Protecting the Guardian

Chapter One: Captured

Within their barracks, the thirteen court squads are nothing special other than their own changes they made. Squad Eleven, for example, would have their own dojo for the members to spar anytime they want or were threatened by certain members.

Squad Thirteen was no different. It was normally tranquil and most shinigami would never stop for reason other than being sent by their captain or anyone higher than them due for not wanting to bother the captain with his illness.

Today was different.

Currently, a captain was walking down the hall with all officers dropping everything and standing aside to make room for the captain. His facial features didn't change at all as he walked down, his never ending smile didn't once falter.

He reached to the office and knocked quietly in a casual manners. The shinigami soon went back to doing paperwork were still curious as to why the Third Squad captain had arrived.

"Ukitake-taichou, it's me. May I come in?" his voice said over the door. It held great calmness for the news that it will soon speak.

"Come in, Ichimaru-taichou," the captain softly croaked. The door softly opened to a fox eyed captain smiling his usual, if not creepy, smile. The sickly man eyed him as he walked in.

"You sure that you're okay? With your lieutenant off on a mission for who knows how long, you should be really stressed," the captain assumed, standing in front of Ukitake. The news were known by all captains, no matter how much the disapproval Ukitake got for his decision.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Ukitake whispered in a weak voice. Everyone knew that was lie. Ever since Kurosaki-fukutaichou, the captain has been in worse health than ever, making everyone wanting to help their captain in every way they can but this can cause him to make him worry even more and repeating the cycle.

Even the officers have try to persuade Rukia Kuchiki when she came to make her weekly summary to the captain to persuade their lieutenant come back from his mission to take control of their squad again to let their captain rest once more. But their captain forbade anymore of that talk and left his lieutenant back on Earth to continue whatever his mission was.

"Now, why have you come to my barracks? It's not everyday that someone like a taichou like you comes and visit me."

"Eh? You must get so lonely then! It's a good thing I came then! Now back to the news," he began, "Have you heard the recent rumors of your lieutenant and his mission on Earth? All around my squad I've heard these rumors, and I thought that you should hear them to. After all, he is your lieutenant," he smiled.

"No, what are they?" he asked, curious to what had even make the usually creepy captain think that the bit of news, rumors even, was interesting.

"Remember, these are just rumors. Not true for now. But they say that your lieutenant broke one of Soul Society's sacred laws. They say he killed a helpless human without your consort or anybody from Soul Society in that matter. They also say it was a nasty kill too. Bloodshed everywhere!" the fox captain grinned as he saw the sickly captain's reaction.

"Killed?"

"Yup. In the cold blood they say. Aizen-taichou was already sent to capture him and bring him to his punishment back here in Soul Society."

"Why?! Weren't they just rumors?!" he reasoned, hoping that he was just playing a joke on the white haired captain.

"A rumor, yes. But Soul Society can't take any chances. If it is true, then they'll bring him to justice. But Aizen-taichou said he had proof and volunteered himself to even go and get him back here. But if it's false, then he'll be taken back to Earth to do whatever mission you sent him for. I'll warn ya though, if Aizen-taichou thinks he killed him, then he's probably right," Gin said.

"And what would be the punishment if he was convicted for murder?"

The captain almost didn't want to hear the answer. The laws of Soul Society were not to be taken lightly and the punishment were great if they were to be ever broken. And considering what the law was, the punishment was already known.

At this, the already wide smile of Gin's widen as he leaned in closer as if it was a deep secret for no one other than themselves to hear.

"Execution."

----(Divider)-----------------------------

Three months passed since Ichigo last set foot on Soul Society. He had only just gotten used to his new home. School was his biggest problem, but he soon got over that also. The lieutenant had to go under a alias though, and bleach his gigai's hair white, much to his dislike. When Rukia asked why he hated it so much, he refused to answer.

Soon after, though, the Kurosaki family had adopted into a "normal" routine. Ichigo would go to school with Rukia like any other teenager would. Then, at about noon, he would switch places with his Kon, his mod soul he gotten from Urahara, and deal with the town's Hollows and any other Shinigami responsibilities. Rukia will stay back to make sure Kon behaves, not that the mod soul ever complained.

After school, he would then get back into his gigai and bring Kon back into his plushie form and do anything he wanted from there.

As of now, he was currently shopping with his mother for groceries. She, apparently, was not at all surprised at her son's strength and used for her own well being. As in carrying all the bags whenever the girls of the family, including Rukia, decided to have their monthly shopping spree.

"Kaa-san, why do I have to carry the bags?" Ichigo complained behind a mountain load of bags. He didn't even know what his mother bought to produce these many bags from the grocery store.

"Because Ichigo, you are very strong and your Kaa-san isn't. And besides, if you didn't eat as much as you do, you wouldn't have to carry so many bags every week," she answered, not even looking at her tortured son.

Ichigo muttered something unintelligible and continued to walk. He still loved his mother, but at times, she could be unreasonable. They were at most, five blocks away from their house and Ichigo could go to bed until diner was made and wouldn't have carry a billion bags.

Almost there. He thought and began to pick up his pace.

"Ah, there you are Kurosaki. I didn't think you'll be participating in such ordinary activities," a voice behind him sarcastically commented. "And to think you even dyed your hair. I almost took you as for someone else."

Suddenly, the atmosphere around the mother and son tensed. Ichigo carefully let go of the bags and walked casually to the man while reaching for his Shinigami badge.

"Why are you here, Aizen?" he asked, standing protectively in front of his mother who was in shock from seeing the man.

"Careful fuku-taichou, you wouldn't want to crush that woman with your spiritual pressure," the captain smoothly smiled.

Ichigo calmed down a bit, but he was still enraged by just looking at the man in front of him. The calm smile he held didn't help either.

"Now, if you would calmly come back to me to Soul Society. There seems to be a problem, and they need you to solve it, " Aizen calmly demanded and was about opened a Senkaimon when Ichigo released himself from his gigai.

"I'll be an idiot if I went along with you," he stated and gotten into his fighting pose.

"I-Ichigo," his mother whispered. She was already on her knees, almost unable to breath.

Her son didn't even look back at her. "Kaa-san, go back inside please. I'll come back in soon. I just need to deal with this guy, and we can go back like this never happen."

But she didn't listen to him. She sat there in the same spot and watched as her son fight to protect his right to stay here.

"So she's your Kaa-san? That's strange. I was almost sure that she was where you got your immense spiritual pressure," Aizen observed. He didn't feel threatened at all.

"Just shut up and fight!" Ichigo yelled and charged at him. The orange haired teen pointed his large sword towards him.

In a quick second, the attack was dodged by the fifth squad captain and Ichigo wounded.

"Tsk, tsk, Kurosaki. I would have thought that you were better than this. Perhaps you weaken over your stay here," Aizen joked which only angered the teen more.

"Ichigo?" his mother asked.

"Stay back!" he yelled and quickly got back up.

"As much as I want to see you try to injury me, I have my duties to Soul Sociey to tend to," Aizen said. He flash stepped out of view for a second and then appeared behind his mother with a sword to her throat.

"Now come like a good boy and no one will get hurt. Unless you need to see a little bloodshed to come," he smiled and pressed the sword tighter towards her neck.

Ichigo remained motionless, unsure at what to do. He held his sword up to Aizen, looking ready to attack him. But he knew there was no way too attack without hurting Masaki. He looked at his room's window to see Rukia watching the whole scene. She provided no help on the situation. Seconds passed and the sword slowly began to cut the woman's neck. A drop a blood fell to the ground before anyone said anything.

"Wait! I'll go, but you better not hurt her anymore, or anyone else in her family," Ichigo bargained starring at the drop a blood on the road. Aizen smiled and released her harshly onto the ground. The lieutenant growled in annoyance but said nothing.

"Come, we shouldn't keep Soul Society waiting," Aizen smiled and opened the Senkaimon.

"Ichigo! Don't Ichigo!" Masaki screamed. The teen didn't look back, if only to not feel the guilt in leaving his mother again. He disappeared with the captain and left the mother scratched and heartbroken.

----------(Divider)----

It has been a year since he saw the person who was escorting him back to said destination and he dreaded that the reunion came so quickly.

"Kurosaki-fuku-taichou, I'm glad you came so willingly. Leaving behind your family once again, it must be painful, but I'm sure they'll understand," his escort suddenly said in hopes to cause Ichigo to react.

"Like hell I came here willingly! You threatened to kill! Why am I being sent to come back anyway?!"

"So disrespectful. And I didn't kill so unwittingly, unlike you. There is no need of me reminding you of your title, now is there?" he smiled lightly.

"Aizen," Ichigo only said and remained quiet. Said captain frowned and quietly recalled the story.

"The Resurrected Shinigami. Fitting name I supposed for all those battles you won since after that incident a few years back, but at what cost did you pay for that name?" the fifth squad captain asked openly, not expecting an answer from the only one following him.

Ichigo growled in response and tried think of a plan to escape while he was rambling."That woman, she was your mother correct? She seemed so scared when I took hostage of her. I wonder if it was me she was scared of or was it you who seemed so ready to attack her?"

Amber eyes glared at the back at Aizen's head and breaking his train of thought at the mention of his mother. He could never forget that look on her face when he left through the gate.

It was the same face that I saw when I died. The teen thought back.

As they drew closer to Soul Society, silence grew between them along with Ichigo's hate for the man in front of him.

"Taichou!" A guard greeted and stood back, watching both him and Ichigo coming through. Though Ichigo himself was not looking, he knew the guard was watching him in disapproval along with disappointment.

"I never thought you'll be the one for revenge," the orange haired shinigami commented seeing as he was getting dirty looks from all the guards in Soul Society.

"Revenge? I'm only here to bring you to justice. If anyone, you should be looking for revenge on Soul Society," he replied coolly.

They walked on, both getting opposite looks from shinigami passing by them. Ichigo received the glares while Aizen gained the admiration for bringing in the once known invincible or "resurrected" lieutenant. Girls swooned as the captain walked by.

"Aizen-taichou!" his lieutenant greeted. Hinamori. It was a sad sight to see that even she fell for the act that only Ichigo knew about.

The captain held his hand in response, signaling her to stop and allow him to walk. As Ichigo walked by, he saw that Hinamori held distaste for him now. He could only imagine Renji's reaction to all of this.

Arriving at the prison, he cuffed and a limiter used to strict of use of his reaitsu. All of his personal items, including his Shinigami badge and Zanpaktou were taken and put on a side table far from the cell and his reaching point. He was then placed in his cell with him on the inside instead of the traitor in front of him.

"If you excuse us, I'd like to have a word with him," the taichou asked. They dismissed themselves and left the two alone.

"Ironic, isn't it? Haven't you always been the one to say that I belong in your position?" Aizen smirked.

Ichigo breathed deeply, and scowled, trying to not even more negative attention to himself for killing that man.

"One day Aizen. You'll pay," he swore as the captain walked out with his hated smile on his face and gears in his mind turning.

Everything is going into place. He thought and softly chuckled to himself.

-------------(divider)---------

"Masaki, please cheer up," her husband attempted. The mother was once again mourning over her lost son after only being with her for three months before leaving.

The twins were currently in their bedrooms, continuing to watch the window in hopes that their Ichi-nii will come back.

"My fault, again. My fault," she muttered repeatedly. Isshin sighed and tried once more to comfort her beloved wife.

"He wouldn't want to come back to that, now would he?" Isshin said, in his calm voice. For the first time since the event, Masaki looked up to her husband, wondering what he meant.

"You crying and mourning over him. He isn't that kind of the man to not come back and leave you suffering, is he?" the doctor asked and knew that he was going somewhere.

"No," she sniffled and took a deep breath.

"Then stop mourning and believe in him. He'll come back, I promised. Even if he doesn't want to, Daddy will make him come back no matter what," Isshin smiled and leaning in for a hug. The wife smiled at him and returned the gesture with a small kiss.

Kon stood in the background, hoping that the man was right. He had often heard Ichigo describing that captain while talking to nee-san as one of the strongest around even though his appearance might not show it.

"Kurosaki-san, if I can interrupt, " a small voice called out.

The parents looked to see Rukia standing in front of them. She had been graced to stay behind and not be seen from the captain.

"From what I saw, Ichigo has been charged of crime from breaking a law of Soul Society. The penalty is normally death or rather burned to death. If he has a chance to escape, it'll be very slim. The best way to save him will probably to go in and represent him. I will do so with your permission," she suggested.

Masaki looked surprised at the offer, but refused.

"But there is no other way!"

"Other than doing something crazy?" Isshin smiled.

Rukia's eyes widen as she caught on.

"You can't just break in! It's almost impossible! The taichous and fuku-taichous are probably ten times stronger than I am and Ichigo had just been defeated by one!"

"We have some friends that can help. And you surely are allowed to come with us if you choose so," Masaki smiled, trying to give some comfort to the worried teen. It had looked like the mother had recovered from her drama.

"What about Yuzu and Karin! They can't come at all!"

"We have a family friend to watch over them. They'll understand. Besides, they want to see their brother more than anything, they can wait," Isshin said, looking up towards the girl's room. Then another problem came up.

"What about Ichigo? Most of his friends are resistant when erasing memories are involved. And we can't just say he's going on a trip. He already missed enough school as it is," Rukia argued.

Kon was nominated in impersonating Ichigo while they were gone. All he had to do was to make sure he behaved and freedom will be given.

"So, Kuchiki-san, anymore complaints or flaws you may or may not have?" Isshin asked. Rukia shook her head and smiled.

The plan was set. The only problem was Masaki. As a human, she could not access Soul Society in her form.

"Don't worry, Urahara will figure something out," Isshin smiled.

Everyone in the room glowed with determination as the sun disappeared behind the small town. The operation will start early morning or even tonight, just as soon Urahara completed doing whatever he needed to do to get them to Soul Society. They were going to get back Ichigo no matter the cost.