"Talking"

'Thoughts'

Past Event

"Zanpakutō"

"Zanpakutō or Kidō Incantation"

(Japanese or Spanish Description)

Author's Notes: First Bleach story, YEEEEAAAAAAHHH!! I've been watching and reading a lot of Bleach lately, so I was really happy to start writing this story. Another plus is that Tōshirō is my favorite Bleach character (Kaname, Kensei, and Jūshirō following). Also, this is just the prologue, and I will not be writing any more until I've finished The Perfect Jinchuuriki Vessel. This story has just been itching at the back of my head for awhile, so I just had to write something. Oh, and his is an AU, so there will be some major differences. And last, this =is rather short chapter for me, even in prologues, so expect them to be longer next time.

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Chapter 1: Guardian of the Hougyoku

"Sōten ni Zase, Hyōrinmaru(Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens, Ice Ring)" the chilling words slowly rolled off his tongue, watching as the Hollowfied version of Sarugaki Hiyori, Vice-Captain of Squad 12, solidified within his subzero ice.

The four other conscious occupants watched with silent shock as the Vice-Captain – who was now close to Captain-level do to the Hollowification process – was dealt with in a matter of seconds. Hiyori's frozen form soon started to wobble at its uneven stance, falling on its side at it hit the ground. The ice didn't even get a scratch.

Out of the three watching what was just a display of beauty and power; one was more concerned than the others. Sōsuke Aizen, Lieutenant to the half-Hollow Captain standing in front of him, watched the boy with slight curiosity. During his little conversation dealing with his 'Soon-to-be-Hollow-Captain' a boy that looked no older than six years of age – which, mind you, is very young in Spirit years – walked into their little war zone, holding a Zanpakutō no less!! Though at first glace Aizen wouldn't have really given a rat's ass about the kid, it may have been rare for a kid his age to wield a Zanpakutō, but it was not unheard of. Though the moment Aizen heard the white haired boy utter those words, Sōten ni Zase, Hyōrinmaru he knew that was a Shikai (Initial Release) release command. Now that was truly surprising… Not even Yamamoto-Genryūsai Shigekuni, rumored to have been born with his Zanpakutō, had reached his Shikai that fast. He'd have to look into this boy down the road. That was, if he didn't get killed by Hirako Shinji's Kidō attack.

Baring through the immense pain that came with his speedy transformation, thanks to the anger that gathered while watching Hiyori fall in frost, Shinji raised his palm so it faced the young boy. Now, Shinji would never attack a little kid like that, but that 'little kid' might have just sealed his old friend's fate. Plus he had an evil Hollow that just seemed to continually grow in its taunts of strength and destruction, which really didn't help either, "HaDōNuMbEr 31: ShAkKa-!!!" Shinji couldn't even finish his Kidō spell as his eyes widened in shock and terror. The red ball of condensed Reiryoku (Spiritual Power) seemed to ripple and distort itself. Before long the half-Hollow mask on the left side of Shinji's face soon grew, spreading just past his nose.

In a flash of red light the warped looking Shakkahō (Shot of Red Fire) sphere turned a darker shade of red and shot out like a beam, aiming straight for the white haired boy. Now Aizen would've just let the boy incinerate in the oncoming deformed-Cero(Hollow Flash), but this child had achieved his interest, that was a very hard thing for anyone to do.

So, using a swift Shunpo (Flash Step), Aizen appeared in front of the slightly surprised boy, his smile calm yet infuriating to look at, "Bakudō Number 73: Tozanshou (Way of Binding: Falling Mountain Crystal)…" Aizen and the boy were soon enveloped within the blood red Cero; a large explosion soon followed by a shockwave, rattled the earth with its power. As the dust from the attack cleared, a trench had been created thanks to the Cero's power, and at the end of the trench was Aizen and the boy – who's eyes were slightly wider than before – just standing their within a transparent pyramid-shaped barrier of spirit energy.

Once the Kidō Spell dispersed, Aizen could hear his falling Captain's raspy voice echo as his transformation nearly completed itself, "ChIkUsHoU… (Damn…)" the last thing Shinji heard was the thud he created as he fell face-first into the ground; unconsciousness.

Turning around and looking down to the boy that had just moments ago demolished a Hollowfied Vice-Captain, Aizen began to speak, "May I ask yo-" he couldn't finish the sentence as he flash-stepped a couple feet away, Tōsen and Gin flash-stepping next to their leader, hands hovering over their swords' hilt. What looked like a Crescent Moon made of stainless steel had nearly cut off Aizen's head, only after the incident did the three notice the metal moon was chained together with the hilt of the young boy's Zanpakutō.

Taking a closer inspection of the boy Aizen noticed he was wearing a small blue robe – something they wore in the Junrin'an, First District of West Rukongai – which they were near. Aizen also took note of the fact that the Zanpakutō the boy was holding was bigger than his entire body. Aizen's favorite trait of the boy's so far was his shining emerald eyes that glistened with the reflection of the bright moon overhead. Another thing he liked about the eyes was that they were so lifeless, no emotions whatsoever were in them, and looking deeper in, Aizen couldn't help wonder if the temperature in the atmosphere had just dropped five degrees. Deciding to move to the boy's sword, dismissing the boy's weird color hair of spiky white, he noticed the way the Zanpakutō moved under the moonlight.

Aizen's eyes slightly widened, noticing that sword really was none other the Hyōrinmaru, famed sword said to be the strongest ice-type Zanpakutō. The fact that a mere boy of six could somehow have enough spirit energy to wield the strongest ice-sword was unexplainable. Aizen wasn't planning on recruiting any more people, but this child; he'd be a wonderful asset to have in their cause.

Walking towards the boy and telling his two subordinates to stand-down, Aizen noticed the boy enter a defensive stance, messy and easily penetrable, yes, but defensive nonetheless.

Raising his hands in a peaceful manner Aizen tried to talk with the boy, "Please, a young man like you should not be holding such a dangerous weapon like that, you could get hurt…" his voice came out steady, calm, and peaceful, overflowing the present cold and icy demeanor that the boy held.

Lowering his Zanpakutō so the edge hit the ground, the white haired boy started to wobble forward, falling into the kneeling form of Aizen's black hakama. Stroking the child's white hair, Aizen let the boy rest his head against his chest comfortably. Until just now did Aizen realize how tired the boy looked, that ice dragon attack must have really wiped him out, if the heavy panting and sweating was anything to go by. The boy might not have been seated-officer material yet, but he sure was better than any academy student he'd seen for the past ten years, even more so than Gin – though he'd never say it out loud.

"My name is Sōsuke Aizen, may I ask you yours?" Aizen felt the boy's face dig deeper into his chest.

It was kind of muffled, but Aizen could still hear it, "H-Hitsugaya… Tōshirō…" Aizen mildly chuckled at how well his hair complimented his name; meaning 'Son of the Winter Lion'. Aizen then realized who and what this boy truly was. He…

Aizen parried Urahara Kisuke's sword strike with his own Zanpakutō, making sure the sleeping form of Hitsugaya within his arms was safe. Jumping back, Aizen barely dodged another swipe by Kisuke, his Twelfth Division Lieutenant badge getting cut off his shoulder in the process.

Kneeling down Aizen laid Hitsugaya next to a Bakudō bound, completely Hollowfied, Muguruma Kensei. Tōsen and Gin had once again appeared in front of their leader, ready to defend.

Standing back up Aizen looked over to Urahara's cloaked figure, knowing it was some kind of device to hide Reiatsu (Spiritual Pressure). "You truly are a man of your stature… Urahara-taichou…"Aizen's sly smile widened some.

"So you're the one behind all the disappearances that have been going on." Kisuke aimed his sealed-state Benihime (Crimson Princess) between Tōsen and Gin to Aizen, "I'll sto-"

"As fun as this has been, we really should take our leave…" Turning away from the battlefield, the three started to leave.

"WAIT AIZ-!!"

"MOVE URAHARA-DONO!!!"

Kisuke didn't need to know that that was Tessai's voice, and as such did as he was told; feeling the condensed pressure of Tessai's foreboding Kidō attack.

"Hadō Number 88: Hiryugekizokushintenraiho (Way of Destruction #88: Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon)!!!!" a beam of white and blue electrical-looking Reiryoku, twice the size of Shinji's Cero, shot from Tessai's palm.

Aizen's smile merely grew, continuing his path out of there, "Bakudō Number 81: Danku (Way of Binding #81: Splitting Void)…" in the matter of two seconds a transparent rectangular barrier five-stories tall appeared and blocked the beam of Reiryoku, producing an explosion of fire that sent another shockwave throughout the already charred forest.

When the dust cleared another trench had been created, and Aizen and his cohorts were gone.

"T-That's impossible, a Lieutenant blocking a Kidō attack of mine, with no incantation nonetheless!!" Tessai felt the sweat trickle down his face. Looking to Kisuke, wondering why he'd been so quite, Tessai saw him kneeling next to the white haired boy that Aizen had just moments ago laid there. "Urahara-dono?"

"…"

"Kisuke..."

"…"

"KISUKE!!!"

Getting out of his trace, the Captain of Squad Twelve looked over to Tessai, noticing his serious demeanor. "What…?"

"What do we do now?" Tessai was referring to all the half-Hollow half-Shinigami Captains and Lieutenants sprawled out everywhere. "What has happened to them?"

"Hollowification…" the un-hooded Captain mumbled under his breath.

"Hollow-what?"

"Hollowification-" Kisuke stood up, picking Hitsugaya up bridal-style. The blonde wondered how the boy could still hold onto the Zanpakutō in his slumbering state, hell; he wondered how the boy even had a Zanpakutō at this age. Turning to his longtime associate, Urahara continued his explaining, "- it's when a Shinigami gains hollow powers. From the disappearances as of late, I can gather that Aizen has been experimenting on this horrid process. The Captains and Lieutenants everywhere are in a sense, 'Failed Experiments', seeing as they're not perfect hybrids."

"Okay, but is there anyway to reverse this process?"

"There is a way, but it's a gamble…" Kisuke answered truthfully, starting to zone out in Hitsugaya's face again, "… but it won't matter, by the time we're able to get them all back to my lab, it'll be to late…"

Tessai calmly walked up to the spread out group of Hollowifing Shinigami. "Then I'll just have to stop time and transport everyone to your lab?"

That gained Kisuke's attention, "Tessai-san, what are yo-"

"Please cover your ears and shut your eyes, Urahara-dono, for I am about to use two Forbidden Spells…" Tessai slammed his hands together, the right over the left. Opening them a green rectangle hovered between his hands, giving off an 'mmmmmmm' sound.

Kisuke's eyes widened in shock, watching as the entire area they were in started to glow green, and in a bright flash of light green Reiryoku, they were gone.

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"May I ask you something, Aizen-sama?" Tōsen asked, wondering something.

"Of course." Aizen smiled even though neither of the two could see it.

"Who was that boy just now?"

Aizen's smile grew wider, happy one of them asked him about the child, "That boy, my friends, will help us achieve our goals…"

Tōsen and Gin looked at each other out of the corners' of their eyes. Gin was the first to ask, his ever-present smile cracking further across his face, "Well wha' was da younglin's name?"

"His name is Hitsugaya Tōshirō… but when the time comes, you shall call him… Amatsukouken (Heavenly Guardian)…"

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"I-It's failed…" Urahara trembled out, his pale eyes observing the white mask that donned Shinji's face. Tessai had warped them all here for naught.

Tessai let out a well needed sigh, the forbidden spells he'd used the previous night still taking its toll, "Well… what shall we do with the Hougyoku?"

"We need to hide it, now that it's out of its vault and I've used it, every Shinigami in a quarter mile radius will come here…"

"So then where can we hide it?" Tessai wondered. Urahara Kisuke might have been a genius, but if he could hide something with power of that magnitude – were it was nearly a being in of itself –, then he was truly something.

"It will need a soul as its vessel, one whose spirit energy has not yet developed…"

"Where can we find someone like th-" Tessai stopped in mid-speech, noticing Kisuke was looking at something, someone

Following his line of vision, Tessai's eyes widened in shock.

'I'm sorry, young one… but let's just say, you were at the wrong place, at the wrong time…' that was the only thought running through Kisuke's mind, his hollow footsteps echoing throughout the lab, as he stepped closer to the sleeping form, of Hitsugaya Tōshirō…

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Author's Notes: Well, there's your prologue. Now, again, I won't be writing anymore until I've finished my other story, so please don't tell me to make another chapter anytime soon. Man does it feel good to get this idea out in the open, anyhow… hope you've enjoyed and goodbye. R&R

Bakudō

Number 73: Tozanshou (Falling Mountain Crystal) - Creates a pyramid-shaped barrier around the caster.

Number 81: Danku (Splitting Void) - Creates an energy barrier in the form of a rectangular wall.

Hadō

Number 31: Shakkahō (Shot of Red Fire) - Fires a ball of red energy at a target.

Number 88: Hiryugekizokushintenraiho (Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon) - Fires a gigantic electricity blast of spiritual energy resulting in a truly enormous explosion.