Chapter 7: Three Paths

*This fanfic belongs to Melkor's Mercy, I don't own a single word*

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX World of the Living, Karakura Town XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Isshin Kurosaki sighed heavily as he stared at the large picture of his wife on the wall. The outward demeanor that he had become accustomed to presenting in front of Ichigo was now nonexistent as the depression was clearly evident on his face. The former captain no longer felt the need to be as wacky or annoying as he used to be due to the absence of his son.

Yuzu and Karin had clearly noticed a difference in him ever since the death of their brother. Isshin cracked a fist as he continued to reflect in the dark silence of the room. Next to Masaki's large picture was one of Ichigo at fifteen. The orange haired teenager had a friendly scowl on his face and a look of confidence. Isshin stared at it intently, 'You had your whole life ahead of you Ichigo…maybe you could have even become a Shinigami like me…or a Quincy like your mother. I knew you could see spirits…I should have warned you about hollows. But how could White have found us here? Whatever killed you, Ichigo, was looking for you. I can't let the same thing happen to Karin or Yuzu. Maybe I should talk to them.'

"What are you doing?" Karin's voice sounded from out of nowhere. Isshin jerked around surprised to see his raven haired daughter looking up at him confused. Her timing seemed ironic to his previous thoughts prompting him to wonder if he should tell her. The man frowned as he tried to come up with an appropriate response, "Uh, I was just looking at Ichigo's picture. Sometimes I wonder who he took after more…me or his mother."

"Why does it matter? He's not here anymore," Karin said bitterly.

The man frowned at his daughter's attitude, "It's been over two years, Karin. You've never talked about what you saw that night. Even the police couldn't get anything out of you, but I think it's about time you talked to me about it. I've given you time, but now I need to know exactly what happened…"

"What?!" the girl said shocked by her father's bluntness.

"You can tell me anything…I'll believe you, so please just open up," Isshin said with a heavy tone of seriousness. Karin was shocked by his request. Normally her father would never directly ask her serious questions; especially when it came to Ichigo.

The thirteen year old girl glared at her father somewhat disapprovingly, "Somehow I doubt that. Why does it even matter anymore? You didn't seem this concerned about it two years ago when he died!"

"He didn't die to a murderer did he? You saw something…tell me, Karin," Isshin replied sternly. He hated having to be this stalwart with his daughter, but he knew that she knew something about Ichigo's death.

Karin bit her lip and looked away, "I don't know what you're talking about…"

"Something else killed him…didn't it?" he continued despite the fact that Karin now appeared emotionally defensive. The young teenager backed away and yelled at him, "Just stop it okay?! Even if I told you, it wouldn't change a thing. It's not like you would believe me anyways."

"It was a hollow…you can see them just like Ichigo, could…can't you?" Isshin concluded. Karin's eyes widened in disbelief, "W-what are you talking about?"

"I knew you two could see spirits, because your mother and I could as well. I wanted you to live normal lives until you were old enough to learn the truth. Unfortunately, that was a mistake. Ichigo wasn't prepared for worst the spiritual world had to offer. I regret not warning him about hollows…but I won't make the same mistake with you, Karin. You need to know what a hollow is," Isshin explained.

Karin's eyes were full of both amazement and disbelief. She couldn't even find the words to reply as she simply stared at her father shocked.

Isshin took her silence as his cue to continue, "Hollows are corrupt spirits with fractured souls. Most originate from human souls who die in the world of the living. Have you ever seen spirits with chains on their chests? That is called a chain of fate. It links the spirit to the body. Dying causes it sever. Eventually if left unattended, the chain will corrode into nothingness. Once their chain of fate is gone, the spirit will cease being a spirit and become a monstrous creature with only one desire…to consume other souls. That is what a hollow is. It's what killed your brother and mother," Isshin said with a stoic look on his face.

Isshin was somewhat surprised to see Karin's reaction to the news. She seemed less defensive now as she held her head down, "That night two years ago…I saw a masked creature drag Ichigo away."

"What did it look like? Did it have horns and long hair?! Was it white and black with red markings?! Did it have an accentuated hole in its chest?" Isshin's eyes lit up with fury as he watched her anxiously.

Karin looked into his eyes for a brief moment, 'Wait…long hair? Horns? That's what Ichigo looks like now. Does he not know Ichigo is that hollow? Should I tell him?'

For some unknown and unexplained reason, Karin felt that telling her father the details of the hollow that attacked Ichigo or the fact that Ichigo was now a hollow himself was a bad idea. She thought deeply about how to respond, 'Telling him, that a hollow turned Ichigo into that thing is only going to hurt him more…father has been through enough pain already.'

"I think that was it, but don't remember what it looked like…but I do know that a masked creature definitely killed Ichigo," Karin half-lied. She regretted having to do so, but she felt as if it was the best way to protect both her brother and father at the same time.

Isshin cracked a fist, "That hollow that killed your brother…its name is White. It is one of the most powerful and dangerous of all its kind. The Soul Society views it as serious threat…and I will be the one to kill it."

"What?!" Karin gasped, "you…can't kill one of those things though. And what's the soul society?!"

The man sighed, "Oh…I guess I should finish explaining how the spirit world works so you understand. The spirits that linger in our world always end up in one of two places. They either become hollows or a Shinigami will show up to send them to the afterlife. Normal human spirits are called pluses. The good ones go to the Soul Society once a Shinigami performs a Konso. The bad ones are sent to hell. This is the primary duty of Shinigami. The other duty is to purify hollows."

"How do you know all of this? What does any of that have to do with us?" Karin asked uncertainly.

Isshin pointed his thumb back at himself, "I used to be a Shinigami, Karin…it's why you and your brother can see spirits. Masaki could too…but she is what's called a Quincy. They're like Shinigami, but are different and do not share our same philosophies."

"You know how crazy this all sounds to me…right? What makes you think I believe any of this?" Karin asked somewhat skeptically.

He looked back at the picture of Masaki, unfazed by Karin's remark, "These creatures are dangerous, and some would even say evil. I can't speak for their race as a whole, but I know that White, is the worst of their kind. Whether you believe me or not, never approach a masked spirit under any circumstance."

"You talked about Shinigami purifying spirits in our world? What happens when a hollow is purified?" Karin asked as she wondered about Ichigo's condition. She finally decided to accept her father's information due to the unusual streak of coincidental experiences to prove it true. Namely her encounter with Ichigo being the primary factor.

Isshin seemed surprised by her question, "Hmm…well it's the same thing that happens when a Konso is performed on a plus. The hollow's spirit is eventually sent to the soul society and reborn there."

Karin's eyes lit up, but her father didn't notice as he looked back at the pictures of his dead family members. The young teenager thought for a moment, 'So then if they purify Ichigo, he can go to this soul society? Maybe they can help him.'

"How did you become a Shinigami?" Karin asked her father anxiously.

Isshin turned around again with a look of curiosity, "I was born in the Soul Society…why do you ask?"

"Is it possible for me to become a Shinigami like you then?" Karin asked slowly.

The man seemed to be caught off guard by his daughter's question, "I-I don't know…that's something I'd have to ask Kisuke. It's dangerous…and you kids are all human."

"Well I want to be able to protect myself in case another one of these hollows show up…" Karin tried to reassure him.

After her comment a strange thought crossed her mind, "Hey, wait a minute…if you are a Shinigami then how come you couldn't fight the hollow the night it killed Ichigo?!"

"That's because your mother and I lost our powers after White attacked and nearly killed Masaki many years ago. I used to be a captain in the Soul Society…my powers have only recently returned Karin," he said sadly.

The man shook his head, "Believe me…I wish I could have done something to save Ichigo. He was a great kid…with a good heart. He always cared about helping others. His mother would have been so proud…" Isshin said as a lump formed in his throat.

He looked away from his daughter ashamed by his own emotional behavior. After a moment he recollected himself, "Maybe you could become a Shinigami, Karin…but I can't watch another person in my family die needlessly. If you're serious about it then there'll be no turning back."

"I just wish there was something I could have done for Ichigo…I just sat there as that hollow dragged him away. I've never felt that helpless before…and I never want to again. I'll do whatever it takes to become strong and fight to protect our family. It's what Ichi-nii would have wanted," Karin said somewhat emotionally. While the statement was true, she also hoped that by choosing this path she would eventually see her brother again.

Isshin smiled weakly at her announcement, "Well, at least you would be safer in the Soul Society training than you would be here. You do realize that means you have to quit school right?"

"So what? I don't really care about school anyways. I'd rather be doing something about these hollows!" Karin responded eagerly.

"Well you'd be quitting one school to join another. To become a Shinigami you need to go through the Shinigami academy…that is assuming you're even capable. We should go see Kisuke Urahara and find out what your potential is. He has a better mind for this stuff than I do," Isshin noted.

"My only concern is what about Yuzu?" Karin asked her father curious about what they were going to tell her.

Isshin sighed, "I don't know if she's spiritually adept or not…but even if she was, Yuzu is too kind and sweet to put this burden on. For her sake, I think she's better off not knowing."

"You're right…Ichigo would have wanted me to protect her with him being gone," Karin nodded in agreement. For a brief moment she wondered if was a good idea to tell her father about Ichigo being a hollow. 'I don't want to see him suffer any more from this. He doesn't have to know that Ichigo is a hollow. From the way he talks about them, I can tell that it'd destroy him to know the truth. Maybe it'll make purifying Ichigo easier if he doesn't know…I'm sorry dad. I'm sorry Ichi-nii.'

The father looked down at his daughter with a weak smile, "If all goes well with Kisuke, I might be able to convince the Soul Society to enroll you in the Shinigami Academy. We're actually nobility in the Soul Society…my old family name Shiba is one of the major houses there."

"Really?" Karin said gawking, "jeez…there's a lot you need to tell me then. So…you said mom was a Quincy right? What are they exactly?"

Isshin looked back at Masaki, "They are spiritually adept humans who hunt down and destroy hollows. They collect spiritual particles called Reishi and refine it into weapons. Typically they use bows and they're quite powerful…a long time ago the Soul Society wiped most of them out."

"What? Why?" Karin asked shocked.

He shrugged, "They destroy hollows, unlike us who purify them. It throws the world out of balance. The Soul Society viewed their philosophies as a danger to the well being of the natural balance of the spirit world."

"So then how did you and mom get married?" Karin cocked her head confused.

Isshin sighed, "It's a long story…I'll tell you about it another time. Taking all this in at once might be a bit overwhelming for my little girl."

Karin raised a brow, "I'm not a little girl anymore…I'm going to be a Shinigami like you."

"Ha! I knew you always took after your dear old dad!" Isshin's serious mood changed to a light hearted one as he reached to hug his daughter.

She kicked him back with tremendous force, "Don't push it…"

Despite her remark she smiled at her father's goofy ranting afterward, 'Maybe we can help Ichigo after all…'

Meanwhile outside of the open back door, Yuzu stood frozen in shock as she had overheard the entire conversation between Isshin and Karin. She was too afraid to move fearing that they would notice her.

Yuzu was devastated by the unbelievable truth of her brother's death. 'Karin-chan, why wouldn't you trust me enough to tell me about what happened to Onii-chan?' she thought distraught. Yuzu was completely overwhelmed by the strange, supernatural news.

Back inside, Isshin finally stopped ranting goofily as Karin coughed, "Ahem…so what's Yuzu going to do if we're in this Soul Society?"

"I'll leave her with Kisuke Urahara. He owns a shop nearby. For the time being, he can keep your sister safe while we're away. Although I won't be there for long since I have to keep an eye out for White, here…" Isshin explained.

Karin nodded, "Okay…so what about school then? How are we going to keep this from Yuzu?"

"Just let me handle that…" he replied, "the soul society has a way of tweaking official records. I can just 'home school' you. Maybe send you 'abroad'" Isshin winked several times.

"You don't think that seems a bit shady?" she crossed her arms.

Isshin sighed, "Listen, Karin…if you want to be a full time Shinigami, then you won't have much time for a human life. You don't have to do it if you don't want."

"I want to do it…don't try to talk me out of it old man," she shot back.

"Old man?! Gosh…you're more like your brother than I thought," he chuckled.

Back outside, Yuzu couldn't help but feel alienated by her family's need to keep her in the dark about what was happening, 'I'm not a baby anymore…why do they not want me to know?!'

Feeling upset, by the situation, she quietly left around the corner of the house and decided to go for a walk. Along the way, Yuzu began to start crying, 'Poor Onii-chan…to have died to a…hollow? What did papa say they were? Masked spirits?'

Adding to her melancholy and despair, thunder crackled across the sky as it began to rain heavily all of a sudden. The usually peppy, optimistic girl was now depressed as she began to start running through the rain. Not only was the overwhelming news about her family extremely difficult to cope with, but the fact that they didn't believe she was capable of knowing it is what hurt the most. Her feelings were deeply hurt by it.

After running for what felt like hours, the fresh teenager was back at the gravesite of her brother and mother. Yuzu clenched a fist as she dropped to her knees. Her sobs grew more audible as she held her head down in defeat, 'It's not fair…why is this happening?! Onii-chan…Ichigo. I wish you were here…'

As she looked up for a brief moment, Yuzu noticed the faint silhouette of somebody at a grave further away. The person was an older man who appeared extremely out of place. Upon making eye contact, the man immediately made his way to her. He was quick to speak his mind, "You can see me?"

"W-who are you? Of course I can…" Yuzu replied nervously.

Upon noticing the chain in the man's chest a revelation struck her, "A-are you a spirit?!"

His eyes saddened upon hearing her comment, "I don't know. I've been here for a long time, and nobody ever notices me. You can see me though…am I dead?!"

"Ummm…I think so," Yuzu replied somewhat frightened. In truth she had grown more spiritually aware ever since the death of her brother. She had been able to sense them around her, but only now was she able to fully see the dead like Karin. 'Why is this happening? Why can I see ghosts now? Is this real?' Yuzu thought concerned.

"Please! You have to help me! My wife! Where is she!? I need you to tell her I'm okay!" the man pleaded as he ran towards the girl. Yuzu flinched fearfully as he charged and accidentally fired a strange blue energy bolt from her hand launching the spirit away.

The man looked up in fear, "W-what are you?!"

"Wha-what? I'm sorry!" Yuzu nearly cried not really aware of what she had just done. The ghost wasted no time running away from her terrified much to her disbelief. After he left, Yuzu looked down at her hands frightened. They had a very faint blue glow over them. She began to cry again as she dropped to Ichigo's grave, 'What am I going to do? What just happened?'

It wasn't long before her crying caught the attention of someone else.

"What do we have here? A little girl crying in a graveyard all alone?" a strange voice sounded. Yuzu's eyes shot open as she jerked around looking for its source. Much to her simultaneous amazement and horror, she noticed a very unusual looking woman behind her. Yuzu didn't see a chain and assumed this woman had to have been human.

The woman was wearing some strange white outfit that showed off quite a bit of skin. Her eyes were green and she had golden lime colored hair with a white uniform hat to match her revealing outfit. The woman had an umbrella as well likely to keep her spotless white uniform dry from the heavy rain.

Yuzu examined her more closely, 'She looks like a foreigner.'

"Who are you?" Yuzu asked cautiously as she stood up and started to wipe her face. Thankfully, the blue glow around her hands had gone away. The skimpily dressed woman chuckled, "Well…straight to the point aren't you? The name's Candice…"

"What are you doing here?" Yuzu was now very nervous by this unusual foreigner's presence.

Candice shook her head, "I just heard you crying…and I felt your spiritual energy. You're a Quincy aren't you?"

Yuzu said nothing as she took a step back. The woman quickly took note of Yuzu's distrust and sighed, "Oh chill out will you? You people are so skittish. I'm not going to hurt you, little girl. I'm a Quincy too."

The young Kurosaki teen remained silent despite the information. Candice scowled at her silence, "Well in case you were wondering, I was just looking for someone else when I sensed you is all. It's not often I see one of our people that I don't know. What's your name, girl?"

"Why should I tell you?" Yuzu countered with an evident fright.

"Ugh…kids are so annoying," the woman sighed, "for the last time, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm a Sternritter…and since we're both Quincies, we're allies. Now tell me who you are, and why I don't know you?"

"Yuzu…" was all the girl answered.

Candice rolled her eyes, "So is that your family name or given name?"

"What do you want from me? My Papa tells me not to talk to strangers," Yuzu replied.

"Well Yuzu…mind telling me why you're crying in a graveyard all by yourself? I'm sure if your father dislikes you talking to strangers…he would definitely dislike you being out here alone in the rain," Candice said.

Yuzu shook her head, "I should probably head home then…"

"Hmm…this grave," Candice interrupted as she walked closer to where Ichigo's body was buried, "Kurosaki Ichigo huh? Was this somebody in your family? I'll remember that name…Yuzu Kurosaki."

The young teenager's eyes widened horrified by the foreign woman's creepy behavior, "Excuse me…"

Yuzu began to walk as fast as she could away from the scene without looking like she was running away.

Candice simply stepped aside and watched her leave, 'That Ryuken guy told me that he and his son were the only Quincies in this town. Maybe I should look into this. But first…'

"By the way, Yuzu," Candice announced causing Yuzu to momentarily stop in her tracks and look back, "if you want to learn more about your Quincy powers, go seek out a man named Ryuken Ishida. I think he owns the hospital around here."

'Ishida-san? Isn't he one of Papa's friends? I think I've seen him before,' Yuzu thought confused.

Mustering her courage, Yuzu gulped, "Why should I do that?"

"Hmph…because if the Soul Society finds out you're a Quincy they'll kill you. Maybe you're not adept enough yet to notice, but this city is crawling with Shinigami. Your power seems new and it is increasing…if you don't learn how to mask it, they'll track you down. Believe me when I say that they're not as nice as I am."

The young teen felt her stomach flip upon hearing the news, 'But Papa is a Shinigami though isn't he? Would he let them hurt me?! What should I do…onii-chan I wish you were here.'

Without another word, Yuzu took off. This time, she didn't even try to hide the fact that she was running away. The lime haired woman laughed as she turned back towards the gravesite, 'Kurosaki…that sounds so familiar. Well I'm sure somebody else will figure it all out. I should probably follow the girl and see what Ryuken knows about her family. She might be an interesting recruit.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Karakura Town Hospital, one hour later XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yuzu panted heavily as she arrived at the hospital. It appeared less busy than usual, likely due to the heavy rain. The Kurosaki girl was completely drenched head to toe, and had no doubt that she was probably going to get sick from it.

Ignoring her appearance for the moment, she caught her breath and entered the front door of the hospital. Yuzu quickly approached the front desk and met the gaze of a very concerned woman behind the counter. The woman looked down at her, "Oh you poor thing, you're soaked. What happened?"

"Excuse me, but I was wondering if there was any way I could talk to Ishida-san," Yuzu asked skittishly. She knew it was a long shot request, but Yuzu felt it appropriate to try since Ryuken was her father's friend. The woman at the front desk chuckled softly, "Ahem…well I'm afraid I can't just let some random person off the street talk to him. Would you like to schedule an appointment? Also are your parents around?"

"N-no…he's a friend of my Papa. I was just looking for him. I don't know where Ishida-san lives," Yuzu replied.

"Why not ask your father then?" the front desk lady questioned. Yuzu was beginning to doubt that she had a chance of meeting the man this way. She sighed as she turned to leave, "I suppose I should then…"

Thankfully the woman seemed to feel bad about Yuzu's condition and spoke up, "Well…I can tell him you came by if you give me a name," the woman suggested.

Yuzu nodded thankfully, "Kurosaki Yuzu. I would greatly appreciate if you let him know."

As she made her way back towards the front door, the woman at the front desk stood up, "Do you need me to call someone? A young woman shouldn't be wandering out in the rain all by herself."

"I'll be fine…" Yuzu said softly as she left before the woman could stop her. As she exited, the thirteen year old turned the corner before the woman could pursue her. In part, Yuzu didn't want the woman to call her father. That would only stir up trouble.

'If they want to keep me in the dark, then I'll just play along I suppose. Hopefully Ishida-san can help me,' Yuzu contemplated.

She was drawn from her thoughts when she noticed an older teenager leaning against the side of a building with an umbrella. He had glasses, dark hair, and wore a white outfit. He wasted no time catching her attention, "Why are you looking for my father? He doesn't talk to that many people directly. I see no viable reason a girl your age would need to talk to him."

"Y-you're his son?" Yuzu asked slowly.

The young man nodded, "That's right…Uryu Ishida. Care to tell me who you are?"

"My name is Yuzu Kurosaki…" she answered almost immediately.

His eyes widened, "Kurosaki?! As in that carrot head delinquent Kurosaki?"

"You knew Ichigo?!" Yuzu gasped.

The teenager nodded, "Yes…we were in the same class. I remember he died over two years ago or something. You're his sister I take it?"

"Yes…" she nodded.

"You said your father was friends with mine? That's unusual…so what do you want from him then?" Uryu asked seriously as he pushed up his glasses.

Yuzu gulped and decided to just tell the truth, "I heard he was a Quincy…and that he could tell me about how to control my powers."

Uryu's eyes widened, "What?! You're a Quincy too? Hmph…come with me right away. Let's take cover before any Shinigami come around."

Uryu quickly held his umbrella over her head and led the Kurosaki girl back around the hospital towards some type of side door. He performed some unusual spell like action causing it to open and gestured for Yuzu to enter first. She decided to do so despite the evident risk of danger. Uryu immediately sealed the door behind them and brought the girl into what appeared to be a large underground chamber beneath the hospital.

Yuzu stood there gawking in awe at it, but was drawn from her admiration when Uryu coughed, "Well, if you are a Quincy then you did the right thing seeking out my family, but unfortunately, my father won't be much help to you. He doesn't care much for our cause or the fact that we're nearly extinct."

Yuzu turned towards Uryu curiously, "But…if he doesn't care, then how can he help me?"

"That's precisely what bothers me about this situation. How did you find out he even was a Quincy if you don't even know about your own powers?" Uryu asked.

The girl looked away, "This lady I spoke to told me to find him or else Shinigami would eventually try to kill me. I-I'm scared…"

The dark haired Quincy thought for a moment, 'A lady? Could it be one of the Vandenreich Quincies father and I spoke about? Hmm, I don't like how suspicious this is…but if this girl is really a Quincy then I should do something about it. I can't let the Shinigami catch her.'

"Did that woman tell you her name at all?" Uryu questioned deep in thought.

Yuzu nodded, "Candice; I think she said she was a Sternritter or something like that."

The teen's eyes widened, "One of the Sternritters?! And she sent you to us?!"

"Who are they exactly?" Yuzu asked confused.

Uryu pushed up his glasses and sighed, "They're high ranking, powerful Quincies…the name itself means Star Knights. They've been coming around my father and I quite frequently as of late. They belong to an organization called the Vandenreich."

"What do they want with you?" Yuzu wondered aloud.

The young man held up his Quincy cross and showed her, "My father is a pureblood Quincy and he and I both possess great spiritual power. They said they were recruiting survivors. My father had no interest in them, and told me to avoid their organization. Though I can't help but wonder what they have planned or how many there even are."

"Why would they send me to you then?" Yuzu wondered.

The raven haired teen sighed, "I don't know, but I guess that's not really a high priority at the moment. The fact of the matter is, we're both Quincies. Since you have no clue about what that means, then I have no choice but to help you."

"This is all so…scary," the young teen said shakily.

Uryu nodded somewhat understandingly, "Just sit down and relax for a minute…I'll explain the history of our people to you. Then we'll start working on dealing with your powers."

"O-okay," Yuzu agreed as she took a seat.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX One Hour Later XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"That is why Shinigami are dangerous for our kind…" Uryu concluded.

Yuzu sat there almost lost in thought as she tried to reflect on all this new information. After a brief moment, she shook her head, "But…my father is a Shinigami and my mother was a Quincy."

"What?!" Uryu demanded shocked, "why didn't you say anything sooner?! You're saying my Quincy father is friends with your Shinigami father? That's absurd."

"I thought I told you not to bring anyone here, Uryu," A voice sounded across the room. Both teenagers looked up in surprise noticing Ryuken standing there with a stoic look on his face. He greatly resembled Uryu except for the fact that his hair was white.

The man disappeared and reappeared in front of them at impossible speed, greatly alarming Yuzu. She cringed slightly as the towering Quincy stared down at her, "The woman at the front desk said a girl was looking for me…I had no idea it was Isshin and Masaki's daughter. So…you've awakened Quincy powers?"

"What are you doing here?!" Uryu almost demanded.

Ryuken gave him a cold look, "I own this building and built this underground training area. The real question is what are you doing bringing people in here behind my back."

"I'm sorry Ishida-san," Yuzu immediately bowed her head, "but a strange woman told me to find you since I am a Quincy."

"Yes…I expected as much. The Sternritters probably want to know what your origin and relations are to my own family since I told them Uryu and I were the only Quincies in Karakura town," Ryuken explained.

"So what should we do about this? I was going to train her…" Uryu began wondering how his father would react.

Ryuken simply stared at Yuzu intently, "You take after Masaki then…hmm, interesting. I'm curious how Isshin would react to this."

"Please don't tell Papa," Yuzu objected causing both Ishidas to eye her surprised.

"Why is that?" Ryuken questioned.

Yuzu looked down sadly, "My sister, Karin wants to be a Shinigami like Papa…they don't want me to know about any of this spiritual stuff. The only reason I found out is because I eavesdropped on their conversation. My sister Karin has always been able to see spirits…Onii-chan could too. They think I'm normal…"

Ryuken's face seemed emotionless, "How long have you been able to see them."

"I think I've been able to sense them ever since Onii-chan died…but today I saw one for the first time." Yuzu admitted sadly, "I've never known what to believe until today."

"Have you ever seen a hollow?" Ryuken continued. His face was dead serious as if he was trying to pry information from her.

The young teenager gulped fearfully, "N-no…but I heard Karin-chan tell Papa that a hollow killed Onii-chan."

"I assumed that's how the boy died…what a shame. I would have been curious to see whether he turned out more like his mother or father. Since you appear to be more Quincy than Shinigami, I will give you something, Isshin returned to me," Ryuken spoke as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a strange looking cross.

"This belonged to your mother…it was her Quincy Cross. She would probably want you to have it," the older Quincy said as he handed the strange piece of jewelry to her.

"For someone who doesn't care about our cause, you are more okay with this than I thought you'd be," Uryu said surprised.

Ryuken glanced down at his son, "This is for Masaki's sake…not yours, mine, or even Isshin's. I'm sure she would have liked at least one of her children to be like her. Train the girl as you will…I leave this matter to you."

"What should we do about her wanting to keep it secret?" Uryu questioned.

Ryuken gave him a careless shrug, "When it comes to his children, Isshin is easy to fool…though if you truly wish to keep this a secret then do not associate with Kisuke Urahara."

"Is it really a good idea? What if her father gets mad about it?" Uryu protested.

His father stared at Yuzu trying to contemplate her reasoning. After a moment he crossed his arms, "Is there any particular reason why?"

Yuzu nodded, "Papa and Karin-chan are always worried about me. They still think I'm a baby and that I can't handle anything on my own. They don't tell me the truth…so why should I tell them?"

"That's rather childish," Uryu scoffed.

Ryuken nodded, "No her reasoning is sound. Isshin believes she is too frail to do anything on her own. He would very likely forbid me to properly train her in the arts of being a Quincy. For now, secrecy is the better option. Is that understood?"

"Yes," Uryu nodded.

"Umm…Ishida-san, why don't you like the Sternritters?" Yuzu asked as Ryuken began to leave. The white haired Quincy glanced back carelessly, "They're a bit revolutionary for my tastes. I'd caution you to avoid them, but if you choose not to then that is your choice."

Without another word, then man left, leaving Uryu and Yuzu alone. The teenager pushed up his glasses again and sighed, "Well, that solves our first dilemma. Since you have a Quincy Cross, I can start teaching you about the basics of being a Quincy. However, If you intend to keep this from your family, then I'd recommend you go home for now."

Realizing how late it now was, Yuzu gasped, "Oh no! they're probably wondering where I am!"

"I'll take you home then…if you want, meet me after school tomorrow in front of the hospital and we'll start training then," Uryu explained.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Thirty minutes later XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yuzu slowly approached the front door to her house, and opened the door. Upon entering, she noticed Isshin standing there concerned, "Yuzu? You're home later than usual…you're soaking wet."

"Aha, yep, sorry Papa…I was working on a project at a friend's house and got caught in the rain on the way home," Yuzu lied. She hated having to do so, but the girl thought it'd be best to play along in ignorance to her family's true nature.

The man nodded for a moment, "Well you should be more careful out there…I would have come and gotten you. Next time let me know."

"Oh, Yuzu's back?" Karin asked as she came around the corner, "hey so guess what?"

"What?" Yuzu asked knowing full well that they were about to explain an excuse for Karin to go away.

"I got accepted into an exchange program!" Karin said uncharacteristically cheerful. Even under normal circumstances, Yuzu would have been able to tell that it was faked to a certain extent.

Feigning ignorance, the girl smiled, "Oh that's amazing, Karin-chan! Where are you going?"

"Somewhere overseas. Not really sure where yet!" she announced excitedly. The other girl cocked her head, "Ooooh…when do you leave?"

"Tomorrow actually…" Karin said, somewhat less cheerful.

Yuzu frowned, "So soon? Hmmm…I'm going to miss you,"

"Don't you worry, She won't be gone forever!" Isshin grinned patting his daughter on the head.

Karin immediately hugged her sister afterward, "I'll miss you too, Yuzu…but don't you worry, because I'll be back before you know it."

"By the way…I have a friend of mine I want you two to meet, tomorrow. His name is Kisuke Urahara…he owns a shop down the street. You'll be staying with him for a little bit, Yuzu, while I take Karin to her overseas sponsor. Since she's younger than average exchange students, I want to take her there myself," Isshin explained.

Yuzu wondered if she would have believed this excuse had she not learned the secrets of her family earlier that day. The girl nodded at the explanation, "Okay Papa…I'm going to take a bath."

"The water's still warm," Karin told her as she gestured for her sister to go. After she left, Karin and Isshin traded sad looks about having to lie to Yuzu.

The man leaned down and whispered to Karin, "Don't worry…Kisuke's a good guy. He'll make sure she's okay."

"I hope so…Yuzu's going to be lonely with both me and Ichi-nii gone," Karin said sadly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The next day, Urahara residence XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Approaching the Urahara shop was none other than Isshin and his two daughters. A man with a green and white striped hat and clogs was quick to greet them in front of it, "Ah, Isshin, good to see ya. Are these your cute little daughters? I'm surprised it took you this long to introduce me to them."

"Yep, aren't they the sweetest little angels you've ever seen?" Isshin grinned somewhat goofily.

Karin raised a brow, "I told you not to call us that…it's weird."

"Go ahead and introduce yourselves girls, this is Kisuke Urahara," Isshin gestured.

The man with the hat smiled, "Hey, nice to meet ya…"

"I'm Karin," said girl replied calmly without much emotion or concern.

Yuzu smiled and bowed, "My name is Yuzu…thanks for letting me stay here while my family is away."

Urahara and Isshin locked gazes for a moment. It was evident to Yuzu that they had some unspoken plan arranged to keep her from suspecting anything. Yuzu looked down for a moment and thought to herself, 'I want to become strong like Onii-chan…I want them to take me seriously.'

"Well I should probably hurry off to school," Yuzu announced quickly turning to leave. Before she made it too far, she spoke again, "I'll be back late Urahara-san, I have a school project to work on."

"Be safe, Yuzu," Isshin waved, "we'll probably be leaving sometime this afternoon. Karin quickly followed after her sister and hugged her.

The dark haired young teen gave Yuzu a sad look, "I love you Yuzu…in case I'm gone when you get back today,"

"Ah don't worry, Karin-chan, you'll have fun. I'll be okay," Yuzu reassured her lightening Karin's mood slightly.

The girl then turned around the corner and waved, "Bye bye, I'm off to school now."

After she left, Urahara glanced at Isshin and towards Karin, "So…this is the one that wants to be a Shinigami?"

"Yeah, that's right," Karin replied as she looked up and met the man's gaze.

He brought a hand to his chin thoughtfully, "Hmm…alright, well if you don't mind, Isshin, I'm going to see what the extent of her spiritual powers are. Normally it would take years to refine them, but I could speed things along if you trust me to do it."

"Do what you have to…but I don't want you trying any of your weird experiments," Isshin said sternly.

Kisuke rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Ah jeez, you act like I'm some kind of mad scientist…"

"Aren't you?" Isshin chuckled.

The man sighed as he looked back at Karin, "Alright, Karin, come with me and we'll get started."

The girl followed her father and Kisuke into the shop and past several strangers. One was a burly man with a moustache who waved, "Good to see you Isshin…Kisuke's told us all about today. So is this the girl?"

"Yep, this is her," Isshin put a hand on his daughter's shoulder.

Karin noticed two children arguing with each other further away in the room, but they didn't appear very concerned about her or Isshin.

Kisuke coughed, "Well, come this way, and we'll get to my secret training area."

After leading the two down quite a ways, they arrived at some stairs that took them underground into a huge rocky training area.

Karin gawked at it in awe, "W-what the? This is all underground?!"

"Yeah, I built this little training area a while back now," Kisuke said casually.

"To do wacky experiments in…" Isshin added.

"Now now, it's not all like that, Isshin. I'm a humble shop owner with a few harmless hobbies," Kisuke chuckled.

Karin sighed, "Well what do I have to do to become a Shinigami?"

"Well normally, you just need to have some skill in using spiritual power. An average Shinigami hopeful can get through the curriculum in six years or so. Although there are exceptions to this…right Isshin?" Urahara turned to his friend.

The former captain nodded. He went over towards a nearby rock and sat down; not long after, his spirit suddenly emerged from his body. Karin looked over his Shinigami uniform surprised. Isshin pointed over towards his body, "Sit down, Karin."

Doing as instructed, she sat next to Isshin's body, which appeared to be sleeping in an upright seated position. He reached down, and much to her disbelief, pulled her spirit out of her body. Karin was beyond shocked as she could now see her own body in front of her. Upon noticing the chain on her chest connected to her limp body, Karin knew that she was in spirit form.

Kisuke looked over at Isshin seriously, "You realize we're going to have to cut it if she wants to go through with this…"

"Wait…what does that mean?" Karin asked.

"It means you're going to have to die…in a manner of speaking," Isshin said distantly.

Karin cocked her head, "I don't understand…"

Isshin spoke seriously, "You have the spirit of a Shinigami, but you are also still human. By cutting the chain, you will be able to fully pursue the Shinigami path. While you're away, Kisuke will preserve your body so that you may return when appropriate. You'll technically, be dead, but you will be able to return to your body. It will be a proper gigai…and he will make sure it ages in correspondence to your spirit."

"This is…crazy," Karin thought somewhat nervously now.

Isshin gave her one last look in the eyes as he reached for his sword, "This is it…here and now, Karin. You can still turn back. However, once this chain is severed, you can never be fully human again."

Karin seemed to weigh her options for a moment, but the thought of Ichigo in his wicked hollow form solidified her decision, 'I need to do this…for Yuzu and Ichi-nii's sake.' This was the path she had dreamed of for so long. Finally, she had a chance to see her brother again, and do something about the horrible fate he had suffered. Karin cracked a fist as she looked up at her father, "Do it…"

Isshin nodded somewhat reluctantly as he drew his Zanpaktou. The man held it over his head for a brief moment and brought it down severing Karin's chain of fate. The sensation of "dying" was not what she expected. It wasn't necessarily painful, but Karin felt a wide range of unusual feelings as she dropped to her knees.

Kisuke looked at Isshin seriously, "You know what comes next right?"

The girl's father looked away sadly, "Yeah…do what you have to Kisuke."

In truth, Isshin wasn't entirely in favor of Karin pursuing the life, or death as it were, of a Shinigami. Nevertheless, he had spent much time thinking about it over the past day, 'If the captain commander insists on me having to come back, then I suppose Karin being there too, is for the best. Although I still have no clue what to do about Yuzu…If nothing else maybe I can ask Ryuken or Kisuke to keep an eye on her while we're dealing with White.'

"What's happening?!" Karin shouted shocked as her severed chain began to eat itself. She looked at her father horrified, "What should I do?"

"You must awaken your Shinigami powers before the encroachment of hollowfication. If you don't then you will become a hollow, and your father will have to perform a Konso," Kisuke explained. Isshin looked away somewhat regretfully. He hated having to put his own daughter through this, but he knew it was the fastest way to draw out Karin's power.

"But how am I supposed to do that?!" she gasped. Before Isshin could respond, Kisuke created a deep pit and threw her in. On the way down, her arms became bound by some strange type of spiritual magic. Karin landed on her stomach and turned her head up towards the top looking worried, "What are you doing?!"

"You need to climb out of that shaft, and the only way to do that is to become a Shinigami. If you don't then, you'll turn into a hollow. You have seventy two hours…good luck." Kisuke announced

"How am I supposed to do that? I don't know anything about how to be a Shinigami!" Karin protested.

"I believe in you Karin…I wouldn't have agreed to this if I didn't believe you were a Shinigami already. Just focus on your inner spirit," Isshin reassured her.

Isshin sat down nearby and looked over at Kisuke, "You better be right about this…I'm trusting you to make sure this works."

"I'm sure it'll work out…besides, if all goes well, this will greatly reduce the time she has to spend in the academy. That combined with your Shiba heritage, and she'll be put in first class," Kisuke noted.

The former captain smiled, "I hope so…for your sake. You should probably go back upstairs whenever Yuzu gets back. Tell her we already left, if she asks about us."

"Sure thing," Urahara nodded.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxXXXXXX Karakura Town Hospital That Afternoon XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After school, Yuzu was quick to return to the Karakura Town Hospital. She looked around in front of the entrance for any sign of Uryu, and was thankful when she spotted him leaning against a wall. The Quincy approached her casually, "Glad to see you made it…c'mon we're going to start training underground."

"Okay," Yuzu nodded as she followed Uryu around the side of the building and into the underground chamber. Upon their arrival, Yuzu looked around surprised to see it had been refurnished with a wide variety of training equipment, training dummies, targets, and any manner of useful tool one could imagine.

Uryu looked at her and spoke calmly, "To understand your Quincy powers you need to know where they originate. Quincies absorb nearby Reishi and use it to create makeshift energy weapons. Ideally, most use a bow…for example."

The teenager held up his Quincy Cross and formed it into a blue spirit bow much to Yuzu's amazement. It glowed the same color as her hands from the other day. The raven haired teen then drew the bow string and fired a barrage of blue arrows out of nothing. They fired in a torrential arc each hitting one of the established targets perfectly.

After his display, Uryu explained, "First you need to understand what this power is. The spiritual power that makes up souls and fills the air is called Reishi. It's much less prevalent in the world of the living, but it is what Quincies draw upon to power our weapons. Reiryoku is the raw spiritual power a soul possesses. It is what allows you to sense spiritual power and see spirits. The more you have, the stronger your soul. Finally there is Reiatsu or spiritual pressure. This is the pressure manifested by one's own spiritual signature which can be sensed and used for a wide variety of things. I could go into detail, but that's mainly what you need to know. In order for you to learn how to use your power, you must first draw upon your own Reiryoku and use it to absorb nearby Reishi over your Quincy Cross. This will form a weapon."

Yuzu felt uncertain as she raised the cross up in a similar fashion as Uryu. She looked over at him confused, "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Concentrate on your inner spirit…it should feel natural. If it helps, you can also focus on something that motivates you. A strong willpower is the key in doing this," Uryu explained.

Yuzu nodded as she closed her eyes. She tried to recall the other day when the spirit charged her. The evident fear and reaction was not something she could really replicate properly. She grimaced is she tried to focus harder on the energy.

Uryu sighed, "It also helps if you have a reason to want to use your power. You say a hollow killed your brother? Think about that…what would you do if drawing on this power was the only thing that could save him?"

This seemed effective in inciting the girl's willpower as her hands began to faintly glow. Uryu smiled approvingly, "Good, keep that thought…imagine that hollow is right in front of you now. It's charging you…"

Much to Uryu's approval, Yuzu managed to manifest a small bow from her mother's cross. The girl's eyes shot open as she instinctively fired a huge arrow from it. It didn't hit any target, but instead flew into the opposite wall.

The Ishida teen stared at the large arrow curiously as it did not dissipate upon impact. Then much to his shock it exploded, blowing a huge hole in the wall.

Yuzu was shaking slightly, as she looked over at her fellow Quincy, "How did I do, Uryu-kun?"

His eyes visibly widened as he pushed up his glasses, "That was…good."

He stared at her somewhat surprised, 'I wasn't expecting her to have such quick results. That exploding Reishi arrow, is not something I'm familiar with. Her Reiryoku must be powerful if she was able to manifest such an attack. Still…if that's the case, then why wasn't her carrot top brother this strong either? Hmm…and it's not very normal to develop strong spiritual power at this age. Most are simply born with it. Maybe this has something to do with her father being a Shinigami and her mother a Quincy.'

Much to his disbelief, Ryuken's voice sounded next to him, "Don't look so surprised, Uryu, her mother was a prodigy amongst Quincies and her father was a captain Shinigami. I'd be disappointed if she wasn't at this level."

"W-where did you come from?!" Yuzu gasped as she noticed Ryuken now standing there out of nowhere. The white haired man crossed his arms, "I came by to observe for a few minutes."

"Why did it take so long for her spiritual powers to manifest then?" Uryu asked his father not fully understanding the situation.

Ryuken shrugged, "I couldn't say for sure, but if you wanted my opinion on the matter, I believe that is in part due to the lack of spiritual presence. Masaki and Isshin both lost their powers over twenty years ago. Isshin only recently regained his. She said she could sense spirits after her brother died…likely that is due to the close encounter with a hollow. Though this is all simply speculation."

"Excuse me, Ishida-san, but Papa is taking Karin-chan to the Soul Society to become a Shinigami," Yuzu said as she turned towards Ryuken.

The man nodded, "Yes, I believe you mentioned that last night."

"He's left me with Kisuke Urahara while they're gone…what should I do about it?" Yuzu asked curiously.

Ryuken's eyes widened, "Hmm…if you're going to be around him, then it is imperative you learn how to mask your spiritual power. I suggest you teach her that immediately, Uryu."

"Yes father," said teen sighed in acceptance.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Beneath the Urahara Shop XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"How's it going down there, Karin?" Urahara asked as he looked into the pit below. Karin grimaced as she struggled up to her knees. The chain had been rapidly eating away at itself. The girl had no way of knowing how long had passed, but she felt worried the more and more she watched the links eat away at each other.

"It's getting late, Kisuke…you should go upstairs in case Yuzu gets home. I'll stay overnight," Isshin stated.

The hat and clog man nodded, "Okay, keep up the good work down there, Karin."

She glared at him from her half prone, bound position, but said nothing as she tried to focus on her inner spirit.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Upstairs XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yuzu slowly approached the entrance to Urahara's shop and was graciously met by the man, "Ah hey Yuzu, welcome back. How'd your little project go?"

"I should be finished with it soon," Yuzu smiled.

Kisuke nodded, "Good to hear. By the way, your father and sister already left earlier this afternoon. I know things might be a little boring around here, but don't worry. I'll make sure your needs are attended to. So if you need anything…money, help with homework, etc, then don't you be shy about coming to me."

"Thank you Urahara-san…I'm actually thinking about joining an after school club since I won't have much to do with Karin-chan and Papa being gone," the girl replied.

"Ah nice, well anyways, come on inside," Kisuke replied.

Yuzu did as instructed and went inside. The man slowly trailed behind her and pointed down the hallway, "That door at the end on the left is where you'll be sleeping. Also, I've told Jinta and Ururu not to bother you much, so make yourself at home."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Three Days Later XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Karin grimaced fearfully as her chain was nearly gone now. In a moment of desperation she felt her consciousness slipping away. Before long she found herself in some sort of strange landscape. It was an ocean with a glowing blue moon shining over a dark night.

She was standing on what appeared to be a small island with a single, massive tree. Karin gasped as she tried to figure out where she was. A voice quickly caught her attention, "Karin…"

The young teen looked over at the voice's origin and noticed a woman with blue hair the same color as the moon's. She was sitting on one of the tree's branches. The woman quickly leapt down and looked her over seriously, "I'm guessing you have no clue who I am or where we are?"

"This is…my inner spirit?" Karin assumed.

The blue haired woman grinned, "Correct…"

The sight of another individual quickly caught her attention as well. It appeared to be a long brown haired man with sunglasses adorned in a tattered flowing, coat. He had a light, grizzled beard and a look of dead seriousness.

"Who are you people?" Karin asked curiously as she looked between the man and woman.

"Well now that is the question isn't it? You're a smart girl aren't you? Maybe you can figure it out?" the woman taunted.

Karin glared at her, "You're pretty condescending for somebody who just met me."

"This might be our first time meeting, but we know everything about who you are…" the man spoke up causing Karin to shift her focus to him.

It was then Karin had a better grasp of what who they were, "Why would people be in my inner spirit unless…"

"That's right, we're a part of you," the woman answered for her.

Karin glanced over at the man and scowled, "So what's with him then? I'm pretty sure some creepy old guy wouldn't be a part of my inner spirit."

"Maybe you should be more concerned about the chain of fate eating away at itself. The time of encroachment is almost here," the man explained.

The woman shook her head and laughed, "Maybe she wants to become a hollow like her precious Onii-chan?"

Karin glared at the woman angrily, "What did you just say?!"

"I'm pretty sure you heard me…" the woman giggled.

The man sighed, "There isn't time to waste…you must awaken your shinigami powers if you wish to save yourself. This inner world is already collapsing."

Karin looked around and noticed the island they were standing on was now beginning to sink. The sky itself appeared to be flaking away in darkness. The woman looked up casually, "Make your choice now, Karin…accept us, or become hollow."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Beneath Urahara's Shop XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Karin awoke from her inner world with blue spiritual energy surging from her body. The restraints on her arms could no longer hold her as the girl managed to break free from them. Looking down at her chest, she noticed one final link about to chew away at itself.

Reaching for it, she suddenly manifested a sword from her body. The chain suddenly disappeared as the blue glow of power erupted followed by her swift escape from the pit.

Kisuke looked impressed, and Isshin relieved as they noticed the girl now adorned in Shinigami attire with a sealed Zanpaktou in her hand.

Karin was shocked by the turn of events and looked over her appearance, amazedly, "What just happened?"

"Good job, Karin…I never once doubted you," Kisuke said grinning as he rubbed the back of his head. Isshin sent him a short, intimidating glare before turning towards his daughter with a wide grin. He immediately hugged her, "My beautiful daughter is now just like her dear dad!"

Under normal circumstances, she would have comically deflected his affection, but due to her relief and excitement, the girl hugged him back. Afterward she quickly punched him in the gut, "Next time you better warn me when you let me lie in a hole for three days!"

"Urgh!" Isshin doubled over, "that actually hurts now!"

After a quick, amusing argument, Kisuke coughed to catch their attention, "Well anyways, sorry about having to do that, Karin, but it'll make your time spent at the Shinigami academy a breeze. In fact, I'll go ahead and set up the door to the Seireitei. I'm sure your dad will have you enrolled in no time."

"How has Yuzu been?" Karin asked concerned.

Kisuke shrugged, "She seems alright…said something about joining a school club."

"That's good…I just don't want her to be lonely," Karin nodded.

"While Kisuke's setting up the doorway, I'll give you a run down on how the Soul Society works, Karin," Isshin said as he motioned for his daughter to sit down next to him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Hueco Mundo XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As Ichigo and company approached Las Noches, each and everyone of them could sense the overwhelming collection of spiritual power gathered there. The sound of chanting and thumping could be heard even from the distance they were at.

Harribel glanced over at Ichigo concerned, "I've never sensed so many hollows in one place before…"

"The ground is shaking! Do you feel this?" Apacci cut in as she felt the rhythmic thumping continue.

Ichigo narrowed his gaze into the horizon, "For so many hollows to have gathered…Barragan likely wants an audience for our battle. It seems this battle really will decide the fate of Hueco Mundo."

"What are they chanting? I can't understand it?" Lilynette added as she tried to focus on the chant between the rhythmic thumping.

"Let's get closer and find out," Starrk replied.

The rest of the Adjucha entourage had been mostly silent ever since they began heading towards Las Noches. All of them were worried, but some hid it better than others. Sung-sun chuckled, "Well I'm sure it will be quite the spectacle. A gathering like this is unprecedented."

"I can't wait to see the look on Barragan's bony face when he sees us!" Mila Rose added her two cents.

Loly grinned, "He's going to be terrified!"

Menoly frowned somewhat nervously, "The air is getting really heavy…I hope nobody gets hurt. Something like this is bound to draw every remaining Vasto Lorde out of hiding."

"Isn't that a good thing? Ichigo wants to unite all of the powerful hollows," Apacci cut in.

The chanting was now able to be understood as the group closed in on the palace. It echoed like a thunder as the sound of thousands of hollows chanted, "White, White, White, White, White!"

Harribel glanced over at Ichigo, "They're chanting your name? Why?"

Ichigo thought for a moment, 'I knew this day would eventually come, but I had no idea he was going to invite half of Hueco Mundo to watch us battle.'

"I don't know…but my guess is that is that they're calling me here to challenge him," Ichigo surmised.

"Then we should gladly oblige! I can't wait to kick some ass!" Apacci added.

Harribel nodded, "Barragan's reign of terror ends today."

Ulquiorra silently stared at Ichigo deep in thought, before turning his gaze upon the enormous palace in front of them, 'I never knew such a structure existed out here…I wasn't even aware that this many hollows existed in Hueco Mundo.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Within Las Noches XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Deep inside the colossal palace past the large walls, Ichigo and his entourage quickly arrived in what he could only describe as some type of roofless dome like amphitheater. It's sheer size was monumental and from the stands he could see thousands of hollows, primarily common ones and Adjuchas. The chanting was nearly deafening as they continued to pound the ground rhythmically.

"Is this a coliseum?" Menoly spoke up shocked.

Ichigo arrival went unnoticed at first, as he and his followers walked further along to what appeared to be a ridiculously large throne at the far wall of the titanic coliseum. Ichigo quickly shut the crowd up when he charged a cero between his horns and fired it directly at the throne where an impatient Barragan was seated.

The bony Skeleton Lord quickly drew his axe and cut the cero in half sending both halves erupting into the distance, greatly damaging the walls and landscape behind him. One random Adjucha in the crowd was quick to state the obvious, "It's White! He's Here!"

The crowd exploded into excitement as they began to howl and cheer in bloodlust. Their excitement was immediately silenced when Barragan raised a hand, "Quiet!"

Dead silence followed his command as Barragan and Ichigo stared each other down for a brief moment. The King of Hueco Mundo was quick to notice Ichigo's followers and scoffed, "Bah…it figures Harribel would choose to support you over me. Is this the extent of your spitefulness, Harribel? Or are you looking to insult me more?"

"I already told you that I wasn't interested in working for you," the blonde Vasto Lorde announced.

Barragan grunted, "And yet it would seem, you now work for White…how amusing. I had heard the rumors, but I didn't believe they were true until now. So, you've finally become a Vasto Lorde, White, and now you fancy yourself my equal?"

"I came here to defeat you, and to lay to rest any doubt that I am the strongest hollow in Hueco Mundo!" Ichigo growled. His exclamation excited the crowd causing an uproar of cheering.

Barragan waved his hand to quiet them down after a moment and chuckled, "If I recall correctly, you ran away, the last time we fought. Your threat is as hollow as the hole in your chest."

"I'm here now…and I'm calling you out. Let's put this little vendetta to rest shall we?" Ichigo said darkly.

Barragan was quick to land down beneath his throne and in the massive open arena below. The King looked over at Starrk and Lilynette amused, "So you've picked up some strays I see. What are those broken masked hollows?"

"They're Arrancars…and they work for me," Ichigo answered. His comment seemed to intrigue the crowd which was now gossiping like crazy.

The King noticed Ulquiorra and couldn't help but cock his head, "What's that there? One of the pit dwellers? I've never seen one like that before…hmm, you've gathered some interesting allies, White. And are these your Adjuchas? This is rather pitiful. You think that uniting two Vasto Lordes, a few Arrancars and this pathetic assembly of Adjuchas is enough to challenge me?! I'm insulted, truly! I don't even need my army to defeat you and all of your minions!"

His comment greatly angered Ichigo, causing his spiritual power to rise, tremendously. It greatly frightened the crowd who all shut up and watched fearfully. Both of his sword arms shot out as he yelled loudly, "Then we're going to settle this, right here and now! I challenge you for your throne and the lordship of Hueco Mundo!"

"You haven't the gall to fight me alone…is that why you assembled these other Vasto Lordes? Were you too frightened to face your fate?" Barragan taunted.

Ichigo looked back at his allies, "I'll fight him alone. Everyone get back."

"That's suicide, White…I know you're strong, but you can't count on Barragan to fight fair," Harribel objected.

"Do as he says…if he truly wishes to earn the respect of Hueco Mundo then he has no choice," Starrk cut in.

Each of the Adjuchas had their own protests, but all of them fell on deaf ears as Ichigo shot them a sharp look, "Everyone get out of the arena…"

"Be careful…" Harribel said somewhat concerned as she led the Adjuchas away. Starrk had to practically drag Lilynette to the stands, who seemed intent on helping Ichigo somehow.

This left only Ulquiorra. The mouth less green eyed hollow did not leave much to Ichigo's surprise. He turned towards his silent companion briefly. He didn't say anything as he and Ulquiorra locked a brief gaze.

Barragan was quick to interrupt their moment of silence, "Those pit dwellers aren't Menos hollows. They don't belong on the surface or under the moonlight of my rule. I've never seen one like that before though…usually their kind don't stray far from the darkness. It's mere presence in my palace is insulting."

Ulquiorra simply directed a stoic look at Barragan, but Ichigo on the other hand was infuriated by the comment, "He's not one of them! He's one of us! I'll give you something to feel insulted over when I strip you of your title!"

Barragan laughed at him, "You have truly earned my ire, White. Never has any hollow gone to such lengths to denounce my supreme authority over our kind."

"Get back…he's mine!" Ichigo spoke to Ulquiorra finally convincing the mouthless pale hollow to move towards the rest of Ichigo's group, who had found themselves a front row seat thanks to a bit of intimidation.

Barragan lifted his axe up high and spoke assuredly, "Come and show me just how powerful you think you are, White!"

Before Ichigo could mouth a response, a blue blur smashed down next to them. Both Ichigo and Barragan looked over surprised to see a blue haired Vasto Lorde. He had a very familiar appearance, and after examining his ears, and feline features, Ichigo quickly realized who it was, "Grimmjow?"

"Sorry to interrupt, but you two aren't the only contenders to be King of Hueco Mundo!" Grimmjow roared.