A/N: A little one shot that came to me, set a long long time in the future involving a grownup Yachiru, all of the Eleventh Divison, and the ties that bind us all together. Not related at all to "Various Events" and sticks strictly to what Tite Kubo has created in his Bleach universe. I know I ought to be working on my other piece, but thing happen and this is one of those things. I post this as an appeasement to people waiting, and I hope that it's not as crappy as I think it is.
Disclaimer: Clearly, I am only taking artistic license with Mr. Kubo's idea, I own nothing except the plot of this here ficlet. That is all, nothing more nothing less. Please don't sue me.
Family
There are somethings that Yachiru Kusajishi, fukutaicho of the 11th Divison, took for granted. The greatest instance of her good fortune was not one of those things, however. She knew (knew in her heart of hearts, in every fiber of her being) that everything she was today was the product of one selfless act of kindness by her father-figure, Kenpachi Zaraki. Even her name was a byproduct of his act, he had given her an identity, a future, a home and a purpose. And from that one act, she had become a fukutaicho, a Shinigami of some repute, a daughter, a niece, a smiling bloody angel that somehow was the hope of the entire Sereitei (because if one child among all that bloodshed could still be that happy-go-lucky and innocent, then all hope is not lost). She had a full family in the 11th, in all of the Sereitei. She had the strength of her sword, of her fight, of Kenpachi and all of her very very large family (crammed to capacity? Not yet). And now, she smiled at the small bundle she had just left sleeping at her quarters in the barracks, she had something to give back to all of them.
She burst into the 11th Divison's mess hall, knowing that it would be crammed to capacity and that everyone will hear her. She grabs a set of plates from the line and dashes it against the far wall, bringing a hush to the room. Clearly, they all know she has something to say that they all need to hear, or else she would not risk Yumichika's wrath over breaking the most beautiful plates the fifth seat could find (eat off of un-beautiful plates? Unacceptable). Ikkaku has to hold the fifth seat back, his screaming and cursing and general rage overcomes most of what their fukutaicho is trying to tell them, but the divison hears this quote the clearest, " … baby coming through" After that, it is a losing battle to try and listen, they are all busy collecting weapons and plotting the best way to destroy whichever punk got their 'Chiru pregnant. Shikai is called upon, Yumichika brings out his zanpakto's true abilities (there is no judgement at a time like this, any and all powers are accepted. They were on a mission after all. Everyone conveniently forgets after too), Ikkaku and some other ranked officer draw out bankai. All in all, they looked like a Yakuza clan, swinging their weapons with murderous intent and whatnot.
Yumichika is the first one to gather his wits and ask the perplexed fukutaicho who, exactly the father is. The pink haired lieutenant looks at them in askance, then as if comprehension is dawning, and finally proclaims, as cheerfully as when she delivers the news about the baby, "I don't know!" Which is how, for the first time in the long history of the Sereitei, the entirety of a division was struck dumb and struck down (the strongest, but somehow it was done single handedly by their lieutenant without raising a single weapon, the gossips whispered. And such was how Yachiru Kusajishi became simultaneously a monster and a hero) at the same time and in the same place. (Renji felt a sharp twinge and lost concentration for a good half hour before Kuchiki taicho deigned to hit him over the head to bring him to his senses.)
Yachiru got down on all fours and poked the nearest dumbstruck division member. She looked around in confusion, "Was it something I said?" She shrugs her shoulders in confusion, and skips out the door, heading for Kenpachi's office.
She bursts into her father's office in almost the same manner as she did the mess hall. "Kenny! Guess what! There's gonna be a baby joining us!" She had just settled herself onto his broad shoulder sitting with her legs crossed (she never grew past 4 foot 11 inches, not legally a midget but not quite as tall as she had once hoped to be.) He was playing chess with Hanataro Yamada from 4th(They were actually very good players, both Grand Masters).
The Kenpachi, the proud Kenpachi, looks at her and grins, "Good for ye 'Chiru." Hanataro faints dead away. "So where did ye find it?"
Yachiru grins, "Well, I was out doing some rounds slaying Hollows while patroling the Rukon districts and there was this blood bath that just appeared in Inuzuri. There was this little blood covered baby playing in the blood, and it was splashing about in this massive puddle of blood and gore and all these weapons were scattered around and this baby wasn't afraid. It reminded me of you, and our first encounter, so I picked up the baby and brought him here to the 11th. I think I shocked everyone in the mess hall though. They all were acting funny at lunch."
Kenpachi shrugs, his divison is not known for being normal by any stretch of the word. "Well, introduce us to th' little guy at dinner, 'kay? And choose a good name, too. I need to hunt up the list of rules Yumi made fer us while ye were still a little pike, those have to be reinstated." Completely forgetting the game, he heads straight for a pile of papers sitting in the adjacent room and mutters, "I know I threw it in here somewhere."
Yachiru giggles, and then heads back to her quarters. Her many oji-sans, oba-sans, mentors, trainers, sparring partners, all of her family here at the 11th division would be happy about the new arrival, she just knew it. They had long since given up on coddling Yachiru, she had fully grown into the fukutaicho the division needed, and they respected her. But they were her family, her roots and beginnings and her whole world. They were the ones who raised her, her guidance and hers to boss around (everyone knew that 11th had one weakness, and that was their lieutenant – she had them wrapped around her fingers. But kami help anyone who tried to exploit that weakness, they were known for violence for a reason, and their fukutaicho was fukutaicho for a reason.). They were the reason she had the strength to stand on her own two feet, to lead fearlessly (they wouldn't have it any other way), and they were the reason she fought like a mini Kenpachi (they all knew that when old man Kenpachi finally bit the bullet and died fighting, then Yachiru would be the new Kenpachi, there was no doubt and Soutaicho be d****ed). So when the time finally came to present her son, Takeshi Inuzuri (silver eyes and light brown hair, tiny perfect feet and hands and simply silent) to his new family, she was bursting with pride, knowing that their family's newest member was the one who would certainly steal all their hearts all over again, and would rediscover the bonds of family that kept the 11th Division the most fearsome: they are bonded not by war or fighting, but by brotherhood and the unbreakable bonds of family, of trust and love and respect, and of their immense care for one another (they only showed all this by punching each other's faces in – every family is certainly dysfunctional in their own way.)They were 11th Division of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads of the Court of Pure Souls. And they were the most loyal, the most weird, the most dysfunctional fighting outfit anyone has ever seen, the most blood-thirsty, the most violent, and they were family.
Omake: There was palatable relief when baby Takeshi was introduced at dinner. Most of 11th had come back into their senses by that time. Luckily for the entire male population in Soul Society, the whole misunderstanding was quickly forgotten and everyone was enthralled by the baby. All of that night was spent building a nursery, as well as making quick baby gifts (Takeshi was officially the most well-armed child the Thirteen Court Guard Squads had ever seen; from that moment forth he had a veritable armory at his disposal), and then after a fight broke out about who would baby sit first (only in 11th would they fight over babysitting), a schedule was instated. In an instant, the Zaraki Squad reverted to its most ancient way of life: that which revolved around raising a child (they say it takes a village, 11th would disagree. Who needs a village when they're around?).
FIN
A/N: A little one shot that came to me, while I was wondering what would happen if Yachiru came across a child in the Rukon districts. I had to use Inuzuri because that's the only other district named, and that would have to be the baby's last name. I also wondered about what kept the 11th so tightly knit – the only logical explanation is that of familial bonds, so I decided the two ideas kind of went together. Well, I hope you enjoyed this little ficlet. Review if you feel like it. Flame me all you want. Until next time.
ModernArt2012