Before the massacre

(Ryoto's pov)

Yoruichi, Rin, and I were in the Study chamber today. Isane was busy in her squad, so she couldn't be here for now, and the kids... they are doing something together, which would be fine and dandy if they were not my children. Troubles will find them, or rather, they are probably looking for them. But they are all adults, and I can't hold their hands for their whole life, no matter how much I would like that. Besides, they are strong. I trained them myself, after all, and prepared them for everything I could think of.

Speaking of kids, I may have smacked Ichigo a tad too much. That's the reason I was waiting for him to wake up and make sure that I didn't cause a concussion.

After waking up, he asked me if I saved him and his mother. This was awkward for me. I didn't save them because I'm a nice person. I did it because it would help me and my family in the end. I didn't have these thoughts when I saved Kaien's wife since he is a family friend and all, but Ichigo is completely unrelated to me.

I gave him a no, as an answer. I said some words, but they didn't mean much.

Everything after that went completely blank as I saw all of my children entering the Study Chamber. Some of them were injured. Akio and Masaru were the ones with the most injuries. Barely alive as far as I could see.

I unconsciously released my Reiatau and killing intent as I asked myself one question.

"Who did this?"

I didn't mean to say it out loud, but I was livid. Noticing that I wasn't fully in control of my actions, I took a deep breath in and then breathed out.

I calmed myself down enough to do what I should. I'll kill whoever did this after I'm sure that all of my children are safe.

"Ichigo, call Orihime. We have injured." But the boy stared at me as if I had grown a second head. I didn't have time for this, so I used a more commanding voice. "Now!" And that woke him up.

I then used Shunpo to get closer to the newly arrived group, and I could feel Yoruichi and Rin doing the same. They probably didn't know that our children were in danger, but feeling my Reiatsu spike like that wasn't normal, so they went after me.

Stopping in front of my destination, I faced everyone and took a closer look at them.

Gin was unharmed in any way. Rangiku and Yukima had only small wounds that weren't life-threatening. Masaru and Akio, on the other hand...

Masaru must have used his Bankai, and looking at Akio, he was the one who saved his older brother.

What the hell happened for Masaru to unleash his Bankai!!!? I was the one who forbade him to use it, and he wasn't stupid enough to go against it unless necessary. That goes back to the first question. What the hell happened!?

At that moment, Rin and Yoruichi arrived.

"Ryoto, what ha-" The words got stuck in her throat as she saw the children. Both her and Yoruichi's eyes hardened. Rin was quick to act. She was the one with the most medical knowledge in our group, as she learned from Isane, because of the small chance of any of us being injured. Unfortunately, she needed to test that knowledge.

Yoruichi went towards Rangiku and Yukima as they only needed first aid. I, on the other hand, turned to Gin.

"We'll talk in a minute." Then, I announced my next set of actions to my lovers. "I'll get Isane and hopefully Unohana. Orihime should be getting here soon. I told Ichigo to get her fast."

With that said, I left the Study Chamber and ran across Sereitei until I arrived at Squad 4 medical facility. Without paying anyone attention, I opened every set of doors that I came across.

I was lucky enough to finally find not only Isane but also Unohana. They immediately recognized that I wasn't my usual self.

"Ryoto-kun, what happened?"

As she was asking me, I approached Isane and picked her up like a sack of potatoes.

"Not time to explain. Masaru and Akio are injured."

I said as I was leaving the office, and at that moment, Isane stopped struggling, not that she was doing much of it, and even Unohana got more serious as she stood up.

We left like these while leaving many with confused looks.

---

Returning, Isane visibly gasped as she saw our children state, and both she and Unohana went right to work. I could also see Orhimie working hard, but she was still new to the whole healing thing. After I stopped giving her attention, I walked up to Gin.

"Can you tell me what happened?" I asked.

Gin wasn't smiling as he usually did, and he looked grim as he was taking quick glances at Rangiku.

"...Akio had an idea. He discovered a shadow dimension, as he called it. He planned on trapping you know who there as a plan B if you would do nothing until Rukia's execution, but he first wanted to check if it was impossible to escape it from it from the inside. I was left behind to take them back in the case of an emergency... just like this one. We were attacked by-"

"The Quincies." I finished his sentence, shocking him greatly in the process. He even opened his eyes as he looked at me.

"You knew about them?"

"I only knew that they used a strange technique that created a dimension in the shadows of Seireitei. I didn't have any method to get to them, but I was preparing for them the whole time. However, this changes some plans."

In all honesty, my emotions were in turmoil. I really wasn't this stressed out for a long time. I may have to do something stupid again...

"Akio really is too smart for his own good sometimes. To think that he discovered a way to get there somehow. You know how this works, Gin?"

"I know. I'm not Akio, but he showed me how the basics work." He narrowed his eyes even more. "You don't plan on going there alone, are you?"

I just smiled good-naturedly as I turned to the adult group.

"I'm going out for a while. Be ready for another patient."

Rin perked up hearing me say that. Isane was too focused on keeping children alive, while Yoruichi decided to see how this would play out.

"Ryoto, if you plan on going to whoever did that to our little boys and girls, I'm going too." Her eyes were sharp, full of killing intent, and she put her hand on her Zanpakuto, ready to pull it out. She was out for blood.

"No." That shook her. She was sure that I wouldn't even argue, so before she could insist on going with me, I started explaining myself. "I need you to be in full health for the near future. The same could be said about Yoruichi."

"So what about you!? You are stronger than us! You will be needed just as much as we will, and by going with you, I'll keep you safe, and you keep me!"

She wasn't entirely wrong with what she was saying, but she was very emotional at the moment. I think this whole situation reminds her of when I left for that assassination and returned half-dead after we first arrived in Soul Society. She wants to prevent this from happening now that she has the power to do so. Unfortunately, I'll need to refuse her help this time. To be fair to her, I will surely come back half-dead.

I put my hand on both of her shoulders, and we locked our eyes.

"Rin, I'm going to return alive. I may be a bit bruised, but I'm not going to die before you'll allow me." I smirked. "And we know that you'll never let me go peacefully." She returned a small smile, finding my humor funny. It looks like I still got it, but I turned serious after that small joke. "I'm going to go full Hollow, and I won't be in complete control. That is the second reason why I want to go alone. I will be able to do more damage that way."

Rin looked at me, searching for something, and after a few seconds, she sighed.

"You know something about it." I was about to share what I knew, but I wasn't able to say a word as Rin continued talking. "You don't need to say anything. Time is probably of the essence. Just promise me that you'll give hell to whoever did that to our kids."

I showed a feral grin.

"That is not a promise. That's a prophecy."

I then turned to Gin and told him to lead me to where they teleported to Wandenreich.

This will be a massacre.

---

END

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