STOP ME WHEN YOU'VE HAD ENOUGH

Ahem, Say Again

There are only two things Ichigo can think about. It's quite surprising of how little is on his mind, but it's true. He has to save his sisters and Rukia. He has to kill Aizen. That's all. That's it. Save the three most important people in his life, and murder the megalomaniac who threatens their lives by merely existing.

The Kurosaki Clinic is still - quiet. It's a little concerning, but that's only because Karin and Yuzu aren't the loud Kurosakis. Those would be Ichigo and Isshin.

Ichigo pauses. There's no signatures inside. His baby sisters are too new to the spiritual world to be able to master Reiatsu control. That means there's no one home. He panics a little in the back of his mind. Where could they be?

"Ichigo!" Rukia calls from the roof. "I sense them! The Shoten!"

"They're at the Shoten?" He asks himself. "Why?"

He reaches out and finds their signatures. It's like Rukia said. They're at the Shoten. Why's that? Did Isshin finally start taking action to protect his children from the spiritual monsters? The ginger finds that unlikely.

They make their way to the Shoten. It's so weird to be back in Karakura. It feels like forever ago when he was last here, but in reality, it's only been a couple weeks. He doesn't feel right here. This city was never meant to have Ichigo. He's too selfish.

He understands how he earned the "protector" title, but there's only been a small group of people he's been willing to protect. Rukia is definitely on the top of that list. Whoever else he knows he usually ends up planning their possible demise. Like the Vizard, for example. He's never much cared for the Vizard. He's never cared for the Gotei 13 either. They were only a means to an end to him.

Is Ichigo a villain? Not quite. He's more of an antihero than anything. He's simply here to play the game of afterlife. And he's not doing too bad, all things considered. And, hey, he'd never turn down the opportunity to save a life. He cares, but he just can't quite say he would give his life for them.

Rukia and Ichigo arrive at the Shoten. The place is warded up the ass. It almost hurts being here; which can only mean the wards are meant for Hollows. Smart on Kisuke's part, per usual. He approaches the front door, raising a hand to the wood, and ghosts his hand across the door. The door burns bright orange as it reacts to him.

"What is this?" Rukia questions, inspecting the wards.

"Hachi," the ginger deducts.

"The Vizard?" She quirks an eyebrow.

"That would be the one."

"It must react to Hollows. But... how does a part Hollow do that?"

"With help."

The couple whips their heads around. Tessai stands there with his hands raised. He's one word away from using kidō, yet it's clear he's hesitant. He's knows Rukia and Ichigo rather well. Even healed their wounds a couple of times. He doesn't want to hurt them. Ichigo abuses this fact.

"Tessai. Where are my sisters?"

"What did they do to you?" Tessai asks in his tough yet somehow gentle voice.

Again, with appearances. Ichigo can't quite complain.

"Nothing that wasn't already there."

Tessai doesn't look too sure. He takes a few hesitant steps back.

"Tessai, it's us. You know us," Rukia reasons.

"How do I know that maniac didn't brainwash you? How do I know you're not here to do harm?" He says through his teeth.