Prologue – A Disturbance in the Night

Outside Seireitei, to the east, on a winding hill at 2:50 at night, there sat a young girl. It was at the edge of the hill, she was leaning against a tree, relaxing and watching the stars having just escaped her chores issued by captain Uera. She laid there, crickets chirping, owls hooting and other animals sleeping in the bushes and birds randomly flying through the black night sky. The stars were blinking down at her, as if to say hello. All is calm, until suddenly a big white fiery object comes flying out the sky aiming for the east gate. Haruka, immediately stands up, and stares at the white ball of fire. In a fraction of a second later, 'BOOM' it made contact with the eastern sereitei gate and the impact created a massive shockwave. And a second later, there is calm again.

'Hmph, looks like the fun's about to begin' said Haruka, with a wide smile on her face.

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ALERT! ALERT! The intrusion alarm sounded throughout Division 12, it was 3am in soul society all was quiet outside. Mayuri woke with a start and rushed to the research department to find out what has happened, across the polished oak wood floor to the main research lab.

'What's going on?' asked Mayuri. As he clambered through the front door, that everyone were all already fully awake and at the ready. The lights have been lit everyone seems so busy, like its normal working time and not the middle of the night.

'Sir, reporting in. A ryoka has just blasted his way through the eastern gate.' answered a researcher nearby sitting by a number of other researchers all on what looks like computers.

'Put it on the screen now'

'Yes sir'

The nearby researcher fumbled with a few buttons and switches and the black TV like screen flickered on to show the eastern gate untouched. A second later, there's a massive explosion, and the gate flew apart into pieces. One piece came flying straight at the camera, and the signal was lost.

'That's all we have sir, unfortunately the ryoka knocked out the camera before we could get a clear shot of him.'

Mayuri has no change of expression; he just stood there thinking for a few minutes. Eventually he said, 'Looks like I've got to report this to the captain commander.' He looks around, then 'Nemu, keep an eye on things here while I'm gone. Don't do anything unless I give the word.'

'Yes sir' Nemu said in a smooth voice, suddenly appearing out of nowhere from the shadows. Mayuri put on his captain uniform and hurried out of the research department to report to Hisaigo.

Mayuri stepped outside. Everything was still peaceful, as if nothing has happened. The moon was shining brightly above in the black and darkness of the night cutting through the darkness. The stars were blinking down at him as if to greet him. The night was cold but Mayuri felt nothing.

'A bit too quiet.' he says 'hmm…, I'll worry about that later.'

And he was off, he was flash stepping his way to Division one's headquarters. But on his way there, he stopped by the remains of the eastern gate. The gate guardian has been brutally slain straight down the middle been split in half, there was blood everywhere. Bits of rock and rubble were scattered everywhere on the ground. There were only a few houses nearby. But no lights were turned on, seems like no one noticed the explosion.

'Who could have so much power to do this? If I find him, I must do some experiments on him.' he thought to himself gazing around the area.

It was as if someone could read his mind. His answer came in a high-pitched male sounding laughter.

'Ha ha ha ha ha, you want to know who did this? I will tell you. It's me. Ha ha ha ha' a voice echoed through the darkness of the night.

Mayuri, sensing danger quickly drew out his sword.

'Who is this? Show yourself now or prepare to die. Either that or submit to my testing, I assure you I will be easy on you.' said Mayuri, holding his sword upwards in a threatening manner.

'He he he, you really shouldn't threaten people who are far more powerful and superior that yourself, it may end up in your death.'

'That's what you think. But let me tell you something, I don't die that easily'

'No it's not what I think it's the truth, but I won't kill you today, not yet, I'm going to kill all of soul society at the same time, so I think you should run along now and report to your captain commander.' The voice now sounds evil, mocking, and unusually high.

'Ha, try and make me,' holding out his sword getting ready to attack at the slightest movement in the shadows.

'I will' The next thing that happened took a fraction of a second, the ryoka flash stepped straight in front of Mayuri and not giving Mayuri enough time to look at his face, punched him with a powerful hit and sent him flying across the rooftops. 'Have a nice trip, ha ha ha ha.' - 4a.m.

Mayuri kept flipping backwards across the rooftops and finally crashed into the walls of Division 1. He stood up, spat out some blood and said, 'Urgg, what the hell just happened,' rubbing his head 'urh, guess I got to report this seeing as I'm already here,' and he flash stepped to the front door and started banging on the door. Chojiro opened the door.

'What do you think the time is, the captain commander is resting, no disturbances,' shouted Chojiro.

'That's quite alright Chojiro, I sensed something has happened so I woke up early today. Have you got something to report to me Mayuri?' Hisaigo said walking towards Mayuri from the big staircase. It was almost as if he was expecting something was going to happen.

'Yes sir, there has been an intrusion by a powerful ryoka, he has blown up the eastern gate and is in sereitei now.'

'Tell me more about this ryoka' said Hisaigo, calmly and doesn't look at all alarmed or surprised. Mayuri went on describing his scene with the ryoka, carefully leaving out the bit that he got punched across the rooftops.

'Hmm… I see, well now this seems like an urgent matter, send hell butterflies to all captains immediately, we need to have a captain meeting right away,' and again, Hisaigo said this almost as if nothing has happened. His voice showed no urgency at all, a bit too calm to act after a ryoka just blown up the eastern gate.

'Yes sir' said Mayuri and Chojiro at the same time.

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Meanwhile happening two hours before this at around 2:50am Ketu was lying on top of his roof waiting for Terri to arrive.

'Hmm, I wonder what's keeping her, she's usually here around 12, ah well I'm a nice guy, I'll wait' thought Ketu.

It was a silent night like every other night. The stars shone brightly in the black sky, and the moonlight lit up the sky a bit. No lights were on, just silence. A breeze swept past the roofs, but Ketu didn't care, he was too much enjoying himself watching the stars. He stood up and enjoyed the breeze, until he heard panting by beneath him.

'Sorry I'm late, got held up by Rukia,' said a calming yet annoyed voice beneath him. Terri jumped up onto the roof and sat down beside Ketu.

'Oh? What happened? You're never usually this late, in actual fact this is the first time you've been late,' asked Ketu.

'Well, this is the first time I got spotted by someone, which unfortunately happened to be my captain, but I think she didn't get a look at my face because it was dark and also I was quite a far distance from her. Well Rukia like a good captain, chased me down like I was some sort of criminal, it was easy enough to get away with my speed of course, but unluckily I winded up lost in a weird place, guess I need more practice directing my flash step, but then again I was panicking a bit, so it's only natural I got distracted and didn't look where I was going,' replied Ratiasu in a hurried and panicky way.

He gave a wide blink as if to say 'wha?.' 'Ok.' There was a little pause. 'Calm down Terri, I'm not blaming you, heck I'm just happy you're alright, you worried me a bit. Don't worry about a thing, as they always say, there's a first time for everything and in your case is being late. Nothing to worry about so just relax and enjoy the night's sky', said Ketu comforting Ratiasu.

Taking a deep breath Ratiasu stopped panting, lay down with her head resting on Ketu's stomach and closed her eyes. 'Sure is quiet, I can almost hear the crickets squeaking.'

Ketu also lay down, and gazed up towards the heavens. 'Yes 'tis very quiet, just the way we like it,' and there they lay for the next few minutes enjoying themselves.

Ratiasu opened her eyes first and looked up at the flickering stars and the ever-glowing crescent moon. 'The stars are beautiful tonight, ahh I'd hate to think of a world without stars or the moon. I think they are the most beautiful things ever.'

Ketu opened his eyes, 'Not true,' he sits up, 'There's nothing more beautiful in this world than you, my darling Terri'.

'Ah, that's sweet' she sits up and smiles and hugs him. They stayed like that for a minute. It was blissful oblivion with the moon watching over them from above.

Minutes pass and finally they let go. They both lie down again and watch the stars, Ratiasu's scarf fluttering in the cool breeze.

It is now a few minutes before 3am. Up in the sky, unknown by all a small gate to hueco mundo has just opened and the white soul reaper has just passed through into soul society. He comes flying down and aiming straight for the eastern gate.

Ketu was the first to notice a bright object flying through the black sky, he says 'hey Terri look up there' pointing to the east, 'something is flying towards Seteitei, I wonder what it is?'

Ratiasu, sitting up again looks towards the direction Ketu was pointing to and sees the object soaring downwards in the east, 'hmmm, maybe it's a shooting star. Quick make a wish Ket. You know what I wish for. I wish, for us to be together forever.'

'I don't think that's a shooting star' sounding a bit worried now. 'It's flying downwards, oh crap; it's aiming for the eastern gate'. As soon as he said that, a blinding flash of light erupted from the object and crashed into the eastern gate. There was an almighty crash, Ketu and Ratiasu dived down and shielded their eyes from the flash of light. Then everything was quiet again. Ketu and Ratiasu waited, a few minutes pass and still nothing, and they stood up and looked around.

'What the hell was that?' asked Ketu, with the expression of utmost terror on his face.

'I don't know, but what ever that was, it was certainly frightening' Ratiasu said, with a shaky voice and holding onto Ketu's left arm.

'Do you think anyone else noticed? If they haven't then I think it's my duty as a captain to check things out' though he said this, he didn't really want to leave Ratiasu alone just yet.

'No please don't go, it's dangerous, and besides I'm sure the research department must have picked it up' said Ratiasu.

They both sat down again, not uttering another word, just listening for the slightest sound. And then they saw it, someone was flipping over the rooftops in the direction of squad one headquarters.

'Did you see that?' asked Ketu

'Yeah, who was that?' Ratiasu replied, her voice now calmed down a little.

'Don't know, but it looked like whoever that was, was flying backwards in a awkward fashion, as if he just got hit or something similar.' Ketu was getting even more worried now, and fearing for Ratiasu's safety he said, 'I think we should call this a night Terri, we'll find out what that explosion was tomorrow, but you need rest so I think you should go back now.'

'Awww, I don't want to leave you, not now after what just happened. At least promise me that you won't go investigating on your own, please' said Ratiasu, almost pleading now.

'I promise, don't you worry, I won't go looking for trouble. I'm not that stupid am I?'

'Ha, I certainly hope not,' just as soon as she said that a hell butterfly approached them both.

'Hmm? What's the message?' asked Ratiasu

'Basically, Hisaigo wants to have a captain meeting right now. I reckon it's about that explosion we saw. Well looks like I have no choice, but seriously, this late at night? I haven't slept yet, oh well, looks like we separate for tonight now then.'

'Ok, tell me what the assembly's about tomorrow morning though. Actually just come round to my house, that'd be easier' said Ratiasu, a bit happier now for some reason.

'Alright I'll meet you there then, have a goodnight, and I'll see you in the morning my darling.' He blew her a kiss and flash stepped away towards squad one headquarters. Ratiasu also flash stepped away back to her house and seeing nothing unusual, except for Rukia flash stepping past her towards division one (luckily again not noticing Ratiasu). She went to sleep straight away looking forward to seeing her dear Ketu again in the morning.