Bleach: Cross: Desolate: 02
04 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Bleach Tags: Bleach Cross, Bleach Cross Desolate, Crown Prince Ichigo + Shirayukihime, Ichigo + Rukia, Kail + Shirahime, Toshiro + Momo, Toshiro + Rangiku, Toshiro + Shirahime
Disclaimers, etc., see chapter one
Opening Theme: 3 Heartful by AAA
Ending Theme: Believe Own Way by AAA
Bleach: Cross
Desolate
By Eugena
Chapter Two: Sisters in Spirit Force
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FIVE BARRACKS – THORNE TAICHO’S QUARTERS
“Gah!”
Shirahime Thorne felt her entire body break. She no longer felt her soul self, just her body racked with pain. Her hand outstretched for Shinnou, but it was no longer in reach. Only Yukihime remained. Forcing her fingers to stretch, she grasped the blade and allowed it to slice her fingers. Not that the feeling of bleeding could compare to the pain she already felt. She had to leave a message for Momo and the others. A warning, with whatever strength she had left.
“Shirayukihime Shinnouhi, give me strength.”
She felt tears unbidden fall from her eyes. “Shinnouhi, you’ve finally been freed. Will you die now?”
“Shinnouhi!”
oOo
ICHIGO’S INNER BATTLEFIELD (THE SIDEWAYS BUILDING) (FLASHBACK)
“Shirahime!” Kail screamed. “Shirahime!” He turned to Sam, his eyes filled with hatred. “Is that what you wanted to know? Shirahime. Your name was Shirahime.”
Sam knelt before him, her wrists shackled together in front of her. The cloth of her dress ripped to shreds. Lesser reapers would have wept. But she kept all of it inside. She let rage and fury replace her desire for vengeance.
She breathed in and out several times, steadying her voice. “Who am I to you? Simply her rebirth?”
Kail fell to his knees before her. Conflicted emotions played across his face. “No,” he said, almost inaudible. “No, I am Kail Zangetsu, not Kail Shiroyuki the Prince. I am no prince, but you will always be my one.”
He touched her tentatively with his fingertips and kissed her forehead. He looked her in the eyes.
“Do you want to know why you can’t separate your human self and your spirit self? Why you can’t use a gigai? Because you are the Princess of the Heavens. Because your own zanpaku-to is what remains of your past life.”
“My own zanpaku-to?”
“Yes.” He touched the shackles on her wrists. “You are still chained to your past life, the Shinnouhi.” He kissed her full on the lips. “You created me, Shirahime Sam Thorne no Tenjou.” He kissed her again.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD ELEVEN BARRACKS
Toshiro Hitsugaya and Ichigo Kurosaki combined their strength against Kenpachi Zaraki. He had not yet removed his eyepatch, but soon he would decide they were formidable enough. Lately, Kenny had pushed himself beyond his normal limits. Normally he would have already removed his eyepatch, but he wanted to get stronger. He wanted more than anything to protect Yachiru, Sam, and Rangiku. Part of him wanted to protect Ichigo and Toshiro, too, since they, too, would look after the women he loved.
Yachiru was his daughter with Sam. Even though Sam now adopted her past life’s familiar name of Shirahime, he still thought of her as Sam, much like she thought of him as Kenny and not Kenpachi. Yachiru had first called Sam “mom,” and never let go of it. In his past life, he was going to marry Sam. He had fallen in love with her again. Yet he could not deny his growing feelings for Rangiku.
While he loved Sam, he had dreams of her ending up with Toshiro. Strange to have dreams of it, but he had lately begun to believe in the Element God Hyorinmaru. If she would be happy with Toshiro, he would let her go. For he already knew she loved him. Toshiro had grown a lot for her. He had matured at a rate that surprised Kenny and the others starting after her first “death” after a battle with Aizen. Perhaps Kenny was only choosing Rangiku as a second choice, but as soon as they defeated Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tosen, he and the others would face their own emotions. He could ignore them for now, but when the battle was won, he had an inner battle to face. And perhaps finally he could harness his bankai.
With the help of Sam’s reiatsu, both Kenny and Yachiru had once achieved their shikai forms, but they had not done so easily while Sam was gone. Kenny pledge to be able to perform shikai on his own.
Toshiro released his second shikai, the ice prison. While this held Kenny, Ichigo released his shikai.
Something went wrong.
Without fully releasing the shikai, Ichigo fell forward, motionless as stone.
“Kurosaki!” yelled Toshiro.
Rangiku, Yachiru, and Rukia, who had been watching the battle rushed toward Ichigo. Yachiru beat Rukia to Ichigo.
“Kail,” he muttered. “Kail.”
Rukia’s zanpaku-to began to glow in a white light. “No. No!” she shouted.
oOo
RUKIA’S INNER BATTLEFIELD – FIELD OF SNOW
Rukia fell forward onto the snow, stopping her fall with her hands. Her breathing became heavier and she could hear the sound of her breaths filling the space of her inner battlefield.
“No!” she screamed. “I won’t allow it.”
She looked up into the frozen form of Shirayukihime. She knelt. “This won’t happen again!” Shirayukihime did not answer, could not answer. She unsheathed her zanpaku-to and threw it on the ground. “I won’t take your power!”
She screamed. “Stop this, Shinnouhi. Stop giving us your power! Fight! Fight, Thorne Taicho, fight!”
A vision of Thorne Taicho appeared behind her. “You know I’m dying.”
“It’s not true.”
“How can you deny it? You of all people should know. You were the first to receive my power. I am giving my power to you. You can defeat the enemies that remain.”
“Last time, you returned to the human world. But now I see the Shinnouhi. This time, this time, Thorne Taicho, you won’t return. I can’t take your power. You have to fight.”
“Are you happy, Rukia? You’ve been reunited with the one you love.”
“No!” she turned from Shirayukihime to Thorne. “How can you say that when you’re about to take away someone I love? I love you! Ichigo loves you!”
Thorne leaned down her and placed her hand on her face. “Rukia, you’ve grown so much. I’m so proud of you. As long as you’re happy, I can finally let go and be free.” Thorne walked toward Shirayukihime, seeming more distant and less real with each step.
Rukia fell after her, grabbing her leg. “My lady! I love you with all my heart. I’ve loved you since our life long ago. I pledged myself to protect you, and you always treated me as an equal. Your happiness is as important as my own.”
“Little sister,” Thorne said with fading tears in her eyes, “do not let go of the life that lies before you. Be happy, Rukia.”
“No!” Rukia screamed. “No!” She crawled after her. “What about Ichigo? Yachiru? Kenpachi? Toshiro?“
oOo
SHIRO’S INNER BATTLEFIELD – FIELD OF ICE
Toshiro’s inner battlefield was unusually quiet. He could not even feel the presence of Hyorinmaru. He stood in a field of ice alone.
“Kail,” he repeated Ichigo’s words. “Kail.”
He knew what it meant. Like it or not, Ichigo would always be closer to Sam than him. She seemed closest to Kail, and since he was Ichigo’s hollow, Ichigo would know his feelings.
“Hyorinmaru!” he called. Perhaps this Hyorinmaru was not the one he needed. He knelt down and as if beginning a prayer, called out again, “Element God Hyorinmaru.”
A large ice dragon flew into view before him. Although it did not move its mouth, it spoke.
“You finally find me, Hitsugaya Toshiro.”
“Your princess is in danger.”
“She is no one’s princess. Even you must know that by now.”
Toshiro lowered his eyes. “She can only belong to herself.”
“She does not have long for this life. I will reunite her with Zangetsu.”
oOo
ICHIGO’S INNER BATTLEFIELD (THE SIDEWAYS BUILDING)
Ichigo stood with Zangetsu in its bankai form. His breathing slowed, and he tried to control his senses. He could feel and hear Kail, but Kail did not appear before him.
“Kail. Kail!”
“He can no longer hear you,” Zangetsu said. “He will soon pass completely beyond even my hearing.”
“What’s happen to him, old man Zangetsu? I know it has something to do with Shirahime.”
“She’s dying.” Zangetsu took off his sunglasses and held them out. He let go of them and watched as the fell away over the building’s roof. “The past repeats itself again.”
“No. Because this time, I choose her.”
Bleach: Cross: Desolate: 01
04 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Bleach Tags: Bleach Cross, Bleach Cross Desolate, Crown Prince Ichigo + Shirayukihime, Ichigo + Rukia, Kail + Shirahime, Toshiro + Momo, Toshiro + Rangiku, Toshiro + Shirahime
Bleach © Kubo Tite. Bleach: Cross original characters and elements, including the “past life backstory” © Eugena.
When the Soul Reapers of Cross face Aizen for the final time, will they be prepared to lose the ones they love?
Pairings: Kail/Shirahime, Toshiro/Shirahime, Crown Prince Ichigo/Shirayukihime, Ichigo/Rukia, Toshiro x Rangiku friendship, Toshiro x Momo friendship
Opening Theme: Heartful by AAA
Ending Theme: Believe Own Way by AAA
Bleach: Cross
Desolate
By Eugena
Rated: T
Chapter One: Prelude of a Past Released
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FIVE BARRACKS – THORNE TAICHO’S QUARTERS
Thorne Taicho sat in silence, drinking the tea that Hinamori had prepared for her. She had asked her fukutaicho to come back in shortly to check on her. Her human body had been wearing down as of late, and any minute, she expected to be knocked out asleep on the floor, just like times long ago when she had first joined squad ten. Today she had wanted time to gather her thoughts, for many worries lately haunted her.
As of late, she had turned her attention to Rangiku Matsumoto and Gin Ichimaru. Surely, either Aizen, Ichimaru, or Tosen could be defeated in their next battle, but how would the outcome affect those who remained? With Tosen defeated, Thorne Taicho could predict little difference. With Ichimaru defeated, Matsumoto would be safe from his now obsessive advances. Yes, if Thorne could afford to be selfish, that was the path she would choose. Although she was human, she was also the fifth division taicho—meaning that a greater responsibility was upon her shoulders. No, if only one could be defeated in their next battle, it had to be Aizen—no choice or hesitation between the others.
How could she defeat Aizen? Even with all the other soul reapers working together, he had increasingly gained power. She died once long ago to slow down his attainment of godhood, an act that won her the posthumous award of captain of the same squad he had once led. Still, Hinamori harbored hurt feelings over him. Guilt that she loved him, but love in some form nonetheless. Thorne had to keep Hinamori from becoming involved. There would be no time for hesitation—something she knew would come from her. She would not mean it, but Hinamori might kill them all.
Thorne Taicho was running out of time for herself. She trained with both her squad and many other captains with both of her zanpaku-tos – Shinnou, a copy of the White Kail Zangetsu and Yukihime no Tenjou. Shinnou was the more normal of the two, closer to having its own zanpaku-to spirit. On the surface it appeared just like Kail’s—Hollow Ichigo’s—zanpaku-to. Yet its spirit was that of a white dragon with blue eyes the color of Shirahime’s. Thorne had some while ago abandoned her human name, Sam Hawthorne, kept part of her last name as her new last name and took the familiar form of her past life’s name as her own. Her name of royal title still remained to this day as Shirayukihime no Tenjou. To separate room for herself from among her past life, she called the spirit of her past life by the royal title and referred to the zanpaku-to only as Yukihime or Yukihime no Tenjou. She only called it by royal title in bankai form, where she could use the command Kouten. But that command drained much from her, especially when she used it with Shinnou—Kouten no Shinnou (“Prince of Royal Blood’s Revolution of the Heavens”). Usually, she preferred shikai commands. Yukihime, like Sode no Shiroyuki, had more than one shikai form and command. The release command for Yukihime was “revive,” fitting as she was always getting the power from the spirit of her past life. As for Shinnou, he, too, had more than one shikai form and command. She released him with “prepare,” short for “prepare for battle.” Although generally, Shinnou’s shikai form did not change much and looked the same as its sealed form, she usually called on the shikai which allowed the zanpaku-to’s spirit to appear. A dragon for a protector was very useful and Shinnou allowed her to attack others during training without tiring her human body.
Of all of Thorne’s squad members, Hinamori seemed not to improve. Granted, she had gained consciousness on her own, finally without using Thorne or Shirahime’s power. Still, it was her forbidden love for Aizen which crippled her.
Like Thorne could complain. She wasn’t exactly and expert in the love department. Long ago, as Shirahime, she had been forcibly engaged to the Crown Prince of Heaven, Ichigo. An act alone which gave her the title as Princess of the Heavens. Though now she still drew on her power as Shirahime, she was more than willing to trade it in for freedom from her cycle of suffering.
Even now she remembered playing with Benehime, her younger sister who had been originally pledged to marry the Crown Prince. Her father, Kisuke, had been a childhood fighting companion of the Emperor of Heaven. The Emperor promised that his heir would marry one of Kisuke and Yoruichi’s daughters. Tragedy took the life of Benehime, leaving more tragedy to follow. Even though the crown prince had become fond of Shirahime, he gave his heart to Rukia, the captain of the guards in charge of Shirahime’s safety. Thorne remembered overhearing the Crown Prince arguing with his twin brother. Yet the Emperor had sworn an oath: the heir would be her husband. She had been so surprised then that Prince Kail did not try to kill Crown Prince Ichigo. All the while, they did not see her growing love for their sword master Zangetsu.
“Zangetsu,” she murmured, her heart still entranced by him. Yet she was Shirahime no longer, even though she now used the same name. She could not love the men she had loved in the past. She had even grown distant to Kenny Zaraki, who had once been her fiancé in the living world. Strangely enough, that left only Shiro, the incarnation of the element god she had sworn herself to. Shiro, who had been Hinamori’s childhood friend. Thorne had tried to force on him love for Hinamori, just to selfishly get him to let her go. Her plan failed. He continued to love her. He loved her more than Hinamori and more than Matsumoto, no matter how hard she tried to deny it.
She looked up to the heavens and laughed. She stretched out her hand on the floor and formed Shinnou. “Kail,” she asked, “will you let me go now?”
She closed her eyes and remembered the many times she had danced with him. Finally in this life, she had learned to love the younger prince. “Kail, I think I can finally move on. Even if it is the last thing I do, and I don’t have much time. If for one moment I can still be happy, will you still love me?” She looked up again into the heavens. “Maybe Shirayukihime can remain with you and,” she said, thinking of her estranged human name, “Sam with Shiro.”
It was enough, and she found the closure she needed. For a final time, she would dance with Ichigo and ask him as the Crown Prince to let her go.
As she began to envision her freedom and the chains of the past life breaking before her, she felt a sting at her neck. She felt her blood began to burn. A poison arrow had struck her without warning. She felt her life begin to leave her and her chain of fate beginning to dissolve.
oOo
A/N: I have a lot of the Cross series planned out. Near the end of Sam’s time as squad ten third seat, she discovers her name in the past life, Shirahime, and that she was the daughter of Kisuke and Yoruichi in the past life. This of course brings her close to Soi Fon, who is dedicated to Yoruichi. Soi Fon is one of the few in Soul Society who refers to Sam as Thorne-Shihoin Taicho.
The King of Soul Society was called the Emperor of Heaven in the past life.
Bleach: Cross: Shiro Shattered: 05
04 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Bleach Tags: Bleach Cross, Bleach Cross Shiro Shattered, Kenpachi + Rangiku, Toshiro + Shirahime
Disclaimers, etc.: see chapter one
Opening Theme: Diamond by Alan
Ending Theme: With You by AAA
Bleach: Cross
Shiro Shattered
By Eugena
Chapter Five: Shiro Sunset
URAHARA SHOP
Two days later:
Family gatherings had never been a strong point with Shirahime Thorne and even now that she was a Shinigami, they still grew tedious and full of apprehension. Lafiel Urahara, a Shinigmai much like Nemu, a mod soul and gigai combined handed her a cup of green tea. She did the same to Toshiro Hitsugaya who sat next to her.
Shirahime eyed Lafiel suspiciously, caught only slightly off guard by the blue eyes that looked so much like her own. Kurotsuchi Taicho could have made them different, perhaps golden, but he had insisted making her as much like Thorne as possible. Lafiel looked at least five years younger than her and Lafiel’s powers were much different from her own. After Lafiel as a mod soul failed to separate Shirahime’s human and soul form, Lafiel took on a much more interesting life. Although failed at her first purpose, Lafiel absorbed some of Shirahime’s memories. No one yet knew if she had any of Shirayukihime’s—the Princess of Heaven and Shirahime’s past life.
Shirahime preferred it that way. She had enough issues with Shirayukihime to last any amount of past lives. She didn’t, however, prefer the makeshift date set up for her. Toshiro—Shiro—as she called him was red with anticipation.
“Thank you, Ms. Urahara,” he said graciously. Lafiel smiled, stifled a giggle and nearly ran inside, no doubt to report back to Kisuke Urahara.
“You could call her Lafiel,” Shirahime suggested.
“Yeah.”
“Just being polite,” she finished his unspoken thought. Shirahime looked to the side away from him. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Anything? How have you been?”
“You mean since the Sou Taicho relieved me of duty? Fine.” Feel the dripping sarcasm.
“It’s for your own health. You can’t take battles like we can.”
“I’m the reincarnation of a pretty pissed off Heaven Princess, as everyone and everything are so fond of reminding me, and I can’t take battle?”
“You’re human. You could die.“
“Been there, done that. Several times actually. Besides, the new mod soul from Mayuri has been working.”
“The Royal Family expects you to be protected. Momo can handle the Fifth Division.”
“No, she can’t. She’s still in love with Aizen—I’ll explain the psychology later. Do you think she could kill him? She’d kill you first!”
She stood upon her last statement of outburst. Frustrated that she felt so limited in her own body.
“I don’t care about me,” he said, “but I won’t let her take you down.”
She turned to him, not ready to hear what he had said.
“I don’t want to choose,” he said softly, “but I don’t want to lose both you and Matsumoto. Matsumoto will fight Aizen—even if it means fighting Momo. I can’t just choose between you and Momo—I must choose Rangiku, too.”
“Shiro . . . .“
He looked down at the grass beneath his feet. “But that’s not why I came.” He drew on courage and looked up at her pleadingly. “Will you really marry Kenpachi?” His next sentence nearly fell out of his mouth: “Rangiku says it’s the only way to avoid the royal mandate.”
She curved her lips in a half smile, half laugh. “Not the only way.” She squatted in front of him. “Besides, Rangiku might get angry. She’s jealous enough.”
“But if you don’t want to marry Shiroyuki, then who else? Kurosaki?”
“Ichigo is too young. He’s not even an adult. I don’t care who he was in the past, but I am not marrying some kid.”
Shiro hung on her last few words. He was much older than her, but in spiritual maturity, he still looked like a teenager. Some even mistook him for Rangiku’s ward, but usually only on the days they went to the public springs in Soul Society.
He drank his last bit of tea, barely aware of when he had drunk the rest of it. “I’ll look after everyone for you.” He stood and took her right hand. He bowed his head and touched his forehead to her hand, a pledge of loyalty and service to those in the Royal Family. “I hope you find who you are looking for.” The red rose to his cheeks.
“I already have. One day he’ll mature enough to take on Shiroyuki. Shiroyuki isn’t bad; he just wants to make sure I will be protected. Shiroyuki owes his loyalty to Hyorinmaru. You of all people should remember that.”
“One day,” he thought, “the Royal Family will accept me.”
She suddenly grew tired, and with great reluctance said, “I must go in now, these wounds are opening again. I will find a way to destroy Aizen. One that doesn’t hurt so much. Take care of everyone. I will send Lafiel tomorrow. Perhaps she can help Momo, if even just a little.”
The sun set on some of his doubts and fears. He would one day no longer be the boy genius but would be a man, a man worthy of this new Princess of Heaven.
Bleach: Cross: Shiro Shattered: 04
04 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Bleach Tags: Bleach Cross, Bleach Cross Shiro Shattered, Kenpachi + Rangiku, Toshiro + Shirahime
Disclaimers, etc.: see chapter one
Opening Theme: Diamond by Alan
Ending Theme: With You by AAA
Bleach: Cross
Shiro Shattered
By Eugena
Chapter Four: Shinnouhi, Imperial Princess
ROYAL PALACE COURTYARD
Shirahime lay on a plush couch. The sun shown down on her tanned skin. She slowly awoke, brushing away her hair from her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her black hair.
“What?” she said and tried to sit upright. A flash of pain struck her across her chest. Fighting the pain, she rose up and looked out across the courtyard.
She recognized every piece of it. This was the palace from thousands of years ago, in her first lifetime.
“Bring back memories?” a woman asked.
Shirahime turned to see a woman only a few inches taller than her dressed in an imperial gown. She knew the woman’s face as her own. “Yukihime Shinnouhi (Imperial Princess Yukihime),” she acknowledged.
“You would really call me that?” Yukihime asked. “We have all the time in the world here and any lifetime you want.”
Shirahime held out a lock of her hair. “Then why did I revert to my human form?”
“You don’t understand,” Yukihime. “You aren’t just inside your mind. This place is real. You are here, back to the place where it all began.”
Shirahime looked out again at the palace. Far away, she could see Zangetsu training Kail.
“No,” Shirahime pleaded. She felt sick.
“Don’t reject me,” Yukihime warned. “You may never be able to come here again.”
Yukihime placed her hand against Shirahime’s cheek.
“Look at me, White Princess.“
Shirahime looked at her, confusion in her eyes.
“You can’t understand my language so I’m translating everything for you. Including your name.”
“Why did you bring me here?”
“You brought yourself here. You looked at all your past lives and came back here.”
“I don’t have that power.”
“Stop rejecting me. You have the same power as the other one—rejection—but to reject the fate of your own life—all your lives.”
“If I am really here, I want to speak to Kail.”
“Then you love him?” she asked.
Shirahime did not reply. She looked out at Kail and Zangetsu. “He made you promise?”
“No,” Yukihime said. “My huband does not know I am pregnant. The less contact I have with Kail the better. My husband will think the child is Kail’s.”
“Then I will speak to Zangetsu. Ichigo cannot deny you that.”
“So bold to call him by name,” Yukihime commented. “He may deny me, but I will not deny you. You cannot do it for long. Call your soul slayer.“
“She must mean my zanpaku-to,” Shirahime reasoned. “It is the only way. So be it.”
Shirahime raised her arm as if raising her zanpaku-to. “Revive Shiryukihime no Tenjou.”
She had expected the zapaku-to to appear in her hand, but instead she fell forward. She looked down at her hands—pale as Yukihime’s. So, she was inside Yukihime’s body.
Zangetsu and Kail stopped sparring. They looked up at her.
“That spiritual pressure,” remarked Kail.
“One of a Death God’s,” replied Zangetsu.
They both ran towards her.
Shirahime heard them, noting that Yukihime still translated for her.
Zangetsu ran faster than Kail. He would come to her first.
“So be it,” thought Shirahime. “First Revival, Ice Barrier.”
Her shikai’s blue ice barrier formed around Kail. He stopped and looked around the circular wall. Without stopping, Zangetsu looked at the barrier. He leaped forward and flash stepped towards Shirahime.
“I’m sorry, Kail,” Shirahime said. She felt Yukihime fight against her. “I’m not done with your body yet,” she said.
Kail began to slash away at the wall, summoning up his royal abilities.
“Stop it, Kail,” Shirahime projected the thought out to him. “Trust me.”
Kail stopped and flooded her with questions. Reaching out a hand, she touched his mind.
“White Princess?” he asked. His mind flooded with images from her. Soon, images of her present life came.
“That’s enough!” shouted Zangetsu. He reached out for her arm and her mental link to Kail severed. “Who are you?” he demanded.
“I am Shirahime no Tenjou.”
“You are not the Imperial Princess,” he said.
Shirahime began to shake. “Stop elevating your reiatsu!” she warned. She began to feel her world rip.
“That’s not mine,” he said. “You can’t be the Imperial Princess. You are a Death God.”
“I am many things, including Yukihime. I am a shinigami, thousands of years from this time. Zangetsu, I never told you how much I loved you. You were the first one I remembered. I realize now, I must let you go. You and Kail. Please remember me, Ai Zangetsu.”
“If you are Snow Princess, that means that the Imperial Princess—.”
“I’m sorry. It’s a fate I wish to change, but not one that I even can. I realize now the reason I can’t separate my forms is that you brought me into Soul Society in my human form.”
Shirahime felt Yukihime fight within. Her time was running out.
“Princess!” Crown Prince Ichigo called out. He rushed towards Shirahime.
“So it was Ichigo’s reiatsu. Even then.”
She leaned closer to Zangetsu. “I’m sorry I never got to say a proper goodbye to any of you.” She kissed him, a kiss full of pain and sorrow. He could feel her emotions as she kissed him.
“I will always protect you,” Zangetsu projected into her mind.
As Ichigo passed into the space where Shirahime had stood behind Yukihime, his reiatsu ripped her from Yukihime’s body.
Yukihime fainted backwards into Ichigo’s arms.
“Princess!” he called out. He looked past Zangetsu to see a circular flash dissolve from around Kail. “Brother!”
“Do not be concerned my Lord,” Zangetsu said to him. “The Imperial Princess was merely possessed by a future spirit.”
“Future?” he asked. “I won’t let her die. There is no future spirit!” His eyes pinned Zangetsu. His reiatsu had been elevated from Shirahime’s presence. Zangetsu could not move. “Why did she kiss you?”
“The future spirit wished to say goodbye—and to have some of my power.”
“Your power?”
“Yes, one day, she will live as a Death God. She was on her last life, and now she has taken the rest of my future lives.”
“I will not hear of it!” Ichigo warned. “She is not to leave the palace.”
Kail finally appeared before them. “The Princess produced that barrier,” he said. He looked past Zangetsu and saw Shirahime. He stammered.
“What is it, brother?” Ichigo asked.
He walked past them and stood before Shirahime.
She glowed blue then appeared visible to all of them. Her appearance fluctuated between her original human form as Sam Hawthorne and her shingami form as Thorne Shirahime Taicho.
“Why?” asked Ichigo. “Why!”
“I’m not strong enough. This was the day I lost that power,” she said. “I came here to understand my past—and to say farewell to a life as royalty.”
Growing weaker, she fell to her knees. “Ichigo, you can’t love two people,” she warned, then faded away.
oOo
URAHARA SHOP
Kisuke and Yoruichi helped Ichigo to his feet.
“Ichigo, are you okay?” Yoruichi asked.
“Yoruichi,” he answered weakly, “where is Shirahime?”
Yoruichi looked at Kisuke.
“Where is Shirahime!” he demanded.
“Ichigo, calm down,” Rukia said walking up to him.
Finally on his feet, Ichigo pushed away Yoruichi and Kisuke.
“She’s in Soul Society,” Kisuke said.
“Then she’s dying,” Ichigo said. “We have to bring her back!”
Tessai appeared in the doorway. “Boss, Nemu Kurotsuchi says she needs to talk to you right now.”
Kisuke ran into the room he set up for communicating with Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Yoruichi, Ichigo, Rukia, and Tessai followed.
Nemu and Mayuri Kurotsuchi appeared on the screen. When Kisuke sat down in front of the screen, Nemu left the viewable area.
“Urahara,” Mayuri began. “Yamamoto has exiled Shirahime to the living world. She will be brought to you soon.”
“Is she alright?” Yoruichi asked.
Mayuri shook his head. “Aizen, Ichimaru, and Arrancar attacked the Fifth Squad Barracks. She’s in Captain Unohana’s care now.”
“We need to take her out of there now!” Ichigo shouted. “I’ll go get her myself.”
“Sit down, Ichigo. And tell Kail to shut up,” Urahara warned.
“It’s not Kail that told me.”
Urahara turned to Ichigo. He could feel his reiatsu change. “Now is not the time for you, either, Prince.”
He turned to Yoruichi. “Yoruichi, bring her home.”
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS – THORNE’S ROOM
Shirahime stopped thrashing and settled down into the bed. She felt a cold fire burn her, just as it had when she had first entered Soul Society before Kail entered her body.
“Momo,” she whispered. “I need to get to the gate now.”
Hearing the desperation in her voice, Unohana began unhooking her from the machines. “Isane, construct a barrier.”
“Yes, Taicho.”
Once Isane had made the barrier and Unohana finished unhooking the machines, she picked up Shirahime. Once outside the barracks, she summoned her zanpaku-to’s form and placed Shirahime inside. She flew towards the gate.
oOo
URAHARA SHOP
Several days later, Lafiel knelt at her sister’s bedside. She kissed her forehead.
Kisuke stood in the doorway. It hurt to see Lafiel and Shirahime together. Shirahime had been unconscious when she came through the gate and had changed back into her first human form. Lafiel, however, looked almost exactly as Shirahime had in her shinigami form.
He had banished Ichigo from his shop for the time being. He knew Ichigo was fighting too much with both Kail and his past self.
Had Shirahime been injured beyond repair? Unohana had suggested she would regain her old form once she woke up, but he had his doubts. He might never see his first daughter again.
“Kisuke,” said Yoruichi coming up behind him. “Mayuri and the others are here.”
He nodded without a word. He stepped inside the room and took Shirahime’s hand.
Mayuri and Nemu came in, followed by Momo, Daichi, Soi Fon, Retsu Unohana, and Hanataro.
Mayuri stopped beside Urahara. He held out a mod soul to him.
“Why should it work this time?” Urahara asked.
“Yukihime helped,” said Daichi.
Lafiel got up and stood back. Urahara placed the mod soul in Shirahime’s mouth and waited.
The room shook as Shirahime’s reiatsu flooded the room. Shirahime burst forth from her human form. She wore her taichos robe and her royal cloak. Blinking her eyes several times, she looked around the room. The reiatsu settled.
Kisuke embraced her. Momo, Daichi, and Hanataro came to her side. Momo hugged her. Looking on, Unohana smiled. Soi Fon squirmed, suppressing her emotions. Nemu smiled, feeling as she rarely had, happy. Mayuri turned away, wanting to welcome her, too, but not wanting to make it so public. Shirahime had changed him. Perhaps one day he would have a chance to show her.
Yoruichi stood beside Lafiel. Seeing her, Kisuke and Momo let go of Shirahime. Tears in her eyes, Yoruichi embraced Shirahime. “My Princess,” Yoruichi said, “I missed you.”
Another wave of reiatsu hit them. Yachiru popped in, followed by Kenpachi and Rangiku. “Mom!” she cried out. She ran to her and jumped. Kisuke caught her. “Sorry I’m late. I had to tell dad Shiroyuki.”
Tears formed in Shirahime’s eyes. She had escaped death, but not fate. Shiroyuki still waited for her. She took Yachiru from Kisuke’s arms. And embraced her.
From across the room, Rangiku turned to Kenpachi. “I wish Hitsugaya Taicho could see this.”
“Unohana said he’ll be conscious soon. Nothing will hold him back now.”
Bleach: Cross: Shiro Shattered: 03
04 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Bleach Tags: Bleach Cross, Bleach Cross Shiro Shattered, Kenpachi + Rangiku, Toshiro + Shirahime
Disclaimers, etc.: see chapter one
Opening Theme: Diamond by Alan
Ending Theme: With You by AAA
Bleach: Cross
Shiro Shattered
By Eugena
Chapter Three: For the Love of Taicho
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FIVE BARRACKS
“Again!” shouted Hinamori to the group of squad five members in front of her. In pairs, the members spared unarmed. One rolled out of the way of his partner’s foot stomping down upon him. Another finally got his partner in a choke hold. Each member looked at his partner as if he were Aizen or Ichimaru.
Third Seat Takeya walked up next to Hinamori. “Break!” he ordered.
“What are you doing?” Hinamori hissed at him.
“Working them to death will not bring our Taicho back.”
“Thorne Taicho will come back to me. I won’t give up on her.”
Several of the squad members stopped to watch the exchange.
“Dismissed,” Takeya said to them.
The members left, leaving Hinamori and Takeya alone.
“Thorne Taicho is coming back to all of us,” Takeya said. “Not just you.”
“I know,” she said, “but I watched Aizen Taicho betray everyone, and I won’t watch Thorne Taicho die.”
Takeya wanted to take Hinamori into his arms to comfort her, but he knew that he was not the one she needed. “Go see her,” he said. “See her for all of us.”
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS – THORNE’S ROOM
The room seemed to move and spin, but Hitsugaya ignored every screaming protest from parts of his body. He didn’t remember if he had eaten at all, but he had no thought for himself. As he had stared continuously at Thorne’s unconscious body, he slowly drowned out Maru’s voice.
He thought he had seen the most tubes connected to a patient when Momo had been here, but now was no comparison. His vision blurred continuously and he ignored the members of the Fourth Squad as they came in and out. He even ignored Matsumoto who had come by to personally escort him to the Captains’ Meeting. He could see nothing but Shirahime and his guilt lain out before him.
“Toshiro-kun,” Momo called to him. “Shiro Taicho.”
His eyes widened at that name. “Shirahime?”
He had been holding her hand and now squeezed it tighter. “Shirahime!” As he leaned closer, the room spun again and he felt himself slipping away.”
Third Seat Iemura caught him before he could fall forward.
“Let me go!” he protested. “Shirahime!”
“Toshiro-kun,” Momo said again. “I’m sorry, Toshiro-kun. It’s only me.”
He turned to face her. “You’re lying. She called me Shiro Taicho.“
Momo struggled not to cry in front of him. “I’m sorry. I know she always calls you that. I shouldn’t have said it.”
“You need to rest, Hitsugaya Taicho,” Iemura said.
“Toshiro-kun, please.”
Hitsugaya struggled against Iemura’s hold. He no longer looked at Iemura or Hinamori but tried to look again at Shirahime. Iemura grabbed something from inside his pocket and jabbed it against Hitsugaya’s side. Hitsugaya’s eyes widened and he fell limp.
“I didn’t want to have to do that,” Iemura said. “But it can’t be helped. He needs a room of his own now.”
“Thank you,” Hinamori said. She looked at her taicho. Although she told herself Thorne Taicho was simply asleep, she knew that Thorne might never wake up.
“Taicho,” she pleaded under her breath. “My Taicho.”
She turned for a moment, embarrassed, but Iemura was no longer there.
She rushed to her taicho’s side, taking the same hand Hitsugaya had held. Tears flowed freely down her face. “Taicho.”
If she could tell her just one last thing, what would it be? How could she summarize it into words?
“Princess of the Heavens,” she began, “Ruler of the White Snow, I don’t know if you are my taicho or just a past life soul, but please bring her back. I love you, no matter what form you take or what life you have. Please don’t take my taicho from me.”
She remembered the brief time Shirayukihime had awoken her from her sleep before Aizen had killed her. She learned only of Thorne’s past life as a princess and those who loved her now. There had been little time to get to know her then.
Yet when Hinamori woke again, Thorne showed her a brand new world. Slowly the wounds from Aizen began to heal and she placed her love for Aizen in her new taicho. Takeya had warned her to revoke her feelings. He said that Thorne would never love her the way she had hoped Aizen would, but Hinamori did not care. In a way, Thorne was like Hinamori. She had been betrayed by the ones she loved the most—her family in the past life—and suffered for it—both in the past life and in the current one. Thorne would marry into the Royal Family to finalize her claim to it. She was bound by past life and current life duties. She could never love who she wanted. She could never marry Shiro.
She was brave and everything Hinamori wanted to be. By loving Thorne, Hinamori loved herself, something she had not done in a long time.
“It’s now or never,” said Tobiume to her.
Hinamori rose up. She brushed Thorne’s hair to the side. “I would give my life for yours. Takeya would, too. But the truth is, I can’t live without you.”
Hinamori had grown too dependent on her taichos. Because of her idolization of Aizen, she had latched on too much to her new taicho.
What would the Spirit of Yukihime require to revive her? Another life perhaps? Yes, Hinamori would only have to trade her life for Thorne’s. She only wished to say goodbye first.
She leaned down and pressed her lips to Thorne’s.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD TWELVE BARRACKS
“Welcome back, Mayuri-sama,” Nemu greeted him as he returned.
“Nemu, is it true we cannot contact the Royal Family?”
“Yes, Mayuri-sama.” She looked at him quizzically. He was not acting like his usual self. “Any news on the Shinnouhi?”
He stepped closer to her, prepared to strike her. But why?
“I know we cannot contact them,” he agreed. As if asking it would have changed the answer.
“Shinnouhi has not recovered. It seems Toshiro Hitsugaya will be the next casualty.
“Nemu, contact Urahara. Then bring me my latest mod soul research.”
“Yes, Mayuri-sama.”
Mayuri wondered if the mod soul research would work this time. His earlier attempt did not work. Although it did not separate Thorne’s spirit from her human body, Shirahime had insisted on the mod soul not be destroyed. He made a body for the soul like he had Nemu, and she had named the mod soul Lafiel. Lafiel took Urahara’s last name, since he was Shirahime’s father in the past life and would now be Lafiel’s father.
Why did Mayuri give so much to another? Was it because he still admired the very unpleasant man who was his former taicho? Was it because Shirahime was royalty? He had no answer for himself.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS – THORNE’S ROOM
Tears flowed down Hinamori’s cheek. This was her last goodbye. After all, this is how Shiroyuki had done it last time. But Momo was not royalty.
She stood up, crying harder. Why did it not work? Did Shiroyuki love her more than she did?
“Hinamori,” said Unohana.
Hinamori turned to see Unohana in the doorway.
“You don’t have the same powers as the Prince.”
“Why isn’t he here?” she asked.
“It is not for us to question the Royal Family,” Unohana reminded her.
“But Thorne Taicho is one of their own!”
“Hinamori, please say your goodbyes. Thorne Taicho will return to the world of the living.”
Hinamori stammered, unable to voice her objections.
“Until a new taicho is selected, you will be in charge of the Fifth Division. My apologies, Hinamori. I know it is not what she wants.”
“Then why go along with it? Is that what your Taichos’ Meeting was about?”
“We have no Central 46, so the Sou Taicho makes all our decisions. His choice cannot be overridden by anyone except the Royal Family.”
“I’m going with her,” Hinamori said softly, then she repeated it louder, “I’m going with her.”
“To the ends of the Earth,” said Unohana, “but right now you have to stay behind. I must heal her and you must take care of the Fifth Division so she can rest easy.”
Shirahime’s fingers twitched and she felt a sudden desire to drink an ocean’s worth of water. Funny, she could not see a thing.
“I think I’ve rested enough,” she said, slurring her words.
Unohana and Hinamori turned to her. Hinamori rushed forward, clasping her hand.
“Kotetsu!” Unohana called.
“I can take care of the Fifth Division just fine,” Thorne protested as she slurred her words.
“Taicho,” Momo said softly, “my Taicho.”
“Funny,” said Shirahime, “I don’t even need a translator to understand that one.”
Momo leaned down and hugged her, although it was awkward with the machines hooked up her.
“I’m never going to leave you,” Momo vowed.
Shirahime patted her head. “In a thousand lifetimes, there are some things I would never change.”
Momo looked at her and Shirahime just smiled. She felt her energy drain. Her hand slowly fell to her side and her eyes rolled upward. She tried to cry out, but she could not make a sound.
Unohana pressed a hand to Momo’s shoulder, and Momo stepped back. Isane appeared at Shirahime’s right side, holding her down. “Taicho?” Isane asked.
Unohana reached into her pocket and drew out a syringe. She injected it into Shirahime’s arm. “For the pain,” she said.
Bleach: Cross: Shiro Shattered: 02
04 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Bleach Tags: Bleach Cross, Bleach Cross Shiro Shattered, Kenpachi + Rangiku, Toshiro + Shirahime
Disclaimers, etc.: see chapter one
Opening Theme: Diamond by Alan
Ending Theme: With You by AAA
Bleach: Cross
Shiro Shattered
By Eugena
Chapter Two: The Sealed Yukihime
SHIRO’S INNER BATTLEFIELD – FIELD OF ICE
Shirahime Thorne awoke on a plane of ice, staring into the cold, unforgiving eyes of Hyorinmaru. The ice dragon roared at her.
“Maru,” she said in greeting, clutching her chest as she rose up. She could see the reflection of Shiro in Maru’s eyes. Both zanpaku-to and master accused her.
“The only way,” she brushed off the accusation. “Aizen is still pissed at me for taking his place.”
Maru roared.
“Enough,” she deflected. “I’m sure the real Element God Hyorinmaru will complain later.”
Maru left his dragon form and appeared in his human form—still retaining his tail.
Shirahime stared into his cold eyes. “A point?” she asked.
“No,” said Maru, running his hand through her hair.
Suddenly her body felt on fire, as if only then did she feel the puncture through her chest. Then she heard Shiro’s words: “Last revival.”
Stricken with fear, she looked into Maru’s eyes. Maru reached out to her, but she faded away.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS
Shirahime felt warm blood pooling inside of her mouth. She turned her head aside to cough and through poor vision watched her own blood flow onto the sheets.
“Lung puncture,” said a member of the fourth squad.
“But how?” questioned Shiro.
“She was still in human form,” answered Unohana as she walked closer to Shirahime. “Hitsugaya Taicho,” she said to Shiro, “please excuse us. We must prep for surgery immediately.”
Shirahime could feel Shiro’s uneasiness, though she could no longer see him or anyone else. What had they said? I was in human form? Perhaps at another time it would have made sense to her, but now she could only see Maru’s eyes. In her mind, she reached out for him, but touched nothing.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – OUTSIDE SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS
Momo Hinamori ran into Shiro’s arms, tears streaming down her face. “Taicho! My taicho!” Her cries became more frantic and her breathing more frantic.
Shiro could not see her. His shock blinded him. He could only hear Unohana’s voice. “It’s my fault,” he mumbled. “How much time had it been? How long was I standing there?” Only now could he recall the members of Squad Four prying him off of Shirahime. He had stood there for a long time impaling her with Yukihime.
Surely it did not take so long to revive a soul?
Time had seemed to stop for him. From the moment he struck her with her own zanpaku-to, he had known no more until he heard “Lung puncture,” until he had dropped Yukihime. Only when he was free of Yukihime did Toshiro Hitsugaya exist again. For while he held Yukihime in its last revival, he saw through Shirahime’s eyes—he looked at Hyorinmaru, whom Shirahime often called Maru. He remembered calling him Maru.
“Hitsugaya Taicho!” Momo cried out.
The fact she called him captain and not Shiro jolted him into reality.
He looked across to Rangiku Matsumoto, oddly aware at how watery she appeared. He felt his tears drop from his face.
“Taicho!” Matusmoto yelled at him, trying to shake him.
He dropped slowly to the floor.
“Shirahime,” he muttered. “Shirahime.” He looked to his own hands. Could he see her blood or was he imagining it?
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD ONE BARRACKS – CHAMBER FOR TAICHOS’ MEETING
The taichos of the Gotei 13 stood on either side of Yamamoto Sou Taicho—save for Hitsugaya Taicho and Thorne Shirahime Taicho.
Rangiku Matsumoto knelt across from Yamamoto, just as she once did when her taicho had been thought a traitor.
“Hitsugaya Taicho cannot attend the meeting, sir. I apologize for him.”
“I am aware of his state,” said Yamamoto.
Yamamoto examined the captains present. Zaraki veiled a deep anger. Kurotsuchi seemed uncharacteristically attentive. “Thorne-Shihoin Shirayukihime Taicho is a member of the Royal Family. She is the next wife of the Crown Prince. As Shinigami, it is our duty to protect the members of the Royal Family. Therefore, from this day forward, the Princess will not return as a shinigami or a taicho.”
“Sou Taicho,” asked Unohana, “are you sure this is what she would want?”
“If she dies,” he answered. “Crown Prince Shiroyuki will have our heads. So, I am sending her back to Yourichi Shihoin and Kisuke Urahara.”
“Sou Taicho,” Zaraki said, “I don’t think that would make the Crown Prince content.”
“Those are my orders,” Yamamoto said. “Soi Fon, you will send your third seat with her.”
“Yes, sir,” said Soi Fon.
“What about Yachiru Kusajishi?” asked Zaraki. “She won’t be happy you plan to do this with her mother.”
“Kusajishi Fukutaicho is not yet an official member of the Royal Family. She is still a shinigami under my command. You are all dismissed.”
Each taicho and Rangiku left the room, but Zaraki remained behind. “Yachiru will complain to Shiroyuki.” He left, not waiting for Yamamoto’s reply.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – OUTSIDE SQUAD ONE BARRACKS
Zaraki found Matsumoto waiting around, staring off into the distance.
“How is he?” Zaraki asked.
“He won’t forgive himself. He won’t eat.”
“It’s not his fault. He did save her life.” Then he looked down, as if seeing himself in his past life. “I never thought I would meet someone who loved her more than I did.”
“Do you think Yachiru will change things?” she asked.
“She’s already talked to Shiroyuki. He knows what happened. The King won’t allow anyone to leave. Shiroyuki wants to destroy Aizen but the King won’t allow it. Shiroyuki is his only heir.”
“So he won’t stand up to his own father?”
“No. Not until Yachiru gets recognized as a member of the Royal Family.”
She turned to him, looking at him in the eye, “And you’re okay with this? If Yachiru becomes an official princess, you may never see her again.”
“I wouldn’t say that. I’d just have to work very hard to get into Squad Zero—you would, too.” He smiled at her.
Matsumoto didn’t want to confront her own feelings at the moment. Her taicho was unstable and the woman he loved could be dying. No, she did not feel like she could be selfish.
“I don’t want to leave you,” she said, “but I can’t leave my taicho.”
“I don’t know how it will be for Hitsugaya. In a way, he will lose the one he loves either way. I doubt he would want to go into Squad Zero after she marries Shiroyuki.”
“Yes he would. I don’t think he could ever live without her again, even if it means someone else will be married to her.”
Zaraki gathered her into his arms. “Just promise me you don’t have any plans to marry Ichimaru. I doubt I can be as noble as Hitsugaya.”
Bleach: Cross: Shiro Shattered: 01
04 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Bleach Tags: Bleach Cross, Bleach Cross Shiro Shattered, Kenpachi + Rangiku, Toshiro + Shirahime
Bleach © Kubo Tite. Bleach: Cross original characters and elements, including the “past life backstory” © Eugena.
A/N: Set between Bleach: Cross: After Diamond Dust and Bleach: Cross: Soul of Shirahime. Aizen and Ichimaru attack the Fifth Squad, leaving Shirahime fatally injured. Shiro saves her, but leaves her possibly worse off. Yamamoto exiles Shirahime to the world of the living.
The last chapter, “Shiro Sunset,” was once a separate story, but I have merged it into this one.
Pairings: Shiro/Shirahime, Kenpachi/Rangiku
Opening Theme: Diamond by Alan
Ending Theme: With You by AAA
Bleach: Cross
Shiro Shattered
By Eugena
Rated: T
Chapter One: Death and Rebirth
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD TEN BARRACKS
Hitsugaya and Matsumoto grumbled as they went through the tedious paperwork. Suddenly, the ground rumbled beneath them. Hitsugaya looked ahead, feeling a certain spiritual pressure.
“Taicho?” Matsumoto asked.
“It’s Thorne Taicho’s bankai. Something’s happening.”
Hitsugaya flash stepped towards squad five. Matsumoto followed him.
On their way, they met up with Zaraki Taicho and Yachiru and Kurotsuchi Taicho and Nemu Kurotsuchi.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FIVE BARRACKS
A black energy field enveloped the Fifth Division. The other taichos and fukutaichos try repeatedly to penetrate the field. Soi Fon Taicho stood ahead of the others, shouting orders to the Punishment Squad to try and breach the barrier.
Zaraki Taicho landed next to Soi Fon Taicho. “Stand back,” he said He elevated his reiatsu and sliced the barrier with his zanpaku-to. His zanpaku-to passed through the barrier, but the barrier closed up around the slice as if quickly healing a wound.
“Taicho!” Hinamori’s panicked voice rang out.
“It’s Aizen’s and Ichimaru’s energy,” said Kurotsuchi Taicho, looking down at a research and development device in his hand, “We have little chance of breaking that barrier.”
“That’s not good enough,” Hitsugaya said. He unsheathed his zanpaku-to and changed it to its shikai form.
“Don’t be foolish,” the Sou Taicho warned. “You think we haven’t tried that? If we attack too much, the barrier will collapse and the squad be destroyed.”
“You’re the one being foolish, Yamamoto,” Thorne Taicho’s voice carried out to them past the barrier. It was different, and certainly indicated that Thorne had entered bankai mode. Unlike any other shinigami, Thorne’s zanpaku-to was of her own soul—a past life when she lived as the Snow Princess of the Heavens, Shirayukihime no Tenjou, called Shirahime. Though Thorne used to be a 5’7″ human with naturally black hair, since becoming a shinigami, she maintained a form closer to Shirahime’s—looking in her early twenties rather than thirty, blue eyes instead of green, and snow white hair. When she entered bankai, she grew to 5’9″ and her voice was the same as her past life’s.
“Take this opportunity to destroy Aizen. If you can’t kill him, you’ll at least kill Ichimaru. I will protect all that I can.”
This time, Kusajishi Yachiru Fukutaicho, the reincarnation of Shirahime’s daughter, turned her attention to Yamamoto. “I won’t let you do it.”
Yamamoto knelt down to her to look her in the eye. “Do you think I can, young princess? The Royal Family will hold us all responsible if something happens to her.”
A shinigami unsheathed a zanpaku-to. All eyes turned to Second Squad Third Seat, Lafiel Urahara. She was created exactly as Nemu Kurotsuchi – mod soul and gigai. She looked exactly like Thorne Taicho.
“As Fifth Division Taicho,” Lafiel said, “she cannot order the Sou Taicho to do anything. But as royalty, she can. Unless you want to drag Prince Shiroyuki here to counter her demands, I suggest you follow her orders.”
There had always been a difficult balance. As a Taicho, Thorne was not the highest in command. Yet, as royalty, she received their loyalty without question. Many times, Yamamoto knew he could be upstaged by her status, so he tried to avoid conflict. This time, the conflict became inevitable.
Just as he was ready to give the order, Thorne’s voice returned.
“Unohana Taicho, prepare to receive casualties. Everyone else, prepare a barrier.”
“Damn it,” thought Hitsugaya, “surely she wouldn’t?”
“Bankai,” he said, switching into his semi-dragon form.
“KOUTEN NO SHINNOU!”
Thorne’s voice, blended as herself and Shirahime’s rang out throughout the Sereitei. She had used the bankai of Shirayukihime no Tenjou and the White Zangetsu, Shinnou.
The entire barrier and area underneath it became engulfed with a blue fire. As the smoke cleared, Hitsugaya flew in first. The others followed him.
Hinamori Fukutaicho knelt by her taicho, tears in her eyes. Hitsugaya arrived and knelt down beside Thorne.
Tears falling from her face, Hinamori explained, “She could not protect us and herself at the same time. She wounded Aizen and Ichimaru very badly but they and a few others escaped. The rest of them are dead.”
Hitsugaya looked around to see the mix of dead Arrancar and shielded shinigami. Daichi Takeya, third seat rushed beside his taicho and adopted mother. He touched her neck and felt her pulse. “She’s still alive,” he said.
“Hinamori,” Hitsugaya said, “take care of your squad.” He gathered Thorne into his arms. Takeya gave him the Thorne’s two zanpaku-tos and Hitsugya took flight.
He could not decide who he despised more at the moment, Aizen and Ichimaru or Thorne for using the dual bankai.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS
After entering Squad Four, he laid Thorne down on an available bed and took out the two zanpaku-tos. He glared for a moment at the White Zangetsu, almost to accuse Kail, Ichigo’s Hollow, for letting Thorne down. But Kail had long ago returned to Ichigo, leaving only the zanpaku-to. Kail had his own zanpaku-to, but Thorne copied it into the material world through her revival command shikai. Though most had called it the White Zangetsu or Shiro Zangetsu, Thorne gave the copy its own name, Shinnou.
At last he looked to Thorne’s first zanpaku-to, Yukihime. It, like Shinnou, had returned to its sealed form. Thorne had called the zanpaku-to Yukihime instead of Shirayukihime because she did not like having to call it after her past life, even though that was the soul that empowered the zanpaku-to. Only in bankai form did she call it by her former official royal title, Shirayukihime no Tenjou. Only in bankai did she have to fully revive her soul.
He could not use her bankai, but surely Yukihime trusted him enough for a shikai?
“Give me room,” he said to the various Squad Four members attending Thorne Taicho.
Before they moved, he reached out for Yukihime. “Revive.”
The zanpaku-to glowed blue and white and the blade grew larger. “Last revival,” he said and plunged the zanpaku-to into Thorne’s chest.
Bleach: Cross: Fifth Division in the Red: 03 (M)
04 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Bleach Tags: Bleach Cross, Bleach Cross Fifth Division in the Red, Byakuya + Shirahime, Kenpachi + Shirahime, Mayuri + Shirahime, Toshiro + Shirahime
Disclaimers: see chapter one.
Opening Theme: Momoiro no Hana (Hinamori Character Song)
Ending Theme: Every Heart by BoA
Fifth Division in the Red
A Bleach: Cross Story
By Eugena
Chapter Three: Rest and Relaxation, But This?
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS
Zaraki could tell Thorne was regaining consciousness by the reiatsu leaking from her body. It was strong for the small amount bleeding from her. He had never before felt her power at this level. Something had definitely gone wrong.
Some of the lower-ranking shinigami of Squad Four fainted as she and Zaraki came closer. Unohana Taicho came quickly to meet them. Summoning her zanpaku-to, Unohana placed Thorne inside it.
“What happened?” she asked Zaraki.
“It’s their fault. Squad Zero.” He told her quickly of when she scolded Yachiru and how even then her reiatsu seemed wild. Then the blood.
“It’s the Royal Family’s fault,” Unohana concluded.
She was about to go on, but rumbling from inside Minazuki tore her away from her thoughts.
“Reiatsu,” she said. “Out of control.”
She removed Thorne from Minazuki and began enchanting a binding spell around her. She had to drain Thorne of her reiatsu and then heal her.
Yachiru and Shinnou arrived. Seeing his shinigami master bound, Shinnou roared and flew towards her. He began to rip away the bindings. As he continued to tear away at them, his snout reached out and touched her arm. Reiatsu flooded the area again, but soon sank into Shinnou.
“That should be impossible,” Unohana murmered.
Zaraki began to hear a voice in his head, a young boy’s. He heard it grating in his ears like the speech of a dragon. “Yachiru,” he called, “summon the bankai.”
Yachiru drew the Shinnou zanpaku-to and shouted, “Go to war, Shinnou!”
Shinnou shined brightly then faded into snow white dragon wings that wrapped around Thorne. The reiatsu flood had finally ended.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD SIX BARRACKS
Momo had just finished explaining The Bachelorette as she understood it. Granted, she didn’t understand all of the references to getting blood tests and the camera cutting off at certain points, but she thought the blood tests meant blood type tests. After all, it was common for them to match people on that basis.
By now, Rangiku and Renji had turned many shades of red. They, unlike Momo, had understood what Momo had not.
Kuchiki Taicho kept a stern gaze on them, as if to say they should not let Momo know what she did not understand.
“I see,” he said, preventing Momo’s further ramblings. “And why is this a good idea for your Taicho?”
This time, Momo blushed. She bent her head low. “Kuchiki Taicho. . .The Fifth Squad is . . . .”
“In need of a serious break,” Rangiku interjected. Sure, it was a bad idea to lie to the Sixth Squad Taicho, but Thorne Taicho and the others did need a break. Even if the main reason was the squad needed money.
Kuchiki said nothing but remained in contemplation.
Suddenly, they felt the flood of Thorne’s reiatsu coming from the Fourth Squad Barracks.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS – THORNE’S ROOM
Kuchiki rushed in first to the room. He caught a glimpse of hideous scars encompassing Thorne’s naked flesh. Unohana turned around quickly to block his view.
“What happened?” he demanded.
Renji, Rangiku, and Momo arrived next.
“Taicho!” Momo cried.
“Give Unohana some space,” Zaraki said in a firm voice from behind her. Rangiku could see him standing close to Thorne.
“Where’s Yachiru?” Rangiku asked, worried at what he might say.
“With Takeya,” he said. “Take care of them for me.”
Kuchiki turned away and the others left with him. Momo did not want to leave at first, but Ragiku’s firm grasp on her arm led her away.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS – HANATARO YAMADA’S ROOM
The last place the four expected to find Yachiru and her adopted brother was in Hanataro Yamada’s room. Then again, they did not expect to see the formidable Fukutaicho of Squad Eleven crying in her brother’s arms.
Hanataro jumped slightly in surprise as they came in.
Kuchiki pinned Hanataro with his gaze. “What happened?”
“I don’t know,” he stuttered, “but she released so much reiatsu that we all froze except Unohana Taicho.”
“They did it,” Daichi Takeya accused in a firm voice. “That Royal Shinigami Squad. They hurt Hime-sama.”
Daichi usually referred to her as Taicho, sometimes as Shinnouhi, never as mother, but Hime-sama only when he remembered his days as an orphan spirit in the Rukongai. He gritted his teeth and touched the handle of his zanpaku-to, Aoi Raiko.
Hanataro set two tea cups down by Daichi and Yachiru.
“Onee-san,” Daichi said to Yachiru as he offered one of the cups to her.
“Dai-kun.” Her sobs seemed to quiet down.
Daichi kissed her forehead.
For a moment, Momo flushed with embarrassment. Although Daichi appeared older, Yachiru insisted that he was the younger of the two. So why had it bothered her that he kissed Yachiru?
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD ONE BARRACKS
Yamamoto Sou Taicho was among the first to feel Shirahime’s reiatsu leak, but at Hitsugaya’s sudden appearance, he declined to go to the Fourth Squad barracks. Hitsugaya had turned around with a shocked expression, nearly the moment he had arrived before Yamamoto. The Sou Taicho placed his hand on his shoulder to prevent him from leaving.
“She’s probably just angry,” Yamamto said, able to read extreme anger from the reiatsu.
Hitsugaya calmed little and nearly spat his words, “Yeah, I’m sure it was Momo’s idea.”
Yamamoto looked puzzled. Sure, when Hinamori had just awoken, her harsh treatment of the new taicho would have been enough to strip her of her rank, but even then the royal taicho did not punish her. So, what could be so bad now?
“Hinamori’s idea?” Yamamoto prompted.
“She wants Shirahime to go out on a lot of dates. Some idea from a tv show from America.” He blushed. He called her Shirahime. Damn. He kept telling himself to refer to her as “Thorne.” He tried to always remain formal around the Sou Taicho. But he had called Hinamori “Momo” even then. Calling Hinamori by her first name never stirred up the same sort of feelings he felt with Thorne. Yet every time someone called her by her proper title, Shinnouhi, it reminded him of how far out of his reach she was.
“Well I think this is something for –.” Before he could say “her to decide,” he felt the violent reiatsu change as Shinnou absorbed Shirahime’s reiatsu.
He flash stepped to the Fourth Division. Hitsugaya followed close behind.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS – OUTSIDE THORNE’S ROOM
When the pair arrived, the Fourth Division Fukutaicho pointed them to Thorne’s room. When they arrived, Yamamoto caught the distraught look in Unohana’s eyes and grunted. Zaraki reluctantly took the cue and left, blocking Hitsugaya’s way in.
Closing the door behind him, Zaraki quickly looked Hitsugaya over. The stern look on Hitsugaya’s face told Zaraki without question what he had denied accepting for months: Hitsugaya was in love with Shirahime. Shiroyuki owned Shirahime. The Royal family had done this to her. Now this child of a taicho had dared to stake some type of claim on her. How dare any of them. Why should everyone else have a piece of the woman he loved? Even Zaraki had a limit.
“You can’t protect her. You’re only a kid. Sure, you’re a taicho but she’s royalty.” He emphasized his last word. Most of his speech was meant for himself, but he finally wanted to tell Hitsugaya off. He had to get off the steam, the blame somewhere. Someone had to put the pint-sized taicho in his place. He was a child, younger than Hinamori, the same age as Daichi, her son, and not too much older than Yachiru, her daughter. He paused, smiling to himself. Yachiru always called herself the older sister. She was in fact older than Daichi but he appeared older, Hitsugaya’s age.
“You’re not good enough,” Zaraki announced firmly.
Hitsugaya was unaccustomed to rage. When Aizen hurt Hinamori, he was very angry. When she spoke of her beloved Aizen Taicho, he was angry in a different way. But those days had passed. Now, he knew she hated Aizen. Not for betraying her or the squad, not even for nearly killing her, but for killing once and still pursuing the taicho she truly adored. But what right did Hitsugaya have to the Shinnouhi? Why was he so angry now, when he could only relate to Momo’s adoration of her?
Zaraki wasn’t really saying he wasn’t good enough to protect her. What he meant was he wasn’t good enough to love her, to be with her, and that gave him a new meaning of angry, a new depth to rage.
Ragiku’s jokes came back to him: maybe it was now down to him and Zaraki.
“I love her.” His own words shocked him. Had he ever said it to her? He couldn’t remember right then. In this world there was only Zaraki and himself. He could never best Zaraki in combat, but maybe for this fight.
“I have a daughter to check on,” Zaraki’s comment interrupted his thoughts, “and her son as well. Would you be ready for that, Hitsugaya? A family?”
His comments stunned Hitsugaya into silence, and he decided return to his barracks, stopping only once to ask Isane to tell him when Shirahime awoke.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS – THORNE’S ROOM
Unohana knew what needed to be fixed was not really the reiatsu that still leaked, or the scars that would take a long time to heal, even with all of her methods, but the heart. The emotional and psychological damage was more than anyone should have to bear. Neither she nor Yamamoto understood exactly what was done, but they could speculate.
“I can’t believe it. Even for them,” Yamamoto said finally.
“The only thing we can do is try to seal off their access,” Unohana said. “But you know we can’t.”
“I can try,” he said. “I once bested a small Squad Zero training squad. They did offer me the chance to join them, but I didn’t want to leave my students behind.”
Shirahime stirred, slowly coming back around. “I’m naked,” she said flatly.
“We had to tend to your wounds. I can help you dress in a bit,” Unohana promised.
“You should rest,” Yamamoto said. “Leave your worries to us.”
“Ha,” she laughed weakly, “and here I was having a dream I was on The Bachelorette. Stupid tv.”
Yamamoto took Unohana by the arm and whispered, “How about therapy dating? Hinamori fukutaicho’s idea.”
Unohana raised her brows in surprise. “I suppose . . . yes . . . .” Her brows knitted further, aware she was out of some loop she would no doubt hear endlessly about in the next coming weeks. “Just no sex,” she added.
“Of course not,” he interjected. “Some American thing. We can have her explain it later.”
He turned back to Shirahime. “Do feel better. We will keep watch.”
As he left, Shirahime felt the room spinning. “Did he say ‘sex’?”
Unohana reddened. “Expect,” she blurted quickly. “He didn’t know what to expect on what you thought of Hinamori’s idea.”
Shirahime looked at her, confused. As she drifted off she tried to ask her about what idea, but that could wait.
oOo
Preview of the Next Chapter:
Who knew that dating was supposed to be relaxing? Thorne drifts off to unconsciousness and continues her nightmare of being a Bachelorette only to find it is soon to be a reality.
Hitsugaya has admitted his feelings, only to find he’s endorsed the dating. Will he win out over Zaraki or will someone new enter the picture?
Meanwhile, Yamamoto encourages Hinamori to go through with the idea. Only one problem remains: is there supposed to be sex on this show?
Who is a candidate to be a bachelor? Vote now.
Bleach: Cross: Fifth Division in the Red: 02 (M)
04 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Bleach Tags: Bleach Cross, Bleach Cross Fifth Division in the Red, Byakuya + Shirahime, Kenpachi + Shirahime, Mayuri + Shirahime, Toshiro + Shirahime
Disclaimers: see chapter one.
Opening Theme: Momoiro no Hana (Hinamori Character Song)
Ending Theme: Every Heart by BoA
Fifth Division in the Red
A Bleach: Cross Story
By Eugena
Chapter Two: Taicho to Taicho
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD TWELVE – KUROTSUCHI TAICHO’S QUARTERS
After the television viewing, Thorne asked Kurotsuchi to talk. After assuring Hinamori she would soon return, Thorne entered Kurotsuchi’s room—something few did. Nemu waited outside.
Thorne looked around. Everything was in its proper place and the room seemed uncharacteristically barren.
“You changed things for me?” she asked.
“I merely wished to make you comfortable. I anticipated this meeting.”
“Hmm?”
“What better place to find solace than a taicho’s room? You are troubled, Shinnouhi.”
She sat down in an oddly plush couch. It seemed out of place for him. “Please don’t call me Shinnouhi. It just reminds me that I am Shiroyuki’s property.”
“As you wish, Princess.” He paused, noting the grimace remaining on her face. “But that’s not any better. It still does not hide the truth.”
“Fine. Shinnouhi.” She stood, face-to-face with him. “I need a mod soul. I can’t keep living like this. I get too tired, and I don’t have Kail inside me anymore.”
Kail, Ichigo’s hollow form, had lived inside of her since she first came to Soul Society. She had briefly been the Fourth Seat of Squad Eleven. Then Hitsugaya won a duel against Zaraki for her to become the Third Seat of Squad Ten. Then she faced Aizen and for the first time, drew forth Yukihime’s bankai, a resurrection of her former soul. Aizen had nearly finished the key to enter the House of the King. In her bankai form, she fought Aizen and broke the key. Although she had not completely destroyed the key, she had bought the Shinigami time with her life.
Since the King of Soul Society had resurrected her, she still remained part human. This remained her one weakness.
“I am still working on it, Shinnouhi. I cannot have it fail and harm you.”
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – STREETS OF THE SEIREITEI
Momo Hinamori had wondered what made her taicho uncomfortable with the show. If it came from her home country of America, isn’t that how many Americans acted? Still, she could not compare her taicho with those commoners. Still, her thoughts returned to her taicho’s words.
It seemed like a good idea. The more she thought about it, the more she could imagine getting the Fifth Division out of debt. But what would Taicho say?
“Hinamori-chan!” Rangiku Matsumto called to her.
“Ah, Rangi-san,” she said.
Matsumoto caught up with her. “Why were you over at Squad Twelve?”
“I went to see Thorne Taicho.”
“Thorne Taicho went there?” Rangiku asked in belief.
“Yes. Rin had a present for her. A television show from her own country.” Hinamori sighed.
“And what sort was it?”
“Well, it was very strange. This woman dated a lot of men and the television company paid for it.”
“I wished I lived in America,” Rangiku sighed.
“Rangi-san, do you think we could do something like that in our squad to raise money?”
“Money?”
“Yeah.” Hinamori looked down. “We’re really in debt. Taicho doesn’t know.”
“Well,” she laughed and gave Hinamori a slap on the back. “If your taicho goes on the dates, you’ll have no problem making money. It would be a good fund raiser.”
“Matsumoto,” Toshiro Hitsugaya called out. “You’re not finished with your paperwork!”
“Ah,” Rangiku sighed, “if only my taicho was as good as yours.”
“I heard that!” Hitsugaya snapped as he walked up to him. “Just what are you two talking about?”
“Taicho,” Rangiku said, “Hinamori-chan wants to set up her taicho on dates to raise money for the squad.”
Hinamori blushed. “I didn’t really say that.”
Hitsugaya turned red. He tried to sound angry, but the two women could sense his embarrassment. “What do you mean?” he stammered.
“Taicho’s country has a show called The Bachelorette,” Hinamori explained. “The Bachelorette gets money to go on dates with men and she kicks them off the show. The last one left is the winner.”
“What do they win?” he asked.
“They get married.”
Hitsugaya’s mouth dropped open. He stared at the two women.
“Perfect, right, Taicho?” Matsumoto asked. “Now you can finally settle it out with Zaraki.”
“Matusmoto!”
“Come on, Hinamori. Let’s get Renji and Kira in on this. Hitsugaya Taicho and Zaraki Taicho can’t be the only ones.”
“Bye, Shiro-chan,” Hinamori said as she and Matsumoto flash stepped away.
Hyorinmaru laughed inside of Hitsugaya. “Can’t avoid it now, Toshiro. They’ll have the whole Seireitei after Hime-sama’s hand.”
“Shut up,” he muttered.
“Heineko thought it was great, too.”
“I said shut up!” He could do paperwork by himself. No, forget that, he would bring this up to Yamamoto Sou Taicho. Surely he wouldn’t allow this.
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD ELEVEN BARRACKS
Outside the Eleventh Division, Yachiru chased Ikkaku. Zaraki found it amusing and no one would complain to him about Yachiru.
“What’s bothering you, Taicho?” Yumichika asked.
Normally no one would ask such a question, but it was obvious it was Shirahime Thorne. No one had spoken a work about Zaraki’s broken engagement with her. They had planned to get married, only to have Squad Zero kidnap her for an entire month. The Royal Family would not have her marrying anyone but the Crown Prince.
“Hime-san appeared much weaker when she got back,” Yumichka said. “I wonder what they did to her?”
“She would not even tell Yachiru. And now she has refused any treatment from Unohana Taicho.”
“Taicho, would you kill the Prince?”
“I will kill anyone who harms her. Royalty or not.”
That was the motto of the Eleventh Squad. After all, no one wanted to see their taicho angry or their fukutaicho sad. Everyone lived through that once before. No one thought they could live through Yachiru’s grief again. And Yumichka liked Shirahime. Yet another secret to keep from Zaraki.
Yachiru finally landed on top of Ikkaku’s head and started beating on him.
“Prepare for battle, Shinnou.”
The rush of reiatsu stunned most in the squad, except for the top members: Zaraki, Yachiru, Ikkaku, and Yumichka.
Zaraki became angrier at Squad Zero once he heard those words. Unlike most shinigami, Thorne did not have to recite either a shikai or bankai release phrase. Not even for her second zanpaku-to, Shinnou.
A small snow white dragon with Shirahime’s blue eyes hovered above Yachiru. Ikakku stopped running.
Yachiru leaped for the dragon. “Shinnou!” She caught it between her arms in an awkward hug and bounced to the ground.
“Yachiru!” Shirahime snapped at her. “Stop harassing Ikkaku.”
Yaichiru stood up and bowed to her. “Hai, Oka-sama.”
Ikkaku looked on in disbelief. Though Yachiru loved her mother very much, she had never been so formal before. Then again, Thorne had never appeared that angry at her before.
Thorne breathed heavily. Blood dripped down her left arm and onto Shinnou’s hilt. Her vision blurred and she swayed. Zaraki flash stepped forward and caught her before she fell.
“Damn those Squad Zero Shinigami!” He looked across her face, noting the sweat mixed with blood. “If they ever come here again, you all have my permission to kill them.”
Ikkaku and Yumichka stood up and saluted, “Hai, Zaraki Taicho.”
Finally the others could move as Thorne’s reiatsu had faded. The Shinnou zanpaku-to clattered to the ground.
The spirit Shinnou roared and stood next to the zanpaku-to.
Yachiru’s eyes had formed tears. She had always liked the color of blood, but never on her mother.
“Yachiru, I’m taking her to Unohana. Bring Shinnou . . .,” he paused, “. . . and Shinnou.”
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD SIX BARRACKS
Renji Abari, Fukutaicho of Squad Six, stood opposite the fourteenth seated officer. The man stood, ready to fall in exhaustion. Renji had only released Zabimaru’s shikai, and the officer had trouble holding his own in the duel.
“Hey, Renji!” Matsumoto called out. She and Momo flash-stepped and appeared a few feet away from them.
“I think this is enough for today,” Renji said to the officer.
“Thank you, sir,” he said and bowed to him.
“Rangiku, Momo, what are you doing here?”
“Well,” said Rangiku with a large smile, “we just had the greatest idea! Tell him, Momo.”
Momo flushed in embarrassment. “Thorne Taicho—,” she paused, “Thorne Taicho—,” she began to think of her taicho dating Renji. “That is . . . Thorne Taicho—.” She blushed more.
“What?” he asked, wondering if he wanted to know after all.
“Thorne Taicho should go on some dates as a fund raiser for the squad,” Rangiku finished for her.
“Dates?” his mouth hung open in disbelief. Yeah, he had thought about dating her himself—in his dreams, and only in his dreams.
“Yes! It’s common in this thing called ‘reality television’ in Thorne’s home country.” Rangiku waited for a few moments, letting it sink in. “Well, Renji? What do you think? You would want to compete, right?”
Renji got flustered. He blushed and sputtered out his words: “Compete . . . to date . . . Thorne . . . Taicho?”
Momo still thought about Renji dating Thorne. Was this a good idea?
“I think you should ask Shinnouhi first,” said Kuchiki Taicho from the entrance of the barracks building. “And explain to me how this would not become a call service.”
oOo
Preview of the Next Chapter:
Momo and company explain reality show dating to Kuchiki. Unohana orders that the Shinnouhi, Thorne Taicho, get some R & R. Will Momo decide this contest would be good relaxation for her taicho?
Hitsugaya seeks an audience with the Sou Taicho to put an end to this mess. Will he get there before Momo has set up his beloved Shirahime on many dates? Will Yamamoto be a bachelor?
Vote now for your candidates.
Bleach: Cross: Fifth Division in the Red: 01 (M)
04 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Bleach Tags: Bleach Cross, Bleach Cross Fifth Division in the Red, Byakuya + Shirahime, Kenpachi + Shirahime, Mayuri + Shirahime, Toshiro + Shirahime
Bleach © Tite Kubo. Bleach: Cross characters and elements, including the “past life backstory” © Eugena.
A/N: Rated M for implied themes. This is a spoof of The Bachelorette, Bleach style. You have been warned.
Timeline: Occurs after the “After DiamondDust” story, sometime shortly after Momo Hinamori wakes up from her coma.
Opening Theme: Momoiro no Hana (Hinamori Character Song)
Ending Theme: Every Heart by BoA
Fifth Division in the Red
A Bleach: Cross Story
By Eugena
Rated: M
Chapter One: Present for Taicho
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD FIVE BARRACKS – THORNE TAICHO’S QUARTERS
Momo Hinamori, Fukutaicho of the Fifth Division looked over the numbers again. And again. Grimacing, she crumpled an edge of the paper, ready to toss the paper away.
“Taicho’s going to be upset,” she grumbled.
Behind her, Daichi Thorne Takeya, Third Seat of the Fifth Division, stopped shelving the books he had been archiving. He turned to her. “What’s the matter, Fukutaicho?”
Hinamori stood, a defeated look on her face, “I’m such a failure.”
“Oh, come on,” he said, “Thorne Taicho will solve it.”
“Look at it for yourself,” she said.
Takeya walked over to the taicho’s desk and stared at the paper. His reading skills still were not up to par.
“Of course,” Hinamori said,” “I don’t have to tell her. Maybe we could solve this ourselves.”
Takeya continued to stare at the paper. Finally, he began to understand. “We’re this far in debt?”
“If only I had woken up sooner,” said Hinamori. “If only I had been here when Taicho first—.” She could not bring herself to say “died.”
“She won’t know,” Takeya said, “but you should tell her.”
oOo
SOUL SOCIETY – SQUAD TWELVE – RESEARCH SECTION
Rin brought Thorne Taicho a cup of tea. She took it and held it, looking suspiciously at it. She didn’t trust Kurotsuchi Taicho. He’d do anything for his research.
Rin went back to fool with the controls of a modified television. “This is from one of your country’s shows,” he said proudly. It was not every day one could give a taicho a unique gift.
Thorne turned as she sensed Nemu Kurotsuchi’s reiatsu.
Nemu smiled at her. “Please enjoy your tea, Shinnouhi, Mayuri-sama would not harm you.”
Thorne could never tell Nemu to call her Taicho. Thorne’s title as Shinnouhi (Imperial Princess) was much higher than her rank as a taicho. Mayuri had taught Nemu to always be formal and address others by their title and name. Since there was no other Shinnouhi, Nemu thought there was no need to address her by name. Nemu never called her Taicho except in the company of those who did not know that Thorne was the Crown Prince’s betrothed.
As for Mayuri himself, Thorne did not doubt he did not harm her because of royal mandate. If he harmed her, Squad Zero would kill him. She did not doubt Crown Prince’s Shiroyuki’s resolve to kill anyone that harmed her. Yet, even she knew that the portal between Soul Society and the House of the King worked less these days. Until Aizen and his troops were dead, she could not depend on the Royal Family’s protection.
She lifted the tea to her lips and drank, knowing that she had laid her life in Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s hands.
“Is it to your liking, Shinnouhi?” Mayuri asked.
Thorne kept calm, always wishing to freak out over his appearance. “Hai. Arigato, Kurotsuchi Taicho.” Sometimes, she did not need Kurotsuchi’s translator to speak their language.
“It’s ready, Rin announced. It’s from a program ABC.”
“Maybe Dancing with the Stars,” Thorne thought.
She took one look at the obnoxious announcer and knew she was wrong.
“Welcome Back to Season Sixteen of the Bachelorette.”
“Anything but this,” she muttered under her breath.
The Bachelorette, pressed her face into one of the bachelor’s, smothering him with kisses. After only a few moments, the camera cut away.
“What happened?” Rin asked.
“Ask someone when you’re older,” Thorne answered.
Rin turned a few dials and the picture returned, perhaps from several episodes later. The Bachelorette’s face streamed with tears. She bawled loudly.
“Taicho!” Hinamori called out, rushing in. “Taicho!”
“I’m okay, Momo. It’s someone on the television,” Thorne assured her.
Hinamori came in and watched the rest of the scene with the others.
The Bachelorette turned square to the camera, what an actor would otherwise call an aside. Yet this was reality television, so what was she thinking?
Between disgustingly obvious fake tears, she lamented to the audience: “My one true love! Out of everyone I would pick him! And he has to go home to take care of his dying sister—aunt—someone—oh who the (bleep) cares? What about me? He has some (bleep) (bleep) priorities!”
Another camera picks up on the leaving bachelor. “It’s not like I had a chance anyway. After all, she was always (bleep) (bleep) (bleep) the other men. She should take care of herself. I think you execs need to pay for an HIV test for everyone.”
Rin and Hinamori looked dumbfounded at the screen. Mayuri turned the show off. He was going to say something, then Thorne interrupted: “Sensitive ears.”
“Thank you, Rin,” Thorne said. “This was very thoughtful of you.”
“You didn’t like it,” he said.
“This was a bad season for it. This year’s contestant was out to do anything to get an Emmy. There are better seasons.” Yet, feel free to skip all of them.
Rin fell at the taicho’s feet. “Forgive me, Taicho. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“Nonsense,” she said, helping him up. “All you need is a few more adjustments and you’ll get a good one: Dancing with the Stars.”
“Taicho, what kind of show was that?” Hinamori asked. “And what’s the Emmy?”
“An Emmy is an award given to actors. Most television shows are fiction, with actors playing characters. That one, however, was what is called reality television. It means a person is themselves on television.”
“But she was—?”
“She was over-acting. She wanted to be famous. So do most of those guys on the show. But she is the only one who is guaranteed to get paid.”
“Paid?” Hinamori asked.
“Yes, the studio gives her money.”
“Money,” thought Hinamori, “I wonder if?“
“How does it work?” Hinamori asked.
“She goes out on dates with all the guys and each week she kicks one of them off the show. Finally, she chooses one in the end. Supposedly, they are supposed to get married.”
“Married?“
“That usually doesn’t happen.”
oOo
Preview of the Next Chapter:
Hinamori finally gets an idea on how to raise money for the squad, but what will this mean for Thorne?
Who is a candidate to be a bachelor? Vote now.
