"As you all know, the current Captain of the 10th Division now is Toshiro Hitsugaya. However, before this and before he even entered the Division, I was the Captain. In fact, it was the same time era in which good old Urahara and Yoruichi were Captains. Of course, Urahara was in charge of the 12th Division with Yoruichi in charge of the 2nd Division. Not to mention Byakuya wasn't even there yet...his grandfather Ginrei was in charge of the 6th Division. He was a nice fellow."

"Cut the story short and stay on topic," Kukaku growled. She had no patience for the man in front of her. She didn't even want to refer to him as her brother.

Isshin nodded. "Anyway, our clan was like the other two. We were on par with the Kuchiki's and Shihoins in terms of nobility. In fact, I dare say we were the superior one."

"Hard to think that knowing our specialty is in fireworks now," Ganju muttered.

Isshin shrugged. "To get more straightforward with the story I'll start off with the time I had trouble with our clan. I was the Former Head of the clan taking after our elder father who could no longer manage the position, and was asked to step down by the other twelve seated members. He willingly agreed knowing his eldest son would be in charge. At that time, Kaien was a young boy still enrolled in the Shinigami Academy while you, Kukaku, were still a little kiddo. Ganju wasn't much older either. He was toddler status from what I can remember. As it all goes, for Shiba members you had to prove you had a place within the clan. If you can guess where I am getting at, it's that for those that were denied, they were in other words, forced to be outcasts. Shunned by the elders and asked to leave to live among those within Rukongai as normal souls."

Ichigo sat with his tea in his hands. It was now cold. He merely gazed at it while listening to the story. He wondered why his father didn't change it so that no one had to be banned from the Shiba Clan.

Isshin took another sip before continuing on with his story. "Disappearances started happening in Rukongai randomly from all the Districts. Especially in the outer ones. The poorest ones. It wasn't apparent at first until reports showed it at the 12th Division, and a meeting was called so that every Captain could be fully informed of the situation. Somehow the souls were being taken from Rukongai right under our very noses. No one reported seeing anything. It was then that the Captain Commander ordered us into groups so that would scan through assigned Districts for clues or leads as to the cause of the disappearances. It was of extreme importance because at the rate the disappearances were happening, it wouldn't be long before the balance between Soul Society and the human world would reach a dangerous difference. "

"Why did you just skip to this part after talking about our clan? Better yet, how is this anywhere near explaining to why you abandoned us!?" Kukaku exclaimed.

Isshin raised his hand telling her to stay quiet. He wasn't nearly finished talking yet. "I was grouped up with Ukitake and Ginrei at the time. I told them I had a hunch as to what could be partial cause to what was occurring because I picked up numerous spiritual pressure residues in the places we scanned in the designated area. While I could not pinpoint exactly who they belonged to, I knew that they belonged to the Shiba family. The only reasonable conclusion was that it was those that couldn't be accepted into the clan. I knew they were up to something and it wasn't going to be very welcoming to neither Soul Society, nor our noble house."

Isshin got up from his seated position to lean against the wall. He had his arms crossed and his gaze was steady as if he were recollecting his thoughts.

"Now that I think about it, this incident happened around the same time we lost a great deal of captains and lieutenants. You know them now as the Vizoreds Ichigo. The ones that helped you…deal with your problems."

Ichigo clenched his fists. "That was the time Aizen was experimenting wasn't it?"

"I would assume so. While those remaining Captains were out, I had already been doing routine runs through my own research on the incidents that were occurring, and it led me to the human world. Ginrei had accompanied me but had found nothing either. We went back to Soul Society using my senkaimon. During that time though I was unprepared...so unprepared and to this day I still can't accept my mistake."

Ichigo in all his life had never seen his father so beat down. It was scaring him. "What mistake old man?"

"I left the clan for one day to investigate a lead that I thought would get me to the culprits...only to come back to a massacre. Every Shiba member dead within our humble estate. I had seen wars and deaths many times before, but a man can only take so much seeing his own kin dead. It shook me to the bone. It made me question if even I could live on after the ordeal."

Isshin clenched on to his Zanpakuto as if he were using it for support. The strength he needed to continue on with the story.

"I panicked while I searched the area. I went through the estate and into the mansion searching for you guys. I stopped as soon as I entered and saw a Haori on the floor. It wasn't mine, and it was blood stained and torn, yet the Division symbol on it was clearly visible. I didn't have to look any farther before setting my eyes on Ukitake. He was crumpled in a heap, his spiritual pressure dangerously low. Unfortunately the walls of the mansion are made of the sekki sekki stone, and it attributed to him being undetected. Otherwise I'm sure that someone else in the Court Guard Squad would have been alerted immediately."

Everyone in the room was quiet. Far too enveloped into the story to speak.

XXXXxxxXXXX

Meanwhile, outside in the open field of grass the rest of the group remained.

"Hmm I think it be best if you returned to the shop Tessai. It seems we won't be needing your help," Urahara said.

Tessai fixed his glasses and merely nodded before using shunpo to leave the vicinity.

What do you mean we won't need his help?" Karin asked. Yuzu didn't seem to notice as she was too involved in a conversation with Captain Ukitake.

"If you haven't noticed that spiritual pressure coming towards us then I don't know what to tell you other than to look that way." Urahara pointed in the direction of Soul Society. Karin could see three little blobs in the distance at first. As they came closer she realized who they were.

"That looks like Rukia and Yoruichi, but who is the other woman?"

Urahara chuckled. "That is Byakuya and he isn't a woman. Thought I should clear that up before he gets here. Not someone to take lightly I'll tell you that."

"Yuzu! Karin!" Rukia yelled as she waved her hand madly.

"Rukia!" they both yelled in unison. They ran up to her and threw themselves against her. It had been a long time since they had seen her. She felt like an older sister to them.

"Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to pay a surprise visit to Sui-Feng and see how the Omnitsukido and 2nd Division are running." And as quickly as Yoruichi arrived, she left in the blink of an eye like the true Flash Master.

Byakuya merely ignored her. He looked somewhat relieved she was gone. "Ukitake-tiacho, I see your presence was required as well in this...neglected area." He peered at the house in the back. Very odd indeed, and rather hard to believe that the Shiba Clan only had that to live in. Nothing compared to his luxurious mansion.

"Yes of course. I assume Yoruichi forced you to come here."

Byakuya closed his eyes. "It was not the only reason. I planned to take care of Rukia for the day as you asked and she was adamant in coming here."

Ukitake sweat dropped. "Well it was just a favor. I didn't expect you to neglect your duties for it. Regardless, you are very much obligated to stay now."

"Why is that?"

"You will find out soon enough."

XXXXXxxxXXXXX

"Hmm where was I in the story?" Isshin questioned before snapping his finger. "Ah! Right."

"Yes our home was made of sekki sekki material for the purpose of protecting our clan as much as our secrecy. Little did we know it would contribute in our downfall and at that point leave it so that Ukitake couldn't be detected until it was almost too late. I could still remember Ginrei swiftly making hand signs to use Tenteikura in order to relay a mass distance message to the divisions within reach.

"Attention! Invasion within Soul Society by unknown enemy. May still be at large. Need 4th division and Unohana-taicho to lend aid and support immediately to the Shiba manor. Numerous casualties and injuries including Ukitake-tiacho. Commence an emergency meeting at 1st division with remaining captains!"

Ginrei clapped his hands to end the message kido before speaking once more. "Isshin! Don't let emotions hinder your sight. We have to find the culprits and subdue them before they hurt more people."

"I'm not. Emotions are but a burden. Ginrei I need you to do something. Obviously they will come back to kill me. I need you to take Ukitake out of here and get him to Unohana-tiacho sooner. Kaien is in school right now and Kukaku and Ganju are at my division with my lieutenant stuck babysitting them. They are what's left of my family and I can't bare to lose them."

"Isshin you can't order me to go and fetch-"

Isshin grabbed the other captain's arm in a strong grip. "No Ginrei. I am begging you to do this for me. Kaien is old enough to understand what is in this letter. Give him this letter for me." He reached into his shihakusho to remove the crumpled letter. "If anything, the Shiba clan's history shall be shrouded with time. The way we ran our clan is what caused this mess. I should have fixed it from when I took position to lead this noble family. I'm going to take care of the problem and if I don't return, then relay the news that I'm dead."

"Damn it Isshin! Going on your own is against direct protocol. A man such as myself cannot allow such a thing but…" Ginrei looked on at the bodies surrounding him. He imagined if it were his own clan and gripped the letter Isshin gave him tighter. "Go and get out of here now before anyone else arrives or before I stop you. Don't worry. I'll take care to deliver this."

"Thank you Kuchiki-taicho."

From there I went and caught up with Kisuke, Yoruichi, and Tessai, only to find the captains and lieutenants that had been affected by this menacing hollow transformation. I knew it wasn't all the work of the Shiba outcasts at that point. This move was a planned move from within. Someone else was helping them. Regardless, as I helped transfer the Vizoreds, more masked foe surrounded us. The leader of the masked men had the Shiba emblem carved into his arm with a slash running through it. A clear indicator of a forgotten member. All of them wore blood red robes with black sashes excluding the obvious shinigami that were with them.

Isshin, having lost his usual calm demeanor, yelled at the assailants. "You bastards! Why? Why are you doing this now?"

"If we are considered to be nothing, then those that have the same bloodline shall be nothing. Noble or not. As for those captains, we had nothing to do with it, but our friend here needed help so we obliged. The Shiba clan had it coming for a long time and you, the piece of trash leader, couldn't do anything about it," the masked man in front cackled menacingly.

"I'll hold these guys off. Get the Captains to the human world now and I'll catch up to you when I'm through."

"Are you sure?" Yoruichi asked. "You're outnumbered in case you didn't count."

"Yes." Isshin let out an explosion of reiatsu that surrounded him and made his nearest enemies crumple. All except three masked figures standing together. The one that spit out the words earlier and the taller guy next to him with another man resting on a knee as he calmly cleaned the blood off his zanpakuto.

Surfacing back from the past, Isshin summarized the rest of the story. "I battled with the masked figures hoping my spiritual pressure would attract the other remaining Captains, but one of them threw out their sword and opened a senkaimon. I knew it was a captain then. The taller man used a kido with no incantation to force me into the senkaimon. That's when I knew it was another captain level person. Except they never surfaced into the Dangai with me other than the hooded figure that had clearly indicated his hatred for the Shiba clan with that pitiful marking etched into his arm. The last thing I remember from that was having to destroy the Kotetsu that was barreling straight for us in the Dangai. It never failed in having the perfect timing. It gave him the perfect opportunity to attack me when I was occupied. It was all a blur from then on. I just remember falling into the human world, unable to stop myself, and someone caught me just before I hit the ground on the outskirts of Karakura town."

"Well we know now that two of them happened to be Aizen and Gin," Ichigo said bitterly.

Isshin merely grunted in agreement before falling silent.

"Why then did you tell Ginrei to report that you had died? Why didn't you just come back to us?" Kukaku asked just a moment later.

"Because it was evident that someone within Soul Society was being a traitor. If I had stayed, they would have attempted to kill me. I wouldn't have cared if they killed me. I cared if they got to you guys. Without me there they knew the clan was useless. The letter I gave Kaien informed him of my findings beforehand, and why in the event that the letter was given to him, how he needed to react. I gave the order to our brother to leave the Shiba Clan in shambles instead of building it back up, and for you guys to live a low key life. I told him to seek the help of Ginrei and Ukitake to seal the Mansion away and hide the manuscripts that we kept."

"You couldn't report back anything else or send someone back and forth to tell us you were alright in the human world? Or you could have secretly visited. I don't understand."

"I had planned that Kukaku, but I never planned to lose my powers. Destroying the Kotetsu and touching the edge of the Dangai stripped me of what made me a Captain. Of what made me a protector. Urahara had no answer for how I could get my powers back. Heck, he was banned from Soul Society himself after the incident."

Ichigo gave a pondering look toward his father. He remembered something. "Old Yamamoto mentioned that he had been sworn to secrecy and that no one else was supposed to tell me anything. How did you make that even happen when you couldn't communicate?"

"Good question. Expected you to ask me that sooner or later. Well obviously when you came in all high and mighty trying to save your girlfriend Rukia they didn't know who the heck you were other then as the pesky ryoka."

Ichigo turned a scarlet red. "She isn't my girlfriend for like the hundredth time."

"Oh whatever my son. Anyways, the only time I had the chance to tell them was when we had to face Aizen and his group in the fake town that Urahara had implemented. When you lost your powers that was when I got together with the ones that had been around at that time frame and told them not to inform you about it. Ukitake, Kyoraku, Vizoreds, Kurosutchi, and you get the idea. Of course no need to inform Byakuya, Rukia, and the newer folk like Matsumoto, Renji, and the shorty Toshiro. Afterall, Aizen and Gin were two of the culprits that we got that day. We just needed to find that last one."

"Well then old man Yamamoto couldn't keep that from me for long could he?"

"Nope suppose not. I figured as much that someone would tell you anyway. It was just a matter of time. Partially because the same event is happening again. People in Soul Society are going missing without a trace."

"What why?"

"That last person in cahoots with Aizen of course. Apparently Yamamoto fears we have another possible battle at hand and he wants you here in case it happens. It was pointless to keep the clan origin a secret from you now since we have to open up the mansion."

"I'm so confused. Why reveal everything you sealed away and took a great deal to hide?"

"The goal of Aizen was to get to the Soul King and the royal guards. The manuscripts in the Shiba mansion hold information about one of the royal guards. I lied when I said our ancestry was long gone. It's held in those manuscripts and now I believe it holds more than what it reveals to the naked eye. I think Aizen and that traitor ex Shiba member know that. Since Aizen failed I believe it won't be long before the other guy makes an attempt for it."

Ichigo sighed. "So to get this straight, our mansion basically holds something that could cause the destruction of Soul Society just like the creation of the hogyaku. Great. Why do we have crap like this around? Seriously, what's so hard about destroying it?"

Kukaku nodded in agreement. "I guess we just enjoy having enemies all the time to give the Captains something to do and for the royal guards and King to watch in amusement above," she said sarcastically.

"Dad I'm wondering then… who caught you when you fell? I'd assume it wasn't that traitor,"

"No it wasn't that bastard. The person that happened to catch me was your mother," he chuckled. "Well that was how we met at least. Not the most romantic of ways I suppose."

Ichigo folded his arms. "Mom, a normal human, caught your big butt and kept you from falling?"

"When did I ever say she was human?" he countered.

"What?"

"That story is for another time. Right now I'm just waiting for my sister and brother to answer me. Then I'll know what I need to do next."

Ganju was the first to get up. He ran to Isshin and gave him a brotherly embrace that was hard to forget. "I forgive you! Does this mean I don't have to listen to onee-saan and have her torture me and my pig now?"

Kukaku hit him in the temple hard with her prosthetic arm. "You imbecile little brother! I don't care if he is my older brother too. I am still going to boss you around!" Kukaku stared Isshin down for a moment, contemplating what to do. She them acknowledged him by punching his arm. She never was the soft type. "Guess all is done with. Glad to have you back brother."

Isshin sported his smile. "Not the sentimental type Kukaku. Should have seen that coming. You never cried as a kid that's for sure. Tough as nails."

"You know it."

XXXXxxxxXXXXX

A shroud of mist rapidly enveloped outside the Shiba house. It would normally be okay if it hadn't happened in broad daylight with near perfect weather.

"Well what odd weather Soul Society is having today," Urahara remarked.

Byakuya put his hand on his sheathed zanpakuto. "Ukitake-taicho, I believe we have company."

Ukitake moved in front of Yuzu and Karin with Rukia standing alert in the back. "The problem is where they are."

"Right here!" and with that Ukitake received a front slash from someones sword before he could even react. It wasn't deep, but enough to draw blood and stain his haori. The laughter of the assailant rang through the mist. "And I thought you were a Captain!"

Rukia gripped Yuzu and Karin tighter behind her. Ichigo needed to finish his little reunion fast because they needed him. She made her spiritual pressure fluctuate, hoping he would miraculously catch on.

Tenteikura - "Heavenly Rickshaws in Silken Air" . Bakudo #77 spell where it transmits one's voice to different people simultaneously.