I was wrong. I was deeply wrong.
When Ichinouji repeatedly said 'Tennouji,' I didn't deem it as that much of an importance since it wasn't mentioned in Bleach. That night when I slept in the bedroom about the size of three large rooms combined, I had a sudden dream about the past.
I was in a modern house with no tatamis or anything that resembled the Edo period. Diffused through the air was the smell of chocolate and strawberry. I followed the trail of scent and entering through the kitchen, I found a middle-aged lady back tied with a long tail of curled ink locks. The moment she turned around, adorned on her face is a bright warming smile. I thought I would never see her smile again after I died but it seems like my memories retained fragments of it.
"Taadaa! Look, it is the ultimate chocolate whipped strawberry ice cream cake that you loved so much! Happy twentieth Birthday!" While saying so, she took the cake placed on a serving platter and thoroughly showcased it. From behind her, Kubo-sensei appeared while holding a book that contained the distinctive logo of Bleach.
"Happy Birthday! This is my present to you!"
His wife giggled while she pushed Kubo-sensei's hands closer to me. I took the book, confused as I always would buy every volume that we published together and yet, I have never seen this cover with a beautifully drawn girl of white-hair and crystal blue eyes in it.
"What is this?" I asked. My face although delighted was also mixed with confusion.
"It is a special edition that exists with only five copies in the world. I gifted the four others away in a fan meeting and here is one more for you. I created her based on you and I wanted to express my gratitude for staying by my side and for being such a caring mother to Bleach."
I missed this feeling of warmth and I dearly missed the feeling of staying by Kubo-sensei and his wife's side. To me, they were more like my family than my biological family will ever be. I flipped open the cover and then into the first few pages. The book was a spin-off of other characters specifically those that don't affect the main storyline but is part of Soul Society. The girl on the cover was Tennouji Shurei, the only heir of the Tennouji Clan as well as the only offspring of the clan head, Tennouji Yasahi. Their family was small but every day was lively and full of love and affection.
As a young girl, Shurei harbored a vast amount of reiatsu. Considering how Tennouji is also one of the four great noble clans, it was normal as her ancestors were all the same. The spin-off proceeded to continue off of her personality, special powers, and even on her daily life in Soul Society.
A thought suddenly popped into my mind. If the Tennouji Clan was one of the clans to harbor vast amounts of reiatsu, why weren't they part of the Gotei 13? Kubo-sensei must've rushed his present for me and forgot about the scrutiny details leaving a hole in the structured plot. I couldn't help but feel an airy breeze living within me. My lips slightly upturned into a curve.
Tennouji Shurei lived a life that I would desire. A pair of doting parents and a slightly overprotective grandfather. She was truly the princess who had not only the appearance of one but also a demeanor of one. She was the ideal wife that any man would so-called desire and should I have been a male myself, I wouldn't mind marrying her.
As I soon got to the end of the book, there was a sudden time skip of about many years later. The Shurei that was drawn from every other panel no longer had white hair but rather had ink black hair shackled into a twin tail by an accessory. I still remembered how when I saw that image, I thought Kubo-sensei had attempted to troll me again. He always loved to prank me from time to time. This time, he has finally succeeded. On the very end of the page with the dark-haired Shurei, there was a tiny speech bubble that said:
'And so, Tennouji Shurei became a rebellious teen one day and decided to dye her hair black! She ran away from her mansion and shortly after began her next journey with an old pair of couple. The End.
P.S. you are fooled!'
When the chirping of the birds signaled for the sun to rise, I could've sworn that I woke up with my back draped in cold sweat. Vibrating inside my head and ear was the disturbing laughter that Kubo-sensei would usually do.
I shook my head twice to clear my thoughts altogether and then reached for the hair tie that secured the bun atop my head. When I pulled the hair tie out, beautiful white soft locks cascaded down my back and overflowed my tiny shoulders. My heart immediately skipped a beat. Without caring for anything else, I ran out of the room barefoot trying to find a mirror.
The mansion overall was too large and with the sudden shock that I had, I could only head straight outside to the large green fields where a circle of water bank resided. The reflection in the water was a beautiful girl around the age of nine to ten, she had snow like hair that is straight and slightly curled by the ends. I looked at her as she looked at me. Her pretty blue eyes that twinkled with astonishment every few seconds.
I pinched my cheeks and the girl followed. It hurts. It actually hurts! This was for certain not a dream.
I didn't know what to do. What could I do? The series of events following yesterday was already enough for me to take in but what about the case of my present identity? First, it was transmigrating into another body, then it was transmigrating into the body who lives in Bleach, and now it so turns out that the body I went inside was actually the joke character that Kubo Tite made. If he had known of this, he would've been stuck in his bed for laughing six months straight. I didn't even need to picture it inside my mind, I know that he would laugh his ass off and tease me for such occurrence.
Kami-sama, what have I done to incur your wrath?
And to think that I was just a regular character! Ahh! How embarrassing, I want to dig a hole and bury myself so badly. The house that I mistook as the family manor was actually a residence for the Tennouji servants. By that point, I was certain about something. The cat was out of the bag. Ichinouji must have figured that I truly didn't have any recollection of anything and that I had lied to him before.
Shit. I didn't know I had messed up this badly.
I crouched down to the ground, head buried into my white robes. I didn't know how long I had maintained such a position but when I heard shouts and cries of my name being repeated, I knew I had to go. The moment I got up, my knees gave away almost too quickly. Luckily, I dropped into a warming embrace of a sturdy chest. I looked up to my savior, a charming male with an appearance of being in his late twenties to early thirties. He also had white hair like mine, beautifully straight and tamer but his eyebrows contrasted to the white color of his hair.
My eyes immediately flickered. Ukitake Jushiro, captain of the 13th Division, part of the Gotei 13. He is the eldest son of a lower class aristocratic family and at shortly after birth had a fatal illness that caused his hair to turn white. He is one of my most favorite characters, one that held not only a noble heart but also a noble mindset and lived a path where he determines what is right or wrong unrestrained by the law.
"Oujo-chan, be careful when you are playing." He smiled gently at me. In fact, so gentle that the corners of his eyes creased along into a beautiful crescent shape.
"..." I opened my mouth but when I realized I didn't know what to address him as I silently closed them once more.
Ukitake-san? No, it sounded so formal. Jushiro-chan? I definitely couldn't call him with such familiarity. I may understand him like no other would, but he doesn't seem to know me. Oji-san? But, he is too charming to be called an uncle... Onii-san? No, he is my son to be exact. I created him along with his father, Kubo Tite.
So after about a few minutes of internal conflict, I decided to just say something. "Uhh...hey." Shit, it sounded too rude.
Ukitake didn't seem to mind or rather he was never the type to get angry or annoyed easily. "Can you walk?"
I looked at him then looked back at my legs. Before pursing my lips, I shook my head. He kindly obliged as he switched hands to carry me in a princess style. I was so sure that my internal self must've been screaming in delight as he carried me with such care. To be honest, my legs were just a bit sore but they were completely fine. If I had been given a minute of rest, I was pretty sure that I could've walked alongside him. It's truly a pity that I was born with a shameless personality. If the heavens have bestowed upon such a good chance, why not take full advantage of it?
Ukitake placed his full attention on walking back to the large manor while I placed my full attention on examining every little detail that was on his face and even hands. He had a clean ivory face, one that was free of all sorts of blemishes and possibly with a skin much better than even females themselves. When he walks, his pair of hands would slightly brush harshly on my skin and I would be able to feel the firmness of his calluses from the many years of his shinigami career.
I knew my lips were smiling but it seemed to be limited in how much I could've stretched it.
"Shurei-sama! Shurei-sama!"
Turning my head to Ichinouji who seemed to on the verge of tears upon not seeing me for how ever long it has been, I tapped Ukitake by his shoulders signaling for him to let me down. He also seemed to have caught hold of my meaning as he gently placed me on my feet and it was only after confirming that I wouldn't fall down again had he let go of his arms that encircled around me.
"Ichinouji, I'm here."
Ichinouji although relieved tearfully ran over to get me. He tightly embraced me within his lean yet strong arms that shook with his every whimper. I quietly patted him on the back, assuring him that I was completely fine.
"Shurei-sama, you can't wander around anymore. You don't know anything!"
I tilted my head to the side, not comprehending his words at all. "What do you mean?"
"It's late. We must report back to master and mistress that you are found and is fine." He didn't even bother to look up nor cared to attend Ukitake as he was overly worried about me. As he pulled me along one arm, I looked up to Ukitake who was patiently smiling with much joy and pulled him with my other free arm. Perhaps he didn't expect such an action but when he felt a slight tug by the index finger, I swore that I could've spotted a flowery aura surrounding him.
Like this, our mimicry of a train being pulled along was established as Ichinouji pulled me who was dragging Ukitake along.
We soon reached a larger building where the inside was widely spaced. Standing by the door is a neatly dressed lady who had purple colored hair with golden eyes and sitting on the inside was a male with blue hair and crystal blue eyes. The lady is none other than the mother of this body and the male is
the father. Tennouji Yuki hurriedly came to receive me, the sound of her heels clashing against the concrete floor. When she saw the scene of me interlinking hands with two males and particularly one of the males whom she was unfamiliarly acquainted with, a surprising look painted her eyes.
"Ukitake Jushiro-san?"
Ukitake nodded politely with respect. Once to Tennouji Yuki and once to Tennouji Yasahi. Yuki then promptly gripped me by my arm as she scooped me up. I followed forth by comfortably laying my head on her shoulders close to her neck. She reminded me of Kubo-sensei's wife, bearing the same gentle demeanor and having the same feeling of motherhood.
She reminded me of my past desire. The yearning of a mother and when Yasahi came to pat my head, I nudged against the large palm of his. The feeling seemed so foreign yet so warm.
"Ukitake-san, please come in."
Ukitake Jushiro is very well known in Soul Society and the honor he carried behind his name was enough to make him become respectful for even the four great noble clans despite his lesser noble birth. He was also one of the two first graduates from Shino Academy to get a captain position. However, I couldn't make out a single cohesive conclusion as to why he is here.
"Are you here to represent Genryƫsai Yamamoto?"
Ukitake nodded his head. He turned to face me and then smiled. "Is she perhaps the heir of the Tennouji Clan?"
Yasahi's gaze landed on me softly as he nodded. "She will be succeeding me as the twentieth head of the Tennouji Clan."
"Then, is it suitable for her to be here?"
As though Yasahi understood Ukitake's words, he responded with a hesitating silence before finally breaking out with an order. "Ichinouji, bring Shurei outside to play."
A feeling of suspicion arose within me. I knew at that point that Ukitake must have arrived with a motive in regards to Soul Society. I turned my body away, expecting Ichinouji to take me out of the room but contrary to what Ichinouji was told to do, he knelt down in front of the three adults with a face full of guilt and grief.
"Ichinouji, what's wrong?" Yuki asked. The only moment when a servant kneels is when they do commit a grave sin and wish to be forgiven.
"Master, mistress, I am terribly sorry for what I have done."
"What did you do?"
"I have caused Shurei-sama to lose her memories."
If one could describe the feeling of wanting to kill someone so badly, then that is the feeling that I'm going through now. I knew I fucked up when I mistook the tiny house for the Tennouji family manor, but I would've never thought Ichinouji would be such a straightforward honest male. He actually snitched on me!
Yuki and Yasahi immediately flicked their sight to meet mine while Ukitake allowed his face to settle with a pair of widening eyes. At that moment, I wish I could turn invisible.
"Shurei, is it true?!" Yasahi was particularly worried. He seemed as though I was near-deathbed. I guess it would make sense for him to feel this way if I was going to become the next head of the clan. If this body did lose its memory, it would be ninety-nine years worth of memories. Unfortunately, the original host didn't but instead was taken over by me. That means I never even experienced those ninety-nine years worth of being Tennouji Shurei.
I coughed out a laugh. "That is really funny Ichinouji! Isn't that right? Haha-ue, chichi-ue."
"Haha-ue...chichi-ue? But Shurei-sama, this afternoon you called master and mistress as okaa-san and otou-san!" Ichinouji was having a tough time trying to stay convinced with my words. And the only thing that I can do was bluff my way through.
"I told you that I was playing with you. Why did you have to take everything so seriously?"
"I..."
"Well, we shall excuse our self." I faced the three adults in the room and gave a small bow of respect before continuing on, "I will come back later when dinner is served." With that, I quickly grabbed Ichinouji by his sleeves and dashed straight out of sight.
Transmigrating is a serious matter in topics relating to souls and reincarnation. Especially since this is Soul Society where shinigami is practically littered from every corner of the streets to every floor. If they found out that a regular human soul has accidentally gone inside another soul's body, wouldn't they summon Mayuri Kurotsuchi to dissect me up?
In any case, knowing nothing about the Tennouji house beyond what Kubo-sensei had written for me is sure a troublesome case. I took a sideways glance at Ichinouji whose eyes stared at me like a hawk is to its prey.
If I thought I could've gotten away with my usual behavior and etiquette, then I would have truly insulted Ichinouji's intelligence. Ichinouji caught on quickly to the sudden change in manners. He saw the change in walking style, and he saw through my flittering eyes that never stayed in one position.
So I came up with a decision to have him assist me while I am getting my way around the world of Bleach. I needed to know what time period I am in so that I will understand what canon events will happen. I needed to know what the Tennouji Clan supervises under if they part of the four noble houses. More importantly, I will need Inchinouji if I want to navigate myself around Soul Society and check up on my children who I had helped to create alongside Kubo-sensei for a total of ten years worth of blood, sweat, and tears.
If I were to live my second life as Tennouji Shurei instead being Kubo Tite's assistant, then I will need more wits than I can offer. Compared to any one of the characters in Bleach, I am by far the youngest with the mental age of age of twenty-four.
One thing for certain is that the plan must commence now.
Well, two releases to get the series started. I will be back with more. It is actually a lot easier to write in the first person's pov but the reason why I specifically chose to write in such a way for this fanfic is because of my oc's circumstance.
When Shurei addressed her parents as haha-ue and as chichi-ue, they are more of the formal terms of calling their parents. Haha-ue as mother and chichi-ue as father. These terms are rather traditional and most formally used for aristocratic families. Therefore, Ichinouji noticed such things so easily as Shurei who has been born and raised as a noble lady should be using these terms instead of the modern term or more of the commoner term of calling Okaa-san or Otou-san.
Comments, critics, or love? I will see you in the next chapter!
