Lying awake in Ichigo's closet, Rukia stares up at the ceiling in thought, things with the soul society are feeling too easy for her liking. When this is all over, what will the central 46 do when they are reelected regarding her and Ichigo's infection. As she turns over onto her side, she peeks through the gap in the closet door at Ichigo's sleeping form. The music from his bedside radio had stopped a few hours ago leaving the room just with the noise of his ceiling fan and the snoring of both him and Kon. She couldn't help but feel her cheeks flush slightly as she stared at him, admiring how peaceful he looked and how handsome he was without the scowl on his face. "What is it that you see in him, Rukia? The voice of her Zanpakuto asks, bringing a sense of relief to her.

"I'm still asking myself that." She admits though not verbally, choosing to talk with her zanpakuto through her thoughts.

"I may have an idea as to why we are attracted to him." The voice of her hollow adds causing Rukia's heart rate and anxiety to spike slightly. "Relax Rukia, I'm not going to devour you. I no longer feel the hunger that normal hollows deal with. Instead I merely crave Aizen's soul and that power from the Hogyoku."

"That makes me feel better" She says sarcastically, "and I don't know if I even like him or not. I'm over a century older than he is. It's not like it would work out anyways." She relents.

"That may be so Chronologically but you forget physically you're hardly older than he is. Had you been born a human rather than a spirit you'll be nearing you 21st birthday here shortly if you aged like he does." Sode no Shirayuki reminds her. "But what draws you to him? It isn't merely curiosity."

"And what creates the envy that whips the icy wind of your inner world around like the winds of typhoons when Rangiku or Orihime are near him?" Hoakita asks, "You've never been one to think about traditionally girly things as you'd put it."

"Is it because he saved me?" She asks both spirits in her head prompting them to go quiet for a moment. "Is it because he risked his life, his afterlife and existence just to save me from the Sokyoku?"

"Attraction is a biological aspect, Rukia and it doesn't require an explanation and love doesn't either. Love is often born in a spur of the moment event. Such as two lovers meeting each other's gaze and deciding to talk to each other." Shirayuki's voice brings a whisper of anxiety over her once again. She had only known Ichigo for four almost five months now, how could she be developing feelings for him?

"You've been reading too many of my romance books again." Rukia tells her sword's spirit.

"I think it's that you're attracted to power, you fear it, covet it and respect it, It's instinctual. It also helps that he's a hunk too, I'm sure his sword isn't the only weapon he has." Hoakita muses causing Rukia to shake away the mental image that her hollow imparted to her.

"Great, I have a pervert and hopeless romantic in my head." She says getting her hollow to laugh at the statement.

"That's rich Queen. I believe you forgot the fact that Shirayuki and I are reflections of your inner desires and instincts. Meaning she is the reflection of what you feel, your compassion, your desires while I am your instincts, to survive, to get stronger, and to f-" Rukia cut the connection to her inner world before her hollow could finish that statement. She was a Kuchiki princess not a pervert, she lets out a sigh of frustration before pulling the covers up over her shoulder and closing her eyes.

As Rukia herself falls asleep her block over her inner world fails. The inner hollow, not wanting to deal with her master's hesitance decides to make a move on their endless game of chess. It isn't one in an aggressive nature however it would be the second time where she took over this body. Rukia's eyes shoot open after the soul reaper has fallen deep asleep, the now black and gold eyes glow slightly in the dark as she brings the covers off of herself and slides the door open. Seeing Ichigo fast asleep on his bed, Hoakita silently scans the room making sure she won't wake Kon when she moves. After spying the stuffed lion asleep in the beanbag, Hokita shifts her legs over the side of her bed before standing on the floor. She smiles as she walks closer to Ichigo's bed, bringing her palm to his cheek and thumbing it gently. Her other hand slowly unbuttons the nightgown she was wearing leaving her topless and in a pair of pure white panties. She grabs the hem of the quilt that Ichigo is fast asleep under before lifting it and inviting herself into his bed. As she lays beside him, Hoakita reaches over and unplugs the alarm clock on Ichigo's desk before wrapping his arms around her small form. In the warmth of her king's embrace, Hoakita relinquishes control over Rukia's body and sinks back to the frigid inner world that now feels comforting in the embrace of Ichigo.

That night, neither Rukia or Ichigo would hear the alert that a hollow was nearby; however one man sensed it the moment it arrived. The head of the Kurosaki household had a secret that he and only a few others knew, Isshin Kurosaki was the former captain of the 10th division. When the hollow arrived he sensed its presence to be the same one that claimed his wife years ago. For the first time in twenty years Isshin parted with his gigai and assumed the form of his spirit. His captain's uniform was attached underneath a steel shoulder pad that draped the damaged Haori over his back like a cape. As he left the house that evening, he took a step to his son's window seeing Ichigo holding the Rukia in his arms as they both slept. He would let them enjoy the other's company instead of waking his son as he usually did. Bringing his attention back to the task at hand, Isshin flash stepped to the center of Karakura town before flaring his power issuing a challenge to the hollow that arrived. It wasn't long after his quarry appeared, in a burst of speed that broke the sound barrier of the spirit world the gigantic hollow appeared.

"You... you are not Kurosaki Ichigo..." The hollow speaks, it's giant body curved in moss like fur leaving a human midsection and forearms exposed. The beasts mask framing his head and jaw leaving his eyes and nose exposed. "Yet your reishi feels like his..."

"No I'm not Ichigo, besides I couldn't bring him here even if I wanted to. He's having a peaceful night with a pretty lady and what kind of father would I be if I robbed him of that just to kill some Marimo with an overcompensating Zanpakuto." Isshin mocks, (Marimo meaning mosshead).

"You don't know who you face, Shinigami trash..." The beast growls standing to its full size, towering over the nearby buildings. "I am Grand Fisher, I've devoured countless souls and shinigami alike." He gloats as he grabs the hilt of the giant sword along his back. "How do you expect to defeat me with a toothpick like that?" Grand Fisher declares before drawing the weapon and swinging at Isshin.

Isshin merely smirks before raising a single finger with his off hand and stopping the blade's forward momentum just by touching it. The blade is not even strong enough to give him a papercut, but due to the abrupt stop and strength of its wielder, the sword snapps on Isshin's index finger before clattering to the ground like broken glass. Grand Fisher recoils in horror at what had just happened with Isshin grabbing the handle of his own sword and moving his wrist slightly to expose only the habaki before returning the blade to its sheath. "You can't judge soul reapers by the size of their Zanpakuto, the blades are reflective of one's control over Reishi and the amount they have. Captains have to have a great amount of control to condense the blade to a normal length for a katana. Otherwise we'd be swinging blades as tall as mountains." As his blade locks back into place the giant hollow was bisected across its hollow hole and through its neck in two sword strokes faster than it could have ever seen. The hollow collapses to the ground before beginning to decay back into reishi. The thousands and thousands of souls it had devoured being released and moving on.

"Did you ever hate that one?" The voice of Urahara Kisuke asks as he approaches the former captain. Rain begins to pitter on the ground as the two meet. "The one that killed Masaki?"

"You needn't remind me, Kisuke." Isshin responds, turning to face the former captain of the 12th division. "But to answer your question, no. How could someone hate an animal for doing that in which animals do? I only hate myself for not preventing it that night, I had forgiven that hollow long ago. Now I can see Masaki again in the next life."

"Well said old friend, and it seems that we've gotten some very good news from gramps back in soul society." Kisuke responds as the two flash step back to Kisuke's shop. "The vizards are to be pardoned, we too are also going to get pardoned and your son is getting a promotion."

"Did Shinji want him to replace Hiyori or something?" Isshin asks, prompting Urahara to laugh at the accuracy of Ishhin's question.

"Precisely, once he and your quote third daughter have dealt with and mastered their hollow powers he will be taking over as substitute lieutenant of squad five since Hinamori Momo has been deemed unfit for duty by reason of insanity. She went mad after Aizen betrayed us, poor girl." Kisuke says as he opens the door to Urahara Shoten. "Ah, speak of the devil, Hello Shinji."

"Yo." Shinji greets as he sits by the entrance to the shop. "I take it you got a response from old man Yama?" the inverted man asks.

"Yeah, we have been pardoned and are to return to soul society as soon as possible. The twelfth division is setting up a training space in the Seireitei given the information that you had told me regarding how dominating the inner hollow works. The arena they set up is able to withstand several attacks from Captain Komamura's Bankai. Should their inner hollows be at Gillain or even Adjuchas strength then it should be easy to contain them." Kisuke responds getting Shinji to grin wider than normal.

"Then what are we waitin' for? Let's get them and go!" He says enthusasitcally but Isshin raises his hand and cuts him off.

"He and Rukia are having probably the last peaceful night they'll get for a long time at least until this war is over. I'll reveal the fact that I'm a shinigami to Ichigo when he and Rukia wake up. Frankly I'm surprised the girl didn't recognize me when we first met. So, I'll call you in the morning and while they're training with you, i'm gonna take my old squad to station them here to protect Karakura in the meantime." Isshin says before yawning widely. "I'm gonna go to bed, I'll see you two here after breakfast. Have a good evening, Shinji, Kisuke." And with that Isshin flash steps away leaving the vizard leader and the formerly exiled captain alone.

"Why did you want Ichigo as your lieutenant?" Kisuke asks the blond man.

"I told him it was because he wouldn't betray me. Which is half true, I also want him because he reminds me of Aizen when he was my lieutenant and I intend not to make the same mistake twice and to teach him and Rukia everything I know about that cretin before we have to fight him." Shinji responds. "We have a lot to discuss, so fill me in over what happened back home and with the Kuchiki."

"It started with a hollow named Fishbone D..." Kisuke begins as he shuts the door to the shop. Telling the tale of the prodigy soul reaper and his damsel in distress.