Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug, or Bleach. I do not make a cent off of this story. The only thing I own are my original characters.
The white haired woman looked down at the sleeping new born blonde boy, safely cradled in her arms. His tiny face scrunched up slightly before making a suckling motion, the woman smiled in spite of herself as she watched him, momentary a thought invaded her mind before she forced the intruding notion away from her. The baby, swaddled in various blankets to guard against the winter cold was to be raised elsewhere. His twin brother, who looked vastly different was wrapped in a similar fashion, eagerly devouring a bottle of reiatsu infused formula. The awake infant glanced over at her and even at this young age she could sense his reiatsu, he would grow up to be strong. Too strong to go where his brother was going. Was it a good idea to split them up? The thought intruded her mind again. She shook her head slightly as she forced the thought from her mind.
A male voice broke through her thoughts, "Tama?"
The white haired woman glanced at her childhood friend, a man of greater nobility, denoted by the expensive scarf worn around his neck, along with the fingerless white tekko that adorned his hands, and the three metal hair pieces called kenseikan in his hair. His steel grey eyes met her indigo blue and she let a soft sigh escape her.
"I worry for him," she confessed.
This did not surprise the man in the least, but instead caused him to offer a warm, gentle smile, an act that many would see as being unbecoming of him. He wasn't well known for showing his warmer side, the mere knowledge of that side of him existing was reserved only for those closest to him, who knew him well.
"I am uncertain of how successful this will be if their father escapes," the sixth squad Captain admitted.
He turned his attention back to the suckling infant in his own arms before continuing, "However, if we risk them both growing up here, in Soul Society, we risk not only our world, but the human world as well. It's our sworn duty to protect humans and soul society, alike, isn't it? Though he may not be of my lineage, neither is Rukia. I raised her, the best I could. I protected her as best as I could. I will do the same for this boy as if he were my own son. I take him as my son, and he will be raised as such."
Tama nodded a bit, inwardly wincing a bit as she felt her stomach churning, both from the thought of what they had to do as their sworn duty and a separate source. She relaxed once she felt her stomach settle without tossing, and mentally digested what her friend and superior had just said. He was right, of course. It was too dangerous to raise the both of the boys in soul society, though she gladly would've taken the weaker of the two on as her own. She also knew he was right about Rukia, his sister-in-law. Despite being a man of higher nobility, he had married a woman from Rukongai, someone who was as polar opposite in social status as you can possibly find, but he loved her. Loved her so dearly that when she confessed on her death bed to having abandoned a baby sister when she first came to soul society and that was the reason she often returned to the crime filled streets of Inuzuri in Rukongai to find her, he swore to her that he would find her sister, adopt her as his younger sister, raise, and protect her. He had done precisely that, Rukia was the apple of his eye. His one, true pride, the one person in soul society he openly protects directly. Even herself, having grown up with him on the Kuchiki grounds as his hired on bodyguard as children, and a friendship blossoming between them, he would only protect her indirectly through intensive training, but through his training she had managed to become the third seat of the second squad. A unit Captain, who heads the detention spire where the father of the infant boys was held, deep underground. She had recently put in a request to be transferred into the sixth squad, under the very Captain in front of her.
Byakuya's voice broke through her thoughts again, "Is that truly all that troubles you?"
Tama nodded for a moment, after realizing that the second wave of nausea was nothing more than nausea, the contents of her stomach would remain in place. Decidedly she answered, "Yes. I just- I wish I could adopt him as my own. Like you have for young Mamoru- I wish- I wish I could protect this child with my own life. Neither of these boys asked for their parentage it was fated to them. Just a cruel, ironic twist of destiny's hand for these innocent boys to be fathered by –" She swallowed, her voice softening to a near whisper, "- such a monster."
Her eyes betrayed her feelings all too well as a single tear slipped from her right eye, and rolled down her cheek, landing next to the sleeping baby's cheek. As if sensing her pain, the baby nuzzled in closer to her, gently cooing.
Byakuya studied the woman before him for a moment, before closing his eyes, "I wish we could chance that as well. The fact that Mamoru must never know of his brother weighs heavily on me. It's very similar to the promise I made to Hisana, that Rukia would never know of her. In the end, I couldn't keep that promise. I couldn't lie to my pride. Perhaps in time he will learn of his brother himself."
Tama looked to Byakuya, "You and I both know by the time Mamrou knows, his brother will have long passed on."
Byakuya was silent as he observed the child in Tama's arms, destined to grow up in the human world as one of them, in a specially designed gigai which would conceal his spiritual pressure, and turn him into a human.
"I think it's wrong to force that fate on him," Tama stated firmly.
The beginning of a sob caused her throat to tighten, "and yet—I'm hard pressed to see another way to protect everyone. It just isn't fair."
Byakuya did not respond, but instead changed the top by inquiring, "You have the miraculous to give to the humans?"
Tama nodded, biting her lip, "Yes. I suppose we should go. Madame and Monsieur Agreste will be waiting."
Byakuya gave a slight nod of his head, as he looked to the blonde haired child. As she walked by, Byakuya had a chance to place the now empty baby bottle down on the table, and gently took the young fair haired child's tiny hand into his own, as if willing some of his own resolve to transfer to the infant.
"Be blessed child. Defy your paternity and be just," he reminded the blond haired infant.
The baby responded to Byakuya's well wishes by rubbing the back of his hands against his face. Byakuya was torn as he simultaneously felt his heart leap and break. This may have been the decision of the majority of the Captains and Central 46, but that didn't mean by any sense that it sat right with him, yet like Tama, he saw no other way to ensure the safety of both worlds they'd vowed to protect, even at the cost of their own lives.
Minutes later Tama approached the Agreste Mansion in Paris France, far from Karakura Town Japan, and far enough, she hoped, from where Aizen would search for any descendants. The baby was now in a specialized gigai that would permit him to age, and grow as a normal human.
Charlotte Agreste a young red haired woman with sparkling sapphire blue eyes beamed with happiness at the sight of the baby.
"You're certain you're willing to take this on? You know the risks," Tama asked, assuring them as well as herself that they could still back out.
"Ten years of trying to have a child has been fruitless for us," Francois Agreste answered.
"We nearly had a son, years ago but—he was born too early to survive," Charlotte added as she held her arms out for the baby.
Tama carefully handed the young boy over to the woman he would now call his mother, the man beside her, now the boy's father, gently cradled his wife's arm from the side, looking at his new son adoringly.
Charlotte smiled delicately at the baby boy as she cuddled him close to herself while she gently cooed, "Welcome home, Alexandre. I'm going to be your maman. I will always, forever, protect you with everything I am, everything I have."
"I'm going to be your papa, I'll make sure you never want for anything, and teach you to do the same for your family," Francois added as he gently ran his fingers over the boy's soft blond peach fuzz on top of his head.
Tama felt her heart grow heavy as she held out two broaches, one which resembled a butterfly, and another which resembled a fanned peacock's tail.
"Speaking of that, these will help," Tama stated as she gave the broaches to Francois.
"They each have a kwami guardian… a sort of animalistic god like entity that will grant you power. By wearing the broaches you activate your Miraculous' Kwami, awakening them from slumber but—if those miraculous are ever stolen from you, you'll lose them. The butterfly Kwami is Nooroo, and the Peacock Kwami is Dasuu… they'll tell you more about themselves."
Francois nodded as he fastened the butterfly broach to his dress shirt and then concealed it with his tie.
Charlotte looked to Tama, tears shining in her eyes, "Thank you. Truly, Tama, thank you. You have no idea how much it means that you'd trust him to us."
Tama gave a small smile and nodded in the direction of baby Alexandre, "I'll be keeping an eye on him as well."
Charlotte smiled with a slight nod.
"This is the least I could do," Tama added.
The two humans looked to her, with inquisitive expressions.
Tama gave a soft smile before answering their silent question, "When the two of you took me in, and helped me recover after I was injured in that hollow attack. It's my duty to defend humans and whole spirits alike from hollows, whatever the cost. I've always been prepared to lay my life down for complete strangers. I never once expected that anyone in Paris would have the spiritual pressure you two possess… and I certainly wouldn't have expected you to open your door to a complete stranger, to nurse her back to health."
"You were very near death," Charlotte stated as she recalled that day, adding in, "And you rescued my sister. She gave birth to a little girl, shortly after. Do you recall?"
Tama nodded with a slight chuckle, "We'd told her that my name was Renee, and she named her daughter after me."
"As would I have, had I been my sister. My niece would never have been born if not for you. The least we could do was care for you when you were in need," Charlotte concluded.
Francois nodded in silent agreement with his wife.
Alexandre began to fuss in the blankets.
Tama gave a slight chuckle, "and parental duty summons you. Sounds like a hunger cry to me."
Charlotte beamed as she repositioned the baby so his head rested against her shoulder. She smiled at Tama again before turning and heading inside the Agreste Manor.
Francois gave Tama a deep bow before following his wife.
'Such humble hosts they even learned about Japanese mannerisms while I was living with them,' Tama thought to herself as she looked over the mansion. The security in place would keep out any would be thieves… but hollows, Arrancar, Aizen…. Only the Miraculous and the soul society would be able to protect the baby against those.
Tama gently placed a hand over her stomach. She then realized with a start what was about to happen. She flash stepped to a bush, her stomach's contents emptying into the plant as rapidly as the intense nausea had washed over her.
'Ugh, I hate being pregnant,' She thought to herself, gently wiping her mouth with a small cloth.
"Eat some bad sushi, did you?" A male voice inquired, lifting her hair back.
Tama froze for a moment before the sound of the voice registered.
"Following me, Abarai? I wouldn't want your wife getting the wrong idea," Tama replied.
Renji chuckled a bit as he shook his head 'no', "Nah. Rukia knows I only have eyes for her."
"Oh good," Tama replied, moving away from his grasp.
Renji thought quickly for a moment before his face deadpanned, and he glanced to her, "This isn't something you ate is it? You were prepared, with that cloth. You're pregnant?"
Tama looked over her shoulder at the sixth squad Lieutenant, "That stays between us. I haven't told the father yet."
Renji blinked a bit, "Tama- I know you're really independent and all but if there's another life inside of you—"
"Maybe more than just one other life," Tama interrupted.
She glanced up towards the sky, "I had a fraternal twin sister. She didn't live past childhood."
Renji's jaw dropped, and he began to focus, he then glanced to Tama realizing that she'd been concealing the spiritual pressure of her growing babies within her.
"How far along?"
Tama shrugged, "About two months. I'm unsure the father would even want to know."
"Let us help then? Let my Captain help," Renji offered.
Tama chuckled slightly before glancing at the red pineapple haired man, "our Captain, you mean. I'll consider it."
~~~~100 years later in soul society ~~~~
Tama watched mindfully as Rin, Tomoya, Sora, and Mamoru played on the Kuchiki compound. As she had feared Mamoru possessed a striking resemblance to his biological father. He'd also formed a very close friendship with Tama's eldest daughter, Rin. She was the elder daughter by a mere 30 minutes, however, then came Sora and then Tomoya 30 minutes after her.
Tama observed the three children for a moment, decidedly her daughters, Rin and Sora had both inherited their father's light skin tone and his steel grey eyes, which she'd excused off by saying that her mother had grey eyes. It had been true, even still Rin was most definitely the female embodiment of her father, though Tama would never openly admit this. The father had caught on to her pregnancy, but also sensed that she was going to take on parenthood on her own and hadn't tried to change her mind. Rather than that, he'd agreed to be their guardian should anything happen to her, and was frequently present whenever they encountered an obstacle that they couldn't face alone and their mother was unable to assist with.
The girls also had their mother's snow white hair, and her fiery attitude. Tomoya had his mother's skin tone, his father's jet black hair, and his mother's blue eyes. She was happy that for at least this moment, Mamoru was, just as her own were, a normal child enjoying time with his peers.
Tama's brow furrowed slightly as she called out, "Kids, watch the river, please."
As she said this, Rin tripped and began to fall towards the river. Tama readied herself to flash step but stopped when she saw Mamoru had grabbed onto Rin's wrist and pulled her towards himself. They fell back onto the grass, Mamoru landing on his back, and Rin wrapped protectively within his arms.
Tama relaxed and let a relieved smile come to her face.
"Sorry," Rin mumbled, a slight blush to her face.
Mamoru chuckled a bit as he gently tilted Rin's face to look up to him, "Are you alright, my lady?"
Rin blushed even more fiercely and nodded, "I'm fine."
Mamoru smiled and nodded, "That's all that matters."
~~~~50 years later in soul society~~~~
150 year old Rin clutched her Zanpakuto as she looked at her best friend, he'd blocked her from attacking directly. The chestnut haired boy with chocolate eyes watched as she began to shake, but still his left hand maintained its grasp on her blade. The vice grip on her weapon didn't lessen as he watched her internally fighting against the emotions that threatened to sweep over her. She, her siblings and Mamoru all resembled fifteen year old humans now. Of her siblings, Rin was undeniably the more elegant. She'd kept her hair long, decorating it in small sections with pearls her hair was half up. The portion of hair that was up was held in place by a large silver barrette which had a single large pearl at the center. The Zanpakuto was pure white, resembling white gold in appearance, with a snow white hilt, and a cat claw as a tsuba. She wore a sleeveless shihakushō with shortened hakama, which gave the appearance of a skirt, her obi was rose coloured with the 8th division lieutenant insignia on her right arm. On her left wrist was a pink woven bracelet.
"Rin, you know this has to be done," Mamoru stated as he brought his left hand up, and wiped away a stray tear from her right eye.
Rin bit her lip, a strangled sob escaping her throat, "Why?"
Mamoru's shoulders sagged slightly, "because otherwise there's no way to stop him."
Rin bit her lip harshly and gave a small nod. Mamoru gently kissed the top of her head, "I would rather die now, than live a thousand years without having known you. I'd rather give my life up, than watch yours end. Even when you knew the truth of who I am… you never changed towards me. How could I ever in good conscience let someone so pure sacrifice themselves when you're needed? When soul society, and the human world both need you?"
"We have a duty to both worlds. Let's get this done," She stated, her tone firm and even. Mamoru didn't need to consult his Zanpakuto to know that inside his best friend was screaming over the injustice of their situation. How had the enemy managed to escape Muken? Neither of them knew, but they knew they had to work together to uphold their sworn duty along with the Captains that gathered. Mamrou gently slipped off the 13th squad Lieutenant insignia from his right arm, handing it to Rin. Rin looked to him with tears threatening to pour from her as she shakily accepted the sacred item, knowing what this action meant.
'Forgive me, Rin. I never wished to cause you any pain,' Mamoru thought to himself, his own emotions grasping ahold of him before his eyes steeled, and his resolve held strong, eyeing the inhuman creature before him. Somewhere between a hollow and a Shinigami and that repulsive glow emitting from his chest, the rage within Mamoru's chest boiled at the sight of the creature before he let the anger strengthen his resolve. He turned fully to face the very thing that had caused all of the havoc that had led to several events in soul society, including his own existence.
With feral ferocity he bellowed out, "Aizen! Come and face me!"
Aizen flew at Mamoru, but the boy was prepared, activating his shikai and catching the villain of the soul society within a large yellow sphere with a single swing of his blade. Sweat began to bead off of the young shinigami's brow as he held that sphere. He held it until a single object dropped from it.
Rin flash stepped, snatching up the hogyoku and racing off with it. Mamoru dropped to his knees, panting as the sphere disappeared.
He breathed heavily for a moment, his blade embedded in Aizen's stomach. He found his voice.
"Bankai!"
Mamoru withdrew his blade, "Jikan no Mukankei."
"—Hakka no Togame," Rukia's voice called out.
Then in a flash everything around them turned into ice and white snow, the 13th squad Captain, Rukia Kuchiki had activated her bankai, trapping Aizen within it, but also leaving an ice sculpture of her adopted nephew and Lieutenant, Mamoru Kuchiki. Rukia slowly began to thaw as Sora and Tomoya looked on at the ice sculpture who had once been their best friend shattered to pieces. Sora buried her face into Tomoya's shirt, hiding her eyes from the sight as if trying to will it away. Tomoya gently rubbed his sister's back, feeling his own eyes sting with tears as the remains of their childhood friend along with his biological father blew away into thin air.
As he held onto his one sister, his mind drifted to the other with a single thought, 'Rin—where did you go?'
Jikan no Mukankei – Time Irrelevance.
