Disclaimers: See end notes or Disclaimers Page.
Originally written on or before 7/12/2009
Additional content written 3/26/2022
天国的白雪公主
Opening Theme: Diamond by Alan
Ending Theme: With You by AAA
Bleach: Cross
Across the Dimensions
Return of the Full Fifth Division Arc
Shiro Shattered
By Eugena
Rated M
Chapter One: Death and Rebirth
天国的白雪公主
Lafiel Urahara Voice Over:
Previously on Bleach: Across the Dimensions:
Why is it my sister can’t get a break? Can’t be left alone?
My sister, Shirahime Thorne Shihoin, is the current fifth division taicho. She’s also the special interest of her predecessor, Sosuke Aizen. As to why, I shudder to start guessing on that one.
My sister is extremely powerful. As the reincarnation of Heaven’s Princess, she has access to powers the rest of us do not. Did I mention she actually has two zanpakutos?
Though she tries to have a normal life with others, including her children Yachiru and Daichi, she knows it is only a matter of time before the royal family comes to collect. She’s engaged to Crown Prince Shiroyuki who has acknowledged Yachiru as his heir.
The royal family is pretty useless if you ask me. Why haven’t they helped us with Aizen? Of course, the Soul King is less than pleased Shirahime keeps fighting.
天国的白雪公主
SOUL SOCIETY – TENTH DIVISION
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 the fifth division. Matsumoto followed him.
On their way, they met up with Zaraki Taicho and Yachiru and Kurotsuchi Taicho and Nemu Kurotsuchi.
天国的白雪公主
SOUL SOCIETY – FIFTH DIVISION
A black energy field enveloped the fifth division. The other taichos and fukutaichos tried repeatedly to penetrate the field. Soi Fon Taicho stood ahead of the others, shouting orders to the stealth force 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 zanpakuto. His zanpakuto 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,” Kurotsuchi Taicho said, 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 zanpakuto and changed it to its shikai form.
“Burn, Aoi Raiko!” Daichi’s voice, her son and the division’s third seat.
“Don’t be foolish,” the Sou Taicho warned. “You think we haven’t tried that?”
“Dai-onii-san!” Raiko, the incarnation of Daichi’s zanpakuto.
“If we attack too much, the barrier will collapse and the division be destroyed,” Sou Taicho said.
“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 zanpakuto was of her own soul—a past life when she lived as the Snow White 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.”
Another shinigami unsheathed a zanpakuto. All eyes turned to the second division 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 Crown 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,” Hitsugaya thought. “Surely she wouldn’t?”
“Bankai,” he said, switching into his semi-dragon form.
“KOUTEN! RYUJIN NO TSUBASA!”
Thorne’s voice, blended as herself and Shirahime’s rang out throughout the Seireitei. She had used the bankai of Shirayukihime no Tenjou and the White Zangetsu, Kosetsu Ryu.
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 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. Young Raiko lay motionless on the ground. Her spirit returned to Daichi’s zanpakuto. Daichi placed his hand on the handle briefly then ran to 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 division.” He gathered Thorne into his arms. Daichi gave him Thorne’s two zanpakutos and Hitsugaya took flight.
He could not decide who he despised more at the moment, Aizen and Ichimaru or Thorne for using the dual bankai.
天国的白雪公主
SOUL SOCIETY – FOURTH DIVISION
After entering the fourth division, he laid Thorne on an available bed and took out the two zanpakutos. 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 zanpakuto. Kail had his own zanpakuto, 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, Kosetsu Ryu.
At last, he looked to Thorne’s first zanpakuto, Yukihime. It, like Kosetsu Ryu, had returned to its sealed form. Thorne had called the zanpakuto Yukihime instead of Shirayukihime because she did not like having to call it completely after her past life, even though that was the soul that empowered the zanpakuto. 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 fourth division members attending Thorne Taicho.
Before they moved, he reached out for Yukihime. “Revive.”
The zanpakuto glowed blue and white and the blade grew larger. “Last Revival,” he said and plunged the zanpakuto into Thorne’s chest.
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。