EPILOGUE

Thunder rumbled and lighting crackled across all of Seireitei as the Juusanbantai remembered their fallen vice captain. Even under the threat of downpour, sticks of incense burned in front of a picture of Sai, which rested upon the rock she always meditated on. Hundreds of candles surrounded the picture, while the lighters of those lights sat in their barracks, drinking away sorrows and the pain battle brings.

While everyone mourned, Isane was cleaning out Sai's room. She had the help and support of Momo, Rangiku, and Nanao as they packed items into boxes and stirred up old memories. Packing Sai's computer meant reliving the early days trying to convince her to sleep.

"You need to sleep."

"No I don't! Just leave me the hell alone and stay of my business!" The door to the Research Lab slammed loudly and the lock clicked .Isane sighed and went to make her report.

Her mint-scented shampoo brought back fond memories of Sai sitting on a stool in the courtyard of Fourth, squirming slightly as her vice-captain cut of locks of pink.

"How's that?" Isane asked, letting Sai look at herself in the small handheld mirror.

The researcher touched her short hair with a small smile. "It's perfect! Thank you, fukutaichou!"

Isane sighed. "You're welcome. You may just call me Isane, Sai."

The young shinigami shook her head and slid off the stool, donning the ridiculous orange hat she'd worn for a time in Fourth Division. "That'd be rude. Now, work awaits! Thanks again!"

Placing Sai's rune books and drawing tools into boxes reminded Isane of the time Sai had first discovered the cure for her captain's consumption.

"Isane, Isane!" the door to the office burst open and Sai rushed in, out of breath and pink with excitement. "Guess what!"

"What?" The vice-captain asked with slight wariness as Sai breezed past Unohana's currently vacant desk and slammed a heavy, dusty book on Isane's desk.

"Look here!" The researcher exclaimed, jabbing her finger at a rune-circle in the old book. "This! This is the way to cure the captain! I've already done all the figuring! While it's not complete yet, I'm way ahead of where I was!"

Isane nodded and smiled, not really having a clue of what Sai was talking about. "That's wonderful."

"What's all this noise about?" asked Unohana's calm voice. Sai converged on the motherly captain, showing her the book with as much excitement as she had exhibited moments before.

Her tea set brough back man late nights sitting together on Sai's bed, sipping tea and talking.

"So, what was your nightmare about this time?" Sai asked, typing on her computer, her tea sitting virtually untouched on the ledge by her bed.

Isane blushed and sipped the hot liquid from her cup. "Something stupid."

Her girlfriend sighed and closed the laptop with a click. "'Sane, it wasn't stupid, whatever it was."

"Yes it was!"

"Then what was it?"

Isane fiddled with the beaded strands of her hair. "You. . ."

"Me?"

". . . dying."

Sai blinked, then laughed. "Silly 'Sane. I'm not going to die anytime soon."

'But you did,' Isane thought as she carried the box outside to stack on the other boxes. 'You did die.' She shook her head, then resumed cleaning with the others.

Her sheets, the orange sheets and blanket they'd shared together so many times reminded Isane of the nights of passion, few and far between, but worth it when they happened.

"You're, awesome . . . 'Sane," Sai managed, still tired from their activities. "I love you." Isane pulled her close and the elder whispered,

"I love you, too, Sai."

The cleaning help was supposed close the chapter on her life with Sai, kill the pain, kill the connection she felt. But Isane found that it only made it worse. When everything was packed away in boxes, the Fourth Company Vice Captain broke down. Rangiku held her as she sobbed, morning words of comfort as Momo rubbed her back and Nanao stood stoically nearby.

—Fifty Years Later—

The bells over the human world trinket shop tinkled as the Vice Captain's of Fourth, Fifth, and Tenth pushed their way through them. Each one was doing some last minute shopping for the holidays, and each had decided to buy something at the human trinket shop for a friend.

"Welcome!" Said a voice, strangely familiar, from the back. "I'll be with you in a minute!" The three women browsed for several minutes, each eventually picking a box of sweets to buy. Isane carried a box of caramels, Momo some watermelon-flavored sweets, and Rangiku a pack of sugar-coated persimmons.

They went to pay and a young woman appeared from the back room. Isane's eyes widened as she took in the girl's appearance; pink hair, blue eyes, pale complexion—Sai. There were differences sure—piercings, the hair was obviously dyed, and some makeup, but she looked remarkable like their former friend. Rangiku and Momo glanced at their fellow vice captain with worried expressions, but she shook her head.

"Have you guys been here before?" The Sai look-alike asked as she rang up their purchases. "You look familiar." The three shook her head. "Oh well . . . well, that's fifteen hundred yen." She took their money and gave them their change. Isane dropped her receive five hundred into the "tip" can.

Blue eyes widened, then grinned. "Hey, thanks, Miss!"

"Isane," she found herself correcting. "Call me Isane."

"Alright." The pink-haired cashier packed the boxes of sweets into a bag then handed them to Momo. "My name's Sai. A pleasure to meet you."

" Yes . . ." Isane looked her over one last time. There were rumors that a shinigami was reincarnated in the Human World when they died. The cashier was flipping through a large, heaving-looking book now. "What are you reading?"

"Hmm?" the pink-haired teen looked up. "Oh. Herbs, Crystals, Runes and Their Use in Transmutation Circles. Here." She marked the page and handed the book to Isane. A spark of static electricity jumped between their fingers. "Oh, sorry to shock you! That always happens. . ."

"No problem," Isane said quietly, flipping through the heavy book. It looked exactly like the one Sai had used when curing Ukitake. "Why are you reading this?"

"I'm interested in this kinda science," Sai replied. "It's cool to know a new way to fix people instead of all the medicine and stuff this day that people have resistances to." She took the book back.

"Mmm." Isane nodded, then noticed she was being left behind. "I've got to go! Have a nice day."

"You too!" Sai called after her. "Nice to meet you and come again!"

As Isane caught up with Rangiku and Momo, lighting flashed in the sky and it begun to rain. The Fourth Company vice captain smiled as she turned around to watch the Sai look-alike standing in the rain, smiling. It was nice to know she was enjoying herself, even if it wasn't in the Soul Society.

"C'mon, Isane, through the gate!"

Isane nodded and walked through the gate the connected the two worlds. She found herself smiling as the gates closed. She was certain she'd be back to that shop.

A/N: And that's the end. Woah. After... A year and a half, I finally finished. Wow. So yes, this ending was completely different from what was going to happen. Orginally, Sai was going to live but loose all her powers and was banished from the human world. And you know what happens here....I'd like to think Sai works at Urahara's candy shop. Just out of irony, you know? XD

Thanks everyone for sticking with this story through my hiatuses and horrible posting schedule. Now it's finally done so you don't have to worry about it anymore. XD Now, I just have to finish my other stories... e____e Could you leave me a final review, please? It would make a happy Toast. ^^

--Regards, Toasty