From the moment Aizen Souske laid eyes upon the newcomer, he hated him.
He hated the auburn color of his hair, the almost-but-not-quite crimson shade that seems to mock the color of blood. He hated his unassuming demeanor and quiet humbleness that the crowded Shingami around him gravitate to. He hated the ridiculous zanpakuto at the man's side, the sheer impracticality offending his sensibilities.
He loathed every fiber of the man's being.
But appearances must be maintained.
He pasted a smile onto his face and extended a hand to the man.
"I am Aizen Sousuke, 5th Division Captain. I'm pleased to welcome you into our ranks."
Inwardly he seethed.
The newcomer took his hand and smiled back. Aizen was repulsed by the purity, the honest kindness and decency present on his face.
"Himura Kenshin. Likewise."
*1885*
Himura Kenshin stared at the body sprawled across his weeping wife's lap.
His body.
He had just died. Passed away in Kamiya Kaoru's arms. Succumbed to the leprosy that had been ravaging him.
Then why was he still conscious?
Blinking, he tried to touch Kaoru's shoulder, to elicit a reaction, but his chest suddenly tightened, and he found he couldn't move his arm very easily.
What is this?
He looked down at his chest, and was surprised to see the severed end of a golden chain protruding from it.
So I am dead. He thought, studying the chain intently. This chain must symbolize the severing of life, when someone departs the mortal world.
How many people have I done this to? How many have seen this severed chain, have drifted above their bodies and watched life progress without them, having their hopes and dreams drift away?
How many have been brought to a premature end because of me?
His eyes stared at the chain, no longer seeing it. Instead, images of men he'd killed flashed before his eyes.
One man, Tomoe's fiancé, caught mid-scream, Kenshin's blade jutting through his chest and out his back, blood spilling from both holes.
Another, a thick, heavy-set thug with a nunchuck in each hand, reeling as his legs were separated from his body, the fluid of life draining away.
More and more gruesome pictures flashed before his eyes, blending into a carnage-filled slideshow of the sins of Battosai. Kenshin shuddered, feeling salt behind his eyes.
"You are an interesting one, Himura Kenshin."
Startled out of his grisly reverie, the former hitokiri opened his eyes.
Before him stood a man who seemed...unusual, to say the least. He sported dark brown skin and a unique hairstyle that stuck up in five prongs about four inches above his head. He wore a silver coat over a black kimono, and a katana sat on his belt.
Kenshin looked at him.
"So I've been told."
The newcomer tilted his head slightly.
"You have caused great strife in the world. You have left rivers of blood in your wake. Those you have slain are legion enough to fill a city. Why did you do all this?"
Kenshin's answer came swiftly.
"I fought for a new era, that of Meiji, and to protect my comrades."
The robed man regarded him skeptically.
"But did the new Meiji not perpetuate great injustices towards its own people? Is the blood you spilled on their behalf worth it?"
The former Battosai sighed heavily, looking weighed down.
"No, it wasn't. I took the oath not to kill to repent for my crimes, in part because of the era I helped to usher in. Though a thousand people I may save, they will never eclipse the sea of blood that drowns my soul."
The robed man stared at him for a few moments more, before nodding.
"A good answer.
Now, I shall perform the konso and send you on, to your next life. I should warn you, you will not remember anything of your past life. You will, essentially, be given another chance to repent.
Once you have arrived at Soul Society, you will find yourself in one of the districts. There, you will be free to pursue whatever life you wish, provided it is not one that disturbs the peace."
Now the stranger leaned forward, and Kenshin saw that his eyes were closed.
"Remember this, Himura. If you return to your former life and embrace the way of chaos, I will defeat you."
As he finished his sentence, the man suddenly lunged forward, unsheathing his blade and striking the former hitokiri on the skull with the pommel of his blade.
Kenshin's vision became blurred, and mists began to coalesce around him. He got one final look at the stranger before he blacked out.