A/N – This fanfic is my take on the next generation of Bleach that I have been mulling over for the last couple of weeks. It continues on from my one-shot Strawberry Reaper taking place about a year after that and follows Ichika, Kazui, and Nemuri. I do not think is necessary to read the one-shot, but I would recommend it so that everything in this story is completely clear. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it.
Death and Fireflies
Chapter 1 - Red on the Run
The moment Abarai Ichika stopped in front of her house she knew that something terrible had happened. There were many Shinigami standing around the Kuchiki compound and there was a thick air of anxiety in the surroundings.
Making her way into her home, the redhead recognized the members from the 6th Division and some of the 13th, but everyone who met her purple eyes quickly turned away from her. "What's going on…?" The girl asked herself as she searched for her parents or her uncle.
It had been a year since the battle against the Gillian Menos, Howlgrave, in which Ichika finally proved to everyone in her Division and the rest of the Gotei 13, albeit with some help, that she was more than the daughter of a pair of heroes. Things had started to look up for the young woman since then. Her uncle had finally realized that she did not need to be kept under constant protection, so Ichika was finally assigned missions that were more fitting to her skill level.
In just a year's time, the redhead had risen all the way to the 8th Seat of the 6th Division.
Now she had just returned from a Hollow extermination mission in the living world. The young Shinigami had immediately headed for her squad's barracks to give her uncle her report. She had been very surprised to find the 6th Division's offices almost completely deserted and not sign of her Captain anywhere. That was when she decided to simply head home, after all, her report was not time sensitive and, with any luck, her uncle would be at the Kuchiki compound already.
Back to the search for her family, Ichika was starting to get frustrated, not only with her inability to find her parents, but also with the fact that all the other people loitering around kept giving her anxious looks when they thought she was not looking.
"Ichika-san?" The redhead heard her name being called out and immediately turned towards the source of the voice. A nervous looking Shinigami with disheveled dark grey hair walked towards her.
The Abarai immediately recognized the man as her squad's 4th Seat, Ayatsuri Tsusha. The girl had always liked the grey haired man. Despite ranking quite high in the division, he was always respectful with the rest of his teammates and referred to them with honorifics. However, at the moment, the amiable man looked as anxious and jittering as everyone else invading the Kuchiki household.
"What's going on, Tsusha?" Before the young man could answer the girl's question, noise started to be heard from down the hall.
The 4th Seat looked nervously towards the noise. "Quickly, Ichika-san, you have to hide!" He said urgently and, before the girl could protest he dragged the redhead into one of the rooms to the side.
"What's happening…?!" The redhead tried to ask again, but Tsusha pleadingly gave her a sign asking her to stay quite before sliding the door almost all the way close until there was only a slim gap to look out into the hall.
Ichika peered into the hall just in time to seen a group of Shinigami walking authoritatively. The girl recognized Central 46 insignia strapped around their left arm. After the war 20 years ago, Central created a new Shinigami force outside the Gotei 13, and even the Onmitsukido, that answered directly to them, the Shikko Buntai, and they were always dispatched whenever Central wanted to circumvent the Captain Commander or one of the noble houses. Needles to say, their presence always meant trouble.
Before the young woman could ask why the enforcers were here, her eyes widen in shock and she was stun into silence.
Right in the middle of the Shikko Buntai walked Kuchiki Rukia.
The 13th Division Captain walked with a steady step, head held high, and strong eyes, but there was not mistaken what was happening.
"This… This… This…" Ichika tried to speak for her mouth would not make actual phrases.
Suddenly, Rukia's gaze darted to the side and fixated on her daughters eyes. The look that the redhead received from her mother was so charged that she could not even begin to decipher it.
Tsusha's hand grabbed the young woman by the shoulder and pulled her back before fully closing the door. "Ichika-san, you have to listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you." The man said.
It took several moments for the Abarai to muster enough concentration in order hone her attention in on the 4th Seat.
"Earlier today… Central 46 sent the Shikko Buntai to the barracks to arrest your father." The gray haired man revealed. "They claim that Abarai-san broke into the Pillar and tried to destroy the King's Lynchpin." He said.
Ichika heard the words from her squadmate, but they did not make sense to her. The King's Lynchpin was some sort of device created by the current and former Captains of the 12th Division and one of members from the Royal Guard to hold Soul Society together in the absence of the Soul King, and it was housed in the fortify structure known as the Pillar because of how frail and unstable it was. The idea that anyone in the Gotei 13, let alone Abarai Renji, would try to destroy it simply did not make any sense to the young girl.
"My… My father… Where is he?" The redhead barely managed to ask.
"I don't really know… Nobody knows." Tsusha responded. "The Shikko, and us at the Division, searched for him, but this is all we could find…" The man said as he brought out a Lieutenant's badge with a camellia flower on it.
Slowly, Ichika reached out for her father's badge. "That's… Impossible…" She whispered through her disbelief.
"The Captain immediately headed to Central to find out exactly what was going on." The 4th Seat said as he let the girl take the badge from his hand. "But while he was away, we got word that the Shikko Buntai was coming here with orders to take your mother into custody under suspicion of being an accomplice." The man explained to the shellshock redhead.
"What is the meaning of this?!" A booming voice was suddenly heard right before a powerful and aggressive spiritual pressure washed over the Kuchiki compound.
The outburst snapped Ichika out of her trance. The redhead had never heard her uncle that angry or felt him release that much spiritual power.
The girl tried to move to leave the room, but was stopped by Tsusha. "You can't go, Ichika-san. We can't let them see you." The young man said.
"Why not?! I want to find out what's going on!" The young woman exclaimed.
A sigh escaped the gray haired man. "You have to understand, Central 46 sees your uncle as one of their biggest problems. Being a Captain and the head of a noble family gives him too much influence for Central's liking…" He began to explain. "Normally, they can't do anything directly to him, but Central is sure to take advantage of his situation reel in Captain Kuchiki and put him under their control… If the Shikko sees you, they're certain to take you as well so they can use you against him later."
Ichika gritted her teeth. She had heard her parents talking about the tension between the Kuchiki clan and Central, so the 4th Seat's words made sense. "So what do I do?" She asked.
Giving the door a quick look as if to check they were not being spied on, Tsusha move closer to the redhead. "Go back to the 6th Division's barracks… Behind the main building you'll find an emergency gate to the living world waiting." He said under his breath as he produced a Hell Butterfly from his uniform, which immediately floated to the redhead's shoulder. "You need to find your father… He's the only one that can resolve this." The young man said.
"But, where is he? How do I find him?" Ichika asked desperately.
"We hear the Shikko Buntai talk about a large area appearing in the Valley of Screams… It could be that they suspect Abarai-san to be there… It's the only clue we have at the moment." Tsusha informed. "You need to find a way to get to him… Now go, while they're distracted with the Captain."
Shaking her head in an attempt to put her thoughts in order, Ichika was left with no other option but to follow the 4th Seat's plan. Still clutching her father's badge, redhead climbed out of the window to leave the compound, and dashed straight towards her Division's barracks.
The gate had been exactly where Tsusha said it would be. Ichika had not wasted any time before rushing though it and running all the way to the living world without delay. Once on the other side, there was only one place that the redhead could think of going in a time like this.
All her life she had grown up hearing the stories of what her parents had accomplished with the help of their friends from the living world and every time she had come here on a mission, the young woman knew that there was always a place that she could got to for help no matter what: the Kurosaki household.
So Ichika had made a beeline for their house. It was already evening when she arrived at the world of the living, so she knew there was a better chance of finding them there than at the clinic. She had been correct as Kurosaki Ichigo himself had answered the door.
Now, the redhead sat across the orange hared man and his wife in their living room, having just finished retelling everything that Tsusha had said to her. "Please, Kurosaki-san… You have to help me! My parents couldn't have possible done any of this!" The girl he begged desperately as she did not like what she was seeing.
Ichigo had a very pronounced scowl and a very hard look in his eyes, meanwhile Orihime was downcast and she was chewing her lower lip.
"Please…" Ichika repeated after the pair remained silent for a full minute.
Sighing, Ichigo leaned back against the sofa. "Damn it, Renji… Just what the hell have you gotten yourself into?" He wondered out loud as his gaze drifted upward.
"You'll help me, right?" The girl tried to get a confirmation again.
The man's brown eyes returned to the redhead and regarded her for a couple of seconds. "Renji and Rukia are among my closest friends." The doctor started to say. "We've been through so much that the three of you are practically part of our family."
A smile started to appear in Ichika's face. Finally, a small ray of hope had appeared in this chaotic day.
"However… I cannot get involve this time." Ichigo stated.
As soon as the words registered in the girl's mind, her eyes widened in disbelief. "What?! Why can't you help us?!" She demanded to know.
Ichigo's eyes remained resolute. "I cannot be as reckless as I was in my youth. I too have a family to protect and to say that the relationship between us and Central is strained would be sugarcoating it." He explained.
This much the girl knew it was true. She had heard her parents talking about the big fuss Central had made when Kazui was born with such a high spiritual power and then again when the Kurosaki twins were born. This, and the increase distrust from Central, had damaged the Kurosaki's relationship with Soul Society as a whole. Ichigo still carried out his duties as a Substitute Shinigami and went over to visit every so often, but very rarely got involved with Soul Society in any official capacity.
"But… My parents…" Ichika tried to say. She desperately wanted to convince the person in front of her, the man she had grown up seeing as a living legend, to help save her family.
"Ichika-chan…" Orihime also attempted to say something, but her words never made it out.
"Renji is a very strong guy… Wherever he is, I'm sure he can take care of himself." The orange haired doctor said. "Meanwhile, Rukia knows how to deal with Central's BS, plus she has Byakuya with her, and he's not going to let Central do whatever they want to this time." He pointed out.
By now, the redhead was shaking in a mixture of fear and anger. "So you're not going to help me?" She asked in a quiet voice barely above a whisper.
Another sigh escaped the older Shinigami. "I'm sorry, but like I said, I cannot get involved in a fight against Central 46 right now." He explained.
Suddenly, Ichika stood up. "Fine!" She yelled. "I'll find my father myself…" She said before starting to walk towards the door.
"Ichika-chan! Wait up!" Orihime called out after her.
Ignoring the auburn haired woman, the girl opened the front door. "All those stories about you were lies…" She said before darting out of the house.
Tears ran down the redhead's cheeks as she sped away from the Kurosaki house. She was angry at Kurosaki Ichigo for turning his back on her, she was angry at her parents from getting into this mess, she was angry at the world for doing this to her, but mostly she was angry at herself for being so scared.
Fear had overwhelmed the young woman the moment she stepped out of the Kurosaki household. For the first time since the situation started she felt its entire weight crashing down on it. She now realized just how alone and adrift she truly was.
Ichika continue running without at set destination. The girl had no idea how to track her father down, or even how to get into the Valley of Screams in the first place.
After several minutes of aimless running, the Shinigami became aware of a presence following her. Focusing on it, the girl realized that there were about half a dozen sources of spiritual pressure on her trail. "Tch… The Shikko Buntai… They found me." She stated before speeding up her pace.
No matter how fast she ran, the girl could not shake off Central's enforcers. With no other choice, Ichika turned towards the forest.
Once she reached a clearing far away from the town, the redhead suddenly stopped, turned around, and planted her feet on the ground. "Come out!" She called out. "I know that you are there!"
A couple of seconds of silence went by before six Shinigami appeared at the edge of the clearing. "Abarai Ichika… By order of Central 46, we are here to take you into custody." The man in the front declared.
Ichika glared at the enforcer. "I'm sorry, but I'm very busy at the moment." She responded as her hand slowly moved towards her Zanpakuto strapped to her waist.
Noticing the girl's intentions, another member of the Shikko Buntai stepped forward. "Remember that we are here representing Central. Raising your blade against us is the same as raising it against them." She said.
The redhead grimaced. Ichika knew that even if her family was clear of all charges, she could still be punished for fighting against the enforcer squad. However, she was also aware of the fact that law only applied if she released her Zanpakuto, so with that thought in mind, the young woman unsheathed Taiden Hotaro from its scabbard.
Without hesitation, all six members of the Shikko Buntai charged forward at their target.
Swiftly, the Abarai dodged and blocked the enforcers' swords, staying at the defensive while she searched for an opening. Fortunately for the young woman, the Shikko Buntai was not known for their swordsmanship skills, and instead they relied on their sheer numbers and the threat of Central's wrath to come out on top. On the downside, while Ichika could not care any less about Central, she was starting to feel the numbers disadvantage as she begun to lose ground.
Soon, the redhead found herself back against the side of a ridge with her opponents closing in on her. Blocking an overhead strike, she was let open for a quick slash at her shoulder by one of the other Shikko members. "I can't get capture here…" She thought. "Uncle will have his hands busy with Central… Kurosaki-san refuse to get involve… I'm the only hope my parents have! I have to beat them! Even if… Even if it means that I…" Ichika clenched her wond for a moment as she sent another glare at the Shikko Buntai before raising her Zanpakuto and placing a hand on its lightning shaped guard. "Light up…" She said with determination as her opponents braced themselves.
"Bakudo Number 61: Rikujokoro!" A new voiced suddenly called out into the surroundings.
Before any of the Shinigami present could do anything, several beams of light came flying from the edge of the clearing, impaling every member of the Shikko Buntai, six a piece, and completely binding their movements.
"What's this?! What's going on?!" One of the enforcers shouted as he tried to free himself without success.
As Ichika tried to figure out what had just happen, a black blur came into view and landed between her and Central's squad. "Yo!" Kurosaki Kazui in his Shinigami garb greeted her with his trademark wide grin.
Immediately, the redhead found herself back in Kamino City where a scene extremely similar to her current situation had occurred just a year ago.
"Finally caught up with you." The orange haired teen said. "You sure run fast." He commented.
"What… What are you doing here?" The girl asked in confusion.
Kazui gave her another smile. "Hold that thought…" He said before turning around to face the still bound Shinigami. "Wandering into a night full of new experiences, embrace the dream of uncertainty and question your own foothold… Bakudo Number 70: Gimon Kaiso!" The young man called out before slamming his hands together which sent a shockwave throughout the surroundings.
The Shikko members seemingly jolted in place before their bodies went completely limp and they lost consciousness.
Releasing the binding Kido spell, Kazui let the six Shinigami fall numbly on the floor.
The boy turned to face the shocked redhead. Now that she took a closer look at him, Ichika noted that apart from slight increase in height and even messier orange hair, the now 16 year old boy had not changed much in the past couple of months. The silly grin and the big, brown eyes full of wonder were still there.
"This should make them forget the last couple of minutes." The Kurosaki stated as his gaze fell on redhead. "Stunned into silence, aren't you?" The young man asked. "Yep, I'm that amazing." He added with a smug grin.
"Don't listen to him!" A new voice called out. "He's been training with Tessai… That's the only reason he got so good at Kido." Tsubaki revealed as he came flying into the clearing and landed on the Kurosaki's shoulder.
Kazui groaned. "Come on, Tsubaki! Do you have to ruin my mystique like that?!" He complained.
"Hah! You still ask for strawberry milk with a bendy straw with your dinner, you have no mystique!" The sprite shot back.
Ichika watched the pair bicker for a while. "What are you guys doing here?!" She finally cut in, getting both the boy's and the fairy's attention.
"What do you mean?" Kazui asked, giving her a confused look.
"Isn't it obvious…? We're here to bail you out again!" Tsubaki responded.
The redhead shook her head. "But… Why are you here? Kurosaki-san said that…" She started to say but the orange haired boy's wide grin cut the young woman off.
Casually, Kazui took a couple of steps towards the girl and placed one of his hands on her shoulder. "Did you really think we would turn you away like that?" He asked.
Ichika's eyes widen in surprise. "But… But your father… He… He said…" She tried to say but tripped over her words.
A sigh escaped Tsubaki. "Ichigo was acting, you dumb girl!" The sprite exclaimed. "Everyone, and I do mean everyone, knew that you would come to us right away! The house was already surrounded by these lackeys when you arrived." He said as he pointed at the unconscious Shinigami.
"The problems between Dad and Central are real, though." Kazui commented. "That's why he had to pretend to refuse to help you. If they sent word back to Central that Dad got involve, we would be facing the entire Shikko Buntai right about now." He added with a laugh. "So, once you left, and the goons set chase, my Dad told me to follow you since Central has a hard time keeping tabs on me."
The Abarai was rendered speechless by what she was hearing. Just half an hour ago she had believe herself to be completely alone, that the one person she was taught she could always count on had betray her, but now…
Kazui's smile turned comforting as if he sensed what was on the girl's mind. "Ichika… Your parents are a very important part of my family. There is nothing in the world my parents won't do to help them… Just like there nothing I won't do to help you." He stated with all the sincerity and conviction in the world.
Ichika had to fight with all the strength to prevent any tears from running down her cheeks at the moment. Sure, her relationship with Kazui was still somewhat antagonistic, and sure the boy still failed to appreciate her artistic talent, but to have him here, as someone who supported her, as someone that was not going to let her be alone, the redhead could not be happier. Keeping her composure, the Abarai simply nodded at the young man's words.
"Ok, that's enough sap for one day. Let's go!" Tsubaki suddenly exclaimed as he jumped off the boy's shoulder and started flying away.
"Where… Where are we going?" Ichika asked, still reeling from everything that had happened as she followed the orange haired boy and his sprite.
A joyous smile appeared on Kazui's face as he looked back at the redhead. "To see Urahara-san, of course!"