Chapter 2 took me a longtime to write. I had to get over a few issues concerning my writing skills and self-assurance (I'm making such a big deal out of this).

So basically, I am sorry if this story sucks but I'll try my best in the mean time, here is some info.

I guess this fic spoils Soul Society arc, Arrancar and Hueco Mundo arc. You have been warned. It will take a few twists from the main story as I am rearranging events…please don't be scared  The first two chapters are slow and mostly monotonous back story and description, but it's basic stuff that needs to get out of the way before the real action commences. And it seems that I might concentrate on the Heavenly Guardians since they are the least known characters so…I well…have to build them.

Though more Bleach characters are entering the scene (YES!)

And wait, I found a beta reader! Yay! So this story might not suck after all 

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach nor its characters but Kye, Yomiko, Nitsu and Kerioo belong to me.

And now, may the curtain rise over the scene and the story…well…goes on!

(Seireitei)

In an advocated sense of the term, Hinamori wondered if this situation could have been avoided. She strolled through the long grass, eyes set on a Peach tree at the rise of a hill. It seemed empty and quiet up here and she could understand why one such as Hitsugaya Toshiro would choose to come here for meditation. Then again, she thought, she didn't know him at all. Everything she assumed of him was from her observations through the watchful looks she reserved for him.

She reached the tree and sat at its base, resting against its rough bark, trailing her hands through the grass, letting its sharp blades prickle her skin. It felt moist beneath her, each blade covered in dew. Had she really been expecting him to meet her under this Peach Tree?

Her mind wondered at the question. He always seemed so alone. He walked down the halls of the Academy; unaccompanied, random passersby's giving him a formal greeting before scurrying away, as if an invisible barrier disconnected him from the rest of the World. She let her shoulders droop in disappointment as a pink streak of embarrassment stained her cheeks. He wasn't coming; it was foolish of her to have thought other wise…

-"Hinamori-san?"

Momo jerked painfully at the sound of his voice, snapping her head back to meet his cerulean eyes. She couldn't find her voice or words to express any of the thoughts that were becoming dizzying…she wondered why her throat felt so dry…

-"Hitsugaya…kun…" she stuttered at last.

-"You look surprised to see me. If anything," he said, quirking one eyebrow as he sat across from her, stretching out his legs. "Weren't you expecting me?"

-"No…well maybe…" The stuttering was beginning to annoy her and she tried forcing composure upon her nerves to steady her words. "I just thought you hadn't heard me…"

He studied her for a while before answering in a apologetic tone.

-"I was held back in Kido class, sorry I made you wait."

She nodded, resting a hand unconsciously on her chest, holding the fabric of her kimono.

-"What for?" she asked.

-"Kido isn't my strongest point…" he paused as if considering his words. "I hear you're a natural at demon arts."

Her eyes widened in surprise.

-"Who said that? How do you know?"

-"A well informed captain told me that if I was interested in extra practice, he knew someone very talented in the art of magic," he turned away from her. "That is, if your interested."

-"Of course," she chirped and then settled herself. "But, I'm not that great."

-"I'll be the judge of that," he said, a sly smile set on his lips.

Momo watched him for a moment as he looked out at the horizon, a sudden realization heaving at her heart. She wanted to figure him out; something about him was attractive to her. His cold manners and the scowl quirking his silver brows, she wanted to know what he was hiding behind that frown.

-"Are you free?"

-"Eh?" she asked, snapping out of her reverie.

-"Are you free after classes…for practice. I need to be ready for the final exam next week," he explained.

-"Yes, of course," she replied.

-"How are things at the Academy going for you?" he asked, turning to look at her.

-"They're good. Though exams are exhausting at the moment, but I can't wait to graduate so I can become a full fledge shinigami," she stated proudly and he flashed an amused smile, though she was unsure if it was mocking.

It was strange, talking to him with such ease when a few weeks ago, it had only been a daydream. She blushed at that. "Of course, I won't be graduating for another two years but that's okay. I got to meet so many people at the Academy its amazing. Their array of personalities and…"

-"Hinamori," Hitsugaya cut in with a serious expression.

-"Eh?" she asked, wondering if she had said anything to upset him.

-"Why did you become a shinigami?"

An answer formed at the edges of her lips, but no sound came out. She frowned, touching her throat with light fingertips. Hinamori opened her mouth once more and yet, nothing came.

She looked up at Hitsugaya confused, but his eyes were set elsewhere. The lights were dimming and a sudden fog fell over the entire scene, making shapes and sounds indistinguishable. Dread filled her with a pain in her heart, as if someone were pressing a blunt knife to her chest. She knew what was coming next.

A pressure pushed down on the contours of her mouth, suppressing her breathing. A sharp pain rose in her gut, making her gap in horror as blood begun to stain her white kimono.

Her limbs contracted, their weight doubled, making her movements slurred. The thoughts that had once been clear in her mind were now garbled, as heavy as her body. She was filled with uncontrollable terror, the beat of her heart a fast paced trepidation, the temperature of her body dropped, making the hairs on her neck and arms stand on end.

In the darkness that had now completely overwhelmed her, she wanted to let herself go, to give in to whatever was claiming her if only for a moment of relief. She was tired of fighting.

No, she thought, keep resisting…giving up and quitting were not the words of a shinigami. That alone made baring the pain a worth while battle…

The warmth that washed over her made the skin on her hands prickle with a strange, faint sensation. She brought them up to eye level and frowned. Strange markings begun to form all around her fingers, up to her wrist and the light emanating from them threatened to engulf her…

Hinamori opened her eyes and let out a long anticipated scream.

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(Heaven)

Nightfall; Kye watched the dark sky extend to the edges of the Palace's gardens, noting how the stars were brighter tonight than on any other and sighed. Not too long ago, their glow had seemed to weaken, but now, on the day they would leave, the heavens couldn't be happier…

-"What ch'a thinking Kye?"

She turned around to meet Nitsu's troubled face. He sat annoyingly on her desk, legs crossed in his trademark lotus position, scattering some of her papers on the carpeted floor.

-"The many ways I should roast you for messing up my desk," she said, feeling her eyebrows twitch with displeasure.

-"Really?"

-"Maybe…"

He smiled up at her as she walked towards him, shrugging in mock surrender, though she could tell by the glint in his eyes he was still set on a serious talk. She ignored him as best she could to carry on the rearrangement of her books and files.

-"Remember the last time you stood watching the sky like that?" he asked.

-"Yes, the same day Yomiko had her accident…"

-"And the King left."

Her hands paused, hovering over a set of optic lenses she had been ready to pack away. Refraction of light and a lenses' perfect axial symmetry, she wondered why the King had even made these.

-"What is it that you want to talk about, Nitsu?" she asked, straitening to meet his intense stare.

His eyes, they were something she liked to gaze at from time to time, it always fascinated her, their blue color, like a corundum gem.

-"Heaven's borders and the shiryou," he said.

-"Shiryou?" she asked, taken aback.

-"Yeah, the dead spirits constantly threatening us and the Palace," he replied in a matter of fact tone.

-"Baka! I know what they are! What does that have to do with the King?"

"Everything and nothing. We are leaving from Heaven and there was one massive flaw we over looked…"

-"A massive flaw YOU overlooked," she cut in, setting the lenses aside.

-"And what does that mean?"

-"That Kerioo and Yomiko are already on the job," she answered with pride.

-"Humph, what does Kerioo have up his sleeve again?"

Kye fumbled with the lenses, unsure if she should take them with her or not.

-"I didn't really get it…something with colored shrines, astronomy and poles," she replied, vaguely remembering her talk with Kerioo.

-"Oh?" Nitsu teased, watching her with interest.

She placed the lenses in a side pocket of her traveling bag and resumed shuffling through papers and the King's inventions. She hated them; they all reminded her of him.

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-"Yomiko-chan, bring me the red shrine," Kerioo called out from a distance away.

-"Hai," she replied, placing a hand on the small wooden structure.

She felt the familiar tingle of reiatsu run up the length of her arm, feeling the objects energy as if it were running through her veins. Ki; the Earth's Ki was the only one she could manipulate.

She walked towards Kerioo's form, keeping her eyes on the peculiar wooden object hovering beside her. It was barely three feet high, and reminded her of a miniature version of the palace, though its roof and walls were painted red.

As she approached him, she could hear Kerioo uttering what sounded like a quick paced poem or a riddle, his hands moving swiftly leaving trails of light, forming symbols over the dry earth.

-"There, it's done," he sighed, turning to smile at her confused expression.

-"What in the World are you doing?"

He rubbed the back of his head nervously, as he always did before initiating a long complicated explanation he needed to simplify.

-"Well see, this device," he begun, pointing at the structure she had set beside him, "is a shrine. In the Material World, humans use it as a place to meditate and pray. I discovered they are concentrated with Ki, that is, accumulated energy from people and its surroundings, powerful enough to actually repel evil spirits. I made a few changes though, infiltrating some of my reiatsu into it to enhance its capabilities. If placed correctly, it is one powerful barrier against Shiryou."

-"Ki, reiatsu, aren't you mixing it all up a little?" she asked whilst placing it over the spot he was indicating to her.

-"In their most basic and simplest form, they are all the same. Everything has energy, reiatsu is energy. You should know this Yomiko."

-"Hai, hai," she replied, walking back to the remaining shrines along side Kerioo who continued his explanation.

She sighed, once you got him started, it was difficult to make him stop talking.

-"Meao, Meaka, Mejiro, Meguro, Meki; each is associated with a color, element and polar location. Use them correctly, and we have a reinforced alarm system against those pesky intruders."

-"Is it forever?" she asked.

He paused, not looking into her eyes.

-"No, nothing is forever. I guess we'll have to move fast, ne?"

-"Hai," she answered uncertainly.

-"Ne, Yomiko chan…where is the hell butterfly I gave you?" he asked, darting his eyes to search for it.

-"Oh, I left it in the Botanic room," she replied, waving her hand as if dismissing the subject.

His face suddenly contorted into a deep scowl, making her look up at him with concern.

-"So, here's the plan. You go back to the Botanical room and get the hell butterfly with which you will not be parting ways from now on," he commanded in a comical tone, the scowl still set on his brow.

-"What…but…you need my help…" she stuttered as he shooed her away.

-"Non sense, you go get yourself ready and we meet up in the Main Hall with Kye and Nitsu. I don't need your help, I'm almost done, just have to set the remaining ones on the East, West and North poles. I already did the center and south. Go," he insisted.

She nodded reluctantly and turned away from him, dodging through the trees to make her way back to the Botanic rooms.

Only when she had reached the glass doors to the room did she regret not asking him why it was so important for her to carry around the butterfly.

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(The Material World)

Hitsugaya inhaled a deep breath before letting out a frustrated scream as he slashed easily through his twentieth hollow.

The rays of the setting sun reached him through the rising buildings while he made his way back to the store where he had left his gigai, hoping that he would catch a glimpse of the sunset before his phone ringed for another hollow.

He had reached a conclusion after spending a mere 12 hours in the Karakura Town; this city was jinxed. Hollows, here, were as common as popsicles on a summer day.

-"Ara…Taichou, you look grim," he heard a female voice drawl behind him.

-"Shut up, Matsumoto," he retorted in a lethargic voice.

Though, he couldn't complain for the distractions, he was actually glad to keep moving, it kept his mind off certain painful topics.

-"Yadda, yadda…all these hollows are such an ugly affair."

-"Shut up, Yumichika! You look bright as ever, have you even been fighting?" Matsumoto countered in outrage, turning to glare at an indifferent Yumichika, flipping a hand though his glossy black hair has he joined them on their walk.

They passed an empty park, bordered by a small forest of blooming cherry blossoms. Hitsugaya watched as a few petals were carried away with the wind, the setting felt vaguely familiar. He felt his insides turn to ice when he remembered why.

-"Honestly, how is it that when you come back from a fight, you look more appealing than before," Matsumoto whined.

-"That, my dear, is a beauty secret I cannot divulge," Yumichika replied sternly.

-"Not even to me?" she persisted.

-"Nope."

-"Will you two just stop it already!" Hitsugaya scowled.

-"Ne, Hitsugaya Taichou seems touchier than usual. Keep frowning like that and you will have a wrinkling problem," Yumichika said, unphased by the Captain's glare.

Hitsugaya could feel the strain on his nerves; he wasn't in the mood for his companions' narcissistic complex. He felt so unbelievably drained.

The looming war over their heads felt like an unpredictable death sentence. He couldn't see past December, as if the World would cease to exist beyond that month. And yet, he forced an optimistic view upon himself, if anything, for the sake of Hinamori when she woke up. The thought of her name brought forth so many memories, each one worse than the other; he had the urge to run it off.

-"I'm going to make a final round," he announced, not turning to look at Matsumoto's questioning eyes.

She knew, or at least, she suspected that something was wrong with him; it was obvious in the way she bore her analytical eyes into him every time they met eye to eye. He had grown used to her ability at reading people, as if they were open books to her preying eyes.

-"Taichou," she muttered with concern.

-"Its okay, Matsumoto, you go on ahead and meet with Madarame," he reassured her before shunpoing his way up a high rise building, loosing them from sight as he jumped from roof to roof, with no destination in mind, only the desperate need to escape.

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(Heaven)

Nitsu and Kye walked in silence, keeping their eyes set on the hill they were headed to; the closest peak to the Gates connecting them to the different portals in the Worlds.

-"Will we have to cross the Valley of Screams?" Nitsu inquired.

Kye shuttered at the thought, remembering the first and only time she had been there. The memory made her look up momentarily at the night sky.

It was a strange dimension, she thought to herself, the portal between Soul Society and the Material World, which souls used to cross over. Shiryu originated from there, blank souls bringing with them the emptiness and nothing, constantly threatening Heaven's balance because of its direct portal to the Valley which grew increasingly wider as time went by.

-"No, we don't need to," she replied, her voice sounding faint and weak to her ears.

-"Sorry I mentioned it…"

-"Its okay," she countered with haste, not wanting to hear his apologizes.

They used flash steps for the remaining path, each lost in their own thoughts.

Kye wondered when this sudden tension had grown between them. In the centuries she had known him, she had never felt as though she couldn't talk to him and yet, words were trying to push their way through her lips, but when she opened her mouth, no sound came out and only a shocking sensation clawed at her parched throat.

-"Yomiko!" Nitsu called out.

Kye half turned towards the woods as she landed smoothly on the damp soil, littered with fallen leaves and pine needles. She could hear them crunch satisfyingly under her wooden sandals.

Sitting on a sharply cut rock, sat Yomiko, cross legged, the black butterfly she had carried earlier fluttered near her head, landing occasionally on her shoulder before beginning its useless flight once more.

-"Are we ready, Kye-sama?" she asked.

-"How many times have I told you not to call me by that suffix? It's Kye, period."

-"Hai, Kye."

She looked at the surrounding woods and frowned.

-"Where's Kerioo?" Kye asked.

-"Oh, he's setting up the last shrines for the protective barrier," Yomiko explained jumping off the stone.

-"Are you ready for your big entry? First time going to the real World," Nitsu taunted, poking Yomiko in the ribs.

She swatted his hand playfully, moving out of reach.

Their joking games sickened Kye and she turned away, feeling uneasy in the light of the moon, hearing Yomiko's bright laughter.

The still night was stirred by a sudden wind, ruffling the trees, sending a few leaves to float down the hill. Kye darted her eyes from side to side, the air stream felt too familiar to be a mere night breeze.

-"It's done," Kerioo said with a smile.

-"That's a relief," she said. "Alright, gather around," she called out, catching Yomiko and Nitsu's attention.

They reached the edge of the hill overlooking the vast Palace. Its structure seemed strange from this perspective, as though it started out from the Main Hall set in its center while random houses and rooms had been added to it in different styles, giving it a magnanimous feel with an eccentric touch.

-"Before we go, I found these," Kye said, pulling out four plain metal bracelets from her sash. "They suppress large reiatsu, making it difficult to track or sense its wearer. It diminishes any unnecessary influence we may have on the Material World."

They each took one and slid it on their wrist obediently and without question.

-"Mine feels a little loose," Yomiko said, watching it slide passed her thumb.

-"Here," Kye said with an exasperated sigh, taking Yomiko's arm in her hand and pushing the bracelet up with the other. It rested firmly on her upper arm.

-"We go to the Material World first, I want to pick up some samples of the Arrancaru's reiatsu before we move in on Soul Society," Kye explained, then turned to Kerioo. "Will you do the honors?"

-"Certainly," he replied, unsheathing his zanpaktou.

He hit the empty space with the hilt of his sword, making a thumping sound.

A small crack appeared in the air, and widened into an archway emanating with a white light.

Kye stepped in first, followed by Nitsu and Yomiko. Kerioo looked out at the Palace one last time before slipping in after his friends, the archway closing behind him.

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(Material World)

Urahara Kisuke paced back and forth, tapping his cane against the wooden floor of his shop. The light filtering through the windows, with its red and gold hues, shed strange shadows over his gray eyes. He pushed his stripped, bucket hat back with a sly smile, glancing at the young woman sitting on the floor, her back resting against a wall, legs sprawled before her.

She crossed her arms over her voluptuous chest, creasing the fabric of her orange top, following his movements methodically, her golden eyes set on him as if willing to pin him to the ground.

-"What is it, Kisuke?" she asked.

He stopped and turned to have a better look at her.

-"We seem to be in the process of receiving new players to the game," he replied in a polite voice that leaked with sarcasm.

-"Should I warn the others?"

-"Nah, nah," he said, waving his free hand in dismissal while the other rested his entire weight on the cane. "Yoruichi-san, can't you tell? These are good guys."

-"I can scarcely feel their presence," she retorted.

-"Anyways," he said, resuming his earlier pace. "I don't think they want their presence noticed just yet."

She nodded, resting her head back and turned to look out the window.

Urahara stopped his walk and seemed to consider his options before he joined Yoruichi on the ground, placing an arm around her while she rested her head on his shoulder.

-"It's a nice sunset, ne…Yoruichi-san?" Urahara said in a soothing whisper.

-"Hm," she grunted in accord.

So he had guessed right; the Heavenly Guardians must have sensed the imbalances created by the recurring appearances of Arrancaru. Though irresponsible, he thought their intervening would be of much help even if it was conditioned.

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(Seireitei)

-"Hinamori fukutaichou, please calm down," a 4th division healer pleaded in a soothing voice.

But Hinamori was miles away from being calm. Her breathing mask had been long ago discarded onto the tiled floor, its echoing ricochets drowned out by her screams.

Even though she could guess where she was, it didn't stop the desperate thoughts breaking her down.

Her trashing didn't last for long as her sleep ridden limbs stiffened and swelled with sourness. Her body stilled, relaxing automatically as the startled shinigami begun to rearrange the bed sheets over Hinamori's frail body.

-"Its okay, I sent a hell butterfly to Unohana Taichou, I'm sure she won't be long," he explained, fidgeting with the cover's edges.

He looked diminished in stature and character; his black bangs framed his sullen face.

His eyes darted from the door to the bed, giving him a jumpy demeanor.

-"I'm sorry," Hinamori said, her voice scratchy and painful against her soar throat.

She felt ashamed of herself for having acted in such a way.

-"Its okay," he reassured. "Anyone would panic after waking from a month long coma."

She stiffened beneath the covers, unsure if she had heard right. How could she have been gone for so long? A month seemed like an eternity and she couldn't believe her dream cycles had lasted that long…it had felt like mere hours.

-"Hinamori fukutaichou, you are awake."

Unohana taichou stood at the doorway previously wrenched open by the panicked 4th division officer. Her voice had a trait of pleasing monotones, matching her facial features that rarely seemed to fluctuate from its soothing smile. Her presence was like a white flag, signaling that everything was going to be alright from here on now.

-"Unohana taichou," the healer greeted, bowing his head.

-"Hanataro, could you please go and fetch me these medical equipments," she asked, handing him a piece of paper from her sash as she approached Hinamori's bed.

-"Hai, taichou," he replied, rushing out through the door.

-"Hinamori fukutaichou, you have slept for quite some time. I should warn you that in your current physical state, forcing your body into movement would be more harmful than reliving. I have a specific treatment for you to aid in the recovery but the main key would be bed rest as ironic as that sounds."

Hinamori laid still, trying to absorb every word the captain was saying. Physical state…movement would be harmful…and the thoughts that were pressuring her…

-"Unohana taichou, please tell me it was a nightmare, that the reason I am here is not because of Aizen…he couldn't have stabbed me…please…I don't know what's going on…"

She started sobbing, letting hot tears run down her cheeks, the action relieving the lump in her throat.

-"Hinamori…" Unohana started, her eyes softening, confirming Hinamori's fears.

-"I can't sense my reiatsu anymore…" she muttered between sobs.

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Hi, it's me again. And that was chapter two. Glad we met.

Here is some insight on a few things…

"The five colored shrines of the unmovable one" created by Iemitsu Tokugawa at the suggestion of Buddhist Tenkai in the 17th century.

In their proper location, these five shrines acted as a barrier to keep evil spirits out. They were placed around Tokyo as protection. Though, after the Meiji Era, during the Nationwide Religious reorganization, they were moved so they lost their efficacy.

Meao- Blue (east), Meaka (Red) South, Mejiro (White) West, Meguro- Black (North) and Meki- Yellow (center). (Info obtained off the internet).

This is from where I got the idea for the barrier…

Meanwhile, in the next chapter, there will be a clash, a fight and revelation. Until then…