Well, like I stated in my profile, I'll be posting the prologues first. I'm more or less concerned about future updates, but I want to keep an eye on the current few ongoing stories. I promise I'll try to update as soon as possible. Disclaimer, I obviously do not own Bleach, but this plot birthed from a week of random dreams and stemmed from my depression that my parents don't want to pre-order the D-Dust dvd for me because I'm underage for Bleach (age so does not matter; it's how we look at things that counts). I'll still be begging.
Bereft of Hope 00
Prologue
Soul Society had never been in a state as rushed as this.
For the first time in centuries, unranked officers were included in captain matters, and were given important tasks to carry out, such as the decorating of the banner that could harbour even Jidanbou himself, though it was highly not recommended for the giant gatekeeper to keep it as a blanket when winter nights at Seireitei were dangerously freezing. More than two hundred shinigami were assigned to work on the banner, with a mere fraction being seated officers. Along with the banner came the preparation for food; they were asked – ordered, rather – to think of creative designs along with the theme as well as make the food highly palatable even in frozen state.
Most of the seated officers were given a lighter workload compared to the unranked; they were merely in charge of supervising their subordinates. Where such an elaborate matter was concerned, all ranks were treated as equals, for strength nor tactfulness were needed here, and they were given about the same task to carry out: supervision. How well this would turn out to be relied on them.
Lieutenants and captains were probably the busiest of bees. It was compulsory for them to invite all those related to the guest-of-honour, prepare large gifts or bouquets intended, and most importantly, make a special trip to the real world not only to shop for fanciful human fashion, which they were supposed to turn up in on the very special night everyone was preparing for, but also to send out the invitations to the former ryoka. Yes, this was probably the event of the year. And Yamamoto had hoped that it would be the last.
No one, except for the captains, knew why things had to turn out in their disappointment, but they could have no argument about it. Some shed tears as they prepared for the large dinner, while others put up a mask and focus solely on making the night the most memorable for the next few decades. Matsumoto was one of the stronger-willed who was ever ready to prepare for the grandest of affairs.
And when the shinigami daikou, Kurosaki Ichigo, arrived at Seireitei upon receiving the anticipated yet unknown invitation from Renji, he was, to say the least, given a pleasant
surprise when he landed his intent gaze on every single shihakushou that dashed past him without acknowledging his presence, arms full of loads and decorations, scraps of coloured paper dancing in the sky, and the drops of paint staining the soil wherever they went.
"Hey, you two! Be careful with the paint, won't you! If this keeps up, the soutaichou won't allow us to make another trip to the real world just to buy more of them!" the strawberry blonde shouted out with exasperation, suddenly appearing beside the very much confused substitute shinigami. He blinked at the sight of waterfalls streaming down her forehead, the back of her shihakushou tainted with seemingly darker shades while her hair as ruffled and wild as weeds. If not for the fact that the bags under her eyes were completely hidden by her golden locks, while the scent of sake still hung thick in the surrounding air, Ichigo would've had started getting suspicious about whether or not this was the Rangiku-san he knew from before.
"...Yo, Rangiku-san."
Matsumoto turned, sticking out her cherry red lower lip. Ichigo could've had sworn his throat hurt after he let loose a yelp at the patches surrounding her eyes. "Ichigo-kun? You came earlier than I thought."
"Well, I don't have anything to do at home anyway, and when Renji told me something big was going on and that I have to be included, I just had to come." Scanning her entire frame, with the exception of her heavenly valleys that were fortunately blocked, he raised an eyebrow. The sake bottle topping the mountain of what seemed like decorations and other kinds of junk stored in the box resting in her grasp was the focus point, but then again, the fact that some corners of her shihakushou were dyed with paint itself stood out more. "What's going on here? Everyone looks like they're getting ready for something special…but most importantly, you look horrible. What, something happened with Toushirou again? Speaking of that little rascal, how come I didn't see him with the other captains when they passed by me earlier?"
Matsumoto blinked. "You mean…you don't know? Renji didn't tell you?"
"Know…Know what?"
She bit her lower lip, blue grey eyes gluing themselves to the floor, her fingers digging deeper into the cardboard in her arms. "Taichou is officially retiring, Ichigo-kun. This…is his farewell party that we're preparing for."
