Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or anyone or anything from Bleach. It's as simple as that. Everything else, however, is mine. :D
Chapter 21: Epilogue or The Ending of the Beginning
On the first day after Aizen's betrayal Ichigo woke up and felt fine. No amount of Orihime's miraculous healing, however, could cancel out the fact that he had nearly been cut in half, so when the Squad 4 nurses told him to stay in bed he listened. They had assured him that all of his friends were fine, but Ichigo's mind refused to stop worrying about them.
On the second day, however, Ichigo got up with every intention of checking on his friends and seeing that they were ok with his own eyes. He made it about halfway down the hallway before Squad 4's Captain had descended on him and asked him to go back to bed. She had been perfectly pleasant when she'd asked, but something in her tone had sent Ichigo practically sprinting back to his room as if he'd been given an order. Ichigo did not try to get back up again that day.
On the third Ichigo decided that he would see his friends through hell or high water and would not go back to his room until he made sure they were ok no matter who asked him to. To Ichigo's surprise no one stopped him, and the nurse he asked for directions was happy to help him.
The first place he came upon was the room where Renji was being treated. His wounds were nearly healed and he was sitting up in bed when Ichigo arrived. They talked a bit and traded some insults and Ichigo knew he would be fine. Rukia had already been released and showed up just as Ichigo was about to leave. Ichigo was relieved that no harm had come to her from Aizen's extraction of the Hogyoku. Rukai told him that all but one of his other friends had been released and were staying in other places in the Seireitei. Rukia promised that she would let them know he was up and would send them to visit him later.
That just left Taylor. She was the person that Ichigo was most excited and most nervous about seeing. He was desperate to see that she was ok with his own eyes, but at the same time he was afraid. What if she wasn't ok? He didn't know what he would do.
And there was everything that had happened back at the cave. They had kissed, but did that mean that things were different between them? Could he kiss her again? He sure as hell wanted to, but he had no clue about how she would react. Ichigo was certain that he was in love with Taylor, but now he doubted if she felt the same way about him. It made him extra nervous.
Ichigo paused at the door to Taylor's room in order compose himself. Then he knocked.
"Come in," Taylor called.
Squashing his hesitation Ichigo opened the door. "Hey," he began uncertainly.
Taylor's room was larger than his. It had a bed, a cabinet for medical supplies, and a desk and an extra chair. But the biggest difference was that half of the far wall was taken up by a sliding paper door, revealing a little private garden surrounded by a high fence. Taylor was sitting on the porch that led out into the garden and turned at the sound of Ichigo's voice.
"Ichigo! You're ok!" Taylor's face lit up with a brilliant smile as soon as she saw Ichigo, Ichigo's breath caught in his throat at her expression- she looked so happy to see him- and his heart swelled even as he felt his own mouth stretch into a matching grin.
"Of course I'm ok. Orihime's powers are amazing. How are you?"
At Ichigo's question Taylor's face dropped a bit and Ichigo felt his stomach twist into a knot with worry.
"I'm…ok," Taylor replied.
Ichigo took the time to examine Taylor more closely now. She looked…tired. There was something in her eyes that hinted at exhaustion and she sat with her back slumped, as if the very air itself was weighing down on her. Ichigo's alarm increased. He crossed the room and sat down next to her.
"Are you really ok?" he asked, catching her gaze and holding it.
"My wounds are pretty much all healed," Taylor offered. Ichigo scowled at her, aware that she wasn't telling him everything. Suddenly Taylor sighed and looked away. "Ichigo…my powers are gone."
Shock raced through Ichigo like a lightening bolt. For a moment all he could do was sit there while his brain attempted to process what he had just heard. "What? How?" Ichigo finally managed to ask.
Taylor's eyes seemed to focus on something faraway as she raised a hand to her chest. "It was on Sokyoku Hill. When Aizen and Ichimaru stabbed me they got my binding chain and soul sleep. It's just like what happened to you when Byakuya attacked you in the World of the Living when Rukia and I were taken."
"Oh." Ichigo didn't know what else to say. He really didn't.
They sat in silence for a long time both looking out into the garden. Ichigo focused his gaze on the bamboo spout in the garden's fountain. Up and down it rhythmically went, spilling a little more water each time.
"It's ok though!" Taylor suddenly exclaimed and Ichigo looked back at her. She was smiling again, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I mean I didn't want to be a Soul Reaper in the first place. Now I don't have to worry about it anymore." Her was voice too cheery to be genuine.
"You don't have to lie to me," Ichigo said quietly.
Surprise flashed through Taylor's eyes before she looked away again. Ichigo waited. He knew that this had to be difficult for her. It certainly had been for him. Despite how resistant Taylor had been about using her powers at first, Ichigo knew that Taylor had grown to like them and to believe that she was doing something important when she used them. Losing them was a blow and Ichigo intended to be there for Taylor, no matter how long it took her to lean on him.
"It's true though…" Taylor began softly. "When my powers first appeared I hated them so much. I wondered why on Earth I had this other weird problem to deal with when I had so many other things to worry about. And I was so afraid too. I didn't choose to have those abilities. I didn't understand what was happening to me."
"But that changed."
"Yes, it did." Taylor smiled softly and Ichigo felt his heart beat just a tad faster. She was so beautiful when she smiled. "My powers gave me the ability to really do something, to really help people. I'd never known what that felt like before. To know that you're doing something important. And now it's gone." Ichigo waited again as Taylor got quiet, her smile falling and her expression turning sad.
Finally she turned to him again, her expression asking for his agreement. "But I'll be fine. Just because I don't have powers doesn't mean that I have to stop being that person, right?" Taylor was clearly trying to sound strong, but Ichigo didn't miss the waver in her tone.
Ichig couldn't stop himself from smiling when Taylor looked at him hopefully with those big, blue eyes. "Right."
…
It's been a week now since Aizen's betrayal. And still, every time I think about it my blood boils with anger both at Aizen and at myself for failing to stop him. But there isn't anything I can do about it now. When we leave tomorrow I'll go back to just being an ordinary human. All I'll be able to do to help stop whatever new plans Aizen comes up with will be to support Ichigo and our friends. And you better believe I'm going to do that.
It's getting late now. The moon cleared the horizon a while ago and now sits halfway up the cloudless sky in an ocean of stars. Without the glare of city lights the sky is incredibly bright in the Soul Society. Since I've been at the Squad Four hospital I've frequently pondered whether or not their sky is the same as the one in the World of Living. The only conclusion I've come to is that it doesn't really matter. The moon is still the moon and the stars are still the stars.
I sigh as my gaze shifts from the sky to the little garden attached to my room. I roll my shoulders in an attempt to get more comfortable. Without my powers being in the Soul Society is…uncomfortable, for lack of a better word. The pressure of all the surrounding reishi is oppressive. The air itself feels heavy, like it's weighing me down. I've been wondering if this is how ordinary souls feel all the tine in Soul Society. If does it must really suck. No wonder the Rukon District is such an awful place to live.
Clearly I've had too much time to think over the past week. It's like I'm an old lady wiling away her time by sitting on her porch and pondering the mysteries of the universe…or something. I don't have enough energy now to really move around, so I've just been staying in my room to recover. The one time I did leave was to go to a special Captain's meeting where I was asked to recount what really happened the night that Wakana and the other Vizards gained their Hollow powers. All the charges against them have now been absolved, along with the charges against Yoruichi, Urahara, and Tessai.
My powers aren't the only things I've lost. Without the powers Wakana's memories are starting to fade too. I'm actually not all that upset about that- I felt kind of uncomfortable having them in the first place. It seemed wrong somehow to rifle through someone else's past like it was my own. But I definitely miss my powers. It's not just the fact that it's now uncomfortable to be in the Soul Society. I feel strangely…empty now. Like something inside me is missing. And my mind is so quiet now without the presence of a zanpakuto. It's kind of lonely.
But it hasn't been all bad. Everyone has been coming to visit me. I've seen Rukia and Renji, as well as several others of the senior officers who have come to apologize or just out of curiosity. And Orihime, Chad, Uryuu, and Ichigo have been coming everyday. Just not today yet. It's disappointing, but I'm not surprised. They're helping to get everything ready for when we leave tomorrow. And Ichigo, at least, seems like he spent a good portion of the day running from Kenpachi Zaraki.
That's the one thing I haven't lost. Even without my powers I still have some ability to sense spiritual pressure. But it is a lot more difficult now. If I want to sense anyone that's any distance away their spiritual pressure better be high and I have to concentrate really hard. I'm kind of amazed I can still keep track of everyone actually. It does make me feel better though. Even if I can't help my friends fight when we get back, at least I'll always be able to tell whether they're safe or not.
It's Ichigo's spiritual pressure brushing up against my senses that alerts me to his approach. I can't help but smile. His spiritual pressure is definitely one I'll always be able to keep track of. I glance over my shoulder at the door and call out for him to come in before he has the chance to knock. I smirk at him as he comes in, scowling, and his expression quickly softens.
"I'm never going be able to sneak up on you am I?" he asks me, his tone a bit rueful.
"Nope," I reply as he comes and sits down next to me.
"Sorry it took me so long to get here. I was coming to come visit you earlier, but Orihime was worried because she couldn't find Rukia and we ended up spending most of the day looking for her."
"Ah," I say. That makes sense. "You find her?"
"Yea."
"That's good."
We're silent after that. I'm not sure why, but things have been kind of awkward for us. We fell back into being friends easy enough but…well, it hasn't gone any further than that. It's like the kiss in the cave never happened. It makes me sad and nervous. I sneak a peek at Ichigo out of the corner of my eye and see that he is focused on the moon like I was earlier. I turn my gaze forward again with an inaudible sigh. I know I was the one who initiated things in the cave, but I can't seem to work up the courage to do it again now that we're not staring death in the face.
"You ready to go back tomorrow?" Ichigo asks me suddenly.
Slightly startled I glance at him. "I guess. It doesn't do me any good to stay here."
"And how are you now?" Ichigo has turned to face me.
It's an innocent enough question, but the loneliness inside bites at his words. He could just as easily be talking about my wounds, but I know he means how I'm doing with the loss of my powers.
"I'm getting there," I answer honestly, meeting Ichigo's gaze steadily. It wouldn't do me any good to lie. He knows me too well now to fall for it and then he'd just drag it out of me anyways.
"I'm glad," Ichigo replies, smiling softly at me.
My heart begins to pound and my face heats up, as our gazes remain locked. I can't look away, it seems, as Ichigo's eyes bore into mine. The look in them changes from warmth and affection into something else. Something…more intense. The atmosphere around us suddenly seems charged and the only thing I can think about is the way Ichigo's lips felt against mine in the cave. My breath catches in my throat as he begins to lean towards me and I lean towards him, drawn in as if by some magnetic force.
Our faces are less than an inch away, our lips just about to touch, when there is a sudden knock at the door. Ichigo and I both flinch and jump away from each other. My cheeks are burning and Ichigo's face is just as red as I call, "C-come in!" Damn it! Why'd they have to come now?
"Hi Taylor!" Orihime exclaims as she bounces through the door, followed by Rukia, Uryuu, and Chad. "Sorry we're so late!"
"It's ok," I mumble, feeling cheated. Ichigo shoots them all a glare and growls something under his breath.
Orihime doesn't notice, but Rukia does. "What's wrong with you? We didn't interrupt something did we?" Rukia asks Ichigo, smirking.
"Of course not," Ichigo snaps looking away as his blush, which had started to fade, turns brilliant again.
Rukia just smirks wider while Orihime looks back and forth between them confused. It is awkwardly silent for a moment until Uryuu clears his throat loudly. "Anyways, we wanted to come by and give you this," he says, presenting me with a pile of clothing.
"Ok…" I say, mystified, as I take it from him.
"It's great isn't it?" Orihime chirps excitedly. "Uryuu made us all new clothes for when we go home tomorrow!"
Feeling slightly less confused I unfold the bundle of clothing and see that it's a pair of pants and a shirt. There's nothing special about them, but it was nice of Uryuu to make them for me anyways. "Thanks," I say, looking up at him.
"You're welcome," he replies with a small, smug smile, reaching up and pushing his glasses back up his nose.
I look back at the sky, at the moon. It really is my final night here. It's strange to think that I'll be going back to the World of the Living tomorrow. I haven't even been here that long and yet the Soul Society feels more real now than the World of the Living. This place held so much meaning for Wakana, and even with her memories fading inside me I can't help but feel the same. In some ways I'll probably miss this it, but, really, I'm glad we're going home.
…
The next day we stand at the edge of Sokyoku Hill, the Senkaimon open in front of us. It seems like all the high-ranking officers have come to see us off. I'm not surprised really. Ichigo and the other's arrival helped expose Aizen's treachery and we all helped mess up his plans even if he ultimately succeeded.
Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, Uryuu, Yoruichi, back in cat form, and I are all ready to go. Rukia isn't coming, but I'm not that surprised about that either. I'll miss her a lot, but she's a Soul Reaper and her home is here. And I kind of get the feeling that this won't be the last time I see her.
We say our final goodbyes and then we step through the gate. Rather than having a leisurely walk to the other side, however, we find ourselves in the Dangai. We all look around, bemused, until a noise that sounds very much like a train horn echoes around us. Everyone else flinches. "What was that?" I ask, looking behind us and seeing a faint light that is quickly growing brighter.
The only answer I get is "RUN!" Ichigo grabs my hand and drags me along behind him as everyone begins to sprint.
"What the hell is going on?" I ask again, as something enormous roars up behind us.
"It's the cleaner!" Ichigo shouts back at me. He still hasn't relinquished his grip on my hand.
The cleaner?...Oh shit! I stop making Ichigo drag me and begin to run as hard as I can. He still doesn't release my hand as I draw even with him and I take advantage of the situation by tightening my grip on his. Ichigo shoots me a brief smile, which I'm quick to return even as we run for our lives.
"Damn it Yoruichi!" Ichigo shouts, sounding frustrated. "Why do we have to do this again?"
"Wait, again?" I ask. "You did this before? When you came here?"
"Yes!" Ichigo is definitely angry now. "And I'd really like to know why we're stuck doing it again!"
"Both of you shut up and run!" Yoruichi snaps back at us. "We're almost to the exit!"
She's right. Up ahead I can see the glowing shape of the doorway. We all put an extra burst of speed and make through the exit before the cleaner can plow through us. Unfortunately, however, the exit of the gate happens to be several hundred feet up into the open sky. We all seemingly hover for a moment, surrounded by the stars, before gravity takes effect and we began to fall.
My stomach flies up into my throat with the sensation of falling and Ichigo's hand tightens convulsively on mine. I've just opened my mouth up to scream when there is the sound of a cannon firing and suddenly we're all tumbled together in what feels like a giant piece of paper. There is indistinct shouting, the feeling of our bundle hitting something solid, and suddenly, in a brief whirl of motion, we are all sitting on the paper, which is now floating in the sky.
"Welcome back!" Urahara exclaims with a flourish from where he sits cross-legged at the front of the paper. I'm unsurprised to see Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu land behind us.
*"Urahara…but how?" Ichigo asks.
"It's good to see you again Ichigo," Urahara begins over his shoulder. "I imagine by now that you've heard the truth about me." I blink in surprise at the seriousness in Urahara's tone as Ichigo lets go of my hand and stands.
Ichigo's expression hardens. "I have."
Urahara then does something that completely astounds me. Turning around he takes off his hat and bows his head to Ichigo. "Words cannot express how truly sorry I am."
Ichigo looks away and sighs. "Stop, I'm not mad about it anymore. I'm not sure what you're motivation was, but you made us stronger. In the end you probably saved our lives. And for that I'm thankful."*
I can't stop a small smile from gracing my lips. I knew there was a reason why I'm in love this guy. And Urahara seems to have grown up some too. He got all of us, but especially Ichigo, involved with this for his own purposes, but here he is finally coming clean.
Well not exactly, I think, exasperated, as Ichigo elbows Urahara in the face when he tells Ichigo that he didn't tell him the truth because he was afraid Ichigo would 'run away'. Urahara is still a mystery to me, and I still don't trust him completely, but I at least I'm certain now that he was trying to do the right thing from the start…Or at least what he thought was the right thing. It's the thought that counts, right?
Things quiet down after Urahara promises that he'll apologize to Rukia as well. He then begins to drop the others off one-by-one, lowering the paper enough so that they can jump off, until it's just me and Ichigo left.
"So…" Ichigo begins suddenly, turning towards me, but refusing to make eye contact. "Can I come, and uh, see you tomorrow or something?" he asks nervously, reaching up to scratch the back of his head in embarrassment.
My own cheeks flush as my heart flutters uncontrollably. Is Ichigo finally- really- asking me out? "O-of course!" I stutter and then silently fume for sounding so nervous.
"Great!" Ichigo replies, finally meeting my eye and grinning widely. I smile in return, the heat in my face now coming from excitement. My powers may be gone, but it looks like my relationship with Ichigo is about to flourish. For the first time since I woke up in Squad Four I feel truly excited.
**"Shall I drop you off at your house Ichigo?" Urahara asks from up front.
"Yea, that'd be great." Ichigo calls back. Then he looks around, noticing the area of town that we're currently flying over. "Actually I think I'll get off right here,"** Ichigo says, standing. "See you tomorrow," he tells me before jumping off the edge of the paper into the open air.
"Wait! Ichigo!" Urahara calls after him. I lean over the side and see that we are flying over the river. Ichigo stands below us on the bank. I'm certain that he's thinking about his mother now. I hope that this whole experience has brought Ichigo some piece of mind.
This brings my thoughts back to my own mother. It's not like I didn't think about her at all while I was in the Soul Society. Actually I thought about her a lot, worrying what she'd do if I didn't make it back. It's just that I tried to avoid thinking about how mad she was going to be if I made it back. And she is definitely going to be livid. But I'm back now and there are definitely some things that we need to patch up. I'm not looking forward to, but she's my mom.
Below me the paper changes direction, heading back towards the shop. "Um…Urahara? I live that way," I say, pointing back the way that we had previously been heading.
"I know," Urahara replies, suddenly serious again. I get this funny feeling of anxiety as he turns to me. "There are a couple of things that I need to tell you. The first is that I am deeply sorry for involving you with all of this."
I blink, completely taken aback, as Urahara again removes his hat and bows his head towards me as he did for Ichigo. I'm not entirely sure what he's apologizing for until I remember the warning he gave me before I went home the night before Rukia and I were captured.
"Good. Well, happy early birthday. I think I'll give you the day off as your gift. But Taylor…" Urahara's voice has gotten serious again and I can't help but turn to look at him. "Don't stay out too late tomorrow."
I search Urahara's face for a long moment looking for something, anything, that will clue me on what his cryptic warning means. As usual I find nothing. I respond with a lazy wave and "Yea, sure." I feel his gaze on my back all the way to the front door and it makes me uneasy.
And that's when I realize…"You knew." I say quietly. It's not a question.
"Yes. I did. I apologize for not explaining everything fully to you before, but I'd hoped that by keeping some of it from you that you wouldn't get involved. I see now that that was foolish."
"Don't worry about it," I sigh. "I'm pretty sure that I would have gotten involved at some point anyways. Consider yourself forgiven."
I smirk at Urahara, but when he looks back up his face is still somber. My stomach twists uncomfortably as my anxiety grows. "Truly, thank you Taylor."
"No problem. Can you take me home now? I didn't really leave on the best of terms with my mom and I'd kind of like to get back and apologize for some things myself." There's something wrong. And why voice is too high? Why am I suddenly so uncomfortable? It feels like I'm suffocating.
"Yes…about that. You see there's something else I need to tell you."
Urahara stops there and my alarm only increases. What's he talking about? What the hell is going on? Suddenly I feel like I'm on the verge of panicking. What's with that look he's giving me? Pity? Why pity?
"What?" I finally cry out, unable to take the suffocating silence any longer.
Urahara's expression saddens, as if he deeply regrets what he's about to tell me. "Taylor…I'm sorry, but your mother…she has passed away."
…
When Ichigo knocked on the door to Taylor's apartment the next day he was startled when a pudgy, middle-aged man answered. When Ichigo asked if Taylor was home the man has answered that he didn't know what the hell Ichigo was talking about and had slammed the door in Ichigo's face. Feeling completely bemused and slightly worried Ichigo had headed off to the Urahara Shop, hoping that Urahara would know where Taylor was.
When Ichigo arrived he found Jinta out in the yard, swinging a bat at imaginary baseballs. "Oh, it's you," Jinta grunted when he noticed Ichigo.
"Is Urahara around?" Ichigo asked, training a scowl on the boy. Ichigo still held a grudge against Jinta for spitting on him in the shattered shaft.
"Yea. Inside," Jinta responded shortly, going back to swinging the bat. Ichigo made sure give the boy a wide berth when he passed him just in case Jinta's swing 'accidently' went a little too wide.
Ichigo made note of how quiet it was inside as he took off his shoes. Secretly he envied it a bit. It'd be nice if his house were quiet every once in a while. Ichigo made his way to the back of the shop to the little dining room where Urahara could usually be found if he wasn't sitting in the front. Ichigo slid the door open just as Urahara was bringing a cup of tea to his mouth.
"Ah, Ichigo," Urahara said, not sounding the least bit surprised at Ichigo's appearance. "I'm glad you're here."
"You are?" Ichigo asked, taken aback.
"Yes. Please, have a seat."
Ichigo reluctantly entered the room and sat down at the table across from Urahara. "Look, I don't know what you're expecting, but I just came to ask if you knew where Taylor was. Seems like she's not living in her apartment anymore."
"That's exactly why I'm glad you're here. Taylor will be staying with us for the time being." Ichigo frowned at Urahara's words. What the hell was he talking about? Urahara sighed. "I don't know the best way to phrase this delicately, so I'm just going to say it. Ichigo, Taylor's mother is dead."
For a second the entire world seemed to stop spinning. For a moment all that Ichigo could hear was the sound of the blood rushing in her ears. Taylor's mother…was dead? And then he was on his feet, dashing out into the hallway.
SLAM! "Taylor?"
SLAM! "Taylor?"
SLAM! "Taylor!"
Those words had hit Ichigo like a ton of bricks. He knew that pain. The pain of losing your mother. Just thinking about it brought some of his pain back. It was awful. Horrible. Ichigo wouldn't wish that kind of pain on anybody. And never on Taylor.
Ichigo slammed another door open and looked into the room. "Taylor!" She wasn't there. Where was she?
"Ichigo." Ichigo turned, startled, at the sound of his name. Yoruichi stood, in human form, in a doorway he hadn't yet opened. The look on her face was both infinitely sad and understanding. "She's upstairs. Last door on the left."
Ichigo barely spit out a 'thank you' before sprinting up the stairs and down the hallway. He slammed that door open too and, finally, there she was. "Taylor!" he exclaimed, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.
Taylor was sitting in the corner of the room. An untouched futon lay in front of her. Slowly, as if he had just awoken her, Taylor raised her head from where it rested on her knees, her arms wrapped around them. She was still wearing the clothes that Uryuu had made for her in the Soul Society.
"I-Ichigo?" she asked. Her voice sounded rough, as if her throat was sore.
Ichigo's heart contracted painfully when he saw Taylor's face. Her skin was ashen, except around her eyes where it was red and raw from crying. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes…looked blank. Unfocused. It took her a moment for her to recognize him, but when she did some of the life came back into them. "Ichigo. It really is you." Her voice cracked on the last syllable.
Ichigo crossed the room in three short strides and sat down beside Taylor. Without any hesitation he wrapped his arms around her and drew her into his chest.
"Ichi…go…" Taylor's voice was completely broken now, wrenching Ichigo's heart even more. Why, why did she have to feel this kind of pain? Taylor's body began to shake with silent sobs. "Ichigo…the last thing I said to her…was that…was that I hated her!"
Taylor completely broke down, her hands twisting into his shirt, her sobs loud and uncontrollable. Ichigo tightened his arms around her. His heart broke for Taylor, the pain making his chest ache. Ichigo knew the only thing he could do to comfort her was hold her, as there were no words that would be able to ease her suffering. And so he held her, willing to stay there as long as Taylor needed him to.
Author's Note:
STOP! Before anyone freaks out about what happened to Taylor remember…THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL! Though I guess it's kind of obvious with the way I ended it…
So here it is the final chapter of The Natural Blonde. It's completely surreal for me. I've been working on this story on and off for nearly five years and now it's finished with 205 pages and over 88,500 words. I can't believe I actually wrote that much. As long as it has taken me to finish though I'm proud of it. This was my second story here, my first Bleach story, and my first multi-chapter story. This is also the first story I've finished besides my one-shot. And I feel like my writing has really grown as this story progressed. I'm much better than I was when I started and a lot of it is because of working on this story.
Anyways, as you probably could tell this chapter was a wrap-up, as well as a set up for the next story, which will cover the Arrancar/Winter War stuff. I sure hope I caught everyone off guard with Taylor's mother dying. And yes that will be the main conflict for Taylor in the sequel.
Citations:
*English language version, Episode 63, by Viz.
** English language version, Episode 63, by Viz.
I truly want to thank everyone who reviewed this story over its lifetime. The reason why I was ultimately able to finish it was because of your words of praise and encouragement. It makes me so happy that this story has developed such a following and the fact that I knew that there were people out there waiting to read each chapter is what motivated me to update. So, thank you so much everyone. And thank you especially to the ten people who reviewed the last chapter: XxdreamergirlxX, Shadow knight1121, bored411, Sora'struelover, Shannyrox101, Anon, Queen-of-Twilights, Shaybo27, LadyAmazon, and violentyetawesome. I hope everyone will be able to provide the same support for this story's sequel.
It will probably be a bit before I get the sequel, which will be called Bleach Blonde, up and running. I'm at a natural breaking point here, I want to do some more work on my other stories, and my training program is wrapping up over the next couple of weeks so I have do stuff for that. I will post a note in this story when the sequel is up, or you can just keep a look out for it. And I'll go ahead and tell you now that it pretty much picks up where canon does after the end of the Soul Society Arc.
So after that rather sober A/N there's just one more thing I'd like to say…MY READERS ROCK! Thank you and goodnight (No, but seriously goodnight. I'm going to bed now.)!
Thanks for reading!
imagination junkie