I strode down the hallway with determined steps, pushing open the door to the living room. There, Yamachi stood before a mirror, carefully examining a scarf he had draped around himself. Seated beside him in an armchair was Ikkaku, who straightened up as I entered.
"It's all right," I muttered, and Ikkaku relaxed.
"I still can't quite believe that you're the head of the Miyazaki family, Yumichika," he grumbled, and Yamachi shrugged his shoulders.
"I played my role well, didn't I? I took acting classes at the etiquette school back in my childhood, that came in handy."
"And you and Commander Kuchiki are childhood friends, for real, right? I just don't get it."
I chuckled, opened a drawer, and handed Ikkaku a photograph. It displayed Byakuya, Yamachi, and me at the age of about ten. We stood in our garden, covered in sweat and dirt, after our training with practice swords.
"Whoa, I've never seen you so dirty! Seriously!" Ikkaku marveled, and Yamachi shot me a mildly annoyed look.
"Have you finally decided which scarf Your Highness will wear for the ceremony?" I asked sarcastically, and Yamachi turned back to the mirror.
"This is an important day for me. It's the first time in many decades that I represent our family again. I can't look like some random-" I rolled my eyes and stopped listening.
"I'll be back in ten minutes, and you'd better be ready," I scolded him and slipped through the patio door into the garden.
Without giving it much thought, I leaped onto a branch of the large oak tree and landed in the neighboring garden, startling Rukia in front of me.
"Forgive me, old habit," I mumbled, and she gave me a grin.
"Ni-Sama is in the living room," she explained, and I thanked her. Just like in our earliest childhood, I used the window, not the door, to enter the Kuchiki family's house.
Byakuya pushed open the door to his old room, he must have noticed my presence.
"Brings back memories," he mumbled, his expression a mix of an eye roll and a smirk.
"Are you both ready?"
"Absolutely. I assume Yamachi needs a little more time?" he chuckled, and I laughed.
Rukia appeared behind us at the window.
"Ikkaku just yelled over the fence that they're ready," she explained, and I gave Byakuya a meaningful look. "We should hurry before Yamachi changes his mind."
Within minutes, we marched through the streets of Seireitei. Byakuya in his white captain's haori, Yamachi in the finest silk, and me in a simple outfit.
I absorbed every inch of Seireitei, examining every corner, every nook, and observing the people and Shinigami who greeted us as they passed. Finally, we reached the grand square, already filled to the brim with people.
We made our way through the crowd until we reached the front. Seats had been set up for Byakuya and Yamachi, as well as for the other noble houses and the Gotei 13 captains. I sat next to my brother, letting my gaze wander. Yoruichi waved at me, and Kisuke sat beside her, grinning.
One by one, everyone had gathered, and Captain-Commander Yamamoto-Genryusai took his place on a platform. He struck the ground with his staff, and it became instantly silent.
"Residents of Seireitei, as well as those who have come from Rukongai to witness this ceremony. After all the years of war and suffering, we now welcome an era of peace. To uphold this peace, we have decided to mend the strained bond that has hung by a thread between us and our rulers for the past decades. For this reason, we are celebrating the crowning of a new Soul King for the first time here in Seireitei. Bow your heads, bend your knees before the one whose watchful eye will hover over us, whose hands will protect and guide us."
The Captain-Commander was the first to kneel, and his captains followed suit. The heads of the noble families also rose from their seats to bow. I knelt but kept my gaze up, watching with joy as Sato ascended the platform.
He was dressed simply today, in a white haori, and he looked around with a mixture of excitement and concern.
Our eyes met, and I nodded encouragingly.
He smiled back.
"Hear me, spirits of the Royal Realm. I, Sato Kiyashi, the youngest son of Surano and Ayame, take upon myself the burden of watching over the worlds and protecting their boundaries. I swear by my blood, my soul, and everything that makes me who I am to do everything in my power to carry on our family's legacy and be a just king. Honor me."
The hairs on my arms stood on end, and I felt the tension that swept through the crowd. A heavy silence fell over the multitude.
Sato's forehead bore a deep crease that suddenly transformed into a look of astonishment. Out of nowhere, energy cascaded down upon him, bathing him in an otherworldly light. For a brief moment, I feared that Sato might be consumed by the energy, but as the radiance ebbed away, he remained in the same spot.
Adorning his head was a sparkling crown, a blessing bestowed by his ancestors.
"Long live King Sato!" The Captain-Commander's cry was caught up by the masses, turning into a chorus. Sato raised his hands, and silence once again reigned.
"As my first act in this new role, I believe it's my duty to announce the punishment for the criminal who has brought so much suffering to you all."
Once more, it grew so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop. My hands clutched at the hem of my clothing, and I swallowed hard as Sosuke was escorted onto the platform by the Central Chamber's officials. He was not bound and appeared strangely tranquil.
"Our brother wished, before his death, for you to take responsibility for your actions, to make amends. But despite everything, you are still my brother, and I could not decide the extent of your punishment on my own. So, I consulted with the Gotei 13 captains, and we reached an agreement."
Sosuke's gaze flicked briefly to the captains, who glared at him grimly, and for a fleeting moment, I saw a trace of concern cross his brow.
However, Sato turned away from his brother, and his eyes landed on me. My hands tingled.
"Akari, would you please come forward?"
I furrowed my brow. I hadn't expected this, but I complied with Sato's request. I rose from my seat, feeling Yamachi's gaze on the back of my head as I ascended the platform, where I stood directly across from Sato and Sosuke.
"You still possess the ability granted to you by Suzaku, don't you?"
I nodded, my eyes darting to Sosuke, whose lips curled into a smile. There was no remorse in his gaze.
"Well then, Akari Miyazaki, please use your Bankai to strip Sosuke of his hypnotic ability."
I gasped in surprise, and a murmur rippled through the crowd. Sosuke's eyes met mine, and I held my ground. Then he nodded almost imperceptibly.
I drew my sword, activated my Bankai, and summoned the pink blade that I had imitated from Suzaku. It was a blade that could transfer abilities. But I had never before taken someone's ability.
I approached Sosuke, and my sword passed through his body. It made contact with Kyoka Suigetsu, whose energy vibrated. The sword resisted my intrusion, but Sosuke's Reiatsu settled upon it, calming the vibrations.
I located the hypnotic ability and extracted it from him, like removing a splinter from the skin. My sword vibrated, and I had to point it to the sky. Energy surged forth, creating lightning in the sky, and then the spectacle was over.
"His sword is now bare, like an Asauchi," I announced.
"Thank you, Akari," Sato said, and I returned to my seat. Sato observed Sosuke from the side, who still appeared calm.
"If your Shikai ever develops anew, we will examine it closely. This was only part one of your punishment. I'm sure all of you are wondering why we didn't completely destroy his Zanpakuto. I will tell you. We will not lock Sosuke in the underground dungeon."
Once again, a murmur swept through the crowd, but this time, it sounded discontented. It was the first time Sosuke displayed any emotion. He looked puzzled. I grinned. I relished seeing him confused.
"Because, imprisoned, you would not be able to make amends. You would not be able to atone."
Sato had to raise his hands to restore order in the crowd.
"I know what you're thinking. How could he ever make amends for what he has done? Nothing we ask of him will undo the suffering he caused or bring back the lives he took. All of that is irreversible, and there is only one way to atone."
Sato now stood directly in front of Sosuke, whose expression still held a mixture of bewilderment and concern.
"From now on, you will serve the Gotei 13, but your scope of work will not extend to Seireitei. You will focus all your strength, time, brilliant ideas, and skills on Rukongai to improve the lives in the districts outside of Seireitei. For too many years, both we, the rulers, and the residents of Seireitei have allowed the souls of Rukongai to live in terrible conditions. You will make amends where all of us have failed. We will assign someone to oversee your work and provide you with a team of experts to support you. Every one of your actions will be monitored, and every one of your decisions will be evaluated by us. If you stray from the right path even once, I will personally ensure that you spend the next millennia in the underground prison. Do you understand?"
Sosuke's expression grew serious. For a brief moment, I feared that his old self would resurface, but he did something I hadn't expected. He inclined his head in a bow and said, "Yes, your majesty."
"Very well, so be it," Sato declared. The people began to cheer, hesitantly at first, then louder. I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. Improving life in Rukongai had been a matter close to my heart for so long. Sato had remembered, and the captains also seemed to share the idea that Sosuke's energies and brilliance would be wasted in a cell. Especially as long as Sara existed. I spotted the little girl by the side of the captains, waving at Sosuke in encouragement. As long as Sara was well, Sosuke would no longer be a threat, I was sure of that.
That didn't mean I could forgive him for all his deeds. Just like many others around us. I caught Byakuya's gaze, and I knew he was thinking of Hisana. He, too, wouldn't forgive easily. Nevertheless, I detected a sense of satisfaction in his expression. Because Hisana had also suffered under the terrible conditions of Rukongai, just like Rukia and many others.
The ceremony had concluded, and I mingled with the crowd. Swiftly, I joined Byakuya's side and affectionately squeezed his arm. He sighed but offered me a mild smile.
"I'm just glad it's all over," he murmured, and I returned his smile. "Me too."
"Hey, Akari!"
I turned around and had to look twice to recognize the young woman. She was wearing a Shinigami uniform, and her hair was braided into a long tail, but I would have recognized her face anywhere.
"Mana! You—you've become a Shinigami!" She beamed from ear to ear and embraced me.
"Oh, Akari, for the longest time, we thought you were dead! It's so wonderful to see you again!" I hugged her a bit tighter.
"I'm sorry for causing you worry. Oh, here, I have something for you." I pulled an envelope from inside my clothing, bearing Mana's and Miaka's names.
"What's this?" she asked, and I grinned.
"I promised you back then that we'd meet again someday when everything was over, and I would finally introduce you to Kisuke. Open it!" She eagerly tore open the envelope and her face lit up.
"An invitation to your wedding!" she exclaimed, and now I beamed from ear to ear.
"I would be thrilled if you and Miaka could come."
"But of course, we'll be there! We're family, after all."
"Hey, Akari."
"Ah, speak of the devil. Mana, this is Kisuke. Kisuke, may I introduce you to Mana?"
"Oh, pleased to meet you! I've heard so much about you!" Mana beamed, while Kisuke scratched his head bashfully.
"Hello, Mana. Um, thank you for being such a great family to Akari when I couldn't be there for her. I've heard a lot about you as well." Mana's cheeks turned pink.
"Hey, Mana, there's work to do," a Shinigami called out, making Mana jump. "Oh, that's my officer. Forgive me, I have to go!"
"That's quite all right. See you soon!"
"Akari, Kisuke, come on!"
"Let's go," Kisuke said, and his hand slipped into mine. Our fingers intertwined, and hand in hand, we followed the voice of our friend Rangiku. We pushed through the crowd and finally emerged onto an empty street. Rangiku had just disappeared at the other end, and we silently followed her.
We turned a corner and paused briefly. The vast expanse of the academy lay before us, and my heart gave a little leap. On the large field in front of us, the old, frayed blanket was already spread out. Rangiku had just set down a huge picnic basket. Byakuya sat casually on the blanket, Rukia next to him, staring at him with wide eyes.
Yamachi was deeply engrossed in a discussion, seemingly trying to explain the significance of the Kenseikan to Ikkaku, who shook his head in exasperation, saying, "Sounds like a hairpin to me." I chuckled.
"Here's the second basket," Gin explained, setting down another basket beside Rangiku. He waved to Kisuke and me, and we exchanged a glance.
"Hey there you are!" Shin approached with a wide grin from the other side of the field. Behind him waddled Ichigo, balancing a stack of Tupperware containers in his arms.
I led Kisuke down the path to our blanket, and we took our seats. Ichigo nearly dropped most of the Tupperware containers, but his father helped him catch most of them.
"Boy, you're treating my lovingly cooked food roughly!"
"You should've carried some too!"
I laughed, and the others joined in. Rangiku unpacked the baskets, distributed plates, cups, and utensils, and laid out cakes, pastries, and salads on the blanket.
Next, I heard the pop of a bottle cork.
"Oh, Matsumoto, I hope you'll be in good shape tomorrow," a voice said, and I spotted a boy in a captain's haori, who now gave me a strange look.
"Haha, come on, Toshiro, today is a day to celebrate! Grab a cup and toast with us!"
"Why here? Why at the academy?" he asked, reluctantly accepting a cup from Rangiku.
"Because it all started here. We had the best time of our lives here back then, and we thought, what better place to celebrate that we can finally be together again?"
Toshiro Hitsugaya gave his vice-captain a smile and shrugged. "Well, alright, pour me a drink too."
Rangiku didn't need to be told twice and filled Toshiro's cup to the brim.
"What brings you to the academy, Toshiro?" Gin asked. Although Toshiro must have known that Gin had fought on our side the whole time, he gave him a skeptical look.
"Ah, I ran away. I couldn't bear to see Aizen... or whatever his real name is now, apologize to Momo-Chan. I thought she'd run right into his arms, but goodness, she had built up so much anger. I've never heard her talk like that before."
"Hinamori-Chan? No way!" Rangiku exclaimed. I took a sip from my cup, squeezed Kisuke's hand, and looked around at our group.
Everyone was laughing, sharing stories, drinking, eating.
A strange feeling spread within me, and it took a moment to realize what it was: my heart was brimming with happiness.
I didn't allow myself to call this my happy ending because I was sure this wasn't the end.
But I was overjoyed to have overcome the darkest phase of my life and finally be able to laugh together with the people I loved most.