Bleach: Ketsurui: Deicide

Long Sleep
The entire region, surprisingly, was peaceful. In light of recent events, there should have been a buzzing of people desperately trying to get in and out of their homes. It had been about a month since Ahatake was cut down by the corpse of his mother, Gikeko Kurosaki, and surprisingly, Aku and Hiraishin had not yet made their move. Due to this, everyone in the Yūrei Ōkoku had become used to peace again. Everyone, except the Kurosaki Family and their long-staying guests.

The house was buzzing. Despite the fact that Ahatake was still unconscious, even after a month, everyone in the household was going about their daily activities, with two new additions. Kaemon and Asami Kurosaki, after staying out of touch with the Kurosaki Family for years, had arrived in the region and were now staying with their family, which meant the house was finally overpacked on residents. And Asami was busy ranting, as she had done since she had arrived a day ago and heard the news, about how useless Ahatake was, much to the chagrin of Kaemon.

"...and if that runt had listened to me more those hundred years ago, he wouldn't be in this state!" She was saying in a loud carrying voice.

Upstairs however, Ahatake was stirring. He rose slowly, his eyes opening to take in the light he had not seen for over a month. The first thing he noticed was the length of his hair. He frowned. It seemed no one had cut it while he was unconscious. He walked over to the window and opened it, looking outside. He breathed in fresh air, and his frown deepened.

"...and if he would just freakin' focus some more.."

Voices. And very familiar spiritual pressure. He walked over to a closet and donned one of the many suits he was accustomed to wearing, and slung Ryūseiga through the belt loop. He began to slowly descend the stairs, and Asami's voice hit him louder.

"...he's too weak to be much use for anything, I don't see why you even keep him around.."

"Shut up Mother." Ahatake said, making his presence known and moving some of the hair out of his eyes.

"Come now...." Megami laughed sheepishly, placing a hand to her bottom lip and putting on a weakened smile. "Why are you being so harsh? He's not that bad..." However, Taiki, who was leaning against the wall, was grinning calmly despite the harsh ranting given off by his step-grandmother. Clearly, he was amused at her words. Who knew that there was someone else who could belittle his father as well as he could? His eyes drifted towards Ahatake as he spoke those words.

"I'm out for a month and you let her in." Ahatake said, sighing. "Not the first person I wanted to see."

"Yeah, and seeing you brightens up my morning kid." Asami said sarcastically.

Rukia was looking back and forth bewildered by the exchange. These two were family, so shouldn't they be acting a bit more civil?

"Oi..." Taiki spoke up. "It was your fault for freezing up when the body attacked you. They might've not stayed as long as they did..." He pushed himself off of the wall. "Besides, ain't it a good ol' time to work out your differences and get along?" This statement was also meant to be a sarcastic one, but the casual tone he put up masked it well.

Ahatake ignored his son, calmly taking a seat down next to his father, his eyes slightly blank. Aoi turned to Ahatake. "Hey, Ahatake-jii, you feeling O.K?" She asked, tilting her head to get a better look at him.

"I feel fine." He said, his mind elsewhere however.

The two twins, as well as the two Captains, had been discussing something temporarily other than Ahatake. However, the younger of the pairs had broken off in order to check up on their former subject-of-discussion. Kyuui herself looked over at her grandfather, folding her arms across her chest. "Ojii..." She muttered, quirking both eyebrows slightly. "Have you noticed something about yourself? Your spiritual pressure's a bit off from normal..."

"Hm?" Ahatake turned his head in her direction. "Yes, I've noticed it. It's nothing to worry about. At least nothing for you all to worry about."

"....ok.... if you're sure...." Hesitantly, Kyuui turned away from and back to Aoi.

"Ukitake-san, Shunsui-san." Ahatake said, clearing his throat and slightly surprising the Captains. But they turned to him nonetheless. "I have to apologize for the events that happened in the last battle. When I saw my mother's body, I completely froze up. If I hadn't, we probably could have ended it right then and there."

"It's all right..." Ukitake said, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "No need to apologize. The reminder of a loved one can cause someone to do just that. I doubt anyone there would've not done the same in such a situation."

"Taiki wouldn't have." Ahatake said, his eyes shifting towards his son and back to Ukitake. "This time however, it's going to be different. I'm going to win this time."

"....you understand what you have to do?" Kyoraku allowed himself to question, folding his arms within his sleeves and staring questioningly at Ahatake. "You...we... have to cut that being down the next time we face it. There won't be any compromise... the look in her eyes already said that..."

"I know." Ahatake replied. "While I was out of it, I wasn't just lying there. Remember when I told you my Zanpakutō had a bitchy personality? She didn't take my loss very well."

This made Kyoraku chuckle. "And she managed to convince you otherwise?"

"That on top of beating the crap out of me." He said, chuckling as well. "Though, she'd call it training."

"Sounds like what I'd hear from the Punishment Force..."

"Anyway, I have some interesting news that'll liven this place up." Ahatake said, cricking his neck. "Hiraishin is getting ready to fight again."

That immediatately got everyone's attention - especially Ukitake and Kyoraku's (moreso in the matter's case). They turned to him expectantly, wondering how he had figured it out...

"I don't know how, but the moment I woke up, I felt a flood of spiritual pressure, coming from various individuals, you all included. I was able to detect Hiraishin's own energy amongst them. He knows I'm awake and he's getting ready for battle this time." He sighed. "The last few times, he was just having fun. This time, he's set on killing us."

"Oh, joy, as if that never happened before..." Taiki commented sarcastically. "What worse things could he do to us?"

Ahatake sighed. "It doesn't matter. What does matter is taking this opportunity to kill them now. And make up for the past failures." He said, he and Rukia both frowning.