Thank you for the really awesome reviews! Especially to iloveyoualot, for leaving a very long and inspiring review. You're the reason why I actually got up from bed and start writing. (SEE, if you leave longer reviews, I would update earlier! LOL, that's the technique to motivate me, dear readers). You see, one of my creative methods is lying facedown and imagining different scenarios in my head. I was a bit stuck in writing down the Urahara scenes on paper, but when I read your review (which was about 5 hours ago) I decided to get a move on and post the final chapter today. This will clarify some of your questions regarding the plot. But as for your more personal questions, here it is:

The two prevailing themes in my story are love and fate. Love can overcome and determine one's fate, that is what I believe. Notice how love, in its many forms, shaped the course of many characters, opting them to make decisions that can determine their future. For me, there is no such thing as fate or destiny, seeing as I don't believe in a higher power myself. We're responsible for our own actions. For example, Orihime choosing to go back to her old life for the love she bore her friends and her choosing to maintain her position to protect the man she loves. Ichigo also choosing to be Crown Prince for the love he had for his parents (esp. his mother) and Japan. Ulquiorra choosing a life outside of Aizen's clutches because of his love for Orihime. The list goes on. It's my favorite theme.

As for the feminist themes, yes, I really am a die-hard feminist. Even though it becomes questionable on some parts because of themes of submissiveness and rape, see that I chose to keep the women's reactions as close to reality as possible. For example, Orihime did not give up on Ichigo despite it all, choosing to be wiser and more forgiving. Some find that weak, but honestly, forgiveness and acceptance is much harder than abandonment. Rukia, on the other hand, reflects another side of the feminist group wherein she left her love because she can't stand abuse and she wished to fulfill her role to the nation even though it was unwillingly thrust upon her. You were also right in citing Rangiku and Soi Fong. They were the polar opposites in loyalty. Rangiku's loyalty to Gin has limits (and btw, she was the one who said 'I hope you die.') but even with that, her love prevails. She holds Gin accountable for his actions and knows when to back off or when to fight. Soi Fong, on the other hand, is blind obedience for the sake of glory.

So, as for a PM hina sent to me, here's the answer. The title of this story is based on the fact that the stars in this story represent a fate that is beyond our hands. It's a fate that says that everything is pre-determined, and there's an omniscient, guiding hand in our stories. Fading means that this concept of a pre-determined fate is losing its glamour or appeal to our characters. Meaning to say, they're slowly seeing, as the story progresses, that there is no such thing as a pre-determined fate. That's why it's entitled Your Fading Starlight. And not just because I keep mentioning stars in the story. The title is also partly inspired by Errechan's youtube vid Starlight. It's when the idea of the story hit me.

And as for the people attributing my work to Hadashi de Bara wo Fume, I've only read the manga when I was halfway through YFS. So when I read it, I was like O_O woah . But it's alright. Even though the initial concepts were the same, the progress was different. My story didn't really focus too much on the love triangle.

So, without further ado, here's the final. I'll be updating some of my fics today too. I'm gonna exploit this muse I'm having.

Chapter 36

A Little for a Lot

Years ago, when all of these things should have mattered…

"Your beauty never fades, sister. You're more beautiful than the last time I saw you."

"You were supposed to be in exile," Kurosaki Masaki gasped. "What are you doing here?"

She was alone, walking amongst the people as she usually did. It was a habit that was hard to remove. She was always close to the Japanese people. And now, even though she was pregnant, she wanted to maintain her daily routine. The passersby smiled at her as she surveyed the colorful stalls that were lined outside the walled city. She was about to reach the edge when a man in a dirty brown cloak approached her.

She smiled at him, knowing that he might be another traveler. But when he lifted his head to remove the shadows from his face, the sight was all too familiar and all too unwelcome.

"Aren't you glad to see me, sister?"

"Don't come any closer. If the people see you – "

"None of the people here know me. You're being very stupid, sister. This is not you. How can you go out without any guards with you?"

Masaki frowned, mentally calculating the possibilities. She couldn't very well run. She was pregnant. There were too many people around and she didn't want to cause a scene. Sousuke had a point. No one knew him here. He never set foot in the Oriental colonies of England. If she suddenly lashed out at him, people would think that she was being cruel to a commoner.

"I trust the people."

Sousuke scoffed. "You trust these mongrels? Oh, that's right. I forgot, you married one of them. You even fucked him."

"Sousuke!" Masaki growled, her usually serene face contorting in anger. "You watch what you're saying or I will have you imprisoned right here, right now!"

"Why not do it now? I'm not supposed to be here, right? Why don't you marshal your paltry forces against me?"

"I – "

"Don't make me laugh, sister. You used to be so much more intelligent and so much braver. What happened? The filth got to you?"

"Apparently, the real filth got to you," Masaki threw back, hostility rising.

Sousuke chuckled. "Now that's the Masaki I know. But tell me sister, why did you do it? I had to come here to find out. Why did you marry that bastard? You had everything you wanted… everything you needed in England. Why here? Why that man?"

"Do we really know the reasons why we love?" Masaki said with a sad smile. "You, Sousuke, chose to love yourself above all others. I respected that decision, but then again, you chose to love me. You chose to fall in love with your own sister. You could have willed it away, but you didn't. You tell me why you love me and I still would not be convinced. You love yourself so much that you think the only one worthy of you is your equal. And because you love yourself too much, you couldn't even lay your eyes on a princess who is not your relative. You want everything close to home and close to you. And now, you ask me why I fell in love with Isshin? Isn't it just normal that I fall in love with a man who is so selfless and caring, and who is not my brother?"

Masaki could see Sousuke's face grow blank and cold. Those brown eyes who used to look at her with so much admiration and adoration as children now blistered with an intensity that made her fear for her safety and that of her unborn child's.

"No matter what you say, it doesn't change how I feel. And it does not change what you did," Sousuke said. "Remember this, Masaki. In my stay here, I will find a way to make your life a living hell. I will make sure that you and your family will never feel love again. And when that day of realization comes, you can only pray and wish that you chose me after all."

"Believe me, Sousuke. Even though you make me go through hell, my decision will always be the same."

"Really? You will say that at the expense of your family?"

Masaki moved closer to her brother, her eyes burning. "We will never go down without a fight."

"How will you fight when you don't even know what you're dealing with?"

"What the hell are you blabbering about, Sousuke?!"

"Because father disowned you, you have no means or right to contact him. Even Halibel and Kuukaku can't do anything right now. Halibel's now married to the King of France. Kuukaku is powerless because of her rebelliousness. The King will never take her seriously. As for Soi Fong, she's the least of our siblings who would want to help you. Those are the consequences for leaving your power behind, Masaki. Doesn't it sting? You won't even have the power to fight back because you don't know what I'm planning in the first place."

"Once father finds out that you're gone from your prison – "

"I've already taken care of that. Do you think I'm a fool like you?" Sousuke cut her off with a glint in his eyes. "I wouldn't leave without taking precautions. I've already planned this out to the moment your bastard draws his last breath."

Masaki suddenly gripped the front of his robes, mustering a strength that was surprising for such a delicate-looking woman. "Touch my child, you sick son of a bitch, and I will make sure that your life will be a living hell."

"Tough words, Masaki. You won't be able to avenge your child when you yourself are already dead."

Two, slick bodies rhythmically joined each other in an erotic dance under the sun. The garden was pristine, secluded, and quiet. The only sound heard were the occasional chirping of the birds, the whispering of the breeze, and the heavy grunting and loud moaning of the two people who deigned to make the place their own personal Eden.

With a last release of effort, the man slumped down the woman, spilling his seed inside of her. The man had dirty blonde hair and his skin was very pale, a testament to the fact that he rarely went outdoors. The woman had dark skin and deep purple hair. Her cat-like eyes regarded her lover gently.

"This is our last day together," Shihouin Yoruichi said in her silky voice.

Urahara Kisuke sighed. "Don't remind me."

"I have to. If I don't, you're gonna keep me here forever."

"Can I?"

Yoruichi laughed. "You know you can't."

"Why did this have to happen?" Kisuke uttered with a frown.

"The Kuchikis have obliterated the Shihouin family. I was my clan's ransom. Now, I have to protect them."

"That's a twisted sense of loyalty. Why would you want to protect the people who killed your clan?"

"I never had any love for my own clan. They only treated me like an object."

Kisuke stroked her hair. "There, there, my little cat. I'm here for you now."

Yoruichi rolled her eyes at Kisuke's term of endearment. "There's nothing very comforting about that."

Kisuke stuck out his tongue at her childishly as they rolled around the grass in laughter.

"So, tell me again how an English nobleman like you wound up here? And why did he end up with a Japanese noblewoman?" Yoruichi asked teasingly. She loved it when Kisuke told her the story of how they came to be. It was one of her personal favorite things to do.

"You see," Kisuke declared theatrically. "The very bold and dashing Duke of Norfolk is the personal friend of Her Royal Highness Masaki Luisenbarn. He is also the most famous, handsome, and trusted doctor in England."

With that, Yoruichi laughed.

"But you see, his mistress Masaki was sent to go to Japan for goodwill missions. I was sent to accompany her after a great scandal that involved another princess," he said with overplayed doom in his voice.

Yoruichi's smile faded a bit after that statement. She knew the story. It seemed that the Fourth Princess named Soi Fong fell in love with Kisuke but the Duke spurned her advances. He was a military man before being a scientist, but he was forced to give up this job because the Princess herself was the general of the armies of England. His rejection caused the Princess to make it her personal mission to make his life a torture. Kisuke, once a favorite to a King, became despised because of what Soi Fong kept whispering to the monarch's ear. Thanks to Masaki, he was sent on a trip to Japan to assist in her affairs.

"When he arrived to Japan, the dashing Duke was here to have fun – explore the sights and sounds. Taking a load off, as they say today," Kisuke continued, grinning broadly. "And then one day, at a meeting with the Japanese representatives with Princess Masaki, he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on."

Yoruichi laughed at that. Normally, the headstrong woman laughed rarely, but then again, Kisuke was always her exception.

"After that, he had to do everything to make her his. But the lady was a warrior, as well as a noblewoman. It was forbidden love, as some may call it. But nothing could stop him," Kisuke said. "Even without the reason of parties, he found ways for them to meet. Until such a time that his expertise was needed in curing Kuchiki Byakuya's ailing wife."

That was true. Japanese medicine wasn't as modern as European medicine. When they found out about Kisuke's claim to fame, they immediately sent for the man to aid Hisana. From his findings, it seems that there was a growth, what he called as a 'tumor', inside Hisana's head. It would soon impair her ability to think – her judgment. She only had less than a year to live, and this devastated Kuchiki Byakuya above anyone else. It affected him so much that it seemed that Japan's cause to push for freedom and independence seemed to be put at a standstill.

"And now, he's here, helping out, falling in love, having sex. Saving the world one colony at a time."

Yoruichi playfully swatted his wandering hand away. "You sure are an arrogant ass."

"One of my many charms."

The woman placed a fierce kiss on his lips, hungry and demanding. It seemed that another round was in order. They didn't mind. They had too much stamina.

And besides, this was their last day together.

Why the last day, you ask? Well, Urahara Kisuke had to return to England for some duties concerning his estate. He was being called back by the King himself. And Yoruichi had her own duties. They decided that their relationship was best put to an end. There was no way they could possibly be together anyway.

That's the beauty of being Kisuke and Yoruichi. They were both practical thinkers.

Undoubtedly too practical for their own good.

"Byakuya-sama."

The weak voice was an indicator that there was not much fight left in Kuchiki Hisana. Her usually pale skin now turned to a deathly, sickly pallor. Her hair was thinning out and her eyes were often bloodshot. Her once luscious lips were cracking as she tried in vain to lick it just to bring back its lost and nonexistent moisture. She tried to strain her neck to look at her darling husband, who seemed to have lost his own soul.

"Yes, Hisana?"

"Please… find Rukia."

"I will. I will, Hisana," he said, holding her hand.

"Kuchiki Byakuya," a voice said from behind him. He turned and saw an unusual-looking man covered in what women would refer to as makeup. His face resembled a theatrical entertainer. With him was a very pregnant lady with dark blue hair arranged in a plait. Her eyes were dead as she regarded them. There was no sign of respect from the two, indicating that they were both foreigners.

"Who are you and how did you come here unannounced?" Byakuya asked, a threat evident in his voice.

"We were sent by Urahara Kisuke," the man said. "I am Kurotsuchi Mayuri and I am his assistant. We have invented a way to prolong your wife's life. However, it cannot stop the degradation of her sanity."

"W-what?" Byakuya inquired, stammering for the very first time in years.

"This vial," Mayuri continued, ignoring his dull question and raising a small bottle containing a blood red liquid, "contains what I call the Elixir of Life. It can prolong a body even though it is dying but it does not completely remove the disease. It only sustains the life source. Urahara Kisuke wants to relay this message to you, if you are desperate to keep your wife alive no matter how she becomes, then you will let her take this."

Byakuya's eyes widened as he stared at the vial. He then looked at the man, to his companion, then back to Hisana, who was barely holding on to her life.

"We have to administer the potion before she dies or else there's no use for sustaining a life when there's none, isn't it?"

The way this Kurotsuchi fellow said it was as if Hisana was one of his experiments. It was as if he was merely a spectator fascinated by how this would all go.

"Are you sure it's effective?" Byakuya asked with anxiety.

Mayuri tilted his head and looked at the nobleman as if he were a child. "I shall go then if you ask any more of these inane questions."

"Wait!" Byakuya said, listening to Hisana as her breathing suddenly sharpened, "Y-you…"

Mayuri nodded and quickly proceeded to the futon of the dying woman.

"You have to make sure she gets this," Kisuke told Mayuri, handing him a bottle with blue fluid. "I've already formulated a potion that will poison the tumor inside, melting it. The side-effects would be vomiting, hair falling out, nausea, and weakness. She has to take this once a week. Her body will be expelling the tumor and she will be normal in about three months or so."

Mayuri nodded and gave the bottle to his assistant.

"And Mayuri, you have to stop taking Rem with you. She's almost at her labor. You don't want your child to – "

"Never mind me, Urahara-sama," Kurotsuch Rem said. "I am perfectly fine."

Perfectly fine, my ass, Kisuke thought. He knew that Rem was Mayuri's test subject when it came to his twisted little experiments on medicine. It was a wonder that the woman was still alive, let alone capable of getting pregnant. It would be no surprise if the child came out deformed.

Pity.

"Give it to her immediately," Kisuke instructed as Mayuri left.

"I will," Mayuri replied.

Kisuke could swear that he heard Mayuri laugh as he moved away.

"I learned the craft of science with that man. I know what I am doing and I am probably better than you in these things."

Aizen Sousuke spoke boldly and he laughed at the sight of the fuming Kurotsuchi Mayuri. What he said was the truth. He and Urahara Kisuke both studied under the same mistress, Senjumaru Shutara, the most brilliant scientific mind of their generation. Mayuri was only an apprentice of Kisuke, therefore in a much lower class than the two.

"Give this to that Kuchiki woman instead," he handed him a bottle with red fluid. "This will sustain her life but will not remove the tumor. It can make it worse, in fact."

"How do you know that it has the desired effect?"

"Because I have made a reverse potion of it. That is the reason why my sister is dying," Sousuke replied nonchalantly as he lounged in his chair. "Kisuke does not know any better. He thinks that he's applying the same medicine that he's been giving Masaki for her pregnancy. Give it a few years and she will die. My favorite recipe is a slow, painful destruction."

Mayuri grinned. This was one of the reasons why he enjoyed working for Sousuke. He had no restraints and he no constraints on who he used his medicines on. It was just like his own methods in every single way. Heck, he even used his own wife for experiments. You just have to find gullible, stupid people.

"What exactly are you trying to accomplish with this? Once the princess is dead, what then? And what then if Kuchiki Hisana lives and goes insane?" Mayuri asked.

"It's a simple matter of revenge," Sousuke answered. "Every step matters. What I'm doing has a purpose, and you need not concern yourself with it. The only concern you have is Kuchiki Hisana."

Mayuri frowned. He hated not knowing things.

"And this is what you're going to do," Sousuke continued. "After I leave, which is after a week, you need to continue giving the same potion to both Hisana and Masaki. Urahara Kisuke is too busy with that Shihouin woman to actually care. He trusts you somehow. And I have tasked Soi Fong to bring the man back to England for some 'important matters'. It could take years before he comes back and when he does, Masaki will be dead and Hisana will have lost it."

Mayuri nodded as the banished prince added, "At that time, Kuchiki Byakuya will have trusted you completely. He will make sure that you administer the potion regularly to Hisana because she needs to. And when you arrive for your visits, make sure that you feed that insanity. Make sure that Hisana goes absolutely paranoid. Follow the instructions I gave to you in that parchment to the letter. If you fail, there will be hell to pay."

"What if we get caught?"

"We won't if you follow me."

"How can you be so sure, eh?"

"Because I think things through. Are you not a patron of that?"

"But you can't always control all the variables," Mayuri argued.

"We won't get caught. When the time is right, they will know," Sousuke explained. "And when they find out, they will know that Urahara Kisuke is the one responsible for all of these."

Mayuri's eyes widened. Then, a slow, evil smirk cracked his painted features.

This was a man to be reckoned with.

Masaki is dead.

A slender beauty with ebony hair wrapped herself around Aizen Sousuke. "Now do you have time for my revenge?"

"Of course," Sousuke replied, suppressing the annoyed feeling coursing through his body at the sight of the pathetic woman. "I have to accomplish everything before I leave."

"Can I come with you this time?" Going from Japan to England and vice versa has become a habit for Aizen Sousuke – a habit that has gone undetected for years thanks to Soi Fong.

"Certainly. We don't want the Inoue deaths to be traced back to you, do we?"

A carriage ride. Loose chords. A little snip here and there to loosen the reigns. A little disturbance to startle the horses. When they reach that deadly curve in the outskirts of Inuzuri, their carriage was sure to fall in a cacophony of chaos and death.

This woman, Fumiko… she was the one who made him aware of the existence of the Inoues in Japan. They were here on a holiday, yet came to fall in love with the country somehow. They had two children – a son and a daughter. They had to make sure that the daughter lives.

"Why that Orihime brat?" she asked out of nowhere.

"Because we shall make sure that we give my bastard of a nephew a taste of love," Sousuke replied. "I will make sure that Inoue Orihime marries Masaki's son. Soi Fong has already suggested to Halibel and Kuukaku that they appeal to the King. The old coot will give back that bastard's birthright if and only if he marries an English noblewoman. We have to make sure that Inoue Orihime is the only viable candidate."

"How will you do that?"

"Leave the thinking to me," Sousuke retorted impatiently. "Remember what your place!"

Fumiko flinched as she nodded, her body inching down Sousuke's as she kneeled in front of his standing form. She slowly extracted his manhood from his trousers, holding them in her soft hands.

"Hai, Aizen-sama," and with that, she engulfed him in her wanton mouth.

"What do you want?!"

Urahara Kisuke was angry.

Here he was, imprisoned in the Tower of London for some reason. He was tending to his estates as the King instructed, doing errands here and there. This was the time that he had to go back to Japan. With Isshin suddenly appointed as governor, he was sure that there was something fishy going on. His medicine failed when Masaki suddenly died. It was rare for him to fail and it was something that did not sit too well with him. And the way he was constantly being called back and forth to England was odd in itself.

When the door opened to reveal a woman dressed in the Royal Family colors of deep purple, he finally realized who was behind all of this.

"Urahara Kisuke," the woman's voice echoed against the barren walls. Soi Fong was staring at him menacingly, reminding him how true it was that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Or spurned, in this case.

"What is it, Soi Fong?" Kisuke asked venomously, earning him a kick to the face from the petite princess. Damn, the woman kicked like a monster.

"Where are your manners, Duke of Norfolk? I am your superior in every way," Soi Fong said, circling him like a hungry vulture. "Learn to address me properly."

"When the superior has earned my respect, then I shall address her properly."

The woman merely laughed and tugged his head upwards, forcing him to look straight into her eyes. "You are going to do something for me."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because if you don't, you risk losing your beloved Yoruichi," she answered.

Kisuke's eyes widened in alarm. How…?

"Don't worry, I have not laid my hands on the filthy bitch," Soi Fong replied, reading his mind. "I haven't even laid eyes upon her. I only met with notable Japanese people, not common wenches. But even if I do not know who she really is and how she looks like, I have plenty of people at my beck and call to do nasty things to her."

Kisuke gritted his teeth. "Why are you still so bitter after all these years?"

With that, Soi Fong slapped him clear across the face. He felt a trickle of blood oozing from his lips. The woman had a darned diamond ring on her hand. "Do not flatter yourself, Urahara Kisuke. This is for a higher purpose. And what you will do is this."

Kisuke listened intently as his stomach sank lower and lower. The plan was convoluted and diabolical. There was no way that he could do it. And how did they know about the Hougyouku, the most volatile and powerful potion that he had ever created?

"Feed the Kurosaki brat with that potion. He is sure to have that wondrous personality that you kept on blabbing about to your assistant."

Mayuri?!

Kisuke was sure that Mayuri was the one responsible for leaking the information. He blamed himself for trusting such a shady personality.

"You have to help us, dear Kisuke," Soi Fong said, scooting down and blowing a kiss near his ear that made him shudder in repugnance. "Because wouldn't you like to know who really killed Masaki? And who made Kuchiki Hisana insane?"

"What are you - ?"

"It was you. Your medicine made their situations worse. You killed both of them in very different, creative ways."

With that information, Kisuke's form slumped on the filthy floor, regret and guilt swallowing his entire being. This time, the free soul would forever be enslaved to the devil, with no way of getting free.

Sailing in the sea always made Urahara Kisuke uncomfortable.

But this was no time to be sick. After years of not going back to England, he had to go back now. His estate was almost in ruins, saved only by his assistant, Tessai. Now, he was summoned for the coronation of Kurosaki Ichigo and Kurosaki Orihime.

He felt that there was something off about this travel. He couldn't describe it, but he knew that something bad was going on.

"Hey."

His blood suddenly ran cold. He knew that voice. A voice that he had not heard for years…

He turned around and true to his instincts, she was there.

Soi Fong.

"Sad that your bitch forgot who you are?"

Kisuke's eyebrows drew together in rage. They were the ones behind the accident. Yoruichi suddenly having an accident and bumping her head. Her forgetting… it wasn't a bad coincidence. It was all orchestrated.

"Why go back to her when you can have me?" Soi Fong asked. Kisuke looked around and was surprised that there seemed to be no one around. Not even the captain himself or the one who steered the ship.

"Where - ?"

"I commanded them to leave. They'll be back soon. No one can run a ship alone," Soi Fong answered, suddenly untying her robe and walking to him in all of her nakedness.

Kisuke didn't even flinch. He merely stared at her face with anger.

"Remember when you used to enjoy this?"

She touched his face and tiptoed. She then kissed him with all the strength she possessed. Kisuke shoved her away in an instant. "Get away from me."

"Oh, I will. But in the mean time, I can enjoy it while it lasts."

"What - ?"

Kisuke suddenly felt a sting to the side of his neck. He pulled out a small container with a needle protruding from it. The tiny flask looked like a mechanical bee.

"Suzumebachi…" he whispered, feeling his insides heating up and growing weak.

"Yes," Soi Fong replied. "You know what it does, right? The ultimate aphrodisiac. You can't resist me this time, Kisuke. I will have my way with you before I kill you."

No one ever knew how Urahara Kisuke died. All that was heard by the sailors were heady sexual noises from the deck, pounding like wild animals in heat. They knew that it was their Princess and the Duke fornicating, but no one said a word. They were under oath and they were under Soi Fong's command.

The last thing they heard was a splashing sound as if something heavy fell overboard.

No one witnessed a pool of blood swirling in the turbulent ocean as a body floated lifelessly, nowhere to be seen, nowhere to be found, nowhere to ever be head of ever again…

"Orihime!"

Ichigo couldn't find the strength to get up as Aizen Sousuke's body fell over in a fountain of blood. He stared at his wife, her face pale but her eyes determined. Behind her was an ever stoic Ulquiorra Schiffer, gesturing for two men who seemed to be following him to carry Byakuya and Gin out.

"How are they?" Orihime asked Ulquiorra.

"We have to bring them to Unohana Retsu immediately," Ulquiorra replied. "But I think they will live."

Orihime nodded and then rushed towards Ichigo. It seemed that she was unaware of everything until she truly laid eyes on him. With tears trickling down her cheeks, she embraced him and peppered kisses all over his bloodied face.

"I must say I'm embarrassed. Not one of us men could take him down but you did," Ichigo said with a bit of effort.

"Stop talking," Orihime said. "You should rest. And please don't go all masculine on me. I did save all of your lives."

The two men who left immediately came back, taking Grimmjow and Isshin with them. Ichigo almost got up after realizing that his father was in dire condition.

"Dad…"

"Don't worry," Orihime assured him. "Isshin-san is a strong man. I'm sure he'll survive this."

"He better."

Orihime barely suppressed a giggle. But after a few moments, she sobered up at Ichigo's question, "How did you come here?"

"I asked for the King's permission."

"And he gave you consent?!" Ichigo gasped in disbelief.

"No," Orihime answered, her cheeks reddening a bit. "I did not obey orders. I was in Excalibur all along. I disguised myself as one of the knights. I met with Ulquiorra-kun as soon as the ship landed."

Ichigo was floored. "Did you plan this all along?"

"Yes," she replied. "I had no choice. I have to catch Aizen in surprise. He has predicted every single one of your movements except mine. Ulquiorra-kun told me how much that man underestimated women. It was evident from the way he treated your mother."

Ichigo bit his lower lip and nodded, inhaling sharply in pain as he was being assisted by Ulquiorra and another soldier. He stared at his former best friend and said, "So you were on our side all along?"

Ulquiorra looked back at him with his usual deadpan expression. "Not always. Be thankful to your wife."

"I know," Ichigo retorted, but his eyes gentled as he looked at Orihime. "I am."

Orihime smiled at him and guided him towards a tent already set up in front of the Governor's house. When they went inside, Unohana Retsu was already treating Byakuya, Gin, Grimmjow, and Isshin. Her assistants rushed about as they all struggled to suppress the bleeding. The blue-haired dauphin was already wide awake and barking at the nurses until Retsu sent him a withering glare that effectively silenced him.

"How's my father?" Ichigo asked Retsu, who was bending over Isshin.

"He has a lot of wounds and it's still early to say anything," Retsu replied. "But he is still alive. He's fighting and he's strong."

Ichigo sighed gratefully. He knew that it was a smart move to actually bring the renowned healer with them. His eyes surveyed the tent as he was forced to lie down. The last thing his eyes perceived was Kaien, standing next to a bed.

"Who…?"

Orihime merely shook her head as she moved away, apparently letting Retsu's assistants heal his wounds before he could say or ask anything else. The auburn-haired princess walked towards Kaien, who was talking to someone. When she finally reached him, she gasped in shock.

"Rukia-san?!"

Kuchiki Rukia laid her bleary eyes at the other woman. Surprisingly, she smiled brightly up at her. "Orihime."

"You're alive!" Orihime gasped, struggling not to embrace the petite woman in her delight. "But how…?"

"Gin," Rukia replied, her eyes moving to the resting Grand Duke. "He saved us from the explosion."

"Us? Then…"

"Yes. Your aunt is alive."

Orihime could feel tears filling up her eyes again as she sobbed thankfully to the heavens. Kaien grasped her body before it could fall.

"Where is that Aizen bastard?" Rukia asked through gritted teeth.

"H-he's dead," Orihime replied, choking back her cries.

Rukia sighed in relief. "Who got him?"

At this, Orihime sobered. "Me."

"You?!"

To say that Rukia and Kaien were surprised was an understatement. They never suspected that Orihime would be the one to kill Aizen Sousuke. Hell, she couldn't even hurt a fly even if it pestered her.

"Don't look so surprised," Grimmjow said from behind them. "This girl could be a tough cookie if she wants to. I've been on the receiving end of her bad side once."

Kaien laughed. "Naturally. But, how did you get here? Did you - ?"

"I snuck in the Excalibur," Orihime replied. "Disguised myself as one of the knights."

"And no one noticed those big breasts of yours?!" Grimmjow said in awe.

Orihime blushed as Kaien sent a glare to his cousin. "I'm glad that Ichigo didn't hear that."

"Ichigo? He's here?" Rukia asked, missing the odd expression that crossed Orihime's and Kaien's faces.

"Yes," Kaien replied. "He led the attack. He's being treated in another area right now."

"Is he fine?"

"Yes," Orihime said, looking at Rukia. The other woman understood the look but did not say anything. After all, there was always a part of her that would care for Ichigo. Thoughts of him suddenly brought back thoughts of Haru, her son – a boy that she has never even seen. Sadness gripped her heart as she struggled to close her eyes. No one can ever know about Haru. Not to her dying breath.

He should go in peace.

She didn't even want to know how he died.

"Haru? Haru?!"

Kuchiki Byakuya just watched his wife die with his own hands. Her head was severed from her body as she held the boy against her. But there was something definitely wrong when he noticed that the boy was not removing himself from the dead body's grasp.

That was because he himself was bleeding.

"HARU!"

When he finally managed to remove the boy, horror struck him as he saw that Hisana's dragger already drove itself through the small body. Before he could even strike the insane woman, she had already dealt the deadly blow on the innocent.

The silence of the night was forever broken when Kuchiki Byakuya bellowed in rage and sadness for the very first time in his life.

The Epilogue

Five years later…

The coronation was a success.

Everyone stared at the new King and Queen of England with admiration. Sitting on their golden thrones, Ichigo and Orihime, along with their four children, looked regal and awe-inspiring.

Youichi and Yuna were both five years of age now. They looked every bit like their parents in every way. Youichi had grown up to have the same personality as his father while Yuna was a gentle soul like her mother.

And then there were their two younger siblings. Two years after the twins were born, Orihime gave birth to their second daughter, Kurosaki Yuuki. She was now three years old and she, surprisingly, inherited her grandfather's Japanese looks. She had jet black hair and brown eyes. She was a serious little girl, already reading at the age of two and a half years. A year after Yuuki came Kurosaki Yagura, a boy who had Orihime's hair and her eyes.

The family had indeed expanded and was the pride and joy of Barragan Luisenbarn up until his recent death. The old man got to see his family glow once again, with his grandchildren finally getting along for each other's sakes.

With the main Royal Family was Halibel's family. Grimmjow and Neliel were already blessed with two children, both males. Michael and Louis were both as mischievous and as cunning as their father, fortunately balanced by the kindness of their mother. They also took after their father in appearance.

Kuukaku's family was also in attendance. The stoic Ryuuken even had a small smile playing on his lips as he watched in pride. Ishida married Nemu, who was now very pregnant. With them was the current Emperor and Empress of Japan – Shiba Kaien (who took on a Japanese name) and Shiba Rukia.

The crown passed onto Rukia after her older brother died. Kuchiki Byakuya did not manage to survive all the wounds inflicted on him by Aizen Sousuke, but managed to leave a dying message to his sister, explaining everything that had happened. He parted with an apology and forgiveness from his beloved adoptive sibling.

After the invasion, Barragan Luisenbarn granted the independence and freedom of Japan. A year into Rukia's reign, a peace and friendship treaty was signed between the two countries. With that, she also married Kaien, much to the delight of the Third Princess.

Now, they already had a daughter. A charming little two-year-old named Shiba Kasumi.

Also smiling proudly in the crowd was Ukitake and Unohana, who had also opted to marry. They found out that the woman was actually the mother of Toushirou and Yachiru. After a bit of conflict of making Toushirou understand why their mother had left them, they finally reunited and were happy ever since.

The Grand Duchess Lisa was also present, along with her new husband Muguruma Kensei. It seemed that the nobleman had been wooing the princess for a long time and was only stopped when he served Gin. They still had no children and it seemed that the couple didn't really want to have one.

Also in the crowd, sobbing uncontrollably was the ravishing Rangiku, clutching the arm of a grinning Gin. After Rangiku's reunion with Orihime, the younger woman and her husband explained everything that Gin did for her and the country. Tearful that she cursed him to die, Rangiku flew to Gin's sickbed and was crying helplessly for forgiveness. The Grand Duke merely shrugged off her apology and silenced her with a searing kiss that promised a brighter tomorrow.

But the losses of the war weren't easily forgotten. Orihime had to search high and low for Renji, Ururu, and Jinta after she found out about Tatsuki's death from her aunt. She never fully recovered from the loss of her best friend and for reasons that were still a mystery to her. However, her aunt insisted that Tatsuki was merely protecting them and that she didn't really die in vain.

No one ever mentioned the existence of Rukia's dead son.

Orihime insisted on bringing Renji and the two children with her when she returned to England. She wanted to make Renji into a knight and even bestow high honors to Ururu and Jinta. However, the three declined. It seemed that they had enough of the conflicts that were going on around royalty but they swore their unending friendship towards Orihime. But they couldn't do anything when Orihime asked Rukia for a favor to grant them a stable source of income and a home in Japan. At the very least, they accepted this small token. Orihime did not tell them of her disappointment at their request, but there was nothing more she could.

There were some wounds that are not so easy to heal.

And Ichigo's deepest wound was the death of his father.

Like Byakuya, it seemed that Sousuke dealt deadly blows to the two men, knowing that they had to be dead above anyone else at that time. Isshin was not able to wake up and drew his last breath hours after he was found, even with the optimism and abilities of Retsu. Ichigo grieved for a long time, but his sadness was mitigated by the presence of his wife and later the announcement that she was with child once again. He swore never to let loneliness get the best of him ever again.

Fate isn't anyone's friend. Fate doesn't even exist in the first place. We choose what we have and we choose what we do. What matters most is what we can or cannot do. We can only do what we think is best for us or we can only do things based on desire and ambition. Whichever way it is, the outcome will be based on your choices.

That much the Royal couple learned as they held each other lovingly, putting the past behind them.

"The night is beautiful," Orihime said to Ichigo as they retired to their suite. They stared up the window and watched the fireworks dance in merriment as people continued their celebrations all across the kingdom.

"It is the most beautiful, just like you," Ichigo said, planting a soft kiss on his wife's lips.

Orihime smiled brilliantly. "This is forever, isn't it?"

"As long as you want it to be."

Orihime leaned against her husband's frame.

"The stars are shining brightly."

I am done. =)

The flashbacks were from alternating timelines, all belonging to past events. I actually wanted Orihime and Ichigo to abdicate the throne and live peacefully in Japan. I wanted to, ironically, make Kaien inherit the throne (since Grimmjow already belonged to France) and have Rukia as Queen of England. I also intended Byakuya to survive and marry another woman. The woman would have been Rangiku because I would have killed Gin.

If it weren't for the pleas of people, I would have done these things. But this is the end of YFS. If my mood dictates so, I will write an alternate ending. Perhaps a one-shot. Or if I deemed to edit this fanfic some time in the future.

BTW, does anyone want to do the cover art of this story? Or if you have someone you know... I think I should start making cover arts for my stories. :P

I love you all and that's all I can really say and I think that's enough. =)