Hello everyone! It's been a while…Ugh, life ya know? Life comes first before writing (IE, work, work, and more work). That's just how it is. Thankfully though I've got 3 chapters ready to go! :D. Honestly, if at least one of you likes this story, that makes me happy. If you have some constructive criticism, I am all for it because that helps me grow as a writer. What I will NOT accept is: mansplaining, gatekeeping, and weirdos who are more involved with fictional characters than real life (rolls eyes). Some of ya'll really need to get a life, seriously.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Bleach and the Dragonball Franchise, their characters, settings, etc., belong to their respective creators. All original characters, settings, etc., belong to ME.

Chapter 21: Reconciliation

The air was fresh with defeat. It permeated throughout Capsule Corporations. Goku and Vegeta were not as influenced by such things as Mirai Trunks; he was inconsolable.

A mere senzu bean brought health to the Sayajins but Mirai Trunks was defeated both in mind and spirit, something a mere bean could not heal. Kira made the assumption the black haired woman had been someone important to him though she dare not ask how. She did, though, mention what her future self said, that the force was called Zamasu. This name brought intrigue, an investigation commencing immediately, involving Whis and Beerus this time. Whilst that occurred, Vegeta went right back to training, while Mirai Trunks just stood on the highest balcony at Capsule Corporations in stillness.

Kira went to him, knowing the pain he felt to a certain point. She had felt such pain after her grandfather 'died'. No one really helped her through her grief but she felt she had to at least help him with his. Maybe that was what shinigami did in a way, help the grieving move on.

"When my grandfather died, I thought I was done." She began, leaning against the railing in the process. "I mean, my grandfather was all I had left. I kept wondering what I was going to do, where I was going to go…" She frowned. "It turned to anger when I realized everything I knew was a lie."

She told him her own story of sorts, of how she was bullied in school, her drawings, and her revealed shinigami lineage.

"Now I have no life basically…Everything is pretty much dictated by my grandmother…" She huffed. "Now I have to find some kind of 'spirit' and…" She shook her head. "To be honest, I…Sometimes I just want to scream…Maybe run away even but…I know that's just because I'm angry…Angry at everything…" She frowned. "I guess…That's why my grandmother makes me so busy…I…Don't have the time to be angry…"

Trunks let out a long sigh. "Her name was Mai…" He frowned. "I…"

"She meant something to you…I get it." Kira said then went silent. "My grandmother told me…That shinigami do a lot in the spirit realm…The biggest of all is to prepare souls for reincarnation. Maybe Mai will one day get that…reincarnate…"

"You're really bad at trying to make someone feel better…" Trunks grunted out and Kira just snorted.

"Well, sorry…Still new to all this and all…" She rolled her eyes. "At least we know the dude's name."

"Yeah." He moved away from the railing. "Did you…Find out why the shinigami left my world to die? Why they refused to help?"

Kira paused. "I…Don't think you want to know…It'll only make you more angry." She looked at him. "What I will tell you, is that my future self stayed behind…She tried to save as many souls as possible, including us."

His whole face changed…Utter defeat. "It's…Hopeless then…Isn't it?"

"Maybe for your time…But…What if this…Zamasu goes to different places? What if he ends up destroying other worlds?" Kira looked at him. "I know you wouldn't want him to do that…"

"And how would you know anyway?" Trunks asked.

"Because you're like Goku…" She said. "You don't want people to suffer…Allowing that Zamasu guy to live is going to make many more people suffer."

She saw it in his eyes, he was silently agreeing with her. Though he knew, deep down, his world was done for, he just couldn't allow Zamasu to live.

Speaking of Zamasu, the being had been found and dealt with by Beerus himself. Apparently Zamasu had been a Kaioshin trainee who had gone bad, or rather was going bad. Though reassurance was made by Whis that Trunks' Zamasu must be gone as his past safe is so gone, but they had to be sure. Thus, another trip to the future was announced when all were ready to depart.

There was, of course, more questions Kira had for her grandmother; the woman was currently sitting in a chair on the balcony with a cup of tea. Rukia had been there when they left and when they returned, staying silent even while Vegeta and Goku recovered. She was also silently watching while Kira and Trunks held their brief discussion. Kira went to her, the two alone for a time while the others prepared for departure.

"My future self is gone, isn't she?" Kira asked Rukia.

"If what you told me is true…Yes…" Rukia nodded. "It is…a form of death of sorts, for us shinigami."

"So…It's true then…The black wave…" Kira added.

"Is your spirit." Rukia explained. "The more you use it, the more you grow weak…Which is why you must locate your zanpakutou spirit."

"Huh?" The two turned to see Trunks staring at them. He looked a bit worn but a bit better since the last time seen. His eyes were no longer clouded with sorrow, replaced by determination.

"Shinigami are half of a spirit." Rukia began. "Our 'ki' as you mortals call it, is so vast that it requires a split. The other half of us is the zanpakutou." She brandished her own, the white hilt sparkling in the sunlight. "It is not a weapon to us, but the other half of our soul…Without it, we are nothing." She turned to Kira. "Your grandfather found his own when he was about your age, but his circumstances were quite different back then. You don't have a life or death situation, that is this boy's situation." She gestured to Trunks.

"I want to help." Kira delcared and Rukia smirked. "I just…Can't sit around and do nothing."

"That is your Kurosaki blood boiling over." Rukia remarked. "Your grandfather never could stand to see others suffer; still has that notion to this very day." She eyed her granddaughter. "The only way you could possibly help at the moment…Is to return and send as many souls as you can to the Seireitei. No matter the time period, souls are the same, just as the Seireitei is the same."

Trunks blinked at her, confused. "What…?"

"The Seireitei stands beyond time and space, boy…" Rukia told him. "Any soul that comes from your time, from any dimension, from any world that has been sent by a shinigami, is more than likely in the Seireitei as we speak. This…Mai…You speak of…No doubt will need to be sent there…Thus Kira will have to go to complete such. Once she has been sent to the Seireitei, her soul will be safe until the day it is reincarnated." She eyed Trunks.

Trunks paused, his mind working into overdrive. His eyes widened for a moment before he let out a long breath, words effectively taken from him.

Very soon it was time to return to the future. With newfound knowledge and strength, Vegeta and Goku were sure this time, Zamasu would be defeated. Bulma wanted to go but there was little to no room with the bulky Sayajin males, Trunks, and Kira.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Bulma asked her and Kira nodded.

"If I don't…Then…" She didn't want to think about it really. "I…Just feel like I need to go."

"Alright then…" Bulma smiled at her then gave her a wink. "You've got more Sayajin in you than you realize, even if you aren't really related to one…" She chuckled.

"Your grandfather would be proud." Rukia told her.

Kira gave her a stare, one that only an annoyed teenager would give. "Honestly…I really don't care what he would think." Then she turned and headed to the Time Machine.

The moment they landed in the desolate future, Vegeta and Goku left quickly to search for Zamasu. Kira jumped out, training zapankutou in hand. Truly, she wasn't here to fight, rather…

"You're here for me…Aren't you?" Kira saw her…the black haired woman standing nearby, only she looked more translucent…there was…An odd chain dancing from her chest, broken at the bottom.

Kira had seen ghosts before but…Somehow…It felt different. Maybe it was because she was different this time…Instead of fearing the woman before her, Kira felt a sense of…Empathy? Peace? She couldn't figure out which way her emotions turned.

"Stop him!" The woman shouted. "I…Want to talk to him…"

Before Kira could blink she shouted at Trunks who had been in mid flight above. He touched down, confused by Kira's shout.

"That woman…Mai…She's here." Kira told him and his eyes went wide. "Her…Spirit is here."

His whole demeanor changed instantly…Gone was the sheer will to fight, replaced with a sadness that could be felt from his head down to his toes.

"He…Can't see me…Can he?" Mai asked and Kira shook her head.

"No…Sorry…" She frowned. "But…I can relay what you want to say…"

Mai smiled then nodded. "I just wanted to say…That he can't see my death as a failure…We did what we could, and knowing he's still alive to fight…Makes me happy."

Kira relayed the message and Trunks stiffened.

"You've lost everything, but gained a lot." Mai told him through Kira. "Believe in yourself and the goal…" Mai looked at Kira. "I'm…Ready now…I think…"

Kira approached, hoping she was doing this correctly. She placed the end of her sword at Mai's temple. Immediately the woman was bathed in unnatural light and a calmness settled into her very being.

"Thank you…Shinigami…" Then…She was gone…

Kira let out the breath she was holding. That…Hurt…Yeah…That hurt a lot. Did Rukia or any of the others feel pained after sending a soul? Probably not as they had most likely done this more times than Kira could even begin to count.

Trunks let out his own breath and refocused. His eyes set towards the skies.

"Stay here, I'm going to help—" He began but Kira held her sword at his face.

"Yeah, like hell I'm being left behind." She huffed.

He frowned at her. "Are you sure? It'll get intense—"

"I think I'll manage…" Kira said. "I'll follow you on foot." He raised an eyebrow at that. "Hey! I had to run from my life MANY times…I think I'll be able to keep up…"

He said nothing then took to the skies, Kira at his heels. Trunks was quite surprised by her speed…She even jumped on debri to quicken her pace. Pretty soon she arrived at the battle field right behind him.

"How the hell did you keep up!?" He asked in utter shock.

"Like I said…" She glared. "I've had a lot of practice…"

"A…Shinigami!?"

The voice came to Kira's right; two short beings were there, staring at her in shock. Kira didn't recognize them at all, but she had a feeling they had something to do with Beerus and Whis.

"Oh…You are that girl…" The purple skinned one stated. "The one from the destruction god tournament that caused a ruckus…"

He had been there? Okay…"Sorry to burst your bubble, but…I'm just half…I think…And I'm still in training…Sort of…" Kira sighed. "It's complicated I guess…"

The other standing beside him seemed concerned. "Are you here to take us to the spiritual plane, shinigami?"

Kira looked at him with an odd stare. "Uh…Unless you're dead…No…" She recalled the shocked stares when shinigami were first revealed. How did these two even know she was one in the first place? Word may have gotten around, who really knew at this point anyway?

"It is your aura." The elder spoke, answering her mindful questions. "It is black as night…The aura of death." He gazed at her. "Though…Something seems off…It is almost as if half of you is missing."

Kira looked at the trainer sword in her hand. "Half…a soul…" She muttered Rukia's words.

"Stay here." She turned to see Trunks take off into the skies where the battle was taking place.

Even now Kira could hardly fathom the intensity before her. This was nothing like the tournament she had gone to…No, this was life and death intermixed. Goku, Vegeta, and Mirai Trunks were giving their all and beyond, their foe evil incarnate.

A stray beam of energy was headed for the strange beings standing next to her. Something inside of her screamed to react, to protect them. She listened, smacking the beam of energy away with her zapankutou, though it was harder than she thought. The energy was dense, filled with hate and malice.

That wasn't a stray beam…It was intentional. The look on Goku Black's face was confirmation enough. The dude tried to kill the two beings.

"Thank you shinigami." The elder one stated, his demeanor calm. "Though I had little doubt you would protect us."

Unlike him, the purple skinned one let out a deep breath. Apparently he hadn't been as confident.

"Shin and I are Kaioshin." The elder explained. "We are of the lesser kamis in Otherworld but that does not dismiss our importance."

Kaioshin…that word made her pause. She had never heard it until now yet her senses were practically screaming at her. Warning! Protect at all cost!

"I am unknown to shinigami as most of us otherworldly beings are." The elder Kaioshin continued. "But even I can notice when strings of fate are calling…The simple observation of you not moving from your stature is proof enough."

Blinking Kira noticed she hadn't moved an inch since she saved them from the ki blast. Her muscles had tightened, her grip on her Zanpakutou increasing and even the simple movement of wind was causing her jump slightly.

"Though you do not know us." The elder Kaioshin continued. "Your shinigami senses are telling you of our importance…It is telling you that we must be protected at all cost."

"Who…Who are you…?" Kira managed to breathe out.

"Brothers to destruction, as best as can be explained due to the circumstances." He gave a long sigh. "Though I do not understand why fate wishes me well, all of this is my own fault…I…I should have known Zamasu held evil in his heart."

She whipped around to stare at the being in shock. "You…You…"

He nodded slowly. "All of this could have been avoided if I had seen what truly lies in my former apprentice's heart." He closed his eyes. "I will keep this guilt with me, as a reminder to never allow such curses to befall anyone ever again."

Kira wanted to right then and there smack him until he turned a darker purple than his counterpart. The idiot! All of this destruction was HIS FAULT!?

Something stopped her though, that sense again…The one that told her that, despite his irrs, this Kaioshin had to live.

"You must be half mortal…" The elder Kaishin observed. "It is plain as day, your thoughts are mortal yet your actions are fate based. Your mind is warring with your senses."

"What are you talking about?" Finally the purple one spoke though the elder one kept his eyes on Kira.

"I do not know your life story, yet I can tell you have a lot of anger within you." The elder spoke. "Anger can be a powerful weapon, that is true…However, without something to balance it out…Without calm, anger can destroy lives." He looked around them. "It was anger that caused all of this, unchecked anger at its best. I would suggest you find your calm, young lady…Otherwise you could end up doing something you will most certainly regret."

Next Time: Death's Embrace