Outsider Chronicles: Death Comes for All

Most Outsiders are reborn after death, but I wasn't. I actually found myself in an Afterlife. Just one problem, its not the afterlife I was expecting. No fluffy clouds or harps for me, just swords, Demons and utter chaos. Dear god, I'm boned!

Right, more Bleach ideas. This has been sitting in my docs for AGES and I finally got around to posting it now. I probably won't continue it, but what the hell. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting when I died. Fluffy clouds? Golden Gates? Perhaps a tall fellow in a black cloak with a scythe? As it happened, I got none of the above. What I got instead was reborn into a family that contained one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. And I now had said favorite character as my big brother. While that was cool and all, I wasn't entirely sure whether or not I should be happy about it. Why? Well, my new name was Kurama Kuchiki, the younger brother of Byakuya Kuchiki. You know, the cool, collected Captain who fights with cherry blossoms and still manages to be a complete badass? Yeah, him.

Growing up as a member of a Noble Family was...interesting. I was the second son, which meant that, although I didn't have anywhere near the level of pressure on me as Byakuya did, I was still expected to exelle as, should anything happen to my brother (not that it would), I would be next in line as head of the clan. Whoo boy, thats a scary thought! Anyway, my training started as soon as I was old enough to hold a sword in just about every aspect of the Shinigami arts, from Zanjutsu through to Kido. Some elements I excelled in, others…

KABOOOM!

"Cough."

"HA! Still can't manage a simple Kido?" said Byakuya from where he was stood at the side of the Kido range in the Manors back garden.

I was currently 13 years old (or at least the equivalent in terms of the Soul Society, which meant I was probably about 50 in Human terms. Time in the Soul Society was a little...odd) and practicing my Kido which, much to my ire, was by far my weakest skill. I probably had about as much talent at it as Renji.

I turned to glare at my 15 year old brother, who was grinning wildly at me.

"I may suck at Kido, but you still can't beat me at a game of tag," I said.

Byakuya immediately stopped laughing and glared at me, before he scoffed and looked away.

"Its not like I have any time for such childish games," he sniffed.

I smirked.

"Oh really?"

I shifted my feet and used what was, by far, the coolest ability I'd learnt so far, Flash Step. There was nothing like the feeling of moving with the technique, it was almost like flying, and the control it gave me… Not to mention the fact that the person who taught me it, and my skills in Hakuda, was Yoruichi herself.

I appeared behind my brother and snagged the ribbon he was wearing in his hair, reappearing a few meters behind him.

"What the...HEY!"

Byakuya jumped up, grabbing the Bokken that had been leaning against the fence next to him as he spun to face me.

"Give that back!"

"Nuh uh, ya gonna have to catch me first!" I said with a grin.

Byakuya's eye twitched and his grip tightened on his wooden sword.

"Why you...you've been spending time with that cat demon again!" he yelled.

"Well, she is fun to be around," I said, spinning the ribbon around my fingers, "And she's taught me a lot...like how to properly rile you up Big Bro! Now come on slowpoke, quit being a grump and lets play!"

Byakuya gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his sword.

"That does it...I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

He vanished and appeared in front of me, swinging his sword down at my head. I twisted out of the way and vanished in my own flash step, flying backwards as Byakuya charged after me. I shifted out of the way of his wild swings, my hands in my pockets.

"Ohhh, so angry," I said, "You really ought to get a better handle on that temper of yours Bro!"

"SHUT UP!"

I caught Byakuya's sword between my palms as he swung it at me and twisted, pulling him closer so I could flip over his head. Before he could react, I had wrapped the hair tie I'd taken from him around his wrists and shoved him over into the grass.

"Well, you two seem to be having fun," said an elderly voice.

We both looked up and saw the elderly, mustachioed form of our Grandfather, Ginrei Kuchiki.

"G-Grandfather!" gasped Byakuya, shrugging his way out of the hair tie and scrambling to his feet.

"Hey Grandpa, its been a while," I said as I Flash Stepped in front of him, "Are you gonna stay here tonight?"

Ginrei smiled at me and patted me on the head.

"I see you're just as rambunctious as ever," he said.

"Awww, being serious all the time is no fun," I said.

"Kurama!" hissed Byakuya, looking scandalized as he retired his ponytail.

"Don't concern yourself Byakuya," said Grandpa, "I won't fault Kurama for being himself."

"But the Kuchiki Clan is supposed to serve as an example!" protested Byakuya, "We have to maintain…"

He was cut off by the sudden appearance of a certain purple haired cat-woman directly behind him.

"Your way to serious Byakuya," said Yoruichi.

My brothers eye twitched as his anger once again spiked.

"Its you, Cat Demon!" he yelled, spinning around and snatching up his bokken.

"AHAHAHA, Cat Demon?" said Yoruichi, "Is that how you greet someone who came out of her way to see you?"

Byakuya growled, before he visibly rained himself in.

"I am the next head of the Kuchiki Clan," he said, "I don't have time to play childish games."

"Oh really?" asked Yoruichi with a smirk, "Then what was that I saw you doing with Kurama earlier?"

Byakuya's face burned red.

"T-that was…" he spluttered, "Thats different!"

While this was going on, I snuck up on my brother and snagged his hair tie again, flash stepping away as he spun around, and reappearing next to Yoruichi.

"Thats twice I've snagged your hair tie," I said, "Should I be worried about the fate of our Clan?"

"GRAAAAHHHHH!"

Yoruichi burst out laughing as I took off again with my brother in hot pursuit.

"Later Grandpa, Yoruichi!" I called as I zipped away, avoiding my brothers wild swipes with ease.

"GET BACK HERE SO I CAN BEAT YOU UNCONSCIOUS!" roared Byakuya.

"You'll never take me alive!" I shouted as I vaulted up onto the wall that ran around the Kuchiki manor.

Byakuya took a few swipes at me that I deflected with a few well placed palm strikes, laughing the whole time as Byakuya got more and more angry. I was so focused on riling up my brother (and taking great pleasure in it considering the stick in the mud he'd grow into) that I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. As such, it wasn't any surprise that I ran smack into someone, although seeing as we were running around the Kuchiki Clan Compound Walls, I wasn't expecting anyone to be up there. However, it seemed that Fate hated me and someone decided to jump up onto the wall, just in time for me to run into them.

The sudden impact sent both of us tumbling off the wall to land in the shallow koi pond with a loud splash. I sat up, spewing fishy water, only to freeze as I came face to face with a pair of startled looking gray eyes.

"Um, hi?" I said, blushing as I realized that the girl I'd run into was now straddling me in the pond.

The girl blinked twice, before the familiar sound of Yoruichi's laughter reached my ears. I tilted my head back and saw the Shapeshifter doubled over in amusement while my Grandfather wore a slight smirk and Byakuya looked scandalized.

"Well, I have to say its nice to see that my two favorite students are getting on," said the shapeshifter once she'd got enough control over her laughter.

"Wha...OOF!"

I curled up, gasping for breath as the girl suddenly vanished, the force from the sudden flash step off my stomach knocking the wind out of me.

"You sent for me Lady Yoruichi?" said the girl as she appeared, kneeling in front of Yoruichi.

"Calm down Soi-fon, this isn't anything official," said the Squad 2 Captain, "I just wanted to introduce you to a new sparring partner."

"Sparring partner?"

She followed Yoruichi's finger to where she was pointing at me as I slowly got to my feet, holding my still sore stomach.

"I suspect that's me," I said, "Incidentally, that hurt!"

"Are you OK Kurama?" asked Byakuya.

I gave him a flat look.

"Weren't you just trying to brain me?"

Byakuya's eye twitched as he tried to regain his composure.

"Alright you two, thats enough," said Grandpa before I could goad my brother into another chase around the compound.

"Yes Grandfather," we both said.

We knew better than to disobey when Grandpa gave an order in that tone of voice.

"Now, whats this about a sparing partner?" asked Grandpa.

"Kurama has reached the point in his Hakuda training that the only way he'll improve is through actual combat," said Yoruichi, "I'd do it myself, but I thought it would be better if he and Soi-fon spared together. It'd save time for all of us."

I shrugged.

"Eh, I'm game," I said, "Could be fun."

Soi-fon didn't look quite so eager, but she nodded anyway.

And so began the start of a friendship that was every bit as strong as the one between Yoruichi and Urahara. At first, we only sparred and it was clear that my general distaste for formalities grated on her at first, but I quickly grew on her. Like its said, the best way to learn about someone is by fighting them and we learnt a lot about one another in our spars. Eventually, we started meeting up for things other than sparing. She even helped me with my Kido to the point where I could finally use it without blowing myself up.

It had been nine years since then and I had grown from a gangly teen to a skilled young Soul Reaper. My brother had entered the 13 Court Guard Squads a couple of years ago as a Seated Officer in Squad 6 and I was due to join the Squads in the next year. Currently however, I was laying back on the roof of the Kuchiki Mansion staring up at the nights sky.

"So peaceful," I murmured, "I wish nights like this would last forever…"

I tilted my head back as I felt Soi-fons Spiritual Pressure appear behind me.

"Hey Soi-fon, need…"

I stopped, my eyes widening as I saw that my friends eyes were red from crying. I scrambled to my feet and darted forwards, catching her as her legs gave way.

"Soi-fon, whats wrong?" I said as she clutched at my shirt and cried into my chest.

"Shes gone," sobbed Soi-fon, "Lady Yoruichi, shes gone…"

My eyes widened, before I let out a sigh. I knew it was coming and soon, but I had no idea it would happen so soon. I wrapped my arms around her, rubbing circles on her back as she sobbed into my chest.

"Why didn't she take me with her?!" she wailed, "Doesn't she care?"

"Of course she does," I said, "And I imagine thats why she didn't take you with her."

Soi-fon looked up at me in surprise.

"If she took you with her, you'd be branded a traitor and never be able to return. Do you honestly believe that she would want that for you?"

Soi-fon sniffed and rested her head back on my chest.

"But why did she have to go in the first place?"

I smirked.

"For the same reason you're currently sobbing your eyes out," I said, "Loyalty. I know you don't like him, but Yoruichi and Urahara have been best friends for a very long time, probably even longer than we've been alive. Is it really that surprising that she'd help him, even if it meant abandoning everything?"

"I guess not," mumbled Soi-fon.

"Besides, its not all bad," I said, "You still got me, right?"

Soi-fon snorted.

"Idiot," she mumbled.

I felt her relax as her breathing evened out. I smiled. I probably just obliterated the timeline in one way or another but I honestly couldn't bring myself to care.

And done. So, what do you think the addition of another Kuchiki, and one without the massive log up his rear, will do for the story? We'll just have to wait and see.

I actually don't have anything else I can really say here, so I'm gonna sign off. Please leave a review!