Epilogue

Nami knelt beside Isshin at the gravesite they had bought for Ichigo in a cemetary not too far from the military base. Reaching over, she pressed her hands over his that was folded in between his knees. Silent tears ran down their faces as they mourned the unnecessary loss of a man they both loved but who had broken both of their hearts mostly by becoming what brought him to his demise. The last year had not done much to dull the pain for the family. She wiped away the tears from her chin and smiled when she felt her husband's big hand grip her shoulder and squeeze to comfort her. After giving Isshin a kiss on the cheek, she stood to her feet and moved away to allow Yusei to come forward to pay his respects to his father with whose memory he had made a necessary peace. She stood in front of her other son who was visibly shaking as tears flowed down his angular cheeks unchecked. Her eyes studied his face briefly noting how he had matured so much in the short span of time from when the tragic events first took place until now. He looked more like his father than ever. Hugging him briefly, she turned to watch as Yusei made room for his brother between him and Isshin. She could not keep the smile from her face when their grandfather put his arms around Hisoka to give him a hug.

"You'll be all right, son. You'll be all right," he murmured as he held the sobbing teenager who looked so strong but still had a tender heart.

Nami glanced at her daughter when she heard the rhythmic sniffing. She gave Takeshi a smile who was holding the crying girl against his broad chest. He did not seem concerned at all that mascara and foundation was smudging his clean white button down shirt and ruining it. Over the last year, the two of them had barely left each other's sides much to their parents dismay. Slowly, very slowly, the two families were getting accustomed to the idea that their children were going to be together no matter what any of them said. However, they seemed to be a good influence on each other. Takeshi had curbed his violent tendencies and Mitsu had tamed her bawdy mouth which was a feat that shocked even her brothers.

The remains of Renate Kurosaki had been burned and the ashes spread across a mile of the three mile dirt road surrounding the base. Each day, dozens of recruits trod across what was left of an incomprehensible evil, pounding her body into oblivion and her memory into obscurity. Her passage was not meant to be mourned or acknowledged. It was not even worth a celebration.

With Takeshi's help, Mitsu spread out the blanket near the grave and began setting out the dishes for lunch. Today, they would grieve. They would reminisce about the past while sharing laughs and tears. Tomorrow they would look forward to the future and a brighter day for all of them.

~\..'../~


Kisuke pulled the mask down over his face as they prepared to enter the building. The new facility where the creatures and scientists were being held had been found and they were not hesitating this time to raid the building. They could not allow them to escape again. Staring at General Zaraki clad in black from head to toe like all of them, he waited for the signal. The man pointed forward, and he raised his gun. Taking a deep breath, he followed the giant that kicked in the door with frightening force and violence.

Startled scientists looked up from their test tubes and computers, gaping in shock at the men who invaded their space with automatic weapons and covered faces. One female with unruly auburn curls and rage filled brown eyes stepped forward with a glass beaker in her hand. Before Kisuke could grab her, the glass instrument was hurled at him and burst into shards after making painful contact with his skull. He raised his gun, pointing it at her pretty face, the red laser sight appearing between her eyes. He paused when she defiantly glared at him as if daring him to shoot her.

"What are you waiting for? Do it!" she yelled at him just before all hell broke loose.

The lights went out and a deafening alarm began to blare. Red emergency lights switched on illuminating hell on earth in the lab. Panicked people began to run and scream seconds before one of the soldiers lost his cool and fired, sending off a burst of shots that sprayed the floor near the rebellious red-haired scientist.

Kisuke lunged forward, grabbing the woman and throwing her over his shoulder. She shrieked and kicked, kneeing him in the chin. His brain felt as if it had been jarred loose and his head began to ache. That was enough. Setting her down on her feet, he raised the butt of his gun and hit her with a carefully placed blow to the side of her skull. Bending at the knees to be below her, he allowed her limp body to fold over his shoulder. She would wake up with a hell of a headache but no brain damage. He was not so sure he would be as lucky from the hits he had received from her.

"Get the human personnel out of here! Then go after the...not so human ones!" Zaraki bellowed, trying to regain control of the situation. "A second team will be in soon to confiscate the computers and secure the premises! Move!"

Zaraki looked around him, feeling his face twist with disgust beneath the mask he was wearing. Damn he hated this...these things. Now they had to take everyone and everything back with them to the military base. At the first possible opportunity, he planned to stick Urahara and all of these freaks on an uncharted island owned and protected by the government but far from him.

The End


I have plans for an offshoot featuring Kisuke and the hybrids. I'm not sure when I will begin writing it, but stay tuned. :D