Chapter 17: Changing History and an Unchanging Heart

"Gum-Gum…" Luffy stretched both of his haki-imbued arms as they were lit on fire from the steam of his Second Gear. "…Eagle Bazooka!" Luffy's attack was fierce as the air was rushed out of the fullbringer and the flames scorched him in the process. Both Luffy and Ginjo crashed to the ground below and they both landed on their feet. Ginjo lifted his sword and lowered it, trying to cut the rubber boy but Luffy easily moved out of the way and prepared to strike back.

"Gum-Gum…" Luffy cocked his haki-imbued arm as the steam from his body lit it on fire. "…Red Hawk!" Ginjo tried to block with his sword but Luffy's fist broke through and hit the fullbringer. Ginjo stumbled back a few feet before he fell to his knees and collapsed.

Ginjo looked up and saw two people walking towards him. They were Luffy and Ichigo. 'Ichigo…' he thought, looking at the substitute soul reaper as his eyes turned back to normal and his vision starts to blur. 'If our roles would've been switched, if you had been the one appeared first, would you have become like me? If something as simple as timing had changed our destinies completely. Ichigo, if you were the first substitute soul reaper instead, things might have been very different.' Ginjo's vision turned black as he closed his eyes for the last time.

Luffy looked behind his shoulder, sensing something off with his haki, and saw Tsukishima ready to strike with his sword. Nami turned around saw the fullbring charging towards her captain. "NO!" Riruka's voice sounded off from inside Nami. Nami, with no control of her own, jumped in the way the fullbringer as a small door appeared on her chest and opened. Tsukishima widen his eyes as his blade hit Riruka instead of one of the pirates. Luffy caught Nami by her shoulder as the door on her chest disappeared.

"Riruka…" Tsukishima said, shocked to see the fullbringer appear in front of him and taking the blow.

"Are you stupid?" Riruka asked, trying to ignore the pain. "Idiot…You were really going for the kill, weren't you?"

"Out of my way!" Tsukishima shouted, pulling his sword out of Riruka. "Don't die! Don't die, Ginjo! GINJO!"

"He's dead!" Riruka shouted, getting Tsukishima's attention as tears flowed from her eyes. "Face the facts, we couldn't have stopped this. We couldn't save Ginjo, no matter what. He was the one who saved us. He did. But the ones who saved Ginjo were Ichigo and Straw Hat."

(Flashback)

"So are you all alone?" Ginjo asked a young Tsukishima, who was hiding underneath a tree. "I see. Well, it looks like we're the same. Come with me. Starting today, it will be the two of us."

(End of Flashback)

'You were there for me, Ginjo.' Tsukishima thought, looking at the lifeless body of Ginjo. 'You taught me how to use my powers. You taught me how to fight. So why? Why didn't teach me what I should do with you die?' He covered his mouth as he coughed up blood and fell to his knees, still feeling the damage done to him in his fight against Zoro. He looked up and saw Shishigawara standing in front of him.

"Shishigawara…" he said weakly. "Oh I see…I get it."

Yukio was walking out of the forest and kicking a pebble around, after Sanji let him go. "You've got a bad habit of kicking things." A voice said, getting Yukio's attention. "You're worst than Riruka." Yukio looked behind his shoulder and saw Jackie walking towards him.

"Jackie?!" Yukio said surprised. "It's nice to see that you're alive."

"I might as well be dead." Jackie said. Yukio looked down at Jackie's boots and saw that they've been damaged.

"Jackie…your fullbring…has it?"

"Yeah."

"I see. But that's a good thing. I mean, you hated all of this. You said that your ability was a big pain."

"I've found Giriko. On the way here, I've discovered his body and pocket watch. I've stopped and buried both together. Although I'm relieved to lose my abilities, I do slightly envy Giriko to die with his powers. Maybe somewhere along the way, I realized something about our fullbrings. They were the thing that tied us together."

Yukio looked at Jackie, thinking about what Jackie said. "Yeah whatever, I'm out of here." he said as the two went their separate ways.

In the Urahara Shop, Riruka slowly her eyes and saw the ceiling of a room. She looked to her right and saw Chopper looking down at her.

"Hey Ichigo…" Chopper said, getting the orange haired substitute's attention.

"Oh, you're awake." Ichigo said, standing up from where he was sitting.

"Ichigo, I'm still alive?" Riruka asked.

"Yeah, Kisuke showed up shortly after you passed out and Chopper looked at your wounds. But…we didn't find anyone else." Then Riruka heard the sound of someone crying next to her. She looked to her left and saw Orihime on the futon next to her.

"I'm glad that you're ok." Orihime said.

"You are?"

"When I heard that they didn't find anyone, I was so sad." Riruka looked at Orihime with widen eyes and then tears flowed down from her eyes as well.

Back in the forest, Shishigawara was carrying an injured Tsukishima on his back as the sun began to rise. "I've been thinking though all of this." Shishigawara said, getting his boss' attention. "But I couldn't do it. In my mind, you'll always be the strongest one around. Mr. Tsukishima, you mustn't die. You're too smart for this setback to stop you. I won't let you die. You are invincible, Mr. Tsukishima." Tsukishima closed as he lost unconsciousness from the blood loss.

'Now I see Ginjo…' Tsukishima thought. 'You're being gone has forced me to finally understand something. Something important that you might have already known. I'm not alone.'

"Thank you, Shishigawara." He said, surprising Shishigawara.

"Wha…you don't need to thank me, sir." Shishigawara said. "It's only right that I help you, Mr. Tsukishima. After all, I am your apprentice. Hey look, it's morning! What a beautiful day. That's a sight for sore eyes."

'Thank you…I wasn't left to die alone after all.' Tsukishima thought, with a smile on his face.

In the Squad 13 barracks, Sentaro and Kiyone were running towards their captain's room after learning happened in the World of the Living.

"Captain!" Sentaro shouted.

"Captain Ukitake!" Kiyone shouted as the two third seats of the squad kneeled outside of their captain's door.

"Good news, Ichigo Kurosaki and Money D. Luffy has successfully defeated Kugo Ginjo in the World of the Living." Sentaro said.

"The Straw Hat Pirates who sent there have also safely returned and are preparing to return to their world, sir." Kiyone added. "The retrieval of Kugo Ginjo's body has been completed."

"I see." Jushiro said as he started coughing, make the third seats concerned about his health. "I'm alright. What about Ichigo?"

"Sir, Ichigo Kurosaki is safe." Sentaro replied.

Jushiro walked towards the blinds on his door and lifted them up. "Thank goodness."

In the Urahara Shop, Kisuke walked the room that Riruka staying in with her breakfast in his hand.

"Riruka, it's time for breakfast." The shop owner said. "You'll get to taste Tessai's special pickles that he only makes visiting guest." There was no response. "Riruka? I'm coming in." Kisuke opened the door and saw that the fullbringer was gone.

Somewhere in Karakura Town, Riruka was on top of a building, standing on the edge.

'Thank you, Ginjo.' She thought. 'Thank you for inviting me to join Xcution. Thank you Chad, for really believing in us. Thank you Orihime, for your tears and trying to be my friend. And Ichigo, I can say this without any worries.'

"Good bye." She said. "Try not to think for me, you got that. Because no matter how I say goodbye to you, I know that you'll never forget about me or any of us. That's the kind of guy you are." Riruka jumped into the air and disappeared in her Bringer Light.

In the Seireitei, Head Captain Yamamoto looked over his squad's barracks as a member of his squad appeared next to him.

"Lieutenant Kuchiki of Squad 13, who's been involved in clearing up affairs in the World of the Living, has safely returned, sir." The soul reaper said.

"And why are you reporting that to me?" Yamamoto questioned.

"Sir, because…"

"What?" Byakuya said, hearing the news from a member of Squad 1.

"Huh?" Kenpachi said, hearing the same news. "Are you serious?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki…" Soi Fon said.

"We're on our way." Toshiro said.

"I wonder why he's coming here all of a sudden." Shinji said, walking towards the Squad 1 barracks.

Ichigo and Rukia were seen in the seireitei, walking the Squad 1 Barracks until Renji appeared in front of him.

"Ichigo…" Renji said, surprised to Ichigo in the soul society.

"Hey there, Renji." Ichigo said, walking past the Squad 6 lieutenant. "How are things?"

"Uh…good." Renji answered, and then he grabbed Ichigo's shoulder. "Hey, hold it a minute would ya?! What exactly brings you here anyway?!

"Well you see…" Ichigo was about to explain until Rukia put a hand on Renji's back, trying to calm him down.

"Rukia, what's going on? What's he doing here?"

"Ichigo has requested to speak directly with Head Captain Yamamoto." Rukia explained.

"What?!" Renji said shocked.

"That's right. And Ichigo's got permission." Ichigo nodded to confirm Rukia's statement as he continued to walk towards the Squad 1 Barracks.

"Hey…wait a sec…" Renji said as he and Rukia followed Ichigo.

"What could it be about?" Nanao asked.

"He's a substitute soul reaper." Kyoraku said. "Based on what happened, he must have a lot on his mind. It would totally understandable if he's furious with all of us."

"That's true. Do you think that he came to return his combat pass?"

"Well, that I really couldn't say." Kyoraku said as he stood up from his spot. "But it is one sticky situation."

At the Squad 1 barracks, Ichigo continued to walk towards the room where the captain of each squad meets with Rukia and Renji behind him. But the three stopped when they saw most of the captains standing outside the door.

"What's this?" Ichigo asked, looking at all of the captains. "Did all of you come here to greet me?"

"Not everyone." Soi Fon said, appearing behind Ichigo. "Kurotsuchi and Ukitake aren't here.

"But you can go in." A familiar voice said, surprising Ichigo. "He's waiting for you."

"Kensei!" Ichigo said, shocked to see one of the visards. "You were reinstated as a captain?"

"Enough of that, I said you can go in." Kensei said, changing the subject. "I'm sure that you didn't come here to chit-chat." The doors to the meeting room had opened and the captains walked inside as Renji and Rukia kneeled.

"Rukia, I think we should…" Renji said

"Lieutenants Abarai and Kuchiki, have a seat in the back." Yamamoto ordered. Ichigo walked inside with Rukia and Renji behind him, following the head captain's orders. "Ichigo Kurosaki, you've fought admirably for our cause."

"Yeah, let's forget all of that." Ichigo said. "I didn't come here to be praised for my deeds."

"Well then, why are you here?"

"I'm here about Ginjo's body that you heard Renji retrieve. I want to bury him in the World of the Living." Some of the captains looked at Ichigo with widen eyes, shocked about his request.

"Are you insane?" Another familiar questioned, getting Ichigo's attention. It was Shinji. "Ichigo, do you even realize what it is that you're asking?"

"Shinji…" Ichigo said, looking at the man who once led the vizards.

"He's right." Soi Fon said. "That man was a cold-blooded criminal who stole the powers of countless soul reapers and murdered them. How could you?"

"That's not what I meant." Shinji said, shocking Soi Fon. "Hear me out, Ichigo. Didn't Ginjo try to harm your friends and family? So how can you forgive a guy who does that? More importantly, why should you?"

'Ichigo…' Rukia thought, looking at her friend. 'Asking to give Ginjo a proper burial is the same as asking for his pardon. How can you ask that?'

"This isn't about forgiveness." Ichigo said. "All of my family and friends are back to the way they were and I'm still alive. And he was just a substitute soul reaper."

"Kurosaki, can I assume that you understand the request you just made and the ramifications involved?" Yamamoto asked.

"Screw the ramifications. As a substitute soul reaper, I feel that I owe him that respect. So I'll do it, especially since I plan on continuing to be one." A smile appeared some of the captain's faces, knowing that's the same Ichigo he always been.

"Well there it is." Shinji said.

"I hereby grant your rather unusual request." Yamamoto said.

"Alright, good bye." Ichigo said as he started to leave. "Oh wait, by the way. For now on when a soul reaper comes to Karakura Town…" Ichigo reached in his kimono and pulled out his combat pass. "Could you at least let them know what this thing is?"

"I knew that I would find you here." Kyoraku said, walking towards Jushiro and setting next to him. "Guess what, Ichigo is going back."

"And the pass?" Jushiro questioned.

"He's taking it with him. I talked to him about it. He said that he trust us so he's going to hold on to it."

"I see…"

"That kid…he's grown up."

"Yeah. Time flies. You look around and suddenly things are different."

"It can't be helped. A young person's growth happens so fast, it takes us older time to adjust. It's as though we never saw it coming."

The senkaimon opened up and the casket holding Ginjo's body was carried through it was Ichigo walking behind. Rukia looked at her orange-haired friend, thinking back to when she was first Ichigo to giving him some of her power to him saving her in the soul society to the arrancar's first invasion of the World of the Living to the rescue mission in Hueco Mundo to Ichigo losing his powers to giving Ichigo his power so he can fight Ginjo.

"Ichigo…" Rukia said.

"See you around, Rukia." Ichigo said, surprising Rukia.

"I wonder how many times you said that." Rukia said with a small smile on her face.

"This won't be the last time I would see. So who cares how many times I say it?"

"That's for sure." After saying his goodbye, Ichigo went the senkaimon and headed back to the World of the Living.

In the New World, Luffy was sitting on the head of the Thousand Sunny, looking at the clear blue sky. He stood up from his spot and turned to his crew. "Set sail!" he shouted.

"Aye!" the other straw hats shouted as their journey through the New World continues.

The End…