Chapter 10: Kiseki

During the course of January, a lot had been on everyone's mind. Well, it was almost on everyone's mind. As she looked around in the warehouse, Kokoro had noticed how all the Visoreds had acted differently around her. There was one instance where Hiyori even lashed out at her for no apparent reason, but Hiyori had always been like that so it never fazed Kokoro. Still, it did seem odd that everyone else would seem a bit distant from her.

Finally, Lisa was the one to step forward to say, "Kokoro, I think it's best that you stay at the Urahara shop this week." Kokoro did not expect anything like that. As great as it sounded to spend time with her former family, she could tell something was wrong, but she knew it wasn't any of her business. She just accepted Lisa's advice and packed her things. She looked back at everyone before she left. She still couldn't help but wonder what was going on.

As he returned from buying lunch for everyone, Shinji looked around then asked, "Hey, where's Kokoro?"

"I sent her to Kisuke's place for a week." Lisa confessed. Shinji gave Lisa a confused look as if to ask why she would do something like that. "We know what this week means to you. Having Kokoro around would only make things worse for you." Rose stated. Even Love agreed and said, "Yeah, man. She looks too much like her.." Shinji just faced the ground as he listened to his comrades opinions on the subject. Personally, he felt that they had no place in the matter. Yes, they did know her, but not like he did. "I'll be upstairs." was all Shinji said as he handed Hachi the bag of food to hand out to everyone.

In his room, Shinji crashed into his bed and looked up at the ceiling. He laid there like that for a while until he finally rolled to his side and looked around his room as if to look for something. He got up and opened his closet. He began throwing random articles of clothing around until he was deep within his closet. There rested an old box that was covered in dust and was almost falling apart. He carefully dragged the heavy box out of the closet and began to rummage through old antiques. In the box were very old items such as his old captain's cloak, his lieutenant badge from before the time he was a captain, and even an old photo album. He pulled out the album and blew dust away from it as he turned the pages to remember the days he was once welcomed at the Soul Society. Good times they were, but that's all they ever were. He had lost all that the night he and his friends became Visoreds. Flipping through the photos, he immediately stopped at one photo. He clinched the album tightly as he gritted his teeth. In the photo was him, Kisuke, and there she was...giving him that same blank stare she always did... "Why..." He had asked himself this ever since that day. He still couldn't believe Emiko would do it, so why did she?

100 Years Ago...

Listening to jazz play in an old record, a man with long hair and a captain's cloak stared into the mirror waiting for his lieutenant to show up. He was late, which bothered him. Outside, someone finally called to the man asking for permission to enter. "C'mon in." A familiar voice said, granting the voice outside entrance. As the door slid open, a man with brown hair and glasses on entered, but he didn't come alone. "I apologise for my tardiness, Captain Hirako." The man who was revealed to be Shinji turned to face his lieutenant with an annoyed look on his face. "Where were ya? Ya do know we have to meet with the Head Cap...tain..." He had paused for a moment when he noticed a girl standing next to Aizen. She almost looked like a female version of him, only her hair reached passed her waist. Two strands of that long hair laid in front of her. The only part of her hair that was short were her side bangs that were shoulder-length and that one strand of hair in the middle of her face. She was dressed as a Soul Reaper, only she had a black choker, her shoulders and some of her cleavage were exposed. The skirt of her uniform reached above her knees, but underneath, she wore a pair of white leggings that reached passed her knees only by a few inches.

The girl looked up to him with a blank stare as Aizen said to Shinji, "Please allow me to introduce my daughter, Emiko."

"I see the resemblance. Nice to meet ya, Emi-chan."

"My name is Emiko." Emiko stated plainly, making Shinji feel slightly unnerved. Man, this girl is just as bland as Sōsuke, too! Emiko just stood there with a blank expression. She turned to the side when she noticed the jazz music playing from a record. She continued to stare at it. Shinji noticed the girl take an interest and smiled, "Ya like? It's new music from the human world."

"Music?"

"Yeah. What? Don't tell me yer dad doesn't let ya listen to music." Shinji asked as he slightly teased Aizen at the same time. Aizen stepped in and said, "We should be heading to the squad one barracks." Shinji agreed as he led the two there. As they walked, he took a small glance and noticed how empty her eyes looked. It was as though there wasn't even a glimmer of life in them. Something about this girl just didn't seem right to him. Besides, since when did Aizen ever have a kid? He would have to learn more about this girl later.

At the Urahara Shop

Kokoro knocked on the door while holding a suitcase full of her things. Jinta finally answered only to ask, "What? Did yer boyfriend dump ya?" Immediately, Kokoro swung her suitcase to pound the top of his head with it. "HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND?!" She yelled at him annoyed already by this brat. Jinta rubbed the top of his head as he yelled, "DAMN IT! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YA?!"

"THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU, YOU DAMNED BRAT!" The two began to fight until suddenly, both of them were bopped in the head by Kisuke's fists. "Settle down, you two. You'll scare the customers away." He said to them as if it were just like old times. "So, what brings you here, Kokoro?" Kisuke asked her. Kokoro looked up to him then explained how the Visoreds don't want her to stay at the warehouse for at least a week. Kisuke understood, knowing why, but Jinta just growled and yelled, "So ya've come here to mooch on us. Is that it?!" Kokoro glared down at the little hell raiser until Kisuke stepped in between them and said to prevent another fight, "Let's get you settled in."

Tessai helped with her things even though Kokoro kept saying she could manage on her own. She was familiar with the place considering she still worked here. Other than that, she would normally eat dinner here on weekdays, but that had to change when she moved in with the Visoreds. From then on, she only ate with them. They were sort of her new family after all.

As they all sat together to eat dinner, Kokoro looked around at everyone. She had missed these moments, eating and spending time with her own family. She remembered back to her first dinner with them.

It was her ninth birthday, and she planned to spend it alone at home after she was finished working at the Urahara shop for the day. Just as she was about to head home, Kisuke stopped her and said, "Where are you going? You still have to bring some of these boxes inside. Tessai's too busy right now, so I can't ask him to do it." This was long before Jinta and Ururu began to work there, so Kokoro sighed and agreed to do it. Kisuke followed behind and told her that this particular box belonged in the dining room.

Just as Kokoro entered the room, the first thing she noticed was, "Surprise! Happy Birthday Kokoro!" Both Yoruichi and Tessai were sitting at the table. There was food and even a big cake with eight candles. It was a chocolate cake with words written in vanilla icing that said, Happy Birthday Kokoro. Kokoro dropped the storage box without even thinking. She hadn't had a surprise like this since her sixth birthday. Kisuke then placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Go ahead, open your gift." Kokoro was confused at first but then realized he meant the storage box. Kokoro became curious and got on her knees to slowly open it. Once it was opened, her eyes lit up. She pulled out her gift and asked, "A photo album?" As she flipped through the album, she saw that almost all the pages were blank. Kisuke laughed nervously while scratching the back of his head. "We know it's not really something a nine year-old would want. We hope you like it though." Kokoro stopped when she saw the first page. There were some photos with herself, Yoruichi, Kisuke, and Tessai. From the times they had all spent together, such as Halloween. There were even just casual days such as work. All of these memories poured into Kokoro's heart as she closed the album, hugging it to her chest, and sat down at the table with everyone. "Th-thank you." She stuttered admitting her feelings with a small tint on her cheeks as she held back the water in her eyes.

Kisuke was glad to hear that as he joined them to eat cake and dinner. Kokoro didn't show much of it, but she had never been so happy on her birthday. It was the first time she had ever felt like she was in a family for such a long time.

"Is something on your mind, Kokoro?" Kisuke asked Kokoro, snapping her out of her flash back and bringing her back to reality. Kokoro just shook her head and smiled. "Nah, I just miss these moments. That's all." She said admitting her feelings with a small smile. Everyone at the table were surprised by the way Kokoro responded. She was practically glowing, and it wasn't really like her to do so. Even when she was working at the Urahara Shop, she always had a sort of shell around her. Sure she would be open towards Kisuke and Yoruichi, but around everyone else, she was as cold as could be. What could have happened to change all of that, they each wondered.

"Hey, you guys seem to know the Visoreds longer than I have. Do any of you happen to know what's up with them? They've acted strange the past few days." Kokoro asked the three of them. Kisuke turned to Tessai and Tessai understood as he led Jinta and Ururu out of the room. Jinta wouldn't go easily, so he had to throw him over his shoulder. Once the three of them were alone, Yoruichi finally explained. "This week is the anniversary of when the Visoreds were created." Kokoro froze for a moment and continued to listen. "Before then, they were once Soul Reapers, but then they all changed."

"How did they change?"

"Aizen Sōsuke." Kisuke answered as he began to grit his teeth together lightly. Kokoro noticed the anger in his eyes. Whoever this Sōsuke was, he seemed to have ticked off even her own boss. Yoruichi sighed and said, "Because of him, they had almost lost even their own lives. If it weren't for Kisuke, Tessai and I, they would have all been executed as hollows." Kokoro's eyes widened to hearing this. They were all about to lose there lives just because of one man? "Why did he do that to them?" She asked them. Kisuke looked outside of the window watching the rain pour down as he answered, "For no good reason. As far as everyone is concerned, he's a traitor, even to his own captain." Captain? Kokoro asked herself. She began to think deeply about it then asked, "Do you mean he's...?"

"Yes, Aizen Sōsuke was once lieutenant to Captain Hirako Shinji." Kisuke answered. He continued to watch the rain and remembered a rainy day like this one a long time ago...

101 Years Ago

On his way to the squad twelve barracks, Captain Urahara Kisuke noticed a girl standing in the rain. He recognized her to be Aizen's daughter, Emiko. She just stood there with empty eyes. It was raining outside and she was soaking wet, so he placed his umbrella over her despite the risk of him getting soaked as well. Emiko noticed this and turned to face him with empty eyes. "What are you doing out here without an umbrella? You'll catch your death like that, you know?" He asked her with a soft smile. Emiko simply stared at him with a blank expression and stated, "I am on my way to the squad five barracks to give my report to my master and my captain." Kisuke understood and asked, "Do you need some help? You seem lost."

"I can manage." She then stepped out from under his umbrella as she headed towards a direction. "That's great, but you're going the wrong way. That path leads to the squad four barracks." Kisuke called out to the girl. Emiko immediately stopped and turned around to face him, she then pointed to the direction ahead of him as if to ask if that was the correct path. Kisuke just smiled and held his hand out to her, "Come on. I won't bite."

"For your sake, I would hope not." She said plainly as she walked ahead of him, but didn't stop him when he followed behind. Once they both had finally made it, they were welcomed inside, but Aizen approached her with a disappointed look in his eyes. "There you are. Where have you been?" He asked Emiko sternly. Emiko looked up at him and explained, "I was on my way to squad five barracks but I could not locate the right path on my own. Captain Urahara of the squad twelve barracks lead me to this destination." Aizen kept his serious look of disappointment and said, "You of all people should know better than to lose your way."

"To be frank, Sōsuke, I think you should be more concerned for your daughter's health. She's soaked to the bone." But then, Kisuke noticed it. Not once has this girl ever shivered or even twitch from being cold. "You seem to be soaked as well, Captain Urahara. Shouldn't you be more concerned for your own health?" Aizen said turning the tables on Kisuke. Kisuke didn't like that but said nothing. This guy was a real piece of work, and obviously a terrible father to Emiko. Aizen just smiled his usual smug look and turned to Emiko as he motioned for her to follow him. Before she did, Emiko looked back at Kisuke for a moment with her usual blank stare, then returned to following Aizen. Ever since then, Kisuke knew what she truly was. Just as he was about to leave, Shinji arrived with an umbrella. He was going to catch some sun until the rain began to pour in. Luckily he had already noticed the grey clouds and had brought an umbrella with him just in case. "Well, this is a surprise. What brings ya here to the squad five barracks, Kisuke?" He asked the slightly surprised Captain. "Oh, Captain Hirako, good afternoon."

"How many times do I have to say it. Just call me Shinji." Kisuke apologised seeing the slightly irritated look in Shinji's eyes. He then turned back to the direction where Emiko left and asked, "So, that's lieutenant Aizen's daughter, right?"

"Yeah, what about her?"

"He doesn't really seem to be concerned about her well-being, but that's not all."

"Ya noticed it too, huh?"

"Noticed what?"

"C'mon, don't tell me ya don't get what I'm sayin'. That blank stare, those empty eyes, and even her monotone voice. It's as if she doesn't even have a soul." Shinji finally explained to Kisuke in full detail. Kisuke's thoughts were exactly that as he also added, "She also didn't seem to be affected by the cold rain. Could she be something else?"

"Who knows? Whatever she is, she's definitely not Sōsuke's daughter. That's I can be sure of." Shinji stated. Kisuke looked back and wondered that if she truly was artificial, then there was something he could do about it.

Today...

Looking through the old photo album still, Shinji remembered his days as a Captain. There were bad times, such as his fights with Hiyori, but there were also good times. He remembered the day he had found out what Emiko truly was. She was about to tear off someone's arm just for touching her. It wasn't even anything perverted. It was just a pat on the back from what the poor guy had told him. Shinji was lucky enough to have saved him just in time for the guy to come out with a broken arm. All it took was for Shinji to ask if Emiko had a heart. When she asked him what a heart was, it was enough for him to see that she was a mod soul prototype. He had heard of what they were but at the time, they were still an experimental project. As he remembered that night, he couldn't take it anymore. He through the album at the wall, grabbed his grey trench coat and headed out despite the ran.

Back at the Urahara Shop, Kokoro looked out the window and saw that it was raining still. "Geez, when will it end? It's so depressing." She thought out loud. Suddenly, the phone began to ring. Kisuke picked it up and answered in his usual cheery tone, "Hello?" He then listened to the other end of the call and nodded then hung up. "Who was it?" Yoruichi asked as she noticed the look on Kisuke's face. "That was Hiyori. She's acting up again as always. Looks like Shinji just walked out without even saying a word. This must be a really tough year for him." Kokoro pretended not to know, but she listened to their private conversation and understood what was going on. She rushed out of the dining room and grabbed an umbrella. Both Kisuke and Yoruichi were surprised by her sudden actions and Yoruichi had to be the one to ask, "Hey, where you going? It's pouring outside."

"I can manage." Kokoro answered looking back to them with a small smile. A spark lit up in Kisuke's eyes as he looked at her and saw in her Emiko. He just smiled and said, "Don't forget an umbrella."

"Sure thing, dad." Kokoro said without even thinking as she headed out. Wait, why did I call him dad? She thought to herself slightly surprised as she headed out with a black umbrella over her head. Yoruichi was just as surprised. "Yoruichi..."

"Hm?" Yoruichi said looking back to only find a teary eyed man holding a tissue to one eye. "She...she called me dad..." Kisuke said with a big smile and tears in his eyes. Yoruichi couldn't help but giggle as she hugged him, holding his head to her chest. "Aww I didn't know you were the sensative type, Kisuke." She said in a motherly tone. Kisuke couldn't help it. He had always been like a father to her, so hearing Kokoro call him dad with a smile on her face really touched his heart.

Out in the streets, Shinji was running in the ran towards the Urahara Shop. He didn't care how the other Visoreds felt about having Kokoro around during this week. It's not like Kokoro was Emiko. No, Kokoro may have been similar to her, but she wasn't Emiko. Kokoro had a heart, and Emiko didn't. He then remembered that day and stopped in the middle of the rain. He remembered what Kisuke gave to Emiko. It was a small orb that was glowing a golden color. He didn't know what it was till that night when everything changed. It was the night he became a Visored...

101 Years Ago...

"Sōsuke!" Shinji yelled as he was about to cut his treacherous lieutenant with his zanpakutō, only to be frozen in his place as he suddenly spewed out a strange white substance through his left eye and through his mouth. His vision was slightly blurred as the entire left side of his face was covered with the white substance, forming half of a mask around it. "Sōsuke! What's going on?!" He yelled, shocked by all of this and felt more pain as the half of the mask began to slowly spread. Aizen only smiled as he said to his comrades, "As we thought. It appears that a stressed state helps to increase the Hollowfication process."

"Hollowfication? What have you done to us?"

"I see no reason to explain, Captain." Shinji began to tremble in pain as the Hollowfication only grew even more unbearable for him. "No don't!" He called out but it was too late. Kaname had cut down Hiyori, leaving her on the ground and unconscious. Soon, Shinji spewed out more of the white substance as it began to spread over his left shoulder, almost consuming his entire left side. Just as Aizen was about to cut down Shinji as well, something stood in his way. Shinji's eyes widened when he realized it was Emiko. Was she defending him? But why? Even Aizen seemed to have not seen it coming, but then he noticed something and narrowed his eyes towards the girl. "Didn't I warn you, that a heart would only break you?" He then finished the job on her as blood splashed out of her. Emiko couldn't cry out, but only whimper as she fell back. Before she hit the ground, Shinji caught her in his arms and looked down at her with wide eyes. "Why...why did you..." He then paused noticing the smile on her bloody lips and the tears in her empty eyes. "Ariga...to..." Were her final words before she closed her eyes and she laid there in his arms.

"Such a shame, I actually knew predicted this to happen as well. Her curiosity always did get the better of her, which was exactly what I was counting on." Aizen commented, only to torture Shinji even more. "You bastard! You made her only to have her killed?!" He yelled towards the cold-hearted man. Aizen only smiled at this and said, "Killed? Don't you mean destroyed? It's not like she ever had a soul to begin with." This only irritated Shinji even more, which only worsened the Hollowfication process, but just before he was about to lose it, Kisuke and Tessai had come to the rescue. If it weren't for them, all the Visoreds would have been dead by then. While the others were distracted with Aizen, none of them had noticed that Emiko was laying on the ground, but wasn't dead yet. She slowly turned her head to the side. When she saw Kisuke, she said her true final words, "F-Fa...ther..." Her eyes then turned black as she laid there completely lifeless. By the time Kisuke and the others got to her, it was too late.

Now...

Out in the rain, Shinji was still in deep thought about that night, that is until he noticed that the rain had stopped pouring on him. He snapped out of his thoughts and looked up to see a black sky. Well, he thought it was the sky until he realized it was just an umbrella. He was surprised at first then turned to see it was Kokoro who was holding the umbrella over his head. "What are you doing out here without an umbrella? You'll catch your death like that, you know?" She asked him plainly. Kokoro was now the one getting soaked by the rain, but she didn't seem to care. She was wearing a pair of loose dark-blue jeans with a red baggy striped long-sleeved shirt on. She even wore a blue long-sleeved shirt underneath the baggy shirt with white sneakers. "Ya dress like a man, ya know that?" Shinji teased. Kokoro just narrowed her eyes and said, "Yeah, well you don't exactly look that great yourself. Look, even your hair is a mess. Here, hold this." She then handed him the umbrella as she got underneath with him and reached up to his head to fix his drenched and messy locks.

Shinji held the umbrella but did not expect Kokoro to get this close to him. He knew how she always hated it when people touched her. She would even avoid touching other people, and yet here she was fixing his hair. He just smiled softly at this. "There, good as new." Kokoro said about to pull back but suddenly, she felt the umbrella fall to the ground as Shinji's arms wrapped around Kokoro. Kokoro didn't know how to react to this. Before she would always try to push him away, but for some reason, she didn't want to. She stood still for a moment until she slowly wrapped her arms around him admitting that she felt comfortable with this. "Tell anyone, and you're a dead man."

"Deal." He said with a soft smile on his face. This was their first real hug, because this time, she hugged him back. He couldn't help but shed a tear of joy as his heart had finally felt some peace for once in such a long time. Suddenly, there was thunder and they quickly pulled apart. "Maybe we should..."

"Agreed." Kokoro finished as she ditched the umbrella and just took Shinji's hand as they took off running for shelter, and the closest one was back at the Urahara Shop. When they finally made it inside, they were both panting and soaking wet from running out in the rain. Kisuke headed to the entrance and saw it was the both of them. He then smiled with his fan and said, "Hey, looks like you found him after all. We were starting to worry you had gotten lost out there in the rain. Where's your umbrella?"

"Ditched it. There was thunder and we had no choice." Kokoro explained between her breaths. For the rest of the night, Shinji and Kokoro stayed at the Urahara shop.

The Next Morning

Once the sun was out, Kokoro and Shinji were finally able to return to the warehouse. Shinji didn't care what the other Visoreds told Kokoro. He didn't want her to stay away from him even if it were just for a week. Once they gate opened, Shinji called out in a cheery tone, "Guess what Hot Koko and I just did yesterday!"

"DEAD MAN WALKING!" Kokoro roared with rosy cheeks as she chased him around the warehouse swinging her suitcase planning to land a hit on him. This was something the rest of the Visoreds had grown accustomed to, but they were still surprised that Shinji actually left just to bring her back. They would think he wouldn't want her around just because she looked so much like Emiko. He did get upset when Lisa tried to make Kokoro look like her, but it looked as though that didn't matter to Shinji now. In fact, it was as though Shinji would forget all of his troubles whenever he was around Kokoro. Lisa smiled seeing that it was foolish of her to send Kokoro away for a week. Whether she knew it or not, she was his shining light even in his darkest of days. Make sure he stays smiling, Lisa thought towards Kokoro.