Hi folks! Welcome to my Bleach fanfiction! As promised, here is the full summary:

Toshiro Hitsugaya is deployed to the World of the Living to investigate some strange appearances of monsters that are like Hollows, but as soon as he arrives, he is completely powerless. He has arrived in a world where Soul Reapers don't exist! He soon allies himself with a young girl. Her name is Ren, and soon, this strange girl is closer to Toshiro than anyone could ever imagine. But, behind her strange but cheerful personality, there is something deeper involved. She refuses to talk about herself much, and Toshiro realises that she is linked to the monsters, and is therefore the only one who can fight them. But, when she does, she forgets what happens almost immediately afterwards. More allies are sent to help, but they too are almost powerless to help. Just who exactly is Ren? Why could she see Toshiro as a Soul Reaper? What exactly are these Hollows? And who are the people following them? As Toshiro becomes closer and closer to Ren, he realises that he is more linked to this than he thought possible.

Well, there you have it. I know I talk like it's from the English dub, but come on! It's not that bad; I think it's pretty good! So, if you're a dub hater, then don't talk about it in your reviews, for I shall delete them, as I am the all-powerful author! Ha-Ha! Anyway, I hope you will enjoy the ride! And no worries to my regulars; just because I started a new story doesn't mean I have given up of the Phoenix Warrior series!

Prologue 1

Black Shoes

"Alright, I'm here." Toshiro finally reached the exit from the Dangai after running for what felt like an eternity to him. He had done this several times before, but no matter how many times he travelled through it, the Dangai still freaked him out.

"Captain Hitsugaya, do you want me to recap the assignment for you?" Rin's voice said through the Hell Butterfly that hovered next to him.

"Get off my back and open the Dangai!" Toshiro snapped in response.

"Uwaaaaah! I'm sorry!" Toshiro rolled his eyes. He knew that Rin and Hanataro would be best friends should they ever meet again. He sighed as he waited for the exit to open. Leaving Soul Society had left him in a bad mood; he was the only captain class level Soul Reaper available to do this mission, and he was less than happy to do it. Whenever he left his lieutenant alone, he always returned to find the office in a huge mess, smelling like sake, and a passed out Rangiku on the sofa. Toshiro shuddered at the thought. On top of that, the assignment he was set was definitely one of the more...unique. After all, was a captain really needed to investigate monsters that are like Hollows appearing in the World of the Living? Those factors, plus the fact that the exit wasn't open before he arrived, set him off ready to explode should something provoke him. However, Hitsugaya couldn't help but be confused; why wasn't the Dangai open?

"Alright, it's all clear for you to exit, Captain Hitsugaya."

"Finally." Toshiro muttered under his breath.

"Remember, Captain. You have to find an ally in order for your Gigai to be deployed."

"Yeah, yeah." Toshiro said dismissively, and stepped through the glowing doorway. As Toshiro stepped onto the grass of the World of the Living, Toshiro shielded his eyes from the unexpected sunlight. So far so good. He had arrived at least. But almost as soon as his eyes had adjusted to the sunlight, he sensed something was wrong. Even though the sun was out, there was a certain chill in the air. On top of that, he couldn't sense anything. Not even the smallest trace of reiatsu.

"Tsubokura, what's going on?" Toshiro demanded, coming to the conclusion that Rin had messed up. No answer. "Hey!" Toshiro turned sharply towards his Hell Butterfly, and his eyes widened. It was slowly disintegrating before his very eyes.

"Ca...tsu...signa...can't..." Was all that could be heard before the Hell butterfly disappeared into ashes that drifted through a cold breeze.

"What the hell?" Toshiro said out loud. Suddenly, his soul pager rang, and he was quick to answer it. "What?"

"Oh, thank goodness." Rin's relieved voice sighed. "The Denreishinki still works. But, I don't think I can keep the connection for much longer."

"Then hurry up and tell me what the hell is going on here!" Toshiro demanded.

"Uwaaaaah!" Rin yelled, and Toshiro almost sweat dropped at the sound of machines collapsing.

"Look, just tell me now before the signal breaks. Am I in the correct location?"

"Let's see... E9762B, 00092...yes, you're definitely in the right place."

"That can't be right. If it was, then the Hell Butterfly would still be here." Toshiro looked around at his surroundings. He was definitely in some kind of town, but it was not like the Karakura Town that Ichigo lived in. Every sense in Toshiro's body told him that. He tried again to search for traces of reiatsu, but found none. "Also, why can't I sense any reiatsu?"

"Let me run a background check." Toshiro listened impatiently as he heard Rin tapping at an electronic keyboard. The noise stopped when Rin suddenly gasped. "This is..."

"What? What is it?"

"Well, the good news is...yes, you're definitely in the right place. But, the bad news is, even if you found these Hollows, you wouldn't be able to fight them even if you wanted to."

"Why?"

"You can't fight because according to the check...you're in a world where Soul Reapers don't exist!"

"What?" Toshiro gasped, eyes wide. "Then why am I still in my Soul Reaper form?"

"I don't know. But, it explains why you couldn't exit the Dangai right away. However, I can't open it for you to come home again. And the Senkaimon does not recognise your location, so that's not an option either. I can still send the Gigai over to you when you find an ally, but you'll be a normal human as soon as you put it on."

"Damn..." Toshiro cursed. Suddenly, a crackling sound went through the communicator, and Toshiro immediately knew that he didn't have much time left. "Quickly. Is there anybody nearby who can help me?"

"Hold on, let me check...I ...yes, there is someone! She'll be able to see you while you are a Soul Reaper, and she is in your vicinity! Her name is-"Before Rin could finish his sentence, there was a pop noise, and the communicator was deafly silent.

"Tsubokura. Tsubokura, come in. Tsubokura!" Toshiro yelled into the communicator, knowing full well he wouldn't get a response. "Tch." Toshiro snapped the pager shut, cursing his stupidity. Once again, he looked around at his surroundings. The sun was shining down upon the town, but there were still grey clouds in the sky. "Tsubokura said before I left that this was England." Toshiro said to himself. "Hmph. Sasakibe will want to know all of the details." Toshiro just about stopped himself from saying 'if I get back'. It was then that Toshiro noticed where he was; he was in an area that was surrounded by a black metal fence that was several metres high. Upon closer inspection, Toshiro saw several buildings; some looked like they were from several hundred years ago, while others were rather new, including the one he was standing behind. He was caught between the fence and the building, along with the shade of several large trees, and the tips of the grass were tipped with the slightest traces of frost.

"I guess its winter here. And this place looks like a school." Toshiro scowled. "Great. My last hope is a child."

"Holy crap!"

"What?" Toshiro looked sharply to his right. Nothing. All that he saw were netball courts surrounded by green wire mesh just several metres away from him, as well as the corner of the modern school building in front of him. "Who's there? Come out and show yourself!" No response. Toshiro walked slowly towards the corner of the building. He knew that he heard someone. There was no mistaking it. Could this be the girl Rin mentioned? "There's no use in hiding!" Suddenly, he saw a rustle of movement in the grass, and he caught a glimpse of a foot. He quickly took note of the appearance; a black shoe with a small heel on the back, with a single strap over the top of the foot, and a black leather flower shape on one side of it. Seeing as he saw the left foot, the flower was on the left side.

"Hey!" Toshiro ran to where that girl stood, but as soon as he got there, she was gone. "Damn! I lost her!" Nonetheless, it didn't stop Toshiro from walking onto the path that leads through the centre of the school, searching for her. He considered himself lucky that there wasn't anybody around at this time; otherwise he might have been in trouble. He couldn't gamble on whether that girl was the only human who could see him. For all he knew, these humans were all spiritually aware, even if he didn't technically exist.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

"Eh?" Toshiro blinked himself out of his train of thought after hearing the ominous beep. "Was that the school bell? That means..." Toshiro found himself yelling out of surprise and exasperation as hundreds of students exited the school buildings. As suspected, these humans could walk into him as though he was already wearing a Gigai, but in the rush of school students eager to get home, they did not notice Toshiro, which was lucky for him. But, on the other hand, he was being tossed around the crowds like he were a mere rag doll. While navigating the crowds, Toshiro cursed himself on his helplessness, ashamed that a captain class Soul Reaper was powerless in this world, and how he can be easily dominated by a crowd of humans. Eventually, Toshiro stumbled out of the crowd of bustling school students and into a school building.

"Okay! I made it." Toshiro gasped, out of breath. After getting his breath back, Toshiro observed his new surroundings. He was in a large room with cream coloured walls, and blue chairs, both along the walls and through the centre of the rooms in many rows, were in the room. Toshiro also noticed that there was a small kitchen area, with cupboards that had three initials on each door, and a microwave, along with two square tables that had four wooden chairs on each. Next to the kitchen area, there were three bag racks that were made of metal.

A common room? Toshiro thought. I suppose every year in this school has one. Toshiro noted the wide screen television attached to the wall. This is some school. Toshiro mentally sweat dropped. However, he quickly shook himself out of his awe and wonder. He had to focus on the most important task; finding the girl with black shoes.

"Of course, it would be so much easier if every damn student didn't wear black shoes." Toshiro grumbled in frustration. "Plus, all the uniforms look the same." Toshiro held his chin thoughtfully. "Although, some of the girls had different skirts. Three different skirts; a grey pleated skirt, a plain grey skirt with slits, and a black wrap around. The same applies to the ties the boys wear. As for the jackets, that makes it impossible. They're all identical." Toshiro paced around the room in thought as he spoke, and he stopped outside the kitchen area when he had finished speaking. "Damn it all!" Toshiro slammed a fist on one of the tables. "It's like searching for a needle in a hay stack! If she had reiatsu I could find her without a problem!" After saying this, Toshiro realised something very important; he could no longer sense Hyorinmaru. The lifelong companion strapped to his back no longer carried the chill that Toshiro knew. He grasped the hilt. As expected, nothing happened. No cold wind. No ice. Not even a welcoming chill. Hyorinmaru was now nothing more than a basic katana. Toshiro had never felt more vulnerable in his entire life.

"Don't worry, Hyorinmaru." Toshiro said reassuringly, hoping that Hyorinmaru could somehow hear him. "Once I figure out what's happening, I'll make sure we're together again."

"Hold on a sec, I need to get my bag." Toshiro flinched after hearing a girl's voice. The nerves only rose as he heard footsteps coming closer and closer.

"Someone's coming! What do I do?" Toshiro looked and right frantically, trying to find a place to hide, until he saw a tall cupboard in the kitchen area. "I can't believe I'm hiding like a human!" Toshiro exclaimed before dashing inside the cupboard and slamming it shut, just as the door into the common room opened.

"Anyway, just before the bell went, I saw someone really strange."

"Strange how?"

"Weeeeeell... it was strange because they were talking about stuff I've never heard before like...um...what's it called...uh...ah, that's right! He said Hell Butterfly...I think."

"Hell Butterfly?" The other voice repeated, which Toshiro recognised as female. "What's a Hell Butterfly?"

"Beats me. Anyway, this guy...he looked kinda young. And a bit weird, too. I mean, he had, like, a katana on his back."

"A katana? That's a one edged sword, right?"

"Yup."

"But weapons like that are illegal here, aren't they? Who would carry a sword around like that?"

"See, that's what I thought, which made me think 'This guy isn't from around here'. Plus, his clothes looked like something from the samurai period."

"You think he's a cosplayer?"

"Cosplayer? Nah, we don't have conventions in this town. If we did, I'd know."

What are they saying? Toshiro thought. I can't tell what they're talking about. Toshiro dared to push the cupboard door open a little further, leaving a small gap for Toshiro to look through. He could clearly see the backs of two girls, both of them wearing black pleated skirts just past their knees, and maroon blazers. One girl had shoulder length brown hair, and another girl, a little shorter than her, had blonde hair that reached the bottom of her rib cage. Toshiro noticed that there was a black jacket with no sleeves covering the blazer of the blonde haired girl, complete with two tassels hanging from the back, but the gown didn't reach the ground like Toshiro's captain haori; instead, it cut off at the bottom of her blazer, but Toshiro couldn't help but notice the familiar appearance. Both girls were seated on one blue chair each, though Toshiro could not see their faces.

"But still, he was talking like one." The blonde girl said thoughtfully.

"Maybe it was a scripted performance he was rehearsing for?"

"Ha-ha! Maybe. But, if he was, he was doing it very badly."

"What do you mean?"

"Since when do samurai's have mobile phones? And I don't think they would rehearse for a play over a phone."

"Well...what did he look like? Maybe we can get clues from that."

"Um, let's see..." Toshiro saw the blonde girl turn her head slightly to the side and look up at the ceiling, tapping her chin with her finger. "Well...he was kind of young looking...and he's a little shorter than me..."

"What height are you again?"

"A hundred and sixty three centimetres. I'd say this guy was about a hundred and thirty easy. Anyway, he was dressed like a samurai, like I said, you know in one of those kimonos. He had those funny trouser things on and everything. Hmmm, what else is there? Oh, yeah! How could I forget that?"

"What is it?" The brown haired girl asked.

"This boy had white hair!"

White hair? Toshiro thought, eyes wide. That's me! Wait a second...Toshiro looked at the blonde girl's feet. She was wearing black shoes with a leather flower on them. The exact same shoes Toshiro saw earlier. It's her! I know it!

"So? He could be wearing a wig." The brown haired girl said.

"Or he bleaches his hair." The blonde girl interjected.

"Yeah."

If I had powers, you would be an ice sculpture by now! Toshiro thought, silently steaming angrily. I do not bleach my hair!

"Well, guess we'd better head off." Toshiro saw the two girls leaving through another door, the brown haired girl carrying a multicoloured backpack, and the blonde one with a beige shoulder bag. Quickly, he left the cupboard, slipped through the closing door just before is slammed and followed the two girls, never taking his eyes off their backs, and silently praying there wasn't anybody else in the school who could see him now. There was now no doubt in his mind; this girl saw him.

"Eh?"

"What's wrong?" The brown haired girl asked, noticing that the other had stopped walking. Toshiro stopped as well so as not to make his presence known.

"I...I swear I heard something."

She noticed me? Toshiro thought, shocked.

"You did?"

"Yeah, like...footsteps." Toshiro flinched, knowing that she was going to turn around and blow his cover.

"Footsteps?" The brown haired girl looked over her shoulder and directly at Toshiro. She glanced left and right over and over again, while Toshiro did not move from the spot he was standing on. He didn't even blink. "I don't see anything."

"Yeah, I guess I was imagining things. Sorry for worrying you, Steph."

"Phew." Toshiro sighed, letting out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding.

How did she hear me? Toshiro thought, suspicious. When the two girls carried on talking and walking, Toshiro followed them, making sure that his footsteps matched theirs. I should be glad that I know she is the only one who can see me, but how could she hear me? I matched her footsteps perfectly. I'll have to keep an eye on her. H stopped walking when the girls also stopped. He took note of a group of students, at least forty of them, standing on the pavement. He noticed that they were all standing near a post with the small sign saying "Bus Stop" on it.

So she rides the bus home, huh? How am I supposed to follow her on a bus without her seeing me? Toshiro looked towards the blonde girl, being careful of staying behind a tall boy wearing the school uniform so that she couldn't see her. But, it looks like nobody else here can see me. That's good. It makes my job a little bit easier. I'll only be at risk of being seen by her, but I don't want it to be right now. She seems like the kind of girl who would make a scene.

"AH-TCHOO!" The blonde girl sneezed loudly.

"Have you got a cold?" The brown haired girl, Steph, asked.

"Nah, I'm sure somebody's just talking about me. Oh wait, does it count if someone thinks about you?"

"What if it is a cold?" Steph teased.

"Then it's just a sneeze." The blonde girl shrugged.

I have no choice. I've got to follow her onto the bus when it arrives. I'll mix in with everyone else and hide until she gets off. That will be when I make my move.

"Bus!"

"Is it ours? Yeah, it's ours!"

"See you tomorrow, Steph!"

"Now's my chance." Toshiro swiftly joined the crowd as half of the group, including the girl he was following, hurriedly stepped onto a white public bus. It was in the bus that Toshiro saw the space reserved for wheelchair users, including three fold down chairs. Perfect. Toshiro quickly ducked behind the barrier and simply watched the crowd take their seats in a noise of chatter and laughter. "And I thought Tokyo's trains were packed." Toshiro muttered to himself. Suddenly, a large case containing a tuba was slammed next to Toshiro, and directly on his right hand.

"Grah!" Toshiro cried out.

"Hn? Did anyone hear that?" Toshiro heard the blonde girl say, making him flinch nervously.

"Hear what?"

"Nah, never mind. Must have been my imagination. Again."

That was too close...Toshiro thought, sighing. But still... Toshiro looked at his now red hand. I'm not in a Gigai, and yet it's as though I already have a physical body. And nobody seems to notice me. They can't even hear me. Toshiro dared to peer over the barrier. The students were all in their own seats, though luckily, nobody was sitting in the three priority seats behind Toshiro. In the small upper level that had one step leading up to it, there were boys with black ties and girls with long sleeved blouses with horizontal maroon stripes and black skirts; all of them had the same maroon blazer on, though a handful of them also had the same black gown as the blonde girl. The girl Toshiro was following was sitting beside a window on the left and was staring out at the scenery with a vacant stare. Just who is this girl? Why can she see and hear me when I shouldn't even exist here? More importantly... Toshiro sat back behind the barrier and out of sight. Can she see these Hollows I'm investigating? No, Tsubokura said that they were like Hollows, but they are not Hollows. Whatever they are, I get the feeling that this girl is connected to them. I don't know how, but I'll find out no matter what. After several minutes of sitting on the floor with his hand under his arm, Toshiro couldn't resist staring over the barrier again at the girl. She was still staring out of the window, and the blonde bangs of her hair framed her face and made it difficult for Toshiro to see her face. She isn't talking to anybody. And nobody is talking to her. What's with her?

DING!

"Okay, see you tomorrow!" The blonde girl stood up, waved at the back row of the bus and stepped down towards the exit, and was accompanied by several more waves from the people at the back.

Already? Toshiro thought. Damn, I was so caught up in my thoughts I lost track of time. He stood up as soon as the girl couldn't see her and quickly stepped off the bus behind her, though he had to pull the corner of his captain's haori free from the doors.

"The sooner I'm in a Gigai, the better." Toshiro grumbled. Toshiro was now in a village, where there was just one pub and several houses. However, ahead, there was a hill that leads up to several more houses. Toshiro assumed that was where the bus entered the village from the city. All around him, there was absolute silence, and there wasn't a car insight. On the road he was standing on, it lead straight through the village, and the only turning he saw was to the right. It seemed to be a desolate village, but somehow, there was a feeling that this village was the kind where anybody was welcome. Even the air felt warmer compared to the city. "So she's a country girl?" Toshiro looked towards the corner. The girl was heading towards there, slinging her school bag onto her right shoulder and wandering a little onto the quiet road. She was just a few metres away from Toshiro, though that distance could mean everything to Toshiro if it meant figuring out this world.

Alright. There's nobody else here. Now is my chance. Please, let her be the right one.

"Hey, you." Toshiro said in a loud clear voice, folding his arms in the sleeves of his kimono. The girl stopped walking with a small gasp.

Yes! She heard me!

"I know you can hear me. You are the only one who can. I have something I need to discuss with you of the upmost importance." While Toshiro spoke, he never lost the serious expression that he wore daily, even when the girl started to turn around as a cold breeze blew through the air. It was then that Toshiro saw her face for the first time, and almost did a double take. She was like nothing he had ever seen before. Her blonde bangs perfectly framed her slightly rounded face, and she had the bluest eyes he had ever seen. Just as she said, she seemed a little shorter than one would expect, and was like a cross between a girl and a woman, but Toshiro did not care; her face and modest beauty made up for it.

"Um...can I help?" The girl asked him.

"I...I..." Toshiro stuttered, struck speechless for what he felt was the first time in his life. He unfolded his arms, staring at this girl as the breeze stopped blowing through the village, prompting the girl to move some hair over her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Ahem, well..." Toshiro coughed, regaining his composure, and after taking a deep breath, became serious once again. "As I was saying, you are the only person in this world who can see me."

"Time out!" The girl proclaimed, making a T shape with her hands.

"Eh?"

"Just gimme a sec. I think I know who you are." She trotted up to Toshiro until their faces were just inches apart. She glared at Toshiro's face, and then moved on to staring at almost every inch of him, circling him as though she were a lion catching his prey.

"U...Um..." Toshiro started, not quite sure how to react.

"AHA!" She exclaimed, almost making Toshiro jump. She wandered back to face Toshiro, beaming. "I knew you looked familiar!" She pointed at Toshiro. "You are the boy I saw this afternoon!" She declared proudly, a satisfied grin on her face. "And you followed me from the common room onto the bus too, didn't you?"

"You...You figured that much out?" Toshiro asked, wide eyed.

"Well, yeah. I could hear your footsteps. Plus, your yelp on the bus was familiar. I mean, I did overhear you talking on your mobile phone." She indicated by making a phone shape with her thumb and little finger and bringing it to the side of her head.

She figured all that out in an instant? Toshiro thought, stunned. She may be a day dreamer, but she certainly is bright.

"So, are you a time travelling samurai, or are you some kind of ghost?" She asked, cocking her head to the side. Toshiro sweat dropped.

Then again...

"Well, something like that..." Toshiro eventually answered. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, before re-opening them and continuing. "I am a Soul Reaper. I have come here to investigate some...monsters." Toshiro made sure he chose those words carefully; he wasn't sure how she would react after hearing about the existence of, or lack of, Soul Reapers and everything else that came with it. He would have to wait until they were in a place where they could properly talk. "However, I discovered that Soul Reapers don't exist here, and I am powerless. Nobody can see or even hear me. Nobody except you. Therefore, you are the only person I can trust."

"Should you really put your trust into someone that quickly?" The girl asked suddenly. "I mean, we only just met."

She asked that right out of the blue? Toshiro thought, utterly dumbfounded.

"Oops, I was honest again, wasn't I?" The girl said, looking very worried all of a sudden. "Sorry about that, um..." She scratched her head. "I'm sorry; I don't know your name."

"My name?"

"Well, yeah. I've got to know your name if I'm the only one you can trust, or whatever."

"Yes, of course. Forgive me." Toshiro cleared his throat again. "I...My name is Toshiro Hitsugaya."

"Toshiro, huh? That's Japanese, right?"

"Yes. How did you know?" Toshiro tried, but failed, to hide his amazement.

"Oh, I have a knack for these things." The girl grinned at him. The girl looked up at the sky thoughtfully. "Toshiro...Toshiro..." She turned back to Toshiro, smiling again. "You have a nice name." For some reason, Toshiro felt himself blush. "Oh!" She gasped. "I need to introduce myself, too! Where are my manners?" She extended a hand towards Toshiro. "My name is Ren. Ren Conner."

"Ren?" Toshiro repeated.

"Yeah. Weird name, huh?" The girl, now known as Ren, looked down at her hand. "Um, are you going to shake that?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, usually, when people meet each other for the first time, they shake each other's hands. Or maybe people like you don't do that?"

Incredible! Toshiro thought, staring down at Ren's outstretched hand. Everything she says is without fear. What confidence! She may seem a little strange and eccentric, but she is my best bet in finding a way to combat these Hollows. I need a person like her! Of course, I'll have to find out if she can see the Hollows, or whatever they are. If she maybe had a slightly different personality, then this could be easy. Then again, her honesty might come in handy at some point.

"Very well." Toshiro clasped Ren's hand, sealing the greeting. "I am pleased to meet you."

"Likewise." Ren said, smiling her smile once again.

And so, the wheel of fate began to turn.