Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach at all.. Never will. Thanks
Enjoy!
Quote:
In an instant, like the blinking of an eye or the turning of our heads, a life can be shattered. Inexplicably devastated and broken into pieces before being taken away, I hoped I could change that... Apparently it's harder than we all think. As Hell's fire consumes us all eventually.
~ Ichigo Kurosaki
[FADE TO BLACK]CHAPTER ONE
Present Day
"Ichigo! Oh Ichi, where are you my sweet little boy? Karin? Yuzu! Come to mommy my adorable little babies!" Masaki says sweetly as she looks about the yard. When they didn't come, she walked further out the back exit and laughed when all three children screeched and glomped onto her waist. "Alright everyone, inside please it's time for breakfast!" She says excitedly. All three children cheer and run through the exit and head for the dining room.
[Late Afternoon]
It had started to rain, Misaki was doing the last of the housework and grabbed an umbrella before she told her husband, Isshin that she was going to go pick up Ichigo at the Dojo and to please watch the girls for her while she was gone, kissing him and the girls quickly before leaving.
[Dojo]
Ichigo was crying, Tatsuki was calling him a baby for tearing up after being hit and knocked down.
"Ichigo!" Misaki called when she walked into the Dojo. Ichigo looked up and instantly started smiling before running to his mother. Tatsuki watched as he ran to get dressed in his street clothes and a raincoat before the two left hand in hand. She smiled, he was always so cheerful when his mother came to pick him. He would show her how strong he was, never shedding a tear in her presence. That's why Tatsuki likes Ichigo so much, why she picked him as her sparring partner all the time. He was a crybaby of course and weak but he was a ball of sunshine when his mother came, it was exactly like she thought, a switch was flipped inside of him that nobody else could flip but that woman.
[Walking Home - River]
"How was your day?" Misaki asks.
Ichigo looks up and excitedly smiles a large cheesy smile, "Good Mama! Besides Karate that is." He says making his cheeks puff out.
"Why's that baby?" She entertains the question.
Ichigo sighs audibly, "Tatsuki-Chan always hits so hard, she's such a meanie!" He lets out his frustration by kicking a rock.
Misaki giggles, "Oh Ichi-chan… But isn't she always who you spar with anyways?" She encourages.
Ichigo smiles brightly, "Yes Mama, she's mean but she's also my friend." He says affirmatively. They walk in silence for a little while, umbrella catching the rain above them. Ichigo looks at the river, its gloomy and foggy. He gasps when he sees a young girl about to jump in. "No! Don't do that!" He shouts his hand slipping out of his mother's grasp and takes off running. "Ichigo!!!! No!" Misaki screams and takes off but can't see him through the fog as it grows thicker.
"Ichi?!" She shouts, scared, running towards the waters edge but not finding him. The fog starts lifting as a scream enters the air. Misaki looks around and screams in horror, hands to her face as she sees Grand Fisher holding Ichigo up by its tendrils with blood streaming down his front. "How dare you hurt my child!" She shouts and runs towards them. Grand Fisher laughs and throws the lifeless body towards her, she catches him and falls over just as the Hollow disappears. Misaki looks around before looking down and then pulling her son to her body, "No, ohh no! No Ichi…" She cries and stands up holding him close. His smaller body is lightweight yet dead weight as she stumbles back to the house.
"Isshin! Isshin help!" Misaki shouts as she enters the house, she has Ichigo bundled up in her jacket and holding him to her chest. Isshin rushes towards his wife's terrified voice, "Misaki?! Mi-sa...ki." His voice falters when he sees the sight before him. He dashes over and grabs the bundle in her arms and throws off the jacket. With the little limp child in his arms he rushes towards the clinic attached to the house and lays the boy on a gurney, his lips and fingers are pale blue, his face pale white. Isshin checks for a heart beat, "Ichigo, hey buddy? Can you hear daddy?" He asks, trying to get a response. None.
He tried everything, the soul had already left the body where the little boy had been killed. "Damnit!" Isshin shouts and hits the wall, Misaki falls to the floor crying and trying to make her oldest child come back to her with no luck.
Chapter One*Birds Chirping
It had been ten years since Ichigo had been laid to rest, Misaki was washing her breakfast dishes and looking out the porch windows. Her twin daughters should be at school by now… she sighed, today marked the anniversary of her oldest child's death. He would've been a month away from turning sixteen. She started to cry and scrubbed vigorously at the dishes in front of her. Her husband was working overtime at the family clinic in the next part over in the house. They hadn't spoken much at breakfast but he'd tried hard to cheer her up by joking about and acting like a darn clown which in turn made her laugh. She looked up at the ceiling and smiled, "I bet you would've been just like your daddy, wouldn't you of.. My Ichi." She whispers then starts in on the dishes again when the doorbell rings. She wipes her hands off on a towel and rushes for the door. "Who is it?" She shouts.
"Mrs. Kurosaki? It's Tatsuki!" The voice from behind the door says.
Misaki opens the door and smiles, "Oh, hey! I haven't seen you in so long. Come on in, are you running late for school today? It looks like a beautiful day out there!" She says smiling happily and hiding her sadness.
"It's alright Mrs. Kurosaki, I just came here quick to bring you this. I know I bring one here every year at this time but… I miss him too yuh know." She says tears falling from her eyes.
Misaki hugs Tatsuki close, "We all miss him, he was such a good child. Thank you, for this. It makes me so happy that you remember him." She says.
After that, Misaki went to the clinic to see if Isshin needed any help. Of course he obliged with, "There's always room for your hard working hands Ma'am." She giggled and went to wash her hands and arms down before starting to help him.
[River]
It was such a nice and sunny day in Karakura town, a little boy in black and white robes was seated at the edge of the riverbank humming and kicking his feet about, splashing the water. People passed him by without a second glance and he didn't seem to care much. There were sharp pointed pink headed and white robes things roaming about the streets and he was watching them with fascination. He hadn't been to this place before but it was such a pretty place. He smiled and stood up as two shinigami ran passed trying to stop the blanks. The little boy giggled and ran behind them, "This is Rukia Kuchiki, we have countered the disturbance! An unknown species has appeared in the world of the living, destination: Karakura town! Repeat, we do not know what they are!" The female shinigami shouts through her phone then gasps when a blank steps right over her. Renji attempts a Konso but it had no effect, leaving both shinigami surprised and confused. The little boy grabs the sword on his back and chops one in half then jumps into the air, "What the hell?" Renji shouts watching the little shinigami jump high into the air and start to glow while holding a white strand attached to the end of his zanpakuto. "Getsuga..." The little boy says and throws the sword, it slashes all the blanks and the disturbance vanishes from radar and all electronics are back on track. A man in armor dressed as if he were a knight watches the scene before vanishing. "What?! Where'd he go!" Renji shouts turning in all directions to find the boy was gone. Out of nowhere the boy appears in a gigai wearing green multi pocketed slacks and a black sweater under a white short sleeved shirt with logos on it, twirling about and laughing, "Hey, just who are you?" Rukia shouts.
The little boy smiles, "I don't know, why were you having such a hard time with those creatures?" He asks.
"Now look here you! I've never seen you before, state your name and rank! Aren't you a little young to be a soul reaper?!" Renji shouts getting in the little boy's face.
The boy ignores Renji at first then turns and smiles brightly, "I don't really remember specifics but I do know my name is Ichigo. Why do you wanna know so bad yuh red pineapple?" Ichigo jokes running about not caring what the shinigami are saying to him or to each other.
"Stop, tell us! You must know what unit you're in! You may look young but maybe you're not? You took out those things so easily, what are they?" Rukia asks confused.
Ichigo puts a finger to his lips and concentrates for a second then smiles eyes closed, "No idea… who cares anyways!" He says and starts to run about again and laugh at a blue and black butterfly before he runs off towards town, excited about the Ferris wheel and how high up it goes.
"Go after him, I'm going to go back to the Soul Society to give the information we have so far." Rukia tells Renji before taking off. "Hey, don't leave me to find the kid by myself!" Renji shouts hand up then sighed in defeat as she left. He takes off and after a while he finds the kid looking into a toy shop, "Hey! Don't just run off like that, kid!"
Ichigo looks up at Renji then makes a face, sticking out his tongue, "Don't call me kid, it's Ichigo." The smaller boy says then looks through the window again. Renji bends down beside him, "What is it that you're so distracted by?" He asks.
Ichigo points to a little boy cheering as his father buys him a toy firetruck, "He looks so happy." Ichigo says then shrugs and runs off again. Renji follows Ichigo all over town, "I'm so hungry." Ichigo suddenly says and Renji's eyes widen. "Hmm." He thinks out loud.
[Soul Society]
"There is a Captain meeting going on inside! You are not permitted to enter! Leave!" The guards shouted.
"I must! Please! I have important information! It could be life or death for both the world of the living and the Soul society!" Rukia shouts.
Genryusai Yamamoto and the other captains all look up towards the door and Genryusai slams his canes bottom tip to the floor, "What is the meaning of this interruption!" He shouts as the doors open and Rukia rushes in and falls to her knees, head bowed and hands to the floor shoulder length apart. "Head captain! There is something happening in the world of the living! You can see the Soul Society and upon entering back into the Soul Society you can see the world of the living! Lieutenant Abarai and I encountered abnormals in the world of the living that interfered with electronic wavelength and we were unable to use Konsõ on them, also a soul reaper I have never seen before appeared and was able to eradicate the abnormals!" She shouts then goes quiet.
"This sounds troubling." Captain Ukitake says watching Rukia for a minute.
"An unknown soul reaper at the same time as these abnormalities appear?" Shunsui says.
"Silence! Ms. Kuchiki, you're sure of these events?" Genryusai shouts just as the alarms start to sound. Ikkaku Madarame the 3rd seat of the 11th division is shouting at Tetsuzaemon Iba the lieutenant of the 7th division to turn around as the world of the living is shown in the sky above the Seireitei. Others start to panic.
"The world of the living is getting closer to the soul society, if we do nothing about this the two will most likely collide." Mayuri says as a black butterfly enters with the announcement for the captain's beside the head captain.
Rukia rushes outside, sure enough! The world of the living was getting closer!
[World of the Living]
"H-hey! Wait up kid! I said wait!" Renji shouts as Ichigo disappears again. Ichigo turns a corner and his eyes gleam like diamonds, seeing the fair grounds ahead of him. There are tons of spirit people around and he gets excited. Renji follows not noticing that the humans aren't alive. "Look here, you can't keep running off like that!" He shouts as Ichigo runs about like an airplane disappearing around a pillar. Renji puts his hand to his face, "I didn't sign up for this." He says annoyed and runs off again to find the ever disappearing unknown shinigami.
[Urahara Shop]
Renji leaves Ichigo for a bit to go to Urahara's shop, buying a gigai and explaining what was going on. Urahara hums while scratching his chin, "This is serious, do you know the name of the shinigami you're seeing?" He asks.
"He says his name is Ichigo but I've never heard that name before." Urahara's eyes widen, "Ichigo… any last name?" He asks looking through an old book, serious.
"No, he doesn't really have a good attention span." Renji says and Urahara nods, "Try to get a last name out of the kid, if you can bring him here… it's not safe to be out there without any knowledge of what you really are." Kisuke says shutting the book and walking out of the shop.
"Where are you going?" Renji asks walking out as well.
Kisuke looks off, "To visit an old friend." He says. "Go on, find him and if he's what's wrong with the rift between the two worlds we'll have to do something about it but for the time being just be with him."
Renji nods affirmatively and rushes back to the mall, "Now where'd he go?" He thinks out loud. It was getting dark and it was odd, he hadn't seen anymore of those blanks nor Hollows for that matter in a long while.
[Mayuri's Lab]
"Aha, I've got it! Those things are blanks! Souls with no memories. Clean slates from the Land of Screams. Somehow, the land of screams is magnetically pulling the world of the living and the Soul Society together." Mayuri says typing about fast.
"Can we get to the land of screams and stop what's happening?" Ukitake asks Shunsui making noise of acknowledging Ukitake's question.
"No, the land of screams is a land between the two and is now inaccessible by any of us from the Soul Society. Without access, we cannot get to the Shinenju and the two worlds will collide and one or both will cease to exist." Mayuri answers.
"You're sure of this Captain Kuroitsutchi?" Byakuya asks.
"Mm, yes. Somehow the Shinenju that keeps the blanks at bay has gotten free of the land of screams and is somewhere in the world of the living." Mayuri says pointing to a red dot.
"Karakura Town?" Ukitake asks surprised.
"Why that specific region?" Shunsui asks curiously.
"Rukia mentioned a soul reaper appearing out of nowhere that she didn't know of, I'll bet that's the Shinenju. Find the unknown soul reaper…"
"...and you find the answer to the problems." Shunsui says and the others nod.
"Very astute of you two." Mayuri says.
Byakuya simply walks off, quiet and not saying a word. He was going to go stir crazy if the Shinenju wasn't found.
[World of the Living]~ Time Lapse (five hours)
Renji was still running about with the kid always one step ahead of him, "You're so slow! No wonder that girl left!" Ichigo teases.
Renji was confused at first then got angry, "Hey! She didn't leave me here! She left to find out who the heck you are and what's going on here!" He shouts.
"Sure, that's what they all say, admit it, you're not her type." Ichigo taunts climbing up a pole and out onto a thin wire.
"Hey, look up there! It's a kid."
"Where?"
"Up on that wire!"
"Is it an act?"
The people were shouting and Renji was freaking out, 'How did he get that high up!" He shouts watching with wide eyes. Ichigo put out his small arms and balanced almost to the end of the electric line before losing balance and falling. Everyone gasped only for him to disappear before hitting the ground and appearing on the platform next to a few other performers. The crowd cheered and clapped, the other performers trying to get the attention back on them but failing.
Renji ran after Ichigo who was giggling and rushing down a few hallways, "Hey, I said to stop running off all the time!" He shouts. Ichigo smiles, "Why? It's not like you HAVE to keep tabs on me! After all, we're not even alive to the humans. They simply see us because we're in gigai form, just go on and find your friend." He says then takes off.
[Ten Minutes Later]
Renji huffed, "I can't believe I'm paying for you to eat." He mumbles as Ichigo bites into a hotdog. "Thanks Mister, you're not so bad! Wow this is really good!"
Renji raises an eyebrow, "It's a hotdog." He says unamused.
Ichigo giggles, "Yes it is but… I don't remember the last time I had real food." He confirms. Renji looks at Ichigo struck, "You can't remember when you last ate?" He asks.
"Nuh uh, I can't really remember much at all. I guess, I remember this girl with purple hair. She was floating and she went through my memories, I latched onto her and poof! I appeared here! She looked kind of mad that I disappeared but she was here before me, I took her place and she took mine." Ichigo says and Renji almost breaks the table hitting his hand to it. "You mean to say that you're supposed to be dead!?" He shouts.
Ichigo makes a sad face, "I don't remember what happened to me, I don't remember my parents or my past or why I was able to switch places with that girl but… I guess I wanted to have fun! It was scary, being all alone floating about with other lost souls that weren't sent to the Soul Society. Soul's that are supposed to get their memories wiped clean and return to the world of the living. It's a scary place!" Ichigo says and stands up and runs off.
"Ugh, this kid and his one track mind!" Renji says exasperated. Renji has had enough and when he finds him he drags him to Urahara's kicking and screaming.
[Urahara Shop]
"Well, well! I do say, so this is the shinigami who you were speaking of earlier. He does seem to be the Ichigo I was hoping to see." Urahara says smiling with his eyes closed.
Ichigo looks at Renji then back to Urahara, who snaps shut his hand held fan and smirks. "I know someone you know, Ichigo." He says happily.
The door opens and a tall man with black hair and a beard steps in, "A human?" Renji asks confused.
"Indeed, Ichigo… can you tell me if you know this man?" Urahara asks eyes squinted.
Ichigo looks up at the tall man and smiles, "No, I don't know him but he's really tall. I like heights, I bet it's fun to be that tall!" Ichigo says and starts running about until the tall man kneels down and catches him, "Ichigo? My boy." The man says tears in his eyes.
Ichigo stays stalk straight, "Mister, are you okay? You're crying. Boy's don't cry!" He says then wiggles out of the man's grasp to jump around some more.
"This is troubling, if he's the Shinenju…"
"Yes, you have a point there. The soul society will take him and lock him in a cell until they can figure out what to do with him."
"They can't! Not again, I can't watch him disappear again!" The tall man says seating himself beside Renji opposite of Urahara.
Urahara nods, "You said he mentioned he wasn't the Shinenju?" He asks Renji who nods briskly.
"He talked of a girl with lavender hair, somehow when they touched hands they swapped places. He was in the land of screams, his memories were about to be eradicated and wiped clean slate to send him back to the world of the living as a new soul." Renji says.
"Hmm, if we find this girl we can swap the two back and the collusion could be avoided." Urahara says then looks at the man in front of him. "What do you say, Isshin?"
Now named Isshin, father of Ichigo Kurosaki looks up, "It could send him back to the land of screams. I waited so long to find his soul and all along he had already passed on, as if he had no regrets in death." The man says. Ichigo comes up to Isshin, wobbling and eyes blank. Isshin reaches out and touches Ichigo's little hand with his large one. "You alright, Ichigo?" He asks. Ichigo watches memories flash before his eyes and screams before jumping back. The memories he is seeing aren't his own but they feel real, he puts his hands to his head and rushes out of the room and outside. When the adults rush out, he's already vanished.
"This isn't good, if someone comes looking for the Shinenju, Ichigo will be their target." Urahara says. "I'll find him." Renji says.
Isshin walks off the steps and puts his hands in his pockets, "That boy… He looks just like Ichigo but my boy was never afraid of much. Whatever it is he saw just now must've been pretty bad." He says taking out a cigarette.
"Thought you quit?" Urahara jokes.
Isshin smirks, "I did but I need one." He states and walks on.
"You going to tell Misaki?" Urahara asks walking up to him cane and clogs tapping the ground.
Isshin shakes his head no, "Why hurt her heart with hope when it may never come true?" He says simply and walks off.
"Kisuke, the kid… do you think he's really Isshin's dead son?" Tessai asks. Ururu and Jinta stay silent looking at one another with worried looks on their faces. "I believe it could be possible but if he's already to this point… there really is no reason to tell his wife. If we swap the two out, he'll complete his slate cleansing and his soul will become a new soul soon after. No, there's no need to hurt her more than she's already hurting."
Tessai sighs, "She feels responsible for what happened to the boy?" Kisuke nods putting his hat over his eyes, "She was there when he was slaughtered by a hollow right before her eyes and there was nothing she could do about it because, it was Grand Fisher." He says walking away into the shadows. They had to find Ichigo and fast, if not… who knows who will take him if he's found out to be the current Shinenju.
[FairGrounds - night]
The strip mall was surrounded with tons of people but out of nowhere Renji found himself with nearly no one. He looked around, "Where'd the people go?!" He thinks out loud. He turns and sees Ichigo standing atop the Ferris Wheel with his arms out and eyes open, he shunpo's, making his way up to Ichigo and stands beside him. "You like heights a lot don't you kid?" Renji asks smiling then sitting so their faces were right beside each other.
Ichigo nods, "I can see everything, I feel free and peaceful. Like I'm no longer alone in this world." He says a deeply sad and remorseful smile on his lips. Renji watches Ichigo then pats the top of his head, "Your family misses you." He says and then grabs the smaller boy and leaps down.
Ichigo takes off and Renji runs after him, the boy vanishes from sight. He walks alone looking for his memories and coming to a house that says Kurosaki Clinic on the left. "So this is him? He's such a small child. To think he's the Shinenju." A deep voice says, Ichigo turns in time to jump away from a very tall large man weilding a sword like object. "Who are you?" Ichigo asks running away as the man attempts another attack. "Come with us kid." The man says and Ichigo screams only for Renji to appear and block the man's blade. Ichigo cowers away, "You haven't gotten the kid yet? You're losing your touch! Shall we grab him up and make you explain why he is with us and not you?" Another voice asks, three more men joining. Renji slices through the man's arm and pushes Ichigo up and yanked him into his arms. "Let's go!" He shouts surprised when Ichigo tucks his head in close and holds on tightly, afraid.
Once out of harm's way, Renji sighs. "We lost them but I have a feeling they'll be back." He says.
The next day, Ichigo wakes still tucked in close to Renji. He snuggles in even closer and then looks up when Renji opens his eyes. "Morning, you okay?" He asks the small boy. Ichigo nods, "I'm okay Renji. You kept me safe, thank you." He says then stands and bows before smiling and taking off. Renji finds him talking to a crying soul along side a building. "It's okay, why don't you tell me what's wrong? Maybe I can help you?" Ichigo asks.
"What's the matter kid?" Renji asks voice loud making the crying soul cry harder. Ichigo whacks at Renji, "You're scaring him!" He says angrily.
"Alright, well then I'm sorry." Renji mumbles annoyed.
Ichigo pats the smaller souls head and eye smiles, "It's alright, Renji looks big and scary but he's actually really nice and safe to be with, now stop crying and tell me what's got you so upset huh." He says voice gentle, soft and sweet. Renji puffs his chest out with pride at the words the kid says.
The little boy sniffles, "My daddy, I fell asleep when we were driving to the carnival and when I woke up I was all alone and daddy was gone." He whines and starts to cry even harder.
"Look kid, your father is probably in heaven or in the Soul Society. Both of which are very good places." Renji says getting another whack from Ichigo who glares at him.
"It's okay, hey how about we look for him.. together? Three sets of eyes and ears are better than one!" Ichigo says excitedly. "You really mean it? You'll help me find him?!" The small soul asks perking up.
"Sure." Ichigo says and grabs the little soul's hand before running off and laughing while pretending to be airplanes. Renji moans exasperated but none-the-less he follows the two young lost souls. They search and search coming up blank each time but no matter what they still continue on. Ichigo steps back and watches the little soul, "We're close Renji, I can feel it." Ichigo says.
"How can you be so sure? Why are you getting his hopes up instead of just doing a Konso an-"
Ichigo holds up a finger eyes closed, "Because he's smiling, he was so scared and without any help. He was lost and afraid and he couldn't find his mother or his father. I can't remember how that is but I know it must feel terrible. Like your guts are churning and your body is lingering with no way of knowing if they still love you or not." Ichigo smiles sadly.
Renji smiles sadly remembering his friends Rukia and he buried long ago in the Rukan District: Hanging Dog, "Yeah, sounds quite scary." He says sounding far away.
"Ichigo! Renji!!! I see it! I see the festival!" The little boy shouts and Ichigo rushes to his side and through the gate way. Tons of ghosts are there and Renji doesn't seem to notice, thinking them alive humans as they pass by stands of food and games, candy and plush toys.