I am so excited for this one guys! My plans! They are falling into place! After all these years!

"Ichigo-sama."

Ichigo paused his writing to look up at where Daisuke was silently opening the shoji door to his office before looking back at his paperwork and continuing the rest of the form. "Yes?"

His ever-loyal retainer bowed low where he sat in seiza at the edge of the tatami of his office. Ichigo would have reprimanded him for the unnecessary respect, if it weren't for the fact he knew it would be in absolute vein.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your scheduled duties, but we have the most auspicious of guests waiting in the formal audience room."

The orange head continued his last strokes with an eerie calm that would have unnerved someone unused to his work ethic, but as Ichigo finished adding the last characters to the sheet, he set his brush down with an air of finality and once more turned to give the man his full attention.

It had been odd to begin with, that Daisuke would interrupt him when Ichigo had clearly stated he did not want to be waylaid with anything until he was done. It's also why he had closed all the doors despite the fact that he usually had an open-door policy. Today he had been heavily involved in some inter-clan politics he had needed to mediate before it evolved into a Kido brawl, and so his schedule had been completely thrown off.

"Who is it, Daisuke?" Ichigo enquired seriously, more than a little apprehensive at who would spontaneously knock on his door uninvited, but still be important enough to be attended to personally.

Daisuke bowed further, and if he wasn't mistaken, Ichigo could swear he could feel the concern radiating from his ever-unflappable aid.

"It's the Clan heads." Ichigo felt his eyes widen at the information and could only sit frozen at the news, which gave the other man more than enough time to compose himself and clarify. "The Great Clans have all come seeking an audience with you, Ichigo-sama."

He felt his breath hitch in his chest, and for a second, he couldn't help but feel like something momentous was happening. This had never, never happened before. Sure, there were times when Ichigo had a clan head or other visiting or he would visit them, but it has never occurred in his living memory that all great noble clans gather outside the central assembly hall for what clearly seems political reasons.

"Tell them I'll join shortly please." Ichigo heard himself say, and as Daisuke murmured a quiet confirmation, he swore the resounding click of the shoji door sliding shut sounded as loud as a gunshot.

'Apostle.'

Ichigo felt himself twitch slightly at the obtrusive interruption and could have sighed in exasperation if he weren't so high strung already.

'I hope this is important.' he thought back harshly.

The being was silent for a moment, but before Ichigo could file it away as a lost cause for getting a response, the God interjected once more. 'I think… I think it's in your best interest to listen very carefully to what is to be said.'

Ichigo's hand spasmed, almost like he wanted to rake it through his hair but refraining at the last minute when he realized it would mess up the braid he currently had it in, and considering he was about to meet up with the clan heads, it's best to be presentable.

'Anything you can share?' Ichigo asked, completely serious and not disregarding the words out of turn.

'You know I can't.' the other sounded sulky. 'I can't see anymore, remember?'

Ichigo stood from his seated position and turned to one of the perches to grab his official red Shiba haori that he slid on with an air of regal grace about him. He gently pulled his hair from under the collar so it lay on his right and then turned to grab his Zangetsu to settle them on his hip as usual. If this was official business, he would make sure to look the part as best he could on such short notice.

'So you say.' Ichigo remarked tersely. 'Any insights?'

He continued on his way as he left the being to ponder and walked the hallways towards the audience room. He saw many of the retainers milling about stopping to bow low his way and would have sighed at the ridiculousness of it all if he didn't know it made no sense to scold them as they were fully in their right to do so when Ichigo donned his full formal regalia.

'Don't hold back.'

Ichigo paused right outside the double doors to the room as the words seemed to resound in his head. It made for an interesting combination considering that his abrupt halt had caused the bells hanging off the ribbon holding his hair together to jingle with the movement.

'Vague.' Ichigo accused.

The god made an almost pained sound that caught the orange head off guard, and had the doors not been sliding open with a ceremonial flair, he would have further inquired.

'I can't do more.' they whispered in finality, the words from the spirit king fizzling out like Ichigo had spontaneously lost reception.

Before he could ponder on what the words even meant, the doors had completely opened by the two retainers on either side of the elaborately painted screen doors.

"Shiba Ichigo-sama, 3rd head of the Great and Noble Clan Shiba has arrived."

Ichigo walked casually into the room, and had it been anyone else here to speak with him, there would have been less and more fanfare involved. As it were, he made his way to the zabuton set on the floor right below the dais, but still in front of the four other clan heads and sat down while simultaneously setting Zangetsu flat on the tatami to his right. They all exchanged brief head nods in acknowledgement, and as the last of the staff set down tea for everyone and made their departure, Ichigo felt the slightest tension at the overall situation.

"Sorry to leave you waiting." Ichigo began softly, hoping to set the pace for their meeting but not expecting much.

The four clan heads shared a silent but brief conversation seemingly over who would take point, before Shihōin Tsukiya was somehow decided upon.

"It is we who should apologize for arriving unscheduled." The other man bowed slightly. "We hope we haven't inconvenienced you overly so."

Ichigo took a sip of his tea and hummed in acknowledgement at the apology before responding. "The agenda can we rewritten." He reassured, but as he said this, he noticed that the Fujiwara clan head looked mortified and Tsukiya himself winced at the words.

"I assure you that we wouldn't be here if it wasn't important," Ginrei confirmed succinctly, and while he still had his poker face on, Ichigo could tell the man also seemed wrong footed.

Maybe they had taken his reassurance as a reprimand? Whoops.

Ichigo took a sip of his tea before setting it down with a resounding click and looked back to give the clan heads a slightly impatient expression. "Let's not dance around the topic. What could be so pressing that has you not only coming to my home unannounced, but also has gathered all the heads of the Great and Noble Clans?"

"We have come for your wisdom on a potentially delicate subject." Began the older woman of the group. "After our last meeting with the central, Ginrei-san came to me for information on a matter that piqued his interest."

Ichigo switched his attention to the eldest looking member of the group as he lifted his cup for another mouthful of tea. The white haired man sighed in a frankly uncharacteristically dejected manner but squared his shoulders and seemed to pull himself together.

"The Ozutsuki clan is renown for their records." Ginrei rationalized. "We also have an amicable relationship and I hoped Emiko-san may enlighten me on the matter of why you threatened the disgraced man with something you could not follow through on."

The orange head almost choked on his tea but was able to hide it with a while timed cough. As it were, he quickly set the drink down and focused on the Kuchiki clan head with an incredulous expression.

"You jest." Ichigo accused. "While I will admit it was a bit haste of me to go with my harshest possible retribution, why would you think I wouldn't?

Ozutsuki Emiko snapped her fan shut and turned to give Ginrei an arched eyebrow before turning back to nod somewhat deferentially to Ichigo. "Correction, couldn't, not wouldn't."

Ichigo felt his breath catch slightly in his chest as his eyes widened in dawning realization.

"I didn't think much of it at the time." Emiko continued lightly. "But Ginrei-san insisted you don't waste your breath and so we looked into it. Can't say I found much, some vague scrolls that read more like poetry that likened the Shiba's to pathways that guide to the heavens but that's it."

This couldn't be possible. Ichigo didn't understand what was happening. How could two Great and Noble clan heads not know about the heavenly roles? Sure, there wasn't much shared information about the specifics on what each clan did, but there was at least meant to be an understanding of each of the five roles they carried so how can Kuchiki and Ozutsuki not know what three clans obviously-

Ichigo felt horror dawning on him, and he turned so quickly he thought he almost got whiplash to the other two Clan heads in the room and felt a knot form in his stomach when he aptly read their expressions and noted they were all the same.

"Emiko-san came to me next." Fujiwara Akiko revealed shyly. "My clan is very spiritually inclined as you may know, and the passage they found certainly falls in line with some of the texts I've studied in preparation for my priestess training."

How could they not-?

"You know we don't really interact with the Kuchikis much." Tsukiya drawled almost accusingly. "We think they are arrogant snobs with no honor that are stuck in upholding the past."

"And we think the Shihōins are elitest brutes that preach progress but make no move to make change." Ginrei threw back without missing a single beat.

"Ozutsuki are hoarders and selfish pricks." Mayumi added succinctly, almost as if she weren't insulting a person sitting right next to her.

Emiko rolled her eyes but added her own words in anyways. "The Fujiwara are so sheltered in their little shrines they blind themselves from the real world going on outside."

Ichigo pinched the bridge of his nose to try and ward off a headache he knew he would not succeed in. "What about Shiba?"

The four heads shared a look with each other before in an almost synchronized fashion they turned back to look at him and gave an answer in unison. "Someone you don't cross."

Ichigo felt a flicker of something odd in his chest that he couldn't really analyze before his attention was once again centered on the four. "We're getting off track. Why in the world are you all condemning each other from fulfilling your sacred duty?"

The orange head waited in silence as no one seemed sure what to say in response to his question. It really seemed that he was right in his earlier assessment. Ichigo honestly couldn't understand how or why the five great noble clans seemed to have lost their main purpose and drive when it was a duty passed down from Clan head to Clan head. To be fair, Ichigo did bemoan that the leaders of each Clan were always so focused on the wrong things and didn't do a great job at pulling their weight when it came to the balance of the world. But he had kind of thought they were just… incompetent.

Great, now he sounded conceited.

"You don't know." He asked- stated. He gave each of them an incredulous stare before saying outloud the thing he had been holding back on ever since he realized what this was about."How can you not-"

"So all the laws and decrees outside of the Shiba Clan are also a way of life, of a citizen of soul society." He explained calmly as the brunet scowled.

"But those are boring." He waved off.

Ichigo nodded in agreement making Yasahiro raise an eyebrow incredulously. "Politics are boring most of the time, but it's always good to know them so we can use them to our advantage."

Yasahiro sighed as he quirked a reluctant smile "Knowledge is power?"

Ichigo smirked "Exactly. Now, from the top."

The brunet grumbled under his breath but acquiesced with a calm intake of air before he intoned from the text books. "Three hundred and eleven years ago, what is dubbed the Elder Plague or Noble Crisis, was put to a stop when 3rd Head of the Ancient and Noble Clan of Shiba, Shiba Ichigo, put into action an emergency Head meeting with Central 46. Article number 254, section C was put into question, and after the backing of all five Great Clans was shown, all the lesser Clans agreed as well. Because of this, Section Y was put into place, and the control of the Clans was returned to the hands of the Heads." He paused for air before continuing softly "The Elder Plague ended at the right moment, otherwise the casualties might have been worse. Among the incidents were: Rapid Head rotation, Economy depletion, Oppressive tyranny, Monopoly attempt & acquisition as well as mysterious Clan member deaths."

Ichigo nodded "Correct. The gotei 13 started to degenerate around that time too. The moral of the entire Sereitei was affected by this Crisis, and so rotation was very common."

"By the Spirit king." Ichigo breathed vehemently as dawning realization hit him. "That is why I was sent so far back."

"What?" Tsukiya questioned in confusion. "What's going on?"

Ichigo laced his hands together as he perched his elbows on his knees as he tried to assess the entire situation that he had somehow stumbled upon. "Shihōin Tsukiya, 21st Head. Kuchiki Ginrei, 27th Head. Fujiwara Mayumi, 42nd Head. Ozutsuki Emiko, 33rd Head." Ichigo paused for a second to compose himself as he tried to tell himself they weren't too late. "How many of you are actually from the main branch family?"

Ginrei gaped in affront, and if it were any other matter than what they were dealing with, Ichigo would understand his offense. "Senior to all of us you may be, but I believe that is out of line!"

"None." Emiko interjected before things could get too heated. "All Ozutsuki documentation claim only Shiba remains as the original line from the conception of the Clans."

"I feared as much." Ichigo murmured to himself. "The Elder Plague had more far-reaching consequences then what I foresaw."

"The what?" Tsukiya looked baffled, to be frank, they all did, but the Shihōin Clan head certainly seemed to be the most expressive of the lot.

"The Elder Plague is an Event that occurred almost half a millennia ago." Emiko explained in a detached tone before turning to look at Ginrei with a raised eyebrow. "I believe you were also around when it all went down?"

Ginrei hummed in affirmation and crossed his arms as he pondered over the matter as if recalling a very distant memory. "I was a young stripling. Fresh out of the academy if I'm remembering right." He paused before giving Ichigo a considering look and then smiled nostalgically. "You were a lieutenant back then. I was in awe of your talent and inspiring figure. I wouldn't be sitting here as Clan Head if you hadn't interjected on my behalf with Grandfather. I'd swear upon anything you wish; you haven't aged a day."

Ichigo smiled sadly at this. "A curse, I assure you."

"What does this plague thingy have to do with our topic?" Tsukiya interjected unapologetically.

"Are you thinking Clan secrets were lost because of this event?" Mayumi asked timidly.

Ichigo sighed -he seemed to be doing a lot of that today- before elaborating. "The fact that you all do not know of your Sacred task clearly says so."

This brought all four of them to attention, almost as if Ichigo had jolted them all into action which had the group sitting up in rapt awareness of what he was saying.

"Sacred… task?" Ginrei worded it out, not quite hesitant, not quite wistful.

"The five great noble clans were chosen upon importance and not political power, only taking into consideration what they have contributed to the afterlife and not their influence." Ichigo recited, his tone implying that he was saying it verbatim from somewhere.

"That's a textbook answer." Emiko pointed out sullenly.

Ichigo raised a brow. "Yes, you would know. But do you know what goes next?"

She opened her mouth to reply before pausing as if not quite sure if he was asking her a trick question as if to trip her up or something. "Nothing." She replied confidently.

Ichigo nodded at the response which had her brightening at the fact she got it right before he crushed her pride to smithereens. "Yes, I suppose it'd make sense the information was altered to be faulty."

"Savage." Tsukiya whispered as he side-eyed the sulking clan head.

The orange head felt another jolt that he could finally identify as his connection with the Spirit King and felt his hackles raising involuntarily. He wasn't upset per say, but there was a bleed through of emotions he was getting from his attachment to the divine which caused a slight turmoil that translated into indignant outrage.

"This is no jovial manner!" Ichigo roared at the four, which automatically triggered a knee jerk reaction that had them all sitting up straight and with their full attention on him like misbehaved children. "Your heavenly duty has been neglected, and while I can't narrow it down to when, I'd wager it's been this way for at the very least six hundred years."

Ichigo took a deep breath to calm down, and as he felt his shoulders relax the slightest, he thought he caught a flicker of something that he identified as a pulling sensation that he had to disregard to focus on the others in the room.

"Listen and listen well." The orange head began, and as he took another breath to center himself, he noticed that the tingle from earlier was actually him unconsciously drawing out divinity into himself that he could oddly feel circulating through his lungs. "The Great and Noble Clans of Soul Society were created as follows."

In ancient times, when the worlds were new and fledgling, there lived a divine being now known only as the Spirit King. They watched over the realm with benevolent eyes but with detachment, as they knew that they were alone in an age where only mortals milled the realms. They knew they could not continue to carry on as they were alone, so to maintain harmony among mortals, they needed earthly agents to carry out their will.

Thus, the Spirit King created five clans from the denizens of Soul Society, each bestowed with a sacred duty to uphold the balance of the worlds.

First, they called upon the Kuchiki Clan, wise and just, to create the laws that would govern the land. With quill and parchment, the Kuchiki Clan crafted the laws that would guide the footsteps of mortals and ensure justice prevailed.

Next, the Spirit King turned to the Shihōin Clan, valiant and steadfast, to enforce the laws laid down by the Kuchiki Clan. With swords of righteousness and hearts ablaze with duty, the Shihōin Clan patrolled the realm, ensuring that the laws were upheld and justice served.

Then, the Fujiwara Clan was called forth, blessed with the gift of divine communication. They became the messengers of the gods, their priests and priestesses carrying prayers and blessings between the mortal realm and the divine. Through their rituals and ceremonies, they bridged the gap between mortals and the heavens.

The Spirit King then beckoned the Ozutsuki Clan, scholars and scribes of unparalleled skill, to record the history of the realms. With ink-stained hands and minds sharp as the finest blades, the Ozutsuki Clan chronicled the tales of heroes and villains, of triumphs and tragedies, ensuring that the memories of the past would endure for generations to come so they may learn from mistakes of old.

Finally, the lone God called upon the Shiba Clan, guardians of the gates of heaven and stewards of the commoners' well-being. Standing at the threshold between the mortal realm and the divine, the Shiba Clan safeguarded the passage to the Spirit Palace and tended to the needs of the people, offering solace and protection in times of need.

For centuries, the five clans served faithfully, their duties intertwined like the threads of a tapestry, weaving together the fabric of the realm's society. And though the ages passed, and the world changed, the sacred bond between the clans remained unbroken, a testament to the enduring legacy of divine duty and mortal devotion in the land of Soul Society.

"Or so it should have been." Ichigo murmured with sorrow; his eyes half lidded as he stared into nothingness. "The sacred bond between clans did break, though not as straight forward as one might think. I wonder if-."

He paused in thought and reached up to grasp lightly at his throat as he felt the divinity seep into his every breath without conscious thought. Is this why things were so unbalanced? He was essentially the only thing holding the realms together from a mortal standpoint. While the Spirit King literally held the worlds together and running in the endless cycle of death and rebirth, Ichigo was the one holding the society as it were, in a semblance of order that probably would have fallen apart much earlier in the timeline if he weren't here. Was this why the Spirit King had the energy to remain semi-conscious?

"We've been so busy trying to upstage each other." Ginrei's voice interrupted Ichigo's spiraling thoughts, and as he tried to focus on the four Clan heads, he absently noticed that confusion had been replaced by awed understanding. "The Shiba Clan always reigned supreme at the top, and the rest of us were so blinded with trying to at least be second best we never stopped to think why the Shiba Clan was regaled in so much esteem."

"It is not Shiba that is prevailing." Ichigo explained softly. "It is the other Great Clans that unknowingly stepped down from their own divine given pedestal. When the elders started gaining power and tried to 'increase their standing' by surpassing the other clans, they set sacred duty aside as fanciful legends. It is quite ironic really."

"What is?" Mayumi asked tentatively, she looked a bit intimidated for some reason, but Ichigo disregarded that fact and focused instead on the question.

"Their arrogance to make their Clans superior to the others, doomed the Clan to inferiority instead." Ichigo remarked offhandedly, almost as if he weren't speaking about a matter that was affecting them presently. "Record it, Archivist." Ichigo turned to look at the older women and noted she also looked frightened. "Seeking to reach the heavens, the foolish men crafted wings of feathers and wax, determined to soar where mortal feet could not tread. With reckless abandon, the bold souls ascended into the skies, intoxicated by the thrill of their own audacity. But as they drew closer to the realm of the gods, the wax of their wings began to melt under the scorching gaze of the sun; a punishment for their presumption."

It was likely a jarring situation all around. Even Ichigo himself felt wrong footed at the information that had been revealed. All this time he had never considered that the other clans didn't know about their own roles in keeping society in balance. He had let his own preconceptions cloud his vision and blamed traditions for their lack of action. If only they had been working together as they were meant to all along, how much better would the worlds be?

"All this knowledge lost." Ginrei lamented, his tone defeated and a bit lost as he looked at each of them. "How can we ever recover? How can the realms?"

Emiko heaved a frustrated breath at their situation as she focused back on their eldest member. "Does Shiba have information to bridge the gaps?" she questioned hopefully. "You called me- what was that? Archivist? You must have some insight to at least give us a starting point."

Ichigo leaned back on his hands as he looked up to stare at the elaborate ceiling. "While I am sure to have a lot to share with you all, it is not Shiba's place to record, so there is only so much we can get by with only that." He paused in thought before turning back down to look them in the eye. "Ozutsuki the Archivist, Kuchiki the Legislator, Fujiwara the Preacher, Shihōin the Enforcer and Shiba the Steward. Of course, there are other titles tied to each clan. For example, Shihōins were also known as the Justiciar, and Shibas have been called Gatekeepers too."

Tsukiya shook his head in baffled awe. "It's crazy to think all this information has been lost in a handful of centuries."

"Well," Ichigo drawled thoughtfully. "If you stop to consider, I suppose it's not so outrageous. I am the 3rd head of the clan, so there's only been two people behind me, one of which would have been the source. There is little chance for information to be forgotten or scrambled. Not to mention, my grandfather was Head for almost a millennia before he passed on the task to my father Ryōtaro, and he was in charge for almost seven centuries too."

Ichigo paused when he noticed the other four were starting to look a bit overwhelmed with all the particularities. It was unfortunate he didn't have any non-Shiba specific records he could show them to maybe appease their concerns.

"Is there anyway the Spirit King could grant the original knowledge to the Clans once more?" Ginrei wondered, his gaze shifting from Ichigo to a panicked looking Mayumi.

The young Fujiwara clan head shook her head vehemently at this query. "Don't look at me! I didn't even know we could commune that way with the divine!"

They all shifted their attention to the pensive looking orange head instead. He wasn't denying the notion, but he certainly seemed uncertain about something.

Ichigo for his part was conflicted. As Clan Head Shiba, he had no way to help the other Clan heads get back to speed on each of their sacred duties. But as a- as a…

'Young godling of war.' Whispered the weary God in his head.

Sharing such information though. He can't really explain the hows or whys if he chose to reveal his abilities. Not to mention he would likely be pushing the limit of what he could do when he was actively awake in the mortal realms. Could he risk it though? Could he risk not doing it?

Wait a second, he had been told to not hold back, hadn't he? Was this what the crafty Spirit King had meant?

Balance must be kept.

Ichigo breathed in and felt his lungs expand with the divine he had been unintentionally channeling. He closed his eyes, tried to center the core of his energies and slowly fluttered his eyes back open when he felt he wouldn't be split at the seams.

The quartet gasped in unison and while Ichigo didn't know what exactly they were seeing that was causing them such astonishment, he knew that they knew something was different.

"You can't ask how." Ichigo said -commanded. "You can't ask me why."

"I-is this-" Emiko stuttered in reverence before seeming to catch herself and clicking her jaw shut.

"It's not tied to our sacred duty." Ichigo clarified vaguely. "I will deposit the memories of each Clan's sacred duty into your mind. Afterwards, you will not mention this again even amongst us, is that understood?"

The other clan heads nodded venerably, and as Ichigo reached out towards them to fulfill his task, they all bowed their heads in gratitude and something else.

After all, when a god asks you to bow, how can you not?

Ichigo felt absently as Daisuke entered the empty formal audience room. He still sat where he was left, legs crossed under him, his gaze centered somewhere on the left side of the wall opposite him, and a hand distractedly caressing the scabbard of his Zangetsu.

"Ichigo-sama." Daisuke asked softly. "The other Clan Heads have left the compound. What are your next orders?"

How much of an impact will this have on the future? The paths look murky right now, but it's all clouded in so much potential he's not overly concerned. The Spirit King had helped him channel the needed information, and while he knows it's a bit like two blind idiots trying to solve a puzzle, he has confidence that things could only stay stagnant or improve. Who was he to not take the gamble when odds were in their favor?

As it were, things will likely become easier on himself too. Previously he was caught juggling so many tasks that could have been completed quicker and easier if the Great Clans had been working together from the beginning. It's a bit ironic that all the misconceptions they had about each other were actually tied to their heavenly duty in a way.

Kuchiki are arrogant snobs with no honor that are stuck in upholding the past.

Kuchiki are meant to analyze the past to honor the present and pave the way for future laws.

Shihōin are elitest brutes that preach progress but make no move to make change.

Shihōin are meant to be strong so they can enforce the laws given to them for the future.

Ozutsuki are hoarders and selfish pricks.

Ozutsuki are meant to cherish history and tenderly guard it so they may learn and teach about the past for the sake of the future.

Fujiwara are so sheltered in their little shrines they blind themselves from the real world going on outside.

Fujiwara are meant to dedicate themselves to their spiritual studies so that through their rituals and ceremonies the gap between mortals and the heaves may be bridged for the future.

Shiba should not be someone you cross.

Shiba mustn't be someone you cross. For they stand at the threshold between the mortal and the divine. Stewards of the commoners and Gods alike.

Ichigo felt a warm hand grasp his empty one, and as he tried to puzzle why and where the sensation was coming from, he found himself suddenly face to face with Sosuke.

"Otō-sama." The brunet whispered tenderly. "It's time to rest now. Daisuke-san tells me you missed lunch and dinner, are you hungry?"

The orange head pondered this, and wondered at what point the hours had gone by and how he hadn't noticed at all.

"You are troubled." Ichigo paused to consider this, and as he focused on the stressed crease to Sosuke's eyes, he realized his words were true. "What ails you my child?"

The brunet pursed his lips in consternation and heaved a world-weary sigh that had Ichigo furrowing his brows further in concern.

"Currently you are my worry." Sosuke revealed as he pulled lightly on Ichigo's wrist to try and have the orange head stand. "I was told you were in audience with the Great Noble Clan Heads for over two hours, and once the room was released from the privacy barrier, you were already-" he trailed off.

Ichigo felt some semblance of normality as the distress of his son triggered his mind back to reality. "I'm sorry for disturbing you." Ichigo apologized, trying and somewhat failing at standing on his own two legs. "But it had to be done."

Sosuke sighed again, and were Ichigo not used to the constant exasperation that was, admittedly usually directed at Isshin, he would have been worried that the brunet was sighing too much.

"What had to be done?" Sosuke asked instead of acknowledging Ichigo's apology. He signaled Daisuke to take Ichigo's other side and they both supported most of the orange head's weight so they could maneuver him out.

"The awakening." Ichigo answered vaguely. "Balance must be kept."

The trio paused as Ichigo took a fortifying breath that evened out his divinity with his mortality by the slightest of bits. The other two men paused as almost in tandem they turned to look at Ichigo with something akin to wonder.

"Our sacred duties can finally be fulfilled as they should have been." The orange head elaborated. "I knew it would be hard on me, but it had to be done." Ichigo turned down to look at the wide-eyed brunet he called son and smiled kindly but sadly. "I'm sorry you have to constantly see me this way Sosuke."

"You are strong." Sosuke whispered back in understanding as things seemed to click instantly. His genius mind working a mile a minute as he pieced together everything he knew and knows of the man he calls father. "Too strong."

To be continued…

Decree# 38 What doesn't kill a Shiba, better run.

Decree# 60 Dangerous freedom is always preferred over peaceful slavery

A/N: Okay, I'll be nice now that the cat is out of the bag… mostly.

Did anyone notice that Chapter 1 is called Awakening? And that Chapter 23 was Catalyst of an Awakening? Also, what's the name of this chapter?

Did anyone ever wonder why Ichigo had been thrown so far into the past? Why the other great clans seemed useless -though to be fair our Ichigo is obviously superior to everyone else so maybe that wasn't as obvious. Why Ichigo was the only head of clan with a singular number? [Briefly mentioned in ch.17]