THE HITS KEEP COMING

Same Old Stuff Again

Ichigo and company gawks at the man who... has the same name as him? What? That's not confusing at all.

Masaki inches closer to Ichigo. She seems a little guarded in her stance. She's nervous about something. Did his so called "grandfather" threaten her? Who knows what they were talking about-well, other than him.

"Slaughter, the door," she orders.

Omor reluctantly releases his hold on his weapon. He searches the hallway for signs of life, and when he turns up empty, he pushes the set of doors closed. Masaki let's out a breath she was apparently holding. Her stance relaxes, but something about her still feels on edge.

What were they talking about?

His spirits share his curiosity.

"How the hell are you supposed to be my grandfather? I thought you must've been reincarnated by now or something," the prince questions.

His grandfather inspects him carefully, his mouth set to a hard line. He steps close to Ichigo, and looks down on him from his tall stature. His instincts tell him to hold his ground. That he does, and he stands a little taller for it.

"My daughter tells me you are a hybrid like her," the senior Kurosaki comments.

"I am," he replies.

"You've the blood of a Shinigami in you," he says, almost in a snarl. "You even wield a zanpakuto."

"What does Zangetsu have to do with this?"

"Father," Masaki warns. "He is blood."

"He's barely a Quincy," the man retorts.

"And yet, he's still a Quincy with the Kurosaki name."

"If only you hadn't taken to a Shinigami-"

"That Shinigami was more accepting of my Hollow making than the Quincy. All they did was throw me out. The Ishida family can hardly stand to look at me," Masaki snaps.

The older man sighs deeply. He keeps his eyes on Ichigo for a moment longer.

"You can call me Li. Ichigo is a family name, so I had to go by Li growing up."

"Nice to meet you, Li," the prince almost says sarcastically.

"Don't push it."

Li moves past Ichigo and Kokuto. He barely spares Omor a glance. He turns back to Masaki briefly before throwing open the doors.

"I'll see you again, Masaki."

And he's gone in a flash. The doors close from the gush of wind he leaves behind, and it leaves the room in a suffocating silence.

Ichigo stares at the doors, refusing to meet his mother's stare that drills holes into the back of his head. He knows very little about the late Hell's King, and it unnerves him. There are several portraits hanging up in the hallway leading to the throne room, and that man shares a face with one of those portraits. He knows its his grandfather's face, but Masaki never talks about the past enough to have learned anything to make that face more than a painting.

The prince can't help feeling a little betrayed. It feels like yesterday when he learned he has cousins from his dad's side. An now this? Another Quincy with the same hair and name as him? It leaves a bad taste in Ichigo's mouth.

"What now?" Kokuto asks Hell's Queen, although Ichigo can see the concerned glance sent his way from the corner of his eye.

"Gather Hell's Guard and its captain. We'll meet in the war room," Masaki orders.

"The war room?" Omor wrinkles his brow. "Your majesty, what did he say to you?"

"Nothing good."

"I'm afraid we bring more bad news," Kokuto sighs.

"What do you mean?"

"There's a siege under way in Hueco Mundo. We were on our way to let you know when..." The bandaged man gestures; to Ichigo or the door, who knows?

"Yes, my father mentioned something about Tier Harribel," she says while crossing her arms.

She's scowling at the floor, but everyone knows she's not actually scowling at the floor. He must've said some other wild shit following Tier Harribel. Her dad really didn't seem like much of a joy to react another way.

"What did he say?" Ichigo finally speaks.

Masaki glances over at him before giving an answer. "Something about the end of her reign."

The ginger prince grimaces. His balls his fists by his sides, no doubt turning his knuckles white. Tier Harribel was one of the very few realm rulers Ichigo trusts with his wife. To hear about her possible demise from a man he just learned to be his grandfather is not how he thought or wanted her to go out.

Ichigo leaves without another word. He needs to get a hold of Rukia. They both have to be in that war room when the meeting starts. Once again, it feels as though Rukia is the only one he can trust.

Rukia's spirit ribbon unravels gracefully. It lands softly in Ichigo's palm when Omor shows up. Without an exchange, the two wonder to Hell's Princess.

The castle is nothing short but a work of art. The corridors are long and decorated in red. The walls are made of plaster covered brick, and the floor is limestone. Scones are lit and beside every heavy timber door. The chandeliers are made from bones and chains of reincarnated sinners.

Lavish red rugs are rolled out in the center of each corridor. Paintings and mirrors hang along plaster walls, and skulls line the ceiling like crown molding. There are intricate carvings in the walls surrounding the paintings of Hell's past rulers. Timber supports that frame the walls and doors also have similar carvings.

The rugs stop at the door to one of the castle's many terraces. Rukia is sitting in the middle of the terraces with her back to the door. However, upon sensing Ichigo, she takes a break from—what looks like—her meditation. She twists her body to greet her husband, Sode no Shirayuki in her lap. Her smile drops when she sees his expression.

"What happened?" She frowns.

She stands, her powerful legs making her all the more elegant. She sheathes her zanpakuto and dismisses her meditation teacher. The teacher, Asa Ishida, rolls her eyes. She gives Ichigo a sour look as she exits the terrace. Omor closes the doors behind the older woman.

"Ichigo?" Rukia asks, concern laced in her voice. "What's the matter?"

Ichigo takes a gulp of air. "We're going to war."