Disclaimer - I do not own Bleach

Chapter Six - Protecting the Seal

The summons to assemble before the Head Captain was not taken lightly by any of the top officers and all of them, even the slacker of the group, Captain Kyouraku, quickly made their way to the assigned meeting room. Then once all of the captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads had assembled in the Squad One conference room, as per their orders, Head Captain Yamamoto took his place at the head of the group. The old man focused his gaze on the assembled captains, his expression grim.

"So what gives Yama-jii?" Captain Kyouraku asked as he gazed up at his superior officer and former teacher. It was rare for something to worry the Head Captain to the point that it showed in his features. Whatever was going on was definitely not good. "It must be something good for you to assemble all of the captains." The Squad Eight Captain briefly glanced to his right, to the spot where the young captain of Squad Ten should have been standing and then amended his statement. "Okay, most of the captains."

"Captain Kurotsuchi will explain the situation to you," Head Captain Yamamoto informed the group, effectively handing the floor over to the Squad Twelve Captain. The clown faced captain was better equiped to explain the situation and Head Captain Yamamoto realized this fact and relinquished the floor to Kurotsuchi.

Kurotsuchi stepped out of line and made his way to the front of the group. Pulling a small device from the fold of his shihakusho the clown faced captain pressed a button and a holographic image appeared in front of the group of captains. "Sixty-two years ago a dangerous demon appeared in District Sixty-three of the Rukongai. It took everything that we had to battle this enemy and even then we didn't have the strength to end it's life. Therefore we were forced to use a long-forgotten binding kidou to seal the demon's soul inside a tree. Thus diminishing the threat that it posed to Soul Society."

Captain Kyouraku gazed across the room at his best friend and Captain Ukitake nodded ever so slightly. He recalled that particular battle however he hadn't been there for the end of it. Everyone who wasn't directly involved in sealing the demon's soul had been ordered back to the Seireitei for reasons that had never been fully explained to them.

"Now someone is attempting to breech the barrier that divides Soul Society from the world of the living," Kurotsuchi continued, not having noticed the exchange between the Squad Eight and the Squad Thirteen Captains. "It is our belief that this individual is attempting to break into Soul Society in order to break the Seal and release the demon, although the purpose of this is not yet known."

"Is this demon powerful?" Squad Eleven Captain Kenpachi Zaraki asked, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of a powerful opponent. He hadn't had a decent fight in what seemed like forever and he this talk about a demon was exciting him.

"Very," Head Captain Yamamoto replied, his eyes narrowing slightly as he thought back to the battle that had been fought against the demon. "And it is imperative that we do not allow the Seal to be broken. Therefore I am going to place guards at the tree, to protect the Seal should Captain Hitsugaya fail in his mission to stop the person attempting to breech the barrier."

"I think we should let the thing out," Kenpachi said, a wide grin spreading across his face. "I could use a strong opponent."

"We will not," Yamamoto said, his voice firm and his resolve absolute. "Each squad will alternate in guarding the Seal and each captain will lead the guard detail. Squad Two will take the first watch and we'll go in order from there. You are all dismissed."

"So what do you make of this Shunsui?" Ukitake asked as he and his best friend left Squad One together and made their way across the Seireitei toward the Squad Thirteen barracks. The two old friends had things to discuss and they always met in Ukitake's office, to talk over drinks.

"Jyuushirou," a quiet voice called out from behind the two friends, interrupting the conversation before Kyouraku had the chance to answer the question posed to him by his best friend.

Ukitake glanced over his shoulder and smiled as his gaze fell upon the Captain of Squad Four, Retsu Unohana. "Is there something that I can help you with Captain Unohana?"

"I need to speak with the two of you," Captain Unohana said in her customary calm and collected tone of voice. "It's about the Seal and it's important."

That statement grabbed the attention of both men.

Ukitake could hear the urgency contained in her voice and he nodded. "Shunsui and I were just on our way to my office to have a drink. Would you like to join us?"

Captain Unohana nodded and fell into step beside her comrades. The trio of captains made their way to the Squad Thirteen barracks and, once inside, they barricaded themselves in Captain Ukitake's office. They had no desire to be disturbed while discussing this particular topic and took steps to prevent said interruption. Once that had been taken care of, Kyouraku pulled out the bottle of sake that he always carried while Ukitake got a cup of tea for himself and one for Captain Unohana. Then, once everyone had a drink, the Captain of Squad Thirteen turned his eyes to the Captain of Squad Four. "So what was it that you needed to speak with us about? It sounded important."

Unohana nodded. "Very important, I assure you. It's about the Seal that everyone is being sent to guard. I'm aware that you already know about the demon but exactly what do you know about the Seal its self?"

"It was supposed to be a very strong kidou spell," Kyouraku said, raising the cup and taking a sip of sake.

"Yes," Captain Unohana said, a strange expression in her eyes. This had been the response that she had expected to hear since knowledge of the Seal had been closely guarded. "That is what everyone was told however it isn't exactly the truth. A kidou spell was used to bind the demon inside the tree but the Seal it's self is comprised of a single human soul."

Ukitake gasped, his eyes growing wide. "I didn't even realize that something like that was possible."

"It's possible," Captain Unohana said, her voice barely above a whisper. The look in her eyes spoke volumes, telling the other two captains that she wished that it weren't possible. "However the use of that kidou is strictly forbidden. It isn't even taught anymore for fear of what could happen."

"So if it's forbidden then why. . ."

"It's amazing how many rules people will break in order to save themselves Jyuushirou," Unohana said. "The Central 46 decided to temporarily lift the ban so that the demon could be sealed. An undiscovered soul, one that contained high reiatsu, was used to make the Seal."

"And now the enemy that Toushirou is facing is attempting to break into Soul Society so that they can destroy the Seal," Ukitake said in a quiet voice.

"So it would seem," Captain Unohana said. "But what I want to know is how they know about the demon and why they want to break the Seal."

"Those would seem to be the questions of the day," Kyouraku said as he once again raised the cup that held sake. The Squad Eight Captain was showing his rare serious side which only went to show just how serious the situation was.

Captain Hitsugaya jumped to his feet as he felt a familiar surge of reiatsu. He had felt this spiritual energy several times and was now familiar with it. A couple of seconds later the communicator that he possessed once again began issuing a by now familiar series of obnoxious beeping noises, confirming what he had already known. The young captain quickly pulled the device from his pocket, briefly glanced down at the screen, and then used his flash-step.

"I WILL end this," Hitsugaya muttered, as though to convince himself of this fact. The last time that he had faced this woman he had hesitated and that hesitation had resulted in the woman escaping. The young captain was determined not to repeat this mistake and that determination was plainly visible in his striking teal eyes.

Following Midori's reiatsu trail Hitsugaya quickly made his way to the location where she was once again attempting to breech the barrier between the two worlds. When he arrived Midori whirled to face him, a surprised expression on her face.

"You again," she murmured. "This doesn't concern you boy. Just turn around and walk away and I promise nothing will happen to you."

"Not a chance," Hitsugaya growled as he pulled his zanpaktou from it's sheath. He didn't hate the woman who was standing before him, he didn't understand those feelings and yet they were still there, however he couldn't allow her to infiltrate Soul Society. Nothing good would come of it and there was the possibility that many would die. That was a risk that he was simply not willing to take.

"I don't want to fight you," Midori said as she turned to face the young boy. "But that doesn't mean that I won't."

There was a slight hesitancy to his movements however Hitsugaya forced himself to raise his zanpaktou. "Prepare yourself."

Midori sighed, shaking her head as she gazed at the child. "If you insist." Reaching inside the long white coat that she was wearing the woman pulled a katana from beneath it. The woman held up the blade and called out, "Paint the skies with blood, Gaka no Tamashii!"

Hitsugaya's eyes widened in surprise as he watched the sword that she held change shape. The blade of the sword seemed to contain all of the colors of the rainbow and was surrounded by an eerie crimson aura. "A zanpaktou. . ." he gasped, completely shocked by this unforeseen turn of events. Judging by the partial mask that was perched on the side of her head Hitsugaya had judged her a Hollow but Hollow were not supposed to possess zanpaktou. "But I don't understand."

Not willing to go into any of the details with the boy Midori raised her sword and launched herself toward him. Hitsugaya managed to raise his own sword in time to block the attack however he was knocked back a couple of steps by the sheer force of the blow.

Jumping back a couple of steps Midori prepared for a second attack. Anticipating her move Hitsugaya raised Hyourinmaru, pointing the tip of his blade toward the sky, and called out, "Reign over the frosted, frozen sky, Hyourinmaru!"

Midori watched as a dragon that appeared to be comprised of ice and snow erupted from the tip of the young captain's sword and flew into the sky. The dragon circled the air above Hitsugaya's head, awaiting an order from his master. "Impressive," she murmured, more to herself than to the boy. She could feel the boy's reiatsu, so she had known all along that he possessed power, however the magnitude of said power was only now beginning to come to light.

Hitsugaya pointed his sword toward Midori, ordering the ice dragon to attack, but before Hyourinmaru could make contact Midori swung her own sword in a circle in front of her body. The rainbow colors flashed and Midori vanished before Hitsugaya's eyes.

"What is she?" Hitsugaya asked himself as he felt the reiatsu of his opponent completely disappear. This was like nothing that he had seen before. She seemed to have the powers of both Hollow and Shinigami, which was completely unheard of.

"I think that I need to return to Soul Society and do some research," Hitsugaya muttered to himself as he pulled the communicator from his shihakusho. There were too many things that didn't make sense and he desperately wanted to find out what was going on.

What sort of being had his mother became in the time since his death?

And why did he care?

None of it made any sense.

A/N - in case anyone is curious this fic is pre-series and takes place before Rukia met Ichigo. The name of Midori's zanpaktou is supposed to mean Soul Painter. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review and tell me what you thought. Til next time this is Hitsu-taichou signing out.