I don't own Bleach.
I am the worst kind of author. Damn. Well, enjoy the last chapter.
Summary: Masaki wakes up in the Soul Society about a decade after her death and is discovered by Goro, who journeys with her to the Seireitei so she can return to her family. They manage to get past Jidanbo, thanks to Goro's connection with him, and Masaki learns the truth about how dangerous Ichigo's journeys were. She picks up a book to read more. Upon arrival, Masaki and Goro meet captains Ukitake and Kyoraku, who rush Goro to the Fourth when he suddenly collapses. In the fourth, Goro's bloodthirsty and savage zanpakuto, Satsujin, takes over control of Goro's body and starts to slaughter everything in his way. Meanwhile, Isshin, Yuzu, Karin, and Ichigo arrive in the Seireitei thanks to Urahara and start dashing to Masaki. They have an emotional reunion, which is best enjoyed by rereading chapter 6. The 13 Court Guard squads have convened to try and decide what exactly to do about Masaki, since it against the law for a dead soul to go back permanently to the living world (some exceptions apply), even if they still remember their families. Ichigo, Isshin, and two captains sense something dangerous, and they discover Goro's limp form. Categorized as an unstable soul, he is set to be executed. Still thrilled yet disbelieving at Masaki being alive and well, the family sets out to tie up one loose end, the freedom of Goro, before they return home together. However, something unexpected and terrible starts to happen.
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Recap: In the past few seconds, Masaki had faded so much that she resembled a mirage, or a fragile piece of glass shot through with only the barest bits of color. The wall and pillars were astonishingly clear behind her, as were the faces of her family as they gazed straight through her at each other.
"What's happening to me? Ichigo, Isshin!?"
"Mom!" Ichigo rushed over to her, panicked. "I don't know, what-" he grabbed at her hand, but passed right through, feeling nothing but a blistering cold. "What's going on, MOM!" He kept clawing at the air as Masaki continued to fade, becoming more desperate and wild in his efforts. Masaki started to tear up, feeling broken inside as she watched her child look so and fearful and torn, unsure of how to help her. But above all, how angry Ichigo was at himself because he still didn't have the power to do so. "Ichigo-" her words were soft, as if said over a great distance that kept stretching larger and larger. "I..." then silence. Her lips moved, but no sound came. The great hall was alive with the hurried talking of the Court Guard, clinks and ruffles as everyone moved, the cries of the Kurosaki family as they watched their heart disappear. But to Ichigo, all had fallen silent as soon as his mother had stopped talking.
All disappeared when she finally faded.
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The king sat on his throne, grinning. The last piece of his power had finally returned. How had it managed to escape in the first place? He frowned slightly, as he did not know, and most likely, never would. He was not the kind of person who could comprehend a mother's love.
He fidgeted. And again. Something felt strange. Like... Like hollow. Hadn't all the souls that he'd taken been cleansed of that? This hollow aura was burning him from the inside. With a mighty shove, he expelled the sticky, black aura from himself, scowling when a sparkle of blue latched onto it.
Pesky little woman. He would retrieve that blue energy once more.
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"MASAKI!" Isshin roared. At a loss, he whirled around to the only one he could think to blame. "Where is she? What did you do with my WIFE!?"
Goro tried to scramble to his feet as Isshin stomped towards him, but the chains restrained him. He fell back as Isshin loomed over him, only to snap forward as Satsujin took over, snarling and biting. Isshin growled and kicked the floor next to Satsujin's head, cracking it. This dysfunctional man couldn't get him anywhere.
"Mom!" Yuzu cried happily. Everyone turned towards her. Yuzu cradled a small, blue spark which floated at the center of a ghostly Masaki, who hugged Yuzu as best she could with her intangible arms.
"I'm sorry for worrying you," she spoke softly, as if sick.
"Are you okay?" Karin asked. "You look like a ghost!"
"I suppose I do," she laughed weakly. "I don't have much time here-"
"What?" Yuzu looked up, crestfallen. "We just got you back! I wanted you to come home and eat dinner with us, pick us up after school again, be there to hug us, make brother's scowl go away..." Yuzu started tearing up, and her words became harder to make out. "See how m- much everything's grown, and b- be our mom again!"
"I know," Masaki whispered sorrowfully, "but... the King will come for me." She said this so quietly, and most people had no idea what she meant. But Yamamoto opened his eyes slowly. "Maybe not himself, but he will send someone. And then, you all will be in danger." She laughed again. "I was selfish, trying to come back. I've just stirred matters up further and made it harder for all of you."
Everyone protested, though Masaki was right. Yamamoto looked to his right at a shadow that was contorting ever so slightly. His eyes narrowed. Masaki's hair flipped ever so slightly as she turned her head. She had noticed it too.
"Listen!" She spoke quicker now, trying to make herself as loud as possible for the Court Guard. "In return for what I am about to do, I ask you to let me spend my last moments with my family in the World of the Living, and to spare Goro's life!" Not two seconds after she said this, a figure sprang from the shadows in the corner of the room and darted at Masaki, slashing his way through Court Guard members as he did so and turning all eyes to him.
"Intruder!" Toshiro shouted, drawing his zanpakuto, only to have it knocked aside by a flash of blue from the intruder. Was that... an arrow? And how strong is this person?
Masaki took a sturdy stance and pulled back on a shadow of a bow. She poured the remnants of her energy into an arrow and let it fly. It exploded on impact with the figure, blowing off the shoulder. The person screeched hideously.
Masaki grimaced. Do I have enough energy left for another? She grit her teeth and released another arrow, making it as fast and sharp as she possibly could, gathering nearby reishi so that the arrow glowed white. She released it when the figure was barely a foot in front of her. With a massive blast of white, and another hideous screech, the figure disintegrated. Yamamoto's eyes widened in shock as he realized the true extent of how much of a hybrid Ichigo was.
"She stopped the intruder!" Soi Fon gasped.
Ignoring the stares of the Court Guard, Masaki turned to her family. "I don't have enough energy left to return home with you," she said sadly, walking forward with her arms outstretched. "But at the very least," she said tearfully, "I'm glad I got to see you again!" For an instant, Masaki glowed gold and her form solidified, so intent was she on touching her family one last time. Isshin, Ichigo, Yuzu, and Karin fell into the sun and embraced, surrounded by the warmth of love and memories of laughter and a complete family; staying there moments after the glow died and blew away.
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Ichigo breathed deeply. Looking at his family as they knelt and prayed around his mother's gravestone, he smiled. He had seen his mother, felt her warmth, heard her voice, and seen her smile. Though, he mused as he crunched on a stale rice cracker, it would have been wonderful to have tasted her cooking one last time.
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Hopefully the plot holes aren't too bad. Thanks to those people who still followed and kept with it even when they saw how long it had been since the last update.
*Extra
As the family embraced, Goro slumped on the floor awkwardly. How lucky he was to have met such a kind woman.
When the Kurosakis left, Unohana turned towards him.
"I will help you as best I can. Then I will let you go back to the Rukon, but I expect to never hear your name again. Am I understood?"
"Yes ma'am. Thank you," Goro bowed his head. He was indeed lucky.
~2 Years Later~
"Your name?" A big burly man with no hair except a single twirl asked one of the applicants.
"Goro-...illa!" The applicant saved himself, inspiring his name off the official in front of him. "Gorilla, sir."
"Very well... er, Gorilla. Welcome to the Shinigami Academy entrance exam."
Gorilla smiled. I deserve a second chance, he said to himself. And this time, my partner will be a better part of my soul, not a rotten one that needs removing.