10 Years Later...
Urahara's Shop
"Boss!! It's time for you to get up!!" Tessai called out, opening the doors of the shop. As he did, both Ururu and Jinta went out to go get other supplies for the shop. Tessai immediately started bringing in the new supplies from Soul Society as Urahara came down. "Boss, have you sent the present yet?"
"No. I'll go over later to give it to them personally." Urahara yawned, rubbing his eyes. He then put on his sandals and walked outside, looking up at the sky. His eyes squinted a bit as the sun's rays came down. "Hm, now that I think about it...it's been exactly 10 years since that day."
Naruki City
Kurosaki Apartment
"Kazui!! Are you done changing?" she called out to her son upstairs.
"Almost done!! I'll be there soon, Mom!!" Kazui yelled back, still deciding between wearing his light green hoodie or the white hoodie. Orihime chuckled to herself.
"Goodness me. He's turned 7 today, yet he's still brimming with energy."
"What do you expect, he's still just a kid after all."
"I suppose. I'm still trying to decide on what cake to bake him."
"What kind? Didn't you guys decide last night?"
"Well, we tried to but you know Kazui. He picked a whole bunch then fell asleep before I could ask him to pick a final cake. Chocolate might be best. Just what should I combine with it? Wasabi?"
"Uh, maybe leave that out. I don't think chocolate and wasabi go together." he awkwardly chuckled, still wondering how both her and Kazui developed the same kind of taste buds.
"Mm, maybe!! Anyways, did you manage to get that window properly fixed? We were lucky I came back home just in time but if another thief comes in-"
"Its fine. I fixed it up...last...night." He let out a big, drawn out yawn.
Orihime rubbed his back. "There, there. Did you work too hard last time?"
"Damn Boss wouldn't give me a break." he grumbled. "I'm glad I at least got today off. I want to make it up to Kazui for last year."
"I don't think Kazui minded too much. The party was very extravagant. I'm kinda glad it's more toned down this year. I hope Rukia and Renji got the invitations okay. Maybe I should call her again?"
"Nah, leave it. Renji, maybe but I'm sure something like this wouldn't have slipped Rukia's mind."
"I suppose. Oh!! Did you know? They're finally gonna bring Ichika around this year!!"
"Really? She's like, 9 now, right? Been so long since I last saw her."
"Mm!! Hopefully, her and Kazui can get along."
"Well, we can only hope." Ichigo chuckled, looking at the clock. "Hey, Orihime. Now that I think about it, it's been 10 years, right? Exactly 10 years since that battle..."
Chapter 688: FINALE - THE DEATH AND THE STRAWBERRY
- Seireitei -
"Just one more block and that'll be it. We'll have finally finished the clean up work." Kyoraku said, finishing his cup of sake. He let out a relieved sigh and slumped back a bit. He then glanced over to his left and sighed. "10 years...I'd say we managed to bounce back fairly well after that whole disaster." Kyoraku put down his cup and was about to take a nap until he heard a voice.
"Head Captain!! We don't have much time, please hurry!!" Kyoraku let out a heavy sigh and slowly got up. "People just have no appreciation for the pace I move at. Now I can fully understand how great Old Man Yama was..." Shunsui smiled and bowed for a final time. "See ya later, Ukitake."
He waved at the gravestone and went to join his Lieutenant, Nanao, who was yelling at him to hurry.
- Squad 12 Barracks, Laboratory -
"Ahhh, finally!! It seems the West 55 Block has finally been completed."
Mayuri looked very different with the paint on his face. The white portions covered his nose and upper lip, also circling around to his forehead. The black portions covered his lower lip, chin and most of his forehead, even covering the area around the eyes. He also had on a new headpiece, resembling the golden horns of a ram.
"They sure took their sweet time. Looks like I'll finally be able complete my underground network around the entire Seireitei. We must hurry and conduct the preliminary survey first."
Mayuri looked over his shoulder to the young girl. "Come along, Nemuri Hachigou!!"
"Yes, Master Mayuri!!" After the battle 10 years ago, Mayuri used Nemuri Nanagou's brain to recreate another her - Nemuri Hachigou. The young girl wore the shihakusho of a Shinigami but due to her age, was not made a Lieutenant.
"Don't shout it like that. Honestly, how you ended up like this is, I don't know." Mayuri sighed.
"Ah!! My apologies, Master Mayuri."
- Squad 11 Barracks -
The Squad members all bowed as the three most prominent soldiers of their group walked through. Yumichika no longer had on any of the feathers on his eyes. His hair wasn't tied anymore and was let loose, reaching to his shoulders. He also had a white cape over his shihakusho with the number '3' at the back of it. Since he finally got the seat he felt he deserved, he needed to make sure everyone could see, even if a few found it a bit annoying.
Ikkaku looked the same, except for one thing. Tied around his sleeved left arm was a Lieutenant's badge. Since no-one could find Yachiru, not even Mayuri, Ikkaku ended up taking her post.
Kenpachi was also looking the same. Though he was starting to get annoyed as he kept hearing:
"How is your day, Captain Zaraki?!"
"How's your day been, Captain?!"
"How's your day today, Sir?!"
"SHUT UP!!!" Kenpachi roared. "IT'S ONLY THE AFTERNOON SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF DAY IT IS!!!"
All the members of Squad 11, immediately got frightened and apologised, instead wishing Kenpachi to have a good day. "By the way, Captain. Isn't the ceremony being held at Squad 1's barracks?" Ikkaku asked, trying to remember what Renji told him.
"Hah? Whaddaya mean? It's about Squad 13's Captain so obviously it's being held at Squad 13's barracks." Kenpachi answered. Ikkaku looked to Yumichika for verification but he didn't know either since he was only Third Seat. "Listen Ikkaku. The reason I always got lost was cus Yachiru was around. Now that she ain't here, there's no way I could get lost!! NOW GO!!!"
Kenpachi immediately started taking off and it took Ikkaku and Yumichika all their strength to just barely keep up.
"Huh? Is that Squad 11? Why are they flying off in the wrong direction?" Shinji questioned, opening the doors to Squad 1's barracks where the ceremony was being held.
"Maybe they're lost?" Hinamori posited. "I'll go get them."
"What?! Hell no!! We'll be late if we chase after them!!"
"But-"
"No buts!! Captain's orders."
"...Captain, why do you always use that phrase for frivolous situations like this?"
- Near Squad 7 barracks -
"Raaaaaaaaahhhhh..." Iba jumped off the tall cliff and landed on his feet at the bottom. "Shaaaaaaaa!!!"
"Uh, Lieutenant!! I don't think we can do that!!" one of the Squad 7 members said.
"Its fine!! I'll be going on ahead!!" Iba called back out. He had a completely different look in terms of hair at least. He had a pompadour-like style hair and a crescent scar near outside his right eye.
"Going to work from the training grounds? I see you're working just as hard as ever. Keep it up and you'll become a fine Captain."
Iba turned around and faced Toshiro who had Rangiku, Kensei and Hisagi with him. "Captain Hitsugaya!! I am unworthy of such praise. I feel like I haven't done enough to become a Captain."
"Hey, hey, don't say that. Truth be told, I'd rather get off this bothersome job so the quicker you become Captain, the better!!"
"Ah!! Captain Aikawa!!" Iba bowed as Love Aikawa, the new Captain of Squad 7, walked towards him. "You say that but you've filled out the position of Captain well these past 10 years, Captain Aikawa." Toshiro smiled.
"Oh please. I only accepted cus Kyoraku asked me to. Besides, Lisa became Captain of Squad 8 a couple years ago after achieving her Bankai and Hachi became Commander of the Kido Corps. The only one of us still in the World of the Living is Hiyori and I'd rather not stay with her and have to watch her at every turn."
"Captain Aikawa!! You've been an excellent Captain so far!! I appreciate all you've done!! I swear, to one day excel enough to become a Captain and let you rest!!" Iba pledged.
"Uh...sure."
"How admirable...I suppose that kind of attitude is what's needed to become a Captain." Toshiro looked over to Rangiku. "I hope some people will be able to follow your example."
"Hm?" Rangiku turned her head to the side. "Do you mean Shuhei?"
"Yeah. You heard her, Shuhei." Kensei said.
"I can't let that slide, Rangiku!!" Hisagi complained.
"Just to let you know, your Captain agreed with us." Rangiku reminded him.
"Well, how about this?!" Hisagi pointed a finger at himself. "You're looking at a guy who's already achieved Bankai!!"
"Uh-huh...funny. I've never seen your Bankai." Rangiku looked at him with a suspicious eye.
"Me too." Toshiro chimed in.
"You running a Bankai con?"
"I haven't seen it either." Kensei said, without sounding like he actually cared about the situation.
"Oh come on!! I know you've seen it, Captain!! Well, what am I supposed to do?! I haven't had the chance to use it since that business with Hikone and Tsunaya-"
"Excuses?" Rangiku asked.
"Making excuses." Kensei nodded.
"STOP TAKING HER SIDE, CAPTAIN!!!"
"Well, I think it's a good thing." Toshiro said. "The fact that you haven't had to use it for 10 years means we've maintained peace for that long. And to round off those 10 years, today's ceremony is more than suitable."
- Squad 1 barracks, Grand Hall -
"You're late!!"
Soi Fon stared angrily at Squad 11's Captain and his two fellow members who were panting for breath desperately. Kenpachi responded with a glare of his own. "The hell? I take my sweet time taking the scenic route and this is the thanks I get?"
"I'm asking why, on this sacred day, you took the scenic route!!"
"Uh...guys...calm down..."
"Straighten up, Isane!!"
Lisa smacked Isane's back. "You've been made Captain too. You don't need to be frightened of them."
"Th-That's hard to do. Besides, I only officially became Captain two months ago."
"Whatever. Anyways, haul your asses in here, everyone!! The sooner we're done, the sooner I can go shopping in the World of the Living with Rangiku."
"That's the reason you're hurrying?!"
In a few minutes, the Captains (minus Kurotsuchi) all lined up, their Lieutenants behind them though Renji wasn't there with Byakuya. "Okay!!" Kyoraku clapped his hands. "May the new Captain of the Gotei 13 enter!!"
She let out a deep breath behind the doors. "What's wrong? Don't worry. Your knees buckle and I'll carry you in there." Renji teased. He wore a dark bandana around his head and his long hair was braided.
"Sh-Shut up!!"
"Newly-appointed Captain of Squad 13, Rukia Kuchiki!!"
Rukia walked through the doors and into the hall. She had long hair and wore a haori over her Shihakusho, the sleeves being a bit too long. "P-Present!!" she called back, blushing a bit from nervousness.
Squad 1 Captain: Shunsui Kyoraku
Squad 2 Captain: Soi Fon
Squad 3 Captain: Rojuro "Rose" Ootoribashi
Squad 4 Captain: Isane Kotetsu
Squad 5 Captain: Shinji Hirako
Squad 6 Captain: Byakuya Kuchiki
Squad 7 Captain: Love Aikawa
Squad 8 Captain: Lisa Yadomaru
Squad 9 Captain: Kensei Muguruma
Squad 10 Captain: Toshiro Hitsugaya
Squad 11 Captain: Kenpachi Zaraki
Squad 12 Captain: Mayuri Kurotsuchi
Squad 13 Captain: Rukia Kuchiki
- Squad 12 barracks -
"Hey, where's the Captain?" Ayon wondered. "Oh right, it's that Captain's ceremony today."
"Actually, he's gone to conduct a survey of the West 55 block." Hiyosu informed him.
"Seriously? Why'd he go there?"
"If you, the Lieutenant, don't know, how should I?"
"I'm only Lieutenant for a little while. Gotta wait for Nemuri Hachigou to grow up, then she could take the position. Still it's incredible."
"What is?"
"What the Captain did."
Akon looked over at the giant metallic tube in the center of the lab. Inside, was a green substance and floating in there was Yhwach's body, some of the black matter still on him and wires stuck into his body everywhere. "To manipulate the Soul King's Right Hand like this...at least this way, everything won't crumble."
- World of the Living -
Tokyo
"Yukio!!" Jackie called out to the young man sitting in his black, executive chair. "You have another appointment at 4."
"Jeez. Why are there so many meetings today? Can't you send them all away?" Yukio sighed, playing on his game console.
"You're the CEO!! Stop acting so lazy!! Hey, where's Riruka gone to?"
"I think she said something about getting more donuts."
"How that girl doesn't gain any weight from all that sugar she eats, I just don't know." Jackie shook her head. "She needs to take her job more seriously."
Jackie then remembered something else. "Have you sent a present yet?"
Yukio looked up from the screen. "A present?"
"For Ichigo's brat!"
"Oh. Yeah, I sent him the newest game that's out. Have you sent him anything?"
"No. It's hard to choose since that kid is unpredictable in what he wants for gifts. Maybe I should get Riruka to get something and say we both got it."
"Knowing her, she'll probably go around and give him donuts like last year...and the year before that."
Karakura Town
Kurosaki Clinic
Rukia rang the doorbell and waited for an answer. Her and Renji managed to get time off to at least visit Kazui for his birthday. The doors to the clinic slid open. "Hey. You guys arrived just in time." Ichigo smiled. He wore a white shirt and blue jeans. His hair had grown out a bit and his bangs were swept to one side.
Rukia and Renji entered but only Rukia stopped. "Ooh!! Let me see...yep!! I can hear the crickets loud and clear."
Ichigo sighed. "Its a clinic. It's a good thing it's empty. Anyways, come on in. Everyone else is here."
Ichigo opened the door to the living room.
"Oh, hey, Rukia!!" Keigo waved.
"Ah, idiot!! You almost spilled the cup!!" Tatsuki growled, hitting Keigo in the chest.
"Hey, Rukia!! Oh, you grew out your hair! It looks good." Mizuiro complimented, lifting up one side of his headphones.
"Out of the way!!" Karin warned, carrying bottles of soda.
"Popcorn and soda coming through!!" Yuzu followed her with two tubs of overflowing popcorn. Rukia gave them both a hug and noted how they got taller than her in the past 10 years.
"Oooh!! Guys, the highlights are almost on!!" Keigo said, as he, Tatsuki and Mizuiro looked at the TV. "Still, to think out of all of us, Chad became the most famous!! A boxer, competing for the WBO World Championship title!!"
"Were you ever in the running?" Mizuiro asked.
"All of us means all !!"
"That's not true. Uryu is also kinda famous." Tatsuki pitched in.
"I suppose. Despite all his reluctance, the dude actually became a full-fledged doctor."
Ichigo saw Chad's match going on. He turned around. "Hey, it's starting, Orihime!!"
"Coming!!" Orihime ran out from the kitchen, taking off her apron.
"Huh? Where's Kazui? Wasn't he baking with you?"
"Well, he got bored and went upstairs. Hmm. Ah!! According to Tsubaki, he just went back into Yuzu's room. Seems like he snuck out to Hiyori's place. I'm surprised he likes her place so much."
"Makes sense!! Kazu loves your old room!!" Yuzu smiled.
"But it's your room now, Yuzu. You sure you're okay with him in there?"
"Yeah!! Kazu can come in any time!!"
"Aaaah. Cus Kazu's the spitting image of Ichi-Nii." Karin snickered which caused Yuzu to pinch her cheeks.
"Oh yeah." Ichigo turned to Rukia and Renji. "Weren't you guys supposed to bring your kid around?" Rukia and Renji, for a moment, didn't seem to know what Ichigo was talking about. Then their eyes lit up.
"Oh yeah!! Guess what! She's been made an official Gotei 13 apprentice today!! Come on in!!" Rukia waved her arms but no-one came in through the doorway. Both her and Renji glanced outside. "Hm, looks like she isn't here."
"Wait, what?! You lost her?!"
"No need to worry. She's a Shinigami. With mere Humans as opponents, she's bound to come out on top. Let's watch!!"
"Hell no, find your kid!! What kind of parent are you?!"
"Excuse me?! I'm a good mother, thank you!! I don't need to hear this from the guy who almost left Kazui alone at the beach!!"
"I forgot!! And besides, I realised soon enough. Also, how the hell do you know about that?!"
"Well, she wanted to know some stories about Kazui..." Orihime nervously laughed, scratching the back of her head.
"Hah!! See. If anything, I'm the better parent." Rukia smirked.
"That doesn't matter!! Find your kid!!"
- Yuzu's Room (formerly Ichigo's) -
"Hah..." Kazui flopped back on the bed, wearing his light green hoodie. "Auntie Hiyori wasn't there...I wanted to see if she could teach me more about that bubbly thing..."
Kazui closed his eyes and was about to drift off to sleep when he heard a thud. He looked over to the desk near the bed and saw a girl wearing a shihakusho with tied up, bright red hair and a sword with a guard the shape of a lightning bolt, standing on the desk. "Hmm...the strong reiatsu is close..." she mumbled, jumping down onto the floor.
"Hey, who are you?" The girl jumped and turned around to see Kazui. "C-Can you see me?"
"Yep!!" Kazui nodded, smiling widely.
"Oh." Suddenly, she drew her sword and pointed it at him. "Well, not many kids your age can see me!! Who are you? I'm Ichika Abarai, Shinigami apprentice!!"
"Me? I'm Kazui Kurosaki." A black shihakusho manifested on top of Kazui's hoodie and a Zanpakuto appeared, strapped to his back, its guard similar to Ichigo's sword when it's in a Bankai state. "I'm kinda a Shinigami too!!"
"Wait, what?!"
And so, the blade has been passed on...
The End