Summary: It's been 3 years. It's been 3 years since the war ended. It's been 3 years since the death and fighting ended. It's been 3 years since Kurosaki Ichigo died. But as a new possible threat appears, questions arise. The most important being: is Kurosaki Ichigo, hero of the Winter War, truly dead?
Chapter 1
"It's been three years since the war ended. So many deaths in that war were pointless. Just as many weren't. And there are those few whose death was definitely not pointless. But they never deserved it. The harsh, cold hand of death delivered to so many. The cruel taste of death, the journey to the Sea of Souls, the memory-less rebirth, and living the life of your reincarnation, never knowing what happiness, what pain, what joy, what suffering they went through before, as their incarnation.
So many, so many never lived what could have been their full lives. So many mourned. So many who broke their promise, so many who broke their promise to their loved ones, who broke the promise of coming back safe, returning alive. The same promise, spoken so many times, often wasn't fulfilled.
But even as those deaths occurred, there was a beam of hope for everybody, someone who could end the pain, end the death. Everybody had rested their hope on the Gotei 13 for so long, but when they could not triumph, they turned toward the once secret beam of hope for the Gotei 13. They turned toward Kurosaki Ichigo to save them.
So when the shinigami, the fighters, returned, the citizens of Soul Society expected them to be happy, elated, joyful, and every positive emotion. Maybe even some newfound love would be seen. They thought that a parade, a celebration, would occur. They thought the death of Aizen would end the suffering. How ignorant, how foolish, how optimistic they had been. There was no such joyful celebration, no positive emotions at all. Because, though the shinigami emerged victorious, though the best thing that could have happened did, the worst had as well.
Kurosaki Ichigo had died. Sacrificing himself, he used all his power to kill Aizen. When the news was announced, tears could be seen in everyone's eyes. Even cold, indifferent Byakuya, for once showing emotion, stood next to his sobbing sister, a tear trailing down from his eye. This heroic, no, he would not want to be described so, caring human, a stranger to most of them, sacrificed himself for a society he had known only for a little over a year.
Soul Society is still recuperating from the devastating Winter War. Even when we are fully healthy, fully healed, there will still be a scar. We will not forget Kurosaki Ichigo; we cannot forget him. Years from now, I implore you to tell your children, your family, your subordinates, your elders about Kurosaki Ichigo. Why? Simply because he deserves it. You are entitled to do so. If you don't, then a chance for a lesson is gone. Remember the man who saved us all. Remember Kurosaki Ichigo." The crowd was silent as Urahara stepped down from the stage. He did this once a year. The annual event was the only time he would speak about his former student. He prepared a speech every year, as not only a reminder to the mourning souls, but as information to the newer souls, so they would understand the silence often heard in Soul Society.
There was never a set date; they thought Ichigo wouldn't want it that way. But every day, at 3:00 in the afternoon, there would be a few seconds of silence. Because that was the exact time the orange-haired vizard died.
Urahara looked to Yoruichi, who was in her human form. She rarely changed from a cat nowadays, only during these types of events or for Urahara. He looked to the young, solemn Kuchiki. She lost her best friend, and though she may not know it, her love.
This miserable, yet inspiring, event was never interrupted. Only if there was an extreme emergency was the ceremony disrupted. All residents of Soul Society were required to attend at least once during their time in Soul Society. At first, Yamamoto thought this might present a problem, but it the worry faded by the time the first event was held. No hollows attacked Soul Society anymore, though the reason was unknown. But at least one person was on lookout to check for danger. Even so, if the danger was not immediate, or the problem did not look to be serious, they were only to report and record quietly. The rule was, only disrupt when absolutely necessary. So you can imagine the reaction of the present shinigami when…
"AN ARMY OF HOLLOWS IS APPROACHING! EVACUATE THE AREA! ALL PRESENT SHINIGAMI…"