Ichigo ran through the Precipice World, wondering what would happen when he got back. He didn't know how he changed anything, or if he changed anything. He wondered how Byakuya was doing and he hoped nothing weird would happen. As he ran though, his head began to hurt, pressure hitting the back of his head and running through to his eyes. He closed his eyes and shook his head but ran through to get back to his time.

When he came out, Urahara was waiting for him and turned his head as he leaned on his cane. Ichigo looked up at him and Urahara looked down, the shadows covering his eyes eerily.

"Welcome back, Ichigo. Did you have a nice trip?"

"It was... interesting."

"Indeed... It's safe to assume that you got my sample?"

"Yeah." Ichigo held out the vial of roryu. "Got it."

"Isn't that odd," Urahara said.

"What? I did what you asked." He said, wiping his hands on his shihakusho. "What's the matter?"

"Well, it's just the fact that I already have the sample I need..." He said, pulling a vial out of the sleeve of his kimono. "Considering you gave it to me almost 115 years ago."

Ichigo blinked at him and he smiled.

"Hello, Ichigo."

"You... remember me from way back then? But, I only met you some months ago."

"That's the thing about time, Kurosaki-san, it changes when you change it."

"Then... you knew all about me?"

"I didn't but I guess when you went to get the roryu, it sucked you back in time. From this point, you changed history. I knew that you wouldn't know us until now, so I made sure to keep things a secret... You've really changed things, Ichigo."

"I know. I was hoping that it wouldn't do too much."

"Everything seems to be the same but I have heard word that things in the Kuchiki house has changed drastically. But I'm not going to bore you with that. Your Spiritual Pressure is waning drastically, probably because the serum I gave you is wearing off. I'm sorry, Ichigo, but I can't help you this time. I don't have the equipment to do it. You really will lose it this time."

Ichigo smiled and looked at his hands. He had a good run and went somewhere amazing at the last bit of time.

"I know... But why did I end up right where I started?"

"The roryu was from this point in time so it would send you right back where you came from."

"I thought I'd be in the future... Oh well, I guess it's my time."

"So it seems... Goodbye, Kurosaki Ichigo. We may never meet again."

"Thank you, Urahara-san. For everything."

Urahara nodded slowly and Ichigo headed home after he went back into his body that Urahara had been keeping safe.

*****************

As he walked, he could feel the presence of things slowly fading away when he saw Rukia outside of his house. He walked up to her and she turned to him. She knew he was losing his ability to sense her very quickly but she wanted to be the last one he saw.

"How long?" she asked.

"Not very long..." he said, leaning against the light post outside of his house, not looking at her.

Rukia walked up to him, looking up at him. He lifted his eyes to see her and smiled a little, beginning not to see her at all. Rukia knew it too and smirked.

"You know, just because you won't be able to see me doesn't mean that I can't see you."

Ichigo smiled kindly at her. "Tell everyone thank you for putting up with me and helping me. I'm glad that I could meet you all... and..."

"And what?"

She was fading but he wanted him to know.

"Tell Byakuya that I'm sorry."

Rukia looked up at him in confusion as he gave her a kind look. She nodded once.

"I will."

The last of her face was disappearing as Ichigo smiled.

"Bye, Rukia... Thank you..."

****************

SEVENTEEN MONTHS LATER

Ichigo had met up with Xcution and found his Fullbring powers. After a strange and crazy mental takeover by Tsukishima, he thought that Kugo was the only one who was normal until he revealed that he only wanted Ichigo's powers. He watched helplessly as Kugo still had the sword in him, telling him how he and Tsukishima made the elaborate plan to play with Ichigo and get his powers. He drives the sword deeper into him, watching in shock and horror as his Fullbring is stripped from him and sucked into Kugo's sword, disappearing. He dropped to his elbows on the rooftop, knowing for sure that his Fullbring was gone. He remembered how powerless he was during the past seventeen months and thought he'd found some resolve with the Fullbring. He began to cry, feeling like a failure. He reflected on everything that led him to being a Shinigami, what he did and how he helped a lot of people. He couldn't go back to being normal anymore. He just couldn't.

"Give it back." He said. He sat back up and looked at Kugo's back. "GIVE IT BACK!!!!!"

"What are you whining about? I helped you gain your powers so I think I have the right to take them if I want. In all honesty, I don't see why you're not thanking me for just taking your powers and not killing you."

He disregards him again but Ichigo wasn't going to give up.

"Give them back!" he yelled again.

"Do you think I'd just give them back to you?" He looked over his shoulder to him. "Huh? What are you going to do to get them?"

"I have no idea what I'm going to do. All I know is that I can't give up! I've got too many people to help and save! I CAN'T GIVE UP NOW!!!"

Kugo was surprised at Ichigo's determination about getting his powers back as Ichigo continued to ask for them back. He suddenly felt something go through his chest. Ichigo turned around and saw his father and Urahara standing there.

"Have... Have you been manipulated too?! Did he invade your memories as well?! You've betrayed me too, Dad?"

Isshin looked at him without expression for a second and rolled his eyes.

"You're an idiot, Ichigo. I'm not even holding the sword."

Ichigo looked at his father's hands and saw that they were in his pocket, not holding a blade. He stared at them in confusion as the glow of the sword was moving down the hilt. There was no one there though.

"You should be able to see him soon." He said calmly.

Him? What him? Ichigo thought as the reiatsu began to form the hilt of the sword and then hands and up arms. He was surprised to find Byakuya holding the sword.

"Bya...ku...ya?"

Byakuya stared at him stoically but there was something playing his eyes but Ichigo didn't get to analyze things because the *reiatsu exploded from the sword and a wave sent everyone flying back. When the dust subsided, Ichigo was in his Shinigami outfit and had a new zanpakuto on his shoulder. He turned to Byakuya and noticed he looked different than before. Not just that he didn't have his kenseikan in his hair but that he had the acid scars on his face and his hair was actually longer than usual.

"Byakuya; it's been a while."

"Kurosaki Ichigo; you lied to me."

"I did?"

"You are a disgrace. If you give up this easily, we should not have gone through the trouble of making this sword for you."

Ichigo smirked. "I had a low spot."

To the surprise of everyone, Byakuya kicked Ichigo in the face and pressed his face into the ground with his foot.

"No one would get so low to act as you did. I should stab you again and get your powers back for being so cowardly."

He poked Ichigo in the head with the sword a little and Ichigo growled, getting up and looking at him, rubbing his head.

"That's dangerous, you know! You could have pierced my head!"

"This has no blade. It was made by Urahara for you to give you back your Shinigami powers."

"That's not possible." Kugo stated. "He became a Shinigami because he already had them but I took them. Besides, you don't have enough reiatsu alone to give to him."

"*Baka*!" someone suddenly yelled out.

Everyone looked up to see a Senkaimon open and Ichigo blinked at who was there. Renji, Hitsugaya, Kenpachi, Ikkaku, Rukia, were all looking down on them.

"Don't be absurd, you idiot." Renji said as he grinned. "Of course Captain Kuchiki didn't have enough to give him. But Ichigo's got people looking out for him and with the help of all of us, there was enough to go around."

"You only took the top layer of his powers." Rukia informed Kugo. "His true power is deep inside and nothing could take that away."

A fight commences between the new Ichigo and Kugo.

After sending another Getsuga Tensho attack, Kugo tried to block it but it was too much for him. When he falls to the ground, Ichigo notices how his powers feel different.

"You notice the difference?" Renji asked, looking at him from where those in the Senkaimon had appeared behind him.

"Yeah... all of you are in here but so are others... Even Dad's powers are here... I thought it was a major crime to transfer power to a human?"

"It is." Renji said. "But we were ordered to do it, so what are we to do?" he said with a shrug.

"Ordered?"

"Urahara-san presented the sword to the head captain and ordered everyone to put some of their reiatsu in it to give you your powers back, in gratitude of what you have done for us and Soul Society." Rukia explained.

"Any sane leader would not do that." Hitsugaya said. "There was another reason by he wanted Ichigo to have his powers back."

A large purple reiatsu issued forth and Ichigo looked at it in confusion.

"The other reason we needed you was because Kugo is not an ordinary human. He's the first and original Soul Reaper." Renji said.

"Explanations can be expounded later." Byakuya said.

"Indeed!" Kugo agreed. "Don't underestimate me, Ichigo!"

Ichigo looked at Byakuya and grinned.

"I guess I'll have to destroy him completely, eh?"

Byakuya didn't smile but his eyes told Ichigo millions.

"You did promise to show me your bankai."

"I did, didn't I? And I never go back on a promise."

He turned his focus back on Kugo.