Hi! This story it set 13 years after the epilogue of Bleach. I'm assuming that Kurosaki Kazui is 18 years old, Ichigo and Orihime are around their late 30s or staring 40s. Also, I'm assuming that Ichigo and Orihime are doctors, with the clinic still there and that… Nothing more! Enjoy!

Of course I only own my OC'S presented here: Richards Akari and Richards Gideon, the rest of characters and principal idea of Bleach are from and only Kubo Tite.

"When it's like this, they're talking"

"talking in another language"

'remembering stuff'

"zampakutoh talking, maybe spoiler lol"

- Chapter 1: The dreams and the ghosts

January.

The world was a crazy place. There was no doubt about it.

Everything about us humans, was crazy. Each day reaching a new line of madness. Even inside our minds.

In our minds the level of imagination could flow without problem, experimenting life like we couldn't in real life. But there was something even weirder: being able to remember and recalling a dream over and over again.

Everything was dark in that dream, like night, but there was no moon and stars over me. At my bare feet, sand and just that, just being in the middle of the desert at night: cold, hostile, windy and no sign of life. My clothes were only a pair black pants and an oversized white t-shirt.

I shield myself with my arms, trying to get warmer. The wind was getting messy my long blonde hair and restricting the view. I was able to notice at the distance two large columns. Like every dream, I started walking towards there, hoping that whatever it was in that place it would give something to warm me up.

There was something different this time tho. I was able to hear from far away a voice. Even if I couldn't understand what it was, just continued walking, wanting to get out of that desert. Slowly getting closer, closer that I had been able to reach before, my feet hurt a lot feeling my skin getting scratches against the roughness of the sand, and then I could heard it clearly.

"It's been so long since someone was able to hear me" It was a woman's voice. I couldn't see very clearly because of the wind, but I could hear the metallic sound of chains moving, clashing with each other coming from the large columns. "Oh blacksmith, I hope you are capable to forge me before I freeze over" Continue the voice with a sad tone. "I just want to hear my name over again, I almost forgotten it. It's been so long. My kingdom destroyed because of it… Please hear my name… It's…"

I didn't managed to understand the end because of the wind. From afar she was just a red blur. I wasn't close enough to really reach to her, to help her. There was a laugh, almost crazy, coming from her.

"Please hear my name. Please. Please. Before it's too late. Hear my name! HEAR MY NAME" The red blur repeated. Over and over. Getting louder and laughing from madness even more. It felt like she has been in those chains for centuries. I tried to move more, but it was so cold. Everything was so cold and everything hurts. I couldn't stand it anymore and fell to the sand exhausted.

That's when I woke up, hearing the alarm of her cellphone. It was just 6:30 in the morning.

I was curled up inside my bed, with the quilt over myself completely. Inside it was so warm, but my body felt so cold. Letting a hand out, I took the cellphone at the night table and turned off the alarm. Silence. It was something that I always enjoyed.

Looking up at window behind. It was closed. But I still felt so cold. It was mostly dark yet thanks to the winter. I sighed and got myself up my bed.

"Three more months. Three more months and I'm free" I said to myself.

Turning on the night lamp beside the bed, it let out a soft light that didn't burn my eyes with clarity, but could actually see everything in the room, so I could get ready for school. I started gathering my things in autopilot mode, while my head went about the dream.

It was around summer that I stared having those dreams, but it was the first time that I actually could hear something and see someone in there, even if it was just a blur, I couldn't recall a voice like that in my life. Angry. Full of despair. Clearly mad. But strangely, seemed so familiar. I was trying to remember if I had heard that voice before.

However I was force myself back to reality when I opened the bedroom door to the corridor and got an even colder space around me.

"Fuck!" I shouted out, low but fierce in English. It was in some way my first language, but with many years living and being raised in Japan, it had gone to a second, still like times like this I used more those curses than in Japanese.

Rushing to the bathroom, I closed the door and turned on the shower letting the water run. While hearing the water going down, I looked myself at the mirror showing a tired reflection. I blinked and then see at my reflection my dark brown eyes that at the moment looked someway lifeless with bags under them, I touched my round face, passing my hands through my pointy small nose and fine lips, my skin looked more tanned than usual thanks to the winter vacation, my hair even if it was messy it was still shinning its bright gold color, thin and long almost getting to my waist. I had the sensation of scratches all over my body from the sand of the dream but inspecting my skin there was nothing out of the ordinary, of course, it was just a dream. I tried to be careful while taking the oversized t-shirt, because most of the time I got hit with the low lamp all that thanks that I was taller than the average Japanese girl, 1.65 meters to be exact, my body resembled of a guitar, my chest wasn't that quite busty but there it was accord my body, my hips and thighs were more pronounced. Now with my clothes off, I inspected my skin, showing a few scars of several accidents I had suffered, but nothing serious. My bulky figure was obvious specially in my arms. One mark that I was happy about was the tattoo in my left arm, which its healing process had stopped a few months ago and now the colors looked bright and without irritation, starting in my shoulder with something that looked like an armor for that part with delicate lines decorating it then a straight line stopping in my elbow also looking like some kind of shield with also delicate lines, another line looking like an arrow ending in my hand. It was some piece of art. Even if I always had to hide it, good thing it was winter and only had to hid the hand.

I sighed while thanking gladly how the tempeture of the room was going up, feeling the cold leaving my body. I finished untangling her hair and went inside the shower, letting the water awake me.

After a few minutes I was awake, clean and ready, so I leaved the shower, took the things and run back to my room.

I took the winter uniform and a hoddie, it was common for me to wear it at this time of year. Just before I put on the jacket of the school, I started to hide the tattoo with a makeup tutorial I watched a few days back.

"It's actually very useful" I said to myself as I watched the finished product. It was like I had never gotten the tattoo and it didn't get stuck in anything. Amazing life hack. With the long sleeved shirt it was easy to hide the rest.

Then I put on a pair of thermic black stockings under the skirt, the blazer of the Karakura High School over the shirt and leaved the room to eat some breakfast downstairs.

I wasn't surprise to find my dad already making breakfast. Richards Gideon, was a man that looked typical like the American Boy in the movies. Tall, thin with charming brown eyes, wearing a square glasses, he had a beard well combed hiding a little his kind smile and his long hair perfectly brush put in a low ponytail, but more messier than mine, the gold color of it hiding the white hairs that has grown over the years. That was the heritage the man had given me, the bright color of his hair and his height, I was one of the tallest girls in my promotion, making me an obvious spot on everywhere I walked.

"Now my bright ray of light has arrived!" My dad told to me when he noticed my arrival. I only laughed at his way to use my name in English, showing in fact his Australian accent. "Good Morning Akari, you slept well?" His accent speaking Japanese was obvious, but you could understand him well. Well of course after living more than 15 years in Japan you have to learn. He was showing a big smile, even reaching his tired eyes. He was the typical positive, happy person, always knowing what to do, what to say, even if exhausted himself. I give him a kiss in his cheek, getting on my toes to reach him, the man could easily pass the bar of 1.80 meters

"Good morning dad and yeah" I simply said, while getting ready the table and leaving the food there.

"That sounds like it's a different story" He knew me so well.

"I did sleep well, it's just… it was one of those vivid dreams where you feel everything?" I wasn't sure how to explain it and more tell him that it has been the same dream since months ago. He would freak out.

"Ah!" He seems to understand that. "Those can be tiring, well you have a full day of distractions" We were already sitting in the table, eating the amazing food my dad had made. "Are you are going to visit your grandma today?"

"Of course! She must be mad because we didn't spend New Year's with her! And she's going to be more mad with you because of it" I was sure to notice how my dad trembled about the idea. He respected his mother-in-law the same way he was afraid of her. "Don't worry dad! I'll make sure she doesn't attack you when you visit her!" I patted his head smiling.

"Please make sure that Hayami-san doesn't get mad" He was worried even he knew she wasn't going to do anything.

"I'll be sure" I smiled. It was funny that even after years knowing each other and in a way, she help him raising me, he was still afraid of her and her actions. Maybe because he was still trying to learn the politeness in the Japanese culture, even when he was better at that than me, but it was more the respect he felt towards the old lady. "Thanks for the food, everything was delicious!" Still smiling I got up, picking up the plates and leaving it in the sink. At that time, sunlight was already in the living room, getting a little bit of heat in the winter.

We chatted about some other things. Trivial stuff like things we were going to do that day. It was routine, but it was nice. When I finally cleaned the dishes it was almost 8, I hurried up to my room to grab the things and put the hoodie on. I grabbed all my accessories, my backpack and then went downstairs getting ready while leaving.

"Love you dad! See you at night!" I managed to hear a 'Love you back' from him while putting my shoes and leaved the house.

The way to school it was less than a half hour walk, but for making my usual stop before the school, would get me more time to arrive. I was still putting my earrings, bracelets and necklaces in the walk. It was a quiet morning. Some few people walking around and getting ready to their routines, some still waking up, dogs leaving for their early walk with their families and on. I put my shocker with a sun pendant on and also the necklace I always used under the uniform, but before hiding it I opened the little box to see the photo of my dad together with a beautiful woman, pale, with short black hair, her eyes closed while a laughter escaped from her lips completely captured in the picture, she looked a lot like my in some way. I smiled at the picture.

"Good morning, Okaa-san" I said to the picture, then closed it and hided it. I never really knew her, I was just five years old when Minagawa Kimiko, my mom, died of cancer. But there was a time when I could see her and feel her protecting us. Right now, I could only hope that she was in a better place.

I finally made it to my stop when I finished fixing my hair in a low ponytail. The big house that split part of it in a clinic, "Kurosaki's Clinic" it was able to read from the sign, and I walked directly to the front door. Knocking it, I could listen the morning voices of the Kurosaki family, short after a woman with a long shining orange hair, shorter in height than me but older opened the door.

"Akari-chan! So nice to see you are back!" She was smiling warmly like always, it made me smile back. She made a space to let me in. "Let me tell Kazui that you are here, wait inside, that I'm sure you are cold"

"Orihime-san! Thanks! It's been a while" I let myself in and when I did, Orihime hug me, feeling kind of uncomfortable because of her big breasts squashing my body, I was glad that I wasn't shorter than her anymore, or I would had die of asphyxia trapped between them, and then she attacked with questions.

"How was your winter vacation? Where did you go? You left so fast that it surprise me when Kazui told me!" We walked to the kitchen, where Orihime's husband was.

"Everything was great! We went to visit my family in Australia, it wasn't a plan! My dad just one day decided to go there, managed to get the vacations and then we leave the next day" I noticed a man with spiky orange hair, his bulky figure obvious in his casual clothes, he was eating and I greet him. "Ichigo-san! Good Morning and Bon appetite!"

The said man looked me up of his breakfast and let a tired smile spread in his face.

"Good Morning Akari, thanks, I thought you were leaving Kazui behind because of the hour" He simply said. His orange hair was as striking as his wife's. They both were running the little clinic that Kurosaki's father created, it was simple but really well accommodated to emergencies.

"Nah..." I shrugged "Then he gets lost in the process and I can't stand that" She mentioned joking.

"I'm going to get lost? I'm sorry but since when I need your help to get directions?" An annoyed voice said behind me. I only flipped my head and see the other orange haired and younger member of the family while smiling innocently. His hair was thin but short and his big amber eyes resembled more like his mother's, while his face and body looked more like his father's, Kurosaki Kazui was an equally mix between his parents, getting also the height of his father, reaching the 1.70 meters and still going up.

"I've a better sense of orientation that you do, Kazui" I pointed out.

"Of course, you know every building by how much you hit yourself with that thing running over the roofs and falling" In Kazui's face was now a smirk while mine could sense a frown.

"That's not fair! Chibi I-chi-go~" I was now facing him completely, exchanging gaze. I was aware of how much he hated that people compared to his father. There was no problem between them, but Kazui never liked that.

Before we could argue even more, Ichigo and Orihime's chuckle let them back to reality.

"You shouldn't be going to school by now? It's late" Ichigo said pointing the watch in the kitchen. It's 8:15.

"Damn! It's late! But before I forget!" I rushed to my backpack that was heavier than usual and looking thought its things I took a small box from it. "Here! A souvenir!" I let out to Orihime's hand.

"Aw, Akari-chan you shouldn't have bothered" She accepted the gift with a smile.

"No bother! You are like a second family to me, if I didn't bring you something I wouldn't forgive myself!" I said as I closed the backpack and stood up, heading to the door "Come on Kazui, see you later Ichigo-san, Orihime-san"

"Thanks for the gift Akari" I heard from Ichigo and Orihime unison, while Kazui was saying goodbye to his parents, we went outside and headed to school rushing over.

I had been knowing the Kurosaki family for almost a decade now. Thanks to living close to each other and of course attending the same schools. They helped my father in that problem of raising a kid alone in a total different culture that he was used to, other things that my grandmother couldn't help because of her age. We've been pretty united most of our lives, the only moments we didn't share was the summer camps that Kazui take almost every year where he disappeared completely of existence.

Kazui never had answered well about those. He says that he trains, but never went further than that. I never really pushed more because of his nervous state when asking about that, but it really never bother me. There were things in our lives that it was fine to leave in private. If he decided one day and tell me, then great, if not, was okay too. We pretty much shared all our time together, it was nice to have things to do alone with different people.

We were close to the school. The three story building was in front of us and we were still in time. Then I notice at a corner a small bottle with a flower upside-down. Somebody probably rushed over it. Making a signal to Kazui, I got close and turned over the bottle a fill it with a little bit of water that she had there, then putting back the flower. At that moment little boy, around ten, appeared looking up at Kazui and myself.

"Thank you!" He said with a big smile. "Not many people seems to notice me"

"Don't worry, we can see you, but you should be careful" I smiled a little and the kid sit there, glaring at us in certain curiosity like we were aliens.

Now walking inside the corridors, I couldn't think other thing that maybe we were aliens. The look from the kid was something that we had received it from many people more often than not. Of course, it was rather the people we could notice, heard the chains attached to their chest and we could even talked to them. Because as many things that Kazui and I shared, interacting with spirits it was one of them. Like the kid we just saw a few minutes ago.

Well this is the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed! I'm still writing this and there's still so much to write, I have like 10 chapters ready so let's see how it goes...

If you like it please comment! I publishing to see opinions and see what you think about it! I hope you like it! :D