Coming Home

With the beast gone for good and the assassins dead, Rurichiyo was safe once again. However... They were still lost.

Rurichiyo: "So what now? Where do we go?"

Toushiro: "I... I don't know... Vegeta didn't say what to do beyond the volcanos..."

Rurichiyo: "A-Are you sure?"

Toushiro nodded. He remained silent as he tried to think things out. He was sure that Vegeta told him the truth about how to get home. Was it HIS fault? Did he misinterpret what Vegeta said? Did they make a wrong turn somewhere?... DID Vegeta give them the right directions? A gentle breeze swept against his face. Strangely... He felt like something was pulling at his chin to make him gaze up to the clouds. He complied and gazed heavenward. The stars shined brightly down on them even though the sun was just minutes away from rising. Toushiro closed his eyes and remembered something from long ago.

~Flashback~

The stars shined brilliantly tonight and both Vegeta and Toushiro sat under them, watching. It had become one of their favorite pastimes. They'd both lay in the grass gazing up at the stars while Vegeta told Toushiro stories about his adventures in space and with his friends. Now and then they'd look for constellations within the starry night sky. But one night was a little different.

Toushiro: "Vegeta..."

Vegeta: "Hm?"

Toushiro: "Will you always be with me?... Even after you die?"

Vegeta thought for a moment and then sat up.

Vegeta: "I don't know if I can, Toushiro."

Toushiro: "But what if I need you? What if I lose my way?"

Vegeta: "You'll never lose your way, Toushiro."

Toushiro: "You sound so sure of that."

Vegeta: "Because I am. Let me tell you something that my father used to tell me when I was young. Look at the stars... All those who have passed on, and yet are still needed by someone, become a star and look down at us from the heavens."

Toushiro: "Really?"

Vegeta: "I believe it... So if you are ever alone or lost and I'm not there beside you, Toushiro... Look up at the stars... And I will somehow guide you."

~End Flashback~

Opening his eyes, Toushiro gazed up at the stars... And pleaded for help.

Toushiro: "Vegeta... ... I-I don't know what else to do... I tried to do everything you told me... But I... It's just too hard!... *sniff* ... I don't think I can get us home..."

Toushiro stared at the stars, hoping for the answer he sought. Rurichiyo too stared up at the sky, hoping to see the same answer the young captain was waiting for too. But the answer did not come from the stars. It came in another gust of wind. It blew hard, almost as if it was trying to push the young captain. Toushiro and Rurichiyo looked around but there was no sign of the wind anywhere else but against them. The wind did not cease, it just continued to blow in one direction. Towards the jagged archways and rocky outcrops. Although unsure how, Toushiro sensed that there was something more to this wind.

Toushiro: "... ... Vegeta?..."

Nothing answered, but nothing ceased. Toushiro hesitated at first, but something in his heart told him to follow. And he did.

Rurichiyo: "Hitsugaya! Where are you going?!"

Toushiro: "Just wait here!"

Toushiro ran towards the first jagged archway, following the wind closely. He climbed over the small outcrops and into a shallow tunnel. At the other end was another cliff overlooking the sky. He couldn't go any further.

Toushiro: "Vegeta?..."

The breeze died down. The young captain gazed out towards the horizon. The horizon glowed a beautiful ruby red and topaz yellow as the sun started to rise. The bright star of day peeked out from behind the mountains in the far distance and began to blanket the world with its warming light. Before long the world was brightening up and only now did Toushiro realize what was beneath him. Meanwhile, Rurichiyo was waiting patiently until she heard the child prodigy shout out!

Toushiro: "RURICHIYO OVER HERE, YOU GOTTA SEE THIS!"

The blonde princess quickly ran in the direction Toushiro had gone! She ran into the young captain halfway to the end where he guided her to what he had found. They both stood at the edge of the cliff looking down towards the sun lit world beneath them. They instantly recognized it.

Rurichiyo: "It's...!"

Karakura Town... Home.

Rurichiyo: "Hitsugaya, you found it!"

Toushiro: "No! We did it together!"

Finally... After 2 weeks of being on their own... Away from everything they knew... They were home. Laughing and screaming with joy, they made their way down the mountain slope and through the forest outside of the town that they both knew so well. The town that connected to home. Joy filled both of them as they leapt around excitedly while heading for one place in particular. Urahara's Shop was full of the people they knew. Ichigo and his friends, Levi, Kenryū and Enryū. The 13 Court Guard Squads and the Z-Fighters. They were all there. Suddenly Enryū started making gestures towards the street.

Kenryū: "Enryū, what are you doing?"

Ichigo: "Shh! Listen!"

Ichigo heard it too, and soon everyone else did as well.

Krillin: "That sounds like kids laughing."

Rukia: "And they're getting closer."

The laughing and joyous shouts grew louder and louder until, finally, Toushiro suddenly ran out from behind the corner!

Gohan: "Look! It's Toushiro!"

Ichigo: "Toushiro!"

Toushiro ran up to Ichigo and into the young man's arms as everyone circled around them! And then...

Rurichiyo: "Kenryū! Enryū!"

Rurichiyo was right behind him.

Kenryū: "Princess!"

Both Kenryū and Enryū ran up to Rurichiyo in sheer delight as they hugged her. Everyone couldn't believe it! They thought they had lost these two during the earthquake! But somehow, against all the odds, against all the parlous, Toushiro and Rurichiyo had found their way home... Back to those that care about them. But there was one more surprise.

Ichigo: "You made it back!"

Toushiro: "Well... Vegeta did help us... Even though he's gone."

Before any more could be said, a man appeared behind them all. It was the assassin leader, he was still alive!

Assassin Leader: "Finally... I've got you now."

Everyone gasped and looked up!

Toushiro: "Impossible... How did you survive?!"

Assassin Leader: "I'm not the leader for nothing... Now, Rurichiyo Kasumiōji, I hope you are ready to die!"

Rurichiyo hid behind Toushiro while the others all gathered to fight! But suddenly they stopped. The Z-Fighters all sensed it. Something else was coming. As for Toushiro, anger had built up within him.

Toushiro: "It's your fault... You're the reason Vegeta's dead!"

Assassin Leader: "What are you gonna do about it, kid?"

With sword drawn Toushiro charged at the man!

Rurichiyo: "Toushiro!"

The leader grabbed the young captain by the throat and began to squeeze!

Assassin Leader: "You've given me a lot of trouble, captain!"

Levi was appalled that nobody was helping Toushiro! So he decided to do something for himself!

Levi: "If none of you are going to help him!"

The soldier took one step before getting grabbed and pulled back by Goku!

Levi: "Goku?!"

Goku: "Hold on there, Levi. Toushiro will be fine, just give it a second."

Levi looked back at the young captain. Then from behind the corner... he emerged. The assassin was so focused, he didn't even notice. Only when his shadow loomed over them both did the assassin finally take notice. The man whirled around and dropped Toushiro as he came face to face with Vegeta once again, the prince roaring in his face as they did!

Assassin Leader: "Y-You!... H-How?..."

The saiyan prince stared directly into the man's eyes as he growled and snarled, his intension clear as day within those deep black eyes! Terrified, the leader started to back away and look for an escape. But then Vegeta looked away and seemed to focus on Toushiro. This was his chance, he thought! The assassin made a run for it, trying to get by Vegeta in the process! But the prince had deliberately looked away, tricking the man into making a run for it! Just as the man was right beside him, Vegeta snapped out with his jaws and caught the assassin by the foot! The man screamed as his foot was crushed and he begged as was pulled back in front of the saiyan prince!

Assassin Leader: "Wait! Please!"

He didn't deserve mercy... Not after everything he and his clan has done... And the feeling was mutual within all. The weakhearted looked away as Vegeta killed the man in what had to be the bloodiest and most gruesomest way they've ever seen. Even Levi, a man who has seen far more than his fair share of gruesome things, finally had to turn his head near the end. Just as things went quiet, Toushiro picked himself up and looked around for the assassin leader. But what he came face to face with instead was Vegeta as the prince wiped the blood off of him. The youth was understandably shocked and confused. He had watched Vegeta seemingly die right in front of him! So how was it possible for the saiyan prince to be standing here with his usual charismatic smirk?!

Toushiro: "V-Vegeta?!... But how-"

Vegeta: "Ask him."

The saiyan prince pointed to someone behind him. Unknown to some of the others, one more had been separated from them during the earthquake. A young namekian stood behind Vegeta with a cheerful smile.

Toushiro: "Dende?"

Dende: "I found Vegeta just in the nick of time. If I had been just a minute later... It would've been too late."

Toushiro couldn't help but run up to Vegeta and hug the saiyan prince. And thus the world was set right again. Toushiro Hitsugaya and Rurichiyo Kasumiōji were back where they belong. Years later on, this story was still talked about. Generation upon generation, each passing to the next, the tale of their ancestor's great journey home... Long ago.

The End.