Hallo! This is a Bleach fanfiction, which I'm sure you may have guessed. Nothing else to say here. Enjoy, Rate and Review. Or like and subscribe, I don't know which. Expect a new chapter soon. Hopefully.

The dangai. A swirling mass of koryu (restrictive current) and a single entity, the Kototsu. No normal person with an ounce of reiatsu could survive touching either. A place between worlds, away from time, feared by the strongest members of the Gotei Thirteen. Yet here they were, three captains and a lieutenant staring at the crumbling rubble. Mayuri Kurotsuchi had seen many things, enough to traumatize or leave any other soul in shock. He reveled in that. But, even to him, this was wrong. He stood at the edge of the destruction, his lieutenant Nemuri Nanagou behind him. Toushirou and Byakuya had been sent as well. All three captains had never seen anything like it, while Nemu, being a child, was amazed by anything. Aizen himself, had destroyed the Kototsu, leaving nothing but a bare remains, stripped bare. But this… The dangai was crumbling apart in a large circle of what looked like an explosion, the koryu completely and utterly destroyed. Mayuri stood among the wreckage of the walls and the petrified chunks of the restrictive current. The void stretched around them, and in the middle of the giant crater, was a circular portal. It looked nothing like a Senkaimon, or even a Garganta. It was a swirling mass of energy, tendrils wrapping around the debris, and it emitted an echoing pulse that seemed to whisper directly to them.

"What… What did this?" Byakuya, stared in shock and observed the portal. "Where's the kototsu?"

"I-I speculate it was taken by the portal, and destroyed." Mayuri swallowed, dryly. "Impressive."

"The question is." Toushirou muttered, picking up a petrified chunk of the koryu. "What opened the portal?" The chunk of brittle koryu crumbled in his hand. "What did this?"

"I suspect it has something to do with the way the koryu interacts with destructive forces. It can be petrified like this with a large amount of reiatsu, but it was subsequently destroyed, meaning that the energy took to freeze and destroy this must have been massive." Mayuri said.

"Nemu." He said reaching out his hand. The young lieutenant, nodded, and dug in her robes. "Here you go!" She held out a small canister about the size of an lighter. It was sticky and a torn candy wrapper was stuck to the side.

"I don't know whether you're a success beyond my wildest dreams, or a nuisance." Mayuri sighed and took the canister from her hand, flicking away the stray piece of trash. He crumbled a bit of the koryu into it and the container sealed with a hiss. "I'll be taking this."

"Are you mad?" Toushirou hissed. "If that was released in soul society, it would envelope most of the Seireitei!"

"Nonsense, it would never leave the dangai. It would take a long time for the kototsu to regenerate." He shook it, and held it up to Byakuya. "Want some?"

"Do not jest. This is a serious matter. Head captain required us to check the disturbance, then report back. We must leave."

Mayuri glared at him. "Then report back that I will be staying to research the anomaly."

"You-" Toushirou growled, but Byakuya, held out his arm. "We'll leave him here, and report back."

"Much obliged." Mayuri grinned. "Could you also tell them to bring some lab equipment?" He turned towards the crater and pulled out a strange device. "I'll be here." As Byakuya and Toushirou, stepped through the senkaimon, Toushirou sighed and nodded. "A madman till the end."

Byakuya looked at him wryly. "Did you expect the quincy war to change him?"

Toushirou thought before sighing in resignation. "No. I suppose not." They watched as he inserted a small device into the wall of the koryu. As the doors of the senkaimon closed, their last view of squad twelve's captain, and lieutenant, was covered. They wouldn't see Mayuri again for over a year.

Shunsui, stood from his position by Ukitake's grave. "I'll be back old friend. The situation's getting hectic. Duty and such bothersome things."

Captain Commander of the Gotei 13 looked up at the approaching squad members.

"Yes?" He asked, putting on his hat.

"The captains have returned!"

"Call a meeting. And, alert the Quincys. " He said, walking towards the meeting hall. "The news they bear might require it."

"Yes sir!"

Shunsui sighed as he vanished in a flash-step, heading towards the main hall. Time to test their alliance with the Sternritter.

All the captains were assembled, each standing in an assigned spot. This made Mayuri's absence stand out. Also standing in the captains hall, were the Quincy. The ones who had still been alive were, Bazz-B, Bambietta, Liltotto, and finally, the companion of the substitute soul reaper, Uryuu Ishida. Although Yhwach had been defeated, their own souls had clung onto his after he had activated the Aushwahlen, and with his defeat, their powers and parts of their souls had returned, allowing them to keep their abilities, the Heat, the Explode, the Gluttony, and the Antithesis, respectively. Three of those Quincies now stood with the captains. The fourth, Uryuu Ishida had moved into the human world to live once more with his companions. As Shunsui stepped forward, they all stood at attention. For a moment, none of the Captains nor Quincies spoke a word and all stood stock still, watching Shunsui, then-

"Aaahh." He let out a sigh. "Come on, come on! Loosen up!"

"But Captai-" Soi-fon stepped forward.

"Don't worry about it to much. Loosen up. Being tense won't help you anywhere." He turned towards the group sent to the Dangai. "It seems Mayuri has not returned."

"Yes. He stayed behind to research the anomaly with vice captain Nemuri Nanagou." Byakuya stated.

"The bastard-" Kenpachi growled. Shunsui held up a hand. "Wait, let us hear the full report from them first."

Toushirou nodded. "It seems there was a massive explosion in the dangai. Powerful enough to create a huge crater."

"Like hell?" Shinji snapped. "You expect us to believe-"

Shunsui held up his hand once more, still facing Toushirou, deep in thought. "I will have no more interruptions until he is done speaking." Shinji stepped back, his face in a deep scowl.

Toushirou continued with a grave expression. "What we assume was the rift or portal is still open in the wreckage." A murmur rippled through the crowd. Toushirou continued.

"Mayuri stayed behind to investigate the effect the amount of energy that had entered the koryu. Similar to the technique of sealing the koryu with the reiatsu of several people or a captain, it was petrified. But this was different. We were able to pick it up and it crumbled in our hands."

The room fell silent. Shunsui stood up. "Alright. Was there any evidence of the intruders?"

"No sir. No trace. Mayuri may be able to identify and trace the energy however. He requested that we bring his equipment." Byakuya stepped forward.

"Anything else to report?" Shunsui said. "No? Good, for now, all we can do is wait, and assist Mayuri. We have yet to confirm whether these intruders are hostile."

"But sir! The dangai-" Lisa protested.

"Could have been an accident." Tetsuzaemon suggested. "Either way, until we are attacked, we should not retaliate."

"Truly, the only option we have at the moment is to let Mayuri operate." Isane offered.

"Indeed." Shunsui added. "Deliver Mayuri his equipment and stay on guard." He stood. "Council dismissed! To your duties!"