Memories of the future past
Years have passed since Ichigo and his companions left behind bloody battles to live on with their lives. Many things happened then, they were adults. Some of them worked on their own business, some of them were married, like Sado, who, in one of his trips to visit relatives that he didn't even know existed, he met a beautiful latin american women, he fell in love with her, and married her there. But, because he missed his friends, he decided to come back to Karakura, where he lived with his wife, eight months pregnant.
Renji was the captain of the fifth squad, in Soul Society he was seen as "the one that retrieved the honor of the squad", a name that he accepted proudly and surrounded with friends, among them, Ichigo and Rukia, clapping their hands and smiling as his superiors announced his nomination and gave him the white Haori.
Ichigo and Rukia were going through a dilemma. She was in love with her friend, but afraid that she wouldn't be loved back, so she kept a distance from him and never allowed herself to admit what she felt. However, in a battle of life or death, she didn't just admitted her feelings, but confronted the whole Soul Society because of that love.
Inoue, aware of the dilemma between her two friends in that time of difficulties on getting the approval of Soul Society, helped them to fight, so she could see them happy, although she fought against the wills of her heart.
Because of his history of honor and years of alliance with them, Ichigo and Rukia received permission to get married, but with some conditions...
Because Rukia was a shinigami, she could never reveal the existence of Soul Society to mere mortals. If she did so, her spiritual powers would be taken away from her; and if they intended to have children, the couple would have to announce that will in advance to Soul Society so that they could make everything necessary to avoid further problems with the child who would inherit Ichigo's powers.
Ishida soon married Inoue, who, when saw the happiness of Ichigo and Rukia, ran after the one who valued her from who she was.
The marriage of Ichigo and Rukia was memorable and the party became colossal thanks to Kuchiki Byakuya. Inoue and Renji were chosen as godparents, for being their best friends, and, not long after, the central 46 received the notification that Rukia was pregnant. But something strange was happening.
Rukia felt weaker every day, and even with her powers taken away from her, she could still feel it being emanated against her will. Urahara Kisuke alerted the central 46 that the child who was inside Rukia was responsible, because it was the child of a shinigami and a human, whose was too born from a shinigami, for the numerous hollows appearing all over Karakura. The child would need a large amount of pure spiritual energy to develop itself and, because of a natural miracle, the child had broken the seal of Rukia's spiritual power.
To help the young couple, Urahara created a watch capable of hiding the reiatsu of Rukia and her child, so the hollows wouldn't come anymore.
Because of her reiatsu emanating 24 hours a day, Rukia felt sick and weak. It was a more difficult pregnancy then of an ordinary person; because of that, she needed to take some pills created by the department of development and research that would compensate the loss of reiatsu and Urahara was the responsible to monitor her condition. Rukia's greatest dream was to have a child of her own, and all the trouble she was going through couldn't make her give up.
After nine long months, a healthy girl was born. The happiness among the parents was immeasurable. They had seen the children of their friends to grow happily and got anxious to have their own. But the most emotional moment was when Rukia could hold her baby in her arms and say her name: Kurosaki Hisana. She cried in Ichigo's arms, who cried too. They knew each other for such a long time, they shared so many memories… The connection between them was beyond their marriage.
With the birth of the kid, Rukia begun to have control of an abnormal reiatsu, as if she had trained hardly for nine months. Not just Rukia, but her daughter had too much power for such a little body, it was impossible to hide it with common methods. It was not a coincidence that the day she was born, outside the hospital, various members of the Onmitsu Kidou were strategically positioned, under the orders of Soi Fon. Urahara, also prepared, created another watch, just like the one he made for Rukia, for Hisana to use until the day she could live without it.
Hisana grew up in a happy family, she had a lot of friends, the ones that she most liked to play with were the children of her parent's friends.
Each day, Hisana's power increased. Her uncle Byakuya and her parents saw her amazing potential. But she was just a kid, and even Byakuya couldn't help but to give up his duties to play with his niece, for whom he had a secret jealousy, perhaps because she inherited the name of his late wife, or because the birth of Hisana was the most important thing that came up to him and that changed Byakuya to the point that it was possible to see him smiling with true happiness to his family. And it was in the lap of Byakuya that Hisana said her first word: cat. She said it as she pointed at somewhere at the room they were, although him, Ichigo and Rukia couldn't see anything there that day.
One day, when she was five years old, Ichigo came in her room to wake her up to go to school when he saw her talking to someone.
- Sweatheart, who are you talking to?
- With Sen-kun and Ryu-chan, daddy.
Ichigo looked everywhere but saw no one. He turned to look at his daughter and smiled to her, thinking it was just a child's play. So he smiled and said:
- Is that right? What were you talking about?
- They said they're my brothers. Could they really be my brothers, daddy?
Ichigo thought that her daughter wished to have brothers and because of that she created imaginary friends. He smiled and answered:
- Listen, darling, if you really want to have a little brother or sister, I can talk to your mom. Do you want?
She nodded negatively.
- No daddy, that's not it. They said that they're my brothers because they are the children of Shirayuki-san and Zangetsu-san, that's why I wanted to ask you if you will allow them to be my brothers.
Ichigo widened his eyes, surprised. Neither him, Rukia or anyone had ever revealed nothing about their zanpakutous.
- Honey, why are you taking so long? Did you wake Hisana yet? - Rukia said, entering the room in her nightdress.
But her husband was looking at his daughter.
- Ichigo? - Rukia thought it was odd that he ignored her.
The red haired man looked at his wife, concerned.
- Honey... What happened? - Now Rukia was concerned.
- We... Need to talk.
It was in a meeting at Urahara's place that it was clear that Hisana had a zanpakutou that called for her. But what they wanted to understand was why she said her zanpakutou was the child of Sode no Shirayuki and Zangetsu, even Byakuya and Urahara were looking throughout all the known registers, and they couldn't find one report of anything like it. Even with Ichigo it had been different: his zanpakutou was independent of the power of his father.
That's why Urahara used the same equipment that he had used in Ichigo to enable his bankai to clarify his doubts. With that, Sode no Shirayuki and Zangetsu materialized.
Rukia, with Hisana on her lap, asked her:
- Sode no Shirayuki, is it true what my daughter said? That she has a zanpakutou and that it is the child of you two?
- No. - She answered promptly.
- Our child is not the zanpakutou of your daughter; our children are. - Zangetsu answered.
They all looked surprised at them.
- Rukia-sama, why don't you ask your daughter to call them? - Suggested Shirayuki.
They all looked at Hisana, who was confused.
- Hisa-chan, could you call your friends for us, please? - Asked Urahara to her.
- Yes. - She said happily. - Ryu-chan, Sen-kun, appear, please.
Two children appeared in front of Hisana, Zangetsu and Shirayuki.
- There they are, mommy. - Hisana pointed at them.
Nobody saw anything, but Shirayuki and Zangetsu were on their knees; he was hugging an invisible child and she was caressing the head of another.
- What...? - Ichigo almost made a question.
- Hm... You can't see them, can you? - Hisana asked with sulky face. - But I will show you.
Hisana looked to the two children and closed her eyes, concentrating. Suddenly, the ones in the room started to see two small silhouettes in the arms of the two zanpakutous.
- Impossible! – Exclaimed Urahara.
- What you call impossible we consider a miracle. - Said Zangetsu as the two children ran from their arms to play with Hisana.
- But how is that possible? - Asked Byakuya.
- Since the day Sode no Shirayuki awaken me in the heart of Ichigo I've been always capable of entering and leaving freely between my world and the world of the one once called Kuchiki Rukia, the same way that she can.
- That must happen because you two have a similar spiritual core, that's why Zangetsu and I used to meet frequently, mainly while you two were sleeping and didn't need our powers. I know the hollow Zangetsu as much as you, Kurosaki Ichigo, and he is part of my life, he's always been. - Sode no Shirayuki looked at Rukia. - Master, have you ever asked yourself why, unconsciously, you seem to have all the right answers every time that Ichigo needs you? Why you're the only one that can understand him so perfectly?
Rukia looked surprised at her.
- Because I know Zangetsu so well, I end up giving you that knowledge. A part of that is also involuntary and, because we have the same spiritual core, the feeling is mutual.
- The same way that Ichigo can understand you too. - Completed Zangetsu.
They were all stunned with what they revealed. No one had ever known such a thing, not even their owners. Ichigo looked at the three children playing and laughing, so he turned to Zangetsu and Shirayuki.
- But how could you have children?
Zangetsu and Sode no Shirayuki looked with affection to each other.
- We are two zanpakutous with the luck of having masters that complete each other, regardless the fact that we are weapons created for destruction; the day you met, we had the freedom to choose. - Zangetsu said.
- Choose what? - Asked Rukia.
- To choose if we would be simply weapons or if we would be capable of searching our own answers, just like our masters. Since Zangetsu and I met, thanks to you two, we realized we were different from the other zanpakutous, that we could make our own decisions and that we were soul mates, just like you two. Why do you think our blades look so much alike? That is also not a coincidence. - Shirayuki said.
- Thanks to that, a miracle happened: a new spiritual life could be generated the moment Kurosaki Rukia also gave birth. - Zangetsu looked at Rukia. - The spiritual imbalance that you felt was part of the growth of our kids. Hisana and our kids are special and have powers that we may never be able to understand.
- So... Does that mean that... - Rukia seemed to have deducted something.
- Your child has the same spiritual core that ours have and, consequently, the same we all have. - Completes Shirayuki.
The ones in the room were in complete silence, but Inoue interrupted with a question:
- Sode no Shirayuki-san, Zangetsu-san... Why did you took so long to tell this to them?
The two zanpakutous looked at each other.
- Because it was not the proper time. Rukia, just as Ichigo, was not prepared to face such reality and, in past occasions, what we felt for each other was not the same our masters felt. - Answered Shirayuki.
- We depended on the wheels of fate so we could make our dream come true and you Inoue, just like the other friends of our masters, were crucial persons for it to be all possible. - Completed Zangetsu.
Those friends looked at each other and, in silence, they remembered of the numbers of adventures they had since they were young, and how many of those moments didn't seem to be coincidence anymore.
- So, we were predestined to meet each other, is that what you're trying to say? - Said Ichigo, confused.
- No, you met because we choose our fate; but if you two would still be together after all this time was a decision of you two.
Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by a loud noise of something breaking. They all looked where the sound came and saw three kids with scared eyes pointing at each other.
- Hisana! - Rebuked Rukia.
Ichigo laughed.
- Like Mother like daughter. - He mocked.
- Well, don't you forget that I did not make her on my own! - She looked irritated.
- Okay, fine. - He said, clumsy.
Zangetsu and Shirayuki looked to their children that were hiding behind Hisana and nodded disapprovingly.
- Your part of the family? - Asked Shirayuki in a low voice.
- Probably... - Answered Zangetsu in a whisper.
When Hisana had just completed her seven years of life, in a night when she and her parents were watching TV, the telephone ringed.
- Let me get it, honey. - Ichigo got up from the couch and answered the phone. - Hello?
- Kurosaki-san.
- Yo, Urahara-san, good evening, what's up?
- I need to talk to you and Rukia-san.
- What happened? You seem... gloomy.
- It's urgent, Kurosaki-san.
- Okay, we're coming. - Ichigo hung up the phone and looked at Rukia. - Honey, Urahara said he needs to talk to us.
- But now, at night? - She wondered.
- He said it is urgent. What do you think?
-If he said it's urgent, then it must be. We should go. - Rukia held on her arms Hisana. - Come on, darling, let's get dressed, because we need to go out.
- Now mommy? - She asked, sleepy.
- Unfortunately yes, sweetie, but we are going to uncle Urahara's house. You will see Katsuya-kun there, what do you think?
- Yes! So we can play! - She said happily.
- Yes, you can. Let's go then?
The little girl jumps from Rukia's arms and ran up the stairs, full of excitement.
After they were ready, Ichigo drove the car out of the garage and went to Urahara's house. When they arrived, they were received by Katsuya and his other friends who were waiting for Hisana to play. As soon as they met, they started running up and down the house. Ichigo and Rukia were soon greeted by their friends, who were Inoue, Ishida, Sado and Andressa - his wife and lawyer, who knew all about the world that her husband lived in, because she had the same spiritual sensibility-, Renji, and:
- Nii-sama! - Said a happy Rukia.
But Byakuya didn't smile to her the way he learned to do.
- Rukia, Ichigo, sit down, please.
They looked at each other, concerned, and then sat.
- What's going on, Nii-sama? - Asked Rukia.
- Kurotsuchi Mayuri is dead. - He said, immediately.
They got stunned.
- What? Captain Mayuri is dead? But how is that possible? - Ichigo asks, almost screaming.
- He was murdered and his body was found near the seventy-eighth district in the south of Rukongai... - Captain Kuchiki said, serious.
- Inuzuri... - Whispered Rukia and Renji.
- Rukia, isn't that the place where you and Renji used to live as kids? - Asked Ichigo.
- Yes, but it can't be just coincidence, there is nothing important there. - He said.
- Byakuya-san, tell me, what do you know about the death of Mayuri-san. - Asked Ishida very interested in the conversation, since he had his 'moments' with the late captain of the twelfth squad.
- We don't know much, the lab exploded some hours before we found his body. But, through the wreckages we found only the remains of his lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi; any file that might have had an indication of the reason for such incident was lost with the explosion, although... - Byakuya looked at Urahara.
- Although not everything was lost. - Completed the scientist.
- What do you mean? - asked Ishida once again.
- Every great scientist would never leave his most important discoveries, studies, or experiments exposed to the eyes of an unknown one at his lab. He keeps them in a safe, somewhere extremely secret, so that the odds of someone stealing it are very unlikely.
- So, where is the secret place of Mayuri-san? - Interrupted Sado.
- Inside Nemu-san, in the form of files recorded inside an internal chip.
They all looked scared.
- But she's dead. - Remembered Ichigo.
- You all must know that Nemu-san was never a normal shinigami, she was raised and modified by the captain many times so that she could become his 'safe'. Nemu was almost indestructible, that's why, if she destroyed herself along with the lab, captain Mayuri would know that the chip would still be safe and no one could ever see what was inside it after his death.
- This someone would be you, logically. - Ishida reasoned.
- Yes...
- Wait a minute! - Shouted Rukia, all of a sudden.
They all startled and looked at her.
- You said that she destroyed herself? - Rukia remembered the detail that they almost forgot.
- Yes, Rukia-san.
- Why? - Asked Byakuya in a cold voice.
- Whatever captain Mayuri was doing and wherever he was going to, he knew that there was a high possibility that he wouldn't come back. So, to prevent the total loss of his work, he ordered that Nemu-san stayed in the lab. I think it's easier to show you what I know.
Urahara grabbed a remote control and pressed a button that made a screen come down to the wall, then he got up, grabbed a little black box in his pocket and from inside it, he took a little gray chip that looked like plastic that he inserted in a specific device for that sort and then sat down again. He pressed another button, and the images begun:
- Mayuri-sama, are you sure that you wish to go on your own?
The vision that they had was the same as the eyes of Nemu-san.
- Don't be a silly, do you think that I would risk losing all my years of research taking a nuisance like you with me?
- But Mayuri-sama!
- Quiet! I already gave you my orders and they must be fulfilled with no objections! Is that clear?
- Yes, Mayuri-sama.
- Explode the lab and destroy all my archives if my vital signs disappear, and don't forget to destroy my brain backup. - Ordered Mayuri referring to the copy of his own super developed brain that he kept in a tube on the table of his computer.
- Yes, Mayuri-sama.
- Urahara Kisuke. - Mayuri looks at Nemu. - Don't stop continuing what you started or I will never forgive you. - He said seriously to the eyes of Nemu.
The transmission was interrupted for an instant and when it came back, there was a big screen showing a drawing similar to a heart; besides it a red line showed no vital signs.
- Mayuri-sama...- The image got blurred for a moment and the group understood that it happened because Nemu started to cry. She cleaned her face and then went towards the monitor screen and pressed a green button. Many doors opened and the alarm went off. People ran, screaming, to outside the lab. Then, Nemu went to a large keyboard that looked similar to a classical organ and entered some words, the password that was required, but before she pressed enter, she hesitated:
- Urahara Kisuke, this is all your fault.
She pressed enter and when the first blow happened, Urahara turned the screen off.
They were very quiet. Inoue cried and was comforted by Ishida.
- What did she mean with: "it's all your fault, Urahara Kisuke"? - Asked Byakuya that didn't seem to be affected with what he saw.
Urahara sighed.
- We were working on a research many years ago, I provided some data and Mayuri-san helped the research with some methods that only he could provide through Soul Society.
- What research? - Asked Byakuya once again.
- Spiritual DNA.
They all looked at Urahara asking for explanations
Urahara had a different look in his eyes, he knew he should tell them everything.
- Me and Mayuri-san had discovered that it was possible to track a sequence of spiritual DNA the same way humans do to theirs, and that it was possible to modify them with different non-human components that had a same line or spiritual core. But, with the progress of the researches, Mayuri found out that it was possible to do that from a similar principle of spiritual DNA, in another words, a sequential basis of DNA could be modified by any non-human component and create something completely new in a same being. We worked on it during a long time, working with various samples of different levels, but never been successful.
"During one of his bibliographic reviews, Mayuri found in the central library of Soul Society a very ancient document that, although very archaic, had concrete studies about the same thing we were working on. In the low part of the book, he saw the initials B.S., he showed me what he found and started to look for other registers with the same initials, but found very little. There was something that indicated that something was hidden in a precise place. We searched for days, but now, I guess Mayuri finally found the exact location of what we wanted and, without telling me anything, he went on his own... The data I have with me are just the same we shared, besides the one I haven't decoded. I am sure that there must be something very important there, and that might be in his dead body kept in Soul Society for investigations.
- How did you found out about this sequence of spiritual DNA? - Asked Ichigo.
Urahara looked down at the table.
- Because I used Hisa-chan as basic principle for the experiments...
- WHAT? - Screamed Rukia and Ichigo at the same time. Byakuya didn't look happy either.
- Forgive me, I did it in secret because I knew you wouldn't let me do it if you knew. But don't worry, I'd never hurt her...
- It doesn't matter Urahara! You used our daughter for your experiment, not just your experiment, but an experiment involving that mad scientist without consulting us, you crazy psycho!
- I am so sorry...
Rukia was still looking angry at him.
- Urahara, you started that research since the day I got pregnant, didn't you? - Her eyes threatened death.
- ...Yes, since the day I gave you that watch that didn't just controlled your reiatsu, but also send data for my research.
- OH, YOU...! - Rukia pulled Urahra by his collar and hit his face with full strength.
He crushed against the wall.
Rukia was going to beat him again, but she looked so mad that Ichigo and Byakuya had to hold her.
- Rukia, that's enough! - Byakuya tried to calm her.
- But Nii-sama, he...
- Regardless of what he's done, Hisana and you are alive today thanks to him, or have you forgotten how much he was concerned about you and your child during all your pregnancy?
Rukia calmed down, but still felt betrayed by him.
Urahara still looked down.
- You are guilty of many things you did, Urahara, but you never meant to harm. All you have done was always for a reason. Tell us your reason for what you did with my daughter. - Ichigo said, continuing to hold Rukia.
Urahara composed himself, looked at Ichigo, Rukia and Byakuya, then, got on his knees and begged for forgiveness:
- I'm sorry for all this, I just didn't want you to think bad things about me, I just wanted to help you! Hisa-chan is a special kid, she needs to grow carefully, under good eyes, I was thinking about her future...
Rukia and Ichigo pondered his words for a minute and sighed.
- All right, we already expected that you would do something like that... - Ichigo scratched his head and looked away.
- But when I have my next child and you dare to do that again without our permission... - Warned Rukia.
Urahara grinned and agreed.
- Sorry I hit you... - Rukia said, blushing.
- I deserved it. - He answered caressing the cheek that was hurting.
- So, what do we do now? - Sado said to the group.
- First, we'll have to investigate the area where the body of the captain was found, then, we'll have to look through the wreckages for something that might have some clue, some hope of finding out what he was looking for that ended in his death.
- Me, Renji and Ichigo could walk through Inuzuri looking for witnesses and information; Ishida, who's a doctor, could give a look in the body of Mayuri and Nemu; Sado and Inoue could look for clues in the wreckages and Nii-sama...
Byakuya looked at her.
- Could you join us?
Byakuya nodded, positively.
- After I report myself I will join you at Inuzuri.
- All right.
- Urahara-san, please, could you take care of Hisana? - Asked Ichigo.
- Of course, Kurosaki-san, I will keep in touch with you every hour. If you find out anything, let me know, I'll do the same for you. On the meanwhile, I will finish decoding the chip, maybe there are still precious information inside it. Some of Mayuri's files are with a difficult and long writing, maybe it will take a while for me to collect more information.
- Ok, keep in touch. - Ichigo took a pill from his pocket and swallowed it. - Kon, please take care of Hisana; me and Rukia need to go out.
- Nee-san? - Kon looked at her.
Rukia was already in her shinigami form and Chappy was on his knees before her.
- Kon, take care of our daughter. - She asked smiling to him.
- But Nee-san, what's going on? You look so serious... - Kon was a little scared with everyone's bleak looks, he couldn't even joke about that.
- It's complicated, Kon... - Rukia shook her head, showing the she had no time for explanations. - Just promise me that you will take good care of her, the way you always do, ok? - She looked tenderly at the altered spirit that was already part of the family.
- Like I always do, Nee-san. - Kon smiled tenderly to her.
Rukia and Ichigo smiled too.
- Okay, so, we are ready. Let's go guys! - Suggested Ichigo to the group.
They all nodded positively.
- Kaijô! - Renji said opening a grand portal Senkaimon, and four infernal butterflies came to them.
Rukia, Byakuya and Ichigo were the first to get in.
- Urahara, don't delay to open the portal for the others. - Said Rukia turning to him.
- Yes, Kurosaki-san.
- I'll see you soon, guys. - Ichigo bid farewell.
- See you soon, Kurosaki-san! - Waved Inoue.
Rukia and Ichigo grined to her and got in the portal, that closed right away.
- Follow me. - Indicated Urahara. The others followed him to the basement of the store.
From outside the store, the kids were playing. Hisana was running as the spirits of her zanpakutous appeared before her.
- Hisa-chan. - Called the little girl with black hair.
- Huh? - Hisana noted her presence.
- Mommy and daddy are no longer here... - Said the boy with silver hair.
- They must have gone out to solve some problems of adults, and mommy said that when they are resolving problems of adults, we should be nice and wait until they come back.
- But... - The little zanpakutou tried to make a question.
- Hisa-chan, I am feeling something really bad... - Said the little boy with scared eyes.
Hisana also felt something bothering her.
- I know what you mean, but we can't do anything...
The three of them looked down at the ground.
- Hisa-chan, what are you doing there? - Screamed Katsuya running towards her.
- Nothing, Katsu! - She yelled back.
- Come quick, it's your turn to run after us!
- All right! - She yelled, excited. Then, she looked at the two spirits. - Look, why don't we talk about this later?
Hisana went off running towards her friends, with no memories of her worries.
The two little zanpakutous looked at each other and continued with fear and worries in their hearts.
In Soul Society, Ichigo, Rukia and Renji were already flying in the direction of the seventy-eighth district.
- I wonder what Inuzuri looks like after such a long time! - Asked Renji to Rukia, without looking at her.
- Since we were kids, Inuzuri changed a lot, but changed to worse. I wouldn't be surprised to see that hell in chaos right now. - She answered back.
Ichigo listened quiet to their conversation.
- You're right, the nature of people there are not very good... I think we'll have problems finding what we want. - Remembered Renji.
- It's true, but since we were kids we were very good to make things on our own, don't you think? - Rukia looked to her childhood friend, with a smile.
Renji smiled to her too.
Ichigo looked at both of them.
- You two look like old people talking. - He laughed.
Rukia and Renji looked at him with a sharp look.
- Ah... - The red head seemed to be sweating cold.
He took two punches from them at the same time, and then stayed quiet, but sounded like an old man grumbling on his own.
- We're almost there. - Alerted Renji.
They descend in the seventy-eighth district of the South of Rukongai: Inuzuri. Rukia and Renji were correct, it had not changed, maybe got worse. Everything continued to be dirty, people wore rags, adults fought with dogs for space and food; but something in the middle of all that mess dragged the attention of them two.
- Renji, are you thinking the same thing I am? - Rukia looked suspicious from one side to another.
- Probably yes.
Ichigo looked confused at them.
- What is it? - He asked curious.
Rukia looked at her husband, tense.
- There are no more kids here...
To be continued.