1Prologue

The hem of the girl's red maiko hakama was splattered with mud as she struggled to keep running. Her breath came out as ragged pants and the chain at her chest whipped at her arms. She twisted frantically to see if the creature was still following her while her hand scrabbled frantically at the chain swinging from her chest. The gasps erupting from her throat created white puffs in the cold night air dissipated quickly.

In her haste, she did not pay attention to what was at her feet. Her foot caught onto a loose tree root and the girl pitched forward, falling in a spread eagle in the mud. The rain was pouring down even harder and her long black hair had fallen free from the tie on her back. She clutched her legs close, sobbing at the hopelessness of the situation.

"Come on out, little girl!" a horrible screeching voice spoke from the direction from which she had just escaped. "Your temple gave you to me and I want my meal! It was amusing earlier, but I get irritated when my meals start fighting back."

The girl only curled into an even tighter ball. The rain continued to pour down from the heavens and there was an occasional boom of thunder overhead. All her senses were alert for the slightest sounds as she did the best she could to blend in with the shadows and trees. Even so, she still did not hear the stranger appear in front of her. It was only when he took hold of the strange chain connected to her that she looked up, ready to run again

"You began to move more quickly than we anticipated," the man's calm and distant face returned to a thin booklet in his hand. His face was emotionless, but his tone of voice was irritated. "Sending me to do something as trivial as this. Where is he, girl?"

The girl did not have to answer. The high-pitched voice came again yards behind them.

"Where are you, little girl? If you come out now, I'll make it painless!"

The girl shivered and the stranger glanced down at her, "Stay here and don't go anywhere. I'll return soon."

"No! Don't go!" the girl caught a hold of the man's black hakama. "It'll kill you!"

The stranger shook her free, and his cold grey eyes bore into hers, "It won't kill me. Now let go."

The girl watched with a baited breath as the stranger stepped forward. She twisted to watch him and saw the monster that she had just been trying to escape.

It was gigantic. The creature's arms were grossly out of proportion as his thick legs lumbered like a giant ape to keep it upright and balanced. The skull mask was open wide as its eyes shone from the excitement and the large tomb-like teeth clicked excitedly.

"I know what you are!" the monster's high-pitched whine rose. "A shinigami! I've eaten three of you already. Today's my lucky day! That little girl smelled tasty and you seem like a nice dessert too."

The man's stare was cold and what happened next was too quick for the girl too see. The only thing she saw was his katana embedded deep into the monster's skull.

"You were a waste of my time," the man whispered. The scarf he had on had slipped loose and he tugged it back into position. The monster that had been following her shimmered briefly before an incredibly bright light blinded her and it disappeared into the air. The man turned and advanced on the girl who shrunk away. He reached down and picked up the chain that trailed from her chest. It had snapped off at the tenth link.

"Your chain of fate has been broken," he told her quietly. "There's no way for you to return to your body. You've died. I have to give you a proper burial." He raised his katana, slightly surprised that the girl made no move to get away.

"That...thing said you were a shinigami. Will I go to hell if you kill me?" the girl asked.

"Neither hell or heaven awaits you. There is only Soul Society. I am not going to kill you. Your physical body is already dead. My only job is to send you to Soul Society. The process is not painful."

The girl gazed up at him, "What was that thing going to do to me?"

The man returned her stare, "It was going to eat you."

"You saved me then," the girl murmured, half to herself and half to the shinigami. "Please...tell me your name."

The shinigami paused, "Kuchiki. Kuchiki Byakuya. Are you ready to pass on?"

The girl nodded and rose slowly. Byakuya realized with a start that her eyes were a distinct shade of aquamarine–the color of the sea.

"My name," the girl whispered, "is Suiren. Thank you very much, Kuchiki-dono."

"Good luck in the next world," was his only reply before he swung the katana with easy grace down on her exposed forehead. In a flash of light, the Suiren had disappeared and a black swallowtail butterfly was fluttering away in her place.

Byakuya looked up and realized that the storm had stopped. It was time for him to return to his own world.