Aizen's Kingdom (Bleach Fanfic)

The Rain Falls Down (Part 1)

Ichigo followed Gin, asking no questions as the man led him to another part of the Junrinana district. The young man's brown eyes glanced around, listening to the quiet. "Is Toshiro staying with the Shiba clan."

"Funny you should ask that. No, he isn't." Ichimaru stated as the arrived on the path near the house. There are some things that you will see and hear when you see Hitsugaya Toshiro that will cause you confusion. I ask that you wait until I can talk to you alone about these things. That way he won't end up also being confused."

At that, the males arrived at a small house and the silver haired man stepped into the room. "Oka-san, I am home."

At that point, an old woman spoke up, her tone coming across as lecturing. "Gin! I'm not blind to the fact that your wife doesn't want you around right now, as you have been acting strange."

"Wife?" The tone of disbelief came quick and fast from the substitute shinigami, as Gin suddenly fought hard to keep his normal mask plastered on his face. Isshin's son seemed no where near as smart as the old man. "You mean Rangiku-san is your wife?"

At that, the old woman glanced up at the orange haired youth, her words coming across softly. "I haven't see you around before young man."

"I'm... a friend of Toshiro's you might say." At that, Ichigo reached up to scratch his head, not understanding the kind of trouble he could get the two of them in. Ichimaru let out a deep breath of annoyance due to this.

However, the old woman seemed keen on the idea and brushed things off. "While I don't know of a time that Toshiro-chan could have made friends with you, that child honestly needs them. For some reason to, I feel no ill will coming from you, unlike some of the scamps that are in this village and like to torment my grandson."

The woman's smile then broadened. " You know, the boy is still sleeping right now, so you came at an apt time, in time for me to run some errands."

And with that, she left the room, leaving the two males alone. Ichigo though turned to Gin, a few things confusing him. "That woman is your mother, right?"

"She is my biological mother." Ichimaru shook his head, hoping that Toshiro wouldn't wake up anytime soon.

"And Toshiro is her grandson." Ichigo continued to press for the answers that were there.

"Again, it is a blood relation." The silver haired man moved over to the curtain, to peek in to see how the young one was in fact doing.

"That means you and Rangiku-san are Toshiro's aunt and uncle, right?" The orange haired teen's mind was still trying to comprehend what was going on, but also trying to avoid a particular answer.

"No." The man stated, noting that Toshiro was still asleep. He went and sat on the floor near the fire pit, which had gone out that morning. He nudged the ashes with his foot, frustrated even more with the situation.

"Rangiku and I are Toshiro's biological parents. However, in the other world, this is something that I've kept from both of them because I couldn't be sure what Aizen would do to those I cared the most about, if he found out we were connected. I don't think I was wrong in doing so, considering what this world is like under that man's rule."

"What do you mean by that?" Ichigo asked, coming to sit down with Ichimaru.

"You'll find out when Shiro-chan wakes up." Gin again nudged the ashes, wondering if Ichigo could in fact help him with everything that was going on. "You need to remember that he isn't going to know who you are. You also need to remember that you aren't going to like what you find out."

A bit of time passed, and then the curtain was pulled back slightly, and a soft voice came from behind the curtain. "Oto-san? Mama said you were on a mission, so you wouldn't be back for awhile."

"The mission ended early." Ichimaru suddenly slid over to the curtain, then lifted the child into his lap. "Is there somewhere you want to go today?"

"Baka." The tone the white haired child took suddenly changed. "I know you weren't on a mission. Mama got mad at you again, and she'll be mad at you again if you take me out of the house. I don't like not being able to see you. You actually let me do things."

At that, the silver haired man turned his eyes towards the substitute shinigami, trying to figure out what thoughts was crossing the young man's mind. He was not surprised to see Ichigo's jaw dropped in shock. Toshiro though, noticed the direction that Ichimaru was looking in, and he suddenly blinked a couple of times. "Who is your friend?"

"Technically he is your friend, so to speak." Ichimaru suddenly felt the boy bury his face into his chest.

"I don't know that person." Then came the next response. "It's not possible for me to have friends. The people outside of the house, when you take me outside... they stare because I can't walk. Some of the people who visit granny, when they think I'm asleep talk about how I am a burden to you and Oka-san. Sometimes, I wish I could just disappear. Then you wouldn't drink and become funny, right?"

Gin felt his jaw suddenly clench, and he thought back to what Shinji had told him not that long ago. "From what you've also told me, that child wasn't happy in the world he was living in, where as in this world he is very happy with the way things are." The man mentally spit, knowing full well that was a lie.

Before he could say something to his small son, Ichigo took the time to stand up. "Don't say that. We may not have met in this world, but the world from which I come from, I know for a fact that Rangiku and Gin love you very much."

"That world?" At that, the child's tone suddenly turned dark. The small boy carefully repositioned his legs so that he could face Ichigo. "I've heard of that world from Oto-san rambling. Some people think that he made up that world, because in that world I'm able to walk and talk, and I'm not a burden to him. I think he realized that world exists, because he hates the fact that he'll always have to take care of me."