Bleach © Kubo Tite. Bleach: Cross original characters and elements, including the "past life backstory" © Eugena.

A/N: Toshiro comes to terms with his emotions after Shirahime dies fighting Aizen.

Opening Theme: Shinjitsu no Uta by Do As Infinity

Ending Theme: Ai no Uta by Every Little Thing

Bleach: Cross

Toshiro's Journey

By Eugena

Rated: T

Toshiro Hitsugaya, Element God Hyorinmaru

"What did you expect, Shiro, a happy ending?" – Momo Hinamori, Fifth Squad Fukutaicho

Chapter One: The Strength of Heart

It seemed like an eternity since the Element God Hyorinmaru incarnate had seen the Heaven Princess. His countenance slowly became as cold as his namesake's. Winter, everyday seemed full of winter since she left.

Once, she had been in his squad, the third seat. She was their mascot and morale, but she did not come alone.

Inside her heart had lived Kail Zangetsu, who in a past life had been the twin brother of the Crown Prince of Heaven. Now he was the hollow form of Ichigo Kurosaki, the Crown Prince himself. Kail allowed her human body to survive in Soul Society.

She arrived here after two hollows attacked her in the human world. Ai Zangetsu, now the form of Ichigo's zanpaku-to sent her here in both human and soul form.

Zangetsu was the Heaven Princess' first love to whom she could never be united.

Every life she lived denied her of the ones she loved. In the past life, she had been betrothed to Crown Prince Ichigo, but loved by Zangetsu and Kail. In the human world, she lived as Sam Hawthorne, betrothed to Kenny Jameson. Both he and her human parents were consumed by Bounts.

Kenny was reborn in Soul Society as a man without a name. He became Kenpachi Zaraki and took Yachiru as his daughter.

Kenny began to remember his past life when he first saw Sam. Yachiru soon called her "mom," and the three of them were inseparable.

Yet, there was no lasting peace for her happiness. Zaraki would offer her the fourth seat of Squad Eleven, and no one would challenge her. With Kail inside her, her skill with the White Zangetu zanpaku-to knew no equal. And the squad members feared Zaraki's wrath, and Yachiru's.

Yachiru had found Sam outside the Seretei—a storyteller amusing the commoners. Yachiru grew engrossed in her stories and finally brought Kenny. When Sam saw him, she began to realize that he and her fiancé were the same.

Kenny named Yachiru after the only person he respected—Dr. Yachiru, a fellow researcher in Bount technology.

Eventually Toshiro faced Kenpachi; the winner of the match would have Sam—who had by then taken her past life's familiar name "Shirahime" as her own—in their squad. It seemed impossible to defeat Zaraki at full spiritual power, but Hyorinmaru appeared and helped Toshiro defeat him. Hyorinmaru said he was summoned by the strength of Toshiro's heart. Only after Shirahime first faced Aizen did Toshiro realized his gradual love for Shirahime fueled the strength of his heart.