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In the past, the Shiba Clan was famous and maybe feared for its power. Their strength was legendary, and every Shinigami knew about their fire affinity and with their love of explosion, the fireworks made sense. -
They thrived on making the fireworks thus it was easy to transition into a successful business for many centuries. It was easy and they loved it.
No one ever asked why they loved pranks and why they had fire affinity, everybody just accepted it. Like everybody accepted the Kuckiki's noble looks, the Shihouin's speed, and affinity to become one with the shadows.
No one asked about that and that was the best, that was the goal.
Some shinigami, mostly captains and family friends, knew about their secret and they vowed to keep it hidden to keep everybody safe. It was a clan business and it was their right to keep it hidden.
In the past, a long-long time ago they were hunted, chased because they wanted their power. And from that moment they vowed to keep their power hidden.
Hidden in plain sight.
The Shiba Clan was a family of Kitsunes. It gave them and the whole Seireitei power because old legends say that kitsunes are the backbone of the Gotei, somehow their presence made the new souls stronger.
Making the whole Gotei stronger this way.
Sadly in the last few decades, the Shiba family almost disappeared and no kitsune was born. The last kitsune was Kaien, sadly his sister Kukakuu and their brother Ganju just got some power but they weren't full-blooded kitsune.
Isshin who acted as the head for years till he disappeared weren't kitsune, he probably didn't even know about them. The only Shiba who knew about the Kitsune heritage was who had it fully or partially.
Some even say that one day they woke up with a book about their heritage after they first transformed into a small kit.
Kukakuu knew this, she was well versed in everything that was Kitsune lore, and yet she was the most surprised when Yoruichi and that group of teenagers visited them. One kid eerily looked like Kaien and he had some very well hidden kitsune scent, yet she didn't say anything at that time. She was waiting for more information about him before she could say anything.
If that meant catching a small kit sneaking into their library after Aizen's treachery came out daylight, then it meant that.
~~~~~
Ichigo needed to escape, everything became too much suddenly. The sudden revelation of Aizen's betrayal, and turning sides...
One moment they all tried to defeat, to kill them, the invaders and now they got a free pass to wander around, like guests.
It was too much.
He noticed the looks on him, the whispered names, and the shocked faces. He couldn't act according to it, as it was really a whisper and if he shouldn't be secretly a kitsune with better senses he wouldn't have heard it.
He continued his big act, as usual. He acted as a loudmouth, simple, hot-headed.
They were enemies not a long time ago, he can't be sure that they won't be enemies once again. Hat 'nd clogs, Yoruichi, and the silent giant were shinigami once. Something happened to them to live in the World of Living.
He didn't know their reasons, but he trusted them more than in Soul Society.
He listened when nobody thought he was, he noticed things and when nobody saw him and nobody was waiting for him, he turned.
A little orange fox, he was still a kit, so he was tiny.
He didn't mind it, as it helped him to sneak around. He didn't look dangerous, not like he looked like in his human form.
Do his kitsune form? Well, Zangetsu said that being a hollow-shinigami-Quincy-kitsune hybrid fucked up his biology. He will get it probably after reaching his maturity, which could happen any time from now.
They didn't know how he would look, or how strong he would become.
Luckily his little fox form will stay, it's a perfect disguise and while in his human form he isn't affectionate, in his fox form… he lives for pets and cuddles.
Only the twins know about his kitsune form and probably Yoruichi and Urahara assume something.
Everybody thinks that his reiatsu control is bad, which is funny as he had to learn how to hide his kitsune vibes, and he can hide his reiatsu too, but then he would get questioned about how.
He would like to avoid those, soo no reining in his reiatsu. The book he got after he first turned told him some things about being Kitsune, about Soul Society but also it warned him to be cautious about who he tells about his heritage. He didn't know from where he got it, but Isshin never asked about it, so it probably wasn't from him.
But as he sneaked to the library in the Shiba residency he was quickly and yet gently lifted. He was gently petted, but he wasn't allowed to go even after his abductor, Kukakuu, sat down. She just stared at him and then with a big sigh she closed her eyes.
"Brat. You could have asked"
Ichigo just yipped and jumped down when the hand that kept him went lax.
The next moment instead of a small fox, Ichigo sat facing Kukakuu, who just looked at him with sad eyes.
"Sorry, habit," Ichigo replied softly as he looked aside.
"I know, and you are doing good as a kit. I wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't waiting for you. Brat, tell me, who is your father?" Kukakuu asked instead.
"Why?" Ichigo asked back defensively. He sneaked his right hand at his thigh, to keep pressure there. It helped him to calm down when the situation got out of his hands. Like usually whenever Goat-Face was somehow mentioned.
"Brat, you are a kitsune and that's a Shiba family trait. The only way that you can have it is if your father was a Shiba." Kukakuu replied softly. She wanted to drink sake, but this was too serious conversation to have.
"Why do you think it's my useless father? Why not my mother?" Ichigo asked back offensively. It could have been his mother, right? She was amazing.
Kukakuu lifted her hands placatingly.
"I don't know any Shiba woman, who survived the assassination of the Shiba Clan who could have inherited the gene. As only a few of us survived it, with the gene. My brothers, me and our uncle.
Kaien is dead and Ganju is too young, it leaves only our uncle, who went missing around 20years ago."
"Fuck."
"Yeah, I agree. Was it Isshin?" she asked like she thought that he was dead.
"He is still alive. But he doesn't know anything about me being Kitsune, he never asked..." Ichigo didn't finish his sentence, because he was still bitter about Isshin. He is a useless piece of father, at least for him.
"While he was our clan head for a short time after Kaien's death, he isn't a kitsune. He just has the gene, but it never activates. Thus he could have never known about it. You don't like him." Kukaku stated as she looked at Ichigo.
"No. Kurosaki Isshin, my father " here Ichigo almost bit out the words " is a useless piece of shit. He never helped me, even when he knew perfectly what happened with mom if what you say is the truth. He left me to struggle with my self-blame and left me to raise my sisters. He "trains me" but I learned more from Geta Boshi and Yoruichi than from him. His roughhousing, his training made me avoid him and every touch." Ichigo almost spat this out as he said it.
"It doesn't help but I'm sorry. But wait, I can show you a picture of my uncle, if he is your father you will recognize him." Kukakuu said after a few seconds of silence. She stood up, went to a shelf, and lifted a book down, and then she sat back. She slowly opened the book, it was a photo album and with a sad, forlorn look she started to search in it. After some minutes of page-turning, she stopped and turned the book towards Ichigo.
"This is the last picture I have about Isshin, he was the 10th Division captain and the Shiba Clan head. But also he always tried to avoid work, and he was a big womanizer. His lieutenant, Matsumoto, and his third seat, the actual captain Hitsugaya did his work instead of him. '' said Kukakuu and Ichigo looked at the picture.
Ichigo's hand stilled because that was Goat-Face, younger and without his goatee, but it was him. He was sure of that. Fuck.
"It's him, right?"
"Yeah, it's him. But then why?" Ichigo didn't finish his question as both knew what the question was.
"I don't know. He was my uncle, but I never knew him very well. You need to ask him or Urahara. Maybe he knows more.
Welcome to the family Ichigo. You said you have two sisters?"
"Huh. Thank you? Yes, Karin and Yuzu, my little twin sisters. They know about me being a kitsune but they never turned. "
"That's okay, I can't turn either. But my other senses are better than a normal shinigami.
But brat, the Shiba Clan is different from the Kuchiki or the other big clans. We were always different, not just now when there are only a few Shiba.
We always choose our next head according to who is kitsune, luckily they were always in the mainline." Kukakuu stopped here to see if Ichigo understood.
"But, that means...." Ichigo understood it perfectly. Kukakuu wanted to cackle, but the brat would glare at her.
"Yes, I hope you are ready to learn to become our next head."
"But...I'm still alive..." Ichigo said unsurely.
"I'm sorry to say that, but are you? From what Yoruichi told me and from what I have seen, I don't think that. Unohana shouldn't be able to heal you as well, as she did.
You should ask Urahara, probably he can answer every question about your family too." she stopped when she took a closer look, who looked close to hyperventilating. But before Kukakuu was able to stand up to go beside Ichigo, he already turned into his fox form and sadly yipped as he got closer to her, to ask pets.
The afternoon after this was spent with pats and slow naps for Ichigo while Kukakuu slowly sipped sake and take care of him.
He didn't remember when was the last time he allowed himself to fall apart. He had the twins to take care, he couldn't allow them to see him like this. But with her, it was easy. He trusted her, even his kitsune side.
She made it easy, she was like a big sister who knew his secret, making it effortless to trust her.
Later when Ichigo went back to his guest room, he departed with a promise that he would come back to learn from her. He will need to sneak in, but as kitsune it was easy. Especially after Kukakuu showed him how he can open a specific Shiba Senkaimon. It was specific because only a kitsune was able to open it secretly.
When the Ryouka group returned to the Living World seemingly nothing changed, and yet for Ichigo, everything was different.
Days after Urahara asked his forgiveness on his magical rug, he sought him out, to ask questions.
At first Hat 'nd Clogs just looked at him almost innocently, but when Ichigo didn't relent, he just sighed and told him to sit down and took out his phone to tell Hirako Shinji to get his ass there.
Ichigo just scowled at him from behind his teacup. But he waited patiently till that person arrived.
Some minutes later a slim, blonde male with a Chesire grin walked in and sat down beside Urahara. They didn't act like they were together, and yet when Hirako sat down, his thigh touched Urahara's. Hirako's scent was familiar and it was easy to jump to the conclusion that they were together as Urahara's scent always held some of Hirako's. This only happened if two or many people were together, sexually and emotionally. His father's scent held Masaki's till her death.
"Who are you?" Ichigo asked after some seconds of silence.
"Hirako Shinji, who are you? Brat?"
"Kurosaki Ichigo, and not a brat."
"Ya look like a brat, but why I'm here Kiske?" Shinji asked with a grin.
"I only came here to ask some questions from Hat 'nd Clogs, I don't know why you are here,' ' Ichigo replied with a deep scowl.
"Kurosaki-kun, you asked why are we living here, about your heritage and your hollow. Two of them are not my tale."
"Yeah, like Isshin will tell me about my heritage? Of course. Should I wait till I die, sorry I'm already dead, against Aizen?" Ichigo asked back harshly. Silencing the two blondes.
"I am many things and I will accept most names, but I do believe that it was Isshin's responsibility to tell you about your heritage. Kuchiki Byakuya killed you that night when he severed your soul, you have been dead since then. I'm sorry for it, I never wanted that for you." Kisuke said quietly as he started to move into a deep bow, but Ichigo stopped him halfway.
"I already forgive you Hat 'and Clogs, there is no need to bow again. Yes, I had a smaller panic attack, but I will live. Can you tell me about my heritage?" Ichigo asked instead. His voice sounded sincere and while he didn't know anything about Hirako other than being with Kisuke, he somehow trusted him.
Kisuke's and Hirako's eyes meet as they turn to look at the other and after a silent chat they decide their next step.
"Alright, we will tell ya, about yer heritage, but for that, ya need my story too. " Hirako said with his usual accent. He sounded calm, and yet his eyes and the way Kisuke held his hand told a different story.
Ichigo felt bad, he didn't want to bring back bad memories, but he knew better than to say something to stop him. He just silently waited instead and slowly drank his tea. He didn't want to pressure him.
In some seconds the story of the hollowfication and then his birth unhurriedly began to unfold.
It was a heavy tale, which told him that not even centuries-old shinigami are without fault. They live longer, and yet they are just like humans. They aren't perfect, no one is. Maybe they could have done something different, but it's already happened, there is no need to think about the what-ifs, they just need to deal with the aftermath.
Which wasn't the easiest. He knew that from personal experience. He knew that he was too hard with Isshin, that he was trying, but... the first years without Masaki were hard. He needed Isshin as much as the twins needed him, and yet it was him, Ichigo, who raised them while Isshin was mourning. It changed their relationship, probably for the worse.
His way to train him didn't help with the break, nor did everything that happened after. He was good with the twins, Ichigo gave that to him, but with him? That ship sailed a long time ago.
When Ichigo moved to stand up and leave the pair alone, Kisuke looked at him for a moment without his usual hiding.
"Ichigo, while your relationship with your father isn't the best, you still need to speak with him. What we told you about your heritage is just a part of what we saw. We aren't perfect, we fail like everybody else." Kisuke said earnestly.
"I know, it's just... Thank you for telling me. Can I search you later about the training?" Ichigo asked instead of finishing his thoughts.
"Yas, in that way I don't need to hunt you down," Shinji replied.
"Zangetsu isn't happy about it, we need to train. Thank you. I will find my way out." Ichigo answered as he stood up and gathered his pack. When he had already stepped out of the room, Shinji and Kisuke looked together, communicating silently. There was something about Ichigo, they couldn't exactly tell what, just something more making him more interesting.
~~~
Weeks later, after the first training with the Vizards, while still sneaking into Soul Society to learn how to become the Shiba head, Ichigo stepped inside his room with a big yawn. Everybody was already asleep, it was late and he just wanted to sleep. He was dead tired.
His "extra" lessons made him tired and yet he couldn't stop it, he needed them. He needed them to survive, and what if, if he was tired and yet alive when the other option was being dead.
He didn't even turn on his lamp, just pulled out some sleepwear to sleep, luckily at the warehouse he already showered, so he only needed to change and he could sleep. Luckily tomorrow is Saturday, he can finally sleep in a little.
A sudden movement on his bed, made him freeze, and curse himself. He should have turned on the lamp. But before he could have done anything, halfway in changing, the desk lamp turned on. Showing the person who sat on his bed.
It was Toshiro, don't ask his surname, he doesn't remember it. Something with H, but other than that. Nothing. He couldn't help, he had a bad memory. He needed some time to remember everybody's name, that's why he liked to call them with no suffix.
"Toshiro? It's 11 pm. Can't it wait?" Ichigo asked instead as he continued to change. There was no reason to stand there half-naked.
"It's Captain Hitsugaya, Kurosaki. But I could ask the same. It's 11 pm, everybody is asleep, where were you?" Toshiro asked back. Luckily the lamp wasn't too strong, making it easy to hide his blush seeing the half-naked Kurosaki.
"Uhm, around? Why? You are not my father and even he doesn't care." Ichigo replied with a lifted eyebrow. He was trying not to think about the blush or the way Toshiro looked natural sitting in his room.
"Kurosaki, you are not dumb, even as you like to act like that. We are in a war and your sneaking around makes you suspicious. One can think that you are on Aizen's side." Toshiro replied and Ichigo just shrugged.
"He wants to kill me, I'm not on his side. He almost killed me on the hill last time, it was just the blind luck that I survived his attack." Ichigo replied half-honestly. He was told by Ossan that it wasn't luck, it was his hollow and Quincy side together. But he couldn't say that at least not yet.
"I believe you Kurosaki, but that's me. Where are you training? I couldn't sense you in the last few hours."
"I was behind a barrier, that's why. I didn't know I needed to be always sensible." Ichigo replied but there was no real heat behind his words, he just calmly with a big yawn walked to his bed, and sat down.
They haven't met many times and yet, he always felt content in Toshiro's presence. His kitsune side too.
"Just preferable. Be careful Kurosaki, not everybody is your friend even if right now they are on your side." Toshiro warned him. He didn't know why he was even there, he just wanted to reassure himself that Kurosaki was still on their side.
"Sure, I will try to stay noticeable. Thanks, Toshiro."
"It's Captain Hitsugaya for you, Kurosaki. Night Kurosaki." Toshiro said, and he moved towards the window. Ichigo just sleepily blinked at him from the bed. But when Toshiro started to open the window to jump out he surprised both of them.
"Stay. I don't mind if you stay."
"Kurosaki, you were the one who said to search for other places to sleep."
"Yes, because we don't have that much place, for everybody to sleep here. But you can stay, I don't mind. And I'm sure my sisters won't mind it either." Ichigo replied after a big yawn. Toshiro just looked at him and then with a big sigh, he agreed.
"Alright, you won Kurosaki. At least that way I can make sure that you won't sneak away."
"Oi! I planned to sleep in, not sneak away." Ichigo defended himself but he stood up and pulled out his spare futon and some blanket and a pillow. He was ready to lay down when Toshiro stopped him.
"Kurosaki, sleep on the bed, I will sleep on the spare mat. Go to sleep, thank you for allowing me to sleep here." Toshiro said, not moving till Ichigo laid down on his bed.
Toshiro also went under his blanket and listened as Kurosaki's breath evened out very fastly, falling asleep almost instantly.
Toshiro listened to it and slowly he fell asleep. Somehow it calmed him down and helped him to sleep. It was nice.
Kurosaki wasn't afraid to sleep in his presence and that was like a fresh breath. Not even Matsumoto slept calmly in the same room as him, which hurt a little bit, but it was okay. He was used to it.
And the blind trust from Kurosaki warmed his cold heart.
Later, in the night something woke him up. At first, nothing seemed amiss, and even Hyourinmaru was silent, not warning him of any danger. But then a small, cold nose woke him. A small, furry body followed that nose as it tried to burrow into his chest.
Toshiro opened his eyes to see what was happening and the scene surprised him.
A small fox tried to burrow into his chest, under his blanket, and softly yipped asking for pats. Kurosaki's bed was empty and it wasn't hard to add two and two together. The fox was Kurosaki, it was surprising news, and yet somehow that was so Kurosaki that it made it easy to accept that. Hyourinmaru just let out a light chuckle in his Soulpace, which told Toshiro that he knew something, but it was too late or too early to think about. Instead, he just closed his eyes and fell back to sleep.
The morning after I found them in an interesting predicament. The fox form was nowhere to be seen, only Kurosaki in his usual form, cuddling with Toshiro. He was still sleeping, his usual scowl was nowhere to be seen and it was nice to see his face without any.
Sadly the opening door broke the moment, waking up Ichigo and returning his scowl.
"Gooood Morniiiiing Ichigooooo!" A well-known voice happily welcomed them. For Toshiro, the world froze and he just watched what is happening, while Ichigo just grumbled.
"Shut up, Goat-face. I told you I want to sleep in."
"My Darling sons found each other! What a look!" Isshin said excitedly when he noticed them cuddling and he expertly dodged the pillow flying towards his head. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do! The breakfast is ready" Isshin told them and then fastly stepped out of the room before Ichigo could get up. But both of them were able to hear as he yelled "Masaki, our Darling Sons! They found each other!"
"Shut up, Goat-Face, you are annoying!" came the yell from Karin.
Ichigo quickly got up and closed the door, allowing Toshiro a moment to restart.
"Toshiro, I'm sorry..." Ichigo started slowly but Toshiro just looked at him, stopping his apology.
"We need to speak after breakfast, as he won't leave us alone till we won't go down," Toshiro said calmly, yet a little bit frosty. Ichigo just nodded with a noticeable swallow and showed him where the bathroom was.
The breakfast held some tension, but neither was ready to talk about. Isshin acted like his usual annoying self, making Karin and Ichigo roll their eyes. Yuzu just softly smiled and softly chatted with Toshiro, who just was still out of the revelation, that his captain was alive and tried to chat with Yuzu-chan.
The whole breakfast was a new experience for Toshiro, to see as they acted, the way Karin and Ichigo argued with Isshin constantly and Yuzu tried to keep the peace. He noticed that Isshin avoided his eyes, and did not start a conversation with him. Which was interesting, but also he could understand. He wasn't sure that his kids knew about his past, maybe Ichigo as he wasn't as surprised as he should have been. But the twins? No, they didn't know about it.
After breakfast, Karin, Yuzu, and Isshin headed out, and Toshiro left him to leave with the twins, at least he can speak with Kurosaki.
By the look, Ichigo thought the same.
Ichigo made some tea and they went back to Ichigo's room, where they sat down and waited awkwardly.
Neither of them wanted to start it, but somebody needed to.
"I'm sorry for the morning. I don't remember when I got beside you." Ichigo started awkwardly with a little blush on his cheeks. He looked adorable.
"It happened through the night when you turned into a fox. You wanted cuddles and pets, that was okay. I didn't know you could turn into a fox." Toshiro replied, forgetting to mention that he looked like a very adorable little fox.
"Umm..." Here Ichigo looked uncomfortable but he started again " I'm a kitsune, Toshiro." Ichigo quietly told him, like it was a secret. But as Toshiro started to remember everything he knew about Kitsunes, about the Shiba family, it made sense why he said that. Hyourinmaru just serenely smiled in his soul and told him to not allow these kitsune to go away. It looks like his zanpakuto knows more than him.
"Thank you for telling me."
"Um, yeah. It's my Shiba heritage and it makes me eligible for the next Shiba Head. That's one of the reasons why I'm sneaking around that much." Ichigo quietly told him. Not looking at him. But then he continued.
"I'm a young kitsune, a kit right now. I haven't reached my maturity, which as far as Zangetsu can tell me, will be soon. But also we don't know what will happen at that time, because I'm a freaking Quincy-hollow-Shinigami-kitsune hybrid. I don't know why I'm telling you this, but you are calming me down.
Everything is freaking me out, I haven't even fully understood what that means for me that I'm dead. I don't know anything.
The only thing I know right now is that even as I don't know you at all, I find you calming, I find myself wanting to be with you. I trust you." Ichigo fastly jabbered it out, blushing deeply.
Toshiro just calmly stood up and sat down beside Ichigo. Touching him and calming him at the same time.
"When the time comes, we will know it. I'm the same, Hyourinmaru tells me to trust you, to not allow you from my gasp.
And don't forget one thing, you are not a freak Ichigo. You should never call yourself that. I know what I'm speaking, as I called myself that for a long time. Surprisingly it was Isshin and Matsumoto who helped me not to use that word for myself.
Your friends and your family would be outraged if they heard you using that word at yourself." Toshiro replied reassuringly.
"But...." Ichigo started, but Toshiro didn't let him continue.
"Ichigo, I know your father. While I'm sure he changed some and became more annoying " here Toshiro looked like he started to have an aneurysm" but his base, his personality didn't alter. I don't know what happened between the two of you, and it's not my place to know, but he cares about you, he is trying. Maybe he does it in the wrong way, but he cares about you. I know perfectly well that he is annoying, as he was captain for years and he always left almost all his work at us but mostly at me. Though he also helped me, when I asked his help and when I didn't he tried to help me.
I'm sure he would be far from pleased if he heard you calling yourself names."
"I loathe secrets, especially if I have every right to know that secret.
He acted like he didn't know anything about the whole otherworldly stuff, he lied the whole time. While I felt like with my mother I lost him too. He needed time to mourn and didn't know what to do with me, but that's true for me too. I just lost my mother to a hollow because I couldn't tell the difference between living and dead as no one taught me that. I was 9 years old, I was a kid and for years I felt everything was my fault. He tried to reassure me that it wasn't my fault, but the way he did it, it did nothing. If he just sat me down and told me what happened, it would have been okay. But...years of acting like he doesn't know anything about this stuff... is hurtful.
If I ever lose my power, or anything happens to me, I would still want to speak, to hear about it." Ichigo told him, with a shaking breath. He sounded and looked upset, it wasn't easy for him, and Toshiro just wanted to hug him. This is interesting as he was never into touching, but something about Ichigo makes it easy.
"I'm sorry Ichigo, I don't know what to say.
It sounds empty, but I'm sure he is trying." Toshiro quietly said as he slowly hugged Ichigo.
"I know, I fucking know. And everybody tells me Kisuke, Kukakuu...but I needed to sneak into the Shiba house after I heard everybody whisper Shiba Kaien's name.
They, Goat-Face and Geta Boshi planned to use me against Aizen, and yes Urahara is shady but Isshin could have said no from the beginning.
This is so fucked up." Ichigo finished his rant with an even deeper scowl. Toshiro just wanted to coo because he looked adorable, instead, he just hugged him more.
"Yes, it is. What about us? I don't know what is happening, but something does." Toshiro started to redirect the conversation, to calm them down, and because he wanted to know.
"I want to know more about you, but I'm not ready for a relationship. We are both too busy right now for that and Isshin would have kittens if we start dating as I'm still underage.
Can we start as friends?" Ichigo asked unsurely and yet his question showed that he is thinking like a responsible adult.
"You know that most people would jump into a relationship instantly. Especially since we are in a war, for now, it's silent, but a war nonetheless.
Although, I agree with you Ichigo. Let's go slow, and later when we still want it, we will start dating. For now, I'm happy if we stay alive." Toshiro replied honestly, still hugging Ichigo.
Ichigo showed him his rare smiles and just melted against Toshiro, trusting to keep him safe.
They chatted, despite both of them detesting small talk, and when the others returned Toshiro wasn't there to answer their questions.
The friendship between Toshiro and Ichigo slowly bloomed, they chatted when they had time, but everybody was busy. But suddenly everything sped up with Orihime's kidnap. One day they were joking and training, and on the other Ichigo was already fighting for his life in Hueco Mundo. The change was abrupt and nobody was ready for it. The first and the last fight are getting closer in rapid time, hopefully, everybody will survive it.
In the past, the Shiba Clan made sure that every maturing kitsune, slowly without any hurry, reached their adulthood. They stayed behind heavy wards, to keep their elevated reiatsu a secret. Sometimes even those heavy wards shook as they tried to keep back the power. Sometimes they broke and the clan hurriedly tried to explain the reason for those extremely high power levels.
For the first few days, the newly matured kitsune was always a little bit feral and overly protective of their loved ones. Luckily they only matured once, and after they finally calmed down from their feral state they acted as nothing happened. It wasn't easy, but it was doable.
But it was banned for a kitsune to reach adulthood while fighting. If you knew that you are in close reach to your maturity, you stayed out of fights.
There were two main reasons for that particular rule.
First reason: It was a heavily guarded Shiba secret, nobody should have known about it who is not Shiba or a trusted family friend.
Second reason: Their power level and their feral state.
~~
The captains and the Visoreds used everything they could against Aizen, they tried their best, hoping that they could leave Ichigo out. They never wanted to use him to fight in their war.
They tried...and they failed.
Badly.
At first, it looked like they were winning, like they could do it without Ichigo. It was almost intoxicating that they did it when a shocked yell shook their core.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS DOING?!" Ichigo yelled with terrified eyes.
Where in a second before Aizen stood, now Momo was. She was bleeding heavily from their joint attack. They were played, and they fell into the trap.
Toshiro looked like his world ended as he started attacking Aizen in a mad, feral haze and the other quickly joined in, only to fail again.
They couldn't win against Aizen.
They were nothing against him.
They failed.
~
From the second of his yell, Ichigo's world became hazy. He knew that something was happening but he didn't know what. He attacked blindly when a thin yet strong arm grabbed his upper arm. Zangetsu was batted away easily and those arms led him aside.
If he was more present, he would have known who guided him, he would have fought more.
He was feeling dizzy, Zangetsu and Ossan were yelling in his head and everything was hazy, loud, and painful. He just wanted to bend down and disappear.
Everything hurt so much, it was unbearable.
It pulsed from everywhere, even breathing hurt.
He didn't know what was happening, but he wanted to end it fast. It was horrible. Usually, he was good with pain, but this?
NOPE.
He just wanted to end it.
He didn't notice what was happening around him, he was too out to notice anything.
The only thing that helped was the suddenly appearing calming scent of ice, the freshness of the cold. It calmed him a little and even the pain abated a little and gave back his senses. He was still in pain, but not as much as a second before.
Finally, he was able to hear what they were saying.
"This is absolutely bad timing, fuck" Ichigo heard somebody saying, but he couldn't put a name to the voice.
"It's not like he chose this day, but look he is coming round." Somebody else said and his voice, presence was calming.
"It looks like you are anchoring him, which shouldn't surprise me too much as you even started to chat with him daily."
"I won't even ask about that, as it's logical to watch your enemies."
"He is not my enemy Juban tai, my only enemy is Aizen."
"You showed it in the wrong way"
"What else could I have done? I needed his trust to get any information to kill him. His lies never blinded me, not like ya all. But I couldn't do anything till I had no countermeasures to use against him. Yes, I planned to use Ichigo if that way that asshole will be dead. Not like any of you are different from me." replied the other person. It was the white-haired bastard, Gin.
"Mhm, what's happening?" Ichigo asked confusedly after some second of silence. He heard somebody sigh, but before he could open his eyes somebody started to speak.
"You are reaching your kitsune maturity right now. I pulled you aside when I noticed your scent. Let's not speak about bad timing." Gin said with another sigh. Finally, Ichigo was able to put a name to the voice.
"I...thank you?" Ichigo replied and with that he tried to open his eyes, only to have two hands covering his eyes.
"Don't open your eyes yet. Your body is still adjusting to the change, you are in the beginning only. If you open your eyes, it will only hurt more.
Your father, Urahara, Yoruichi, and Yamamoto are still fighting against him, but I don't see them winning. Aizen is just too curious about your fluctuating reiatsu, so he is playing with them. Also, Urahara and Yoruichi sometimes look there, trying to find you. They are oddly protective of ya" Gin softly told him.
Ichigo wanted to deny it, but if he wanted to be honest, he couldn't. They cared about him, Shinji too.
"Ya should have told me that ya're a kitsune, Ichigo." suddenly another voice was beside them. It was Shinji, Ichigo recognized him fastly. His accent and his scent helped him greatly to identify him quickly. Not many would have Kisuke's scent on their own.
"Why? It wouldn't have changed anything." Ichigo asked back still with closed eyes. Luckily his pain seemed to lessen more.
"Yer training would have been the same, but I could have helped with your kitsune. I had many Shiba friends throughout my life, and I even helped some of them with their kitsune. Also, our traitorous friend here is a part kitsune too." Shinji drawled, with some pained note in his voice.
"Ow, my secret is out, what will I do now?" Gin asked with a fake terrified voice, but he quickly continued "Alas before ya ask little Kitsune, I'm not a Shiba. I was born in Rukongai, so some older Shiba enjoyed themselves there. I don't care about that, it only gave me some plus, which helped me with Aizen. I noticed your state, that's why I pulled you aside. When you didn't react to me, I grabbed your not-yet-loverboy, hoping that he would help. But as I see you need to hurry. Your idiotic father will soon come here. As Aizen is already on his way towards SS. " Gin finished his speech quickly, making Ichigo finally open his eyes.
It wasn't without pain, but at least it didn't cause instant migraine. He still saw the light blush on injured Toshiro's face and he saw the worry on Shinji's face as he turned towards where Kisuke was.
"Go to him, Shinji. I will be okay, don't worry."
"Hesh, I don't know if you are a martyr or an idiot."
"Probably both" "Both" Toshiro and Gin said those at the same time with a sigh.
"That's just rude. Fuck you." Ichigo replied with a playful glare. But with some help from Gin and Shinji, he stood up slowly.
"I think that will happen in reverse, Ichi-chan," Shinji replied with a smirk making both Ichigo and Toshiro blush. But when they noticed Isshin looking around Ichigo the mirth melted from their face. Shinji continued seriously" Ichimaru, come with us, we need every help with the injured. Which will help you on the long ride, I don't think you want to spend your days in a cell. Toshiro come, your injuries need to be looked after.
Ichigo, please stay alive." Shinji finished seriously and after a nod from them, they returned to the others, where Retsu already started the healing.
Ichigo remained alone, till Isshin finally found him.
He looked relieved that Ichigo didn't ask any questions about why he was there.
"Ichigo, you need to stop Aizen." Isshin started with the obvious.
"Do you have any idea how?" Ichigo asked back, not ready to tell about his kitsune heritage, and still waiting for Isshin to come clean.
"I have one. We will follow Aizen. Hopefully, he destroyed the Kototsu, making our training easier.
I don't know what you know about the Dangai, but the time flows differently, and without the Kototsu and with some old knick knacks from my shinigami time, you can train there for years." Isshin told him proudly.
"What is the downside?" Ichigo asked suspiciously.
"I can't keep the flow up forever. You have around 2-3 years to train there but after some time out of Dangai, your body will return to this state, which will be painful as I heard." Isshin said conservatively, making Ichigo huff. But he continued before Ichigo could say anything. "When you are there, you should ask your zanpakuto to teach your final attack," Isshin said and without another word or confirmation from Ichigo he jumped down from the building, towards the Senkaimon.
Ichigo followed him after a deep sigh, knowing that it would suck.
In Dangai Ichigo asked Zangetsu and Old man to tell him about that final technique, but after hearing what it would cost them, he threw that idea aside. He didn't want to lose his power, not now and not ever.
Instead, they used the time to train. He needed to train as Kitsune, as while he had the power he couldn't use it. Thus the time was used to get used to it, how to mix the hollow and the kitsune form. They left his Quincy side mostly out, as Old Man refused to train him as a Quincy, saying that he doesn't want to give power to his older side. Who will return once, but let's think about that later.
They trained, they got to know each other better, building a deeper, and better relationship.
While this plan was better than using the Final Getsuga Tenshou, it wasn't the best. They warned him that the backlash from this training and using that masked Kitsune form will probably make him lose his power temporarily. While it will look like he lost his power when the truth is he just depleted his reiatsu completely and it only needs time to recharge.
~~
The end of the Winter War was anticlimactic. The shinigami survived with some treatable injuries and Aizen was dead. Kurosaki Ichigo lost his power and returned to his normal life.
…
At least that's what the shinigami and his friends saw. They even got the order to leave him alone.
At first, Yamamoto didn't want to issue that order, but Kurosaki nee Shiba Isshin asked him to. Normally he wouldn't accept any pledges from somebody who left his responsibilities, his Division, and his family. But it was his son who defeated Aizen for them, thus he has some right to ask that.
Although Isshin didn't seem to know that his son was a kitsune, marking him as the next Shiba Head. The brat being kitsune meant that he didn't lose his reiatsu as Isshin said, he just needed time to regain it.
Hopefully, after he regains it, he will join them. It was a long time ago when a fully matured, powerful kitsune joined the Gotei. Shiba Kaien was strong, but he wasn't as powerful as Ichigo. He had the potential for being more than a lieutenant but his death stopped his endeavors. His death stopped the blooming of the newest Kuchiki and made Juushiro blame himself. He couldn't help them, not really. It wasn't him, the Soutaicho they needed, they needed something else. Like Kurosaki Ichigo, who arrived in their life like a whirlwind and never planned to leave.
His appearance even shook up the always so cold and stoic Hitsugaya and Kuchiki taicho. In the case of Kuchiki taicho, he started to get closer to his sister and his Division, slowly losing his frigid demeanor.
Hitsugaya taicho on the other hand, slowly digested that his old taicho left them and became a better captain than Shiba Isshin ever was. His thriving friendship with the brat, which his old eyes noticed as a slowly starting kitsune mateship. They were good to each other, even just those weeks spent together, made Hitsugaya a better, more attentive taicho.
The returning Visoreds and Gin Ichimaru eased their workloads and with Retsu's help, he was able to press their return on the newly reformed Central's throat.
He sincerely apologized upon their return and left Ichimaru in Retsu's gentle mercy for a time being. Stopping the possible death threat as Retsu was too scary for that.
He closed his eyes and acted like he didn't know that Urahara sometimes spent the night at Hirako's and sometimes it was Hirako who stayed in the Living World. Why do they think that he forgot about their relationship? He caught them too many times eye fucking each other during meetings. Youngsters. Honestly.
After months of silence from the brat, one day Yamamoto noticed Hitsugaya taicho with an orange, little fox riding on his shoulder. He recognized him instantly.
"Hitsugaya taicho please, remain for a moment. I would like to speak with you."Yamamoto asked after the annual captain meeting ended.
"Yes, sir" Hutsugaya replied and stood aside to wait till everybody went back to their division. Some tried to snoop, but one glare from Hitsugaya and a disapproving look from Yamamoto made them leave.
"I hope our fox friend is alright." Yamamoto started without beating around.
"He is getting better every day, sir. " Toshiro replied, not even trying to hide his shock.
"Good."
"Soutaicho-dono, he asked me to hand you this letter," Toshiro said, handing out an envelope with an orange paw print.
As Yamamoto looked at the letter, he almost laughed. That brat...using an orange paw print. Quickly took it and started to read it. It was a very short letter, asking for a meeting but in a brat way.
"Yo, Yama-jii.
Are you free after the meeting?
Ichigo"
"Alright, he may come today. I wanted to speak with him too." Yamamoto replied calmly. He suppressed his mirth about the letter, the last time somebody sent him a letter like that was when Shunsui was still in the Academy.
"I will tell him, thank you." Toshiro thanked him and with a quick bow, he went to get his fox.
Soutaicho just sighed and briskly walked back to his office, awaiting the orange fox. Who luckily didn't make him wait for too long.
Not even a half-hour later an orange fox jumped at his desk, looking at him interested.
"Hello, brat. You can turn back." Yamamoto welcomed him briskly, but not unkindly. He poured some tea into the teacup till Ichigo changed back.
"Yo, Yama-jii. Thank you for agreeing to the meeting." Ichigo replied after he sat down. He wore a dark blue, light kimono with some fireworks on it. A typical Shiba garb. His orange hair was tied together at his nape, for a low ponytail. He looked dashing, the hair and the kimono suited him.
"Like you would have left me alone, I know you brat. But let's get to our meeting. How are you doing? This is the only time when you hear me asking that from you." Yama warned him with some laughter dancing in his eyes.
"Been better, but slowly getting better thanks. Everybody, even my family left me alone after I temporarily left my power, which hurt, I won't deny it. Isshin's order didn't make anything easier. But luckily after some weeks, I was able to turn into my fox form, thus I was able to spend time with people who didn't think it was right to follow Isshin's plan, but couldn't do otherwise. My reiatsu is still returning, but I was able to return to Soul Society, using the Shiba Senkaimon.
Kukakuu jumped at the possibility to teach me control and everything else I need to know." Ichigo told him with a shrug. Trying to look uncaring, but Yama wasn't a newborn. He saw through the brat's act but left him.
"Oh, yes. She would, the Shiba Clan needs a strong Clan Head and you are everything just not weak.
What about the Academy?" Yamamoto asked.
"You just want me in the Gotei." Ichigo accused him with a slight smirk on his scowling face.
"You can't blame me for that. I would be an idiot to let you run."
"You might be old, but you are not an idiot. Do you have any ideas, what would be the best way to go to the Academy?" Ichigo asked.
"What is Kukakuu's idea?"
"To ask you when I can."
"Valid. Your hair is too noticeable, but if you color it black, that won't help either. As the Winter War hero, it would be stupid to go to the Academy and learn from the beginning. You would be just bored and the teachers would get annoyed with the situation.
I think I can grant you a boon. I will get you the curriculum, if you have questions I'm sure you will find somebody to help you out and you will take the graduating exams in the 6th year."
"Sounds good to me, but you haven't asked me if I want to stay here or go back to the Living World."
"No, I did not ask that. That's right. But, let's be honest. Do you want to live in the Living World where they won't accept you? Both of us know that you are here because you want to be here. Your human body is dead, or your maturing wouldn't have happened at the battle." Yama quietly yet seriously told him.
"How?" Ichigo asked back.
"How do I know that? I'm Soutaicho, there are very few things I don't know. However, not many may know, but once in the past, I had somebody who I called my mate. He was the Shiba Head at that time and a kitsune."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"You are reminding me of him. He was bold, hot-headed yet smart, and powerful. You could have refused to become the next head, I'm sure Kukakuu would have let you go, and yet you are here in a Shiba garb." Yamamoto replied calmly. He didn't mind anymore when something reminded him of his mate, he missed him. Maybe in the past, his mourning clouded his eyes, allowing Aizen to do as he would like.
But there is nothing he could do, and Ryuu would just yell at him if he would follow him.
"I...I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. It happened a long time ago."
"I'm still sorry for your loss."
"Thank you.
So, Kurosaki Ichigo do you agree?"
"Shiba, but yes. I took up my Clan name, Kukakuu insisted."
"Sounds good. I will get back at you with the curriculum, but that was all?" Yamamoto asked after taking a sip from his tea. The Brat silently looked at his teacup and then finally said.
"I have two spirits. One is my hollowfied zanpakuto Zangetsu and Old Man is my Quincy power. The young Yhwach as he told me."
"WHAT?"
"I have Quincy blood, but I won't be on their side. He killed my mother because her blood wasn't Echte anymore as she was infected with the Aizen made hollow. He may want my power on his side, but I'm a hybrid, and I'm firmly against him.
But yes, Yhwach is slowly returning. It could happen next year or in five years, but he is returning. Old Man was sure of that." Ichigo replied with a deep scowl, the rage burnt behind his eyes. He wanted revenge, and Yama believed him. The hurt was still too fresh in his eyes.
It wasn't good news. Yhwach was a hard, unstoppable enemy when they were at the peak of their power. They got used to being the strongest and became weak. Or the ryoka invasion shouldn't have happened, nor Aizen.
"Thank you for telling me and for standing on our side."
"You are giving me a choice, and I want to protect it. I want us to survive." Ichigo replied quietly, yet truthfully.
Ichigo after that quickly turned fox and went where he wanted. Yamamoto let him, he had too many things to think about.
They were not ready for another war, which will be more bloody and deadly than the one against Aizen.
~~
Ichigo's POV from the End of the Winter War
Ichigo looked down at the slowly disappearing body of Aizen Sousuke.
His tails slowly disappeared along with his ears.
They won, he killed Aizen and destroyed the Hogyoku yet the only thing he could feel was emptiness. His world slowly started to darken as his body struggled with the backlash.
He won, but at what cost?
He will get his power back, he knew that but till that he will be alone. He isn't good at being alone.
Ichigo listened to the silence in his mind, and the numbness just spread. He already missed the constant chatter, the way he knew that he wasn't alone. It hurt so much.
In the distance, he heard somebody running, but they were too late. The blackness was everywhere and soon Ichigo knew nothing.
He fell unconscious.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself alone. Kisuke healed him but they left him alone and asked him to go home.
Everywhere he went, he was alone. Only the silence welcomed him, as everybody left him alone. It hurt. Broke something inside him.
He felt like they wrote him down as useless and they didn't need him anymore without any power.
At first, he tried, but he quickly stopped his attempts. They just hurt him, there was no need to continue it.
He knew that it was Isshin's fault, as the man didn't look in his eyes for the first weeks, but he knew that he wasn't the only one with blame. His friends allowed his father to dictate their steps, showing that maybe they didn't have that deep friendship that Ichigo believed. Not even with Chad.
He wasn't too upset about his shinigami friends, they had a job to do and he was sure Isshin asked Yamamoto to keep everybody away from him. He understood that. But it still hurts.
The silence from his sisters made him want to cry, but instead, he just scowled harder and stayed away. While every day trying to turn into a fox. If he was able to do it, his power would slowly follow it too.
Luckily for him, the day when he was able to transform was very close, and one day he woke up as a fox. He instantly curled up into a fox ball and went back to sleep, finally able to sleep normally.
After he woke up, he silently sneaked out of the house. He wandered around the city, getting used to the scents, the noise, and his instinct.
He always had better instincts in his fox form, and he always followed more.
Both forms of his, human and fox(shinigami and hollow are just a part of his human form) always craved for touches, affections. his friends didn't even know how close he allowed them. For a long time, only the twins were able to touch him freely which he slowly allowed to his friends. Look where they are right now.
In his fox form, he wasn't as cautious with touch as in his human form. He could always tell who wanted to harm him and he avoided those people.
Surprisingly he never found Kisuke or Shinji scary in either form. That's probably why he found himself in the Shouten after he mindlessly walked around Karakura.
It hurt that he wasn't welcomed here as a human anymore, he liked it here. Sometimes it felt like home.
But maybe as a fox, maybe they won't throw him out….maybe.
While his mind was running around in circles, his instinct led him inside and made him curl up on a pillow
It felt safe and warm, made the pain abate a little, and soon he didn't even notice, but he fell asleep.
This time his dreams weren't full of silence and hurt. This time his dreams were peaceful.
He only woke up when he was gently lifted and he only opened one eye, but when he saw the Chesire grin and blond hair he calmly closed it. He was safe.
"Ye Kiske, I didn't know our favorite Berry returned."
"He..he did?" Kisuke asked, still half asleep, but the dream quickly flew out of his eyes hearing the nickname Shinji gave Ichigo.
"Isn't he adorable? I just want to cuddle him" Shinji sang as he turned towards Kisuke to show him Ichigo.
"He is, but are you sure, that he won't run away as soon as you put him down?" Kisuke asked cautiously. He didn't even sound shocked that Ichigo is a fox, probably known for a long time.
"Nah. He could have run away the moment he woke up. He is content, he is purring slightly." Shinji replied gently.
"Yip" Ichigo couldn't help but agree with him and buried deeper in Shinji's arms. Soaking up the positive attention and touch. He missed this.
"We should go back for another nap, don't you agree?" Shinji asked with a hopeful tone.
"You just want to cuddle him."
"Like you don't. Kiske, pleasee. I'm sure you missed our Berry too. Damn you, Isshin for making us promise not to speak with Ichi-chan."
"He tries his best, Shinji. But alright, let's go back to sleep. I missed my wayward student too, I'm happy to know that his reiatsu is slowly returning." Kisuke replied with a yawn.
And soon Ichigo was curled up between the two blondes, sleeping peacefully, while Shinji and Kisuke cooed over him.
Nobody was surprised when Ichigo every day returned to the Shouten in his fox form. Sometimes he slept on a comfy pillow and sometimes between the two blondes. He rode on their shoulder inside, reassuring themselves that he is getting better.
Sadly Shinji could spend only some weekends with them as he was busy rebuilding his division and Soul Society from the Aizen caused chaos. Kisuke also spent some weekends at Soul Society, as he was unable to keep himself far away from his husband for a long time. On those weekends Ichigo wandered around in the city and slept at the Warehouse with the remaining Visoreds. Surprisingly it was Hiyori who accepted him right away. Or maybe not that surprisingly, who knows.
He soaked up the positive attention from the blondes and from the Visoreds, which helped to return his reiatsu faster.
Soon he was able to open a Senkaimon to Soul Society, but it tired him out. Thus Shinji and Kisuke banned him from using it, till he couldn't open one without getting dead tired. They didn't want to lose their favorite student. They wanted him happy, they missed his half-smiles and the happy shine in his eyes. He was doing better than months ago, the cuddles and normal sleep made wonder with him.
~~~~
One day, months after the Winter War an orange fox found its way to the 10th Division Office. Rangiku stared at him as he jumped up to Toshiro's desk and curled up on the paperwork.
Matsumoto shrugged and got ready to tease Toshiro about this cute little fox when her captain returned from the captain meeting.
Who just stared at the fox for many moments after he got back and then he started to pet him relieved. Ichigo was back, his friend, his crush.
When he sat down Ichigo quickly jumped on his shoulder and softly yipped into his ears which were followed by a soft purr.
Toshiro scratched him behind his ears and went back to work while listening as Ichigo softly purred in his ears. The soft purr and Ichigo's weight reassured him that he was really there. They needed to speak later, but for now, till they are not home it will be enough.
Toshiro just glared at Matsumoto when she stared at them, which she luckily understood and let them go later without asking any questions, at least for now.
At the end of the day, after they went home, Ichigo turned back. At first they just stared at each other, not knowing how to start the needed conversations. Too many questions were on their mind and yet the most important thing to them, right now, was the other. They were finally together again, like a missing part of them returned. They didn’t even know that something big was missing, they only noticed after they reunited.
Later, in the future, they will be able to tell what happened, that their burgeon kitsune mate bond was missing. Even with just a friendship they started it and later after they reunited they continued it.
Slowly their friendship changed. First it was just a crush and slowly became something deeper, something which could be called love.
For a long time they just cuddled and softly kissed, not doing the final step as neither of them wanted, and felt the need to step up their relationship. They enjoyed the way they were and nobody could change their mind. Not like many wanted.
Their friends accepted them and after the Quincy War, which they survived, Yamamoto started teaching Ichigo how to become his successor and manage his many duties healthily.
No one argued when he was appointed, many thought he was the perfect fit for that position. They were more surprised when he once appeared in a captain meeting after the Winter war in a traditional Shiba garb as the Shiba Clanhead and newly appointed 3rd seat of the 3rd Division.
Under the helpful hands of Rose, the watchful eyes of Gin, who was still on probation because of his mess and under Izuru’s grateful smiles for his presence and for his help. Their budding friendship was just an added bonus.
By the time Ichigo was appointed as the Head Captain, Urahara Kisuke moved back to Soul Society, accepting his old Captain seat back, terrorizing Mayuri as they co-led their division.
And spending as much time as he could with his blond husband.
The End.