(a/n: Here we go, the rewrite, as promised. Sorry for the long wait, got very busy, hit writers block and other projects came up. Enjoy!)
Ch.1: First Blood
Night had long since fallen over Soul Society.
A black starless sky silently looked down on the Seireitei as a security patrol made the rounds in a remote part of the Seireitei. The four Shinigami marched closely together, with the leader carrying a lantern to light the way and the rest stayed alert, watching out for anything out of the ordinary. The warm orange light of the lantern dispelled some of the darkness and created long, exaggerated shadows along the steep walls that towered above them.
The leader of this patrol, a middle-aged man named Takashi, was lost in thought.
Although his eyes roved about in an effort seek out anything strange, the senior Shinigami couldn't help but feel bored. It had been almost five months since the defeat of the treacherous former captain, Sosuke Aizen. Sosuke Aizen, the man who betrayed the Gotei 13 and escaped with his compatriots, fellow former captains Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen. Soul Society was dealt a heavy blow by their betrayal, what with Central 46 slaughtered and three divisions left leaderless. Not to mention the damage and injuries received during the Ryoka invasion before their betrayal.
Takashi was hazy on a lot of the details but he remembered hearing about how close the battle with Aizen was. A lot of blood was shed and a certain substitute Shinigami used up all his power to stop Aizen. Needless to say, everyone in Soul Society owed a debt of gratitude to that substitute Shinigami.
Although Aizen was locked away and his Arrancar army destroyed, it didn't mean that any of the thirteen squads could relax. Security was still tight and everyone stayed on the alert. Though the physical wounds of the war were healed, the same probably couldn't be said of the emotional wounds.
Aizen, Gin and Tosen were well loved and respected, so the pain inflected upon them by their treachery wasn't going away for a while.
Regardless of how he felt, the seasoned Shinigami had a job to do and he needed to focus.
Takashi forced himself out of his thoughts and regained focus on his surroundings. The patrol marched around a corner and carried on for a good little while. A soft wind blew. The paper lantern bobbed in the dark with each step like a firefly. As they neared a set of gates, Takashi realized something and came to an abrupt halt. His fellow Shinigami paused as well.
"What is it?" asked the youngest of the group.
"Something's not right" Takashi said softly, his eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?" asked one of the other men in the squad. He was a man Takashi's age, though he couldn't remember his name. "Its perfectly peaceful tonight. Nothing suspicious."
"Yes, but correct me if I'm wrong" the elder Shinigami said, turning to his comrades "Weren't we supposed to meet up with the other patrol when we reached the checkpoint?" His comrades nodded. Takashi looked about him then his expression grew worried "We've passed it a few minutes ago."
A cold silence fell on the four. Each security patrol was assigned an area of the Seireitei to patrol and every once in a while they would check in with other patrols at certain areas that bordered each assigned area. Some patrol groups covered the barracks and other quarters, others covered various offices and other areas of high importance. Takashi's patrol was given a more remote area that encompassed the elaborate maze of walls that snaked through the Seireitei and brushed up against the giant wall separating the Seireitei and the districts outside.
While it is possible that the other patrol was running late, it was highly unlikely. If Takashi was right, the other patrol group could either be slacking off or something was terribly wrong. Knowing the men of the other patrol, it was unlikely that they were slacking off.
The four retraced their steps and found the designated meeting place. It was empty.
They conducted a brief search until one of them stumbled upon a body. It was partially hidden in the shadows behind a large lion statue. The others gathered around the corpse and Takashi brought the light closer to get a better look. He suddenly wished he hadn't.
The body was of a man roughly Takashi's age and was white and cold as marble. "Sasaki" one of the men murmured gravely. The Shinigami's once energetic eyes were cold and lifeless. His handsome face retained a shocked expression. His limbs were broken and twisted while his chest was caved in. Takashi murmured a curse. He knew Sasaki from when they were in the academy. Sasaki was always less serious than Takashi, but he was a good man and a good fighter. Seeing him like this made Takashi feel sick and angry.
"Does anyone else hear that?" one of the men asked aloud. Takashi blinked. He pushed aside his anger and sorrow and listened. For a good moment there was nothing. Takashi and the others listened for a few moments longer, straining to hear and were surprised when the sound of a voice reached their ears.
Carried on the soft evening breeze, the voice sounded gentle and sad. Feeling an eerie chill slither down his spine, Takashi's hand drifted to the hilt of his Zanpakuto. His fellow Shinigami did likewise. He passed the lantern to the youngest of the group and he motioned for them to follow. The four Shinigami pressed forward into the darkness, the lantern doing little to banish the dark. They followed the humming until they came to a walled up dead end.
Just beyond the edge of the lantern's light, Takashi and the other Shinigami found the source of the singing. Partially cloaked in shadow, a small figure dressed in a ratty old cloak was hunched over, doing something that they couldn't see. The figure was singing a tune of sorts in a soft voice.
Judging from the voice, the figure was a man.
"Hey!" Takashi called out "You! What are you doing here?"
The figure didn't respond. He kept humming and continued to do something that none of the Shinigami could see.
"Hey!" Takashi tried again "I'm talking to you! Identify yourself!"
Nothing. Takashi scowled. What the hell was this guy's problem? Couldn't he hear him? He probably could and was probably just ignoring the Shinigami. The Shinigami's hand tightened around the hilt of his Zanpakuto and he marched forward. His comrades followed, each drawing their weapons. As they got closer, Takashi could better hear the words the cloaked man sang but couldn't understand them.
When Takashi and the others drew near, they froze when the lantern light revealed what the man was doing. The ground before the man was decorated with an intricate circle of jagged alien looking symbols. Standing on its own in the middle of the circle was a short crooked staff of wood topped by skull that seemed to grin at them.
"What the hell?" one of the Shinigami murmured.
Takashi brought the lantern closer to get a better look. The cloaked man's shadows lengthened, towering over them like a giant. The man didn't seem to notice the Shinigami's approach, though the soft singing was replaced by silence. Takashi cautiously moved to the man's side to get a better look at this intruder. The man looked ancient. A head of wispy white poked out from under his hood and spilled down chest.
The strange man was really giving the experienced Shinigami bad vibes. Everything about him made him seem otherworldly. His wrinkled, saggy white skin almost glowed in the lantern light while his moist bloodshot eyes remained blank and unfocused, almost as if he were in a trance. His lips moving wordlessly beneath his bushy beard as his boney blood soaked finger mechanically added more symbols to the circle.
Takashi tried to talk to the man but the man continued painting symbols. He waved a hand in front of the man's eyes and still got no response.
"What the hell is wrong with this guy?" Takashi heard one of his companions wondered aloud.
"I don't know" another said gruffly "and I don't care. Lets dispose of this Ryoka and be done with it."
"Hold on, we can't just kill him" the youngest of the group protested, "He's just an old man."
"An old man with a skull on a stick drawing weird symbols in blood" the third member of their party pointed out "For all we know, he's the one responsible for the death of the other patrol."
Takashi didn't like killing. He had hoped to avoid violence but after what they found, the experienced Shinigami couldn't help but agree with his comrade. But there was also the question of how did the old man get into the Seireitei without anyone noticing in the first place.
Takashi spoke up "I agree, however I believe it would be beneficial for us to take him alive and learn more about how he got past our defenses."
The other Shinigami nodded and turned their attention to the man and saw that the old man had stopped mouthing wordlessly, his circle of drawing symbols on the ground. The old man stood, rising only a little due to being stooped by age. He turned and faced the Shinigami, eyebrows rising a little.
The old man spoke. He seemed to be asking something but his question was made in a strange language that none in the group understood. Noticing their confusion and the apparent language barrier, the old man raised a hand. The Shinigami quickly reached for their weapons but were suddenly hit by a gust of wind that faintly smelled sweet.
After the gust died down, the old man cleared his throat and asked again. "Can I help you?"
The Shinigami stared at the old man in surprise. They could understand him now. How as this possible?
"I understand your confusion" the old man said kindly "Its something I'm getting used to myself. I would try and communicate to you like a normal person, though I'm afraid that my grasp of your language is, embarrassingly, lacking. I don't have a translator, so this little spell should help us understand one another just fine."
Takashi frowned at the old man. Although he could understand him, the Shinigami still didn't get what the strange man was getting at.
"Who are you?" Takashi asked, his hand on his Zanpakuto.
"Well, I am a scholar first and foremost," the stranger explained causally "though I wear many hats. Why just recently I attained the title of 'court magician' from my master."
Takashi cocked an eyebrow "A magician?"
"Aye, though I never cared about that title" the man said, waving a dismissive hand "I find it rather limiting. I'm known by many other names but you, good sirs, can call me Ludan."
Takashi and two of his comrades shared confused looks over the old man's behavior, though the man who suggested killing the old man, a hotheaded Shinigami named Oka, scowled at Ludan and cut in before Takashi could speak up.
"Enough!" He barked, leveling his Zanpakuto at the hunchbacked old man "Were you the one who killed our friends?"
Ludan frowned "Kill? No, no, that wasn't me. Unfortunately that was the handy work of my protector, a brutish fellow that my master entrusted my safety to. I'm afraid he has quite a temper, possibly due to that awful grudge he holds against you lot."
"Protector?" Takashi questioned.
The old man nodded with a warm smile and a twinkle in his eye. "Aye, he's right behind you right now. Say hello Charles!"
Takashi suddenly felt a cold and murderous presence behind him. He spun around just in time to see a giant shadowy figure bring down a massive war hammer upon Oka. Oka vanished in a burst of dust, rubble and blood. Takashi and the other Shinigami leapt away as the figure swiped at them with the large, blood soaked weapon.
The youngest of the group attempted to retaliate but was swept aside by the swing of the war hammer. The young Shinigami was flattened against a nearby wall, causing dust and blood to scatter.
Takashi and the other surviving Shinigami successfully dodged another swipe of the massive weapon. Takashi ducked in time as the hammer almost knocked his head clean off. This guy's good Takashi thought. The Shinigami didn't sense his attacker's presence until he attacked. Before then, there was nothing. It felt like he didn't exist until the old man mentioned him.
Takashi's only surviving comrade retaliated. He dodged another swing of the hammer and swung at their attacker. Takashi saw the blade pass through the towering figure, running from shoulder to waist. The massive figure, Charles, didn't seem fazed. Takashi blinked in surprise.
"What the-?" the bewildered Shinigami said but the rest of his sentence died when a blast of emerald light consumed him, setting him ablaze. The Shinigami screamed and before Takashi could act, it was over. The emerald flames dissipated and all that was left was a charred corpse.
The scent stung Takashi's nose and made his stomach lurch. Before he could process what just happened, a big, meaty hand clamped onto Takashi's face, completely enveloping it. The Shinigami was lifted up off the ground and was tossed through the air like a rag doll.
When he landed, Takashi rolled and tumbled until he came to a sudden stop, facing up at the starless sky. He moved to get up but couldn't. His limbs wouldn't respond to his commands.
"What the?" Takashi breathed in shock.
"Well that was rather violent" Ludan remarked sardonically "I thank you for the help but was that really necessary? I mean really, look at this mess! Now I got to clean this up before someone sees it. If only you had kept your cool for another moment, we would've had four Shinigami in our grasp but no, you had to go and reduce the lot to paste!"
A deep voice grumbled, "Shut up. You got one. That's what you said right? 'save at least one'."
"I did but I also said that more would make our jobs easier."
"Just cast the bloody spell, magician. We're running out of time and we don't want to keep 'em waiting."
"Alright, alright."
Footsteps drew close until Takashi saw Ludan and his protector, Charles, standing over him. Charles was a mountain of a man with a bushy black beard. A cold and harsh expression was chiseled in his marble face. His twin red eyes twinkled like rubies in the night. Charles towered over Ludan and Takashi could easily see him match Captain Zaraki in size. His size wasn't the only intimidating feature about him.
The large pale man wore chainmail under a dark blue tunic, greaves, a gorget, spaulders and gauntlets. His massive, bloodied war hammer rested easily on his shoulder. Takashi's attacker didn't seem bothered by the size or weight of the weapon. Everything about him declared that he was a warrior and one not to be taken lightly.
Takashi's eyes scanned the large man. There wasn't even a mark on the man. Not a scratch. But how could that be? The experienced Shinigami saw the blade hit its mark. Or did it? Takashi's train of thought ended when the old man summoned a burlap sack from somewhere and withdrew a glass bottle from the sack.
He set the sack aside and uncorked the bottle. He extended a hand and began to move it in a circular motion over the helpless Shinigami. A bizarre incantation began to tumble from the ancient man's thin lips.
The words were brief, harsh sounding and completely alien to Takashi. Panic flared in the reaper's heart and he tried his hardest to move but failed to move so much as a finger. The air grew still and began to crackle with green sparks.
A sharp, needle like pain began to spread to every inch of Takashi's body, as if he were being skewered by millions of hot needles.
A soundless scream tore from Takashi's throat his whole body unraveled and all went black.
Rukia let out a long and tired yawn as she trudged back towards the Squad 13 barracks.
It had been a long and dull day. Nothing but the usual: patrolling the World of the Living, performing konso and taking care of any Hollow that attacked. But none ever came. Normally there would be one or two but for the last few months, things have been unusually quiet.
It was a nice change of pace but it was a nice change of speed compared to the mountains of paper work.
"Rukia!" a familiar voice called. She looked over her shoulder and saw Renji jogging to catch up to her.
"Renji" Rukia greeted warmly "How are you?"
"Good" the lieutenant of Squad 6 replied "Just heading out to check on an overdue patrol, you?"
"Heading to the barracks, I'm exhausted."
"I haven't seen you in weeks, what's been going on with you?"
Rukia smiled wryly "I've been busy lately, reports and all that. You know, life of a lieutenant."
Renji grinned. The two lieutenants continued their conversation as they proceeded toward Squad 13's barracks, which so happened to be in the direction of the checkpoint for Renji's missing patrol.
As they walked, the two friends caught up with each other. Rukia learned that Renji was having an equally enjoyable few months as she was, filled with errands, reports and unusually uneventful patrols. On the topic of the world of the living, Rukia was silent, her face adopting a pensive look.
"You miss him do you?" Renji asked.
"Hmm?" Rukia blinked, looking up at her friend.
"Ichigo"
"Oh, well, yeah, a little." It has been five months Aizen's defeat, five months since she said goodbye to a good friend. Following the defeat of the traitorous captain, Rukia threw herself back into her duties as lieutenant of Squad 13, though occasionally, her mind drifted back to the orange haired substitute Shinigami. She also thought about the others she befriended in Karakura Town during her time there. Although she could go see them whenever she had free time or when she was on patrol but it just wasn't feasible.
Ichigo lost his Shinigami abilities and now can't see her, meanwhile Orihime and the others were busy with their own lives. Besides, Rukia had her own duties and life to worry about.
Coming to an intersection, Rukia felt a chill wash over her, making her stop in her tracks. As quickly as it came, the chill vanished. The lieutenant of Squad 13 scowled.
"Something wrong?" Renji asked, pausing right alongside her.
Rukia shook her head "I-I don't know. I just got this weird feeling"
"Weird feeling?"
Rukia nodded. She didn't know exactly what the feeling was but the best description that she gave to Renji was that it felt as if the air had gone cold and that something terrible had just happened. Renji frowned.
"That is strange," her friend murmured.
"What could it mean?" Rukia asked. Renji shrugged.
As the two considered what had just happened, they saw a dark haired lanky man in the typical black kimono of a Shinigami walk by. Renji looked at the man and frowned. The red haired lieutenant was good with remembering faces but for some reason he didn't recognize the man, which bugged him.
"You there! Stop!" Renji shouted. The man halted and looked toward Renji. The red haired lieutenant marched toward him.
"What are you doing here? What squad are you with?" Renji demanded.
The man stared at Renji blankly. Rukia approached, a frown forming on her face. Something didn't feel right. The man's face was devoid of emotion and while he was looking at Renji, it looked as if he were looking right through the lieutenant.
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Renji asked in a firm, authoritative tone. The man stood there, shoulders slumped, dead eyed. The two lieutenants stared at the man in awkward silence.
After a few moments of nothing, Renji grabbed the man by the scruff of his kimono and demanded, "Answer me smart ass!" Renji demanded, "What squad are you with?"
As Rukia watched in growing apprehension, she heard the soft jingle of a bell. She frowned and heard it again. The lieutenant of Squad 13 looked around her to find the source of the jingling but stopped when she heard a gentle voice speak.
"Lieutenant" said the voice, slowly.
Rukia looked and saw that the man Renji was interrogating now seemed to be aware of their presence. Renji scowled "What?"
"You…are a lieutenant, correct?" the lanky man asked, his voice blank as his face.
"Obviously, as you can see from this badge" Renji gestured to the bag on his arm.
The man's dull eyes followed and held on the badge for a moment. An eerie smile formed on the man's face. "I see" the man said, "Perfect."
Renji opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted when what sounded like an explosion shattered the tranquil night. The sky was suddenly lit up when four pillars of emerald light erupted from elsewhere within the Seireitei, bathing the world in a sickly green glow. The emerald pillars crashed against the invisible dome of spiritual energy that shielded the Seireitei from invasion and, astonishingly, began to burn open four large holes into the protective dome.
Renji and Rukia gaped at the sight. The nameless grinning man looked up and began to cackle.
The red haired lieutenant glared at the cackling man and demanded, "What is this? Did you do this?" The man gave Renji a look that startled him. The man's face looked like a twisted parody of itself from a few moments ago. His face glowed a sickly shade of green. His dark dull eyes now gleamed with a kind of wild, maniacal energy.
The nameless Shinigami giggled. "Maybe," he said in a singsong voice "I can't say for certain because I've been a rather naughty boy tonight."
"Who the hell are you?" Renji asked, cautiously stepping back and reaching for his Zanpakuto.
"Well, now that tonight's main event has begun I suppose it's appropriate that I cast aside this bit part and reassume my true role!" The man suddenly doubled over, a loud sickening crack of bone sounded. His back began to balloon and the fabric of his kimono began to tear. He reached up with both hands and tore away the skin of his face with one hand and his kimono with the other, revealing an unnaturally pale face and glowing red eyes.
The man straightened up to his full height, pops and cracks sounded off loudly until he was upright, standing a few inches taller than Renji and a foot or so taller than before. He discarded his ruined mask and costume, revealing the brightly colored jester's motley he was wearing underneath. The stranger was tall and gangly with toothpick like limbs in checkered sleeves and striped trousers with large expressive hands and large feet in curly toed shoes. The man dusted himself off and gave the two surprised lieutenants a theatrical bow, a wide grin fixed to his unnaturally pale face.
"Allow me to introduce myself," the clownish man said, his voice nasally and dramatic, "I am Quince! Court Jester and Master of Revelries for His Majesty's new court and I would like to welcome you to tonight's main event, the opening act of our new play: the total annihilation of Soul Society!"
Almost on cue, loud alarms and bells rang in the once still evening, followed closely by loud, thunderous explosions and bestial roars. These sounds indicated only one thing: the Seireitei was under attack. Rukia and Renji looked at the jester in shock.
"You bastard!" Renji drew his sword and attacked, swinging at the pale jester with the speed befitting one at the rank of lieutenant. However, his blade sailed through empty air and Renji felt a sharp conk on the head.
Renji jumped aside and saw Quince standing there, holding a scepter with a tiny jester head on it that was Quince's own likeness. It wasn't very painful or fatal attack, just annoying and surprising. Renji rubbed his head. "What the hell?" the lieutenant grumbled.
"Got you!" the jester giggled. The brightly dressed jester abruptly vanished, as Rukia's Zanpakuto lunged through where he was standing an instant before. Renji blinked in surprise. This clown was fast.
"Yoohoo!" came a singsong voice. The two looked up and saw Quince atop a nearby wall, hopping from one foot to another in a jovial, mocking dance.
"Come on, join in the fun!" he began shaking his rear at them in a taunting fashion.
Renji scowled "I'm going to carve this bastard into tiny little pieces!" He leapt into the air and swung his blade down on the clown, but the clown had vanished and reappeared behind Renji, conking him on the head once again.
"Tag you're it!" Quince cackled as he disappeared and reappeared atop a distant rooftop. "Get back here!" Renji snarled. Rukia and Renji gave chase.
As the two lieutenants pursued the strange jester through the emerald night, Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya and his lieutenant rushed toward the sounds of battle elsewhere. Moments ago, the white haired captain was enjoying a peaceful evening alone but was disturbed by the pillars of light and explosions.
As he raced toward the closest sound of explosions, which happened to be near by one of the pillars, his lieutenant joined him.
"What is it Captain?" Rangiku asked, keeping pace with her captain "Arrancar?"
"I don't know" Hitsugaya responded brusquely "But we shall see soon enough."
The two rounded a corner and came to a clearing around the base of one of the pillars where a battle was already taking place. A handful of Shinigami were busy fighting off Hollows. Hitsugaya blinked in surprise. This was new. He focused on the battle.
The Hollows looked fearsome looked about the same as a typical Hollow; large, insect-like or animalistic with bone white masks on each face and a gaping hole in each chest. The Shinigami present were holding their own and were destroying Hollows right and left but the problem appeared to be that with each Hollow cut down, two more emerged from the blazing pillar of emerald light a few feet away.
"We got to do something about that pillar," Hitsugaya murmured under his breath. Rangiku and Hitsugaya joined the fray.
The white haired captain drew his Zanpakuto and unleashed Hyorinmaru's ability. "Reign over the Frosted Heavens" Hitsugaya intoned as crackling ice began to form up and down his blade "Hyorinmaru!" With a swing of his blade, a torrent of spiritual power flowed from the tip of his blade, taking the form of a serpentine ice dragon.
The dragon roared and rushed through the approaching tide of Hollows emerging from the pillar. In seconds, the invaders and a lower section of the pillar were all encased in a layer of dark blue ice. The other Shinigami quickly dispatched the remaining Hollows. Some exuberant cheers went up.
They believed they had achieved victory but Captain Hitsugaya wasn't so certain. Nothing about this was adding up. How were Hollows able to breach the Seireitei? There was also the issue of the pillars. In the distance, Hitsugaya could see the other three emerald pillars blazing away. Whoever or whatever instigated this wasn't finished, of this the white haired captain was certain.
Captain Hitsugaya turned to Rangiku and the assembled Shinigami and was about to order them to go aid their comrades at the other pillars but a loud crack sounded. Hitsugaya turned and saw a web of cracks starting to form on the mound of ice encasing the Hollows and the pillar base. The captain scowled.
His Zanpakuto's ice abilities are the strongest in all of Soul Society. For someone to be able to do this, they must be very powerful.
"Be on your guard!" Hitsugaya barked to his lieutenant and the others "its not over yet!" The moment the words left his mouth, the ice exploded with a thunderous crash. Hitsugaya and the others shielded themselves from the shower of glittering fragments.
A deafening roar sounded and Hitsugaya, Rangiku and the other Shinigami watched in horror as a new wave of Hollows surged forth from the pillar. What horrified the assembled Shinigami was the sight of the Hollows. They looked, in a word, different. Their bodies were twisted, mangled and mutated in comparison to the previous wave. Hitsugaya's eyes darted from Hollow to Hollow.
Some masks were cracked; some were missing pieces, while a majority of them looked like melted wax that had been reshaped into various disturbing shapes.
Some Hollows had an abundance of limbs while others had none. One after the other the Hollows limped, crawled, and lurched forth, screaming and gnashing their teeth. Eyes glowed a hellish red and their skins were a matching sickly green. Everything about this scene unsettled the Shinigami but they quickly shook off their daze and engaged the Hollows when the horde of monsters charged, howling madly for blood.
At the pillar furthest from where Hitsugaya and the others were just engaging the fresh horde of bloodthirsty mutant Hollows, third seat officer Ikkaku Madarame, and fifth seat officer, Yumichika Ayasegawa, were attempting to cut a swath through their own wave of howling monsters.
Ikkaku slammed the pommel of his sword together with its sheath, shouting its command phrase and merged them to form its Shikai; a Kikuchi spear with a wax wood shaft, complete with a red horsehair tassel on the pommel.
Yumichika did likewise. He ran his hand along the length of the blade. As he did so, the blade turned white and became a sickle-shaped blade, which split into four identical and evenly spaced blades. Together, Ikkaku and Yumichika renewed their efforts, cutting and piercing the wall of gnashing teeth and lunging limbs at much more efficiently than before.
Despite this second wind, their progress was still relatively slow and arduous. All around them, their comrades struggled to hold the line. With every mutant Hollow slain, two new ones took their place. If these were ordinary Hollows, Ikkaku felt that they wouldn't be having this many problems. However, once these disturbingly deformed monsters showed up, the Shinigami were having trouble.
Aside from their frightening forms, this wave of Hollows was noticeably stronger and unpredictable. One man had difficulty landing a blow on one. It moved with astonishing speed and Ikkaku noticed that one of the man's strikes hit but it didn't have any affect on the monster. There wasn't even a visible scratch on the thing.
Another Shinigami had cut down a Hollow with dozens of mouths and tendrils but was soon overwhelmed by a pack of identical dog-sized creatures that seemed to rapidly multiply. Each member of the pack took a bite of the downed man.
Ikkaku and another Shinigami came to his aid and killed the pack as Yumichika pulled the injured man toward the back.
"There's too many of them!" a Shinigami near Ikkaku cried.
The bald Shinigami growled, "Keep fighting! Don't give these bastards an inch!"
"We are Squad 11!" Yumichika declared "The greatest squad in all of Soul Society! Are we going to allow ourselves to be defeated by a bunch of Hollows? Do you want to face our captain, beaten and disgraced?"
"No!" the assembled Shinigami roared back. The assembled Squad 11 members fell in beside Ikkaku and redoubled their efforts, motivated by their pride in their squad and by the terrible thought of what Captain Zaraki would do to them if he learned of their failure. Fighting together in a wall, the Shinigami managed to push the Hollows together and forced them back.
Slowly but surely, Ikkaku, Yumichika and the sizable force they led managed to make significant progress toward one of the pillars.
As they fought on, a horn had sounded. The sound was deep and loud, like rumbling thunder. The sound echoed through the night and the mutant hollows immediately stopped. The twisted, snarling creatures remained still, as if entranced by the sound of the horn. Ikkaku, Yumichika and the other shinigami paused as well. They were taken by surprise by the sudden change in behavior and were also glad at the respite.
A few long moments later, the mutated Hollows turned and ran, retreating toward the pillar. A small cheer went up from the shinigami in celebration of their apparent victory, though Ikkaku and Yumichika sensed that the battle was far from over.
The Shinigami force advanced toward the pillar. As they neared the pillar, an odd sound reached Ikkaku. He raised a hand and the Shinigami force came to a halt.
"What is it?" Yumichika asked.
"Do you hear that?" Ikkaku replied softly.
Yumichika and the others paused, listening for anything out of the ordinary. Aside from the ambient sound of distant battles raging elsewhere in the Seireitei, the Shinigami of Squad Eleven could hear a rhythmic clanking of metal. Click, Clank, Click, Clank. The sounds grew louder and closer.
Ahead of them, Ikkaku and the others watched with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension as a column of armored warriors approached.
Marching toward the Shinigami was a force of formidable looking Hollows. At a glance, they had the sickly green hue of the snarling mutants from earlier. However, upon further inspection, Ikkaku and Yumichika noticed that these Hollows were a far cry different than the rest of the abnormal creatures.
These Hollows were large and had a more human shape. They all wore armor, though it was of a rather crude and aged quality. Complete with dented, rusting breastplates, gauntlets, and half-helms, the new Hollows looked like a more orderly and formidable force. Ordered in a row seven across and in a line at least, Ikkaku estimated, twenty deep, the Hollows marched in lockstep, grim faced and determined.
Most of them carried large wooden cudgels but some carried swords. Yumichika spied some archers marching behind the first dozen rows, which bore round, heavy wooden shields.
Leading the march was a big Hollow that easily equaled Captain Komamura in size. This Hollow wielded a rusty old sword with saw like teeth and wore a tattered red cape that was fastened together by a black iron clasp, possibly denoting rank. The giant's eyes glowed bloody red and his mask only covered half of his face, leaving the mouth exposed. The mask resembled a broken human skull.
Ikkaku gripped his spear tightly, feeling a mixture of excitement and discomfort. Something was completely wrong about this whole thing. Glowing pillars of light, followed by deformed Hollows and now humanoid Hollows, organized like an army and clad in crude armor. Does this have something to do with Aizen? No, it can't be. None of this seemed to be Aizen's style. In comparison to his army of Arrancar, this invasion force was crude and mismatched.
As the Hollows neared, the first rank of Hollows bearing shields hefted their shields and formed a protective wall. Behind the shield wall, ranks of hollows drew their bows and nocked arrows. The giant Hollow lifted his hand to give the order to fire but Ikkaku shouted at them.
"So, you're the ones causing all this trouble?" he said, sounding rather annoyed.
"Rather impressive" Yumichika said almost sarcastically "For a bunch of filthy Hollows. To have made it this far into the Seireitei is quite the feat."
The Hollow commander's chest seemed to puff up a little, not really detecting the sarcasm nor Yumichika's use of the word 'filthy.'
"However" Yumichika continued, "this little invasion is rather…half-baked, don't you think?" He turned to Ikkaku.
Ikkaku smiled "Yeah. I mean you almost caught us by surprise, if it weren't for the big glowing pillars. Sure you're causing some injuries and damage, but you're really out of your element. Those weapons? That armor? Pathetic. Maybe you should be more sneaky next time"
"Or get some real weapons" Yumichika chimed, gesturing to their cudgels "and perhaps actually having some strong fighters"
"Yeah, maybe then we'll consider you an actual threat."
Their comments seemed to register with the giant Hollow this time. Instead of getting angry, however, the armored Hollow grinned.
"Who said anything about surprise?" the giant said, his voice deep and rumbling like an avalanche, but strangely carried an elegant accent that didn't match. "Besides, where's the fun in being sneaky? I want you to be aware of what's going on! I want to witness the terror in your eyes as I tear you little lambs apart with my own hands! I want to hear you scream in anguish! At this moment, our forces are overwhelming your pitiful defenses."
Ikkaku and Yumichika were rather surprised by the commander's reply and his voice. While he was right in that the Hollows were indeed causing some serious damage, however, the Shinigami were far from being conquered.
Ikkaku stepped forward and brandished his spear "I am the third seat of Squad Eleven, Ikkaku Madarame. I would like to know the name of the Hollow with the massive ego who I am about to turn into a corpse. That is, if you even have a name."
The Hollow's grin widened and pounded his armored chest once with a meaty fist. "I am Gor, Commander of Battalion Five of His Majesty's Vanguard Strike Force. Tonight, I shall gorge myself upon your broken body and shall add your strength to my own." He waved a hand and the Hollow shield wall retreated several steps, granting him more space. Yumichika stepped away from Ikkaku and told the other Shinigami to pull back, giving Ikkaku enough room.
The two sides watched as the giant Hollow and Ikkaku circled each other. After what seemed like forever, the two stopped. They glared intensely at each other and then attacked.
Rukia and Renji continued to gave chase to the clown Quince. Hopping from wall to wall, rooftop to rooftop, the jester proving to be quite elusive to their attacks. Renji and Rukia resorted to their shikai and hado in order to get him. However, each binding spell from Rukia or swing from Zabimaru, the clown evaded with the grace of a feather on the wind.
The clown landed by tuck and rolling across a rooftop and acrobatically vaulted over the edge. Rukia, tired and frustrated, had a thought and told Renji to wait.
"What? Why?" Renji asked, "We can't let him get away!"
"I know, but something doesn't seem right" Rukia explained, "He's not fighting back. He's had every opportunity to do so but he hasn't."
"Well, maybe he's weak or a total coward" Renji reasoned.
"Yes but why send a totally weak and cowardly fighter into battle?"
"I don't know. You could be right, something about all this stinks."
The two resumed their pursuit of the clown but the trail had gone cold. The clown was nowhere to be seen. Rukia and Renji tried searching for any peculiar spiritual energy but the immediate area was devoid of anything. Beyond their immediate area, neither of the two could get a clear picture of who was where. A dull but powerful wave of energy radiated from the pillars, which seemed to mask the presence of friend and foe.
The two Shinigami took a moment to get their bearings. Sokyoku Hill and the Senzaikyu loomed in the distance and they currently were the furthest from any of the light pillars and any battle.
Rukia frowned. She could've sworn that they were further away from Sokyoku Hill and the Senzaikyu than this. Regardless, the two lieutenants kept moving forward.
Everything was oddly peaceful and quiet. A thin sheet of smoke glided on the wind overhead, blotting out the stars. As they moving toward the looming white towers of the Senzaikyu, where Rukia had been a prisoner not too long ago, the two lieutenants grew more worried over how eerily quiet it was. They had passed through a few different wards and courtyards and found them deserted. Some of the more critical areas of the Seireitei were also close by and yet there didn't seem to be any sign of activity.
Rukia came to an immediate halt as she collided with a powerful feeling of cold and dread. The lieutenant of Squad 13 felt as if she had just been dumped into a lake in the middle of winter and that there was something awful and horrifying lurking within its depths.
"Rukia?" Renji said, concerned. His voice sounded far away but Rukia shook her head and focused on Renji. "What's wrong?"
"I-I just got a feeling"
"Again?"
Rukia nodded "Yeah, only it feels worse this time" "Worse?" She nodded again.
Her eyes drifted over to the Senzaikyu and Sokyoku Hill and gasped. Renji looked and he blinked in astonishment. The distant structure looked further away than when the first started.
"What the hell?" Renji murmured.
Rukia rubbed her eyes and looked again, sure enough, the white tower and the rocky cliff connected to it appeared to be very far away.
"Should we keep going?" Renji asked, looking at Rukia.
"Yeah" Rukia answered firmly "Whatever is going on probably has some connection to this weird feeling I keep getting."
The two proceeded cautiously. The further they went, the worse that cold and dreadful feeling grew. Taking a left turn, the feeling lessened slightly but noticeably. The two doubled back, following the growing cold and dread welling up in Rukia's heart. Something within Rukia's mind told her to go the other way, run, hide. But she couldn't run.
It was too much of a coincidence that she got this odd feeling twice and it was stranger that it was only getting stronger as they moved northeast, slightly to the side of Sokyoku Hill and the Senzaikyu. This had to be part of the attack somehow they were get to the bottom of this.
Renji visibly shivered and gave Rukia a look. "You feel it too?" Rukia asked, quirking an eyebrow.
He nodded "Yeah. I couldn't feel it before, but why now?" She didn't answer. This night was just getting weirder and weirder.
The two lieutenants reached the end of their path and froze. The feeling of cold and fear was strongest here. It took considerable willpower to remain where they were. Beads of sweat trickled down their faces. Unfortunately, what they saw chewed away at their already wavering resolve.
Before them was one of the many different wards within the Seireitei. This ward was small and at the other end was another corridor leading elsewhere. It looked completely normal, though what gave Rukia and Renji pause were the bodies. Littering the ward was a mixture of Shinigami and Hollow corpses, though there were more Hollows than reapers. The Hollows had twisted and mangled forms, though those were clearly not the result of battle.
Rukia felt her skin crawl at the sight of the dead creatures. Emerald skin, lifeless eyes, faces frozen in twisted anguish poking out from behind masks of melted horror. Were they Arrancar? If so, was this Aizen's doing? Rukia doubted it. None of this felt like Aizen's doing. Besides, Aizen was bound and locked away, his Arrancar allies were gone and his plans were all disrupted.
A soft sinister voice hissed in the back of Rukia's mind, 'Were they really though?' the lieutenant of Squad 13 ignored the voice and focused on her surroundings.
Rukia noticed an open pair of gates ahead to her left and sitting in front of it were two oddly dressed figures. One looked ragged, dirty and rough, while the other looked clean, regal and prim. The ragged one looked like a cowboy from a Western movie that Rukia saw once when she was in the world of the living, only this man was in a worse state.
The man was dressed in a long dark grey coat, a white cotton shirt, a grey ten-gallon hat, grey pants and boots that have seen better days. Around his waist was an old leather belt with holsters. A red cloth with permanent dark splotches covered most of his face, save for his ruby red eyes.
The other man looked like he stepped out an old European painting. The man was young and beautiful. His skin was flawless marble. His face devoid of blemish, complete with emerald eyes and thin lips. Cascading past his shoulders were flowing black hair that curled like ocean waves. He was clad in light blue frock coat and pantaloons, complete with white stockings and soft leather shoes. Around his neck was a cravat and strangely, Rukia noticed a dark stain where his heart was located on both his shirt and coat.
Hovering above the two contrasting men was a dark orb of blazing purple light. It looked like a ball of fire but Rukia could feel only cold radiating from its flames.
The two men didn't appear to notice the two lieutenants. The cowboy was silently cleaning his night black revolver with a rag, while his prim friend was reading from a pocket-sized book. The two approached the strange men, carefully stepping over the bodies of their fallen comrades and enemies.
When close, the cowboy looked up at them, regarded them coldly and returned to his work.
"Did you do this?" Renji demanded gesturing to the bodies scattered around them.
The cowboy, not looking up from his gun, grunted something, his voice a raspy growl. Rukia and Renji didn't understand what he said. Renji asked again and the cowboy responded in the same growl, though this time Rukia could make out some words. She recognized the words as English, which she remembered learning about during her time in Karakura High School. Unfortunately, her English was very rusty, mostly due to the fact that she was busy fighting Hollows, trying to return to Soul Society and almost being executed.
"Forgive him," the noble looking man said, not looking up from his book. His voice was soft and airy like that of a bored noble who just couldn't be bothered with anything. "He doesn't understand nor speak your language," the man turned a page in his book "He's also a not very sociable man, even with friends. I, on the other hand, don't mind making polite conversation. Gives me the chance to hone my abilities with this marvelous language."
"Ok, then I'll ask again" Renji said, growing angry at the man's indifference "Did you do this?"
The man shook his head "No. As my companion was trying to explain, we found these pour chaps lying here. We had nothing to do with their deaths, well except for that one" he pointed a slender finger at a man lying slumped up against the far wall of the ward.
Renji glared at the dark haired man, anger bubbling up within him, slowly burning away the cold and dread.
"He was in the way," the nobleman said with a small shrug, still not looking up from his book "I would've spared him but he made a rather rude comment that I simply could not ignore."
Renji's hand tightened around Zanpakuto. The man looked up from his book, a thin eyebrow rose in interest. The cowboy had stopped polishing his gun, his blood red eyes zeroed in on Renji.
"Who the hell are you people?" Rukia asked, fighting the unrelenting dread washing over her "And what is that thing?" She pointed at the blazing purple orb.
"That?" said the nobleman, sounding genuinely pleased to change topics "Intriguing isn't it? I don't remember what it's called." He glanced at his companion and asked him something in English. The cowboy grunted and the nobleman nodded, as if remembering.
"We don't remember what it's called" the nobleman explained "but my companion said that it is a Blessing of sorts."
A blessing? Rukia questioned in her mind. What kind of a blessing is a ball of evil looking flames that spits out fear and cold?
"As to our identities" the nobleman continued, rising to his feet. He gave a slight bow "I am Sir Alastair Montcroix! Once I had been a dashing and powerful Marquis who lived a life of luxury and debauchery. But now, I am a knight of His Majesty's Phantom Guard." A wistful sigh escaped the man's thin lips He gestured to the cowboy, who looked rather annoyed by the nobleman's theatrics. "This is my companion, my brother in the arms, Sir Samuel Callahan"
Alastair leaned toward the two lieutenants and lowered his voice to a whisper "Though, between the three of us, I'm not sure why he was knighted. He's a rather coarse character." The cowboy snarled at the noble, who waved a dismissive hand at him.
Rukia and Renji stared at the two in confusion. Knights? Phantom Guard? Who was this 'His Majesty' person? Renji frowned at Alastair.
"Ok" the red haired Shinigami said slowly, not really sure what to make of what the former Marquis was telling them but was still suspicious. "You don't happen to know a clown named Quince, do you?"
"Yes, we know him. I cannot stand that buffoon's antics," the nobleman said with a shrug "but he is His Majesty's oldest friend and there's not much I can say against him. After all, he is quite useful distracting people, though in this case he failed his job miserably!" Alastair raised his voice to a shout.
"Ooh pooh," a nasally voice complained childishly "Its not my fault! I mean, what did you expect to happen? I'm very good at games and they could barely keep up." The clown in question appeared atop the wall behind Alastair, right beside the open gate.
The clown waved at the two Shinigami "Hello! Sorry for disappearing on you, I got a little turned around and got lost." He glared at the blazing purple orb and his voice lowered to a deep, angry snarl "Not my fault that that blasted thing was tampering with perceptions of distance and directions."
Alastair rubbed his temples slowly and let out a sigh of annoyance. "Yes, I know" grumbled the nobleman "However, you were given a simple task and you failed. Now I have to clean up your mess, again, otherwise we are all in deep trouble."
Quince stuck his tongue out at the noble. Alastair whipped around and hurled a dagger at the clown, which embedded itself on a portion of wall near his groin. The clown jumped, squealing with terror. "You could've hit me!"
Alastair ignored him and turned toward the two Shinigami standing before him.
"I'm so sorry about that" the nobleman apologized "He really is just a petulant child at heart"
"Party pooper!" Quince squeaked, shaking a fist.
"Anyway, down to business." Alastair brushed aside his coat, revealing a rapier in its scabbard at his hip. The sword had a beautiful silver rose on the pommel. "Now that you know who we are" the nobleman explained, "I'm afraid that I can't let you live."
Rukia and Renji were taken aback at how drastically and how quickly the conversation changed, from polite conversation to talking about killing. Alastair was perhaps a stranger person than both the clown and the cowboy.
"However, I am a gentleman" he continued "and I want this to be fair. We can fight one at a time or two on one. You can choose either, it really doesn't matter to me."
Rukia and Renji stared at the man for a moment, not really sure if he was sincere or not but complied. They chose to fight two on one and the pale nobleman accepted it with a nod. The two Shinigami gave Alastair some space, as he drew his blade. The blade was skinny and, interestingly, pale green.
It captured and reflected what little starlight there was in the sky.
He swung his blade a few times, testing out his swing. The blade swished softly. When he was done, Alastair assumed a fighting stance, his blade at the ready while his free hand was behind his back.
Rukia and Renji brandished their weapons. Both still felt cold and jittery but they focused on the task at hand, trying everything they can to overpower these corrosive feelings.
"Before we begin" Alastair piped up, interrupting their thoughts "I would like to know your names. It's a sort of tradition you know; warriors engaged in combat should know the name of their enemy. Makes it all more personal and meaningful."
"I am the lieutenant of Squad 6, Renji Abarai" Renji said.
"I am the lieutenant of Squad 13, Rukia Kuchiki" Rukia said.
As soon as her name left her lips, Rukia saw a sudden change overcome the three strange beings in front of her. Samuel and Alastair changed only slightly. The grey gunslinger's red gaze focused on her and seemed to intensify, while Alastair's eyebrows shot up and a look of curiosity took form on his face.
The change in Quince's expression, however, was perhaps the most visible and the more drastic. The clown's body stiffened and his wide smile evaporated in an instant. His lips trembled and a dark, stormy look began to gather on his face.
"You…" the clown said, his voice now low and gravelly "you…you-" his grip on the top of the wall tightened so much that it began to crack and his fingers began to burrow into the stone.
Rukia and Renji immediately sensed a spike in spiritual energy. It at first started cold but then transformed into an intense burning power that was drenched with rage. The clown's once smiley face twisted into a hideous expression of pure, unfettered rage and hatred. His eyes turned bloody red, his teeth became long, sharp fangs as his body trembled.
"You! You!" the clown roared, was deep and hoarse, a complete change from the high and nasally. "It was you!" he jabbed an accusatory finger at Rukia "After all these many years, you still live!" He pushed off of the wall and landed with a powerful crash, causing the tiled ground to crack and shake.
"Why?" he howled, "Why did you do it? Why did you take her from us, from my lord, from her husband and from me!"
Rukia had no clue what he was talking about and thought him insane or putting on an act, but the intensity in his eyes and the rage she felt radiating from him in his spirit energy, were all real. The clown's head began to twitch and his skin, literally, wriggled and bubbled as if it had a swarm of bugs scurrying beneath it. Quince stomped in their direction. His fingers became razor sharp claw the size of knife blades.
Rukia and Renji raised their weapons to defend themselves but a voice sounded thundered from within the opened gateway that Samuel and Alastair were guarding. "Stop!"
Quince stopped, his head, but not his body, turned all the way around until it faced the gateway behind him. Standing in the gateway were five figures. The figure in the middle was dressed in a black cloak with a hood up, shielding the wearer's face. Sewn into the breast of the cloak was an odd crest that neither Rukia nor Renji recognized: a skeletal dragon with a flaming crown floating above its head and the dragon was perched atop a green and black spiral.
Flanking the cloaked figure were two men in the black and white attire of Shinigami. Behind them was a mountain of a man with a bushy beard in a blue tunic. Beside the giant was a small, hunched over old man with a staff topped with a skull.
Renji recognized one of the two Shinigami. "Takashi?" he said, astonished "What the hell are you doing here?"
"These fine gentlemen were being gracious hosts" the cloaked figure explained, his voice was low, masculine and sounded young "They were showing me around and acquainting me with your fair realm. They were also helping me find a lost family heirloom."
From within the cloak, the figure produced what appeared to be a thick roll of parchment tied together with string.
"My liege" Quince said, his head turning back into place as he turned his body to face the cloaked figure "Allow me to strike down this filthy creature and take our revenge. Please!" he knelt and bowed his head before his master.
The cloaked figure raised a hand "Rise good Quince. Cool your temper. Now is not the time for such acts."
The clown's head snapped up in surprise "What, why? Not now, not when this wretch is standing here before us!"
The figure nodded slowly and spoke soothingly "I know my friend, I heard everything. I know too well the pain that was inflicted upon us by the one named Kuchiki. But now is not the time, let her enjoy what time she has left. Remember our plan and restrain in your fury…for now."
The clown's expression was, for a few moments, one of shock but was quickly replaced by a nasty knowing smile. He turned to Rukia and giggled madly "Okie dokie!" he began to slink away from her "Sleep well tonight Kuchiki girl, enjoy the time that you have left. We'll be seeing you round. I'm looking forward to playing with you!" The clown's body began to flicker like a mirage and soon vanished.
The hooded figure nodded to Samuel, who jumped to his feet and holstered his revolver.
Alastair sheathed his blade and made a bow toward the two lieutenants. "Adieu, my friends" Alastair said, "Until we meet again."
Rukia and Renji moved to stop them but were attacked by Takashi and the other Shinigami. The lieutenants blocked their sword strikes and tried to push them away but their opponents interfered. Rukia caught a glimpse of a pack of five large war horses rise from the ground like flowers from the soil. The horses were mostly bone but still had chunks of flesh, muscle and skin still attached. Their eyes glowed with a hellish red light and their whinnying sounded like the screeching of metal.
The cloaked figure and his followers mounted their rides and took off at full speed. The blazing orb of purple light shrunk and faded into nothing. Warmth and resolve came surging back to Rukia, who gritted her teeth and knocked her opponent back. Before he could recover, she bound him with a Hado spell.
Renji did the same with Takashi and the two took off in pursuit of the cloaked figure and his companions.
The five horsemen galloped through Soul Society at an unnatural speed. Even with flash step, Rukia and Renji had difficulty keeping up with them. They weaved through the various corridors and paths within the Seireitei until they emerged in a spacious clearing at the base of one of the pillar.
Rukia and Renji attempted to pursue the riders into the area but were forced back by a hail of arrows. A number of the arrows were ordinary arrows. They planted themselves into the ground and walls around Renji and Rukia, though some of them seemed to burst into green flames on impact. The lieutenants ducked behind a wall while more arrows rained down upon them.
The riders came to a halt at the pillars and dismounted. The two shinigami could only watch as the cloaked man enter the pillar of light and vanish. The giant man with the bushy beard and the little old man followed suit. Alastair sauntered into the pillar but Samuel paused. He reached into his long, flowing coat and pulled out an ivory horn. He slipped the mouthpiece underneath the red cloth on his face and blew.
A deep, rumbling sound thundered forth, echoing through the night. When Samuel finished, he returned the horn to his coat and stepped into the green light. Not long after, the sounds of animalistic roars, the clanking of armor and the thunderous rumble of footprints filled the air.
Rukia and Renji saw a wave of Hollows charging toward them from behind.
The two made ready to fight them off but the creatures pushed past them, completely ignoring them. The two Shinigami were confused. Since when did Hollows start ignoring Shinigami or pass up the perfect opportunity to overwhelm and slaughter them? The two were thrown aside by the stampede of Hollows.
Renji got up and tried to get in front of one but the Hollow went right through him. The red haired shinigami was stunned. How did it go right through him? There's no way Hollows can do that. The stampede of Hollows converged on the light pillar, disappearing into its emerald depths.
At the other three pillars, the same thing occurred. Stampeding Hollows retreating toward the pillars. They raced toward the light like rats on a sinking ship. When the last of the Hollows vanished into the emerald light, Renji jumped out from behind their hiding spot.
"Come on!" Renji said to Rukia "We can't let them get away!"
Before she could say anything, Renji took off running. Rukia jumped up and chased after him.
As she got closer to the light, Rukia noticed a figure standing in front of it. She could only make out a silhouette but Renji, who was closer, saw that the figure was Quince, holding a detonator of sorts. The clown pressed the button on the detonator and waved a hand at the red haired lieutenant.
"Goodbye!" Quince announced in a singsong voice then back flipped into the light pillar. In an instant the four blazing pillars of light vanished, plunging the Seireitei into darkness and silence. The holes in the protective dome above resealed themselves.
Renji skidded to a halt and cursed that he failed to catch the clown. It was probably for the best though. Who knows where the pillars would've led or what would've happened to him if he went through. He probably would've died. The red haired lieutenant frowned and wondered why he was acting so reckless. This wasn't how he typically acted.
But it was how Ichigo acted. Jump first and look later. That was how it was with him, at least in the beginning. Renji smiled a little and wondered what would the orange haired substitute Shinigami have done if he were here.
Rukia caught up to Renji and saw on the ground where the pillar once was, a symbol blazed into the tiled ground. It looked old, archaic and definitely not the work of anyone from Soul Society. She thought of what the cloaked man said. Something about plans and having little time left. A soft but creeping feeling of dread settled in Rukia's heart. This was only the beginning, of what she didn't know.
A soft beeping interrupted the silence around the two lieutenants. The two looked about in search of the source. More beeping sounded, coming from close by, another from further away. The still air was filled with the chorus of electronic beeping like a bunch of crickets on a hot summer night.
Renji looked about in search of the source of the beeping until his eyes landed on a small, blinking dot of red light.
What the? Renji thought. After a few seconds, it all clicked in the red haired lieutenant's mind. The hairs on the back of his neck jumped to attention. It all made sense: Beeping, red lights and Quince with a detonator.
"Look out!" Renji cried as he grabbed his friend and as the dark and battle worn night was filled with a crashing cacophony of explosions and emerald flames.
(a/n: what do you think? Sorry it took so long. I was trying to plot out how this will go, which I didn't really do for the older version. I expanded on some things and added some new stuff. Hope you like it. Next chapter will be up soon, when I can't say for certain. It will be up under a year, I promise you that.)