And so the Blade of Fate fell once more

Wreathed in white

Track One: Outset in the Rain

Kyoto was in high spirits. The Gion Matsuri had just started and with it came all the activity. From dawn and past dusk the crowds flooded the streets and vendors were lined to service customers. Though with all that activity came problems, especially Hollows.

He gazed on the streets below from his perch atop an office building. His face was oddly soft with sharp eyes and a head of thick, auburn hair that was braided to his waist. The long, curved sword slung across his back would no doubt cause room for attention. That is, if anyone was capable of seeing him.

The youth bobbed his head to music blaring over the headphone he had on one ear as he munched on the spicy yakitori skewer he'd managed to yank from a stall while still leaving the necessary payment. Such a lively night and he wasn't able to participate openly. He wondered when the next time he'd get a vacation was.

It was hot, boiling hot. The air was thick with moisture that made his hair stick to his face and his clothes musty. He was just glad he never had to take on the day shift.

"Kazui."

Maybe he could call it a night. After all, it had already been three hours and there wasn't a wandering soul or Hollow to be found.

"Kazui."

He wondered if Rosa was still awake so he could give her a call. Or was she still on that summer camp for her club?

"OI! KAZUI!"

He managed to hear that. He took off his headphones and switched his attention to a device on his wrist.

"Yeah, Ichi?"

"Don't take that tone with me when you're goofing off again. If you keep that up the Captain is going to start giving you a cavity search before every shift."

"Hey, if it weren't so peaceful I wouldn't be doing it. I've gone through the district three times and no signs of anything. How about you?"

"An earthbound spirit or two. I just sent them on their merry little way. One got pissy with me since he was haunting a hot spring. Why do I always get the pervs?"

"Maybe fate hates you."

"Possibly. Anyway, I'm going for another round. You'd better do the same."

"Alright, if anything weird happens I'll call."

Well, back to the grind, Kazui thought. He once again donned his headphones and hopped from rooftop to rooftop. Another hour passed with no signs of disturbance. Try as he may he couldn't sense any reiatsu in the district. Maybe he just got lucky tonight as everyone else was at least doing routine exorcisms.

The din of the crowd became less prevalent further away. He settled in a street that was as quiet as a graveyard. Maybe he just hadn't been zeroing in properly. Sometimes spirits were so weak it was hard to detect them and it wasn't hard for them to be devoured by Hollows masking their scent.

He stood still and drank in his surroundings. Even the hard rock blaring over his headphones was muted. There was still nothing? But what was with this sense of anxiety he had?

Then again, as his dad said, "If there's nothing happening, that's a good thing." It didn't make it any less boring though. Even this particular street there was nothing, the shops doing more business with temporary stalls on the main street than with their main locations. The only person around was a man in a white suit with matching fedora. Gods, that was tacky.

Kazui walked past him as he fiddled with his player. He wasn't really in the mood for what was playing over his head phones.

"Hey kid."

Queen? Nah, he only Day at the Races on right now.

"Kid."

Zeppelin seemed a bit too bluesy for the festivities.

"You, the almond-headed Soul Reaper, I'm trying to get a conversation going."

Now that got Kazui's attention. The white-suited man was looking at him. Kazui was reminded of a snake now that he got a clear view of the man's face, punctuated with that shit-eating grin he had. It wasn't impossible for humans to see Soul Reapers, but the spiritual talent it took was one in tens of millions. This man was odd. He didn't feel like a human, but he didn't feel like a Soul Reaper or any other spiritual entity. His reiatsu stank, like someone let plum wine ferment too long. Kazui didn't like it. He was already pressing the silent call button on his wrist to Ichika.

"My, my, I picked the perfect time to come to Kyoto after all."

Kazui didn't get a chance to respond as he was barely able to evade a flash of silver that cut from below.

XXXXX

"And done." Ichika laid the pommel of her sword on the forehead of a vagrant spirit who'd been killed during a car accident. Hopefully she'd be able to see her boyfriend on the other side, the welfare department having gotten a lot better at reuniting relatives and loved ones.

She tossed her wild mane of flaming red hair. Goddamn, it was hot, even at night. She thanked the stars that it wasn't the day. The sun would have fried her to a crisp.

She could hear thunder rolling nearby. The weather seemed to be just as fed up with this heat wave as she was. God she couldn't wait to get home and meet up with Munashii-san and Ryuuhai-senpai at Midorizaruya.

Her communicator on her wrist was ringing. Odd, she was usually the one calling Kazui.

"Yo, finally found something interesting or are you just asking me to sneak into Nintendo's HQ again?" No answer, but the closer she listened she heard sounds of battle. Kazui never called for backup. He might be a bit flighty, but he wasn't weak. Oh hell…

Ichika could feel his reiatsu signal in the distance lighting up like a signal flare. She flew, hoping she could make it in time. However, she was pelted from above by projectiles that she managed to dodge at the last second. Dammit, what a time for a Hollow to finally show up!

The Soul Reaper drew her blade from her hip and dodged the next volley. The almost reptilian soul wagged its tongue above, its face almost in ecstasy. It had gone completely feral.

Rain began to pour from the heavens and soak the city. Then she noticed more Hollow signatures cropping up for kilometers. She didn't have time for this crap!

"Byakurai!"

XXXXX

It had been awhile since Kazui had been in a tough scrap. The last time a Hollow had given him trouble was a month after he graduated. But this wasn't a Hollow; this was a person. And he was toying with him.

That snake man had started slow, gradually making his offense fiercer. His weapon was well-suited for poking through holes in a defense and playing tricks. How Kazui hated wakizashi.

Thunder had given way to a downpour now and lightning snapped across the sky. Silver blades arced through water droplets and struck one another. Kazui managed to stall his partner's sword for once.

"That's a really odd zanpakutou you have there." He grinned, referring to the fact that Kazui's sword had a reverse blade with edges on both sides. "Figure out its name yet?"

This man was insufferable. Kazui put everything he had into his swing and sent the white-haired bastard sliding on the rain-soaked asphalt. He would have followed up, but then he noticed that there was a lot of reiatsu flaring up.

"Hollows?"

"I was wondering when that would kick in. Don't worry, I'm pretty sure they won't die. If they're strong."

You son of a bitch! Kazui leapt into the air, ready to split the man in two.

"Shoot to kill."

In the blink of an eye Kazui was now hanging in midair by the absurdly long sword in his midriff. The white man tilted his head and sighed.

"That's too bad. I was hoping you'd keep me entertained for a good, long while."

Kazui fell to earth, one hand on his sword while another was covering where he'd been impaled. Holy hell, it hurt.

"Guess I was wrong after all. Still, it was fun while it lasted, kid." Dammit, his vision was getting blurry.

"…a…i…"

He couldn't see anything but white now, endless white…

XXXXX

Ichika was breathing heavily as she had finally downed the Hollow she'd been dealing with. And there were still more of its kind floating around. And then she felt Kazui's reiatsu drop. No, no, no, no, no, this was not happening, this was impossible! She made a beeline for his location, but then the entire district lit up.

"The hell!?" She shielded her eyes as her vision was filled with white.

At first she thought it had been a bolt of lightning that had struck way too close but no thunder followed it. She didn't even bother sticking her landing as she plummeted to the ground.

There was no threat, but Kazui was lying in a pool of his own blood being washed away by the rain. However, he still wasn't alone.

On top of him was a girl, white from head to toe. All Ichika could do now was call to get backup.

"This is Abarai Ichika with the Sixth Division, do you read me?" She asked into her communicator.

"Loud and clear, Abarai, and you're not the first one to ask for assistance."

"Lieutenant Maeda?"

"Damn right it's me, you'd think I wouldn't notice the party going on down there? You alright?"

"I am, but Kazui's really hurt."

"No problemo, kid, we already got medics on the way. Just stabilize him and make sure not to move hi-SHIT! Abarai, ya got three nasties on ya!"

This day was going from bad to worse. She'd drained a lot on that last Hollow trying to get to Kazui. The creatures slinked out from the shadows, licking the false teeth of their masks. She needed to figure out which one to take out first, but she still needed to tend to Kazui. They weren't waiting on her though and leapt towards Ichika.

"Scatter."

The Hollows fell in an instant and were soon dissipating. She'd recognize that feeling anywhere. From behind where the Hollows had been was a man in a white haori with a high collar. His long, black hair was strangely fashioned with white decorations, making for odd bangs that framed his face.

"Captain?" Kuchiki Byakuya, her uncle. His dark eyes scanned her and Kazui.

"Tend to him, Ichika, I'll take care of the rest." His sword was already released, its blade now scattered to the wind at his command.

"Wait, what about reinforcements?"

"I am the reinforcements." He said before he flew off to take care of the rest of his men. Ichika sighed.

"Can't ya just say you were worried about me, Ojisama?"

It didn't take long for the Hollows to be routed, Captain Kuchiki carving through them like he was trying to set a record. Luckily no one was killed, though a few agents had been wounded and needed treatment, most of all Kazui who had a sizable hole in his gut.

"Is he going to be alright?" She asked the attending medic.

"Luckily it didn't hit any vitals and you got to him quick. He lost a lot of blood, but he should be fine."

"Don't worry about him. If he's half as stubborn as his father he'll shrug it off like a cold." The Captain had sheathed his blade. Aside from his clothes being wet he looked flawless. "And the sooner the better as he needs to tell us who she is."

Lying on a stretcher nearby was the girl. Ichika didn't know what to make of her either. She just knew she wasn't normal.

XXXXX

He had to laugh. For all the time he spent grinning he rarely laughed and now he was letting it all out. It was just too damn hilarious. Years of searching, years of waiting, and he'd finally found it.

He lay back against the tree he'd fled to. He was so glad for Yomi making those trinkets so they could retreat quickly. Couldn't get another for awhile though.

Footsteps came approaching from the trees. Judging by their heft it was…

"Da fuck happened ta you?" Yep, definitely Rai. As usual he looked like someone a street gang wished they could be. Though Fuu wasn't with him, for once.

"Sorry, I got a bit sloppy and was taken off guard." His arm, the one that held his zanpakutou, was lying across his lap severed from his shoulder. "Could you be a pal and get Ama-nee?"

"So, didja find 'er?" Rai turned stone-faced.

That grin of his got bigger, telling Rai all he needed.