Haru snickered when he saw how Ichigo got Rukia down. He had to hold back his laughter from the sight.

He interfered with the lieutenants while Ichigo dealt with Byakuya.

"Sister!" cried Kiyone.

"I have had enough of this nonsense," said Haru.

Before any of the captains could interfere with Ichigo, Haru took out his sword.

Genryusai's eyes widened as a far too familiar zanpakuto appeared in Haru's hand.

"If any of you are inclined to fight my brother or try to retrieve Rukia Kuchiki, then you will have to fight me to do it," said Haru clearly.

"Impossible! Where did you get that sword?"

"You seem to be working under a misunderstanding. I was not born with a zanpakuto like Ichigo. Muramasa chose me," said Haru.

Genryusai remembered clearly the havoc Muramasa's power wreaked on the soul society. Kouga had killed countless soul reapers using it.

So why hadn't he known that Muramasa had returned?

He looked to Byakuya, who had complained about one of the ryoka earlier.

"Who are you?" he asked finally.

"My name is Haru Kurosaki, Ichigo's brother. The only reason you haven't heard of me is because I don't like using Muramasa's power that much."

"What do you intend to do?" asked Genryusai.

"At this point, nothing really. But I will not allow you people to interfere in Ichigo's fight. Any attempts to do so will be treated as threats, and I will not hesitate to turn your own powers against you."

"And if that fails?" asked Genryusai.

"Then I will have Grimmjow eat you. Either way, you shall not pass."

Ichigo, when he heard that line, stumbled.

"Haru, you watch too many movies."

"Just because you can't appreciate fine literature..." Haru catcalled.

"Lord of the Rings put me to sleep!" Ichigo yelled back.

"And yet you read Shakespeare just fine!"

"Shakespeare doesn't go on for a thousand pages and it isn't that dull!"

"This coming from someone who reads Yaoi?" he asked.

"THOSE ARE YOURS!"

As amusing as they found the exchange (particularly Muramasa who knew full well Haru only read yaoi to freak out Ichigo and Isshin), the others were still in the way.

Kyoraku took Ukitake and Nanao away while Yoruichi appeared and removed Soi Fon.

Genryusai went after his former students. He didn't want to deal with Muramasa just yet.

Which left Unohana.

"I suppose this just leaves you and me," he said calmly.

"Indeed."

"If you want, I can help you collect the injured. No need for them to be endangered while my idiot brother fights Mr. Stick-in-his-ass."

She raised an eyebrow. And was more than mildly surprised to see him sheathe his sword.

"I only brought him out to insure Ichigo would have a fair chance against him. I really don't like using his ability, no matter how useful it can be," shrugged Haru.

"A commendable trait," said Unohana.

"Considering how poorly his previous master handled him, it's a miracle he works with me at all."

Haru collected the boys while Unohana moved the girls closer. Upon further inspection, she found her lieutenant was hit the lightest.

"I don't like injuring healers if I can help it."

Unohana brought out her sword, then looked at Haru.

"Are you staying here?"

"I would prefer not to. Ichigo can't control his power that well and I don't want to get hit in the crossfire. Would you mind discussing healing potions while we wait for these battles to be decided?"

"Healing potions?"

"I am a mage. While my brother outclasses me in spiritual energy, I outshine him in magical potential. And I brew potions better than he can. I can give you some recipes if you like."

Unohana smiled at him kindly. She wouldn't mind that at all.

"So why is your brother so desperate to rescue Rukia-san?" asked Unohana.

"Rukia...she helped to save our family. To us, family and friends mean everything. The idea of a brother willingly killing his sister over something so minor..."

"According to our laws the charge isn't that minor."

"What if it was only a crime if the receiving party misused his powers?" asked Haru.

Unohana paused.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean while I understand it's a big thing to awaken a human's potential power like that, what if instead of making it a felony worthy of death, you change the law so that the soul reaper in question has to train the one that they awakened?"

"You mean place the responsible party on probation until the character of the new shinigami is ascertained?" she asked.

"Exactly! That way you wouldn't lose a perfectly good soul reaper. You would gain a new one!"

Unohana had to admit, the idea had some merit. While the crime was indeed serious, placing the shinigami responsible under suspension until the new soul reaper was trained would give them some new experiences. And it would help add to their forces.

"Besides... I'm surprised none of you has even realized what Ichigo is."

"What do you mean?"

"According to my familiar, who happens to be an Adjuchas, Ichigo is a Shinketsu. A true blood. Even without Rukia's help, if his soul chain was ever severed by a hollow or something else, he would have become a soul reaper anyway."

"Shinketsu? I thought those were myths!"

"Does the name Isshin ring a bell?"

"Isshin? He went missing some time ago."

"Isshin...is Ichigo's father. And my adopted one."

Unohana looked at him in shock.

When they landed, Haru helped Isane get off the rather odd sword that Unohana had.

When she released her zanpakuto, she looked at him.

"I suppose my fate will be decided on Ichigo's fight."

"Let us hope your brother wins then."

"I have little doubt in my mind that he will. Byakuya was never his real target. If anything, that ridiculous law that Rukia broke was. Besides...he has a fall back option if things really get desperate."

"What is that?"

"The way Urahara used to help Ichigo regain his powers...it unlocked the other side of his potential. So far it isn't fully awake enough to cause trouble, but when he does awaken, any opponent Ichigo has will have little chance against him. Hopefully when this is all over we can work with it instead of against it."

For the next thirty minutes, Haru discussed healing potions with Unohana, even having Muramasa bring out some of his potions. She seemed particularly interested in the blood replenishers, which Haru gave her the recipe to.

Without warning,they both felt a clash of power from the Execution Hill.

"It seems the match has been decided, Ma'am."

"I wonder who won?" asked Unohana. She rather liked speaking to Haru, who was not only polite, but rather well educated.

"Ichigo, most likely. Perhaps we should pick up this discussion at a later date?"

"Indeed. I shall meet you on the hill later, then."

Haru bowed, and teleported to the top of the hill.

"Mah, Ichigo. You look like hell."

"Bite me. Where did you run off to?"

"Helped the fourth captain carry the injured to her barracks. She was very well informed about shinigami healing techniques," he said.

"Ow..."

"I take it your more insane half had to help?"

"How do you know about...?"

"Ichigo, while I was training Orihime I felt that change. Whenever your soul reaper abilities are weakened, his abilities start to get stronger. You two are a balancing act of hollow and soul reaper powers. Get used to it."

"I feel like crap," complained Ichigo.

"You look like crap," Haru said flatly.

Ichigo managed to sit up, and took the potions Haru handed him without complaint. Haru was a better brewer than he was.

In five minutes, he actually felt normal again. His spirit power was low, but he didn't feel like he was beaten half to death.

"So what now? Byakuya has admitted defeat, but what about the rest of them?"

"Ichigo, you truly are an idiot sometimes. I've suspected something else was going on for a few days now, but I have the feeling everything is coming to a boil now."

"What?"

"Someone has orchestrated this whole mess from the beginning."

"How do you know?"

"One of their captains supposedly died a few days ago, which in itself is suspicious. Even if it helped our side, it means someone is pulling strings. And the fact that the execution date was moved up means that it has to be from the Central Island that they are doing it."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that we have to protect Rukia at all costs. So far, all this nonsense has been geared around her, and your interference was expected. However, whoever has been pulling our strings didn't count on one thing."

"You. They never anticipated someone like you would show up and ruin everything," said Ichigo.

"Yup!"

"What do we do?"

"We wait, and recover for a moment. If I'm right, then the traitors will reappear here, where people least expect them to be."

He was. Ten minutes after Haru healed Ichigo, Renji and Rukia reappeared on the Execution Hill with someone who was a captain. From the looks on their faces, it was obvious they had no intention on coming back to the hill.

Haru got between Rukia and the blind captain.

"Who are you?"

"Haru Kurosaki, Ichigo's brother."

As he said that, two figures appeared in the same manner as Rukia and Renji.

Aizen and Gin had arrived.

"I wasn't expecting them to still be here," said Aizen pleasantly.

"I saw no reason to walk down all those stairs just to come back up again," said Haru flatly.

"Captain Aizen...!" said Renji in shock.

"Renji, met the one behind this whole mess," said Haru calmly.

Aizen looked at him with interest.

"And what would make you say that?"

"The fact that my sword is warning me not to trust my senses," said Haru flatly.

Aizen smirked...and suddenly the sound of sword on sword was heard.

But there wasn't anything clashing against Haru or Muramasa.

Ichigo watched in complete shock as Aizen appeared with his sword at Haru's throat, with only Muramasa blocking the blade from cutting him.

Haru grinned, and said "I suppose it's time to fight like my brother. Full power and with reckless abandon of my power."

"HEY!"

"He has a point Kurosaki. You don't really restrain your power levels during battle," said Uryu.

"Can it! I'm not the one who frequents a maid cafe on the weekends!" countered Ichigo annoyed.

Haru grinned widely.

Gin prepared to use his sword on Haru...but found a problem. His zanpakuto wasn't responding to him.

"I think it's time for my partner to make his appearance," said Haru.

"So there is another Ryoka here?" asked Aizen pleasantly.

"Not a ryoka."

"Whisper...Muramasa!"

Beside Haru, a figure appeared. He was in a full coat and two strands of hair framed his eyes.

"This...is my partner Muramasa. If I can't trust my senses to beat you, then I'll trust his."

Aizen had no idea about Muramasa's power...or the fact that Haru was currently fighting under half power.

"Rukia!" yelled Renji suddenly.

Kaname had taken advantage of Haru's distraction to claim Rukia from Renji.

"Muramasa bring the harpy out. She can do a better job protecting Rukia than they can at the moment," said Haru.

"Tsugi no mai...Hakuren!"

Sode no Shiroyuki appeared, and grabbed her master from Kaname.

"Shiroyuki!" said Rukia in shock.

"Rukia, you didn't lose her. Your spirit power is so low at the moment that you can't access her,"Haru informed her.

"Sode no Shiroyuki...keep Aizen away from your master."

"Gladly," she replied.

"What an interesting power," said Aizen pleasantly.

"Oh, I'm not done just yet."

Haru grinned in such a way that it sent shivers of apprehension down Ichigo and Renji's spines.

"Why don't we have everyone come out to play?" grinned Haru maniacally.

Without warning, people appeared beside Ichigo, Renji, and Byakuya, who wasn't as far as everyone believed.

Renji had to stare at his sword though, because he always thought it was a baboon with a snake tail.

He had no idea that it was really a pair of snake and baboon spirits, tied together by a single chain.

"I wondered when he would call us," said the Baboon.

"Yeah, what took you so long!" complained the snake.

Ichigo's friends were currently staring at his sword spirit, who was an old man.

Haru gave Muramasa a look.

"I thought I said to bring everyone out."

"I didn't think it was wise to unleash him just yet."

"Ichigo needs to work something out with him sooner or later. Why not now where we can help?"

"Fine, but you're in charge of keeping him under control," said Muramasa flatly.

"Who said I was going to do it? He can teach him better than I can."

"...Point."

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" said Ichigo crossly.

"We're referring to your hollow form, dumbass," said Haru annoyed.

And with that, they felt the pressure of something malevolent and insane.

Haru grinned as Ichigo's hollow self made his appearance. Where Ichigo's soul reaper uniform was black and white, he was white and black. Even his hair was white.

"And now, the real battle will begin!"