A bone crunching screech jerked Ichigo from the game he was currently playing, adrenaline quickly activating and burst throughout his veins. Quick disorientation closed in around the depths of his mind, along with the slight lolling fear which bounced all around him. Ichigo threw open the front door, which shut with a loud crash. A thick light struggled its way into his eyes, blinding him. The thick summer air pulsed around him, seeming far too alive. The fear in Ichigo's chest only snuggled its way in deeper.

Numb feet thump against the ground, picking their way through the walkway. He froze. At the end of the driveway, was a car. A Grand Caravan to be precise. Its light blue paint was spattered with thick layers of blood, peppering the ground, and the smell of death ticked his nostrils. The van was crushed and dented, and deep gouges raked their way along the sides. The fear was everywhere. It blurred his vision. So much so that Ichigo was incapable of noticing his curious feet inching their way towards the van. Ichigo realized that he was now a matter of inches from the condemned thing…the door slowly opened, beckoning him.

Ichigo sucked in a rattled breath, and looked upwards, trying not to look and feel the oceanic urge to climb inside. The thin green leaves above him from the forest calmed him, though he knew he did not live near any forest. Ichigo's eyes flicked to an oddly shaped form in the sky. For some odd reason, it terrified him. The van sounded better than looking at it. It was getting larger, as well as his fear. It was suffocating. He bent down and stepped in the vehicle and a wave of safety washed over his being. His eyes closed. As soon as Ichigo had rested his body against a torn seat, he finally felt safe. It was only a matter of seconds later that his fate had been sealed.

The odd shape in the sky above him had crashed to the ground. It was truly the thing nightmares were born from. It had muddled blue skin, a bloodshot eye roved around in a blood-encrusted socket. Muscle and sinew flaked off in thick, moldy flakes, tissue flapping in the breeze. A gruesome grin had torn its way through its jawline, revealing rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth. It had no hands, nor did it have feet. Pearly white bones jutted and splintered out of each, leaving thick flesh hanging from toned arms. A bubble of insane laughter bubbled in my throat as I realized he was wearing a torn plaid vest, and jeans.

It somehow approached Ichigo, its warm breath curling around him. Salivation dripped from its jaw as its gaping maw enclosed around his throat and a guttural moan racked its body. Ichigo couldn't even bring himself to scream as the teeth enclosed around his throat.

A CHANG IN PACE CHAPTER 2

The Soul King observed mournfully from his perch. A new timeline, the Sword of Fate had swung again. There had been nothing he could do to prevent the meeting of the two beings, Kurosaki Ichigo and Kuchiki Rukia. If he could just prevent them from meeting, from giving Rukia her shinigami powers to Kurosaki, he could prevent needless blood and genocide. He was still too late this time.

He gestured to one of the Zero Division members. "Give me an update on the two beings. What's going on inside the human, and what of the Kuchiki girl?"

The woman turned to one of her monitors, her extra mechanical hands typing furiously on the computers that held dominance over the room. "The human, Kurosaki Ichigo, is unconscious. I believe he is having a nightmare. Kuchiki Rukia, however, is being tended to by Urahara Kisuke."

"This early into this timeline, eh? Strange. Kisuke is supposed to enter later in the game. Though, it probably would not change anything, they will all die soon enough." The Soul King turned away from the monitors, purple and white eyes downcast.

"There is something else, however." The woman added slowly. The Soul King remained still. "In this timeline, Kurosaki Ichigo is a cripple." As she took her leave, the Soul King shifted in place, still facing away.

After a time that felt like forever, the man finally spoke, hope underlying his words. "This… has never happened before. Perhaps there is a chance, a chance that the bloodshed will finally be over."

A CHANGE IN PACE CHAPTER 2

"I'm not too sure about this," Rukia stated warily, eyeing the new gigai. "Are you sure that this will help me regain my reiatsu faster?"

The man before her, Urahara Kisuke, pulled his striped bucket-hat over his eyes. "Of course it will! You can trust me, Urahara Kisuke, the humble and sexy shopkeeper of this beautiful shoten, to give you a brand-new and totally-not-suspicious-in-any-way gigai!"

Rukia growled and shoved her gigai into his stomach. "Fine, I'll take it," she quickly looked around and pulled a Chappy plush off the shelf. "But only if I get this for free."

The shopkeeper waved his hands in front of his face. "Of course, of course, only for you, Rukia-chan~!" He grunted when a fist connected with his stomach. He waved goodbye to an angry Rukia and turned away, face becoming solemn. He knew it wasn't right, giving her the gigai with the hogyoku inside of it, but time was running short and Aizen could make his move any time now.

Giving Rukia the gigai was the best decision, and it had to be done. No regrets. He smiled sardonically. He had shucked that a long time ago, when the same man had gotten him exiled with the Vizards. It was time to show the traitor who he was messing with. He turned and left, clogs clacking all the way.

A CHANGE IN PACE CHAPTER 2

Ichigo flew out of bed, sweat beaded his brow. It was all… just a dream? Even the shinigami piece with the girl Rukia?

No, that couldn't be true. It was all too real. The sword, the hollow, the power. This all had to be true, right?

Right?