Death and the Strawberry's Circle
Kinda sad, but I think it is hopeful. Please note that I am following the manga on this. I wrote this with the mindset that all pairings follow Kubo sensei's manga. If you have, for some reason, not finished the manga, note there are minor spoilers. Please enjoy and leave any comments or questions you have.
Disclaimer: Don't cha know it? Bleach belongs Kubo sensei.
Two years after Ichigo's death at 98 years old.
Houses, carts, stalls and souls were smashed into pieces as the green hollow with blood dripping down its face tore through the dirty street of Rukongai's District 78. Its large spindle-like legs scrambled around in excitement as it chased a couple of kids fleeing for their lives. The kids, at most 12 or 13 years old, zig zagged around alleys and other souls. One of them was clutching a small blood soaked eyeball. Souls in dusty clothes, previously milling about, playing games, begging or stealing, screamed when they saw the hollow and ran for cover. This particular one had been tricky to catch due to its unusual speed and agility. Captain Rukia Kuchiki of the 13th Division had gone out to purify it this morning, but the kids had gotten in her way. Luckily for them, the screaming souls running here and there through the narrow streets made it hard for the hollow to catch up to them. Rukia cursed in frustration, she knew these streets by heart from her time here before she became a soul reaper. But in the general chaos, she was having a difficult time catching the hollow. If those stupid kids hadn't taken the hollow's left eye as a suicidal prank and run back home, then the hollow wouldn't be doing all this damage. In the back of her mind, Rukia thought about the amount paperwork this incident would bring. She grimaced.
The kids ducked around a pile of trash and were hidden from view. The hollow paused and screamed in pain and outrage as it looked for its missing eye. It couldn't find the kids. The streets were now deserted. Everyone had barred their doors and windows shut.
Rukia saw her chance. She scrambled up to the roof top, unsheathing her zanpakutō, as she went. The hollow turned at the sound of Rukia's movements. Rukia launched herself forward and slashed downward. She missed by a hair as the long-legged hollow scrambled backwards. It turned to flee. Rukia gritted her teeth. "Not on my watch!" Rukia flash-stepped, closing the distance. She slashed with Sode no Shirayuki. Blood splatted around her as the hollow's head split in half. The hollow dissolved.
Cheering rose up from the souls, who one by one came out of hiding. Rukia bowed then looked around for the two troublesome kids. There, they were trying to sneak away. Rukia darted after them. They ran for it.
They were quick, Rukia gave them that. But she caught them quickly by the ears. "Hey!" They yelled in pain.
"You stupid kids. What were you thinking?" Rukia shouted at them. "You could have gotten killed."
One of the boys with a bruise forming over his cheekbone sniffled. "We thought we could handle it. We wanted to help, Captain Kuchiki."
The other boy chimed in, "If we would be able to help, then maybe you could get us out of here. Maybe get us into the Shin'o Academy, so we can become captains like you."
Rukia's heart softened. They reminded her of herself and Renji when they were kids. She let go of their ears and squatted down. "Your courage is admirable." Their eyes lit up, "But I can't get you in the academy." Their eyes dimmed, looking down in disappointment.
"That is up to you. Train hard, stay out of too much trouble then go to the Seireitei. There is an entrance exam you have to take."
Their eyes brightened again. "Really?"
Rukia nodded, "Yes. Anyone can take the exam. You both have potential. You guys were able to get the hollow's eye right?"
The boy with the bruised eye looked down at his blood covered hand where the eyeball was. She smiled. The boys grinned back at her and bowed, "Thank you. We will go to the academy and be the best Shinigami ever!"
She opened her mouth to say something when she sensed a familiar spiritual pressure. It couldn't be…. "Well, I've got to go. Good luck." She jumped away onto a nearby roof. She looked back.
The boys waved to her, "Bye."
"See you later Captain."
Rukia's white captain's haori flapped behind her as she followed the familiar spiritual pressure of her friend.
Flashback: Four months and a few days after Ichigo Kurosaki's death
Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyoraku stood before the assembled captains in his horrifying pink and flowered kimono. His gleaming white teeth shone so brightly, Rukia wondered if he swallowed the sun. Captain Kyoraku was so laid-back that the fact that he had called a meeting guaranteed that every captain and lieutenant would attend.
"Why is the Captain-Commander so happy?" Renji asked Rukia when they entered headquarters.
"I don't know, but it's slightly unnerving. Although I guess it can't be anything bad."
They took their places. Rukia made sure that she put a little more distance than respectful between herself and Mayuri who was scowling. Judging by the green and red goo on the hem of his sleeve, he had had to leave his lab in a rush to attend the meeting.
"Captains," Captain Kyoraku said happily. "I have received news that Ichigo Kurosaki's soul has made it safely to the Soul Society."
"Hell Yah!" Captain Kenpatchi roared and nearly brained Captain Hitsugaya, who ducked around him. But Rukia caught his smile as the captain straightened.
Her brother Byakuya Kuchiki, eyes glinted, but otherwise didn't react. The Visored captains grinned at each other. Rukia looked over the lieutenants. Her eyes bugged as she caught sight of Renji, Matsumoto, and Kira all shaking each other by the shoulders and yelling excitedly. Ikkaku grinned evilly and said to Kiyone Kotetsu, "Now I can fight with him for a thousand years." Kiyone grimaced.
Blood rushed to her head and Rukia felt such a wave of relief and joy that she felt as though she was going to pass out right there. After she had performed konso (the process of sending a soul to the Soul Society or Hell by tapping the hilt of the zanpakutō to the soul's head) on her best friend, she had cried for hours. In her mind she knew that Ichigo was going to the Soul Society, but her heart did not understand. Renji, although he would deny it vigorously, also cried with her in their home.
Captain Kyoraku cleared his throat. When the noise died down he said, "So I believe that it's only proper to go and find his soul. Remember it is very likely that in traveling here, Kurosaki-san will no longer remember who he I,s and if he does, there is no guarantee that he would retain those memories. But we owe it to him to make sure that his afterlife is everything he would have wanted when he was alive. Captain Mayuri has run a few tests and is guessing-
"Concluded, I don't ever guess! I always know!" Captain Mayuri interrupted angrily.
"Very well, concluded that Kurosaki will appear somewhere in the District 78 because of his ties to Captain Rukia Kuchiki. When she transferred her powers into him the day she met Kurosaki, she forged a connection in their souls lasted even after his death. So it can be gathered that he will appear in the same place that Captain Kuchiki appeared when she arrived in the Soul Society. Also, because she tampered with his soul and forcefully awakened his Soul Reaper powers, Captain Mayuri concluded that Kurosaki will appear as the same age as when he first met Captain Kuchiki, as a fifteen years old. Although we have been notified that Kurosaki-san has arrived in the Soul Society, we are having a hard time locating him. I suggest that captains ask one member of their squad to look for him. You may look for him yourselves as long as you keep up with your other duties. When you have located him bring him to me. I believe that's it." Captain Kyoraku looked at his lieutenant Nanao Ise. Rukia was sure that he was silently asking Nanao if he had forgotten anything.
She seemed to be struggling not to roll her eyes. "That's all sir."
There was almost a stampede to get out of headquarters and start the search. Rukia immediately dashed off to her squad. A selfish feeling arose. She needed to be the one to find Ichigo. She was sure that she would be able to find him quickly. Her feet zipped over the ground, taking her to the Rukongai District 78.
(End of flashback)
That meeting had taken place four months ago and there had been no sign of Ichigo. Captain Mayuri swore up and down that he was in the Soul Society and in the 78th District. But Rukia knew the 78th District better than almost anyone in the Gotei, besides Renji. Both she and Renji had made patrols here, looking for Ichigo, neither could sense his presence. So much time had passed that Rukia feared that Ichigo had died here too and been reincarnated into the human world. If that happened, she knew that Ichigo would be gone forever.
Her feet pounded on the ground. Every step getting her closer to where she prayed was her friend was. The spiritual pressure surged and faded in intervals, like the flicking of a candle flame. Suddenly a purple frog-like hollow appeared in front of her and began also lumbering toward the tasty prospect of a highly powerful soul. Snarling, Rukia drew out her sword. Without even a single hesitation she slashed through the hollow's chest and kept running. The 78th District was large, and the soul was on the far edge of the district. Suddenly another hollow burst out from a rundown house. Rukia cut it down as well. Where were all these hollows suddenly coming from? Probably attracted to the source of the large spiritual pressure.
The edge of the district grew closer. Rukia burst out of the cluster of buildings into a cleared area. A river flowed at the edge of the district and standing at its bank was a young orange haired boy with his back turned to her. A lump rose in her throat. Ichigo, but something was off. Although his spiritual pressure was the same, he looked much too young. Captain Mayuri had said 15 years old. This boy looked 9 or 10 at most. Rukia reached out a hand toward him. There was a ripping sound as hollow clawed its way out in between the boy and soul reaper. A horrible blood red slimy thing which drooled. Steamed hissed out where the drool hit ground.
"No!" Rukia screamed, still too far away to do anything. The kid turned and shrieked. He staggereed backwards, tripped and fell. Rukia watched in horror, certain this child, her friend, was about to die, again, in front of her.
The boy's hand scrabbled in the dirt. A large stone lay nearby. He grasped it in his small hand and threw it at the hollow's head. Black and red reiatsu wrapped around the rock. Rukia's eyes widened as the rock wrapped in deadly reiatsu burned though the hollow's mask with a hiss. Slowly, the hollow dissolved into black dust particles.
Rukia sheathed her zanpakutō, and made her way toward the boy. He was curled into a fetal position, but uncurled as she approached. Big brown eyes looked up to meet hers. A flicker of recognition appeared, then faded. Rukia gave him her hand to help him up. As he stood, Rukia said, "Good job with the hollow. I'm Rukia Kuchiki, soul reaper and Captain of Squad 13."
The sun shone brightly overhead reflecting off the river, creating a glow around the two of them. The boy grinned up at her. A very familiar smile. "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki."
So that's it folks. I choose to have Ichigo come to the Soul Society as a 9 year old because that is when his mother died, his first connection to a hollow and death. I think that is nearly as key as his meeting with Rukia. I wanted Ichigo to have a new beginning, especially since he had such a full life. It didn't seem right to just continue as though he never died in the living world. I imagine that this soul is similar to alive Ichigo, but with differences. After all he does deserve as close to a new life in the afterlife as possible. Also because he is so young, his spirit energy is not as strong or familiar, so it would take his friends a while to find him. Although I didn't directly write it in the story, he retains small fragments of memory. Anyway, this arrangement seemed appropriate, plus I wanted Captain Mayuri to be wrong for once. Seriously that guy is creepy and almost always right in the end. I needed to change that.
I have posted a longer version of this called Strawberry Full Circle if you are interested as well.
Hope you enjoyed this piece. Feel free to message or comment if you like. Also if anyone wants to continue this, please feel free so long as you message me expressing your intention to do so. (So I can read and love it) ;) Peace out.