Chapter 52

Fifteen Years Later

After images flashed all around a broken mountain and a massive crater. Giggles and laughter rose in the air. A young boy with spiky blonde hair folded his arms over his white robes. He also part of a Hollow's mask that covered his left eye and had razor teeth that dropped down his face. He called out to the others.

"Come on you guys! Hurry it up! We don't want to be late!"

The sounds of Flash Step and Sonido sounded around him and four other children appeared. One was already very tall for his age and wore his Soul reaper clothing loosely. He had untidy black hair scattered with tufts of orange, just as spiky as the other's. He also wore a huge, toothy grin At his side was girl a few years younger than him with long, black hair falling down her back. She still wore a big smile from playing.

Then there was the first boy's twin, a girl with tan skin and messy orange hair that was decorated with a few short braids. She also wore white robes and had a horn protruding from the right side of her head. The last kid also wore white robes and had voluminous teal-colored hair spilling down her back. She had deep brown eyes with black lines crossing her eyes and traveling down her face. She wore a sheepish grin as she looked as the blonde haired boy.

"Come on now, Itachizame, we'll make it to the ceremony, no problem!"

"Easy for you to say Kaien, your Flash Step is impressive. But what about Masaki?"

Itachizame waved his hand towards the smaller girl in black robes.

"I can keep up, honest!"

"Lighten up a little, Itchi," his twin said, giving him a shove.

"I think I am making a fair point though, Zamsas," he huffed.

"You take yourself too seriously, just listen to yourself! It's little wonder Kaien always makes fun of you," Zamsas retorted.

"Now , now, let's just make a game of running back to the Seireitei. That way, everyone wins," the last girl, Gloria, offered.

"Everyone except, Itchi that is," Kaien laughed. "Because the last one there is an undercooked egg roll!"

Laughing, the kids all jumped into the air and sped off towards the Seireitei. They sped over the marker that read that this broken mountain was the site where Ichigo Kurosaki and Kenpachi Zaraki had finally held their long awaited and completely destructive rematch. The surrounding trees rustled in the light wind and in the wake of the five running off.

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Princess Rurichiyo Looked the bars of her cell, her blanket wrapped around her. She wore a smug expression.

"Today's the big day, isn't it, Renji?"

Renji shouldered on his robes and picked up Zabimaru from the table on the other side of the bars.

"I bet Rukia will look especially beautiful today. I wond-"

"Give it a rest, princess you can't bait me," he snapped.

"But I already have," she cooed.

"Oh please," he scoffed. "After the last few years you should know that I never mix business and personal life with pleasure. But you're right, Rukia will be beautiful today. She's always been the loveliest woman I've known. Too bad you're the one who's missing out on the ceremony!"

He waved to her as he left the roof. She frowned and fell back on her prison cot. She tried not to think about Ichigo.

It had been fifteen years since her imprisonment. Part of the punishment alloted to her. In another five years she would be released into the custody of the Shiba House, which had regained its former status. They has split the Kasumioji holdings and those of their allies, between themselves and the Kuchiki and Shihoin Clans. Once she was released, she would be accorded all the honors of a lady of her status.

But she would never again rise to prominence. She would watch the man she loved from afar, raising his children beside a woman who did not deserve him. But then again, did she? At least she had someone to come and warm her cell at night. They both needed the distraction.

Rurichiyo Kasumioji was beaten.

However, she could not help but think that there was still something waiting for her beyond these prison bars. She was not sure what it could be, but she held on to that small ray of hope. Maybe it would lead her to true freedom. She was a princess, after all.

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"You're going to make us late Kenpachi," Toshiro fumed as they ran through the streets of the Seireitei.

Fifteen years after the back to back wars and the Seireitei was almost fully repaired. Some buildings still had scaffolding, but they were almost done. After the Rukon had received so much damage during the Kasumioji Rebellion, the captains had all felt that both parts of their world should be repaired apace to one another. Showing solidarity between the Seireitei and Rukon Districts was a good way to bridge the gap that had almost led to the Soul reapers' defeat.

At the center of the complex, where Sokyoku Hill rose into the sky, a large portal had been built where the execution grounds had once stood. It rose from the ground and formed a hoop at the top, which connected the Soul Society with the new worlds within and beyond the dangai that the 14th Squad patrolled and visited. Under it were buried the remains of all the Soul Reapers who had died in the two wars. Their names were also inscribed all along and down the monument, a lasting reminder to what they had all endured.

And Kenpachi was running in the opposite direction!

"Not at all," Kenpachi roared back. "Since Yachiru is no longer here to mislead, I am able to rely on my own natural sense of direction, which is pretty damn good!"

"Sorry about this Captain," Ikkaku mumbled to Toshiro.

"We'll just make our own way. Catch up when you can Rangiku?"

"Coming, Captain," she said cheerily.

The two sped off, leaving kenpachi with Ikkaku and Yumichika. Along the way they ran into Shinji and Momo. Momo gave her old friend a warm smile and he gave her his usual steely gaze.

"Fine day for a ceremony and celebration, isn't Toshiro," Shinji said. "Where is that oaf getting off to now?"

"Getting himself lost," Rangiku laughed.

"He'll be late and hold everything up," Toshiro grumbled.

"It's not like we have many more important things to do really," Shinji said with a shrug. "Unless you know if Ichigo has arrived yet."

"No, I haven't heard anything," the other captain admitted. "Which is probably as well. I don't much care for the news of wars he brings back with him."

"He'll be here, don't fret," Rangiku promised. "He wouldn't miss today for the world. And he won't mire it with bad news."

Momo nodded fervently.

"I don't care one way or the other," Shinji said. "We have had peace now for almost too long. It feels boring somehow."

"It's nice to have such a luxury isn't it? Being bored," Kensei roared as he and Hisagi fell into place by the others. "I see that that bastard Kenpachi is going to be late. Why don't the others give him directions?"

Everyone just rolled their eyes.

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"If you're feeling nervous, I could always carry you in," Renji laughed.

"Sh-Shut up!"

"Oh come on now, it's not going to be that bad. It really goes pretty fast. You've already witnessed this thing a few times by now."

"But I've never been on the receiving end!"

"Are you both ready," a voice called. "It's time to install Rukia Kuchiki as the Captain of Squad 13!"

"Yessir!"

With that Rukia strode out of the preparation room into the main hall. Twelve other captains and their lieutenants all awaited her, except for Ikkaku who looked winded.

"Made it just in time," Kenpachi laughed, slapping Toshiro hard across the back.

Rukia looked at all of them and smiled. But it faltered just a little bit when she saw that someone was missing.

"Let's get this started," Shunsui called, and the doors to the meeting hall opened. As everyone filed in Rukia felt a sudden presence and a hand rested on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Renji and I have your back."

She spun around and looked up to see Ichigo giving her a small smile. Her husband had let his hair grow out a little, but it still stuck up all over the place. His blades were still strapped to him and over his captain's robes, which had no sleeves and had the material from the waist down cut into thin, flowing strips. The emblem of the Substitute Soul Reaper was splashed across his back and on a medallion set into the straps for his sheaths.

"You're finally catching up to me. Isn't it nice that little Rukia is finally growing up," he gave her a nasty smile and tousled her hair.

Rukia slapped aside his hand and told him to shut up before jumping into his arms and planting a kiss on his lips. It had been too long since they had last seen each other.

"Stop playing around you two," Kensei called to them. "It's unbecoming!"

Soon, everyone was in the chamber. Rukia stood surrounded by some of her closest friends and comrades in arms. She was sworn in as the newest captain of the Gotei and she took her place in the ranks.

"I really don't have anything to add," Shunsui said at the end. "Things are progressing well here. I believe that the Seireitei will be one hundred percent up and running within a month or two. Ichigo? Any more news from beyond?"

All eyes swiveled to Ichigo. He shook his head and replied he had nothing to say, but that he was going to meet up with the Tscheapwhetzar later that day at the gate. The arrangement was that in fifteen years, he would get a chance to see what they had all lost with this war and the Tscheapwhetzar's interference. The other captains had been very interested in this little bit of Ichigo's arrangement with the mysterious man from ten years before. Shunsui concluded the meeting and the captains all filed out. Rukia and Ichigo left hand in hand.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, you will be pleased to know that the Shiba Clan is doing very well. The Rukon districts have not been this peaceful in many years," Byakuya told him.

"Come on Byakuya, we just had a meeting for business. A report of my own family I can get from them at a later time."

Ichigo's protest was met with a icy glare and he knew that he would have to pay for that later. Rukia stepped on his foot.

"Idiot! That meeting was barely business. And you should be grateful that my brother has been keeping an eye on your clan."

"Alright, I got it," Ichigo said through clenched teeth. "What do you want to tell me about Byakuya?"

"It's fine. I'll tell you later," Byakuya said coolly.

"Well, that's just great," Ichigo sighed.

Kisuke and Yoruichi fell in beside the younger couple. They themselves were arm in arm when Kisuke handed him a pair of thin bracelets.

"Ichigo, I've been toying around with some of that old bakoto technology and something I've been cooking up," Kisuke explained. "This is just a prototype, but if it works out right you will be able to stay in any world for longer than three months without messing up the fabric of its reality."

"And it'll send my power to Komamura like before?"

"Exactly," Kisuke grinned. "With your power and this tech, we might be able to help revert him back to who he once was."

"That would be marvelous," Rukia said with her own smile.

Ichigo knew that it wasn't just for Komamura that Rukia was happy, she was elated at the prospect of having him around more often. It had been a crazy fifteen years for her. Ichigo thought it might be more for him. Those worlds in the Realms made time very, very tricky to track. But if what Kisuke said was right, that would mean more time with his family. All of them.

There, in front of the gate was his squad. Chad wore his tactical vest and uniform that Kisuke had made for him. Senna leaned on her staff with her customary ponytail in place. Hanatouro tried to keep out of the middle of the group, Orihime waved to him with Uryu at her side, readjusting his glasses as usual. The dozen other Soul Reapers all stood at attention, with Karin at their head. She looked really laid back, with her robes hangy partially open and her zanpakuto strapped across her back. Harribel stood off to the side with Nel and their Arrancar escorts. Their children were also all there. Soon Ichigo was mobbed by the five kids.

He managed to get them all into one big hug. The crazy thing for him was that his mind and body were still very young, like a teenager's. But in his heart and throughout his whole being, he knew that he was meant to be a father. These were the people he wanted to protect above all else. They were his world, his everything. His kids told him about their race to make here on time to greet him.

"And Itchi is now a rotten eggroll," Masaki informed him with a laugh.

Itachizame grumbled at that, but otherwise didn't protest.

"Stop teasing your older brother," Ichigo said patiently. "Using Sonido is hard."

"That's why Flash Step is the way to go," Kaien said with a thumbs up.

The kids continued bickering as Harribel came up and pulled Ichigo into an embrace. She and Rukia had long since worked out most of their differences. Though Ichigo still notice a flash of annoyance crossing the smaller captain's face.

"Today is finally the day," Harribel said.

"Yes," Ichigo answered. "Honestly, I'm not sure what this will do, except maybe bring some kind of closure. But it needs to be done."

"That is right," a voice said. Everyone turned to see the Tscheapwhetzar coming towards the group. His robes billowed up behind him. "What you are about to see on the other side of the gate is what was meant to be. The happy ending that Ywach wanted to destroy. It is the ending that the Realms know and throughout the Origin, too. When the final battle begins, not only will you be fighting for this ending here, but for that one as well. Ichigo, come and see what you are meant to protect."

The Tscheapwhetzar led them all through the gate and soon they appeared before the Kurosaki Clinic. Inside the clinic Ichigo saw himself, older and with shorter hair with Orihime at his side. She was his wife. Rukia was with Renji, and their daughter was between them. Ichigo's own son was bobbing about and among his friends as they watched Chad box for the national title. Everyone else watched as well and asked if they could interact with their counterparts inside. The Tscheapwhetzar advised against it.

For Ichigo, he watched them enjoying themselves. He saw himself and recognized a happy father just as he was now. He saw that peace was what this other Ichigo knew, and not so many years of crazy battles and intense bloodshed. No future threat of Aizen coming for him and his family. No second war in the Soul Society that had caused painful losses. It was an inviting possibility… But it wasn't his world.

"I see now why Ywach thought that this was the possible future to destroy," Ichigo finally said. "It looks so happy. But, I would not trade what I have now for this." He looked at his friends and family around him. "Never. You are all my world, and the only future I could hope for."

"Well said Ichigo Kurosaki," the hooded said, pleased. "And I hope that it is a bright future for all of you. Together, there is a chance that we can make that happen."

"The war?" Rukia looked a little worried, and she shot odd looks at the version of herself in the clinic.

The Tscheapwhetzar nodded his head. "Yes, the war. The War of Abominations some are calling it. I fear it will touch this world soon. Ichigo and the others have seen it. It'll not be pretty. It hasn't been."

"No, but we'll meet it together. And we'll survive," Ichigo said. I swear it on my very soul. We'll all survive. "Come. Let's go home."

And with that, they all passed back through the gate to the Seireitei and to something that might not have been the perfect ending, but it was the perfect beginning of a new tale and era of heroes.

THE END