Arti here! This is my first Bleach fanfiction!
How I was introduced to Bleach: I've first seen Bleach when I was six years old. My cousin from France came over and watched it in his guest room. At the time I didn't quite understand the story so I forgot all about it. When I turned nine, I discovered Bleach again. I watched till I was somewhere pass 150 episodes. Then for some reason I stopped. Now four years later, I've come back. It brings so much nostalgia just to watch Bleach again. I cried when I found out it was over. The 15th opening made me cry since it was the last.
I can't believe they left out the last arc. *&%$%*^#!
Disclaimer: I only own my OCs'
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Opening: Snow Fairy - FUNKIST
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Chapter 1 The Winter of New Beginnings
Cold.
That's all I could think of as I lay in the snow.
Snowflakes fell from the grey sky, kissing my little nose and cheeks. My amethyst-pink eyes slid open at the sudden cool touch. I weakly reached for the snowflakes. Fresh winter air waft through the forest.
I breathed. Steam escaping my slightly purple lips.
I slowly got up. My messy teal side bangs framed my face and brushed against my shoulders. My loose, thin rags of what I called clothes draped over my petit frame. My small bare feet trudge through the deep snow as I made my way out of the forest.
For those of you who hadn't realized it yet. (I don't really know if it's obvious - I'm pretty sure it's not)
I'm an orphan.
I guessed my parents - whoever they are - are jerks for abandoning me once I reached the age of one. I don't remember them, but I do know one thing:
They left me to die.
But thanks to my fourteen year old mind, I lived and survived and now I'm four. It must be anime logic that a four year old could survive on the streets .
Numbness swept through me. Yes, I've just became numb. I always had this ability to endure the cold more than most people. What can I say, I love the cold.
It has been a few days since the first snow has fallen in Karakura Town. I'd figured out that I was reborned in the world of Bleach after recognizing a few buildings and streets and that everything was anime - like not reality.
My death is something I won't talk about. Or think about.
Back from getting off track. I didn't go to any orphanage because I didn't like them. It made me feel like I was some sort of product; waiting to be sold off to two complete strangers or even just one complete stranger , so I never risked myself to being close to human contact. I occasionally stole food from street vendors and stores to keep myself alive - but I try not to steal anything. I didn't like stealing. It made me feel . . . tainted.
I made my way into the streets of the town. I turned a corner and into the shopping district. My stomach growled painfully. My amethyst-pink eyes glanced over for an easy target.
There.
A lone employer was working in one of those convenience stores. I scanned the area for the many escape routes it could give me. There were plenty.
I breathed, and made my way into the store.
The bell chimed.
"Welcome!" The employer beamed.
For some reason, he gave off a bad vibe.
I kept my face blank and eyes half-lidded - my usual face, and proceeded to pretend to browse the contents of the store. I walked along the rows and columns, glancing every now and then to watch the employer. I studied his body language, his eyes, and the way he spoke on the phone.
He seemed like a pretty laidback target. But I wouldn't underestimate him. I made my way near a bucket with a mop.
I inwardly smirked.
I approached the employer. I made a shy and scared expression.
"S-Sumimasen," I began shakingly, staring at the floor. "U-Uh-"
"Speak up!" The employer said with an annoyed face.
So the guy had a different side to him.
I made a scared face and backed into the bucket with the mop. I knocked it over and the water spilled everywhere.
I yelped. "G-Gomenasai!"
"Oh, it's fine!" The guy grinned.
I inwardly raised a brow.
This guy was weird.
At first he was nice, then he was mean and now he's back to being nice.
He grabbed another mop and began to mop up the mess.
I took this as an opportunity.
I grabbed two cans of soup and high-tailed out the store. The guy yelled and dropped the mop, only to slip on the soapy disgusting liquid.
I ran down the street and turned a few corners. I felt so alive to feel the cold winter air hitting my face. It exhilarated me. It made me feel full of energy.
Home free!
I was about to laugh when I rammed into something hard. I fell to the ground as the cans fell from my grasp. I looked up at what I rammed into.
Another guy stood before me. He had the same uniform as the guy back at the convenience store. My eyes widen in realization.
Abandoning the cans, I got up and turn to run but the guy grabbed onto the back of my collar and lifted me up to his ugly, hellish face that could give anyone nightmares for a month.
"So you're the brat who stole from us, huh?" He spat.
I was tossed hard onto the snowy ground.
"I'm going to teach you a lesson for stealing from us!"
The next thing I knew was a fist coming directly at me.
Pain.
Then everything went dark.
-Bleach-
I slowly woke up to a pounding headache and bruises covering my small body. I realized that I was in an alleyway. The guy must have dumped me here to avoid trouble.
It was snowing harder than before. The sky was dark. The only light source I had was a street lamp.
I leaned against the wall and gently curled myself into a ball.
Hot tears slid down my red frostbitten face. Pain racked over my body as I sobbed. It wasn't the first time I got beaten up.
I cried at myself for being weak. Too weak to protect myself. Much less, find food. Going to the orphanage was not an option. I was going to die from the cold long before I die of thirst and hunger.
I shivered.
From all that sobbing, it drowned out the soft footsteps coming towards me.
A hand touched my shoulder.
I flinched hard.
Terror flowed through me. I shut my eyes and waited for the beating.
"Oh you poor dear," a woman's soothing voice sounded. "Are you alright?"
I lifted my head in surprise to stare at the woman. She had long curled hair and kind, warm gentle eyes. Tears continued to flow down my cheeks.
Her hand touched my shoulder again. "Oh my, you're freezing to death!"
I felt something warm wrap around my neck and shoulders, splitting into two ends and trailing down my back and onto the snowy ground.
A light grey scarf?
I gingerly touched the scarf.
"Isshin,"
Isshin?
As in Ichigo's dad? Then that means this woman must be Masaki.
"Isshin, we can't just leave her here." Masaki said. "She'll die from the cold."
She lifted up my chin and wiped away the tears.
"Have you eaten anything?"
That question hit home.
I shook my head. My hair covering my eyes.
A figure kneeled in front of me.
I lifted my head to stare at Isshin, whom was grinning madly. He put his large hand on my messy teal hair.
"Well, it wouldn't hurt to add another cute little girl into the family."
I gapped.
Masaki smiled.
"So, what do you say, err . . .?"
"I don't have a name." I said bluntly.
They both blinked in surprise.
Isshin nervously chuckled and scratch the back of his head. "Well that was to be expected."
"Do you have a name that you would like?" Masaki said.
"No."
"Well, we do need to give you a name." Masaki stated. "A name gives the person their identity. It makes them unique and different from everyone else."
"Who said that I would gladly join your family?"
They blinked.
"Y-You mean you're not?" Isshin said stunned.
"Of course I'm going to join, baka!" I yelled. "I don't want to die from the cold!"
"G-Gomen," Isshin laughed.
I tried to think of a name. There were so many names that ran through my head but I couldn't pick one.
"How about . . . Yume!" Isshin grinned. "It means bud in snow."
"Or Fuyoko. It means child of Winter." Masaki suggested.
"Why snow?" I asked. My face return to its usual face. Eyes half-lidded and face blank.
"Because it's Winter?" Isshin said.
"Right." I said.
"How about Kukiko?" Masaki added.
"Yuki?"
"Yukiko?"
"Yukimi?"
"Miyuki?"
"Setsuko?"
"Setsumi?"
And on they went suggesting names for me. All of them for some reason related to snow and Winter. It was like they were both having a competition of who could think of a better name for me. The one to win was going to be the one who gets me to like the name first.
I cracked a small smile at their playful competition that they know not of.
"I like Setsuna." I said.
"EHH!" Their eyes bulged.
"That wasn't any of the names we suggested." Masaki whined. "Neither of us wins~"
So I was right after all.
"Hmm . . . calm snow . . ." Isshin held his chin. "I love it! It suits you! You're calm and we found you in the dead of Winter! Plus, you survived the winter for a pretty long time!"
Masaki nodded in agreement.
"So let's go home, Setsuna." They both grinned.
I stared at them in stunned silence. A joyous warmth filled my heart. Tears stung my eyes. My new identity.
I beamed, slightly tilting my head. "Hai."
"KAWAII!" Masaki squealed and glomps me. Shaking and squeezing the life out of me.
"Masaki, you might kill her before we can even bring her home." Isshin stated.
Masaki immediately released me. Sputtering out apologies over and over again.
"Daijoubu." I breathed.
I think she broke my ribs.
"Honto?"
"Hnh." I hummed.
Isshin and Masaki got up. Masaki extended her hand for me.
I took it.
And together, we walked to wherever their home is. I clutched the warm scarf that dragged itself on the snow. As we walked, a sudden thought popped up into my head.
"What are your names?" I asked as I held onto both their hands.
"My name is Isshin," Isshin grinned at me. "And that's my lovely and beautiful wife, Masaki."
I nodded as we continued walking.
We passed a very familiar river.
Another thought popped up.
"Ne, Isshin?"
"Call me Otou-san and Masaki Okaa-san, Setsuna." Isshin answered. "After all, we are family are we not?"
I giggled cutely.
"Okay . . . Otou-san." Saying it made me feel weird. The word was foreign to me.
"Ne, Otou-san?"
"Nani?"
"What about the adoption papers?"
Silence.
"GAH!"
-Bleach-
"Alright kiddos," Isshin began.
Three sibling sat next to each other on the living room couch. Their parents had finally come home from wherever they went and seemed like they were going to show them something that they brought back.
After Masaki and Isshin brought me home, Masaki led me into the bathroom where I washed myself with lukewarm water and got a set of new clothes.
And here I was on the other side of the wall with the same long scarf Masaki gave me. Standing there and waiting for my cue to come in.
"Today, we have a new family member joining us!"
Six year old Ichigo and one year old Karin deadpanned while Yuzu giggled and clapped excitedly.
"Yay!"
"Alright kids, say hello to your new sister . . . Setsuna!"
I was ushered by Masaki into the living room where I stood before the others.
With my face as blank as ever, I greeted them.
"Yoroshiku."
Even though Karin was only one, she was still very much the same like her older self, along with Ichigo and Yuzu.
"You can't just bring in a stray, Otou-san!" Karin scolded.
I stared at the floor. Finding it a lot more interesting.
"Ma, Ma, Karin, my sweet and cute little daughter, I'll get Setsuna's adoption papers completed in no time!"
Isshin laughed and picked up Karin and spun her around and around.
"Okaa-san," Ichigo said. "Is she really going to live with us now?"
"Hai, Ichigo." Masaki answered.
"Ne, Onee-chan?" Yuzu spoke.
I looked up.
"Daijoubu desu ka?"
"Daijoubu desu." I smiled.
And since that show of emotion, Karin and Ichigo began to interact with me. The next day, Isshin and Masaki completed the paperwork for adoption and I was now officially named Kurosaki Setsuna.
I felt happiness fill me for the first time in a long time.
Since that December day, my life changed forever. Even though I didn't know who my birth parents were, I claimed Isshin and Masaki as well as Ichigo, Karin, and Yuzu my beloved family and I vowed to protect them at all costs.
And since that day, my life was renewed once more. I learned the true meaning of family and love. As well as happiness and I never wanted to let it go.
Ever.
It was the best time of my life. It was, the Winter of new beginnings.
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Ending: Heart Realize - Supercell
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I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
And happy birthday Nnoitra espada 5!
Please leave a review!
- Arti
