Sunset in Heaven

Chapter 11

Isshin and the others told the orange-haired teen about the Hollowfication process that Karin endured just to go and save Rukia. It seemed her power was not as immense as Ichigo's so they had no choice but to wake up her Hollow forcefully even though she was still a living human. It's also the reason why she couldn't fully control it. No, scratch that. At this minute, she probably still didn't even know she had one. She was now making chaos in Seireitei as they spoke.

Shinji grinned at the prospect of training another Vizard. Ichigo shuddered when he saw the expression on the other man's face. He shuddered when he remembered the hell that he went through in that warehouse for the last sixteen days. That's a memory that would forever be etched in his mind, not in fondness but in an almost traumatic way.

Without any word, Isshin hugged him and Ichigo was so surprised that his body immediately acted on reflex and kicked the older man on the wall. He gulped when the wall cracked behind his father. "Ah, Goat-face? Sorry, I was just–"

His words were interrupted when a kick landed on his face and Isshin laughed proudly. "Hah! That's what you get for turning your guard down!" Ichigo stood up menacingly and Shinji's grin became wider. He and the rest of the Vizards were quite amazed at Ichigo's reiatsu and also his prowess. The boy was, in a way, an idiot prodigy. And thus, the first meeting of father and son for over sixteen years turned into a messy brawl of insults and physical fight.

Afterwards, Isshin made Ichigo tell them what happened to him and why he was in the world of the living. And thus, he told them of his life in Rukongai without the bothersome details. Everything was just like a report, utterly boring and brief. But his eyes were the ones that betrayed him. His eyes held the anguish, the sorrow, the hatred, the pain, the guilt, and every other emotion that he now felt.

And Isshin saw through him. "So you're Ukitake's adopted son. He's a very good teacher, you know. And a very kind one." Ichigo nodded. "Ukitake was the one who showed me the hang of being a Taichou, the one who guided many of us young Taichous. Whoever killed him surely has a dark reason for doing so."

Ichigo looked up at his father. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Ukitake might have discovered something which he mustn't know of. Or at least, he might be at a wrong place at the wrong time." Isshin mused loudly.

"We also think that way." Shinji voiced. "Ukitake-taichou is not someone who will make other Shinigamis hold a grudge against him. And thus, the only reason for his death was those you've just said. Something's happening in Seireitei right now and I feel that it's something big."

"Make sure to take care of yourself there, Ichigo." Isshin said as he ruffled his son's hair, much to Ichigo's surprise and quiet embarrassment – though not in a negative way. "And make sure to take care of Karin too, if you have time."

"Of course, Oyaji." He smiled a tad, still a little unused to calling someone he just saw a while ago 'father'.

"And Ichigo," Shinji called. "Make sure to remember everything that we've told you. You better not get caught by Seireitei's dogs until the culprit shows himself." The orange-haired teen looked at the blonde and nodded.

Isshin looked at his son once more. If the higher-ups could be convinced that Ichigo was indeed responsible for the deaths of two Taichous, it only meant that his son was that powerful now. To be able to have the power to handle two Taichous at the same time... Though he knew that Ichigo never did it, the mere fact that others thought so was enough of a proof that Ichigo was someone who could actually go against two Taichous simultaneously.

"Shall we go then, underground?" Urahara asked as he yawned.

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