Hello Readers! :D How are you doing lately? Fine I wish, if not so sorry! 0_o Anyway, I'm so grateful that you read this story, I wish that this chapter will be to your taste (is that spelled alright?!) On to the story! :)

Oh and also, I DON'T OWN BLEACH JUST THE OC!

With Masaki

When I opened my eyes, I saw that I was lying in a field of grass. I got up and searched for civilization, she saw that the people she saw along her way looked fired up, these people must have been citizens of the higher number districts. They wore old yukatas and I was surprised to see that I too wore a yukata and a good looking one to top it off plus, I had sandals with it. I asked one of them which district we were currently and he gently told me that I was in the 10th district of South Rukongai. I thanked him and I made my way to the first district, where I would be able to have more information of where my sister-in-law lives. It took me two days before finally reaching the first district, I was getting hungry and nobody would give me food. I asked about everyone in the district for the information but nobody knew where she lived or in other cases, they didn't know who she is.

Fortunately for me, I came across a good natured old man who told me where she lives and he even took me to the place. He left me when we were about to reach the end of the forest and told me to go straight ahead, from there I should've been able to see her house. He was right because when I exited the thick forest I saw the biggest chimney I ever saw and tow giants guarding the entrance of the house. I stepped in front of the two giants and to my surprise they started to talk. "I am Koganehiko!" "And I am Shiroganehiko!" "Please state your business and your name!" They finished together. I looked at them a bit incredulously and replied friendly. "My name is Kurosaki Masaki and I wished to see Shiba Kukaku, it is very important and I think that the news I bring will please her." They stared at each other while mumbling and then, Koganehiko went inside (yes I know it surprised me too!). He came back and told me to go on, so I thanked them and went inside the house. The inside of the house was actually really big on the inside, I continued my way down the hall and a boy, surely Ganju, the little brother of Isshin's, showed me the way where his sister is. Ganju, I was sure that it truly was him, is fairly muscular, has eyelashes under his eyes and wore a bandana over his head.

We came to a stop and Ganju opened a door on the left, when I entered the room the woman who was sitting in a cushion had the same eyelashes as Ganju and she missed her right arm. She motioned for me to take a seat, which was one of the cushions on the floor and I did what I was told. Her brother took a seat at her right and we stared at each other before someone broke the silence. "What did you want to tell me, miss?" Kukaku asked judging me. "Before that, I would like to introduce ourselves, just to make sure I'm at the right place." I asked smiling softly. "Sure. I am Shiba Kukaku, Head of the Shiba Clan." Kukaku said. "Shiba Ganju." Ganju said not knowing what to say more. I nodded. "I am Kurosaki Masaki and I am here because my husband was someone you knew very much. Shiba Isshin was his name before marrying me." I said and I watched the expression of the two. Kukaku's eyes widen and Ganju seemed on the verge of crying, as I watched them carefully I continued. "I… I died leaving my children in the care of Isshin but I'm not sure he will be able to do the things I did… So, I want to be able to go back with them and the only way I can think is if I become a Shinigami. Would you help me with that?" I asked them. Kukaku looked thoughtful for a moment before answering that she would help me become a Shinigami. "First, you will need to enroll the Shin'o Academy and then you will have to become a seated officer and have a mission to the Real World. I will write your name in the list of the new students. You are lucky the tests of the Academy Entrance are held in a week, I think that you know some things about the Seireitei, right?" She said to me and I thanked her for writing my name in the Academy. She told me that I was always invited to stay in the Clan House when I wasn't in the Academy dorms or in the barracks of my future division.

In the week that passed, I learned to control my Reiatsu with Kukaku-chan and Ganju-kun, the boy was really sweet with me and always called me 'Onee-sama'. I was excited to pass the Entrance Exam; I walked into the Seireitei to take the Exam and was happy to see the flood of students gathering in the Academy. I waited for them to call my name and I practically jumped of joy when they actually called my name. I stood in front of them and did everything they asked me to do or write in the writing exams, I think I did well and I thought right because I was classed in the Advanced Class classed sixth in all of the students who passed before and after me. I called Kukaku-chan to say the news to her and then I walked into my dorm room knowing that I would probably pass the five or six years.

With Ichigo

I opened my eyes slowly and when I woke up, I found myself in my bed but I knew that I shouldn't have been in my bed. I should be with Mom but I was in my bed. Why was I in my bed? I remember running to save the little by the river, I thought that she was going to jump in the river but I heard Mom's voice calling my name and after that, everything is just a blur. I got up and walked to the living room, there I saw my dad with my two little sisters but they were crying. Why did they cry? Where was Mom? Then I saw that they weren't the only ones, the Ishida's and the Urahara's were there too, Naka was crying and Uryu too. Uryu never showed any emotion, just a small smile from time to time. Gramps was comforting my sisters with the help of Dad, what was happening? Why were they crying? What did I miss? "What is happening?" I asked my voice shaking a little. That's when everybody noticed that I was there, Dad approached me and bent down to be at my height. "Ichigo… Your… mother died…"

What? Mom?

"Someone killed her while she was protecting you… I am so sorry Ichigo… I couldn't protect her… I failed you…"

No… No… NO! It's impossible, my mother is invincible and she couldn't be dead! "LIAR! YOU'RE A LIAR! MOM'S NOT DEAD!" I ran as fast as I could and somehow ended up at the same hill I last saw Mom. I saw a pool of blood and I couldn't deny the fact that it was Mom's blood, my mother, my wonderful mother was… dead. She was everything to me, why did they take her away from me? She left me and my sisters in the care of my no-good father; he couldn't even crack an egg without spilling it on the floor or everywhere beside the stove. I think I screamed, pretty hard and cried because I had tears running down my face and my throat was so sore, it hurt. It hurt so much; my heart was empty, so empty that I was getting sick. I couldn't move; my legs were like jelly and the world was spinning; I think someone just picked me up because I feel someone's arms on my waist. I fell asleep in his or her arms; in my dreams there was my Mom who blamed me for her death, I was supposed to protect her and I failed… I failed to protect our sun; our sunlight is gone replaced by the never ending darkness that ate me on the inside.

I think a week has passed since Mom's death; I didn't go out anymore the only time I got out was at Mom's funeral. I haven't talked to anybody since then; it's like I was dead myself. I knew that my father was worrying about me but I'm not sure… Then one day, my father came into my room without knocking and slapped me on the face; it woke me up and I looked at him incredulously. "Good, now that you're seeing me, go downstairs we are dinning and you will come even if I have to drag you or make you eat. If you're not at the table in five minutes I rag you." He told me. I wasn't sure if he was serious but I actually did what he told me and got to the table where my two little sisters were waiting for me. "Onii-san! You came to eat?" Yuzu asked me and I nodded gently. That simple action made my sister smile so much that I almost slapped myself for forgetting how they might be feeling about all this. I let a small smile forming on my lips and I talked with her for a while. I noticed that Karin wasn't her usual self and asked her if she wanted me to do something for her. She seemed surprised and replied cautiously. "Ichi-nii, how are holding up? I mean, will you return to your normal self?" I was surprised by her question but no comments. "I will be fine, Karin. I don't think I will ever be able to be like before but I will try…" I replied smiling a little at her. We ate the dinner that Dad made for us and was actually surprised to find the food digestible; without realizing it we were almost back to our normal self and I was happy to hear my little sisters laugh.

I returned to school and for once, I was happy to have little to no friends that would talk to me. I didn't like the looks of pity they gave me, I felt like I was weak to them but I would prove them that I wasn't weak. At lunch break, I got somewhere away from everyone eyes and ate peacefully the lunch made by my father; it was really good. I wasn't expecting Uryu and Naka finding me but they were in front of me maybe they were expecting some kind of reaction from me. "Ichigo? How are you doing?" Uryu asked in a fake sweet tone. I didn't answer him; I could just ignore him like he always ignored me before. Unfortunately, I didn't have any chance left in me because Naka decided to butt in. "Ichigo, we just want to help you…" I didn't look at them but I did reply. "Oh, really? You want to help? How do you want to help me, huh?" I asked a little angry at them but this completely justified, they couldn't just want to be my friend they feel like they're obligated to. Naka looked a bit surprised but it was rapidly changed by anger and he started screaming at me. "Well, you could be at least grateful that I talk to you! You aren't even worth my time; you were just the kid who followed me or Uryu around like a poor little sheep! It's been years since I've considered you as a friend, hell, even Uryu is a better friend than you! I'm just doing this for Aunt Masaki and not just me, Uryu too is doing it for her!" I felt like I was being stabbed in the heart and slapped hard on my face, I didn't even know if it was true but it still hurt. Like the nine year-old I was, I did the first thing that crossed my mind; I punched him, hard, so hard my hand felt sore for a second and I think that it hurt cause he probably a broken nose. He was about to punch me when I punched him another time but this time he fell on his butt and I jumped on him beating him. I put all the rage that had built up in me since Mom's death on my punches and by the time I was done, Naka wasn't able to get up properly. Uryu stood in his place for a moment not realizing that I had been beating my ex-friend and when I finished beating him, he hurried to Naka's side and took him to the nurse's office but I couldn't care less. I was feeling better than I ever had in a long time and I was ready to face all kinds of consequences with my Dad or even Uncle Kisuke and Aunt Yoruichi.

Even though I said that I was ready to face any consequences, I was relieved to hear that I would be facing none and I asked my Dad to continue my Karate lessons but this time, I put all my heart and strength to become strong enough to protect those I cared about, like my sisters and my Dad. I got in all sorts of contests and I won them all, I could see the proud face of my Dad and my sisters, plus even though I beat Naka, Aunt Yoruichi was always cheering for me with my family. She told me that she had beating some sense into her son because she didn't like his attitude towards other people and Uncle Kisuke agreed completely with her. I became one of the best Karate user in Japan and was ranked 3rd when I was thirteen year-old but when I entered Middle School I got bullied because of my hair. The occasional thug wanted to 'beat me up' but I always ended up beating them up and that's how one day I discovered my best friend; Yasutora Sado. He was being beaten by some thugs and I stepped in to help him because I don't like people getting hurt, unless they're thugs or bullies. We fought them together and soon after the battle he explained that he wanted to get his coin given to him by his adopted grandfather. I found his story amazing and he thanked me when I told him, that's how we became best friends. I was still friend with Tatsuki but we didn't talk much since Mom's death and I still grieved about her a lot, some time when I was lost in my thoughts I didn't realize that I subconsciously walked where my Mom was killed. I scowled a lot more since then believing to what Tatsuki told me, before I was all happy and now I scowled at everything beside my sisters.

Also, I learned that I could see spirits so I helped the younger ones who die and are scared, I brought them flowers and reassured them. Some of them had really sad stories, like this one who was killed with his dad and his sister when on a trip to the amusement park, I felt so bad for the spirit that I stayed with him all day completely forgetting school. Dad didn't scold me but the teacher was another matter; he scolded me in front of everyone and was screaming at me because I didn't have a good reason for not coming the day before.

I barely ever talked to Uryu and Naka after the incident and they never came to me after, they understood that I wanted some space. Now, I will be turning 15 year-old and I can't help but feel that something's going to happen; I just know that it will change my life forever.

With Masaki (3 years later)

Finally! After three years at the Academy, I'm able to become a real Shinigami just like Isshin, Kisuke and Yoru-chan! I'm so excited, though I don't know in which division I will end up; I wish it will be a good one… I heard some students calling me a prodigy but I only graduated because I already knew a lot thanks to my husband and friends who told me so much about the Seireitei and Shinigami life. I just happened to also be really good at Kidou but maybe that was because I was a Quincy and we literally use our Reiatsu like nobody, so this part was easy for me and for Hohou… Well, I am the best friend of the goddess of Flash! It would be a shame to her memory if I wasn't at least decent at Flash Stepping, so I did my best to master it. I wasn't as good with a sword as I am with a bow, Zanjutsu wasn't bad but it wasn't good either, I really missed my bow of Reishi… All in all, I was called a prodigy by many and was respected in top of that, I really loved the Academy although I didn't have any friends, I would usually train or study because I can't wait to see my children and my husband again.

Anyway, now the graduated were going to the Seireitei to see all the division to help us in choosing one of them but sometime we could be refused to enter the division because the Shinigami didn't meet up with the requirements of the said division. Like to be accepted into the first division, you need to have at least a hundred years of service into the Seireitei. The second division favored the use of Flash Step because of the Omnitsukido, the fourth division favored the Kidou blessed because they were the medical division of the Gotei 13. The eleventh demanded for any Shinigami who wanted to kill more than others and favored Zanjutsu skills, so I decided to not go to the eleventh, also, they were barbarians. The twelfth was by far the most bizarre and demanding division in all the Seireitei, for one, they wanted the smarter people and they were all deformed but that was because their Taicho was a mad scientist who experimented on them. I felt so bad for them, I didn't want to enter the division but one of my fellow graduates wanted to enter there but was scared to become deformed like the other members. For the other divisions, anyone could enter them without demanding anything but the Fifth was known for his 'kind' Taicho but I was already told by Kisuke of the secret plotting of Sosuke Aizen to betray the Soul Society.

I really don't know which division is best for me; I was a nurse at the clinic of Isshin so I am tempted to go in the Fourth division but I am also tempted to go to the Thirteenth division because I wanted to meet the division my deceased brother-in-law was in. I heard from Kukaku-chan that he really liked his division and that the captain, despite his constant illness, was by far the best captain of all Gotei 13. I knew practically nothing about the fourth division but that it was the medical center and I knew some things about the Thirteenth division. In my relief, someone told me that I could join a division and if this wasn't the good division for me, I could always change division later if the two Taichos accepted the transfer.

So after a lot of pondering, I decided to go to the Thirteenth division; there I joined with two graduates like me and the two third seats showed us around the division compound. I found it funny to see the two of them bickering together, it made me think about Kisuke and Yoru-chan, I wondered how they were doing; I always thought about my family but when it came to my friends, I gave it much less thought. They showed us where we were going to stay because we didn't have anywhere else to go, I was paired with a girl who barely stayed to sleep but sometime she needed to sleep in the compound because of the work or she trained late at night. I didn't really care, I was excited to meet her, the way the third seat spoke of her made me think of someone great and funny.

When I met her, I didn't thought of 'funny' as the first word I would describe her, more like stiff and sad. Her eyes showed a sadness that I don't think I would've saw in the eyes of someone who looked so young. She was small, really small, she had black hair and violet or gray eyes, she always seemed to scowl but the way she acted with people made me think of something more; she was unsure and a bit shy. Although Kiyone-chan, one of our third seat, already presented us to each other, she didn't give her my name nor do I knew hers, so I asked her kindly and maybe she would open up to me, who knows? "Hi, I'm your 'roommate', remember? Kiyone-chan told you on my second day here." She looked at me weirdly blinking a few times and she replied to me. "Yeah, I remember but I don't sleep here often…" I think she was blushing a little but I brushed it off. "You know, I never got your name, mine's Kurosaki Masaki!" I said with a motherly smile. Again she blinked a few times and she looked embarrassed to reply. "My name is Kuchiki Rukia…" She was blushing and was looking away from me. I knew that the Kuchiki's were one of the four noble families but to think that this little girl was one of them surprised. I smiled at her and I laughed a little seeing as maybe she thought I was going to fear her or something. "Nice to meet you Rukia-chan, I hope we become friends!" I said with a smile. For a second, she looked speechless but she replied with a nod and smiled a little. I knew form this moment, that this girl would somehow become a part of my family.

So? How was it? Was it good or bad? Maybe even disastrous?! I really hope you liked it and if so, I will be posting a new chapter in a week or so, I can't promise anything but I'll do my best! ;) In the mean time, feel free to Review or even PM me, I will do my best to reply to you! Thanks for those of you who Reviewed and thank you for reading! :) See you again!

-MangaGleek