Tairei9: I do not own bleach, I give full credits to its creators, and I give my thanks to my readers.

Kumiko: On with the chapter!

Chapter twenty six.

Kumiko opened her eyes and smiled.

She was at the Kurosaki's. She claimed to be staying here because her family was out of town on business. But really it was because she wanted to come here for the week. Today was her last day here though and she wanted to make the most of it. She snuggled against her pillow and into the warmth of the bed. She felt Kon sleeping by her arm.

Suddenly the door burst open revealing Isshin, Ichigo, and Karin.

"Wake up my eternal beautiful child!!" Isshin yelled, happily prancing into the room. Ichigo smacked him upside the head saying, "Don't yell!!"

"Look, Kumiko," Karin said, opening the shade, "It's snowing!"

"Snowing?" Kumiko said, sleepily rubbing her eyes. She got out of bed and Karin picked her up so she could look out the window.

It was true. Snowflakes were falling on an already thick blanket of snow. Kumiko thought it was like marshmallow land.

"Snow!" Kumiko then said, excitedly. She squirmed down out of Karin's arms and ran to Ichigo, grabbing his hand.

"Ichi-ni-san! It's snowing!!" Kumiko said, pointing at the window.

"YES!!! FAMILY SNOW DAY HAS FINALLY BEGUN!!!" Isshin shouted then left the room with Karin chasing after him.

"Snow day?" Kumiko questioned as Ichigo picked her up.

"Yeah, on the first decent snow fall of the year, we go out and spend the day in the snow basically," Ichigo said, walking out of the room and shutting the door. Kumiko's eyes seem to light up when she heard the word play.

"Oh!" Kumiko said, happily. She rested her head on the crook of his neck and wrapped her arms around his neck. She closed her eyes contently only to open them startled by Isshin's insisting yelling for joy.

"SHUT UP OLD MAN!!! WE GET IT!!!"

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"Shop owner?"

"Mmhh?" Urahara said, hanging up the phone.

"Who was that?" Tessai asked, putting the breakfast tray down on the table.

"That was Kurosaki-san," Urahara said, sitting down, "He said he is taking the day off from shinigami work."

"W-Why?" Tessai asked shocked.

"He is spending the day with his family. It is unavoidable."

"Really?"

"Yes, and not only that he hasn't spent much time with them. It is for the best," Urahara said, serving himself.

"What's for the best?"

"AH, Abarai-san!!" Urahara said, cheerfully, "Kurosaki-san is having the day off to spend with his family!!"

"What!? He can't do that!! What about the-?!"

"Do not worry about that. This is necessary to him," Urahara interrupted. Renji sat down, mumbling to himself.

"Kuchiki Taichou is coming here to discuss something with me," Renji said shortly.

"That's fine."

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"ALRIGHT! WE ARE THE FIRST ONES HERE!!" Isshin said charging to the hill. Surprisingly no one was there yet. They were all clad in snow clothes ready to get started. Karin punched her father saying, "Don't yell!"

"Karin-chan don't hit him!" Yuzu said, reproachfully. Ichigo followed them up the mountain like hill, pulling the long sled that had Kumiko sitting in it. She was looking around everywhere, taking everything in. The trees were thick with the icy snow. Icicles hung off of them sparkling in the light.

"Alright, we're here!" Karin said looking down the steep mountain like hill. Kumiko looked down also and was shocked. The hill didn't seem that steep when they were at the bottom.

"Kumiko, you need to sit up front on Karin's lap. Yuzu sit behind Karin. I'll sit in the back," Ichigo said as they pile onto the sled.

"And I will beat you on my skis!!!" Isshin said, being goof. Everyone sweat dropped, staring at Isshin, who had put on his skis.

"You all ready!?" Ichigo asked.

"YEP!" Everyone said, enthusiastically.

"Alright! Then lets…," Ichigo pushed then jumped in as they tipped downward, "GO!!"

The air and snow rushed into their faces. Yuzu screamed and Karin cheered. Kumiko just laughed and waved her hands in the air. Ichigo smiled and Karin shouted, "The turn is up ahead!!"

"Right! Everyone lean to the right!!" Ichigo shouted and they obliged. The sled tipped so much, they almost fell off.

"Lean to the left!!!"

They did so with out falling off as it tipped to the other side. When the turns were done they sat up right, making the led bounce back to the snow.

"Go faster, Ichi-nii!!" Karin shouted happily.

"Right!!" Ichigo leaned forward and pulled out a stick. He pushed the ground with it and they began to go much faster.

"WEEE!!!!!" Kumiko said, waving her arms still.

"Kumiko put your arms down or I won't be able to see the snow mound at the end! We have to avoid it or we'll crash!" Karin said.

"Snow mound?! Oh you mean that thing?" Kumiko said, pointing out front. They all looked over her to see the giant snow mound at the bottom of the hill.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" They all scream as they crashed into it, falling into the snow mound. Ichigo immediately sat up gasping along with his two sisters. Kumiko popped out of the snow, snow on her hat and shoulders. She suddenly looked at them nervously, afraid that they were mad.

Ichigo then started laughing. Yuzu then joined in as well as Karin and Kumiko sighed with relief. Then she began to laugh as well.

"AHAHAHHHH!!" They all looked up at the hill to see Isshin tumbling down it. He rolled past them and into a tree. They sat in silence for a while and then began to laugh again.

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"Long time no see, Little Byakuya."

"Yoruichi, what are you doing here?" Byakuya said as the portal disappeared behind him.

"I could ask you the same thing," Yoruichi said, leaning against the building smiling.

"That is really not any of you business now is it?" Byakuya said, on the cold side.

"Now, now. Don't talk like that!! Here I am being friendly with you and you're just being plain cold!" Yoruichi said looking at his retreating back. "Man, one mistake and I am never allowed to forget it."

Byakuya suddenly spun around and pinned her up against the wall, his eyes flaming.

"One mistake?! You act like it was nothing! You act like I didn't care that you would run off with him, throwing everything away you had!! We had!!!"

Yoruichi looked at him with sad eyes. It was true; she acted like it was nothing. But it was quite the opposite of how she felt. Byakuya let go of her and began to walk away.

"Well, it didn't matter. You move on afterwards didn't you? You meet that girl, got married, and moved on…" Yoruichi said, softly. He stopped again and refused to look at her.

"Yes, I did. ………why didn't you stay?"

"It was one of my two choices that I wish I never had to choose," she said sadly.

"Two…?" he questioned softly. He then disappeared, leaving Yoruichi, who had a tear running down her face.

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"Kumiko-chan, what are you doing? We're supposed to be making a fort for you, not making snow angels!" Yuzu said as Kumiko threw herself into the snow. Ichigo chuckled and said, "Leave her be. She has a very short attention span to begin with."

Kumiko giggled and moved her arms and legs up and down.

"Kurosaki-kun!!"

Ichigo looked up and said, "Hey Rukia! Inoue! Tatsuki! Ishida! Chad! What are you doing here?"

"Well, I know that today is the day you hold you family snow day, so I invited some people for you snow ball bash of the year," Tatsuki said.

"ALRIGHT!!!! TIME TO GET THIS PARTY STARTED!!!!"

"SHUT UP, OLD MAN!!"

"Alright, us Kurosaki's against Ichigo's friends!!" Isshin said, striking one of his weird poises.

"But… wouldn't that mean Kumiko is on our team?" Ishida asked.

"Nope!! Kumiko is an official member of the Kurosaki's!!"

"But that would mean you've adopted her, which you didn't," mumbled Ishida. Inoue nudged him saying, "Don't say things like that Ishida-kun!"

"Everyone on your marks get set… FIGHT!!!"

Soon there were snow balls flying every where. Ishida and Ichigo were pummeling each other with snow balls. Yuzu was throwing her snow balls at Tatsuki, who was dodging them.

Inoue was murdering Isshin with multi snow balls. Karin was fighting with Chad by kicking her snow balls instead of throwing them.

And Kumiko and Rukia stood in the distance observing.

"I see. They throw the balls of snow at people," Rukia said, observing the scene before her. Suddenly she felt something hit her side and she looked down to see snow and a wet spot on her coat. She looked down at a smiling Kumiko with a ball of snow in her hand.

"Kumiko (hit) what (hit) are you (hit)-?"

"Fight," Kumiko said.

The afternoon faded into evening and everyone began to head home.

"Hey guys, I'll meet up with you tomorrow. We have one more thing we have to do," Ichigo said.

"Good bye Kurosaki-kun!!"

"See yah Ichigo!"

"…"

The little group headed up the road and entered a cemetery. They walked in and stopped at a snow covered grave. They dug it out as Kumiko watched in confusion. She read on the tombstone.

"Kurosaki Masaki," she said slowly.

"Yeah, she's our mom," Karin said. Ichigo then picked Kumiko up and then put her on his lap. Kumiko had seen a picture of their mom and she was pretty. Kumiko looked at the others and their heads were bent in prayer.

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A woman walked down the hall, her braid swinging. She was heading towards where they were holding the once postponed meeting. It was supposed to happen yesterday, but something went wrong. So now it was in five minutes. Her captain was slightly annoyed but let her go any way. The woman entered the room where the shinigami women association was suppose to meet. She closed the door with her foot and walked forward, slightly shocked.

None of the members were in the room.

Yamamoto, Shunsui, and Ukitake stood before her holding an armor pendant.

The woman's eyes widen as someone behind her grabbed her. She struggled against the person desperately.

"Do not struggle. It is useless," Yamamoto said as the person forced her into a chair and bounded her to it. She looked at them helplessly as Ukitake put the pendant on her neck.

"Kurotsuchi Nemu, did you help Kurotsuchi Taichou with an experiment on nobles?"

"Yes."

"Did you happen to carry a child by the name of Kumiko?"

"……Yes……"

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"My, my Kumiko, you skin is so cold. Well nothing a nice warm bath won't fix," Yoruichi said, opening the bathroom door. She turned the knob and warm water came shooting out. She stripped the child of her clothes and stuck her in the bath. Kumiko sighed, taking in the feel of warm water on her cold skin. Yoruichi then picked up the shampoo and squirted some onto her hand. She rubbed the shampoo into Kumiko's hair and smiled. Kumiko played with the water, happily. Yoruichi tilted her head back and rinsed the soap out of it. Yoruichi allowed her to play with the bubbles a little while longer and then let the water drain. She put a blue fluffy towel on the girl and said, "When I leave get changed into night clothes alright?"

"Okay," Kumiko said, absentmindedly. Yoruichi left and shut the door. She walked down the hall and just by mere chance came across Urahara.

"Is Kumiko-san in bed yet?" Urahara asked, cheerfully.

"No, she still is getting changed."

"Good, then I can talk with her. I heard you and Byakuya had a heart to heart," Urahara said waving his fan.

"You need to stop eavesdropping," Yoruichi said walking past him.

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"This-this is outrageous," Yamamoto said, pacing his study furious on what he had heard Nemu say.

"So Yama-jii. What shall we do?" Shunsui asked and Ukitake looked at Yamamoto cautiously.

"Inform him immediately. He must know of this right away," Yamamoto said, distracted.

"Hai!!"

"Do you think Kisuke or Yoruichi knew of this?" Shunsui asked, warily.

"… I can not say."

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Yoruichi watched the full moon with a heavy heart. She heard laughter coming from inside the shop, but she paid it no heed. The wind blew gently making the snow drift.

"Yoruichi."

"Byakuya?" Yoruichi asked, shocked to see that he was still here. "What is it?"

Byakuya looked her dead in the eye and said.

"You have something that belongs to me."

Kumiko: Bum, bum, bummmmm! To be continued!!

Renji: where is Tairei9?

Kumiko: she is taking a nap!! Review people or I will have to cry!!

Renji: you can be such a drama queen you know that.

Kumiko: To the cookies!!!