Chapter 1: Promise

"So, this is how it all ends, huh? I always knew it'd end up like this eventually."

"Rin. I'm sorry I dragged you into this."

"Idiot. It's always have been my choice. I have many regrets, but fighting by your side is not one of them."

"..."

"Shirou?"

"If there's an afterlife after this, I promise I'll do all I can to find you again."

"...Of course. After all, who else is going to look after you?"

"...Rin..."

"I know. I'll see you soon, Shirou."

X

For the first time in his life, Byakuya Kuchiki was in panic. The normally-composed noble prodigy paced around the room in a haste with no rhyme or reason to it. Of course, his face was still as stoic as ever and he spoke no words, but anybody who knew him would understand that his movements were an anomaly already.

"Calm down, Byakuya." said the aged man that was Ginrei Kuchiki, his grandfather, and retired clan head and captain both. "In there is some of the best healers Soul Society has to offer. Your wife's usual health aside, she'll live."

He knew that already, yet the incumbent Sixth Division captain found himself filled with irrational worry. Only Hisana could make him feel like such, he mused.

To be fair to the man, it was hard to stay calm when the love of your life was screaming in pain in the next room.

Why, oh why did he agree to this? He knew that Hisana was fragile as she was, so why did he agree to her bearing a child?!

Well. He knew why.

"I'm sorry, Byakuya-sama. I just wish to be family one last time."

How could he say no to that?

He also understood that this was part of his duties, as the new clan head. As much as it pained him to pain Hisana, he had the responsibility to further the Kuchiki name –

Name. What was he going to name his child?!

"—It's a healthy girl! Err, or is she...?"

That snapped Byakuya out of his thoughts, along with noticing that his wife's screams has quieted down considerably. Immediately, he slid open the door connecting the two rooms and stepped inside.

He caught his breath at the sight of his wife, frail and weak as ever yet with the happiest smile he had ever seen on her. And in her arms was a gentle, calm infant – his infant. Her baby. Their child.

Slowly, Byakuya approached, drinking in the sight. Hisana smiled at him, and gently passed their child to him. Quiet. The infant was calm, not crying once, but at a glance he could tell that his child was far from sickly. With that same glance, he noticed those clear purple eyes that stared back at him. Similar to Hisana's, but more like the way she's always described her younger sister to him. Cold, yet striking.

"Rin." He suddenly said after a long silence.

"Byakuya-sama?" Hisana asked, her voice even weaker than norm.

"Rin." He repeated. "Our daughter's name shall be Rin Kuchiki."

X

Shirou wasn't a fan of stealing, truth be told. But in the hell that is Inuzuri, the Rokungai's 78th District, people had to be willing to do anything to survive.

Besides, even if he disliked thieving...

"Come back here, you brats! I'll mess you up!"

He absolutely could not let anyone get hurt.

As a redhead and short black-haired girl raced past him with large jugs of water on their backs, they were chased after by what was a positively cross man waving around a crude Kama.

Shirou stepped onto his oncoming direction. With a single look at the weapon in the man's hands, he instinctively understood the total lack of skill the man had using it, the amateurish way it was made in the first place, and all the flaws in its making. If Shirou wasn't in the body of a child, it would've been easy enough to take him down now. But he'll have to do.

So as the man swung down the crude weapon down onto him, Shirou was quick to spot a weakness in his form, kicking him in the shins before the blade could reach him. Now stunned, the young redhead could easily push him over despite their size difference, letting the man fall onto some nearby barrels.

Of course, there was no way a child like him could survive a prolonged encounter, especially with all the attention they were getting. Now that the assailant was down, it was time to run.

X

"Renji..." Shirou sighed, adressing the boy with red hair tied into a ponytail, now carelessly gorging on all the food that they've stolen. There was no need for most people in this afterlife to eat anything, but food was still a precious luxury worth fighting for.

"Hmmph?" said Renji, his mouth full. "Bwhat ish it?"

"Finish your food first. I don't mind us stealing to survive, but we really need to stop causing so much trouble here. We're gonna end up with a lot of enemies like this." He scolded. That was a bit weird, since as far as he knew Renji was many times his senior, but aging worked differently in the afterlife. By appearance, they both looked like kids of similar ages.

Renji shrugged as he swallowed. "It's fine. That's just how things are here. We'll just eat, and eat, and eat, and make sure nobody can stop us!" the redhead said with a boisterous smile, and all the children under this roof – this collective family of orphans – cheered alongside the boy.

"Well, I agree with Shirou. Making trouble's gonna lead to more." A new voice interjected, and Shirou had to look up to find its origin. A short, black-haired girl, smirking as she looked down on the group from her seat up on a tree branch. Rukia, the newest member of Renji's ragtag posse. "But to be fair, today would've gone fine if it wasn't for a certain red baboon."

Said red baboon's face heated up. "Hey! That wasn't my fault! I just slipped, is all! You barely helped me get up, shortstack!"

One could see the veins on Rukia's face tighten.

As the loud banter between them continued (also known as Tuesday), Shirou found a smile coming to his face. Well, it's fine then. As Renji said, it doesn't matter if anybody tries to stop them.

Because he'll save them all the same.

Yes. Everyone.

Idly, Shirou's gaze wandered over to the faraway horizon. There, far, far away from the purgatory of Rokungai, was massive city of white walls visible all the way from there.

Shirou didn't remember much of his life before this one. All that he could recall was...

"Ahh... I'm saved, I'm saved..."

A most terrible fire. A most beautiful smile.

"Then, I'll become a Hero of Justice like dad wanted to be."

His name. A dream.

"I ask of you, are you my Master?"

A fated meeting. And...

"If there's an afterlife after this, I promise I'll do all I can to find you again."

A promise.

His gaze upon Seireitei hardened.

A promise for a reunion. A dream to save everyone.

What he sought was behind those white walls.