Just a preview! Please tell me if there's something I can fix or any tips. This will be released December 7th.
Drip. Drip.
Water droplets fell from a blade, it's master holding it gingerly as that master headed towards the Soul Society….
It was a brisk night in the Seireitei. Winter was upon the days and everyone felt it in the air. All Soul Reapers had gone home and readied to rest for the evening. Just about everyone, except the lieutenant of squad 10.
"Captaaaaain!"
Rangiku was rather in a good mood and wanted to share that with captain Hitsugaya. Her cheeks were rosy pink, indicating she had already begun her drinking routine. She leaned her body against the doors to Hitsugaya's office and almost toppled over upon entering, Rangiku's eyes sparkled seeing her captain at his desk.
"Hey, the day's over, whaddya say we hit the spa or have a drink?"
Toshiro barely moves and puts another file of paperwork in front of himself. "Rangiku, I told you before; you can't do your little drinking party before you leave."
"But! You know, you can take a break can't cha? You been doing paperwork all month long, I can't imagine how stiff your shoulders must be."
"Thanks for your concern. But I'll pass. I know it's getting late but please, finish whatever you have to do first. Also pull up your collar a bit, it's sliding off."
Rangiku pouted and pulled up her uniform and asks one more time,"Before I go back, you want any candy or just some sake?"
Toshiro sighs trying to not be mean to her, "I said no. Go back to your office and finish your-"
At that second time rewinds and only a voice speaking incoherently…
"Iwon'ttndcsxletcdjnherhhndsnxgohfcjdnminejskmxn&shesghhbycmyhchchcaptain…"
Rangiku skips in the hallway to her captain's office and opens the doors,
"Captaaaain!" She yawns, almost not finishing her greeting.
"Captain, wanna go to the spa or have a drink?..Oh."
Toshiro was slumped on his desk, asleep. His pen was in his hand, the tip of it was beginning to stain from the ink and bleed onto the paper.
His lieutenant smiles. She goes to his side and gently shakes him. "Captain, can you hear me?"
He groans and makes a little scowl. "Come on. Can't I be in peace..? Huh?"
Toshirou suddenly stands up and eyes wide, looking around at the room as if he'd seen a ghost then at Matsumoto. "Rangiku, what were you asking me before you came in here?"
"Um. Nothing, sir. I just came by to offer a drink."
"Then.."Toshiro trails and tries to remember what he was doing only one minute ago.
"I think I have deja vu, I swear this was different before.."
"You mean I wasn't here?" Rangiku shrugs her shoulders, confused.
"That's not what I mean. I'm trying to say that I wasn't asleep before you entered."
Now Rangiku was concerned, she put her hand behind his neck and forehead, "Are you alright? Captain, you're kinda weirding me out."
"I'm sorry." Toshiro nods his head, still troubled, "It's probably nothing to worry about."
"Well since you mention it, I feel the same way. It's probably just nothing; maybe we're already drunk."
Trying to make light of the weird situation didn't help the 10th captain in the slightest. He still felt uneasy and a little lightheaded.
From his peripheral vision, a black shadow zipped by outside the window, making Toshiro turn quickly. The unknown shape was already gone before he could make out what it was. Now he was even more at unease.
"That was definitely not nothing."
"What is it? Is some weirdo outside?" Rangiku scanned beyond the glass pane to catch what he saw.
A loud clanking sound began to fill the air and a voice, Isane from squad 4 announces;
"All squads! Please come to Squad 4 sickbay if you have any sudden episodes of memory loss, dizzy spells, or fainting. Urgently. I repeat.."
The two looked at each other. The same announcement repeats two more times before stopping.
"I think we should go." Toshiro finally walks out of his desk area. "I want to stretch my legs."
"Hmm, finally! Then after that we can go get something to eat!"
"I said no..oh never mind." Hitsugaya rolled his eyes and let it go for now.
It wasn't long before they both reached Squad 4 barracks and the main sickbay. Toshiro gasps at how many other Soul Reapers waited in lines, some laying in beds motionless while the nurses hurried to tend to another person from different rooms. Unohana wasn't seen anywhere yet, but within moments they spotted familiar faces like Hanataro and Isane herself. Then they saw more of the Captains. Long white hair was facing them giving away a familiar face.
"Hey, what's been going on?" Toshiro ran up to Captain Ukitake who just entered from behind Rangiku.
"Oh, hey Toshiro. You feeling okay?"
The older man bent down a bit to see his face better due to his height. Awkward for Hitsugaya, but he didn't comment on it.
"I'm fine but we did have those memory wipes or things they announced, does Captain Unohana know the cause?"
"Afraid not. Not yet anyways. Shunsui was here a minute ago but he felt better enough to go back to his Squad-"
"I'm right here, Jushiro." Shunsui stood behind him, grinning but didn't mean he was just as concerned. "I came back instead, to see how the others were doing."
"Oh, hello dear friend," The older man was interrupted by another announcement,
"All squads, Head Captain Yamamoto wants all Captains for an emergency meeting immediately!" I repeat-"
More people started to enter and fill the patient beds almost the moment the announcement finished. Soul Reapers from every squad came in to complain of dizziness and irritation.
"Aw man. Why now?" The three Soul Reapers turned and are greeted by a man with short blonde hair, Shinji. Only been seated as the 5th Head Captain for not too long now.
"I just feel dizzy, that's it. Why we gotta discuss it?" He groaned and looked at Hitsugaya, "What about you, felt anything?"
"Actually, yeah. A few minutes ago I could have sworn when Matsumoto came to my office she was repeating questions and," He looks at her, "Doesn't seem to remember it."
She shook her head, "I really don't remember.'
"Huh." Shunsui held his chin, "Well I'd just finished dinner and as I was cleaning up, my food was in front of me, uneaten."
"Damn. Really freaky." Shinji looked surprised, but not worried like most. Felt more inconvenient overall. "Well, what do you say we head over to the main Hall?"
"Right." Rangiku answers and she tries to make sense of what happened in the office, and followed them,
Then they all heard yelling.
"GET away from me! I swear I'll punch you!"
A Soul Reaper pointed and snarled at another one and banged a fist on the nightstand, glaring at him like he was going to strangle him.
All the Captains watched, confused and a little shocked; the other Soul Reaper he was pointing at was just as confused if not, more scared than anyone.
"I know it was you! You did this! Come even an inch closer, I'll kill you!" He yells again.
"But-but I didn't do anything!" The scared man defended and shook in his bed.
The other Soul Reaper charged, suddenly more angry and about to lash his rage at the man, his target held his arms to protect himself, then Hitsugaya stops and holds him back, barely able to restrain him,
"Cut it out, relax! He's innocent, he didn't do anything!"
"Stay out of this, you bastard!" The man scowls at Toshiro.
The other Captains watching quickly gave him extra hands to hold the man back, now he was really enraged and started growling like an animal and his nose began to bleed. He tried everything he could to get away and attack his prey in front of him, even with four grown adults he was almost getting be free.
A syringe was injected into his arm right before his uniform sleeve was pulled and within seconds he went limp and knocked out.
Captain Unohana calmly nods and tells them to put him back into bed, Isane was just behind her.
"Please take him to the quarantine area, I'll run some tests as soon as possible," She kindly orders.
"Yes, ma'am." Isane wheels the gurney out of their way and took the man to the Observation room.
"What was that? What made him do angry?" Rangiku watched the man be taken away, baffled.
Unohana walks by the Captains and leads them on, "Gentlemen, let's waste no time, we need to get to the meeting."
Not far from the Main Hall, Byakuya walks a fast pace to get to his destination, wondering what even happened to himself before the meeting announcement, he felt strange and couldn't remember a time gap that was missing from his memory. He even asked himself if he still remembered Rukia, and confirmed that he did. He didn't want a repeat of that one incident just a few years ago.
He was so deep in thought he almost didn't spot someone standing in front of him a few feet away.
A figure in seemingly black, hands at their sides and something white on their face, stared right at Byakuya.
The Captain narrows his vision, on guard. "Who are you?"
The stranger holds up hands by their chest, as if possibly about to hitch an attack, making him grab the handle of his sword. But the stranger only began to clap.
"Congratulations, Captain Kuchiki. For making it in the position that you're in now." It was a woman. Her voice slightly shaky, but sweet.
"Can I help you?" Byakuya obviously didn't trust this person, but prepared himself.
"Although, it was many years ago you worked and fought to be in the captains spot, still I must congratulate you,"
She sighs, "But that time is over. Now..,"
The woman stretches her hand to him, "Give it to me."
"I beg your pardon?"
He didn't like this, or how she spoke the way she did just then. He could sense malicious intent behind that saccharine voice.
"Your haori."
He unsheathed his sword and called forward, "Scatter, Senbonzakura." The blade turned vibrate pink and broke away into flowery pieces, and charged.
"Too slow."
The woman finally revealed her identity and sword at the same time, a Hollow's mask disappeared to show a beautiful face and silver-green eyes.
A sudden downpour of rain fell on Byakuya, and by reflex he covered his face and chest, the rain pushed back his cherry blossoms back with a strong gust. After it settled he was almost soaking wet,
"Who are you?" He looked for her and another wave of rain, or rather wave of water came at him, he swiped and it broke the current and smoke from contact steamed into the air.
"Give me what I want."
The woman finally appeared and came swinging her sword, Byakuya blocks and attacks back, while Senbonzakura's petals came flying down to his aid, and managed to hit her. But she didn't budge and continued her attacks. Water was coming from her sword with every swing, and more oddly, the water stung his skin.
"What do you want, exactly?" He spit out, slightly annoyed.
She looks at him, and grinned.
"My life back."
Byakuya sensed another but familiar presence from behind, forgetting his opponent for the moment, but his eyes widened in horror,
A Soul Reaper with red hair and bandana had stabbed him in the back.
"R-Renji."
Something was wrong.
The man he worked side by side with was bleeding from the mouth and eyes, he growled angrily at him. His skin seemed to be bubbling from the surface from something,... something...he thought.
The Captain fell to the ground and his vision went black.
A few minutes following later, the Soul Society was under attack from violent and irate Soul Reapers, some running in panic and trying to reach for safety, other squads fighting against each other, even trying to kill each other.
It had become a war zone.
On the Sokyoku Hill, the woman held her Hollow mask in delight, everything was going to plan like she wanted. She gazed down on her work, proud of herself. She turned, it began to rain. Seconds following, screams and sounds of despair filled the cold air.
"Burn their skin for me, Dokusui." She put on her mask,
"Burn every last bit of their ignorance from this world."
Bleach the Movie: End of Innocence