Disclaimer: I do not own BLEACH. Tite Kubo does.

Italic – Someone's thoughts

Underline and Italic – Shift of location/character

Bold and Underline – Zanpakutô name and release

Bold, Italic, and Underline – Author Notes

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1st Chapter: The Shinigami Rogues…

The girl shifted in her somewhat sleeping state as she tried to awaken to the world. She twisted and turned for some time before her eyes opened slowly and she was greeted by the sight of a blurred forest. She closed her eyes again and moaned as she tried to get her head cleared and remember what she had been doing a moment ago.

"So…" a voice stated from her right side, "how long are you going to be sleeping? If it's going to be for another twenty minutes, you mind if I continue to read my book?"

The girl's eyes widened as she turned to see who it was that had just stated that and was surprised to see a tan young man in odd clothing and what looked like a sword on his side looking at her with a small red book in his hand. After a bit of blinking she realized that he was wearing a white kosode, a black kimono and hakama, and a white obi sash. On his head, hiding the black hair that was likely cut short was a dark gray bucket hat and she noticed that he also wore glasses.

She then realized that the guy had gone back into the book, and had seemingly lost interest on her. She decided to ask him what he was doing, "Umm...excuse me? Who are you and why were you watching me?"

The guy didn't look up from the book but answered, "My name is Hirose Kentaro, and by the way, I was waiting for you to wake up and do a little test."

Now the girl was nervous and she began to back off. Hirose snorted as he closed the book, "Don't worry, I'm not a pervert or anything like that. What I meant was that I need to see if you're like me."

"I don't understand…" the girl muttered, still trying to keep as much room between them as possible.

"Relax," Hirose soothed, "If I had wanted to do something, I would've done so several hours ago," he then sat, pocketing the book inside the black kimono and looked at her, "Name?"

The girl blinked but answered, "Hatsue Iyesa."

Hirose nodded, "Your Zanpakutô's name?"

"My what's name?" Iyesa asked.

Hirose tapped the sword on his side, "This is called a Zanpakutô. I'm surprised you haven't noticed yours."

Iyesa looked to her side and was surprised to see a katana similar in size to the one that was hanging by Hirose's side. The katana had a rose-like guard and a red hilt. She also noticed that she was wearing the exact same clothes that Hirose was. She blinked for a moment as she realized she knew the name of the blade, "Nobara (Wild Rose)."

The guy gave a grin as he murmured, "Nice name…" he then looked serious, "Alright, now do you have any memories before you woke up?"

Iyesa thought about it and gasped when she realized that she didn't remember anything that had happened to her since she had woken up. She looked as though she was going to panic until Hirose walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder to reassure her, "Calm down, Iyesa. I went through the same deal before I met Muramaki and Shin-Kin, and I'm sure you'll find your memories if you stick around with us."

He then pulled out a chocolate bar and held it in front of her, "Here. I already ate one and you probably need it more than what I do."

"Thanks…" Iyesa murmured as she took the bar and ate slowly.

After she was done, Iyesa looked at Hirose who was beginning to leave and shouted, "Hey! Where are you going!?"

Hirose looked back and pointed in front of him, "I was about to see if any Hollows took the bait," he then chuckled, "What? You actually thought that I was going to leave you alone?"

Iyesa grumbled a bit and then blinked when she realized that she knew what a Hollow was. She looked at Hirose and before she could ask the question in her head, the bespectacled Shinigami answered, "No, I don't know why you know what a Hollow, Plus, or anything else that pops into your head is," he saw her look of surprise, "and, no, I can't read minds. I had asked the same question to Muramaki and Shin-Kin but they didn't know why I knew those terms and still didn't have a shrewd of memory in me."

Iyesa nodded, relieved that Hirose couldn't read minds and a little miffed that she couldn't ask him anything. That was when she noticed at what Hirose was looking at: a small girl on the side of the street. She then realized that the girl was bleeding from a head wound and would've helped her had Hirose not extended his arm and stopped her.

Iyesa opened her mouth to say something but Hirose covered it with his other hand, "No, you are not going to help that Plus. We need it to get some Hollows here so that I can see what you are made of, got it?"

Iyesa tried to say something but was stopped by Hirose's hand as the Shinigami muttered, "I'm telling you for the last time: be quiet and patient, and don't get me angry. I missed my usual lunch because of you and if you don't want me to kill you then just do what I tell you got it!?"

Iyesa decided that she would ask her questions at a better time as it seemed that Hirose wasn't going to answer anything until he got a decent lunch and did the test. Both waited for about five minutes before a large hulking creature appeared and began to sneak towards the girl.

Hirose grinned as he whispered, "Okay, here's your chance. I want you to release your Zanpakutô and cut that Hollow's mask in half."

Iyesa looked incredulously at Hirose, "Are you nuts!? That thing is huge!"

Hirose snorted, "Nah, you should've seen the one I had to take when I woke up. It was twice the size of this ugly."

Iyesa merely looked stunned until she heard the girl scream. She soon turned and watched as the ape-like Hollow roared at the girl raising one of its large arms.

"Crap!" she cursed as she ran towards the pair while Hirose leaned back on a tree, watching the scene unfurl.

Iyesa drew her Zanpakutô and cut at the creature's abdomen. The Hollow roared as a gash appeared on its side and it now turned its attention to Iyesa. Iyesa stared at it with a grim look; although what she really wanted to do was get away from the monster. However, she didn't want to leave the girl alone with the thing and she knew that Hirose wouldn't move unless she "passed her test."

Hirose, for his part, was getting both bored and hungry from waiting. After watching the little showdown go for about three minutes, Hirose shouted, "Release your Zanpakutô already! If you don't that girl is dead!"

The Hollow looked at Hirose and Iyesa knew that this was her chance, Come on! What was it!? I know the release! I know it! What was it!?

She realized what it was and let one of her palms hover near her blade as she shouted, "Spread your petals… Nobara!!!"

Hirose grinned as he watched Iyesa's blade flash for a moment, shifting its shape and size until it resembled a gladius sword (1). Hirose couldn't help but wonder why the sword now had a small hole in the middle of the blade and what its ability was.

Iyesa, in the meantime, looked at her now smaller sword and was thinking what she could do when the Hollow roared and attacked when it saw that Iyesa wasn't going to attack. The Shinigami blonde reacted quickly and blocked the incoming arm, causing a gash to appear on the creature's arm as well as releasing to her surprise a strange blue mist from the small hole. The Hollow breathed the mist and began to cough and convulse as though the mist was toxic to it.

Interesting…thought Hirose as he watched Iyesa cut the Hollow's mask in half, She doesn't seem to remember much Kido arts…Might be a swordsman type…

As Iyesa resealed her Zanpakutô, she turned to the little girl and smiled, "You okay?"

The girl nodded as she looked past her and tried to hide using Iyesa. Iyesa turned to watch Hirose come towards them, giving a small applause to the pair.

"Not bad," the bespectacled Shinigami stated, "I have to say that wasn't as entertaining as my fight, but you passed."

Iyesa glared at him, which he ignored before drawing his Zanpakutô and looking at the girl, "Okay, sweetie, you ready to go to Heaven?"

The girl soon came forward and after a while asked, "Is my mommy and daddy there?"

Hirose smiled as he gently placed the pommel of his Zanpakutô on the girl's forehead, "I don't know, but I think you have a good chance in finding them there."

Iyesa watched as the girl soon became a pulsing light and then a small ethereal ball before flying towards the sky. She then looked at Hirose and asked, "Where is she going?"

Hirose adjusted his hat, "Soul Society, where hopefully she'll find her mom and dad."

Iyesa looked around, "So what do we do now?"

Hirose stretched as he answered lazily, "Now we go and see Muramaki and tell the boss how you did."

With that, Iyesa began to follow Hirose as the bespectacled Shinigami made his way towards her new "boss."

Soul Society; at that moment…

Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, the current leader of the Gotei 13 and the Captain of the 1st Division, looked at the man before him with a cynical look. Before him stood a large Shinigami, one that was at least six and a half feet, and looked somewhat nervous. His shaggy brown hair covered the orange eye and pink eye respectively that adorned his face. However, the most eye catching thing on this particular man was that the entire right side of his face was covered in tattoos of an intricate design. His Zanpakutô was also odd in that it seemed to take the shape of a longsword rather than a regular katana.

The General-Captain looked at the man before him with a serious look, "So…your name is Ingeki Kino, correct?"

Kino nodded, "Yes, sir."

Yamamoto continued, "And you are asking for the position of Captain, though we already have all spots filled?"

Kino nodded again, "Yes, sir."

Yamamoto looked thoughtful for a moment, "And you can perform your Bankai?"

Kino grinned as he nodded, "Yes, sir. It took some time during my stay in the 7th Division but I mastered it before I was reassigned to the 3rd Division."

Yamamoto gave himself an inner smile as he leaned back on his chair. He had seen very few Shinigami to keep any training secret, but the few who did were some of the best Captains that the Gotei 13 had. Still it wouldn't mean that he give him a chance until he saw what he could do with a little test.

"Well…" the elder Shinigami began, "You have the right credentials and I don't doubt that you can perform your Bankai. However…"

Kino remained where he stood, knowing that he had to be calm. He almost had the position of Captain in his hand and he wouldn't let anything stop him from achieving his goal of becoming one of the most respected Shinigami of the Gotei 13.

The Commander-General stopped the quiet moment, "However, I believe a small test is required of you."

"What kind of test, sir?" Kino asked.

Yamamoto shifted in his seat again, "Have you heard of the Shinigami Rogues?"

Kino was a bit surprised at the question but answered, "No, sir. I haven't heard of a group by that name."

Yamamoto cleared his throat, likely knowing that Kino would answer no, "The Shinigami Rogues are a small band of Shinigami that aren't part of Soul Society, hence the name Rogues. They are much like us in that they have every exact power that a regular Shinigami does, though they do have one difference."

Kino decided to speak, "And what would that be exactly, sir?"

Yamamoto answered, "The simple fact is that they have a different spiritual energy than what we do. Not only is it more intense when used in and out of combat but it also seems to give their Zanpakutô a certain power boost that regular Zanpakutô used by those of Soul Society don't have. What's more the seals on them make them fight at only 15 percent their usual fighting skill, but because of their unusual spiritual energy, all of them are at Lieutenant-level even when passive."

Kino whistled impressed by the idea that there were such Shinigami in existence. Something soon came to Kino's mind, "But then why are they not part of the Gotei 13?"

Yamamoto frowned, "Their leader, Shitaisho Muramaki, had at one time asked me to give her the position of Captain of the 1st Division and she challenged me. Though I won, she swore that one day she would find Shinigami to her side and get back at me for what had happened."

"A personal vendetta then?" Kino asked.

The elder Shinigami nodded, "Yes, that is likely why she made the Shinigami Rogues."

"So how many are in the group altogether?"

The Commander-General leaned back, "The last we heard of them, they had three members: Shitaisho Muramaki, Setsuna Shin-kin, and Hirose Kentaro."

Before any more talking could be done, the doors burst open to reveal a Shinigami out of breath and looking somewhat nervous, "Commander-General! The Shinigami Rogues have obtained a new member!"

Yamamoto's eyes widened slightly as he asked, "Another? But there should be no other Shinigami with their kind of spiritual energy. Even that Hirose Kentaro brat was only by chance!"

The Shinigami bowed, "I know, sir, but our readings show two spiritual energy signatures with the same wavelength as that of Shitaisho Muramaki!"

The Commander-General frowned as he looked at the messenger, "Have you been able to find out their headquarters or where they are heading?"

The messenger shook his head, "I'm sorry, sir, but the moment we got the signal it disappeared just as quickly!"

"I see…" the Commander-General murmured as he thought, You are still too smart to be captured, eh, Muramaki?

"However," the messenger continued, "We received a message just as the signal faded."

The Commander-General and Kino looked waited until the messenger recited from the paper he pulled out from his kimono, "Still trying to capture us, eh, Yamamoto-jii (2)? You really are stupid! The Shinigami Rogues won't be easily captured by your pitiful attempts! Go and die in a quiet corner, then nobody will ever have to hear your ugly voice again! Shitaisho Muramaki, Leader of the Shinigami Rogues."

A small vein appeared on Yamamoto's head when he heard the message and as he slowly asked, "Anything else…?"

The messenger, now fearing his life, gulped before he continued, "Y-yes…P-P-P.S. Do you still have that…?"

Kino and Yamamoto waited before the messenger shouted from the stress, "Do you still have that ugly bald head!?"

Yamamoto looked ready to kill the messenger; however, Kino intervened as he grabbed the messenger and shouted, "I'LL FIND SOME SHINIGAMI TO GO TO THE REAL WORLD AT ONCE, SIR!!!"

An hour later; in front of the senkaimon…

Kino looked at the ragtag group he had been able to put together in such short notice and wondered if he really would be capable of capturing such powerful Shinigami with the three that had been volunteered. He sighed as he knew that there had been little time as the Commander-General had instructed him to take a few Shinigami and head to the real world (after he had calm down). Many of the other Captains of the Gotei 13 had told him no, but the three before them had been nominated by their respective Captains.

The tattooed Shinigami sighed as he looked at the three before him, "Alright, before we go, I want to know your names, division, and rank."

The first of the three, a young pale Shinigami with messy brown hair and bluish-green eyes adjusted his glasses as he stated, "My name is Abukara Benjiro, 11th Division, 4th Seat," he looked at Kino before picking his ear, "So you're the guy that's leading us?"

Kino nodded as he looked to the next Shinigami, a young woman with curly blonde hair and blue eyes that wore a lab coat over her uniform, "You are?"

The Shinigami saluted as she stated, "I am Hachirobei Mina, 12th Division, 3rd Seat."

Kino nodded and turned to the last of the Shinigami that would be in his team, a young woman who was taller than Mina and had blue-gray eyes and strawberry blonde hair.

The girl smiled as she saluted, "I am Amagawa Chitose, 2nd Division, 5th Seat."

Kino nodded as he sighed and looked at each, "Very well then…I guess I better brief you three on the situation," Kino coughed to clear his throat and explained, "We four are to chase a group of Shinigami known as the Shinigami Rogues. These four Shinigami are much more powerful than any Shinigami, and likely, Hollow that you have met. Their spiritual energy has a different wavelength that makes them near untraceable to us."

Mina stepped forward as she replied, "That is why my Captain sent me: in order to find out if we can find a way to track them down through the wavelength, correct?"

Kino nodded, "Correct. They are all highly skilled at cloaking themselves and seem to be able to hide their tracks because of that."

Chitose tilted her head, "Is that why I was chosen?"

Kino looked at her, "Yes. From my understanding and from what your Captain said, you are good at tracking down any Hollow here in Soul Society. I want to see if you can find the Shinigami we are chasing with your skill when Hachirobei is unable to."

Benjiro gave a yawn as he asked, "And why am I here? I could honestly be doing something better, you know?"

Kino decided to let that pass as he answered in a voice that stated he had no choice in the matter, "Captain Zaraki told me that you were…working and that you needed to go to the real world…"

Benjiro chuckled as he put his hands on the back of his head, "Yeah, Captain is pretty convincing at times…can't blame ya for not wanting to be killed."

Kino cleared his throat as he continued with the briefing, "This mission is important to the Gotei 13 as we will be apprehending four criminal Shinigami. We will do everything within our power to capture them, understood?"

"Yes, sir!" all three answered.

The gate soon began to creak open and the four Shinigami entered, ready to capture the Rogues.

Same moment, real world…

Hirose sighed in annoyance as he looked at the abandoned building before him and then at Iyesa, who was looking at the building herself. They had stopped for lunch at a nearby café where Hirose showed her a transportable Gigai he had obtained from what he said was "one of his sources." It proved useful to both as she was able to enjoy a light lunch with Hirose before they continued to the headquarters of the Shinigami Rogues.

Hirose stepped towards a door before opening it and showing to Iyesa, "Why don't you go first?"

Iyesa blinked before smiling, "I didn't think you were such a gentleman."

As she stepped into the darkness, something caught the edge of her sight and she was unable to stop the incoming thing that shouted, "Hiro-chan!"

After a few seconds, Iyesa was able to see what had tackled her. It turned out to be a Shinigami with black hair and brown eyes. The Shinigami blinked for a few seconds before she said, "Eh? You're not Hiro-chan."

Hirose soon entered as he muttered, "Looks like my plan worked…"

Both turned to see Hirose enter and closed the door behind him with a small grin on his face. The Shinigami that was on top of Iyesa got off before standing before Hirose shouting child-like, "Hiro-chan! Why did you trick me like that?"

"Simple," Hirose answered with a look of annoyance, "You know I hate getting surprised by anything and so I decided to use our newest member as a way to stop you from getting a heart attack."

The Shinigami pouted before Iyesa watched the stranger suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind Hirose. Before he could react, the Shinigami wrapped him quickly in a hug.

"Get off, Muramaki!" he shouted as he struggled to get the Shinigami off of him.

Iyesa looked stunned before she asked, "That's our leader!?"

Muramaki looked at Iyesa grinning, "Yep, I'm Shitaisho Muramaki, nice to meet you.

END OF CHAPTER 1

Shinigami Rogue Theater!

Iyesa looked at Hirose who was lying down on the floor as Muramaki had left them alone for a moment, "Hirose…how come our leader is so…?"

"Crazy? Abnormal? Affectionate?" Hirose suggested.

"Yes, the last one."

Hirose sighed, "No idea. Muramaki is just affectionate to a fault…"

Muramaki suddenly appeared above Hirose, "Come on, Hiro-chan! I got the bed ready!"

Hirose blushed as he muttered, "I told you before Muramaki, I'm not your damn uke!"

Iyesa looked thoroughly confused, "But? Aren't you both…?"

Muramaki looked at Iyesa, "Aren't both of us what, Iyesa-chan?"

"Aren't you both…you know…guys?"

Hirose rolled his eyes as he pointed at Muramaki with his thumb, "Sorry, I forgot to mention that Muramaki is a woman?"

"EH!?" Iyesa shouted.

Muramaki held a victory sign as she added, "I like to crossdress to see if people can guess my gender."

End of Shinigami Rogue Theater!

Well that was the first chapter of this particular story. I wanted to introduce the main characters or at least most of them. There a few others that will be revealed with the second chapter so don't worry, I'll get there.

Okay, now for the numbers above:

(1). is a sword that was used by ancient Roman which was also by the Greeks. From the 3rd century BC, the Romans adopted swords similar to those used by the Celtiberians and others during the conquest of Hispania.

(2). Yamamoto-jii means "Old man Yamamoto." This term is used by Muramaki who is not only younger than him in both appearance and age but also because she knows she can bug him with it.