I do not own Bleach.

Squad Ten Barracks

Hitsugaya Toshiro paused in his paperwork and spared a glance at the sky. He had for split second become aware of the change in air pressure. The power he felt from that second was enough to cause him to break into a cold sweat. He stood up slowly and moved to the window in his office, staring up at the night sky. It was light years beyond Aizen's ability. He frowned slightly.

"Taicho," he heard a female voice call behind him.

"Matsumoto," he responded without turning around.

"Did you feel that?" Matsumoto Rangiku asked, coming to stand beside him.

"I did. It doesn't bode well for Soul Society. Or for the real world."

"But why now? Why must it be so soon after Aizen's death?"

Hitsugaya shot his vice-captain a look from the corner of his eye. She looked troubled, as she had been since Gin had been killed by Aizen. He wished he could do something to cheer her up but he didn't know how. Her pain had been a tangible thing and even though she annoyed him with her slacking off on her paperwork, he still felt every single tear she cried, every single shard of hurt she pretended to hide. It was a Captain's duty to make sure his subordinates were happy and he failed even in that.

"Aizen's death probably caused a ripple effect. All those who were afraid of him will come out of hiding. I don't understand why this power I felt was so much stronger than his. Whoever this person is should have had enough to take him out himself. What was he waiting for?" Hitsugaya mused, more to himself than to Matsumoto.

"It's not like Aizen left an army behind to conquer," Matsumoto said, eyes heavenward and a finger tapping her chin thoughtfully. "We destroyed all the Espada. That much I remember."

"It's worrying to say the least. Anyone who is awake should have felt that surge in power. I've no doubt a Captain's meeting will be called first thing tomorrow."

"I'd feel much better if we could check it out though."

"We can't without authorisation, Matsumoto. You know that. Besides, Kuchiki is in Karakura Town. If there is anything suspicious happening she would have reported it by now. By her silence we can assume that all is well."

"There's a very thin line between her silence and what might be currently happening in the town, taicho."

Hitsugaya looked back up at the sky. "I know," he said quietly. "But there isn't a damn thing we can do about it."

"I don't like this. You know she would have reported this weird surge. Maybe the Captain-Commander is preparing to send out hell butterflies around Seireitei."

"I doubt that. We would have heard something by now, anything. If there isn't a meeting called tomorrow I'll approach the Captain-Commander myself."

He could see the worried look his vice shot him and he mentally sighed. She worried too much for him when she should be more concerned about herself. He acknowledged her angst and he was grateful for it though.

"Get some sleep, Matsumoto. I have a feeling it's going to be madhouse tomorrow."

"You should rest too, taicho."

Hitsugaya nodded his agreement and watched Matsumoto's reflection as she left the office and shut the door behind her. He sat back down in his chair and tapped his index finger against his chin, deep in thought.

Meanwhile in the Kuchiki household…

"Byakuya-sama…"

The current head of the prestigious Kuchiki Clan looked up into the smiling eyes of his wife. He felt a warmth bloom in his chest that only ever appeared when Hisana was before him. He even allowed the corner of his mouth to tip up slightly.

"You're late."

Hisana smiled sweetly at him. "You're early," she shot back.

Byakuya faced her fully, eyes travelling over her from head to toe. She always looked well and happy in his dreams. Always had a beautiful smile on her face. Always looked at him with love in her eyes. He felt truly at peace with her. That hadn't changed in all these decades.

"Have you come to castigate me again for being remiss in my duties as a brother?" he asked his tone slightly sharper than usual, wondering what she came to speak to him about. His words fell into the silence between them like a gauntlet. He watched his wife, taking in everything and missing nothing.

"There is nothing for me to tell you that you do not already know. Saying it would do nothing but garner your irritation," she finally responded.

An answer worthy of the Lady of the Kuchiki Clan. He was proud for an instant before that emotion dissipated.

"I can't keep seeing you like this, you know," Byakuya said in a low voice. "It's driving me to distraction."

Hisana only smiled at him. "Byakuya-sama, I'm only here because you wish it."

Byakuya reached out a hand and it ghosted through her. Her smile turned sorrowful.

"See? You have to let go of me, Byakuya-sama. It's not healthy. It leaves you open to missing important changes in reality."

Byakuya frowned at the ominous tone her voice had taken. "What do you mean?"

"You need to prepare yourself. Your world as you know it is about to change, and not in a good way."

"To what are you referring?"

Hisana levelled a look at him. In it was disappointment. He couldn't stand to see her look at him like that. Even after death those looks still made him feel like he was twelve years old again. It made his temper rise.

"I don't have time for your riddles, Hisana. If you have something to say to me then say it," Byakuya said, keeping his tone as level as possible.

She smiled at him again. "You know what I mean. You've seen the exchange but never put much relevance to it."

Byakuya ran through all the memories he had of Soul Society. None of them seemed very important to him. Until he came upon one from his childhood. In it, Urahara Kisuke, then Captain of the Twelfth Squad, and Kurotsuchi Mayuri, current Captain of the Twelfth Squad, were huddled in a corner, whispering about a secret that could change the course of Soul Society and the world itself. He remembered overhearing some of the conversation and hadn't thought it stimulating enough for his bright mind, so he'd put it down to being a boring conversation between boring old men. But one word stood out from them all.

Shiryoku.

"Shiryoku," Byakuya said, testing the word out.

Hisana's smile widened. "You've got it," she whispered.

"What about it? I don't understand what that has to do with changing the course of the world."

"It's time to wake up, Byakuya-sama. You've got a visitor," was her reply.

Byakuya's eyes snapped open at the insistent calling of his name. For a second he was still trapped within the essence of his dream and even turned his head to face Hisana's side of the futon. He exhaled softly, hating that whenever he closed his eyes his weakness was on full display. He got to his feet and moved toward the sliding door. The urgency in the voice had him stepping up his pace as he approached the corridor.

Abarai Renji, Vice-Captain of the Sixth Squad was awaiting him. He looked harried and perturbed.

"Taicho," he said. "I've been told to inform you that there will be a Captain's meeting in an hour."

"At this part of the night?" Byakuya questioned.

Renji studied him. "You didn't feel that shocking increase in power?"

Byakuya closed his eyes and shook his head. When he was in his dreams he felt nothing but his feelings for Hisana. But if Renji was right then that was the reason for this meeting. His eyes snapped open as a thought crossed his mind. Shiryoku. Could it be? Had Hisana actually been speaking the truth of things to come? The thought was enough to put an urgency in his steps as he sailed past Renji.

"Also, Ichigo is here. He's with the Captain-Commander as we speak," Renji said, following his captain dutifully.

Byakuya's steps slowed. "Kurosaki Ichigo. What is he doing here? And where is Rukia? She should be keeping an eye on him."

"Apparently he wouldn't say where Rukia was, but she's probably still in Karakura Town."

An ominous feeling swept over Byakuya, heavy with the knowledge of something he shouldn't have had. He knew something was off, could feel the tension emanating off Renji, could feel it in the air of Soul Society itself. Something was very wrong.

"She would not have let him come to Soul Society by himself. In fact, she would be the one here instead of him. So why isn't she?" Byakuya questioned, more to himself that to Renji.

"I don't know, taicho. I also thought she would too, but…"

Byakuya sighed quietly. "This is all going to come apart in the Captain's meeting. Renji, I want you to head over to Karakura Town yourself to see what is happening. I don't doubt the Captain-Commander but he isn't averse to omitting information when it suits him."

"I can't go to Karakura Town. The Senkaimon has been sealed off."

Byakuya shot him a look. "So you've already tried your luck."

Renji nodded sheepishly. "I have. I was worried about Rukia. Ichigo and the others in the real world are hiding something from us, and for them to do that, something very bad must have happened."

"The Senkaimon is only sealed off, not to prevent us from leaving, but to prevent something from coming in."

Byakuya's ominous words halted Renji's steps.

"So what does that mean for us?"

"Brace yourself, Renji. There's a war coming."