Disclaimers: See end notes or Disclaimers Page.
Originally written on or before 2/21/2009 (Chapters 1-3)
天国的白雪公主
Opening Theme: Hikari no Rock by Sambomaster
Ending Theme: Tooi Michi no Saki De by Takekawa Ai
Bleach: Cross
Across the Dimensions
King’s Seal Arc
After DiamondDust
By Eugena
Rated T
Chapter One: To Hold Your Hand
天国的白雪公主
Shirahime Thorne Voice Over:
Previously on Bleach: Across the Dimensions:
Some people in Soul Society had this wonderful idea – feel my dripping sarcasm – to move the King’s Seal. This is a powerful artifact of the royal family. I should know, I’m one of them. At least my past self was. As for my current self? I’m still their property, and the Soul King expects me to marry Crown Prince Shiroyuki.
I had nobody left in my human life, but in Soul Society, I found the reincarnation of my daughter, Yachiru, being raised by none other than the reincarnation of the human man I loved.
Anyway, pushing my love life and family issues aside, the King’s Seal was in fact very powerful. A certain person wanted it and its power. A certain person who framed Toshiro Hitsugaya, tenth division taicho. A certain person who caused his near execution. Same certain person apparently also had the zanpakuto Hyorinmaru.
At Sou Taicho’s insistence, I remained in the human world. Conveniently away when Toshiro’s death sentence was passed. Sou Taicho placed the tenth division in lockdown. He really should have done that with the fifth, after all, I’m their taicho. I trust them to act accordingly in any matter even when I am away.
I care for Toshiro. I feel like I let him down. But in the end, he would understand. I kept the human world safe. For those in the royal family have great spiritual power.
Yet, I wished no longer to be a part of it. I wanted my freedom.
Now I must return to Soul Society to see the extent of the damage.
天国的白雪公主
KARAKURA TOWN
The human world was safe yet again from an unknown threat. The Soul Society knew what had just happened, but all the humans in the world of the living—save Shirahime Thorne—knew nothing of it.
She knelt on the ground, supporting the bulk of her weight with her zanpakuto. Done, finished. This human world was safe again. She could now open the gate into Soul Society and see who survived the battle.
天国的白雪公主
SOUL SOCIETY – A DESOLATE FIELD
Toshiro Hitsugaya proved that he was the true incarnation of the dragon god. Hyorinmaru was again just his, yet he never saw it that way. His friend was gone, the same one who said he would control Hyorinmaru. Yet Toshiro knew he had to work together with Hyorinmaru, not try to control him.
Why did he feel so alone in victory?
天国的白雪公主
SOUL SOCIETY – FOURTH DIVISION BARRACKS
Many injured shinigami filled the fourth division barracks. The division members kept the bodies of the fallen awaiting burial in the back. Only a few fourth division members paused long enough to acknowledge the woman walking through.
“Thorne Taicho,” they acknowledged.
She nodded curtly to them, continuing to search for a certain reiatsu.
She found Zaraki Taicho attended by Unohana Taicho. Yachiru stood looking over Zaraki but lit up the moment she saw Thorne Taicho.
“Mom!” shouted Yachiru. “Kenny, mom’s here.” She leaped into Thorne Taicho’s arms.
Yachiru began to call Thorne Taicho “mom” long before she became the fifth division taicho. She referred to her as “mom” back when Shirahime had not yet joined a division. Zaraki invited her to become a member of the eleventh division, fourth seat, but Hitsugaya fought with him. In the end, she joined his division, where she remained until the first time she “died.”
Yamamoto Sou Taicho promoted her to fifth division taicho, though he thought it was only in memory. Shirahime returned to the living world, though she had no memory of her past. With the help of Hitsugaya, Kenpachi, Yachiru, Ichigo, Kail, and Zangetsu, she regained her memory and her power.
“Ya,” Thorne said, addressing Yachiru by the nickname she gave her, “can you go and help Hanataro and the others move the patients?”
“Yes, mom,” Yachiru said.
“Be gentle with them. Don’t break them.”
“Ok, mom.” Yachiru dashed off.
“Unohana Taicho,” she acknowledged, “Zaraki Taicho.”
“I see you still have your sights on Hanataro,” Unohana said.
“Yes, but he serves in your division very well. Who knows how he will do when he achieves bankai?”
“Him?” asked Zaraki.
“Yes, him. I can plan ahead.”
“Far ahead,” said Zaraki.
“How did the living world fare?” asked Unohana.
“No casualties or injuries. I can’t say the same thing here. I should have been here instead.”
“Sou Taicho wanted you to stay in the living world.”
“Yes, so convenient after he issued Hitsugaya’s execution order. Thank you, by the way.”
“I could not do anything,” said Unohana.
“You did,” Thorne said. “It was enough.”
“Sou Taicho said your bankai could have destroyed Soul Society,” interrupted Zaraki.
“Only if I cared to die in the process,” she sneered. “He wasn’t worried about that,” Thorne countered. “He didn’t want me to get the King’s Seal. I’m not sure why. Surely he would be happy if I went back to the royal family and left you all alone? But I agreed because someone had to support Soul Society from the outside. The living world would have vaporized. Balance and the cycle of reincarnation destroyed forever.”
“We knew you could handle it,” Zaraki said.
“I still don’t like the way Soul Society works.”
“Things here do not change for thousands of years,” Unohana admitted.
“That’s the problem,” Zaraki commented. “You have been changing things. People resist change.”
“Well, I could just command him. Then what would he do?”
Unohana held her tongue. Yes, one word to Crown Prince Shiroyuki when she next saw him, and Sou Taicho would be in a lot of trouble.
“Unohana, can I see Hinamori?” she asked instead.
“Yes, Thorne. She’s made no progress, but she hasn’t gotten worse either.”
“I’ll come visit you later, Kenny,” she said as she left with Unohana.
天国的白雪公主
SOUL SOCIETY – FOURTH DIVISION BARRACKS – HINAMORI’S ROOM
Momo Hinamori lay still in the bed. She had not moved for many months now. She was neither worse nor better. Once she stabilized enough from her near execution from Aizen, her body remained frozen in a coma.
Only for a short while had she awoken. After Thorne died, her power came to Hinamori to help heal her. Hinamori woke – briefly – to a changed world. Though the others tried to hide it from her, Thorne knew Hinamori despised her for taking away “AIzen’s rightful place.” How could Thorne teach her otherwise? The psychological background of all that had been done to Momo was very complicated. Though no therapist or doctor, Thorne knew it would be a long road to Momo’s mental recovery. Her physical recovery was nothing in comparison.
Hinamori was still her fukutaicho. She had no plans to change that for now.
Unohana left Thorne alone with Hinamori.
Thorne sat down at her bedside. She was going to reach for her hand, but she did not. After her injuries and contact with the King’s Seal, she did not know what to expect.
“The first person you would have expected to call themselves your taicho is Aizen. Many things have changed. I guess for a while you knew that. But, as I said before, my name is Shirahime Thorne. My name in the royal family is Shirayukihime no Tenjou. You can call me Shirahime or Thorne Taicho. I introduce myself every time to you, because eventually you’ll remember me. When you wake, you’ll look for me as your taicho.
“I hope I am not here when you wake up. I hope Shiro is here by your side. I know he is important to you. Has he held your hand yet? I shouldn’t be the first to.”
Thorne got up and left her unconscious fukutaicho. She would never hope to inspire such reckless devotion that Hinamori gave to Aizen. Although she was a shinigami, she would still always be human, until she died. Yet, when she died, where would her soul go? Would the cycle of reincarnation end for her?
天国的白雪公主
AUTHOR’S NOTE – DISCLAIMER:
This work is a transformative fanwork, written for entertainment purposes only and not for profit. Canon characters and backstories are copyright to Tite Kubo and applicable others. Original characters and original backstories are created by Eugena. The backstories of several canon characters and some canon elements have been significantly modified for the purposes of this fanwork. These modified characters and modified elements should not be taken as canon from the original Bleach and may not necessarily reflect Bleach’s copyright holder’s original intentions. Works rated M or MA are not intended to be read by minors.
This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this work are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
The author hopes this work will help readers further enjoy the original Bleach.
谢谢你们的阅读。
Bleach: Cross: After DiamondDust
Introduction & Chapter List
Cast List & Notes
Chapters
[01] [02] [03]
other chapters tba