Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: So, I have been on a very long break from writing, my last contribution was three years ago. Hopefully I haven't lost my skills or my style of writing. A shout out to my beta Lilinoe for proofing this, other wise you guys would have been reading bovine waste.

Summery: "Chichi-Ue, could you tell me how you met Otou-San?" Byakuya asked as he snuggled into his father's embrace. Wrapping his arms around the boy, Sojun smiled fondly at the orange haired man sleeping beside them, "It all began…"

Warnings

Time Travel

AU

Mpreg

Mild Violence

Implied Non-Con

Black Peninsula

I. One Protection

1.

Seireitei was in chaos; hollows were flooding Soul Society in vast numbers and overwhelming the troops. No matter how many they cut down, ten more stood in their place. Even with the involvement of the captains, lieutenants and seated officers, it would only cause a moment of peace before the garganta would open and bring in the next wave of hollows.

In the first few months they encountered only ordinary everyday hollows that even unseated officers could dispatch. However after the third month Gillians started storming the Rukongai districts, unleashing their ceros on its helpless inhabitants. Even then, the lieutenants were able to handle the waves with the help of some seated officers. It was only when the Adjuchas entered into the mix with the Gillians, that the captains were called to field.

Usually it would be the 11th division Captain Kenpachi who would come to their aid. However today was different because the amount of Adjuchas that had entered with their Gillian hoard was too much, even for one captain. Thus the Captain Commander sent his two best pupils, Ukitake and Kyoraku to clean up fast; since the troops were beginning to feel weariness cutting through them when their shift rotation was overdue.

Even with the two captains taking the lead, the sixth division lieutenant Kuchiki Sojun couldn't help but feel that they were on the brink of being overwhelmed. The waves have been coming more frequently and the squad members were exhausted. Even with the rotations and gaps between the waves, there still wasn't enough time to recover. The Fourth Division members were on the brink of exhaustion and now only took in the serious cases to heal, due to the lack of beds and staff. People were beginning to doubt if they could overcome this war and it wasn't helping the fighting spirit of the shinigami either.

Just as they were beginning to gain the upper hand in the matter, another garganta opened sending yet another wave of Gillians. Luckily for them, this wave didn't have a few more Adjuchas mixed into their ranks. However, the captains were still busy with the earlier set of Adjuchas and the lieutenants were exhausted and overwhelmed with the remaining Gillians.

The entire scenario seemed grim to Sojun, as he saw hell butterflies being sent to request backup. Holding the ranks against the army of Gillians until more troops arrived was starting to seem an impossible task as his strength waned; his sickness not helping his stamina and his fellow lieutenants were faring only slightly better.

It was then, when everything seemed impossible, the presence of a powerful reiatsu appeared. Everyone save for the captains fell to their knees, but taking a closer look one could see that even the captains had a slight strain on their faces. The First Division Lieutenant, Sasakibe Chojiro, muttered under his breath that it was a level on par with Yamamoto Soutaicho but was someone else. Many gasped at that, fearing a Vasto Lorde had arrived. However as Sojun analyzed the reiatsu, he found himself becoming more confused.

The signature did have the markings of a hollow, which is what everyone felt. However picking the signature apart one could sense the markings of a shinigami as well, although not overt like the Hollow markers but still there. Digging further into the signature, the Kuchiki heir could sense the markings of yet another signature in the mix. What made the matter more complicated was that the markings belong to one signature not three separate signatures happening to be near each other. As if the owner of the mysterious reiatsu signature was a hollow, a shinigami and something that he could not quite place.

Shaking his head and trying to regulate his breathing he caught sight of his comrades looking up, following their gaze he noticed that the Gillians and Adjuchas had stopped fighting and had begun to flee the area. Everyone watched the amazing yet improbable sight as a garganta closed after the final Gillian retreated. Soon as the last crack of the garganta sealed itself, the pressure reduced significantly until it was a slight hum in the background.

Following the captains' gazes to the source of the signature, Sojun found himself looking at a black cloaked figure standing in the distance.

He could not make out anything about the figure save for that it was probably male, given that it was rare for a female to stand that tall and be that muscular. The cloak he wore fluttered around him, the hood covering his head, successfully obscuring any form of identification. However what stood out was an equally dark blade strapped to his back.

Before Sojun could study the mysterious figure any longer, he disappeared from view, using a shunpo that was faster than what Shihouin Taicho normally used.

All in all, everyone was glad they were alive, albeit baffled by their mysterious saviour.

If they could call him that.

2.

Mysterious Saviour he was.

After his strange unexpected introduction to the shinigami, he continued to appear at the last moment to provide aid to the troops, always when they were beginning to become overwhelmed. The mystery fighter would scare the lower level hollows off with his strange reiatsu, and then blur himself out of their vision, only to appear in the same place a second later after slashing the remaining Gillians into dust with his oversized zanpakuto. There were speculations that his reiatsu levels were so high, it resulted in a constant release type.

Yet the most pressing cause for concern for the fighters of Seireitei was the fact that if what he carried on his back was a zanpakuto, it would mean that their saviour was indeed a shinigami.

A shinigami, of whom no one had the faintest idea of.

A shinigami who possessed the markings of a hollow in his reiatsu signature, along with something else.

Regardless, in the following captains and lieutenants meeting, it was agreed to treat the new comer with caution and if there was any interaction a detailed account was to be provided to the Captain Commander immediately. Although Sojun personally wasn't the type to look a gift horse in the mouth, he couldn't blame the captains for coming to that decision given the circumstances. The ryoka, as Yamamoto Soutaicho referred to him, had a reiatsu level that was off the charts which was next to nothing when considering his zanpakuto abilities.

However there was one thing the young Kuchiki Clan Heir knew for certain. If the rogue shinigami continued to aid them in their battle, it would only be a matter of time before they find out who he is. What he didn't know was that it would be all too soon.

3.

There were many things that Sojun hated in his life, and his illness was one of them. It sapped his stamina and ate into his reiatsu reserves. It was nothing short of a miracle in itself that he managed to become lieutenant of the sixth squad. Although many thought it was due to his father and not his own sweat and blood. It was a constant reminder that he could not fight for long periods, which is why he would always fight with precision, for he could not afford to waste any reiatsu and strength. Nevertheless, no matter how careful he was there was always a time limit for him, and a long drawn out battle with endless Gillians would just overwhelm him in the end.

'How annoying,' he thought as he felt himself being flung through the air. A sudden coughing fit had made him loose focus and strength, allowing the Gillian to swat him away.

Closing his eyes, he braced for an inevitable impact.

Instead of the expected pain of crashing into whatever hard building or ground that was behind him, he was greeted by the warm hard body of a fellow shinigami. Sojun felt two strong arms quickly wrap around him to prevent him from falling down as their owner shifted his posture instinctively to accommodate the surprise cargo.

Once Sojun felt the disorientation leave from what took place just moments ago, he took in his surroundings. He was being held bridal style, a few feet away from the main battle. His zanpakuto was back in it's sealed form and held tightly in his right hand. Coughing slightly to clear his lungs, he looked up to thank the shinigami for saving him from some potentially painful bruises and wounds.

Warm grey met wine red.

For a moment the sixth squad lieutenant couldn't breathe.

Black hair fluttered slightly under the black hood as slate grey bandages covered the shinigami's face from chin to an inch below those piercing eyes. Sojun allowed the entire situation sink in.

He was looking at the face of the mysterious saviour.

In the next second of realization, the awkwardness of their physical proximity hit him.

Fighting the urge to flush at that thought, he gripped his zanpakuto and swiped at the man's face. However the toll of prolonged fighting, made the attack slow and brought on another coughing fit.

"You shouldn't have done that." A deep voiced cut through the young Kuchiki's cough.

Sojun met his gaze once again, the man's voice was soft but firm and a little muffled due to the grey material covering his mouth. His tone was neutral as if he was stating a fact, but there was a touch of amusement colouring it.

Feeling his ire rise, Sojun asked sharply, "Well, I'm not too fond of being in the arms of a stranger."

"Very well then." The other male replied before swinging him over one shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

Horrified at the predicament, Sojun channelled all the infamous Kuchiki frost into his tone, "Put me down, you barbarian, before I skewer you with my sword."

The shinigami hummed in amusement, before flash stepping to a nearby roof top. The young Kuchiki was taken aback by the amount of care the man took into placing him on the building; he had expected to be dumped ungracefully. Once on the roof, Sojun realized that he couldn't feel an ounce of reiatsu from the other male, even at this close proximity. With Yamamoto Soutaicho, even though the commander could control his reiatsu, when in close proximity one could still sense the hidden power swirling inside of him. Casting a wary eye on the black cloaked male, he concentrated on his reiatsu sensing abilities and could still feel none.

He couldn't feel any reiatsu; shinigami, hollow or anything else from the male.

From this one of two conclusions could be made, either the male in front of him was not the mysterious shinigami that has been aiding them in battle or the male had impeccable control. Seeing the large blade strapped to the man's back, Sojun dismissed the first idea, making the man standing in front of him even more dangerous. Having an unimaginable amount of power was something to fear, but having such control over said power made the individual much, much more dangerous.

Sensing his growing unease, the shinigami spoke softly, "Relax, you and the other shinigami are not my enemies. I thought that was obvious."

Not lowering his guard, Sojun asked, "Why are you helping us?"

The male broke eye contact, for a brief moment the Kuchiki saw a flicker of sadness in his eyes but it was gone so soon that he thought he imagined it, "Honestly speaking, I haven't anything better to do."

"Really, Ryoka-san? You have nothing better to do than fight a war?" The deceptively lazy and playful trademark tone of Kyoraku Taicho cut in.

Suddenly the eight, thirteenth and sixth squad captains flicked into view surrounding the young male. Behind him Sojun struggled to his knees triggering another spell of coughing. His father flickered to his side, wrapping an arm around his shoulder to brace him, flickered back to his previous position alongside the other captains.

The male looked lazily at them, before commenting "I see your men have gotten their spirits back. The time taken to defeat the invading hollows has been shrinking."

"You have been the cause of that, you know. A mysterious and powerful being arriving to save the shinigami at the last moment." Shunsui played along. They all knew this tactic, keep him talking to reveal something about himself. "Although, we would appreciate if you could step in sooner, our healers could use the much deserved break."

"Well, it is your war after all. I'm just chipping in since I'm bored." The younger male replied, before muttering to himself, "Plus I don't want to cause too much of a mess."

"What mess?"

The male waved him off, "It's nothing."

They all narrowed their eyes at him, but let the topic slide, since they didn't know what they were dealing with.

"Very well," Shunsui continued "Speaking of power, that's some impressive control you have there."

"Thank you, it took some practice, but I eventually figured it out." The male replied before breaking eye contact with the group, watching the fleeing hollows retreat into an open garganta.

"Are we boring you, Ryoka-san?"

"Not really, just a bit pre-occupied that's all."

"With what, if you don't mind me asking?"

Sojun watched as the two males assessed each other, when it was clear that the squad eight captain wasn't going to back down, the younger male sighed and looked back at the dark tear in the sky.

"The frequency of the invasions have risen back to the same rate from before I stepped in."

"We've noticed." The group filed away the information that the male had been there much longer than they thought he would be. "Why not flood the area with your reiatsu? That solved it quite well."

"It was a temporary solution to a permanent problem."

"What do you mean?" Shunsui prodded.

The man stared at them again for a moment as if he was contemplating whether to tell them what information he had regarding the invasion of hollows.

"Hollows are creatures of instinct, as normal animals, they would avoid creatures higher up the food chain. Such as Gillians avoiding Adjuchas, they can sense the power level of creatures around them. That is what happened with my reiatsu, they thought I was higher than them and they fled. Typically, what should have happen would be that they wouldn't come here again, since they register it as my territory but as you can see it only paused the influx for a few months."

"What would be the cause of the re-emergence of the invasions?" This time Juushiro spoke up.

"There is only one explanation for the re-emergence of the invasions, A Vasto Lorde is behind them."

"That's highly improbable." Ginrei stated keeping his tone leveled, but Sojun could pick up the underlying unease.

"It is Captain," He replied firmly, maintaining eye contact with the current clan head. "Vasto Lorde are rare, about five in the whole of Hueco Mundo. They are old, very old and been there for a very long time. Some take on subordinates, since they don't need to consume hollows very often to satisfy their hunger. What we have here is probably a Vasto Lorde who has been here for some time, with a lot of subordinates and is very bored."

"What are the chances of a Vasto Lorde coming to Soul Society?" Ukitake asked.

"Highly improbable." He replied casting what would have been a cheeky grin towards the sixth division captain, if his mouth was visible. Sojun felt a flicker of amusement grow inside him as his father's reiatsu flicker slightly at the unexpected tease.

"Vasto Lorde don't mix with each other, due to their numbers and their territory. They rarely form partnerships, because of the personality, pride and agenda differences. The Vasto Lorde in charge of this invasion, wouldn't make an appearance because this is uncharted enemy territory and you have home advantage. So it's highly unlikely for one to come here."

"Are you saying that all these Gillians and Adjuchas belong to one Vasto Lorde?" Juushiro questioned looking at the retreating hollows.

"Given that there are so few of them?" The male paused to think, "Yes."

"How do they control so many numbers?"

"Simple. Chain of command. Vasto Lorde instruct Adjuchas, Adjuchas instruct Gillians and normal hollows just join in to power up."

"How do you know so much about hollows?" The Kuchiki clan head asked suspiciously.

"Was on sabbatical in Hueco Mundo for a couple of months."

There was a brief pause, since nobody knew how to reply to the answer. Sojun felt his father reach for his zanpakuto.

"How do we know that you aren't the Vasto Lorde who is in charge of the invasion?" The elderly man asked with suspicion and hostility coating every word.

"He is not our enemy, Taicho." Sojun stepped in, placing a hand on his father's that gripped his zanpakuto hilt. Meeting the familiar wine red gaze, he continued, "If he was, there would be nothing to gain from catching me."

Ginrei's gaze flew from his son to the male standing opposite him, after a brief pause he relaxed his stance, "He would have gained this conversation." Looking back to the cloaked male, "However that doesn't explain your reiatsu signature. Why do you have Shinigami, Hollow and Quincy markers?"

'Quincy?' The younger Kuchiki recalled in an old text, that they were humans capable of killing hollows with their techniques. However their inability to purify them caused an unbalance in the world's equilibrium, unable to reach a negotiation, the shinigami decided to lead a mass killing. However the massacre took place well before his time, when the Gotei Thirteen was still in it's infancy, which was why he couldn't identify the third type of marker in the man's reiatsu signature. His father, Ukitake Taicho and Kyoraku Taicho were three of the oldest captains, having been young cadets or even children during the genocide, had experienced the unusual reiatsu signature.

"Would it help you to see me as less of an enemy if I told you?"

"That depends on your story, Ryoka." A new voice cut it.

Emerging into view was the Captain Commander along with his lieutenant. Everyone bowed their heads in respect, save for the cloaked male.

"Tell us child, the nature of your being." He commanded.

"I'm not a child."

"You are to me."

"Everyone's a child to you."

Sojun looked at the other three captains, his father remained impassive saved for a slight furrow of his eyebrows, Ukitake Taicho and Kyoraku Taicho were glancing at each other in amusement.

"Arguing with me is not helping your cause, brat."

"At least promise me you'll leave me alone. I have no interest in Seireitei, Soul Society, the Human World or Hueco Mundo."

"What do you have an interest in then?"

There was an eerie silence from the younger male, and Sojun could feel the mood drop several degrees. After a few more moments of silence, the male replied, "Honestly, I don't know myself." Everyone could pick up the uncertainty and lost tone from the male's voice.

Sensing the sensitive mood, the thirteenth squad captain questioned gently, "How about you tell us how you came to be?"

He looked at the captain for a moment and his gaze soften slightly as if he remembered something, "Alright."

Glancing at each one of the members present, he took a deep breath and sighed, "My father was a shinigami and my mother was a Quincy." Pausing for a moment for the information to sink into the surprised faces he continued, "My mother was attacked by a hollow, which left a residue in her body that wreaking havoc with her spiritual pressure. To stabilize her my father bound himself to her, giving up his status as a member of the Gotei Thirteen."

Taking the nod of approval from the Captain Commander as approval to continue, "Due to these circumstance, it's only inevitable that their child would inherit all three reiatsu markers into their signature, at the very least the first child."

"You have siblings?" Genryusai asked abruptly.

"I did." A flat wistful reply answered.

"Which squad was your father from?"

"He didn't tell me."

"Either way, he should know that what he did was a capital offense."

"Yama-jiji, there is no one for you to persecute." A tired reply came.

It wasn't hard to read between the lines, the man's entire family had died and judging from the tone of voice and attitude, most probably prematurely.

"What about your teachers and colleagues, I find it hard to believe your skill level came solely from your parents, and that you grew up in isolation."

"There is no one left for you to persecute, Yama-jiji."

There was an awkward silence amongst the group at what the male hinted at. In a rare moment of compassion, the old Captain Commander asked, "Not by our hand I hope."

"If it were, would I be helping you all?" The male replied pulling his hood back allowing the wind ruffle his black hair. Not wanting to push the sensitive subject just yet, Genryusai could tell the wound was still fresh, he changed the topic.

"So where do your loyalties lie, Child?"

"Not with the hollows, obviously. Hueco Mundo does have an eerie beauty to it, but majority of its inhabitants aren't so appealing. The Quincy turned their back on my mother once she was contaminated." He spat out the last word with so much underlying hate, some of his tightly controlled reiatsu leaked out for a split second.

"There was nothing left for me in the World of the Living to stay, so I came here. Found you all in a pinch, watched if you needed help, and when your people needed it, I gave a hand."

"You stayed in Hueco Mundo?" Juushiro questioned, suddenly understanding the reason for the man's in depth knowledge of the workings of the Hollow World.

"I knew being a cocktail of various spiritual beings would not be welcomed among your people, so I went there first to set up base. It was alright, for the most part, they left me alone." Glancing at the place where the garganta had been. "Food was a bit of an issue, and the company left much to be desired."

4.

The captain commander stared at the man in front of him, and instead of the grown man that the male was, he saw a lost child hidden in the depths of his soul. He could see and hear the sincerity in the young drifters face and voice, but the male hadn't given them an adequate referral for trust, apart from his actions. Even if the boy had been truthful about his origins, there were too many gaps with no way to prove his story.

Genryusai knew Central 46 better than anyone, and for a situation such as this, they would call for execution. He always knew politics played a role in the function of the Gotei Thirteen, and a wild card such as the male standing in front of him would be unwelcome due to the lack of control they had over him. Then there was the fact that they hated and feared what they couldn't understand, and from the reports he had read, the child in front of him was not someone that should be taken lightly.

However the Central 46 did have too much power in their hands, and Soul Society had been facing a problem common to many great societies that experienced stability for too long; stagnation. There has been no growth for the community, for there had been no need. This invasion had shown the shinigami how far behind they were in growth and technology, their techniques and even their knowledge. It has been over half a millennium since new research has been done on their neighbouring world and that was just the basic hierarchy of hollows. Until the strange male had spoken about the behaviour of the hollows, none of them has known what they were dealing with. Part of him knew they needed forward thinkers and innovators to question the current knowledge and endeavor to find new truths. There just hadn't been anyone willing to take that initiative yet

Scanning the nearby reiatsu for anyone else within earshot and sensing the auditory kido barrier cast by his lieutenant, he came to his decision.

"I see no reason to chase you from Soul Society; at least here we can keep an eye on you compared to the other worlds. However you will be treated with suspicion and not have permission to enter the Seireitei until you have proven yourself as an ally."

The male nodded and Genryusai could see the surprise on his subordinates faces.

Just as the drifter was going to leave, he commanded, "One more thing child."

'Still very young aren't you?' He thought at the display of emotion in the younger male's eyes as he met the inquisitive red gaze before asking, "What is your name?"

The drifter looked up at the sky, his gaze suddenly distant he answered, "My mother named me Ichigo."

There was a short pause before he continued, Genryusai could pick up the tone of defeat in the males voice, "The one thing she asked me to do, the one thing I stood for, and I failed." Letting out a sigh, he muttered under his breath, "Irony."

Understanding the young male, Genryusai nodded and with a flicker the male disappeared.

For a moment, the Captain Commander felt his zanpakuto stir restlessly. It hoped his investment was worth the risk.

"Soutaicho, do you think it was wise to allow the ryoka freedom to wander around Soul Society without the Central's approval?"

Ask predicted, the Kuchiki Clan Head was the first to ask him regarding his decision. Looking at the elderly man he replied, "Ginrei, you know the Central just as well as myself. For a situation such as this it is not hard to assume their decision."

"Yes, execution." The rest of the group shifted uneasily at that answer. It wasn't hard to tell that they've grown a soft spot for the drifter.

"Do you think that it would be easy to capture and execute him given the circumstance of his parentage?" Taking the silence as agreement he continued, "We cannot afford to expend any shinigami, captain or not, to execute someone of his level. We need our strength for the invasions and much as it pains me to admit it, we need his help. So why make an enemy of someone powerful as him?"

Turning around preparing to leave the battlefield he continued talking, "His intentions will be made clear as time passes and having him close allows us to keep an eye on him." Looking back at the group making eye contact with all of them, "I trust all of you to keep this meeting to yourselves, if asked say that the interrogation only yielded his name."

They all nodded and with that he flash stepped back to the Seireitei with his lieutenant.

Maybe he was finally reaching the limits of his sanity, but he couldn't help but look forward for the future.

For once it wasn't monotonous and predictable.

5.

Overlooking the cliff on a hill in the 78th district of South Rukongai, Inuzuri, was a cleverly sealed entrance to a cave. In sudden flicker a cloaked figure appeared at its entrance. Dropping his hood and closing his eyes to concentrate, he felt his power recede and along with it his colouring change. Black faded into burnt orange and the red in his eyes softened to amber. Pulling off his cloak and placing his zanpakuto near the dying hearth, the tired male flopped on to the beaten up futon on the floor.

Ichigo sighed looking at the black ceiling as he contemplated today's events. He hadn't planned to engage the captains in a conversation, especially of that length and depth, but not interacting with people for so long had him craving the company, or a decent conversation from someone other than the spirits inside him. He felt Zangetsu and the old man rumble at that thought. Smiling faintly at their displeasure, he sent mental 'sorry' to them as he recapped today's events.

The little he knew of the Captain Commander was that man was reasonable. If he was such a bigoted close minded fool as many thought him to be, he wouldn't have lasted as Soutaicho for so long. The old man's hands were continuously tied, many of the orders such as execution of the Vizards and exiling Kisuke were the Central's decisions. Kisuke had mentioned it to him during the funeral procession of the then deceased Genryusai, that his original sentence was execution, but through the old man's Fukutaichou he got to know that it was the Captain Commander who had argued his sentence to be changed to exile to living world, providing aid to patrolling shinigami and that he was also the one responsible for the security being low on the night of the Vizards' escape.

So yes, Yamamoto wasn't an idiot. Ichigo half expected the man's response for letting him off the hook. However he wasn't naïve to think that the old geezer did it out of compassion. If he was in the captain's position, he would have done the same; when having your hands tied by idiots and politics shoved down your throat, he would have jumped at the chance of acquiring a trump card. Feeling slightly offended for a moment at the thought of being controlled by someone, Ichigo let it go after reminding himself that he really had nothing better to do other than make friends with the future arrancar in Hueco Mundo. So if listening to the old man would prevent him from being targeted and allow him to help them without being shunned, then he didn't have much to lose.

'If all else fails, I'll just return to Hueco Mundo and strike up a conversation with Stark.' Thinking of the lonely Primera, got him thinking about his circumstance.

He didn't want to return to the Seireitei, for he knew the Aizen would be in Shinji's division. If he went to the Seireitei and saw the brunette, not even the Soul King would be able to stop him from striking him down then and there. Much as he hated the man, he more or less was the reason his mother and father met each other and gave birth to him. Killing the man would result in killing himself.

'But would that be that bad?' he wondered.

'King, if you continue following this thought process, I will possess your body and get a tattoo on your dick.'

Cringing at the thought of it, 'That escalated quickly.'

This time the old man spoke up. 'Wallowing in self-pity will not get you anywhere.'

'Yeah, but what else am I to do? I failed to protect them.'

'News Flash King, you have a second shot at things. As far as I can see is that everyone's alive or not yet born to be dead.'

'And many would never be born if I continue meddling.'

'King, your existence here is meddling on its own. Plus you came here for a reason so I guess there's nothing you can do about it. Coming here was caused by something beyond our understanding. Soul King, God, Fate, or whatever you want to call it.'

'He is correct. The reason for traveling this far into the past is obviously meant to alter the future. Already your existence in this timeline has led to the predicted course of this world's future change from what was before to something new.'

'Are you seriously saying that the Many Worlds Theory is true?'

'Judging that you have existed in this past for some time, without having your memory altered to accommodate the changes you cause, yes I am.'

Contemplating on what the old man said. It did make sense. From what he remembered, he recalled no recognition from the captains as they saw his Final Getsuga Tenshou form, even his name seemed unfamiliar to them when he first used it in the past. Maybe this world was different, and if that was the case, he would ensure it would never turn into what his world had been. However it was just a theory, he had to be sure that this was a separate world.

The zanpakuto and quincy spirit sighed in relief when the destructive current began to calm down in their inner world.

6.

Back at the Kuchiki manor among it's many hot springs, the young clan heir was recollecting today's events while relaxing in the warm water. The hybrid, which was how the Captain Commander found himself addressing the mysterious male, was quite the puzzle to them. He could tell that his father was displeased with the Soutaicho's decision to keep the male's presence under wraps, but there was logic in the thinking behind it. The male was insanely powerful to an extent they didn't know, with no loyalties to anyone and decided on helping them simply because he was bored. The shinigami on the other hand were busy fighting an invasion, their forces exhausted with no extra hands to spare. Therefore to make an enemy of him at this very moment would be unwise.

Sojun sighed and looked at the night sky above him, "Ichigo" He whispered testing the name on his tongue. 'One who Protects.' It was a good name, a strong name, and clearly a name of meaning and purpose. His mother had placed a lot of thought in naming her child, and the hybrid had clearly tried to live up to her expectations. She clearly was someone the hybrid had respected, for him to go so far as to help a race that he had no apparent loyalties to, save for his father's heritage.

Recalling the scene of the male catching him, 'Why did he catch me?' the Kuchiki thought. There were plenty of shinigami being tossed into the surrounding buildings and he was not the first lieutenant to be flying into rubble either. According to his father it was to initiate a conversation, but judging by his distracted and distant tone, he seemed almost reluctant to converse with the captains. The man couldn't have known he was a Kuchiki or the importance of the Noble House, given the fact that he wasn't from Soul Society. However it was common knowledge; he could have overheard a conversation, disguised himself and asked around, or his father could have told him. Either way, it was possible he could have known who he was.

'But still, why me?' Sojun wondered. His rescuer didn't seem the type to respect nobility, nor was he obligated to. Maybe he noticed his illness and his fatigue, which was more apparent these past few days. The hybrid was quite observant, so there was that possibility.

'It would mean he had been watching me closely.' Sojun blushed at the thought and sank deeper into the hot spring. 'That's just ridiculous.' He admonished himself, 'It must have been impulsive since I was thrown in his direction.'

Satisfied with his conclusion, he rose from the warm water and began to dry himself.

As he was adjusting his sleeping yukata, he felt a familiar reiatsu and his pleasant mood immediately dissipated once he recognized it. A second later, the shoji doors to the bath were slammed open and a familiar mocking tone greeted him.

"Word around the squads is that Kuchiki Fukutaicho was the damsel in distress in the arms of the ryoka."

Kuchiki Koga.

His Husband.

7.

Sojun steeled his gaze as he met the larger man's mocking stare.

Their marriage was purely political and there wasn't an ounce of affection in their union. It was barely a partnership, only two parties working together to reach a common objective. Koga was from a smaller clan, but they have powerful reiatsu and many of their members also have potent kido based zanpakuto. Koga's signature zanpakuto ability, turning the spirits against their wielders, was the deciding factor in approving the marriage. The Kuchiki Clan recognized and wanted some control of that power, and like most other Noble Clans, used marriage to secure ties with them. Koga's clan wanted the backing of the Kuchiki to gain higher prestige amongst social and political circles. Unlike in the world of the living, spirits bodies were not restricted to the laws of biology. Males could carry and birth children, even though it was more strenuous and complicated in comparison to females. Reproduction was based on the combination of spirit energy; injecting one partner's reiatsu into the other and merging it to create a new life form. Semen is saturated with reiatsu and sexual intercourse was pleasurable therefore it was the most common way impregnation took place, mimicking the acts of the living world. Female couples could impregnate as well; it was a little more difficult, but the carrying and birth was easier.

Sojun suppressed a shiver of disgust at the thought of pregnancy. The Clan had been implying the need of an heir, and it was obvious that they didn't consider him a fit enough heir to take over his father's duties. Normally he would have to be clan head before being pestered for a child. It was the combination of his illness, his position as lieutenant and the invasion that caused the doubt. Sojun didn't blame them for their thinking, however that didn't dull the sting it caused, and he just had to get used to it.

Just like he got accustomed to the man standing in front of him.

From the moment he met Koga, Sojun knew the man was not pleased with him. He could tell his husband was power hungry, conceited and looked down on the weak. Not that he thought himself weak, but Koga agreed with the opinion of the Clan Council that the current heir was fragile in terms of mind and body. Sojun always out ranked Koga before and after their marriage, with the larger male currently being the third seat of the sixth division. Like many others however, his husband shared the belief that his lieutenant position was because of family influence and not his own hard work.

Although the clan and the others were far more subtle in their opinions, Koga was not. Throughout their union, conversations between them have always been nothing short of verbal spars. Sharp, mocking, goading and insulting. There was nothing comforting in their relationship, even when they appeared in public, their interactions were coolly polite to each other. At first it shattered his childish dream of having a warm and supportive wedded life as one hears about so often in books and conversation. Sojun discovered the most effective way to deal with Koga was to simply not respond to his taunting.

"Is there anything you need, Koga?" he coolly replied, channelling the signature Kuchiki frost into his posture, tone and gaze.

"So it is true." Koga mused out aloud feigning deep thought.

Ignoring the comment, Sojun gathered his things and walked towards the exit, "If there is nothing you require me for, I will retire for the night."

Just as he was about to pass the larger male at the doorway, the Kuchiki heir felt hand on his shoulder. Though the grip wasn't hard, it was firm and rough. Turning to face Koga once again he took in the man's appearance. His husband was indeed handsome and he did possess one of the most desirable physiques of Seireitei. However Sojun had seen and experienced too much of Koga's twisted personality (he refused to acknowledge the man had a heart) to be attracted to him.

"There is actually something I do need you for." He began, a twisted smirk began to grace his handsome features.

"I am tired." Sojun replied stiffly immediately understanding what was being implied.

"You're always tired." Koga retorted adopting his signature jeering tone. "You're also not with a child."

The Kuchiki heir ground his teeth and bit back his initial response, he wasn't surprise that Koga used 'that' to gain what he wanted. He should have known today's events would have spurred the clan elders to ask for a future heir. His weakening strength would not have gone unnoticed by them and it was their business to look after the future of the clan, no matter how Sojun wished it was not so. He wasn't built for aggressiveness and constant fighting. Neither did it appeal to his gentle nature. Nevertheless if the situation called for it, he would fill the role; he wasn't a lieutenant for no reason. However when it came to raw power, his natural soft spoken attitude and comparatively low reiatsu reserves could not command respect of the Clan Council.

"Now is not the time to have a child." Sojun replied calmly, "Seireitei needs every available shinigami to deal with the invasions."

"Is that an excuse for not being strong enough to conceive, carry and birth one?" Using his height to look down on the smaller male, Koga continued, "Because from what I hear, Kuchiki Fukutaicho's strength is so pathetic he ended up being saved by the arms of a ryoka."

Tightening his grip on the items in his hand, the Kuchiki heir broke the gaze while replying curtly, "It is unbecoming to listen to gossip." Pausing a bit to look into the darkened corridor, "And there is nothing wrong with my fertility or my ability as a bearer."

As he walked away towards his room he heard Koga state, "Then you have no problems with my visiting you tonight. A child is required for the future of this clan, and it is the purpose of this marriage."

Kuchiki Sojun closed his eyes and bit his trembling lip.

8.

It has been a week and Sojun still felt sore from behind.

Like every other part of their marriage, the sexual intercourse was not gentle or kind. Even with preparing himself beforehand, Koga was still too brutal. Sojun remembered their first time, which resulted in him bleeding and holding back tears while the larger male pounded him from behind. Intercourse was always rough and only slightly pleasurable. After the first few times, the Kuchiki heir had taken it upon himself to stretch and lubricate himself, since his partner was too impatient to properly do it. At the beginning of their marriage Sojun always had himself prepared, because Koga would take him frequently. However as time went by the regularity decreased and he could not have been more relived. Sojun honestly didn't care if the larger male was laying with someone else, so long as he was discreet.

He couldn't openly go against Koga, their disunity would be a black mark on the Clan's name. He couldn't overpower Koga privately either, because in terms of stamina and brute force Koga would win. He had tried once, but the male spiked his reiatsu so high he had trouble standing. Sojun knew he wasn't the strongest lieutenant, what he lacked in reserve and stamina, he made up for in control and finesse. However these were not very useful in subduing someone. He couldn't use kido either since that would be considered attacking in public, which again would cause shame for his family.

There were many times he entertained the idea of informing his father, but his pride wouldn't allow it. Also there was nothing he could explicitly use against Koga, since majority were verbal barbs and the sexual intercourse was difficult to use since Koga was his husband. This marriage was the first and only duty he had been asked of as Clan Heir, and asking for his father's aid would show that he was incapable of being the Clan Head in the future.

Sojun sighed deeply at his predicament while slashing yet another hollow down.

Thanks to the Clan's interference, Koga has returned to sleeping with him frequently and the lack of rest caused him to feel fatigue more than usual. 'Hopefully I would be left alone when the child is born.' He mused. Due to the lack of rest and his preoccupied mind, he didn't see an Adjuchas charge at him from behind before it was too late.

Within the blink of an eye, Sojun watched as a black blur cut down the Adjuchas and lesser hollows as if they were insects. Blinking, it took a few moments to register what just took place, he turned to face a familiar cloaked figure standing next to him.

"Thank you, Ichigo-san."

The hybrid nodded in acknowledgement, "You have to be more careful with your condition."

'Even he knows.' Sojun thought sardonically before replying, "Don't worry about it, I've been like this for a while now."

Wine red eyes met his grey in a penetrating stare; despite their captivating depth, Sojun noticed the male's face was pinched as if he was confused.

"Ah, really?" The hybrid broke his gaze and gave him a once over, eyes lingering on his midriff, "I was under the impression you were at most two weeks along."

It was Sojun's turn to be confused, "Excuse me?"

The cloaked male froze and then immediately breaking eye contact looking at everything other than the Kuchiki next to him whilst slowly inching away. "Um, it seems that-"

"You think I'm pregnant?" Sojun cut him off, a hand automatically flying to his abdomen.

Red eyes glanced back before averting his gaze to the battle field, "I sense two reiatsu signatures from you." He paused for a moment, "One more prominent, which belongs to you." Furrowing his eyebrows, "The other is much less significant. It's faint and still very hard to pick up on since it is very similar to yours."

Looking down at his flat torso, Sojun recalled the fatigue that had appeared two weeks back. If the hybrid was telling the truth it would make sense that he would be with a child. It was too early for the tell-tale symptoms, but fatigue was one of the earliest. Closing his eyes, he tried to sense the secondary reiatsu signature within him, but was slightly disappointed when he came up empty handed. At this stage only Unohana Taicho would be skillful enough to pick it up. With a hand on his lower abdomen, he studied the male next to him. His age and ability to sense a child's reiatsu this early in its development spoke volumes of the amount of skill the hybrid possessed; it seems that Ichigo has no limit to his power.

"You can sense my child?" Sojun asked.

Turning his gaze to the lieutenant, "I cannot pick out the reiatsu signature separately, but your signature carries a sense of fullness and nurturing." Seeing the Kuchiki's blank stare, "It's similar to the presence you feel when you interact with an individual who is carrying." He paused for a moment as if to think of an easier explanation, before sighing in resignation. "It's instinct. I cannot explain it any other way. I've sensed similar reiatsu before when dealing with pregnant women and men. It calls out for protection. Though it's was not as strong as it was the last time we met, it spurred an instinctual reaction from me."

'So that is why he caught me.' The Kuchiki thought as he once again tried to feel his child's reiatsu. "Thank you for protecting me and I'm sorry to be the cause of such distraction for you."

Feeling an impulse for the pregnant male, Ichigo willed the grey bandages covering his face away. After they broke and faded away, he softened his gaze and smiled gently before replying in a warm tone he reserved for his sisters, "Don't be. It's actually the opposite. Sensing you and your child's reiatsu is very soothing."

9.

"That is one pile of proverbial horse shit."

Ichigo scowled at the voice of his zanpakuto, but he grudgingly accepted that the spirit was right. He discreetly left out the fact that the instincts that made him sense the child belongs to his hollow nature. Unlike the shinigami, hollows were more primal in their feelings. Everything functioned according to instincts; mating, eating, fighting and so on. When it came to pregnancy, hollows were more in tune with reiatsu sensing. Maybe it had to do with survival, but since only Adjuchas and Vasto Lorde could carry, they would gain a power spike which would deter the smaller mindless hollows and Gillians from attacking them. The reiatsu signature of carrying hollows caused non carriers, especially the sire, to become protective of the mother and child until after the birth.

Even if the sire could fight to protect the dam, it was common to find situations where they were overwhelmed; which is why the carriers would nest in hidden parts of the hollow world and defend the den while the sire would hunt for meals. However regardless of the precautions taken, nature was nature and the sire, if not strong enough could perish during this period. It wasn't uncommon to find carriers abandoned, because the sire couldn't or wouldn't take up the responsibility since they were not powerful enough to defend their dam. Due to both reasons, the natural working of Hueco Mundo, made the carriers reiatsu instill protective instincts in non-carriers to increase the chance of a birth. After the birth it is the carrier's duty to ensure the survival of their offspring; which majority of them were capable of, since they no longer had the constant drain on their reiatsu to feed the growing offspring within them.

'Primal, but it works.' Ichigo thought back to the times he was caught under its urge in the time he spent in Hueco Mundo. The potency and quantity of his reiatsu was a sirens call for abandoned or single carriers. Having nothing better to do at the time, he found himself not minding caring for the lost carriers.

Their presence was neither threatening nor aggressive which was a much welcomed change in Hueco Mundo where survival was everything. The instinct they awakened within him, of protecting them and their children was a healing balm on his tired soul. His failure to protect his family and friends was too raw and bitter when he arrived to this timeline. So much so that after he realized he was not in his own world, he immediately fled to Hueco Mundo, due to the lack of ties he had with it. He was not surprised to see the Adjuchas avoid him, given that his current power level was well above the Vasto Lorde status, but he was taken aback by the timid approaches of the carriers. Although at first he didn't know what to do, he was grateful for his hollow instinct which enabled him to figure it out as he went along.

He was a mess when he arrived to this timeline; haunted day and night with the shame of his failure to protect his loved ones. However with every successful pregnancy and birth, Ichigo slowly built his confidence as a protector and provider. He was proud to say that not a single carrier and child who was in his care perished. He kept an eye on the children of the smaller weaker carriers, to ensure they survived their first year. His reiatsu frightened hollows who would want to target the carriers, and both children and carriers felt safe in his presence. He smiled when one particularly bold heavily pregnant dam in his care informed him of that fact. The birth wasn't all that complicated, he would allow the carrier to follow through with their instincts while he watched over them. Hollow sires wouldn't involve themselves in the birthing process unlike it's shinigami and human counterparts. They were there to protect and provide for their carriers and children, the birthing process was entirely in the hands of the dam. They would only become involved if requested by their carrier.

If it wasn't for the lack of civilized conversation he wouldn't have minded staying in Hueco Mundo, but he wasn't entirely a Hollow, he was Human, Quincy and Shinigami as well.

Thinking back to the pregnant shinigami, Ichigo couldn't help but feel the familiarity of his reiatsu when he first interacted with him. He first blamed it on the physical similarity of lieutenant Kuchiki to the 28th Clan Head Kuchiki Byakuya.

However deep down he knew that it wasn't the cause for his unsettlement. Although his hollow instincts alerted him of the man's pregnancy, he normally wouldn't be able to pick up on the child's reiatsu signature this early in development. Nonetheless this time he did. He could faintly pick out a secondary reiatsu signature from the lieutenant when he approached the man; not because his ability to sense had improved, but because the babe's signature was far too familiar to mistake or overlook.

Ichigo smiled to himself as he recalled the sensation of tiny reiatsu tendrils belonging to the child reaching out and pushing playfully against his own.

'Well, hello there, Byakuya.' He thought, entirely amused by the entire situation.

A/N: After three long years, I found myself back to reaching and watching Bleach. I haven't caught up with the latest chapters, so apologise in advance for any inconsistencies. Just drop review or message me if there is something that doesn't match. Also before you all ask, yes, the formatting style has been influenced by 'cywscross'. Please do check out his/her work, it is nothing short of amazing.

This plot bunny jumped me and would not let go until I had it written down. It was an odd pairing, but it worked for me so I went with it. Actually the story cover image, was what inspired me to write this fic. It belongs to 'naktata' on DeviantArt. If you like RenBya, then you should definitely look him/her up; since most of the work features that pairing. Well drawn and worth looking at.

Feel free to drop a comment and anything is welcome; constructive criticism, questions, suggestions, opinions, comments, corrections etc.