Epilogue: True Happiness

- - - - -

It was only then that I found true happiness; not in battle or in the saving of others, but from being amongst friends, and those who you care for. That was what I had wanted for so long, and what I had worked so that others could have.

- Extract from the last page of the Karite Ki –

- - - - -

Ichigo had not slept at all that night. He lay awake in his bed, Kon sitting silently beside him, as he struggled to decipher the meaning of what had happened to him.

He couldn't come to think of it as a dream, but that seemed to be the only possibility.

"Good morning!" Isshin shouted, dressed in a doctor's jacket.

Ichigo walked up to him slowly, and wrapped his arms around him.

"I'm sorry I troubled you father."

Isshin drew a sharp breath when Ichigo continued "I should have told you I was a Shinigami. You could have helped."

With that, he walked away.

"Ichigo…"

"We'll talk later, father." Ichigo answered, continuing on his path.

His embraces with his sisters were something he had so long taken for granted. He suddenly understood what it would be like to loose them.

"What's wrong with you, Ichigo?" Karin asked, pushing away from him.

Yuzu smiled. "He's growing up."

"He's turned into a big pushover." Karin answered.

Ichigo didn't hear a word as he walked to school.

They don't know… no one knows… Will it happen again?

Ichigo asked himself, as the door of the Kurosaki household slid shut behind him. He thought of the people he had learned to live without, and he sighed.

No… I won't let it happen again, even if I have to die doing it.

- - - - -

"Ichigo!" Orihime smiled. "I just wanted to say thank you."

"For what?"

"For saving me."

Ichigo was puzzled for a moment. Then he remembered Hueco Mundo. Somehow, it seemed such a distant memory.

"Um… are you all right, Kurosaki-kun?"

Ichigo shook his head, waving his hand in front of his face. "Fine."

Orihime nodded.

Ichigo found Chad and Ishida only moments later, just around the corner.

"Are you feeling any better, Ichigo?"

"Wonderful." He answered. Ishida pushed up his glasses as Chad nodded.

"Good."

- - - - -

The rest of the day flew by in a moment. Ichigo could think of nothing else but one man. The man he had hated and cared for. The man he had saved, and the man he had killed.

As he walked home, Rukia by his side, his mind still wandered.

"Kurosaki-kun." A gruff voice muttered behind him.

Ichigo turned slowly. In the middle of the street, the latticed doors of a portal to Seireitei lay open. Between them walked Shigekuni-Genryusai Yamamoto.

"Sotaichou-sama." Ichigo bowed.

"Stand up, Kuchiki-chan." Yamamoto nodded, his beard swaying in the slight wind. "Kurosaki-kun, I have business with you."

"Me?"

Yamamoto nodded. "Come with me."

Ichigo stepped forward, and Yamamoto accompanied him through the portal.

As the doors shut behind them, Yamamoto smiled.

"Do you like her?"

Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise.

"Sir…"

"You don't need to be so formal." Yamamoto noted.

"Well… Yes, sir."

"I remember the girl I liked so long ago… But that's another story, isn't it."

Yamamoto approached another latticework door.

"This is it, Kurosaki-kun. Are you ready?"

"I don't know where I'm going…" Ichigo muttered.

"It's fine. Relax."

Ichigo nodded, walking out the door.

"Farewell, Kurosaki." Yamamoto muttered, sliding the doorway shut.

Ichigo stood in a tranquil garden. Around him, flowers bloomed and fountains trickled.

A familiar voice called to him, although he couldn't put his finger on it.

"You must be Kurosaki Ichigo." The man noted. He wore a white robe with a wide hood that shadowed his face.

"Yes. Um… who are you?"

The man smiled. "I'm not who you're looking for. Please, come with me." The hooded man led Ichigo through a pair of massive silver doors, into an elaborate hallway. Paintings of Shinigami covered the walls, and a lush red carpet covered the floor.

The pair walked in silence to a smaller set of doors.

"Inside." The man muttered, holding open the door for him.

Ichigo walked into the room. At first, he was blinded by a brilliant light.

When his vision settled, he stared in awe of the room. The floor was glistening marble. The walls arched into an enormous vaulted ceiling, all painted in stunning silver. Overhead, massive chandeliers lit the room.

"You like it?" A friendly voice asked.

Ichigo knew it instantly.

"Ikatsue."

Karite Ikatsue smiled, standing up from an ornate throne. He wore solid white robes over a white shirt and white pants. He was cleanly shaven, but still possessed his ruffled brown hair. His eyes were a friendly blue, and his smile was genuine.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. I wanted to say thank you."

Ichigo smiled.

"So it wasn't a dream."

Ikatsue laughed. "After all that, you aren't sure? Of course not."

"Then… you remember?"

Ikatsue nodded. "No one else will."

"Why?"

"Does it matter? It never happened." Ikatsue answered, smiling.

"No, I suppose it doesn't." Ichigo answered, staring down.

Ikatsue placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Forgive me. It's simply… something I would rather not dwell on. To put it simply, the world could not exist the way it was without Zantetsuken. Rather than try to recover, it simply erased the weapon. Because of this, many of the things that would have happened never did."

Ichigo nodded. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. The entire universe is in your debt…although I guess that's just our secret. Well, come along."

Ichigo followed the older man.

"So… what are you?"

"Huh? Oh, all this?" Ikatsue gestured to the building around him. "Well, without becoming evil, I happily retired and became the Spirit King."

"But aren't you still…?"

"A Shinigami? Yes. I doubt I'll ever touch another blade though. Once you settle down, it's hard to get back up again. Besides… all the family's here."

Ikatsue pushed open a door, revealing another small courtyard.

Ichiro and Niro sat, both in white robes, playing a game of Go. Beside them, Ran' sat next to Yachiru, handing her a small candy.

"Grandpa!" She yelled, jumping out of her chair. Ran laughed to herself as Ikatsue slid his arms under Yachiru's armpits, hoisting her into the air and spinning around.

Finally, he set her on his shoulder.

"How are you doing, Yachiru?"

"Great, gramps-chan… Ichi!"

Ichigo looked at her. "You… know me?"

Ikatsue set her down, leaning over and whispering in Ikatsue's ear. "She's over to visit. I put her in Eleventh Squad so that she'd still be with Kenpachi.

"So… this is the famous Kurosaki Ichigo, defender of Karakura?" Ran' asked.

"Yes, honey. Ichigo, this is Ran'."

"Nice to meet you." Ichigo greeted, extending a hand despite having already met her.

"Ichiro, Niro, get over here."

Niro shot Ichiro a glance. The older brother shrugged, and they both stood up.

"What was all that about?"

"He beat me again." Niro muttered, clasping Ichigo's hand. "Karite Niro."

Ichiro shook his hand next. "Karite Ichiro. So you're the one we've heard so much about."

Ichigo smiled.

"Well, you should probably be going. Isshin will be worried." Ikatsue muttered.

"Already?" Ran' asked.

Ikatsue smiled. "Ask your father and Rukia if they would like to have dinner here." The once-formidable warrior opened a glowing portal to Karakura Town.

"I'd be glad to." Ichigo answered. "Goodbye."

Ikatsue nodded, smiling. "Thanks for everything."

Ichigo answered with a smile, stepping through the portal.

"So tell us… who is he, really?" Ichiro asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You're a lousy liar, dad. There's something more."

Ikatsue nodded. "He saved my life once… he's a hero."

- - - - -

Kurosaki Ichigo found Kuchiki Rukia still waiting for him when he returned.

"Were you here that whole time?"

"I want to know what's going on." She answered. "Yamamoto doesn't usually leave even for other Taichou."

"This was… special. Would you like to go out for dinner?"

Rukia was surprised for a moment, before smiling. She clasped tenderly onto Ichigo's hand.

"Where?"

"I happen to know a… special place."

As Kurosaki Ichigo walked home, Rukia by his side, he thought to himself that perhaps the life he had lived had finally paid off. He was still a warrior and a Shinigami, but he was also a friend. That part of his life was priceless. He wouldn't change it for anything in the world.