Title Unknown

Chapter One: The Soul Society

"Hurry this way!" Kabashi Hitohana called to the rest of his family. They were running down the side street that would lead to the main city square. Soft flakes of snow fell from the sky. The first snow of the year, a four-year old Shichiyou Hitohana thought to herself as her mother, Shida, pulled her along while carrying her two-year old sister Asagao in her free arm. Shichiyou couldn't admire the snow for long because her and her family were running. For their very lives they were running. Shichiyou was scared, but she knew better than to show it. She had to be strong, for her family.

"Dad this way!" A six-year old Ryuukyuukei called. Kabashi made a quick turn and followed his son down a back alley with Shida following behind with Asagao and Shichiyou. They ran out the alley and finally into the main square. They looked around gasping for air. Not that they needed it, they had all died in a car crash almost a month ago. Now, however, their souls were on the line and they needed to get away.

There was suddenly a loud crash and the Hitohana family turned sharply around to see a giant dent in the side of a building. Kabashi grabbed his son's hand and bolted away from the square.

"Kabashi where are we going?!" Shida yelled.

"I don't know, but we can't let it hurt anyone else! Just keep running!" He called back. They continued to rush forward. Suddenly Shichiyou tripped and fell to the ground.

"Shichiyou!" Her mother called turning back around. Why did I have to be clumsy now?! Shichiyou thought angrily to herself. She slowly got to her feet and prepared to run again when something huge landed right behind her. Shichiyou turned and sheer horror crossed her small face. She began to shake all over. It was the first time Shichiyou had been so scared in her entire life.

The hollow smiled a wicked smile at the small girl.

"You should make a delicious appetizer." It whispered menacingly.

"Shichiyou look out!" Her mother called, tears choking her voice. The hollow was huge, almost 50 times Shichiyou's size. It had a fin on its back, long lanky legs and arms, and a horribly terrifying white mask with searching, hungry yellow eyes. It looked like a fish that had legs and arms. The hollow suddenly lunged at Shichiyou.

"Give me your soul!" It screamed. Shichiyou found a voice inside her and screamed at the top of her lungs. She ducked just as the hollow reached her. It caught her long hair in its mouth and held on. Shichiyou continued to scream.

"Mommy, daddy help!" She wailed while streams of tears fell down her face. She heard her mother break down into tears and her father struggling to keep Ryuukyuukei from getting close to the hollow. Shichiyou opened her eyes and stared down at her family. She was only four, but she knew this was it, she was going to be eaten by this horrible creature, but if it kept her family safe then she would sacrifice herself. Shichiyou went limp.

"Given up? Or did I already break your neck? I hope not, it's not as enjoyable to eat a soul that doesn't give me a few screams." The hollow growled.

"You bastard!" Kabashi screamed. Shichiyou closed her eyes and braced for the hollow to eat her. The hollow just smiled and was about to consume Shichiyou's soul when the sound of a knife cutting through the air sounded out. Shichiyou felt herself come loose and when she opened her eyes she was flying through the air in the arms of a man with long black hair and deep black eyes. When he landed he let Shichiyou down and she ran to her mother. Shida burst into new tears and grabbed her daughter in a strong embrace, like she didn't want to ever let her go again.

"Captain Byakuya…" A voice said walking up to the man with black hair. He was tall and wore a black kosode and haori with black hakama.

"Stay back, I can handle this one myself." He said in a quiet but stern voice. Shichiyou watched the man with wide eyes as he faced the creature.

"You'll pay for interrupting my snack, soul reaper." The hollow said with pure malice. The man, Byakuya, just stared at the hollow with no emotion in his dark eyes. The hollow glared, let out a horrible scream, and lunged at Byakuya.

"Look out-" Shichiyou was starting to say but before she could finish Byakuya pulled out a long katana and brought it down on the hollow's head. He pulled it down, cutting the mask in half. The hollow screamed and then disappeared. Shichiyou stared in awe at the man standing before her. He turned around, sheathed his katana, and looked down at the family of ghosts.

"Forgive me," he said, "for cutting off your hair, I had no other choice." Shichiyou suddenly came out of her trance and brought a hand up to the back of her head. Most of her long hair was gone, all that was left were short, uneven bristles.

"I-it's ok." She whispered not looking him straight in the eyes.

"Captain, are we performing a Konso?" Another man asked suddenly. Byakuya turned to him.

"Yes, come, I want to do these Konsos at the same time." Byakuya said. He walked forward, towards Shichiyou. Four other men in the black outfits stepped forward.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Shida asked protectively. She pulled Shichiyou closer to her.

"There is nothing to worry about. We're just going to perform a Konso, a soul burial, and send you all to a wonderful place known as the Soul Society." One of the men said with a smile. Shichiyou smiled back weakly. Kabashi and Ryuukyuukei walked forward and stood beside Shida, Shichiyou, and Asagao. The five men pulled out their katanas. They turned them around so that the ends of the handles were aimed at the family's foreheads.

"See you in the Soul Society." Byakuya said quietly and brought his katana handle down on Shichiyou's forehead. Her eyes went blank and black butterflies surrounded her and the rest of her family.

Before they knew what was happening the family was traveling through a tunnel of bright lights and waves of stars. It was almost as if they were flying through space and time itself. Shichiyou looked around. The lights were amazing. Shichiyou looked at her family. Her mother and father were staring straight ahead with blank expressions on their faces, almost like they were in a trance. Ryuukyuukei looked at Shichiyou and they stared at each other in amazement. Asagao was too busy staring around taking everything in with wide eyes to notice. Suddenly Shichiyou turned and saw a shooting star coming towards her. She reached out and grabbed it without thinking and her entire body tingled.

Suddenly her hand started to move on its own and she suddenly pushed the star into her own body.

"Shichiyou what are you doing?!" Ryuukyuukei asked. He was whispering, like he was trying to keep from waking someone up.

"I don't know. It was like the star came at me. I had to grab it." Shichiyou explained staring at her hand. Her entire body was tingling and glowed faintly. Ryuukyuukei looked up as a star came to him, and another sped towards Asagao. They both reached out and the same thing happened to them. They all looked at each other and then the tunnel finally came to an end in a rush of bright light. Shichiyou opened her eyes and found she and the rest of her family were standing in front of two gigantic yellow doors. Shichiyou stared at them with eyes wide. No one moved.

"Mommy…" Shichiyou whispered tugging her mom's sleeve.

"Shh." Her mother said quickly. Shichiyou fell silent and hid behind her mother's back.

"Why are you just standing there?" Shichiyou tensed and looked behind her to see Byakuya approaching them. He walked past them and towards the doors. Without thinking Shichiyou started to follow him.

"Shichiyou…"Her mother said but Kabashi stopped her. He started to follow, Ryuukyuukei at his heels. Shida eventually gave up and started to follow. They came up behind Byakuya who stood in front of the giant doors. Shichiyou clutched to her mother's arm for dear life, she was terrified. Byakuya stopped in front of the doors. Without a word or even a knock they suddenly started to open. Slowly the huge doors creaked open before them. Shichiyou looked in but all she could see was a bright light shining in front of her. Finally the doors opened enough for them to walk in. Byakuya turned and lifted an uninterested arm.

"Welcome, to the Soul Society."