Disclaimers: I do own Bleach books, but not bleach itself.

Prologue: This shows what goes on after the actual story line. It continues at the end of the story.

Prologue summary: uhm...Rukia and Byakuya. That's about it.

Prologue:

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Rukia sat with a Chappi Rabbit Gikongan Dispenser in her left hand. She looked at it with sadness, thinking of what had just happened prior to her returning to the Soul Society. Had she really left the real world for the first time in years? It felt to her as though she had never been in a place like the Soul Society. And what had happened before she left, made her feel confusion, happiness, and for some shocking reason, anger. "Falling in love with a human," she said quietly, "impossible." A figure walked into the room and knocked on the already open door.

Rukia looked up to see who it was. "Ukitake-taichou?!" she said. She was surprised to see him. She thought he was too ill to move. Ukitake laughed somewhat. "How many times have I told you not to call me taichou, Kuchiki?" he asked quietly. Rukia placed the Gikongan Dispenser onto the table beside her. "I'm sorry Ukitake," she murmured, "old habits die hard." Ukitake smiled. Rukia stood up and walked to the door, grasping her houri coat from her bed. Rukia looked up at Ukitake. "I'll be seeing you Ukitake."

He merely nodded.

It was true; she had taken Ukitake's place as captain, but she wondered if she really deserved it. She hadn't yet reached Ban-kai. At least, she hadn't learned its full powers, and she was the youngest captain in the history of the soul society.

She slipped her arms through the houri coat and walked down the hall, passing many people saying, "Good morning Kuchiki-taichou!" Rukia gave a slight nod to each who said that. She entered conference room six. "Nii-sama." She said quietly. Byakuya was facing the opposite direction of her, drinking chai tea. "I'm here as you requested." She said respectfully.

Byakuya barely turned his head to see her, and then looked back at the wall.

Rukia closed the door behind her and sat down. "I have officially been made captain today." Byakuya made no motion toward her, but took another sip of tea. Rukia was silent for a moment.

"Nii-sama, I'm here to report I'll be attending meetings with you and I have been made-"

"I heard you clearly." He interrupted.

"Oh, forgive me Nii-sama." Rukia said awkwardly.

Byakuya set his tea cup on the ground in front of him and turned his head slightly. "Will you report back to the material world?" Rukia looked up at him shocked.

"Why, why are you asking me this?" she stumbled over he words, not sure how to respond.

"I need to know if you are going to continue living alongside Kurosaki Ichigo. Why do you return to him Rukia?" his voice was stern.

Rukia, shocked beyond belief, took a deep breath. "I…" she said. "Nii-sama, I do this because I…."