It was dark in the Soul Society. The moon was full but there was a hint of light on the horizon to the east, signaling that dawn was near. Yet in the darkness of the early morning, outside the Soul Reaper Institute of Research and Development, stood three Soul Reapers from Squad Eleven as they stood guard to prevent intruders.
"How long must we wait here?" one of the guards asked impatiently.
"Beats me. Until Captain Zaraki tells us we can leave I guess." Another replied.
"Well something's gotta be better than this." The third guard said as the alarms suddenly went off.
"What the-?! How did anyone get past us?!" the first asked as they raced inside with their swords drawn.
"I don't know but-AHHHH!!!" the second screamed as blood suddenly started to spray from a deep diagonal cut that appeared across his chest. He fell to the ground, dead.
The other two stood frozen in horror of what they were witnessing.
"What's going on?! What hit him?!" the third asked with a whimper before he felt a sharp pain across his chest as well. He too fell to the ground dead.
"Something's very wrong HERE!!!" the first shouted as he turned to run but suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his back and through his chest. He fell dead to the floor along with his other two comrades.
…
Half an hour later, Captains Zaraki, Unohana, Kurotsuchi, and Lieutenants Kotetsu and Kurotsuchi were present at the scene as members of Squads Four and Twelve carefully collected the bodies of the three deceased Soul Reapers. Kaichou soon arrived with Kukaku Shiba.
"So now theft has escalated to murder." Kaichou said as she looked at the scene with a somber gaze.
"Their deaths are a complete mystery. The security footage shows them just suddenly dropping dead as if someone had attacked them with a sword!" Mayuri said as Kaichou looked around the scene.
"Is anything missing that wasn't already?" Kaichou asked as Nemu shook her head.
"No ma'am." Nemu said as Kaichou scratched her chin.
"How very interesting." Kaichou said as she knelt down next to one of the deceased Soul Reapers and closed his eyes. She then noticed something sticking in his blood soaked robes. She carefully removed it to reveal a small plastic brown hook.
"What is it?" Retsu asked curiously.
"Not sure. But whatever it is, I doubt that he was carrying it when he died." Kaichou said as she examined the hook.
"Looks like it might be important." Kukaku said as Kaichou started twirling the hook between her fingers in thought.
"It's curious. Prior to our arrival, it was simply theft of seemingly random devices. Now it's just murder. Captain Kurotsuchi, I would like a list of everything that's stolen. I was supposed to have it yesterday but I never got it." Kaichou said as Mayuri groaned and shoved Nemu forward. Nemu immediately produced a small folded piece of paper with the Squad Twelve insignia printed on it.
"Whoever would be interested in a bunch of junk?" Kenpachi asked impatiently as Mayuri glared at him.
"Fool! This, "junk," as you so casually refer to it, is highly sensitive equipment and data. One of the more important items stolen was Kisuke Urahara's prototype Tenshintai, along with the research notes made in reference to its creation. The rest seems to be simple lab equipment and seemingly random data files." Mayuri scolded.
"Wait, what sort of files?" Kaichou asked.
"The files stolen so far are all related to three fields of research. Hollows and the Menos Grande evolutions, some of my recent research on Hollowfication, and all research notes connected to the Tenshintai." Mayuri explained as Kaichou looked thoughtful.
"There's a pattern here, I know it. I know that there's something that connects everything together. But what is it?" Kaichou said as she ventured into the Institute. Inside she saw all the desks were empty and unattended. She looked down and noticed numbered markings on the floor next to each row of desks.
"Captain Kurotsuchi, what are these numbers for?" Kaichou asked as Mayuri arched a curious eyebrow.
"These markings are for better organization of the research teams. Each row has a number and each desk has a number as well." Mayuri said as Kaichou stopped at the row marked five and noticed that computer monitor number one was still on.
"Do your men usually leave their computers on?" Kaichou asked as Mayuri rolled his eyes.
"No, they're supposed to turn them off when not in use. The only exception is if they are running a process that they wish to leave running over night." Mayuri said as Kaichou looked at the screen.
"Well it's not a process or anything like that. Oddly enough it's an old report on the Vizard incident one hundred and eleven years ago. I wasn't aware that you had access to a digital copy of those old reports Mayuri." Kaichou said as Nemu stepped up.
"We are actually in the process of transferring the reports to computerized documents." Nemu said as Kaichou glared at the computer screen and a chill ran down her spine.
"There is an eerie familiarity to all this. Above all else, I have the ominous feeling that we're all being watched at this very moment." Kaichou said as Mayuri scoffed.
"Please, I would be aware of anyone sneaking around. Our scans would detect such intrusions." Mayuri replied.
"I don't doubt your technology Mayuri, but I don't doubt my instincts, that there's either something or someone watching us. But for now, that's all I can decipher. I suggest that a Captain level Soul Reaper be posted on guard at all times here, in addition to the existing security." Kaichou said.
"I suppose I'll take the job for now. This getting up early is for the birds. Tell that niece of yours that I'm postponing our little fight till tomorrow. Knowing her, she'll want us both to be at our peak performance when we fight." Kenpachi said as Kaichou rubbed her temples and nodded in agreement as Lieutenant Omaeda arrived with a number of Squad two members.
"Captain Wrangler, our Captain has heard of the events transpiring here, and she wishes to offer some of the Punishment Force's best men and women to the job." Omaeda said as Kaichou nodded.
"She was actually going to be my next stop, but I will take the additional support." Kaichou said as Omaeda turned to one of the masked figures next to him.
"Alright, Sakebu you heard the lady." Omaeda said as the figure's eye twitched and nodded silently before approaching Kaichou and bowing respectfully, pulling his mask back in the process. He appeared to be in his mid to late thirties and had frilly white hair, very similar to the late Jin Kariya's. His face had a similar build to Kariya's as well only it was very clear that he wasn't the deceased leader of the Bounts.
"Second Division, Third Seat; Yuukaku Sakebu reporting Captain Wrangler." The man said as Kaichou nodded.
"Very well then Sakebu, you may begin your security detail work. I have some evidence to review." Kaichou said as she, Kukaku, Retsu, and Isane, flash stepped away.
At the Kurosaki Estate…
Karin and Yuzu were both still asleep inside. Ganju and the twins had returned to Rukongai the night before so it was just the two girls at the moment. Fortunately they were not alone for long, as Renji arrived followed shortly by Ikkaku and Yumichika.
"What are you two doing here?" Renji asked.
"The Captain wanted us to give Karin a message, that he must postpone their fight for a later time. It seems that the situation at the Institute has gotten worse." Yumichika explained as Renji nodded.
"Yeah, Captain Kuchiki heard about it and sent me here on the double. What this has to do with the Kurosaki twins I'll never know." Renji said as Ikkaku chuckled.
"I'm kinda eager to test my own strength against the Kurosaki girl. She's got a Bankai and I want to test her out before my Captain gets a chance to himself." Ikkaku said with a grin.
"Look my orders were to keep these two out of trouble. Yuzu's a good kid and she's not the kind to make trouble but dealing with Karin is more than difficult. She's been trained by some of the best Soul Reapers in existence and dealing with her is no easy task." Renji said, unaware of the two people approaching from behind him.
"Then perhaps you are using the wrong strategy." Toshiro Hitsugaya said, startling the other three. Rangiku stood behind him to his right.
"Captain Hitsugaya!" Renji yelped.
"I wanted to see if Karin was available today. I had promised that I would drop by last night but when I arrived, she had already turned in for the night." Toshiro said as Renji grimaced. His muscles still ached a little from yesterday's training session with Squad Eleven.
"I know." He grumbled.
"Captain Hitsugaya, have you heard any news of what's been going on at the Institute?" Ikkaku asked.
"I have and from what I hear it has gotten worse than simple robbery. However in an effort to keep the rest of the Soul Society calm, the Captains have decided that only Captain Level Soul Reapers and those assigned to investigate may be allowed to know what has happened from this point on." Toshiro replied as Ikkaku grumbled.
"So then, why are you here Rangiku? Skipping out on work again?" Yumichika asked tauntingly as Rangiku glared at him with her eye twitching.
"Keep pushing it Yumichika and you'll be skipping right on to the Squad Four Barracks to be treated for severe injuries." Rangiku threatened as Yumichika smirked. Before he could retort however, they saw the doors to the main room slide open and reveal a groggy Karin. Her skin was pale and there were dark bags under her cracked and red eyes.
"Oh…I didn't know you guys were here." Karin said as Toshiro blinked surprised.
"Karin are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost." Toshiro said worriedly as Renji hurried over and caught the poor girl before she stumbled forward off the step and into the grass.
"Yeah, you don't look so good." Renji said as Karin yawned.
"I couldn't get any sleep last night. I kept seeing these blurry images moving through my room all night." Karin replied.
"What do you mean? Was there someone in there with you?" Toshiro asked worriedly.
"Only Yuzu but she was asleep the whole time. I couldn't sense any spiritual pressure except mine, Yuzu's, and my Aunt Kaichou's. Oh and Miss Shiba's too but I couldn't sense anyone else's." Karin explained as Renji looked thoughtful.
"Perhaps you should try and go to sleep again. Our Captain has asked that your duel with him be postponed until tomorrow anyway so you have plenty of time to relax." Yumichika said as Rangiku picked up the tired girl.
"I'll stay in there with you if you'd like?" Rangiku offered, but Karin was already asleep.
"Rangiku, take her back to her room and make sure she's comfortable. Stay with her if you want." Toshiro said as Rangiku nodded silently and complied with his orders.
"Captain Hitsugaya, I don't think Karin is making up what she said about seeing things." Renji said as Toshiro looked up at the red haired lieutenant.
"Explain." Toshiro ordered.
"Yesterday, I followed her to the base of Sokyoku Hill. When we arrived, she claims that she looked up and saw someone staring down at her from the edge of the hill. But when we arrived, we couldn't see anyone or sense anyone's spiritual pressure but our own." Renji said as Toshiro pondered.
"She's probably scared out of her wits from the thought of facing my Captain and made up a story to cover the fact that she was too scared to sleep last night." Ikkaku said as Yumichika shook his head.
"No, she was genuinely unafraid of our Captain, Ikkaku. Perhaps though, there is something that is causing her to hallucinate." Yumichika said.
"I refuse to believe that Karin is hallucinating, however perhaps an examination by a Squad four medic should be taken into consideration." Toshiro said.
"It would be worth checking into. I'll send for the medic right away." Renji said as Toshiro shook his head.
"That won't be necessary. I spoke with Captain Kuchiki and he informed me of his orders for you and they were to stay with at least one of the Kurosaki twins at all times. Madarame, Ayasegawa, would the two of you inform Captain Unohana of the situation and to send a medic here?" Toshiro asked.
"What? The two of us go to Squad Four?! You've gotta be kidding Captain!" Ikkaku groaned but Yumichika ignored him.
"We would be honored to assist Captain Hitsugaya, especially to help such a young thing of beauty to regain her splendor." Yumichika said, receiving a death glare from Ikkaku.
"Just shut up, Yumichika." Ikkaku grumbled before the two of them flash stepped away.
"Renji, I want you to tell me everything that happened before and after the event you described at Sokyoku Hill." Toshiro ordered.
"Well we headed there after you and everyone else went in different directions. After that she just started flash stepping away at high speeds towards the hill. Then we started wandering around the Seireitei for a while, not going in any particular direction before she realized that she was hopelessly lost. She then encountered a Soul Reaper she befriended during her brief time in the Academy last year. A young girl named Angela Skullini. She's a member of Squad One." Renji explained before Toshiro stopped him.
"Skullini? Oh yes I have one of her three older brothers in my squad. So far he's not behaved like the typical Skullini clansmen." Toshiro said as Renji continued.
"Angela joined us and the three of us headed to the Squad Eleven barracks where Karin was going to fight Ikkaku in a friendly sparing match but instead Captain Zaraki led us all into an exercise session. After that we were all just too tired to do anything else so we came back for the night." Renji said as Toshiro scratched his chin.
"This is very curious. Perhaps she neglected to mention any sort of mental condition that could cause her to see things. There is only one person who would know for certain." Toshiro said as he reached into his robes and pulled out a small communicator.
"This is Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya, I need to place a call to retired Captain Isshin Kurosaki in Karakura Town." Toshiro said.
"I'm afraid we are unable to send any messages out to the World of the Living right now Captain Hitsugaya. A few moments ago we were ordered to shut down our communications systems due to the heightened security." A Soul Reaper tech replied from the other end.
"I understand. Is there any way I can send a message through to the World of the Living?" Toshiro asked.
"I know of a way." A voice said from behind. Toshiro and Renji both turned to see Captain Soi Fon standing nearby.
"You do?" Toshiro asked as he switched off and pocketed the communicator.
"Yes. Lady Yoruichi sent a message to me, asking that I bring some documents from the Soul Reaper archives to her in the World of the Living. I'd be willing to pass any message along to her or any other members of the Karakura Defense Squad while I'm there." Soi Fon said as Toshiro nodded.
"Allow me enough time to write the message down and you will have it." Toshiro said as he turned and entered the house to find a piece of paper to write with.
In the World of the Living…
It was evening and the squad had finished practice by two that afternoon and had gone their separate ways. Orihime, Tatsuki, and Nel were on their way home from shopping in town and were heading to Orihime's first since it was closest.
"So Orihime, what's with you lately? You've been acting all goofy since last night? Are you feeling alright?" Tatsuki asked curiously.
"Huh? Have I been acting differently?" Orihime asked.
"You have been acting differently than normal. You're quieter than usual." Nel said as Orihime thought for a moment.
"I can't think of any reason why." Orihime replied. Just then a car stopped at the stop sign at the end of the street. There was soft and gentile guitar music playing on the radio inside of it, causing Orihime to pause and smile brightly as the car drove off. Tatsuki and Nel both noticed it.
"Orihime what's the matter?" Tatsuki asked. Nel however knew what had happened and had quickly pieced it all together.
"It's Arupejio Zaine, isn't it?" Nel asked as Orihime blushed nervously.
"Well…umm." Orihime replied nervously.
"Zaine? The guy with the music Zanpakuto?" Tatsuki asked in disbelief.
"It would seem that Orihime has fallen for him." Nel said as Tatsuki glared at the former Tercera Espada.
"I wish she hadn't." Tatsuki muttered as they reached Orihime's house.
"Well, I guess I'll see the two of you tomorrow. Bye Tatsuki! Bye Nel!" Orihime shouted as the two bid her farewell and walked on towards Tatsuki's house.
"What do you mean Tatsuki? Why do you wish that Orihime hadn't fallen for him?" Nel asked curiously.
"Because, there's just something about that guy I don't trust. There's something that just gnaws at me and gives me a chill that run downs my spine every time I see him." Tatsuki replied as Nel looked ahead curiously.
"Hmm…I'm afraid I don't know what you mean. He's a nice guy Tatsuki. I think maybe you're getting all worked up over nothing." Nel said as Tatsuki sighed.
"Yeah, maybe you're right Nel. But it still doesn't account for that strange feeling I get whenever he's around." Tatsuki said as Nel nodded understandingly.
"We're all entitled to our own opinions, and you are certainly entitled to yours." Nel said as Tatsuki sighed.
"I know. I'll try to be nicer next time." Tatsuki said and remained silent the whole walk home, still feeling that there was something suspicious about Arupejio. Later, she was about to unlock the door to her house when she heard the bushes rustle. She turned around and saw the most unexpected of people standing nearby.
"Tatsuki Arisawa, I have some questions to ask you about the temporary member of the Karakura Defense Squad." The person said as Tatsuki blinked curiously as she stared a serious looking Shinji Hirako straight in the eyes.
End Chapter 7.
If you believe that you already know what's going on, then please keep it to yourself and DON'T put it in your reviews.