P.O.V.
What if there were ex-Quincy among the ranks of the Shinigami? What if Orihime had corrupted her soul to save her friends? What if I just stop spoiling the story and let you read it for yourselves?
A.N.: This fic is a continuation of some of my other Bleach fics, which to be honest, I had never intended to be in the same universe, but then I figured, why not? I never really planned to continue those other fics, but I did have some loose threads that were left untied, and that always bothers me. I also wanted to experiment a little in my writing style, and I figured this was as good a venue as any. If you're happy with the way those other fics ended and don't want to risk me botching your happy memories of them, then by all means, ignore this one. If you're curious about this story but don't feel like reading my other three, short as they are, I've provided a timeline to help you catch up (of course, they will also spoil those fics for you if you ever decide to read them). I've seen the year 2111 thrown around as the year the Bleach manga starts, though current evidence contradicts this. I'm just going to write this timeline to coincide with the present day--or at least 2006, five years after the manga started. Bolded events are AU from my fics, other dates are directly from the manga or as closely approximated as is current knowledge (this may also spoil some of the official storyline for you if you only watch the dubbed anime, though it is quickly catching up).
*One thing I probably should clarify, just because it will be mentioned later, is that in my AU, Quincy's have a power called the Sight, which allows them to see individual spirit particles. While this ability is useful in manipulating reiatsu as Quincy do, it can also affect the way their brains interpret visual information. One consequence of this, in Isane especially, is that dreams and nightmares become more vivid and difficult to distinguish from reality.
Prologue I
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
97 B.C. General Yamamoto founds the Shinigami academy. He and Unohana are already captains of the Gotei 13
91 B.C. Ukitake and Kyouraku graduate and soon become captains of the Gotei 13
1806 A.D. The Shinigami begin a campaign of extermination against the Quincy. Of those who die and are reborn in the Soul Society, few remember that they were once Quincy.
1857 A.D. Rukia and Hisana die and are reborn into Soul Society
1899 A.D. The eleventh Kenpachi (Ryuken) kills the tenth Kenpachi and takes over as 11th Division captain. The 3rd Division captain is banished to the Maggot's Nest when he attempts to retire. Rose is promoted to be the new 3rd Division captain.
1900 A.D. Urahara is promoted to 12th Division captain as Hikifun is promoted to 0th Division. Urahara founds the Research Institute.
1909 A.D. Urahara creates the hougyoku; several captains and vice captains become Vizard; Urahara creates untraceable gigai and is banished from Soul Society. Yoruichi follows him into exile. Aizen is promoted to 5th division captain and Gin becomes his lieutenant.
1910 A.D. Unohana is promoted to 0th Division and Isshin Shiba takes over as 4th Division captain.
1950 A.D. Zaraki kills Ryuken Kenpachi and takes over as the twelfth Kenpachi and 11th Division captain, to Toussen's dismay. Aizen begins converting Toussen to his side.
1951 A.D. Ikkaku and Yamichika learn that Zaraki is a captain of the Gotei 13 and apply to the Academy.
1963 A.D. Renji and Rukia apply to the Shinigami Academy.
1964 A.D. Shuhei graduates from the academy and soon becomes Toussen's lieutenant.
1965 A.D. Hisana Kuchki dies.
1966 A.D. Rukia is adopted into the Kuchki family and is fast-tracked into the 13th Division. Ryuken is reborn in the human world as Ryuken Ishida.
1969 A.D. Renji, Momo and Kira are recruited into 5th Division by Aizen after graduating from the Academy.
1970 AD. Renji is transferred to the 11th Division. Kira is transferred to the 4th Division.
1972 A.D. Byakuya is promoted to 6th Division captain. Gin is promoted to 3rd Division captain and Kira is promoted to be his lieutenant, while Momo takes Gin's place as lieutenant of 5th.
1986 A.D. Isshin Shiba leaves the Gotei 13, faking his death and disguising himself in a human gigai. He guides young Ryuken into a career in medicine to hide him from the Quincy extermination forces. Unohana returns from the Royal Dimension to temporarily resume her captainship. // Kiyone and Isane meet and are trained by the Shaman, an ex-Quincy.* Kiyone is healed of her illness. Yamichika defeats the Shaman, who survives and swears revenge. Kiyone adopts Isane into her noble family, and both enter the Shinigami Academy.
1991 A.D. Ichigo, Uryuu, Orihime, Chad, Tatsuki, and their classmates are born.
1993 A.D. Isane is promoted to 4th Division lieutenant.
1995 A.D. Yuzu and Karin are born.
1996 A.D. Kaien and Miyako Shiba are killed. Kiyone and Sentaro are promoted to joint 3rd seats of the 13th Division. The 13th Division lieutenant slot is left unfilled.
1998 A.D. Uryuu's grandfather is killed; Kurotsuchi finishes his experimentation on the Quincy
2000 A.D. Ichigo's mother is killed.
2003 A.D. Sora Inoue is killed.
2006 A.D. April: Rukia transfers her powers to Ichigo.
May: Renji is promoted to 6th Divison lieutenant.
June: Renji and Byakuya find Rukia and bring her back to the Soul Society
July: Ichigo, Chad, Uryuu, Orihime and Yoruichi travel to the Soul Society to rescue Rukia.
September: Orihime is blackmailed into going to Hueco Mundo. Ichigo, Uryuu, Chad, Rukia and Renji, and several other Shinigami go there to rescue her.
October: Orihime is killed by Aizen when she tries to destroy the hougyoku, in the process losing her healing powers and creating her dormant hollow. She is reborn into the Soul Society and joins with the resurrected Espada, who try to recover their hollow powers and return to Aizen. Ulquiorra successfully becomes a Vizard and threatens to kill Ichigo, who had come to save Orihime. With Yammy's zanpakuto, Orihime awakens her hollow and kills Ulquiorra.
The story now continues....