Found Child
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.
Notes: Semi-sequel, semi-alternate ending to Lost Child, but it's not necessary to read that to understand this fic.
While Sado Yasutora held his crying wife in his arms, another tale was just beginning in the Soul Society…
Sado Haya scowled as she ran from the old man. The Rukongai was a really tough place to live, especially for a little girl who had only died recently and was one of the few with spiritual power. She leapt over a fence, her spiritual power making her legs black, blue, and much larger and stronger than they normally were.
"Hey! Can I have some of that?" Haya skidded to a halt as she came across a strange man, the one who had talked to her. He had light hair, Haya couldn't tell if it was lavender or bright blue or white thanks to the sunlight, but he had a strange smile on his face and his eyes were nearly closed. He was in old, torn black robes that looked very much like the clothes shinigami wore.
"It was real hard to steal it, and I don't like stealing…" replied Haya, sitting next to the man anyway and handing him an apple. "But you can have this."
"Thanks…" The man took the apple and bit into it. "So… What's your name?"
"Sado Haya. What's yours. Mister?" asked Haya.
"… Ichimaru Gin…" The man's smile didn't fade, and while at first Haya was scared of the grin, she realized this man didn't seem too bad. Suddenly, the voice of the old man she had stolen from came.
"Where'd you go, you brat with giant feet?"
The girl in question's eyes widened.
"Mister, don't tell him I'm here!" Gin watched in some vague amusement as the girl crawled across the street, her feet and legs returning to what most likely their normal form, and hid in a box. Without taking any of the contents, Gin slid the basket of stolen food behind him. An old man soon came up to Gin.
"Hey there, you seen a little brat with huge feets?" asked the man. Gin, still smiling and his eyes still almost shut, shook his head.
"Sorry, sir, I haven't." replied Gin apologetically. The man spat at the ground in front of him.
"She came right by here, ya fool! You lowlifes are worthless!" spitting, the man ran off down the street. Moments passed, and then, Haya walked back over and sat down next to Gin, who then slid the basket towards her. She pushed it back.
"You can have some too mister." Gin blinked, though one really tell, and his smile grew ever so slightly, and he took another apple.
-
Sixteen years.
"Nii-san, why do you want me to become a shinigami?"
"Because, you have the ability. You'd make a good one."
"Why don't you become one then?"
"I used to be one. But I was exiled after I betrayed them. I don't regret it, but I'm not exactly proud of it. I followed my beliefs, nothing more."
"So… You're a bad guy?"
"Maybe."
"Hey… My uncle and aunt were shinigami when I was alive… Do you think if I became a really strong shinigami, I'd see them and get to see my parents again?"
A pause. No, this girl couldn't possibly be related to… Ah, it didn't matter. Anything was possibly, he knew that.
"Maybe."
-
Seventeen years
"You're not gonna take me to the school?"
"I can't enter the city. I was supposed to be sent to the living world, but I escaped… But I'd burn up and die if I entered it."
"Oh…"
"Here, take this."
"What is it… Hey! It's a Zanpakutou!"
"My old one. I won't tell you the name though, it might be different for you. As long as I hide in Soul Society and don't return to life, I can't use any spiritual energy."
There was ruffling.
"What are those?"
"Seals that won't come off until I enter a body. Goodbye."
"Wait, don't push me- Nii-san!"
"Goodbye."
She never saw him again.
-
Twenty one years
"Graduates, please step forward when your name is called to be presented with the standard shinigami clothes."
…
"Sado Haya."
-
Sixty three years
Sado Yasutora sighed as he stared at the ceiling. His life had been so very long, as had been Karin's, as opposed to Ichigo's and the others'. Ichigo had actually fulfilled some of his father's request, having passed away, almost but not quite old, not balding, but laughing merrily while Rukia played with their son, who had been born 'dead.'
He had heard Ichigo was the 13th Captain, Rukia as his Vice Captain. In fact, Yasutora knew as much, seeing as the fact that those two were now so important in the Soul Society and to the shinigami, that they were no longer able to visit the world of the living.
The only ones of that whole little "group" of people all affected by Ichigo had dwindled down. All that was left was the widowed Orihime, who was patiently awaiting when she would go to the Soul Society and find her husband again, Karin, and himself. Unfortunately, Karin had gotten a rare sickness and the couple had been unable to have another child. Of course, there was always after they died to try again…
He and Karin were in bed now, the latter sleeping. Then there was a crash and Karin woke with a start. Despite nearing her eighty fifth birthday, the woman was still in somewhat good health, as opposed to Yasutora, who needed to be moved via a wheelchair.
"Yasutora, that's the cry of a-."
A large monster appeared in their room, and Karin, who had broken her leg trying to teach Orihime's granddaughter to play soccer, could not get up. The monster flew at them, and Yasutora moved himself to cover Karin, but he found he couldn't… Of all the times to have a heart attack…!
"Shoot to death, Shinsou!"
As his vision began to grow blurry, Yasutora saw a blade pierce through the Hollow's head from behind, before the monster collapsed onto the ground. The last thing he saw was a girl with dark skin and curly black hair, in black robes and holding a long sword.
-
"Papa, the point of me saving you is that you don't die." murmured Haya with a chuckle as Yasutora opened his eyes.
"Where am I?" he asked, looking himself over. He looked younger. He felt younger.
"I waited for you to wake up so you could say goodbye to mama before you pass on." replied his daughter, who looked like she hadn't aged a day since her death. Well, she had a scar or two and had obviously become a shinigami, but besides that, she could have been the same girl in the picture by the smallest trophy in the trophy case.
Yasutora turned to his side, and saw his wife smiling, her eyes misty.
"You know, I should hurry up and die. I could sue a facelift like that." joked Karin. She kissed Yasutora, then hugged her daughter. "Well…"
"Goodbye, Karin…" murmured Yasutora, wrapping his wife in a hug. Two smaller arms encircled them, and the reunited family stayed like that for a moment, before the smallest pulled away and gave a hollow laugh.
"Nii-san was right…" murmured the shinigami. "Well, I'll see you up there, papa."
And with that, Haya tapped Yasutora's head with her bottom of her Zanpakutou, and after a bright flash, he was gone.
"Bye mama." said Haya. Karin smiled and laid back in bed.
"For now. Bye sweetie." Karin closed her eyes smiling, and Haya waited till she was sure her mother was asleep, before leaving to go back to her home.
Not two days later, Karin joined her family and the rest of them in the Soul Society.
End
EndNote: Considering continuing this into a longer fic about Gin and Haya, but don't get your hopes up, just assume it's over and pretend to be surprised if I ever update.