Disclaimer: This is a nonprofit fictional story, a FanFiction based on Ken Akamatsu's Negima. I do not own Negima, or most of the other characters included in this work, excepting where it is stated in the author's notes. It is not intended or presented for any commercial profit or personal gain; it is simply a story written for personal fulfillment and presented for public enjoyment, and as an honest homage to the fine story conceived and written by Ken Akamatsu, as well as all the other (innumerable) works that find place herein (and their authors).

Prologue

Momo continued her practice swings. Such activities had always been great ways to lose herself and shut down her thoughts, but right now, there was simply too much on her mind. It was great that she had recovered, but what about everyone else? She couldn't stop thinking about Mai, Kain, Kagome, Hinagiku, and all the rest….

"It seems like you're feeling better, Momo. It's good to see you up."

Momo started, almost dropping her shinai. She turned to stare at the girl who had silently approached her. She was Momo's size, and almost could have been her sister—she was not the odd-colored look-alike Sakura had been, but her short, somewhat messy black hair with the long bangs and dark brown eyes, as well as their similarities in size, put them in a similar vein. Her dress, however, was what really set her apart—while dressed in the usual shihakushô,she also wore an armband with the characters for 13 on it, along with long white gloves.

"Kuchiki-fukutaichô…" Momo murmured in recognition.

This address elicited an unusual reaction from the other girl. She leapt forward and lunged out with a hand, delivering a soft but sharp karate chop to Momo's head. As Momo bent down, clutching at the injury, the other girl stood straight, crossed her arms, and authoritatively declared, "Rukia, Momo. I've told you—it's Ru-ki-a. You don't have to be formal at all with me, and I hate it anyway. After all, we are old classmates, aren't we?

Classmates, yes…Momo, Rukia, Renji Abarai and Izuru Kira had all entered the Soul Reaper Academy at the same time. While Momo, Renji, and Izuru had all been in the 'A' course—the elites—Rukia had only been a member of the 'B' course. Throughout her schooling, and even after she was adopted by the Kuchiki family and had graduated, she had been unsure of herself, easily discouraged, and seemed to flag at times. Then, finally, she had ended up as, essentially, a pawn in the secret struggle between Kisuke Urahara and Sôsuke Aizen for the fate of the Soul Society….

Momo remembered the words that her phantom captain had said to her back during the tournament, about Rukia Kuchiki. She smiled slightly as she thought about how their positions had reversed…Momo Hinamori, one of the elite, a girl groomed specifically to be lieutenant of one of the Gotei 13's top captains, had fallen off and forsaken her officer status, while the girl who had dwelled under the weight of unfulfilled expectations and performed well under her level had found her resolve and finally taken on the long-vacant lieutenant's seat in her own company.

"I'm sorry, Rukia," Momo finally managed. "Um…did you want something?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, nothing really…well, to be honest I wanted to hear some stories about Kain Lockeheart when you got back, but I guess it's not really the time, is it?" She noticed Momo's face beginning to fall, and quickly began, "Oh, no, I mean, I'm sorry, but don't worry about it! Kain Lockeheart will be fine, right? I mean, after all, he is his son…."

"Y-yeah," Momo agreed, trying to put on a brave face. "He is…and I know just how…strong he is, and all…."

"Ah, Rukia-chan, are you picking on Momo? She's still trying to recover, you know…."

"I-I'm not picking on her!"

"I-I'm fine, Hirako-taichô!"

The two girls yelled in unison at the approaching captain. Shinji Hirako grinned his piano-keyboard grin as he came up to the two young ladies. "Well, from what we've been able to pick out of the news of Arcanus Myrror, he's been doing pretty well for himself over the past two months…."

Momo started. She stared at Shinji in wide-eyed disbelief. "T-two months!? What do you mean!? I-it should only be three days since we were scattered…unless you lied to me when you told me how long I'd been out…."

"No, we didn't lie," Shinji assured her, growing more serious. "We just got the report from 12th Company. Mayuri's having a field day with this research. Because the Obsidian Star pretty much completely cut off Arcanus Myrror from Earth, it's caused a distortion in time…more specifically, a time compression similar to, but not quite as severe, as that of the Precipice World. Three days have passed for us since the accident, but a full two months have already passed in Arcanus Myrror. Similarly, on Earth, only three days have passed. We don't know whether this is part of the Obsidian Star's plot or not, but this time compression is almost certainly to their advantage…."

Momo turned and began to rush off. "Wait!" Shinji called after her. "Where are you going, Momo?"

Momo stopped and glanced back over her shoulder. "I've got to go back! I've already wasted too much time, and I've recovered now! I have to go help them! I have to help Kain fight the Obsidian Star…and there are the rest of my classmates, too! They all need me!"

"Slow down!" Shinji insisted, motioning her back. "How are you going to do anything right now? With this time compression and everything, it's not impossible to go back to Arcanus Myrror—probably—but it's going to be difficult, at least. And with this big of a potential emergency, is an unseated shinigami going to be given preferential treatment and appointed to such an important task?"

Momo's face fell. "B-but…!"

"Quite simply, it's obvious that an unseated shinigami couldn't possibly be of use in this kind of emergency," Shinji continued with rather extreme (for him) seriousness. "However," he continued in his more normal lazy tones, "there wouldn't be any problem with a highly-seated officer participating in the captain's meeting about this emergency and probably being appointed to our response team, particularly one who was acquainted with the situation…."

Momo stared at him. For the first time she noticed the small wooden box he was carrying in one arm near his waist. "Hirako…taichô…?"

Shinji coughed. "I've gone twenty long years without a lieutenant," he continued. "I mean, I had a soldier who was perfectly qualified, but didn't feel emotionally worthy of the rank. However, after all this time…I think she might be ready to take up the role that's been waiting for her." He finally presented the box, opening it and showing the lieutenant's badge for 5th Company. "You've had a long time to recover, Momo. To be honest, I know it'd be better with a proper ceremony, and I know your old friends Renji-kun and Izuru-kun would probably like to be the ones to present it, but as you've noted, we're pressed for time. Do you feel you're ready to take the role of lieutenant—and face the Obsidian Star?"

As Momo stared silently at the badge, a thousand thoughts and feelings and memories churning in her, Rukia broke the spell by chuckling slightly and adding aloud, "Circumstances aside, Hirako-taichô really wants you to be his lieutenant so he'll finally have someone to do his paperwork for him and he can take it easy."

Momo giggled in reply as Shinji shot her a glare. "Yes…for so long…that position was just…just part of the bad memory…but one of the things I've done recently, is come to peace with that." Momo reached out and took the proffered badge from its case. "I've already resolved to stop running from the past. Now all I can do is face the future and do my best."

Shinji nodded and clicked the box shut as she wrapped the armband around her right arm. "Now, then…we've put it off long enough. The old man's already called for a meeting of the captains and lieutenants to discuss this emergency. I'll send word that we're ready…and that I've already got you en route, Rukia-chan, so that your captain will know you're on the way…."

8-8-8

The Soul Reapers assembled themselves in their usual fashion…at their head, at the back of the chamber, was an old man, with his haori adorning his shoulders more like a cloak, and a great knobbed walking stick in his hands, point resting on the floor in front of him. Flanking him was a man with light eyes and grey hair, and a carefully-groomed tiny mustache, with a white coat similar to a captain's coat but of less material on him.

To the old man's right were the even company numbers, and on his left the odd company numbers. They were lined up in numerical order, the two columns facing each other, the haori-adorned captains in front and their lieutenants behind them. There was one anomaly—the third captain on the old man's right was absent, and only his lieutenant, he of the bright red pineapple-like hair, headband, and symmetrical tattoos, was present.

The old man slammed his stick onto the ground. "I shall be brief, for right now time is of the essence. We have received the reports of 12th Company, and the testimonies of involved hinigami. According to our intelligence, the magic world is facing an unprecedented crisis—completely cut off from the world of the living, it is undergoing time compression, all as part of the plan of the Obsidian Star, and the effects are even worse besides. Even now, other worlds of magic are on the brink of collapsing into Arcanus Myrror, and the Earth will likewise be pulled into this catastrophe in a short period of time.

"Normally the role of the Gotei 13 is to handle the residual spirits of the two worlds and keep out of the affairs of the living races, but this crisis is a tremendous threat to the balance of these worlds and Soul Society as well. Therefore, we must take immediate action.

"According to the witness of new 5th Company Lieutenant Hinamori Momo, the Obsidian Star has returned and is most certainly the group behind this crisis. Her recent companions on her special assignment to Earth have already become involved in this as well, including Kain Lockeheart, son of Kalan Lockeheart, called by the humans the Grand Archmage, who saved not only Arcanus Myrror but even our Soul Society twenty years ago. The Gotei 13 do not forget their debts, and for the sake of Kalan Lockeheart, we acknowledge that the fate of his son, Kain Lockeheart, is our concern and his safety and well-being our priority as well. While our first objective is to prevent the collapse of these worlds, the support of Kain Lockeheart is likewise an important agenda.

"For these reasons, we will need to send a team of our most powerful hinigami to Arcanus Myrror to join with Kain Lockeheart and assist him and any involved parties in battling the Obsidian Star. Captain of the 6th Company, Kuchiki Byakuya, is already on Arcanus Myrror, investigating the fate of Kain Lockeheart. Captain of the 8th Company, Kyôraku Shunsui, is appointed the task of assembling a team of captains and other top-class officers for this mission, which includes joining up with Kuchiki-taichô. Select your team and make preparations quickly, Kyôraku-taichô."

The named captain, standing to the right of the empty space, sighed and adjusted his wide-brimmed straw hat (Asian). Besides this unique accoutrement, the captain wore a flowery pink kimono over even his haori and had his long hair tied in a ponytail and adorned with expensive-looking hairpins. "So it's finally that time, eh? Very well. For this time, I'll need: Captain of 5th Company, Hirako Shinji, and his new lieutenant, Hinamori Momo. Lieutenant of 6th Company, Abarai Renji. Captain of 10th Company, Hitsugaya Tôshirô, and his lieutenant, Matsumoto Rangiku. Captain of 11th Company, Zaraki Kenpachi, Lieutenant Kusajishi Yachiru, 3rd Seat Madarame Ikkaku and 5th Seat Asegawa Yumichika. And finally, Captain of 13th Company, Ukitake Jûshirô, and his lieutenant, Kuchiki Rukia. That will be my strike team."

"Very well." The old man slammed his stick again. "The 12th Company has completed the Senkaimon that will penetrate the time compression and reach Arcanus Myrror, yes? Then make your preparations quickly. You depart in one hour! Dismissed!"

With that the Soul Reapers all turned and dutifully strode out of the room, most of them blank-faced, but some adorned with eagerness and others with anticipation. The seeds sown by Kalan Lockeheart long before would prove to be among the most important to undoing the work of the Obsidian Star….

F I N

Author's Note: The Soul Society Moves

One of the more enjoyable advancements of the Bleach manga has revolved around Ichigo's position in the Soul Society. The Soul Society was shown from the get-go to be a level of Lawful Stupid, overly concerned with their law and utterly rejecting of anything that disrupted the status quo. And so, with the various conditions and problems surrounding Ichigo Kurosaki, many of us always suspected that the Soul Society would just be looking for excuses to get rid of him. After all, we've seen similar kinds of situations in all sorts of other media, from the Green Lantern's Guardians of Oa to Danzo and the Konoha elders of Naruto.

However, from the beginning of the Time Jump Arc, and even before that, the Soul Reapers, at least, have shown total acceptance of Ichigo from the time that Aizen betrays them (except in many of the stupid anime-only filler arcs and movie plotlines). They acknowledge yet accept his hollowfication, they go out of their way to restore his powers rather than condemn him when the rogue substitute Soul Reaper and his Fullbringer minions make their move, and they rely on him when the Quincies attack. It's been rather heartwarming, really, and I wanted the same image of acceptance around Kalan Lockeheart and his progeny here. So, this intro was there to show how Soul Society is taking this matter: with all proper seriousness.

I could introduce a few of the Soul Reapers here…Shinji Hirako and Rukia Kuchiki especially, of course, but since most of my readers are well aware of them, I'll forego that for now. I'd just like to reiterate that, except for the necessary changes that I made to work Momo into the main story and revolve everything around Kalan, they are all very much like they are in the Bleach universe itself.

So, Soul Society is shown here, but the Act is Yue's….so let's get on with it!