a hole about the size of a soccer ball in my chest, but…it's gone now, and so is Aizen."

"Do not fret, Ichigo, for I am still here."

"Aizen! Where the hell are you? How can I hear you?"

"Ichigo-kun? You discovered Aizens location?"

"Do not tell them. If they find out, then they will imprison you. Rely on Yin and Yang to get you out of here. They have orders from me to do whatever it is you command. They are strong, but they are not strong enough to fight their way out of here."

Taking a second, Ichigo looked around. He paid close attention to the positioning of the Captains, especially Sui-Feng and Toshiro. "I can hear him, but I don't know where he is exactly. It's like he just vanished. He used the marble for something. Hey, we're done here right, I can go home?"

"We're not done, Kurosaki. Aizen needs to be returned to his cell. Find out his location and report it back to us." Sui-Feng took a step forwards, and Kyoraku took half a step back, subtly placing his hand on his sword, something that Ichigo didn't miss.

"Why are you preparing for a fight, Kyoraku-san? I haven't done anything wrong."

"Please Ichigo-kun. We have to be prepared for anything. Aizen was a manipulative bastard, and we cannot…will not…let him escape. Where is he?"

"Yang has prepared a diversion; Yin can open a Garganta at will. Seek refuge in Kyoto, Mother will protect you, even from Soul Society. You need to escape, now."

"Look, Kyoraku-san, we are all still on edge from the fight against the Quincy. I'm not the threat here. If Aizen has vanished, then he couldn't have gone very far, right? He's still sealed, well, mostly, isn't he? Can't you track him that way or something."

"How very clever. Stalling won't help you escape now." Everyone looked towards the new voice that spoke up. Walking towards the front of the group, Kurosutchi Mayuri made his presence known. "I know exactly where Sosuke Aizen is, Head Captain."

"Ichigo, your plans must be accelerated."

'I know, let me just find the right moment.'

"That might not be an option. Kurosutchi can track me wherever I am in Soul Society, but he cannot track me in the World of the Living, that's why you need to escape. He knows."

"Where is he, Kurosutchi-Taicho?" It was at this moment that Uryu arrived with Orihime and Chad, both looking worse for wear, but thankfully still alive.

"Sosuke Aizen, has…somehow…merged with Kurosaki Ichigo." He emphasised his point by pointing at Ichigo, who took a step back, and placed his hand on his sword.

"That's insane. What the hell are you accusing me of you fucking clown."

"I can track Sosuke Aizen wherever he is within Soul Society. And right now, my sensors are being scrambled by your reiatsu, which is tinged with that of Sosuke Aizens. I am very intrigued as to how this happened, but my guess is the Hōgyoku." Smiling widely, Kurosutchi vanished from his position, appearing behind Ichigo, who in turn, vanished, surprising everyone with his sudden burst of speed.

"YIN! YANG! To me!" The two girls, who had hidden themselves behind a conveniently placed pillar, appeared next to Ichigo. "We're leaving."

"Understood, Ichigo-sama." Yang raised her hand and clicked her fingers, and an explosion sounded out through Soul Society. Kurosutchi froze, before he reached up ang grabbed his head, screaming in pain.

"YOU BITCH! YOU JUST DESTROYED MY FACILITY! HOW DARE YOU!" Screeching, he charged towards Ichigo, but was launched backwards by a sudden burst of wind.

"Ichigo-kun, explain yourself." Kyoraku stepped forwards, both swords drawn, and faced off with Ichigo, who had one of his swords drawn.

"Sorry, I can't right now, not until I figure out what's going on myself. I will explain, just give me some time."

"You can have all the time in the world, traitor, once you're locked away in the Muken." Not even looking, Ichigo reached around and blocked the released form of Suzumebachi, the zanpaktou of Sui-Feng, before throwing her backwards with a flick of his wrist.

"Yin, do your thing."

"Yes, Master." She waved her hand and opened a Garganta, something which shocked the assembled group.

"Impossible, there is no way to open a Garganta from within the Shakonmaku!"

"Don't let him escape! Keep him here at all costs!"

"Yes, Head Captain!" With that order, all the Captains mobilized, darting forwards and releasing their zanpaktou. The first to reach Ichigo was Byakuya, who closed the distance between them in a flash.

"Ban-kai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

"Shit! Getsuga…" He drew his sword along the air, leaving a thin trail of reiatsu "TENSHO!" The attacked screamed out towards Byakuya, who narrowly avoided the attack, but watched as it carved out a path which forced everyone to scatter. Noticing something odd about the attack, Byakuya spun to where Ichigo was standing, only to realize that he was no longer there, and the Garganta that was behind him was closing.

Watching as it closed, Byakuya cancelled his Ban-kai, and turned towards everyone else. "Forgive me, he escaped. He has grown considerably stronger since the last time we crossed blades. I believe the only one who could have kept him here was Zaraki, but he is currently out of commission."

"That's fine. We will find him again. There is no where he can hide. We will catch him, and we will find out what his plans are."

"Head Captain. Those girls with him, they are familiar to me. I believe their names are Yin and Yang. Two Hollows that are at least Adjuchas class." Looking back at Toshiro, who spoke, Kyoraku pressed a little more.

"How do you know them, Histugaya-kun?"

"They were allies of Kusaka Soujiro when he invaded Soul Society with the Ōin."

"Then we have to assume that they managed to retrieve the Ōin. Make sure that it's still secure, then begin the search." He turned towards Uryu, Orihime and Chad. "Did you know of his plans?"

"Of course they did. They are his friends. I say we imprison them and leverage them against him." Sui-Feng walked up to them, sword drawn, but was stopped by Toshiro.

"Enough of that. Have you forgotten that Ichigo was the only one who could have beaten Ywach? What would he do if we held them hostage? Remember what he did when Kuchiki Rukia was held prisoner? He beat most of us to set her free, and he is about 100 times stronger since that time. I say we question them, find out everything they know, then release them."

"I agree, Hitsugaya-kun. Holding them hostage would only incur the wrath of Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Shiba Ichigo." Everyone looked up as two people they never imagined to see appeared.

"Shiba-Taicho! What are you doing here…is that a Quincy!?" Everyone drew their swords, and prepared to go to war again, but a wave of dismissal from Isshin stopped them.

"Yeah, Ryuuken is a Quincy, but he's on our side. He was the one who supplied Uryu-kun with the Still Silver arrow that aided Ichigo in his fight against Ywach. If anything, right now, we are both stronger than everyone assembled here. If you want to fight, it will go badly for you." Placing his hand on his sword, Isshin emphasized his point by releasing some of his reiatsu, which caused the weaker Captains to drop to their knees.

"What are you doing here, Isshin?"

"Telling you that something else is coming. Something far worse than Aizen and Ywach. Right now, we need to leave Ichigo to his own devices, because he needs to get stronger for what is to come."

"And what is that?" Kyoraku stepped forwards, sliding his swords back into their scabbards as he did so.

"Apocalypse."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So, where are we?" Stepping out of the Garganta, Ichigo turned to look at his two new companions, who were standing behind him.

"As close to Kyoto that I could get us. There is a barrier around the town that not even a Garganta can penetrate, and it is most likely the work of the Shinto Goddess Amaterasu." Ichigo crossed his arms, nodding.

"At this point, I'm not even surprised anymore. Right, you know which way to go now, right?"

"Nope, we don't know anymore, things went according to plan right up to the point of getting out of Soul Society. After that, Aizen just said to follow your orders." Yang leaned up against a wall, while Yin bowed her head and poked her fingers together in front of her face.

"Okay…so I'm guessing…we go…that way!" He pointed in a random direction, hoping that Kyoto was in that direction, which prompted a sigh from Yang, and a giggle from Yin. "What?"

"Other way. Kyoto is to the south, you're pointing north."

Oh…right…yeah…I was testing you! You passed the test! Good work." Ichigo spun and started walking in the opposite direction from which he was pointing.

"I'd say…you're a much more amusing master than Aizen or Kusaka."

"Oh right!" Ichigo turned towards them. "I thought you two died when after the whole Kusaka incident. How are you two alive?"

"The Ōin resurrected us. Not by choice. That thing is tied to the Soul King, which means we must have been brought back by his will or something."

"Their deductions are quite astute. The Ōin did indeed bring them back, but it's not for the reason that they will explain to you. They are to be the right and left hand of the King. Yang is more Shinigami than Hollow, and Yin is a mix of Quincy and Hollow. It's what they were when they were human."

"You're still here?"

"Of course I am, Ichigo. I said I will guide you, and so I shall. Which begs the question…why is there a sideways city in here?"

"Zangetsu, the Old Man, said it was a representation of my limits, that as I grow stronger, the building will get higher and higher. Hollow Zangetsu said it was because of the glass, that the real reason is because the glass reflects who I am, and who I'm meant to be, which is why he usually showed up in the glass, maybe he was alluding to how I'm meant to be Hollow, Shinigami and Quincy."

"Are you talking to Aizen?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry."

"All good. Anyway, the reason Yin and I figured was that we were brought back to help you, because once we returned to Las Noches, Aizen spirited us away, and kept us hidden from the other Arrancar. Anyway, we have company."

"I know."

Stopping, Ichigo looked in the direction of the new source of power. He was pleasantly surprised when he discovered that there were multiple sources of power, and by that indication, they were relatively young, maybe in their teenage years.

"Shall we pay them a visit? I'm sure they could help us out some?"

"As you wish, Master."

"Please, enough of that 'Master' stuff, okay, Yin? Just call me Ichigo. That goes for you as well Yang."

"O-okay…Ichigo."

"Right, Ichigo."

"Right, that sounds much better. Let's go."

"I know this source of power. It seems like you are about to stumble on your first meeting with supernatural powers outside of Shinigami, Hollows and Quincy."

'What are they? They feel…tainted…by something extremely familiar.'

"It should be familiar. It's the power of Hell."

'Are they Sinners? How are they able to use that much power without being reclaimed by the Kushanada?'

"They are not Sinners, but something else. We are arriving, let them explain."

'So much for guiding me.'

"I know that I said that, but there are some things that you must encounter yourself. When times seem rough and there is no other option, I will assist you, but this, this is a meeting you are destined to have."

'Right. Fine.'

He cut the connection to Aizen, letting the voice of the madman fade away. There was something he had been wondering since the beginning, and that was why? Why had Aizen chosen to do this? Why wasn't he trying to destroy him from the inside? Why was he being so docile? Why was he being so…normal? Deciding to have those questions answered when things had settled down, Ichigo pressed forwards, pushing aside the branches that led to the clearing which supposedly held a destined meeting.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Rias, something is coming this way."

"I know. Whatever it is, it's powerful."

"They, there are three of them. One man, two women."

"I heard women, are they cute?"

"Quite Issei, we don't know if they are friends or foes. Prepare to engage in combat if we need to, Akeno, to me."

"Yes, Rias." Looking out over her family, Rias Gremory sat on a tree stump and waited for the three arrivals to…well…arrive. As she was waiting, she sent a message to Sirzechs, her older brother and King of Hell.

'Nii-sama, my peerage and I are just outside of Kyoto, like we said we would be, but there is something coming in our direction, three unknowns, and from what we could tell, they are insanely powerful. Please, we could use a hand.'

'I see, I am on my way Rias, if you can stall them, that would be great. Do not engage if you believe they are that powerful.'

'Of course, Nii-sama. Please hurry, they are almost here.'

'So am I.'

She cut the link as the three strangers wandered into their camp, and she was shocked to the core. These people weren't powerful, they were the literal meaning of power. The two women were easily strong enough to overpower her entire peerage alone. She gulped as their power washed over them, but then she realized that she wasn't sensing anything from the man, who stood at the head of the three. She took in their basic features.

One of the women had blue hair, the other was red. They wore matching white uniforms and has white helmets on their heads, but what caught her attention the most was the man.

He was tall, very tall, and he wore a black uniform with a coat over the top. Crossing over his chest were white bands that were attached to w white shawl around his waist. On his hip was a blade, and on his back was another.

Probing a little deeper, she found that she still couldn't sense anything from him.

"Probe anymore and you'll see why you can't sense anything from me, miss." Rias looked up in shock. He had managed to detect her probing, and now he was staring her down. She held his unwavering gaze for a second before she was overwhelmed by his mere presence.

"Sorry."

"It's fine. I would have done something similar if our positions were reversed." Looking back at him, she watched as he tilted his head in multiple directions. "Also, tell your friends to come out of hiding, I know exactly where they are, so there is no point in trying." Nodding, Rias raised her hand, and everyone came out from their hiding spots, both shocked and worried that he was able to sense them so easily.

"Now, there are actually a few things I'd like to talk to you…about…why hello there." She let out a sigh a relief when the comforting aura of her brother enveloped the area, completely smothering the two women behind him to the point they were having difficulty breathing. Tilting his head slightly and eyeing them out of the corner of his eye, he asked a simple question.

"You ladies okay back there?"

"Not really…that new guy is a monster. He's far more powerful than anyone we've come across…except you of course." Looking back at Sirzechs, who was now standing next to Rias, the man sighed, before everything went to shit.

Everyone in the clearing except for the two women, Yin and Yang, were forced to their knees. Even Sirzechs was unprepared for the raw power that landed on his shoulders.

"What the fuck!?" Straining, Sirzechs managed to look up, and watched the mans face morph into shock.

"Oh shit! I'm sorry! I got quite the power boost recently and still don't have quite the grip on it that I should! Hold on, let me raise it again." Closing his eyes, Sirzechs let out a sigh of relief as the huge weight on his shoulders vanished, allowing everyone in the clearing to stand back up.

"If you don't mind me asking, what in sweet Lucifer was that?"

"That…was my control slipping for about 10 seconds. Sorry." He switched to a mental conversation, taking aim at the person who was supposed to be helping. Keyword…supposed. 'Aizen, what the hell was that? I almost killed everyone here!'

"Forgive me, I attempted to bring your power down to something more stable, and at a point where you weren't a transcendent being. Seems like we will have to do this somewhere where there aren't any people. For now, I'm keeping your power at a transcended level, something similar to when you fought Ywach. I'd suggest, when we do get to controlling your power, you use a form where the amount of reiatsu needed is immense, like that form you used to defeat me."

'Yeah, we'll get to that, but for now, we need to make friends.'

"Agreed. I offer my sincere apologies for that slight blunder."

'Noted.' Moving back to normal speech, Ichigo realized something really important. "I don't think we've done any introductions! Where are my manners?" He sat down opposite Rias and Sirzechs. "My name is Ku-"

"Shiba. For now, until we learn if we can trust these people, use the name Shiba. Kurosaki is too familiar a name. Also, use an alias for a first name as well."

"Kaien, Shiba Kaien. The two behind me are…" He turned to them, and with a simple look, told them everything they needed to know.

"My name is Ana." Yang bowed slightly.

"And I am Tia." Yin copied her sisters movement.

"Well, Shiba-san, Ana-san, Tia-san, it most certainly is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Sirzechs Lucifer, this is my little sister Rias, and her peerage. As you " He pointed them all out one by one. When he got to a black-haired girl, Ichigo felt something from her that shouldn't have been possible.

"Excuse me for saying so, but, Akeno-chan, aren't you…hiding something?" Ichigo raised a brow, and quickly regretted his question when Sirzechs, Rias, the now identified Hyōdō Issei, Tōjō Koneko and Yuuto Kiba all drew their respective weapons.

Sirzechs, for his part, just remained seated. "Now, how would you know that, Shiba-san?"

"I can sense it. There are two warring parts of your soul. I'd get them under control, lest you want bad things to happen because you're not strong enough." Ichigo levelled his gaze at Akeno, who glared back.

"Hmph. I do not need your guidance on things that do not pertain your interests." She crossed her arms under her rather ample chest and turned her head away, giving him the cold shoulder.

"Very well. When the time comes, and you're against the ropes, and you need all the power you have, but you can't use it, well then, you'd wish you listened to my guidance." Dropping the subject, Ichigo decided to get things rolling again. "Now, unfortunately, I'd love to stay and chat, but I have some rather pressing matters to attend to in Kyoto. So, if you would excuse me, I shall be on my way. Tia, Ana, shall we ladies?"

"Sure, Kaien."

"Lead the way!"

"Kaien-san, a quick word of advice. If you're planning on entering Kyoto, then I suggest you leave the Qu-!" He never got to finish his statement as the pressure from before that brought them all to their knees landed on them once again. This time, however, it was aimed solely on Sirzechs.

"I wouldn't finish that statement if I were you. Last time, it was because my control slipped, this time is on purpose. And this…is only a fraction." Straightening up, Ichigo turned away and started to walk towards the city of Kyoto, his two companions close behind. Once they were gone from both earshot and sight, the power lifted, as if it was never there in the first place. Groaning, Rias turned to her peerage.

"Is everyone okay? No injuries?" a chorus of 'no's' reached her ears and she let out a sigh of relief. Turning towards Sirzechs, she felt worry deep in her stomach when she saw his face. It was something she never imagined to see on the face of a Maou, let alone her own brother. "Nii-sama? What's wrong?" Everyone turned towards Sirzechs, fear gnawing at them as the Crimson Lucifer turned towards them.

"That…it's impossible…there is no way…"

"Nii-sama?"

"Rias…if you ever run into that…person…again. Run. Run away, very fast, and very far. I never thought that they existed. They have never been seen, and the last sighting was over a thousand years ago, where one of them managed to decimate half a continent."

"What was he? Nii-sama, we need answers." Rias placed a hand on his shoulder, she was both terrified and worried, seeing her brother in such a state.

"Rias…that was a…Shinigami." Everyone froze. Rias felt her heart stop in a single second. Turning to Akeno, she saw the fear in the girls eyes. A cough brought them out of their stupor.

"Sorry, I'm a bit new to this whole supernatural thing, but can someone explain to me what a Shinigami is?" Rias turned to Issei, who's voice managed to tear her from her fear.

"Issei, a Shinigami is a mythical being. It's said that the Shinigami ferry the dead, and that they are crazy powerful because of it. They haven't been seen or head from in over a thousand years, and as Nii-sama said, the last one was so powerful, and the flames he wielded so hot, it changed the weather of the world, and caused a new desert to appear in Central Australia." She took a breath, trying to calm her still rapidly beating heart.

"But, are you sure that he was a Shinigami?"

"I'm a 100% certain Issei-kun. I need to report this to the others. Your trip is cancelled, I'm sorry, but a Shinigami in this world is never a good sign. Their name literally means 'God of Death'…and they carry that with them wherever they go. Get everyone home, now Rias." With that Sirzechs vanished through the use of a magic circle, leaving everyone to figure out what to do.

"Rias, if that really was a Shinigami…who were the two behind him?"

"I don't know Akeno, but their powers felt tainted…just like he said to you, it felt like there were two warring sides to their power, but they were in complete control of it. At any rate, they are far more powerful than us at the moment. We shall follow what Nii-sama said, everyone, it's time to go home." She didn't hear one complaint from the group, as they were all eager to leave, the feeling of the Shinigami's powers crushing them all still all to fresh in their minds.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Well that went perfectly! All according to my ingenious plan. You played your part perfectly, Ichigo."

'That's enough out of you Aizen. Thanks to you, we made enemies out of them.'

"Not at all. You've planted a seed of doubt int their minds as to if you're friend of foe. Right now, they think you're a neutral party. The man, Sirzechs, has most definitely figured out you're a Shinigami, and has already returned to Hell to inform the rest of his kind."

'They really are Devils then? I thought you were fucking mental before but now…now I'm not so sure. I've ended up seeing many things in my short life, so when you said that they were Devils from Hell…I was okay with it. Now…back to guiding.'

"Very well Ichigo. Continue straight, we are almost at the barrier surrounding Kyoto. Once we cross, the supernatural world will know of your existence. We must reach the palace of the Princess of the Sun as quickly as possible. There are many Factions out there, and they will all be vying for your power. If you were to join any Faction apart from the one you're meant to join, then the balance will be thrown askew. Question: What is it that we do as Shinigami?"

'We maintain the balance.'

"Correct. We have arrived." Cutting the connection to the demi-god in his soul, Ichigo stopped just before the barrier. Turning back to Yin and Yang, he gave them a hard stare.

"Do you girls know where the Palace of the Princess of the Sun is?"

Yin spoke up, her eyes shining. "Yes! It's in the centre of town."

"Alright, come here. I don't want to take any chances. As soon as we are through the barrier, I am going to use Shunpo to get us as close as possible. Aizen said a lot of people would notice, and that isn't something we want." He walked over to the girls and picked them both up, one under each arm. Yin blushed and started fidgeting, whilst Yang just smirked.

"You into sisters? Taking us both in your big strong arms. Are we your spoils of war?"

"Do you want me to drop you?"

"Please be rough with me too, Master." Both Ichigo and Yang thought they got whiplash as their heads snapped around to look at Yin, who was now blushing furiously and trying to hid her face. Yang broke the silence by bursting out into a fit of laughter.

"Oh my God! Yin! I didn't know you were like that! Bahaha!"

"No! Stop! Please! Just…forget what you heard!" She tried to reach out to hit Yang, but managed to hit Ichigo instead. He just looked down at her, eyes in a dead stare, and let out a sigh.

"Really, Yin? Low blow much." The girl just stopped moving and went quiet. "Yin?" He bent over slightly to try and peek at her face, but she just turned away, but he did manage to catch a glimpse of the huge blush she was sporting. "Alright then, we better get going before Yin starts using her whip."

"I bet you'd like that."

"I'm dropping you next time you speak."

"Sorry."

Chuckling, Ichigo stepped through the barrier, releasing a massive amount of power as he did so, and as soon as he did, the world focused its attention on the small town of Kyoto.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Odin stirred from his nap, his eye snapping open when a wave of power rushed over him. "Ahahaha! They have returned! The Shinigami walk the Earth once more! Rossweisse! Come, let's go find you a boyfriend!"

"Odin-sama! Why!" The silver haired Valkyrie bawled her eyes out as she dropped to her knees.

"Ahahahahahaha!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Zeus raised a brow as the wave of power washed over him. "Hoh? I haven't felt this power in a very long time. Apollo, go find your sister, we are going on a quick trip."

"Understood, Father. Shall I bring Nike and Athena as well? Just in case?"

"Why not."

"By your will."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A shiver made its way down the spine of the slumbering beast. Craning its long neck, the Quetzalcoatl rose from its slumber as a ripple of the power that was racing across the supernatural world reached her domain in Mesoamerica. Yawning, she looked in the direction (roughly) of Japan. "Hm? They seem to have returned, how interesting." She let out another yawn before deciding to figure out what to do tomorrow, and went back to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"IT BETTER NOT BE THAT FIRE BREATHING TINY HUMAN LIZARD THING!"

"Calm down Rainbow! It ain't him, so why don't you calm ya farm!"

"It has to be him Baiame*! There is no one else in this world that has that kind of power! Genryusai Yamamoto has returned to the world!"

"It ain't him Rainbow. I can tell. This kid is different from him. His soul feels…calmer."

"They're all the same! The carry death in their wake don't they!"

"Not all of them Rain…not all of them."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Not interested! Sorry!" Ichigo dodged another Faction leader wanting to get their hands on him. He had barely taken two steps into the barrier when a wrinkly old man and a silver haired woman appeared via a golden gate to his left. They had introduced themselves as Odin and Rossweisse, and Ichigo had laughed, then run away very quickly, throwing an apology over his shoulder.

"I insist you listen to our proposal young man." The man he had thought he dodged appeared in front of him, and honestly, it made Ichigo quite frustrated that these people didn't take no for a answer. Stopping, Ichigo quickly looked around, looking for a quick exit, but he had found himself surrounded.

"Father, I say we bring him back to Olympus by force and make him listen." Ichigo felt his eyebrow twitch.

"No, I say we let him leave. He obviously has no intent on agreeing to any of our proposals. We should have gone through the proper channels. Brother, lower your weapon."

"Bah! Artemis, you were always weak when it came to forced negotiation. Sometimes, force is the only option!"

"You're right about that." Apollo and Artemis turned towards Ichigo, who was seething with rage and annoyance. "So let me emphasise…with force. BAN-KAI!" He was instantly enveloped in a whirlwind, having picked up sand from the streets, and blocked him from view. Zeus smirked when he felt a trickle of the boys power.

"Artemis, Apollo. Make sure that there are no civilians around. Nike, Athena, could you go placate Amaterasu? I think I'm going to steal her child from her own land."

"Father! I do not think that is a good idea!"

"YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO YOUR KID!" Ichigo exploded from the whirlwind, his giant blade coming down on the lightning bolt that Zeus brought up to defend himself with.

"Interesting. You have quite a bit of power hiding in that body of yours, boy."

"It's Kurosaki Ichigo you old bastard! Now get out of my way! Getsuga! Juujisho!" Bringing his blade down, he quickly swiped across his body, creating the cross beam attack, which launched Zeus into the distance, where his landing was accompanied by an almighty explosion.

"Father!" Ichigo turned, Yin and Yang hanging off his shoulders, and faced Apollo and Artemis. His gaze fell on the woman.

"He's still alive. I didn't put enough power behind that attack to kill anyone. I just sent him flying outside the city. Now. There are two ways you can get to your father. First, it under your own steam. The second, is at the end of the same attack. Make your choice." He clutched his blade tighter, raising it slightly so they could see that he was serious, and that he would send them flying.

"You little bastard…how dare you!"

"Peace, Brother!" Artemis stepped forwards, instantly quelling her brothers rage. Turning to Ichigo, she spoke calmly. "Are you certain that you didn't kill Father? He is the God King of Olympus."

"That was Zeus? Well shit…I have some explaining to do once all this is over. Anyway, yes, that was about 10% of my power, anything more and I would have erased the mountain." Artemis shot Apollo a look. "Anyway, you seem amicable. My name is Kurosaki Ichigo, I'm here to meet with the Princess of the Sun."

She was a little taken aback by his sudden introduction. Regaining her composure, Artemis gave him a quick bow. "My name is Artemis, the Greek Goddess of the Hunt, and this is my twin Brother Apollo, the God of the Bow." Ichigo raised an orange brow.

"An archer huh? Tell me…what do you think of this bow?" He held out his left hand, solidifying his reiatsu in his palm, creating a modern combat bow from memory. He honestly didn't like using his Quincy powers, but since he had them, and had a lot of spare time in the time-distorted room he was training in whilst with the Royal Guard, he figured he'd learn to use them.

Apollo watched in fascination as Ichigo formed the bow, whilst Artemis watched with suspicion brewing in her mind. She took a deep breath when she recognised that particular flow of power, the way it moulded around his fingers, the way he manipulated it to solidify.

Acting on instinct, as a hunter does, she pushed Apollo aside and bent backwards, as she did so, an arrow split the air where their heads were. Both Apollo and Artemis regained their positions, weapons drawn, both aiming to target Ichigo, but they stood surprised once again as Ichigo himself had dodged out of the way of the arrow.

"What now!" Spinning, Ichigo stabbed his sword into the ground, and in one fluid motion, drew an arrow and fired. The arrow he launched slammed into a second arrow, before his eyes focused on the shooter. "What the hell…Ishida!"

"We have some questions for you, Kurosaki! First, where is Sosuke Aizen?"

"Didn't you hear the clown? Aizen is a part of me now! He used that damn marble to save me though!"

"Then give him and the marble up, Kurosaki! Soul Society is hunting you now, and…so are we."

"Brazo Izquerda del Diablo." Without flinching or moving, Ichigo reached out with his left hand, dissipating the bow and catching the white arm of his best friend.

"Chad. Mind explaining?"

"There is a good chance that you are not Ichigo. It is very likely that you are Aizen."

"Chad, it's me."

"Prove it. Give yourself up, and let them remove Aizen from you."

"I don't know if that's possible. It could be possible that Aizen is the only thing keeping me alive."

"Orihime is here now. If Aizen is removed, then she can heal you."

"Can she? Did you see the state I was in? The only thing that could have saved me was Zangetsu forcing full Hollowfication, but…I can't hear him anymore." Uryu frowned, and decided to get closer so he could hear the conversation between his cousin and his friend.

"Ichigo? What does that mean?"

"Are you going to let me pass…Chad?"

"No."

"Then forgive me. I have something I have to do…and you've decided to stand in my way. Where is all the faith you had in me before?"

"Gone the moment you bonded with Aizen."

"I see. Forgive me then...old friend…Cousin." Uryu flinched at the venom in the word, and then he blacked out as a thousand volts coursed through his body. Chad raised his right arm, the armour growing from his skin.

"Brazo Derecho del Gigante." The fireball crashed into him, but he was blindsided by Ichigo, who snapped out with his leg and collected him in the ribs, sending him down the street, digging a trench with his body.

Sighing sadly, Ichigo was forced to dodge as a blue arrow almost took his eye. Looking down, he saw that Ishida was crouching, a blue crossbow glowing on his wrist. "Give up Kurosaki. There is no way that you're actually willing to hurt us."

"I'm not! But you're not giving me a choice! Leave, Ishida! Take Chad with you and leave, get to Orihime and get yourselves fixed up! Don't come after me."

"Kurosaki-kun?" Turning once again, Ichigo looked at Orihime Inoue, who was standing a short distance away.

"Inoue…what are you doing here? How the hell did you even find me anyway? We moved quickly, made sure not to leave a trail, and the Garganta from Soul Society was untraceable."

"A short while ago, we felt a pulse of your power from Karakura. Ishida-kun traced it to here. Kurosaki-kun, who are these people? Why are you still fighting? Is Aizen still influencing you?"

"These are good people, people you attacked without provocation, Ishida. This is Apollo, the God of the Bow, and Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt. According to Artemis, I just sent Zeus, the King of Gods on Olympus, flying into the distance."

"And yet, here I am." The group turned, and lo and behold, Zeus strolled into the street, hands in what was left of his pants, and his shirt, which was a lovely satin, had been torn to shreds. "That packed a hell of a punch. Actually made me black out on detonation in the distance." Zeus looked at Artemis and Apollo, before making a decision. "Let's go, we shouldn't bother the Shinigami anymore."

"Yes, Father."

"Understood, Father. Hey, Ichigo? Could we meet up at some point, I would like to test your skill with a bow." Artemis stepped forwards, the fire of competition burning fiercely in her eyes.

"Sure! Sounds like a plan. I'll just get out of this, head to the centre, get my business done, and then I might try to find a way to Olympus."

"No need, here." She threw him a small medallion, carved from wood, and had the image of a wolf. "Press that to your forehead and call out to me. I will find you in any forest of the world."

"Nifty."

"Very. Farewell, Ichigo, hope to hear from you soon." With that, she turned and followed Apollo and Zeus, who had reunited with Athena and Nike, who were staring at Ichigo as if he was some sort of monster.

"Lord Zeus, is he really a Shinigami?"

"Yes, Nike, he is. And he is far more powerful that you. His power matches that of the Old Gods, such as Odin, Amaterasu, myself, maybe the Original Lucifer and most definitely Crom Cruach."

"He's as strong as a Dragon King?"

"Stronger. Come, let's head home." With that, he opened a gate to Olympus and stepped through, a thought crossing his mind, and taking a glance out of the corner of his eye at Artemis, who was smiling a little wider than usual.

"Artemis, is something the matter?"

"I just felt as if now I have a new adversary, one that can push me far beyond my limits." She skipped off, humming a tune known only by the forest dwellers. Smiling to himself, Zeus walked to his throne and dropped into it.

"ZEUS! WHERE DID YOU GO THIS TIME?!"

"DAMMIT HERA I WAS GONE 5 MINUTES! CUT ME SOME SLACK!"

Back in Kyoto, Ichigo stood facing his old friends, his old team. "Yin, Yang."

"Yes, Ichigo?"

"Get to the centre. Let them know that I'm on my way."

"Understood. Don't dally."

"Please hurry, Master." Orihime flinched as she heard that word.

"Kurosaki-kun? What are you doing with those Hollows?"

"They…are helping me."

"Couldn't we help you?"

"Without trying to rip Aizen from my chest?" Unable to respond, Orihime closed herself off and took a step back. "Just as I thought. Stay out of my way." Grabbing the hilt of his sword, both Chad and Ishida noticed one distressing fact.

He was in Ban-Kai.

They understood now why they couldn't lay a finger on him, he was currently a transcended being. As he walked off, he stopped, closed his eyes, and let the familiar power once used long ago wash over him.

Orihime gasped as his classic orange hair changed colour, fading away to a midnight black. And when he turned to face them, his brown eyes now a crimson red, bored into their souls. "Let Soul Society know that they cannot take me. And if they try to…well…they'll see the power I used to save them…over and over again…they'll see it turn on them. We are no longer allies, and I am no longer just a Substitute. I am a human, a Quincy, a Hollow and a Shinigami. There has never…to my knowledge…been another like me. Don't test my patience." His lecture done, Ichigo vanished, leaving them to wonder what exactly it was that they had just done.

"What was that form? I couldn't sense anything before he used it."

"It's called…The Final Getsuga Tensho: Mugetsu." Ishida glanced to his right, where Isshin and his own father, Ryuuken, stood.

"And how do you know this?" Isshin just laughed.

"Because I 'taught' it to him. It can only be learnt by a 'Getsu' zanpaktou. Engetsu and I used it a very long time ago. Ichigo and Zangetsu used it to defeat Aizen a three years ago. It's especially powerful in Ichigo's hands, seeing as he's a true hybrid. Well, guess we really pushed him away completely this time. Well fucking done kids." Isshin turned and started making his way towards the centre of town, Orihime quickly made to follow, but an arrow stopped her tracks.

"Isshin and I will talk to Ichigo. You, all of you, go home. You've made things worse already, and if you, especially you Uryu, push him any further, it will result in catastrophic damage to Soul Society." Taking a deep breath, Ryuuken turned to follow Isshin, who waited patiently for his old friend.

"Ready? He won't be happy."

"If he'll listen to anyone, and answer truthfully, it's you Isshin. Or that damned werecat. She always had a soft spot for him."

"Yeah, but she's too old for him. I wouldn't mind having her for a daughter-in-law though!" Isshin burst out into laughter, which earnt him a knock to the head.

"Be sensible Isshin! We need answers from Ichigo."

"And if he gives them to us, he will, if not, we wait for him to be ready. But, I want him to tell me that himself." Isshin, rubbing his head gently, picked up the pace, making a beeline for the Palace of the Princess of the Sun.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The palace was unlike anything Ichigo had ever seen. Whilst the palace of the Soul King had been grand on a size scale, the palace he was seeing now was grand in a personal scale. The design was very Japanese, with shoji doors lining every room, and grand wooden doors blocking off what he assumed to be the Throne room. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the doors open, Yin and Yang standing faithfully behind him.

"Be cautious Ichigo. The Princess and I never saw eye to eye. She has a way of seeing the best in people that surpasses even that of Orihime Inoue. Even though she has a pure heart, anything that is seen as a threat to her or her family, she can be just as ruthless as the former Head Captain. Her mother was far more conversational, but Yasaka-hime is far…scheming. As is given for a fox."

'Thanks for the head up. Now, I need to focus. Keeping all this power so compressed is giving me a slight headache.'

"I will manage it for you. Think of my presence as a pseudo zanpaktou spirit. I can lend you power, I can control and hide your reiatsu, and I can give you access to vast amounts of capabilities. One such ability is the use of Kido. Now that you have access to your complete power range, using the basic Shinigami abilities will be available to you. I will teach you as time goes on."

'Does that mean you have a release? A Shi-Kai and Ban-Kai?'

"No. I do not have that. Your own zanpaktou, Zangetsu, has left you a parting gift. You still have your own Shi-Kai and Ban-Kai. Now, eyes forwards."

Aizen cut the connection, and Ichigo looked up at the Throne, where he saw, possibly, the most stunning, beautiful creature he had ever seen.

Sitting on the Throne, hands lain in her lap, nine golden tails standing attentive behind her, fair skin that had a slight glow, and golden hair that framed her face. What grabbed his attention the most, however, were her eyes.

Two golden orbs that bored into his soul, watched his every move, and made him feel rather small. Swallowing, he walked to the base of the small flight of stairs that led to her, and stood, back straight, and spoke. "…I really don't know how to introduce myself to someone of your stature. So I'm just going to introduce myself and my companions. My name is Kurosaki Ichigo, former Substitute Shinigami. On my right is Yin, and on my left is Yang. Both these girls are Hollows, but they are a subspecies known as Arrancar, Hollows who have removed their masks and evolved to a higher level, regaining their sanity and losing their desire to consume souls. It is an honour to meet you."

"Very well done."

'Shut it.'

"Welcome, Kurosaki Ichigo, Yin, Yang. My name is Yasaka, Princess of the Palace of the Sun. What brings you here today? Surely it isn't something as simple as just introducing yourself to me."

"Right. I was told to come here."

"May I ask…by whom?"

"Sosuke Aizen."

"Ah, yes. That man has been a rather stubborn pain in my side. He came to me long ago, claiming to…wait…did you say Shinigami?"

"Uh…yes?" Yasaka seemed to sit up a little straighter, and her tails started to sway from side to side. To the untrained eye, they would simply see her becoming more curious about the topic, but to Ichigo, he saw the subtle shifts in her muscles, and the way her body tensed, as if she was anticipating a fight of some sort.

"In all my years, I have never encountered a Shinigami. Mother knows about your kind, and the only knowledge that I have on you is that one of you is akin to a Demon of Fire. Capable of changing the weather and making the land uninhabitable. I've heard that Shinigami all bring death on their heels. So…in truth…Kurosaki Ichigo…what brings a Shinigami to Kyoto?" She leaned forwards slightly, her muscles tensing.

"As I said, I was told to come here by Sosuke Aizen. For a reason, he never gave me one."

"I see. Well…for now, I must ask you to leave, I must converse with Mother as to what is…" She drifted off, her face relaxing slightly and her muscles loosening.

"Um, Yasaka-hime?"

"I know why you are here, my sons." Ichigo froze as the voice reverberated throughout the hall, making the walls shake with mere sound. Looking up, the princess he had just been talking to was now standing and making her way down to him, and each step she took through his Hollowfied instincts for a curveball.

They way her hips swayed sensually with each step.

The way her tails shifted behind her.

"Stay your instincts for now my son. There will come a time for that soon." Ichigo reeled back when he realized that he was openly staring at her entire body as she walked towards them.

"This is not Yasaka-hime. Be on guard, Ichigo."

"There is no need to be on guard with me, Sosuke, my son." Ichigo took a step back, his hand flying to his blade.

"How did you know?"

"There is much that I know. Like how you miss the bickering of Juha and Zangetsu within your own soul. But in order to keep you stabilized, Sosuke Aizen sacrificed his mortal form and took up residence within your soul. How correct am I?" She giggle as Ichigo rubbed the back of his head.

"Very."

"As I thought. I very well may introduce myself to you, since you seem rather…out of it? Is that how you kids say it these days? I can never keep up with the hip lingo." She genuinely seemed upset when she spoke, as if really being out of time was affecting her. "My name is Amaterasu-no-Okami…you can call me…Mother."

"Holy shit. I never met her in person, only through a mirror I couldn't even look at."

'Did you just swear in front of a Goddess! Are you fucking mental!?'

"Don't make this worse Ichigo! She's laughing, pay attention to her!" Ichigo looked up at Amaterasu, sweat dripping down the side of his face.

"Sorry about that…Mother. As you can see…and probably hear…I'm still getting slightly used to Aizen residing in my head. Sure, he's holding me together, literally, it still just feels weird having a uber-psycho-wanna-be-demi-god in your head."

"Thank you for that wonderful description."

'I thought it was on point there.'

"It's quite alright, the banter between the two of you is rather refreshing. I actually ha- intruders."

"I got this." Amaterasu had to do a double take when the double layered voice came from Ichigo, and she could see his shifted eyes glaring at the front door. Ichigo raised his hand and aimed two fingers at the gate. "Open the gates, let them in. I warned them once, and said there wouldn't be a second chance." Amaterasu nodded, and motioned towards the guards at the door, who opened them slowly.

"Yo! Ichigo! How's it going?"

"Gran Rey Oyaji?"

"Ohhh…I like that title. I'm going to be using it from now on. Hey, Ryuuken, what do you think?"

"I think you're an idiot. He's clearly busy. Forgive us for this rude interruption, we shall wait patiently outside until we are called."

"But! He's finished talking!"

"No, Isshin, he hasn't. We interrupted. Now, you can leave with or without and arrow in your forehead. The choice is yours."

"Call us when you're ready son!" With that, Isshin was gone, having moved faster than Ichigo ever remembers his old man moving. Sighing, he cancelled the overpowered Cero charging on the end of his fingers. Letting his Hollowfication drop, Ichigo turned back towards Amaterasu.

"Sorry about that, the old man doesn't know how to take a hint."

"That's very much alright. Isshin and Masaki made their presence known in my temple long ago. As I was saying, my son, I have a business proposal for you, seeing as how you are no longer employed by the Shinigami…correct?"

"I'll have you know, Mother, that the reason for that is entirely their fault."

"Oh that is completely true. I mourned when Kyoraku Shunsui made that terrible decision and instead of believing in his faith in you, decided to force chains, and thus create the rift."

"Hm. All I wanted was a chance, but they took that from me, and I think they tried to do so on multiple occasions as well, but, all that's in the past, right? All that's left now is to look towards tomorrow."

"Well spoken my son. Seems like Yasaka is getting a little fidgety in her own mind. I must be quick then, lest I want to cause some damage to her body. I would like to hire you as a bodyguard for the young miss of the house. Young Lady Kunou seems to be rather well versed in…escaping…from the palace, and it seems like doing so has landed her in trouble more than once. Oh, one more thing…no will not be taken as an answer. Until next time, my sons." The glow that Ichigo never noticed was surrounding Yasaka dimmed away, and the fox princess swayed slightly before falling forwards.

"CATCH HER YOU FOOL!"

'SHUT UP!'

Ichigo dashed forwards, moving much faster than he thought he could, and managed to catch Yasaka before she hit the ground and ended up hurting herself. In a brief moment of clarity, as her presence seemed to quiet a hysterical Aizen in his mind, a thought crossed it. 'She's rather soft.' He realized his train of thoughts and quickly shook his mind free, the incessant rambling of Aizen slowly creeping back into his thoughts.

He was about to answer when he noticed her eyes fluttering, opening to reveal those golden orbs.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It took her a second for her to realize exactly what had happened. Amaterasu-Okami had decided to take her body for a joyride whilst she was talking to the Shinigami.

"A real-life Shinigami! He's not exactly what I thought he'd be. He's young, that's certain, but from what I can tell, he's very…very powerful. Mother, what did you discuss with him? And why is my chair suddenly extremely comfortable and warm…" She blinked, her eyes opening to reveal that her chair was…in fact…not her chair at all, but rather the strong arms of the suddenly very close and very handsome Shinigami that was looking down at her with concerned eyes.

"Hey, you alright?"

His voice reverberated through her ears and sent shivers down her spine.

How?

Why?

When did he close the distance?

And what was this infernal reaction she was having to him!?

"Your face looks red, and you're heating up. Would you like to lie down? His voice once again sent shivers down her spine, and a melodical laughter echoed in the back of her mind.

'You'd better answer him Child. He looks rather concerned for your wellbeing.'

"I…we…I am fine thank you. May I ask. Why is it that I find myself in this position?"

"Well, long story short, Mother spoke to me through you, then she bailed, you fell and I caught you." She sighed.

"I see. Well, I thank you for catching me before I hit the floor in a heap. I do believe that I am fine."

"Doesn't look like it. You're still red and I can feel that you're extremely hot. My senses have been heightened due to circumstances and I can feel the heat coming off you. And since my old man is a doctor, I've unfortunately picked up a few things, and that also means you aren't fit to walk just yet. Which way to the nearest couch?"

"I am very capable of walking on my own thank you very much."

"Please…don't act like a spoiled fox. In fact…act like a spoiled fox. Spoiled foxes don't walk." Ichigo stood, carrying the now very embarrassed Yasaka in his arms.

'He's sooo strong. Quickly, feel his abs through his shirt. Maybe you can feel his biceps when he lets you down.'

'Please don't Mother! I need to find out what's happening to me, and you are not making things any easier by planting such outlandish ideas in my head.'

'Booo. I know the exact reason why your body is reacting the way it is. It actually has something to do with what he did earlier when repelling two uninvited guests.'

'Mind explaining?'

'He used his Hollow powers, powers that are based on instinct. And he used a huge amount. And you, Yasaka dear, reacted on an instinctual level to the power he released. Long story short…you want to sle-'

'I do not! He's far younger than me! I have a child! Plus! I am a princess!'

'And he is the Heir of a noble family.'

'Does he know that?'

'He will soon. Oh, one more thing. He's going to be staying for a while.'

'And why is that, Mother?'

'I hired him to be Kunous bodyguard. Imagine, the child being free to wander where she pleases and no one daring to touch her because she has the protection of a God of Death.'

'It makes sense…it might…YOU HIRED A WHAT!?"

And there it is. The first, proper chapter of [Sub Father].

Rewritten and revised.

Read and review, as per usual.

Have fun!