Disclaimer: I don't own the works created by Tite Kubo.
A/N: I would like to thank Yumi-taichou8 for being a beta in all regards and for being a good angel when it comes to bouncing out ideas. Thank you!
Chapter 1: Calm before the Storm
Strands of white clouds among a blanket of purest blue. Rays of gold washing gently upon buds of emerald. Their song and dance echoing softly on a tender breeze. Scent as sweet as a dream rose from the blossoms of blooming flowers of various kinds. Their vivid brightness catching brief glimpses of sun peeking behind pillows of white. Birds flew and waltzed, their ringing melody hovered slowly through warm wind, over sweet smelling flora, and rays of golden sun.
Regardless of spring stepping forth from the folds of winter, the Seireitei hummed with its daily chores. Chores that would continue unhindered regardless of weather or season. The white walled buildings of the 13 company barracks glistened brightly in the morning sun but they, like the life of reawaking spring, went largely ignored. The daily grind rose and fell, and rose once more in a fever pitch that could be heard in Rukon.
Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya of the 10th company sat alone in his office, well aware of the weather and the activity outside and around him but choose to overlook. Every 10 minutes, his teal-colored eyes would glance up from the top of his desk to the entrance of his office. Said eyes were dark with anger, a fury that slowly grew as the minutes slipped away, as they turned from the door to an empty desk not far from his right. The desk was vacant and cluttered dangerously with empty sake bottles and various bundles of documents. The chair wasn't even remotely close to it for it was practically on the other side of the room. The more he glared, the more upset he became but knew it was useless to go look for his lieutenant. Useless because the time spent looking for her would have been properly used to get work done.
Thus, he waited and turned his attention back to his work.
It was when he was in the process of initialing a file that he noticed the slight fluctuation of spiritual pressure. Pen hovering slightly over a piece of paper, his eyes rose and caught a quick glimpse of neon red before it swiftly vanished behind his office door. Teal eyes narrowing once more in an effort to hide surprise, the white haired captain rose from his chair and gripped his zanpakuto. Traces of spiritual pressure hung meagerly yet unfamiliar in the air as he glided softly to the door. Hand hovering, he froze.
Silence.
The spiritual pressure vanished, making him feel that he was suddenly plunged into darkness. A darkness that flared away as another presence erupted like a star. Such an existence that he didn't know existed until it flared up behind him.
With a jolt of unease and surprise traveling down his spine, he dashed from the door and then jumped behind a guest chair just as the window behind his desk exploded; sending shards of glass throughout the room. The silence ruptured like a bubble soon afterwards, but not from what he would have expected. Groaning sounds of stressing buildings, battle cries from his squad members, and roars of…beasts reached his ears. He quickly composed himself as a large biped creature lumbered through the hole and rubble quite boisterously. Sensing the creature was nearly impossible and if it wasn't that unexpected spiritual pressure vanishing into thin air, he would have missed the opportunity to dodge the onslaught, thus being injured or worse, killed.
However the circumstances and drawing Hyorinmaru free from its sheath, Toshiro gazed at the beast suddenly realizing that it held no characteristics of a Hollow. It resembled more like an oni demon; one horn, red skin, and ugly features. Calling upon his glacial powers, Toshiro pointed his zanpakuto at the creature, freezing the beast before it took one more step into the room. He lowered his sword but quickly brought it up once more in defense as the beast broke free from its icy prison with a burst of spiritual pressure.
He was forced back a step as the remnants of ice and spiritual force stormed around the room. The creature seemed to laugh at his failed effort to subdue it as it began to shamble forward once more, its features gruesomely placed into a smile and its laugh only recognizable as hiccupping growls. Toshiro calmly glance at the beast, bringing his sword into a better position as he readied himself for the creatures next move. It seemed to grin once more as another step was took.
Pausing.
That seemed to be its last physical movement, its facial features turned to a frown of puzzlement then into one of confusion. With slow movements it looked over its shoulder, making Toshiro surprise for just a brief moment. A moment that he quickly used to throw himself behind another guest chair just as a ball of intense flame hurled into the room. Its intense heat swirled around him as the shrieks of the monster vibrated against his ear drums in a quick burst of energy.
Moving slowly, cautious and ready, he rose from behind the chair and seeing his office blackened and a pile of ash before him, he let out a loud curse. He hesitantly took a step toward the opening but only to quickly turn around, sword held at the ready, as door to his office suddenly snapped open, revealing an extremely curvaceous woman with straw-berry blond hair in its frame. Her light-blue eyes were wide, shock and disbelief painted boldly on their reflective surface and her feminine facial features as well. Her well shaped lips hung slightly open, as if she witnessed something disturbing. Her cloths were in tatters.
"The beasts are everywhere! Barracks! But…," she exclaimed, closing the door behind her. After a moment she asked, "Are you okay captain?"
Knowing his lieutenant well enough to acknowledge that something was truly worse off than it already was and that she faced her own unusual and disturbing circumstances, he didn't say a word about her appearance. He stared at her shaking form for a split second. A brief second at that.
"Rangiku…I'm fine…" he paused, considering his next words for a only a brief moment, "Are you alright?!"
Slumping slightly, she answered, "I'm fine." Taking a deep breath she continued, "How did this happen? They just appeared out of nowhere!"
Toshiro couldn't answer her question. Quickly glancing his surroundings with his senses, he couldn't sense any coming danger. Little consolation that was.
"Then strange things began to occur!"
Toshiro glanced back at his lieutenant, raising a fine, thin white colored eyebrow.
"Not that this whole incident wasn't!" she hastily added. "But…"
The air trembled, pulsed, halting Rangiku from going any further. The thickness of it wrapped around them like a vice, a heavy layer. Filled with energy, it compressed itself painfully around them.
Then it was gone.
Slowly, Toshiro gestured his lieutenant to follow as he walked gradually toward the gapping, ragged hole in his office wall. Caution and preparation, crouched in his bones.
"What's this?" he asked in a whisper, noting no unfamiliar spiritual pressure, nothing hung sparsely in the air as he pushed his well trained senses beyond the serrated wall. Nothing but the presence of his squad members. Yet, even so, their energy was slowly phasing back to normal.
"I'm…not sure but…" Rangiku began, after a instant of hesitation. "There's something I must tell you. There are…"
Toshiro raised his hand, signaling her to stop. Halting at the edge of the hole, he glanced around. Letting his senses extend around him, his heart twisted in surprise.
Silence.
His squad members were still in the 10th squad station, that much he could tell, but the sounds of battle were gone. There appeared to be no sign of danger or threat for a collective hush seemed to have fallen over his company.
What exactly just happened? he thought, it couldn't be over that quickly!
Gathering his shattered thoughts quickly, he jumped through the hole as he shouted, "Search the barracks, Rangiku! If there is nothing remotely close to being an enemy then apply assistance to any other squad if necessary after searching for evidence and sending the injured to the 4th division!"
"Yes, Sir!"
Swirling energy. Ground of spirit. Air of life. The Dangai Precipice seemed to be nothing more than an empty world of energy; a world where the spirits used to travel to the great beyond. Whispering like the voice of a large and distant sea, the wind rustled the strands of silver fur as it waltzed coldly through a valley of stone and souls.
Navy-blue claws glittered in the faint light, twitching in energy filled soil. Long ears made to hear the slightness of sounds, picked up only the wind and nothing else. Blue eyes gazing calmly over the barren landscape, four paws transverse over the ground with nothing but the lightest of sounds.
Halting before a small fissure, nine tails blazing, a fox like face gazed impassively into the semi-dark depths.
A low pulsing hum rose from the crevasse.
Opening a narrow muzzle lined with sharp fangs ever so slightly, the kitsune voiced, "So you are here!"
Another strain of sound.
"Interference," the fox uttered, feminine voice filled with nothing more but nonchalance.
Tilting her head slightly, listening to the soft mummer, she shook her head. It brought forth another soft whisper.
"Not that I'm aware of," she replied, gazing around her with narrow eyes. Her long body stood motionless. Her silver fur and silver-blue flames, unmarked by blemish, marks, cloths or mask, rustled softly in the wind.
"Yes, I know you didn't mean that!"
Silence.
Souls fluttering through the air, barren valley lit with the barest of light. A world filled with energy. She could smell the vitality all around her, knew how easy it would be to destroy. To absorb all that pure energy or to disrupted the balance. But such actions would bring unneeded attention, unnecessary awareness.
Eyes flickering downward. Blue tipped ears twitching slightly and fur and flames moving with a life of their own, she sighed. It was a sigh of patience, a calmness but most importantly, it was a sigh of acceptance.
"I'll see what I can do."
A faint snort erupted from her nose as another hum rose from the base of the void. Her eyes closed briefly in annoyance.
"Very well. I shall report back to you."