I don't own Bleach.

He had to admit Soul Society did a good job. Every citizen of Karakura was sleeping, not having a clue about that their home was no longer in the same realm. But he wondered how they would stop the people who wanted to enter the fake city. Traffic accident? He didn't think the Shinigami would think out something creative.

Mizuiro sighed and looked around. He was standing on the bridge that had been cut in half when Karakura had been moved to the Soul Society and until now he was watching the view from it. It was the first time he saw the Soul Society from this height and he expected something more from the home of the Shinigami. It looked exactly like the living world, so it was boring. At least his home was unique. A castle and cities floating high in the air surrounded by the blue sky and white clouds…

At the thought of that an invisible force clenched his throat. He was just a few times at his home. He was born in the living world but he never felt that place his real home. Karakura was just a city where he stayed until the time would come for him to finally take his place next to his father… as the next heir of the throne of the Soul King.

Maybe that was why Mizuiro never felt he belonged to the mortal world. Compared to his, the life of humans was so simple and no matter how much he wanted to be as simple as them, he knew that one day he will leave their world. So he kept the distance between himself and his classmates. He didn't want any strong bonds that would be painful to cut when he will leave.

Mizuiro chuckled at this. Well, he failed after all.

His phone in his pocket beeped time to time but he didn't care to read all those text messages he received in the past half an hour. He knew without reading what they were all about.

"I think your father is worried about you."

Mizuiro didn't turn around to look at the owner of the voice. He sensed his presence getting closer to him so it didn't surprise him that the ex captain stood a few meters behind him.

"You know it as well as me that he's not worried about me" the boy said and took out the phone from his pocket which he threw behind him. Urahara caught it easily. "He cares more about him then his own son."

The thought that someone else was more important to his father than him was still painful. His father was worse than his mother. At least she had a reason, her job, why she didn't care about him, why he was a burden. But his father didn't have any. He was just the heir of the throne, nothing more. He was not interesting like him. Like Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Sometimes it's hard to understand the actions of a father, Kojima-san."

Mizuiro made a fake chuckle.

"I have never thought you would give me advices about my father issues" the fake smile disappeared from the boy's face. "We were in danger. I was in danger. And all he is asking about is Ichigo…"

Urahara stepped next to Mizuiro. His eyes were hidden in the shadow of his hat so Mizuiro wasn't sure if the former captain was looking at Soul Society or him.

"He believed in you."

"Yeah, right…"

A smile appeared on Urahara's face.

"I have to admit you were really brave back there. Attacked Aizen without the ability to use your power, protected your friends from danger. I think your father is prou…"

"They're not my friends" Mizuiro cut in before Urahara could finish. "I just didn't want Aizen to kill anyone."

In the shadow of the hat Urahara arched an eyebrow.

"Is that so?"

Mizuiro looked down at the bridge. No, it wasn't like that. No matter how much he tried, he soon found himself attached to all of them. Keigo, Tatsuki, Chad, Orihime, Rukia, Ichigo… They destroyed the wall he put around himself so easily that he didn't bother to rebuild it again. He felt so great around them, sometimes too great but he couldn't leave their side. They became his friends, a part of his life. Especially Keigo and Ichigo. Keigo somehow knew he was hiding something and he always tried to cheer him up with his goofiness. He never showed it but he was really grateful to have a friend like him. And when he tried to attack Aizen with that borrowed sword to win some time for the others to escape… That moment when he thought he would lose a friend was terrifying.

And Ichigo… He had known from the first time they met that Ichigo was special. And not just because of his origins. He had a strange vibe around him that had a good effect on everyone around him, even on Mizuiro. He was the real reason he welcomed the friendship of the others, he was the reason he started to care about them. No matter how much he tried to hate him for the attention he got from his father, Mizuiro couldn't feel anger when he was thinking about him.

Slowly a weak but real smile appeared on Mizuiro's face.

"Ichigo is a wonderful error, isn't he?"

Urahara watched the boy's face for a while then smiled too.

"Yes, he is."

"I hope he will get back his power" Mizuiro crossed is arms and looked up at the sky. "There are still many dangers in this world he has to face one day and many secrets he has to learn about his origins."

For a while they stood there in silence. Everything was calm like there hadn't been any battle a few hours earlier. Soon Urahara handed back the phone to Mizuiro.

"Kurotsuchi Mayuri will soon send Karakura back to its original place. You should be prepared."

Mizuiro nodded and put the phone back into his pocket. Urahara turned around and started to walk away but stopped after a few steps and looked back.

"I hope one day you will understand your father. Until then do what he asked and send him your reports about Kurosaki-san."

Mizuiro nodded and waited until Urahara was away enough then he started to walk back to the city too. But after a few steps he stopped and looked up at the sky. He didn't see it but he knew his home was there. Mizuiro frowned a little. He will continue sending those many text messages to his father but not because he wanted to help him. He wanted to help Ichigo and to give him the best chances he could. And when the time comes when he has to choose between family and friends, he would gladly turn his back to his family.

With this thought in his mind Mizuiro turned to leave the bridge and started heading towards his friends. His real family.