Author's Note: Welcome to the (technically 30 something) Chapter of Mutterliebe - Welcome Home. It's a straight continuation from last Chapter. Honestly it could've been tacked on to Chapter One... but I like the separation here. Again, this is spoilers for Arc Two. And I didn't say it last Chapter, but I'll give the usual PSA -
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo/Shueisha, dentsu, Studio Pierrot and Viz Media. The story of Mutterliebe is my own (and all OCs and alternate scenarios, that I may have in the story).
Part Two:
The two twins of the Kurosaki family made their way to their home. The sun was starting to hang low over the horizon - a warm orange glow painting the sky.
"Hey Yuzu?"
"Yes Karin?"
"Are you alright?"
Karin always worried about her twin sister. The brunette haired girl wore her heart on her sleeve, and Karin knew this took a toll on her.
Ever since the death of their beloved mother, Yuzu worked extremely hard to fill the void left by her. In particular she taught herself the art of home-making, remembering all their mother showed, with some extra help from books. Yuzu knew she had to do it, for their family. It was the least she could do.
Karin always admired her twin for that.
After a few moments of quiet, Yuzu answered her dark-haired twin, "I'm fine sister..."
Karin knew that wasn't true.
the Kurosaki Household
Karin opened the door to their home, followed by Yuzu. It felt quiet, but Yuzu decided to call out to see if at least their dad was home.
"Hey dad you home!?" Nothing.
That was until she heard some footsteps and what sounded like hushed voices? Then in a few moments she saw her...
"Ichigo!?" Karin was surprised but happy to see her doofus of a brother back.
"...big brother" Yuzu meekly greeted.
"Sorry about being gone for so long, Yuzu, Karin!" In response Yuzu ran towards her brother and hugged him - crying tears of joy.
Ichigo truly was apologetic. He heard from his dad, that Yuzu had cried her eyes out every night - since he left to rescue Rukia.
Karin followed suit, slowly walking towards her brother and tearful sister. She wrapped her arms around both Yuzu and her older brother, sobbing quietly.
Ichigo patted them both on their backs. After a few moments, he decided it was time. He could feel his mother's spirtual pressure rise in anticipation.
'Guess it's time. Hope they don't freak out too much.'
"Hey...Yuzu, Karin...dry your eyes." Ichigo carefully separated himself from his little sisters.
Yuzu sniffled a little, before grabbing a handkerchief from her pocket.
Karin rubbed her eyes clear with her sleeve.
"There's someone me and dad would like you to meet." He smiled warmly at his little siblings, which was disarming for the girls - since Ichigo hadn't genuinely smiled for a very long time. Not since...
Isshin appeared from out of the hallway, "yeah, there's someone special we'd like you to meet..." Isshin's own heart started pounding, anticipating the reaction from his or rather their precious little girls.
Karin's eyes narrowed. "Who do you mean? Don't tell me you have a girlfriend - pops!?"
Isshin turned a bright red, while Ichigo chortled, barely suppressing the urge to laugh. Out of sight of the rest of her family, Masaki held back a snicker of her own - enjoying the familial comedy.
"No! Nonononononono...No way! Your precious mother is the only one for me!" Isshin vehemently refuted. On habit, he was about to zoom towards his poster of Masaki, when Ichigo stopped him. With a glare the warning was enough. Well...that and his actual wife was sending threatening signals from her hiding spot.
"So...who is it then?" Yuzu was curious. Her brother kept secrets (he was a teenager), but not so much their goofy father. It was strange, to see both of them hiding something.
In response, both Ichigo and Isshin waved Masaki over.
As the mystery person revealed themselves, Yuzu and Karin's eyes widened in shock. The beautiful, elegant form of Masaki Kurosaki revealed herself from behind their hallway, wall.
It didn't seem possible to the twins! They rubbed their eyes - in sync - to see if this was a dream. Then to make sure, they looked back at their father's poster of their mother. The twins snapped their heads between poster and person. Realisation dawned on who this was, but they couldn't quite believe it.
"M-Mom!?" Karin inquired of this woman, who looked exactly like their mother.
"Is that...you?" Yuzu finished.
The smile radiating from this woman could only come from one person...
"Yuzu, Karin! I missed you two so much!"
There was no mistaking that voice. The voice that lulled them to sleep, the voice that encouraged them as they took their first steps as children. The voice that...was silenced on that terrible night.
Masaki held out her arms, waiting on her girls to come to her. There were warm tears in her eyes, tears of sadness and joy.
She was a little afraid that rushing to them, would scare them off. She could already see the apprehension in their eyes. As well as the longing. The same longing that she held in her heart for 7 years.
Karin took the first step towards their mother, followed hesitantly by Yuzu. Then with no warning Yuzu leapt into Masaki's arms!
"Mommy!" Yuzu cried out all her emotions into the arms of her mother. She knew this was her mother. She could feel it. It was, a feeling she couldn't describe, but her presence was the same. It was like...the hole in their family was being filled again.
"Oh my sweet Yuzu! I'm so sorry for leaving you so suddenly."
Karin couldn't quite believe it! Yuzu, doing something so...forward! But even she could admit the desire in her own heart. Unlike her twin, she calmly (as calm as can be) walked towards this woman. Only a breath away from her sobbing sibling and this woman, who claimed to be their dead mother - she locked eyes with the her.
She could never forget those kind eyes. The eyes that helped ease all her fears and worries. In that moment she knew this was her mother.
All restraint cast aside, she also flew into the arms of her mother.
"Mom! I-It's you!"
"My darling Karin, I'm so glad to be with you again!" She closed her eyes feeling the presences of her daughters. Taking comfort in holding them.
"I'm so sorry for the grief my passing put you through!"
Masaki cradled her daughters tightly. It had been 7 long years, and only in her dreams had she even cared to hope for this. Meeting her son again opened up this possibility again. She was so thankful to her Ichigo, for making this possible!
Karin separated slightly from her mother, composing herself, asking the one question her and Yuzu wanted to know: "H-how!?" This one question also roused Yuzu from her well of emotions. "How are you here mommy?"
Masaki's smile faded slightly. She knew this was coming but found it difficult to start.
She closed her eyes, breathed in deeply and sighed.
"That's a...tough question. In short I was 'dead' for the past 7 years. That is true. But, how I am back is another story entirely..." She then turned to her son behind her, "...and is something I'd like me and your brother to talk to you about."
"Big brother?" Yuzu turned to her brother. "Is this why you were gone?"
Ichigo scratched his head, a little uncomfortable from the earnest question from his little sister. Made even more uncomfortable by the piercing gaze of Karin, reminding him of his cousin Kūkaku. 'Now I see where Karin gets that look from!'
Ichigo went over to his mother and smiled. They both needed to explain this clearly. Both of the girls were old enough to understand, and as a bonus, they both had an idea of spiritual matters. Especially Karin.
"Well...the main reason I was gone, was to help rescue Rukia."