Thank you to those who are keeping up with this story! You might not have given a review, but you are still interested in how this will go (so am I and I'm the writer!). Let's continue this whirlwind of insanity!

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

Chapter 23: Determination

It had been about two days after returning from the future. Gohan had been told the whole story through his father. The Dragonballs were immediately located, and the wish was asked for, however the dragon could not bring back Mirai Trunks.

"I cannot bring the future to the past." The Dragon stated. "That is beyond my power."

It was worth a shot though no less painful. Mirai Trunks had been a good friend and son to them all; it would take a while for the sting of his death to dissipate.

After the Dragonball fiasco, Gohan took Kira home and immediately the girl went to her room. She hadn't come out since then, staying in her room for two days; only coming out for food and bathroom. School was out of the question. She wouldn't talk or glance at anyone in the home. Goku had come to check on her once before heading off to train with Whis. Rukia had arrived not long after, asking for her granddaughter.

"I'm putting my foot down on this one. Leave Kira alone, Rukia-San." Gohan was arguing with Rukia who wanted to continue Kira's training immediately.

"She is a servant of death…or half of one anyway." Rukia stated. "She must become used to seeing death all around her."

Gohan gave the woman a deep glare. "She's also a sixteen year old mortal child who still can't figure out where she fits in the world. I'm sure my dad would agree. Training is called off, at least for a bit."

Rukia raised an eyebrow at him. "Am I hearing a veiled threat in those words?"

"Yes." Gohan affirmed. "For once, Kira needs compassion. Since you won't give her any, we will. Now leave my home." He towered over her. "Or I will personally throw you out." He made a show of raising his ki enough to where he could prove his point. To hell with the shinigami. Right now Kira needed family, not training.

Frowning Rukia left but Gohan knew she wasn't too far. He had become accustomed to her presence in his home and knew she was probably just outside along with the other shinigami that tended to appear. At least they would back off…For now.

Satisfied, Gohan left for work. It was hard to concentrate whilst Kira was home in her depressed state, making the day drag even more. Once work was done he effectively rushed back home and was surprised to find Kira out in the garden, drawing.

"Kira…" He went out back to the small garden, saw her sitting at the table, pencil in hand, drawing in a black notebook. He slowly took the seat opposite her. She wasn't saying anything, nevertheless it was good she was outside.

Still though, she needed to talk. Keeping everything inside wasn't healthy.

"I experienced my first battle when I was about four years old." Gohan blurted out as he looked towards the skies. The sun would set in a few hours. "I remember I was so terrified." He sighed. "I can't believe I remember it…Guess those kinds of memories stick with you. I had been kidnapped by some guy that wanted to battle with my father or something of that nature. I was locked up in some pod thing, completely terrified. I remember hearing my father's screams of pain and I just…Lost it…I don't remember much after that." He continued. "The incident had me train with Piccolo and soon I was on the battlefield, this time expected to fight…I was about 5 then. If I had been terrified before, I was frozen that day. I made a lot of mistakes and sometimes I wondered if I had just focused, then maybe the battle wouldn't have turned out as it did."

"What happened?" She spoke and he glanced her way. Her eyes remained on her drawing.

"Well…" He told her about Goku almost dying and turning into an ape monster.

"When the plan for Namek was made, I decided I needed to go…Maybe it was me trying to make up for my mistakes, I don't know. I just knew I needed to go." Gohan told her. "The first mistake in a battle is always the worst..Yet…It makes you stronger in the end."

"I saw his chain." She blurted out and Gohan blinked. "It…It meant…"

"I see." Gohan didn't need to know what she meant by that, he figured it out on his own. "I suppose that was why you froze…" His eyes held sympathy towards her very being. "You knew, before it happened…That he was going to die." His mind made a quick connection. "And now you're scared, because now you can tell when people are going to die…Am I right?"

It seemed appropriate that a shinigami would be able to know moments before death. He assumed this…chain…confirmed the moment.

"You can't live feeling scared, or guilty Kira." Gohan told her. "I'm sure no one, not even your grandparents, would want that for you." He saw her tense up. "I know there is bad blood between you and them and it's understandable. But…If you think about it, everything that they have done was to protect you, help you. Your grandfather knew our family would protect you and your grandmother is helping you understand your powers."

"I don't want them." She blurted out. "I don't want power."

"Not many people do at first." Gohan reasoned with her. "Power can feel great in the beginning until the consequences start showing up." He chuckled. "I actually taught myself that." Noticing Videl at the threshold, Gohan rose. "Looks like it's time for dinner. Do you want to join us this time? It's okay if you don't."

She stopped drawing, closed her book. "Um…Yeah…I guess so…"

He smiled. "Great."

Dinner was a semi-awkward affair. Videl and Gohan kept up conversation while Kira remained silent. The married couple was just glad Kira was at the table and not in her room. After dinner, Kira sat on the couch, drawing in her notebook again when the doorbell rang. Gohan went to get it and was surprised to see Bulma there.

"Bulma." He blinked. "What are you…?"

"I came to see Kira." She said. "Let me in, Gohan."

Stepping aside he allowed his blue haired friend entry. Upon entry into the living room Bulma took a seat right next to Kira who hardly recognized another was there.

"Kira-Chan…" Pencil suspended movement at Bulma's voice. "I wanted you to know that I do not blame you for what happened to future Trunks. From what Goku told me, he did what he had to do to save you. That's all that matters." She smiled. "It makes me proud to know that my son will be like that someday, willing to do what he needs to do to protect life." Kira's eyes exhibited weariness as she turned them to Bulma. "Hon, you're still just a child…Nobody should blame you for anything."

Bulma gave the girl a gentle smile. "No matter what happens, you are still part of our family, Kira-Chan. I just wanted you to know that."

The next day found Kira at the gateway to her school. Truly she didn't want to go however Gohan convinced her.

I think it's best you remain there, Kira. He said. The shinigami obviously want to give you as much of a normal teenage life as they can…There you won't have to worry about anything but your art and I think that's a good thing. Plus I don't doubt Piccolo is still surveying the school.

Truly she didn't want to be at that school. Some of it was because of the shinigami inside and the other, well…It felt useless at this point. Why be normal when you weren't normal? It seemed everyone wanted her to be normal, to a certain degree but…That just wasn't going to happen. Whether she liked it or not, she was far from normal. The quicker she accepted that, the better. She stepped into the halls of Khan Academy. The halls were quiet that day, hardly a sound save for her steps on the hard flooring. She stood before her homeroom door, gripping her backpack with uncertainty.

The door opened and Matsumoto-sensei's smiling face was there, grinning up a storm.

"We heard you were sick—" She started up.

"You can drop the act already." Kira walked in and eyes were staring her down. In the back she saw her 'crew' of shinigami, the ones that she knew the most: Hinamori, Hanatarou, Toushirou and her grandmother, Rukia.

"Someone died…Because of me." Kira blurted out. "Someone important to my family. My…Mortal family." She added. "I don't care what my gran-what HE ordered you to do. I don't want that to happen again." She took a deep breath.

"I…Have a strong feeling that if I don't find this…spirit you all talk about…I'll end up causing more trouble for my family. So instead of sitting here doing nothing but stupid art assignments…Tell me how to find this spirit thing. If you don't, I'm going to leave this school and find it myself. Damn my grandfather to hell."

It was Rukia that stood and walked up to her, a smirk on her face.

"It's about time, Kurosaki Kira." Rukia said.

"Son." Kira corrected her "It's Son Kira and I think…He would want it that way, don't you, Kuchiki-San?"

Rukia slowly nodded.

"Very well…Son Kira…" Her smirk widened. "If you thought your training was harsh before…You will be thinking otherwise. Welcome to training hell, Son Kira…"

Next Time: A Shinigami's Power