Author's Note: This story will take Mayuri a little out of character, so I apologize in advance. This particular story has played through my head for a while now, and I felt the need to start working on it, to get away from my book I'm trying to write. ^_^ Gives my brain a break from all the other people I have to put up with. lol Enjoy!

Chapter 1- The Truth

Mayuri Kurotsuchi, feared captain, was in a foul mood. More so on this day than any others. The one day a year that everyone under his command wished they could avoid. No one knew the true reasons for his sudden bursts of anger, or his staring off into space, sadly, almost.

"Mayuri-sama?" Nemu asked, interrupting his thoughts.

Mayuri responded with a swift slap. Immediately though, he looked as if he regretted it. "Leave me alone."

Nemu rose off the ground and quickly ran from the room.

Mayuri locked the door after her and walked over to a bare wall, touching it and sending his reiatsu through it.

It peeled away slowly and reveled a few items, that were precious to him. A hair brush with a few hairs still in it, dark in color. A child's teddy bear, and a wedding dress. He didn't dare touch the items, for he feared he would now contaminate them of their purity.

"If you could see me now." He whispered, frowning deeply.

With self disgust, he sealed the wall again, and moved to a table, to experiment on himself. Pain was the only thing that would get him through this day.

The more, the better.

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Miyuki was standing in front of Yamamoto himself. "I wish to join the ranks of the Twelve Squad. I am a accomplished scientist, and I feel that I am up to the task."

"You do realize that the captain of squad twelve, Kurotsuchi, is a demented man?" Yamamoto asked, his eye brows raising slightly.

"I am very familiar with a good portion of Captain Kurotsuchi's past. You see, Captain Yamamoto, I. . .knew him a long, long time ago." Miyuki answered, her smile a little bitter.

"Knew him how?" Yamamoto asked. His tone told her that not answering was not an option.

"I was. . .I am still. . .his wife." Miyuki struggled to say.

Yamamoto sat back in his seat, thinking. "Captain Kurotsuchi has revealed little of his past to us. Nothing in fact. I knew that he was in the Maggot's Nest. . ."

"The Maggot's Nest?" Miyuki cut in sharply. "Why was he there?"

"It seems we both are missing big pieces of his life. . ."

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Mayuri was beyond annoyed when he seen a Hell Butterfly approach him. He took the message and snarled at the insect, causing it to fly away faster than normal. He stood up and re-dressed, happy that he had at least finished modifying his arm before the message had arrived.

"What the hell does Yamamoto want with me?" He snarled, flash stepping to the First Captain as fast as he could.

He entered the room with obvious annoyance.

"You called?" He asked, his voice thick.

"I have a scientist to add to your squad." Yamamoto told him.

"I have plenty of 'scientists' and they know nothing. I don't need anymore useless idiots running around." Mayuri said, dismissing the idea immediately.

"This scientist is responsible with coming up with the cure for the disease that claimed Byakuya Kuchiki's wife. Sadly, the cure came a few days to late." Yamamoto added.

Mayuri seemed to ponder it for a moment. "Anything else that can be added to their resume?"

"She's working on several other projects, but needs a adept scientist to help her, driving her here to seek help from our greatest scientist. . .you." Yamamoto continued.

"Stroking me ego now? Fine, I'll take. . .her." Mayuri sneered.

Yamamoto made a motion with his hand and some doors to the side opened, revealing a woman that made Mayuri pause. As he stared at her in shock, so did she, accompanied by horror.

"What have you done to yourself?" She gasped.

"Miyuki?" Mayuri whispered in shock.

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Miyuki settled in as quickly as she could into the room that Mayuri had provided her with. She looked in the large mirror in the bathroom and took in her appearance. She had changed a little over the years, cutting off her dark hair to near nothing. Though it was nearly touching her shoulders now. Her green eyes gazed at her, haunted.

Her slight build looked so much smaller now that she was wearing a shinigami standard uniform with her zanpakuto strapped at her side.

She swallowed the bile that threatened to rise from her stomach and turned away from the bathroom.

Seeing Mayuri had unsettled her more than she thought. Especially seeing that the rumors of his experimentation were true. Beyond true.

She gazed at the huge bed that had appeared magically.

"How long was I in the bathroom?" She whispered to herself.

"Four hours."

Miyuki turned to find Mayuri standing in the doorway, no longer wearing the makeup he had been in earlier. His hair was also flowing straight down his back in a blue fall.

"Why did you come here Miyuki. You had to know I was here. . .I didn't think you would want to see me after. . .everything." Mayuri said, coming further into the room.

Miyuki realized that he wasn't wearing his uniform either. Instead, he wore a simple black kimono, belted loosely, and showing some of his chest, covered in scars.

"I came here to finish some work." She told me. "And because. . .I wanted to see you."

Mayuri walked to the lone window in her room, gazing out of it. "I am not the man you married. I am shattered and broken, and I've put myself together so many times, I don't remember what part of me is human anymore. I am cruel, and I have done far to many things that would have you ashamed of carrying my name. My advice to you, Miyuki, is to get your work done quick, and divorce me."

"Do you want a divorce? Have you found someone else?" Miyuki asked.

Mayuri laughed bitterly. "No, no one else. Who would want me?"

Miyuki stepped up next to him, touching his shoulder gently, shocked at how cold it felt. Still, she didn't pull away.

"Isn't it amazing what we will do in the name of science? To our own bodies? Carving our flesh, injecting poisons, and hoping our cures work for it?" She murmured. "But despite what you have done to yourself, Mayuri, you are still my husband. . .I do still love you, though sometimes, I question why. Bitter words, harsh things, were said between us after. . .the accident. But I am proud to be Miyuki Kurotsuchi. I'd have it no other way."

"You won't think that soon." Mayuri said, pulling away and walking toward the door. "You will hate me tomorrow."

He left the room, leaving Miyuki in a cloud of tormented emotion.

"Excuse me, but Mayuri-sama asked me to bring your things up. May I enter your room?"

Miyuki took in the girl holding her bags and felt all the blood leave her face. She was staring at herself. . .Or rather, a clone.

The girl seemed to have noticed it too.

"What have you done, Mayuri?" Miyuki screamed.