A/N: A collab between Amakawa-chan and me! The fun starts on the next chapter, and this is sort of a brief overview on how things are, what happened, and how it's going to be. If you reach the end and actually bother to leave a review, we'll love you forever.
Tons of thanks to our beta reader, Flaming Orange Rose, for helping out~
Disclaimer: We do not own Bleach.
Tension of Opposites
– Prologue –
"Men would be angels, and angels will be Gods." ~Pope Alexander
Everything started with the Shinigami.
They were the originators of the heavens and beyond, the source and origin of all life, and the absolute masters of the universe. The Shinigami lived in peace, tranquility and silence high up in the heavens they called Soul Society. Never ceasing to protect all life forms they created, the Shinigami divided themselves into thirteen divisions – each division performing a certain task and making sure that everything went accordingly.
As time flew by, the ideal relationship was maintained, until . . . The Treachery.
Aizen Sousuke, along with two other conspirators, betrayed the Shinigami. Sick and tired of all the decency, they said, 'It was time for a new era'. They created a world for themselves somewhere deep within the darkness, where even the Shinigami could not detect their presence – Hueco Mundo. There, Aizen gave rise to his army; an army of mindless beings he called Hollows. Hollows were visually unpleasant and violent creatures. They wandered aimlessly, searching for anything to devour and fill their unquenchable thirst.
The news of Aizen's growing army alerted the Shinigami. The majority of them opted for war, but Captain-Commander Yamamoto believed that such hostility was not an option. They were decent beings who safeguarded the world, not destroy it with warfare! Things would be settled diplomatically, he said.
After going through a number of terms, a treaty was formed between both sides. Unlike before, where only love and good-heartedness were present, there was hatred and wickedness. With this, a "balance" would be attained and both sides seemingly had peace.
But Aizen had something else in mind.
Long before Aizen's betrayal, the Shinigami created the celestial bodies, along with the planets. Among the nine planets the Shinigami designed, each with its own unique and distinct feature, it went without doubt that they favored the one named Earth; given it was the only planet which supported life. Since it was their favorite, the Shinigami decided to improve it further, and thus, "Project Earth" was brought forth – a project devised to improve and enhance Earth's terrestrial features.
It was Earth that Aizen was after, and its dwellers.
The H.U.M.A.N. (Human)
Honored Ubiquitous Model of Artistry and Neutralism
H.U.M.A.N. was one of the special prototype species the Shinigami created within "Project Earth", and the most successful. The human was exceptional from the others since the Shinigami had given them wisdom and knowledge, and they even appeared like them! They felt, understood, and loved. And now, due to that cursed treaty, they hate those who go against their way, hurt those who they truly detest, and bared grudge to their lifelong nemeses. Once so pure and good of heart like the Shinigami, they had now turned into schizophrenic fiends! Rather than appreciating the beauty of others, they grew jealous and violent towards one another. Turning against and betraying each other out of hatred and spite. The humans were the most powerful life forms on Earth. What they choose to do, if filled with enough unwavering determination, could be achieved.
Earth, dubbed as the Human World to many, soon became a playground for Aizen's army of Hollows. The Shinigami's reaction was instantaneous – the Captain-Commander immediately had a conference with Aizen in order to put a halt to the assault of the Hollows in the Human World. Aizen complied suspiciously quick, but with one condition.
Each and every time the human sinned, a part was to be taken away from Earth, in order to give Hollows entry to Earth and do what instinct dictated – to destroy and devour. It was reasonable, Aizen said, since every wrong doing should bear the equivalent consequence. The magnitude of the entry depended on how appalling the committed sin was – the greater the sin, the greater the entry, and the greater the capability of the Hollows to annihilate.
The Shinigami had no choice but to oblige in fear of the total destruction of their greatest work.
Unknown to the Shinigami, Aizen had a special group of Hollows he called the Arrancar. The Arrancar held the image of a Shinigami, and the combined powers of both worlds. They were Aizen's most treasured creations. Some of the Arrancars managed to blend in with the Shinigami. They managed to seduce several Shinigamis into believing that it was possible for both sides to have a relationship in Aizen's heaven. Friendship. Love. They made it seem like it was all possible, but even a simple mutual understanding between the Shinigami and any of Aizen's creations was not allowed. It was extremely forbidden, and they knew that! But regrettably, most Shinigami were already tainted; spoiled and used by the deceitful snakes! At worst, some of them betrayed the Captain-Commander and joined the Aizen's forces.
Soon enough, Earth was slowly deteriorating due to the constant sin the humans committed.
The whole of the Soul Society was so filled with shame at the thought of this treachery. It was decreed that every Shinigami who was associated with any Arrancar was, hence, exiled to Earth – forbidden to ever return to the Heavens and forever stripped of their powers. As a form of atonement, they were to protect not only Earth, but the humans as well. It was also declared that for any probable offspring of the exiled Shinigami, they were to have no knowledge of what was going on and what they truly were. They were to believe that they, too, were a part of the human society.
Only punishment was available for those who went against this divine law. The traitorous Shinigami were to receive no form of help, lest the perpetrators risk their own eternal banishment from Soul Society. It was a shame far too great for their families to every recover from. Entire families were exiled out of fear or suspicion of further betrayal. They could not be forgiven for the wrong they had inflicted on what was once a peaceful existence. Many lives were destroyed in seconds, but the Shinigami world went on.
Until all of the Shinigami were all set for a full-fledged war, it would stay that way for all time.