Yo everybody! Today's a two for one update. So if you haven't read chapter 3.2, go back.
grumpywinter: Thank you. You got Sasuke right. He will replace Kaien has the the lieutenant of the 13th, in fact I will write that event in this story. Naruto, I haven't quite decided, he'll either be the lieutenant or the third seat under Nanao. Either way, Nanao is still gonna boss Naruto and Shunsi around. As Sakura replacing Mayuri, sorry but that's not gonna happen. I like Mayuri, and none of them are gonna get bankai until the SS arc, so no captaincy for Sakura. It's funny you should mention Naruto joining Aizen. My original idea was for Naruto to follow Aizen and others after the SS arc. I could never decide if he should have been hypnotized, blackmailed or willing joining them. But ultimately I scrapped that idea in this version. I have other plans for Naruto and the rest of Team 7. As for pairings, I haven't decided if I'll even have pairing but any advice would be welcomed.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story and the OCs.
Chapter Four: Turn Back the Pendulum
Grinning Cat Restaurant
West Rukongai First District
Nine Years After Team 7's Arrival
"Then Yachiru, Shinn, and I, painted Ikkaku's bald head and dyed Yumichika's hair pink!" Sakura said, causing everyone present expect for the aforementioned two, who were currently scowling at the group.
"Don't forget when we tricked Ikkaku into thinking that glowing-in-the-dark paint was hair growth tonic." Naruto said, earning even more laughter from the group. "Yachiru was calling him Mr. Lightbulb for a month!"
There was a fairly large group gathered at the table. All the members of Team 7, Lieutenant Kaien Shiba and his girlfriend, Miyako, Lieutenants Lisa Yadomaru and Hiyori Sarugaki, and Third Seat Ikkaku Madarame, Fourth Seat Shinn Hayashi, and Fifth Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa of the Eleventh Division. Though they hadn't actually started off with that many people. Originally, it had just been Sasuke, Sakura, Kenshi and Naruto. Then as they were leaving the Seireitai, Lisa and Hiyori were both bored and invited themselves. Then they bumped into the trio of officers from the Eleventh and a short brawl broke out, but truth be told, that happen just about every time they met those three. After the brawl ended, they too joined the group. Finally, shortly after they arrived at the restaurant, Kaien and Miyako showed up, apparently on date and they invited them over.
"Now that was low." Ikkaku grumbled. "The pink thing, we lost a bet fair and square for that. But that hair tonic trick was beyond dirty!"
"Ah, you're just bitter because ya got no hair. Unlike the rest of us." Shinn said as he downed a cup of sake and put a hand through his long, messy black hair.
"Shut up, you lazy bum!" Ikkaku shouted.
Shinn simply shrugged. Everyone knew that Shinn was extremely lazy, frequently falling asleep when ever he was bored, even when he was standing. Even Shinn admitted that he was lazy. There was only three things that could bring him out of his normal lethargic state. Drinking, gambling, and fighting. Other than that, he slept most of the time. Much to the annoyance of most of the members of the Eleventh.
For the most part, Shinn wore a normal uniform. Expect for one thing, his right was entirely torn off, revealing a muscular and slightly scarred arm. Like Ikkaku, he didn't wear socks. His hands, wrists, ankles and feet were wrapped in black bandages. Shinn's zanpaku-to was normal katana which was tucked into the left side of his obi. It's sheath was a dark red while the guard round with fireballs craved into it. Most of Shinnn's long, messy black hair was braided into a long ponytail that reached halfway down his back. There was a pair of braided bangs framing his head. He had brown eyes.
Supposedly, Ikkaku was stronger than Shinn. But Shinn claimed that they were equal in terms of strength and that reason he didn't challenge Ikkaku for the Third Seat is that he didn't want the increased responsibility and he pitied Ikkaku for being bald. In fact he would have allowed Yumichika to become the Fourth Seat if it wasn't for the fact that Yumichika hated the number four.
"C'mon Mr. Lightbulb. Is that the best you can do?" Shinn said before downing yet another cup of sake.
"Why don't we take this-"
"There you are Hawkie!" a voice shouted out.
Kenshi instantly knew who it was and started banging his head on the table in frustration while everyone else started laughing. An annoyed Mashiro ran up to the table and said, "How come you didn't invite me to come with your party?"
"Because it was suppose to be just Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke and myself. Just about everyone else invited themselves." an irritated Kenshi replied. "Is there any reason you're here? Or are you just here to annoy me?"
"That's not very nice Hawkie. I was going to join you and tell you what Kensei wanted me to tell you. But now I think I'll just leave."
Hawk sighed in annoyance. "Fine. You can join us. But first tell me what the Captain wants."
"Yay!" Mashiro shouted as she squeezed in between Kenshi and Sakura. "Old Man Yamamoto gave Kensei the okay to start the investigating tomorrow and he wants you to be part of the team."
"What investigation?" Sakura asked.
"There's been some strange disappearances in the Rukongai." Hawk answered. "People have been disappearing, leaving behind only their clothing. There's plenty of theories going around but no one really knows for sure."
"I heard Captain Ukitake talking about it with Captain Hirako." Sasuke said. "He seemed to think that what's happening is that the soul's human form is being annihilated by something while they're still alive."
"How is that even possible?" Sakura asked.
"We're not really sure." Hawk said. "Captain Hirako may have more information on the subject. So may wanna ask him."
"Er...No thanks. The last time I talked to him, he proclaimed that I was his true love...in a completely deadpan expression."
"HE DID THAT TO YOU TOO?!" an enraged Hiyori shouted.
"Really? Does he always do that to other girls as well?" Sakura asked.
"Yes." all the women present, save Hiyori, answered.
"I take it he didn't do it to you, Hiyori." Sakura said.
Hiyori scowled and grumbled out something 'unpleasant' about Shinji, causing everyone else to laugh.
"And I thought Sakura was scary." Naruto said earning hits from both Sakura and Hiyori.
"You know Dobe, if you're skull wasn't as thick as it is, you'd be dead by now instead of just brain damaged." Sasuke said.
"Oh that's it Teme! You and me! Outside! Now!" Naruto shouted at the Uchiha as he stood up.
"Fine." Sasuke said. "I wouldn't mind quick workout before dinner."
"Just don't expect me to pick up the pieces afterwards!" Sakura said as the two walked outside. "Those two...Well, at least they aren't trying to kill each other anymore."
Sakura then realized what she had just said. All of the non-ninjas gave her questioning looks while Kenshi gave her a look of irritation. They both knew they weren't suppose to talk about that. "Er...Ah...Long story from a long time ago. It has nothing to do with the present." she quickly said.
"Looks like the food is here." Kenshi said, changing the subject as the waitress walked up to the table.
"Should we tell Naruto and Sasuke?" Lisa asked.
"Nah. When they're done they'll come back in." Sakura said as she started eating her meal.
South Rukongai Thirty-First District
The Next Day
"Whaddaya mean you 'don't know?' Hey, Kensei-"
"Shut up!" an annoyed Kensei shouted. "'We don't know' means 'we don't know'. So please shut up!"
"Why'd a captain have to go if you don't know the cause?" Mashiro asked, getting on everyone's nerves.
"That's why we're going!"
"But you already sent the advance team already! Ten of them!" Mashiro complained. "We coulda just waited for word from them but someone was impatient!"
"That wasn't it!"
"You just wanna go out!"
By this time, Kensei looked ready to strangle his lieutenant. Hawk, Tosen, Eishima and Kasaki were holding him back and trying to calm him down.
"Please calm down Captain." Tosen said.
"Calm down. She's not worth it Captain." Hawk said. "She does this all the time."
Kensei took deep breaths, calming himself down. When he was calm, his subordinates let go of him. "When the hell did I tell you to follow me anyway?! If you're gonna complain, than you shouldn't have come! Go home and sleep or something, you idiot!"
"But I'm a lieutenant so I hafta follow you! You're the dummy for not knowing that Kensei! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"
Again Kensei looked ready to throttle his lieutenant as she began to throw a tantrum. "I can't stand it! I'm so hungry!" she screamed as she rolled on the ground. "I want some ohagi! Help me you guys!"
"Wow. I thought she couldn't get anymore annoying, then she does this." Hawk said, earning chuckles from Kensei and the other officers.
"That's not very nice Hawkie!" Mashiro shouted before she threw a rock at him.
Hawk effortless caught the rock. "That wasn't very nice either." he said
"WAAAAAAAAAGH!!"
Everyone turned to the direction of the roar. There was a massive hollow chasing a group of children. The hollow had six bulky legs attached to it's body. A long thick neck with a lizard-like mask on it's face.
"A hollow...It's huge!" Eishima said in shock.
Kensei drew his zanpaku-to. "Let's take it down!"
"Right!" all four of his male subordinates said as they drew their zanpaku-tos and ran towards the hollow.
Hawk stabbed the hollow in the base of it's neck while Eishima and Kasaki sliced at it's front legs. The hollow roared in pain before bring it's head down upon Hawk. Hawk barely flash stepped out of the way.
"Blow him away, Tachikaze." Kensei said, his zanpaku-to changing from a sword to a combat knife.
Kensei sliced the air, creating an invisible blade of air, severing the hollow's neck. It's head and the top of it's neck started to slide off the rest of it's neck. A split second later, it exploded. Hawk appeared next to Kensei. "That took care of that." Hawk said as he sheathed his sword.
Kensei glanced at him. "Your headband is gone."
Kenshi reached up and touched his bare forehead. "Ah dammit!" he cursed as he started scanning the area for his missing headband.
Kensei glanced at the others. "Everyone else alright?"
"Yes." Tosen, Eishima and Kasaki said.
Kensei heard the sounds of crying and turned towards it's source. A black haired boy.
"Hey kid! What're you crying for? You're alive! Be happy! Smile!" Kensei said as a grin spread across his lips.
"Er...Captain, that's kind of a creepy smile. I think it's scaring him." Hawk said as he picked up his headband. "Aw man. That hollow's teeth tore up the cloth. Now I'm gonna have to replace the cloth when we get back."
"Scaring him? Bah! Stand up kid." Kensei said as he pulled the boy up to his feet. "What's your name kid?"
"Sh...Shuhei Hisagi." the boy said.
"Shuhei huh? That's a strong name! Quit crying!"
Unsurprisingly, Shuhei didn't stop crying. Hawk sighed as he tied his headband to his right arm. "You not really good at this kinda stuff, captain."
Kensei was about to reply when Mashiro interrupted. "Hey Kensei!" she shouted as she emerged from some bushes.
"Where the hell did you even go during all that?" an irritated Kensei asked.
"In the bushes over there. And look at what I found." she said as she pulled up a soul reaper kimono. "Soul reaper robes! Ten pairs of 'em!"
Kensei's, Hawk's and the other soul reapers' eyes widened. "Did you say ten pairs?" Hawk asked he stared at the kimono.
"Yeah. Ten of 'em." Mashiro said as she pulled out more uniforms. "But what's the big deal if there's ten of 'em?"
Hawk looked up at her. "It's the same number as the advanced team."
"Could this really be all that's left of the advanced team?" Eishima asked.
Kensei opened the kimono up, revealing the small insignia of the Ninth Division on the inside. "By the looks of things...yes." the captain said.
"But couldn't they have just had their clothes taken off?" Mashiro asked.
"How could anyone take off their kimonos with the obi still tied?" Kensei replied. "Or how could they take off their socks with their sandals still on?"
"And who actually want to remove the uniforms from a group of soul reapers in the first place?" Hawk said.
Mashiro stared at the uniforms, deep in thought but didn't respond.
"Eishima! Report this to central." Kensei ordered. "The soul disappearances have claimed their first soul reaper victims."
"Yes sir."
"Kasaki! It's possible that this is the work of some unknown pathogen or substance that can break down souls. Get some researchers from Squad 12 here immediately."
"Sir."
"Tosen! Make those on patrol bring a tent out here. We're setting up camp here tonight."
"Yes captain."
"If this was done by someone who has their sights set on soul reapers, then sooner or later this'll make its way to the Seireitei." Kensei said to his officers. "We're going to crush them here before they can get anywhere near the Seireitei. Understand?"
"Understood!" all four officers said in unison before Tosen, Eishima and Kasaki left to carry out their orders.
"What about me captain?" Hawk asked.
"We're checking this place out." Kensei answered.
Kensei then glanced at Shuhei and the other kids. "Kids! Get the hell outta here already! Go home! Got it?!"
None of the soul reapers present noticed Shuhei's long look at Kensei's tattoo before he left.
Twelfth Division Laboratories
A Short While Later
"The hell with this!" Hiyori screamed as she slammed several containers on the ground, shattering them. "I was being all nice and helping out. So what's with the crap coming out of your mouth?! Don't screw with me, you clown-faced freak!"
Sakura sighed and rubbed her forehead as Hiyori continued to shout at Mayuri. She yelled at just about everyone in the Division. She was one of the few expectations.
"I'm the Lieutenant and you're the Third Seat! You do NOT get to order me around!" Hiyori shouted.
"Actually, within the Research Institute, I am the Vice-President and you are the Head of the Research Offices. Which means that I am in fact above you." Mayuri calmly said. "According to Squad Regulations, you must obey me while here."
"Sakura!"
"Sorry Hiyori. But he's right." Sakura said, not even looking up from her work. "When we're in the labs and the captain isn't around, Kurotsuchi's in charge."
A vein throbbed on the side of her forehead. "Kisuke!" Hiyori shouted.
Captain Urahara yawned as he entered the room with something slung over his back. "Yeah...What's going on? And could ya keep it down. I didn't get much sleep last night."
"Did you see what this guy's doing?! He thinks he can boss everyone around!"
Urahara let out a tired sigh. Sakura, seeing that her captain was too tired to deal Hiyori at the moment, changed the topic of the 'conversation'. "Hey Captain, what's that on your back?"
Urahara immediately perked up. "This? It's a prototype of a new gigai. With these incidents of people in the Rukongai losing their forms and disappearing. I came up with an idea that if we put a 'broken-down' soul into a human-shaped container, the soul would hopefully stabilize instead of just disappearing." Urahara explained. "I could revolutionize gigai technology with this."
Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door. "Excuse me! This is Kasaki, Fifth Seat of Squad 9. Is Captain Urahara here?! I have an urgent from Captain Muguruma!"
"Please come in."
The bald man entered the room and almost immediately explained the situation. A team of ten soul reapers had disappeared like the ordinary souls of Rukongai had been disappearing over the last month.
"I see." Urahara said. "I'll send someone your way tonight. Head back for the time being."
"Kasaki bowed. "Thank you sir." he said before leaving.
"On that note, Hiyori, you're going."
"What?! Why me?! Why not one of the lackeys?!"
"If we're gonna solve these disappearances. Then a sample from the disappearance site is critical. You're only I trust to do it." Urahara said. "If you want, you can take someone with you as well as anything you need."
"Fine." Hiyori grumbled. "But you owe me one big time."
"We can talk about that later." Urahara replied.
Hiyori turned her head. "Sakura! You're coming with me."
Sakura sighed as finished writing down some notes. "Akon, clean this up for me and put all the filled test tubes in refrigerator five."
"Yes ma'am."
Campsite South Rukongai Thirty-First District
A Short While Later
"You're late Kasaki." Tosen said as his fellow officer arrived.
"Sorry. It took me longer than I thought it would." Kasaki replied. "Let's switch. You rest and Eishima and I will stay on watch for awhile."
"No." Eishima said. "The captain and the others are resting right now. Every two hours, one of us will switch with one of them. Plus we have Karasu keeping an eye on things from the trees. So just go stand over there."
"Kasaki nodded and took his position.
Inside the tent, Kensei, Mashiro and Hawk were sleeping. Or at least Mashiro was. The other two were trying in vain to fall asleep. "How can she be sleeping so calmly at a time like this?" Kensei commented as he stared at the sleeping lieutenant.
"You act like you're surprised. She's always been like this." Hawk said as he tired to fall asleep.
"You look tense. Get some sleep." the captain ordered.
"Can't. I've been having this bad feeling in the pit of my stomach since we found those uniforms. In fact, it's actually gotten worse." Hawk quietly added, "Something bad is gonna happen. I know it."
"It's just your imagination."
"My intuition is never wrong. On my seventh birthday, I had this sense of dread the entire day when I should have been happy. That night my entire clan was wiped out. Ever since, I have never ever doubted my intuition."
Kensei sat there for a moment, taking in what he had told him. "Just try to get some sleep."
"Hee...Hee...Sing me a song Hawkie..." Mashiro said in her sleep as she reached into the front of her kimono and scratched her armpit, revealing her bare chest to the world.
"Hey, stop that. Your chest is showing." Kensei grumbled as he reached over and pulled the kimono back over her chest.
"Hee...Hee...Kensei you naughty boy..." Mashiro said.
"Quit talking in your sleep or I'll kick your ass."
Kenshi chuckled. "Even when asleep, she still annoys people. I wonder-"
His eyes suddenly widened as he felt a tingling sensation emerge on his upper chest. Hawk glanced down at his chest. A tattoo of a black raven appeared on his chest. Someone had killed Karasu which meant that all of Karasu's clones would instantly disperse. Kensei's eyes widened in alarm at the sight of the tattoo as well but before either of them could do anything...
"AAAAAAARGH!!"
"GAAAAAAAH!!"
Both bolted to their feet and moved towards the exit of the tent. "What's going on?!" Kensei shouted as he pushed the entrance flap out of the way.
The bodies of Tosen and Eishima lay on the ground. Kasaki was standing with his back to them and his sword drawn.
"Kasaki! What the hell's going on?!" Kensei shouted at the bald man as he drew his zanpaku-to.
Kasaki glanced back at the pair before before falling backwards to the ground. A large gash on his chest.
"Dammit!" Hawk cursed as he drew his sword. "They're all dead. What the hell's going on!"
"Spread out! The attacker couldn't have gotten far!" Kensei ordered. "Mashiro! Wake up! Mashi-"
Suddenly, a sword impaled the gray haired captain's back. He turned his head to his attacker. His eyes widened in surprise. "Y...You...Why Tosen..."
Kaname Tosen pulled out his zanpaku-to from the back of his captain. Kensei turned his body and swung his sword at his attacker.
"Shoot to kill, Shinso." a young voice called out.
A split-second later, a blade stabbed the left side of his abdomen. While Tosen stabbed him again, careful to avoid a fatal injury. They withdrew their blades and Kensei staggered there for a moment before falling to the ground.
"Captain!!" Kenshi shouted as his captain fell.
At that moment, Mashiro exited the tent. "What's going on?" she asked as she rubbed her eyes.
Tosen turned to her and raised his zanapku-to.
"Mashiro! Watch out!" Kenshi shouted in desperation.
But it was too late. "Cry Suzumushi."
Mashiro's eyes widened and a second later, she collapsed.
Kenshi stared venomously at Tosen and the other attacker, the Fifth Seat of Squad 5, Gin Ichimaru. "Why Tosen?! Why did you betray us?!"
Tosen turned to him. "Cry..."
But before he use the attack on him, Kenshi flash stepped out of the way. He quickly tore off a bit of one of the sleeves of his coat and stuffed it into his ears.
"Shoot to kill, Shinso." Gin said as his sword shot out at and impaled Hawk in the chest.
Suddenly, Hawk exploded in a ball of smoke. When the smoke cleared, he was gone and a rock was standing in his place. Gin's eyes opened in surprise. Hawk reappeared behind him and attacked. Gin barely managed to turn in time and raise his left arm in defense. The blade cut into his forearm, leaving a nasty gash. Tosen flash stepped behind Hawk and attacked. But he managed to catch the blade, cutting his left hand deeply but otherwise, blocked the attack.
"Gonna have to try harder Tosen." Kenshi said as he pulled his sword out of Gin's arm and stabbed Tosen. "Cause I'm a much better swordsman than either of you!"
The blade impaled Tosen's left shoulder. But Gin took this moment, to stab Kenshi in the back. Kenshi staggered forward two steps, letting go of Tosen's blade.
"What happened to the man who wished to walk the path free of bloodshed. Cause this doesn't look like a path free of bloodshed to me." Kenshi said to the blind man.
Tosen didn't say anything as swung he sword at Kenshi, cutting several shallow gashes across his chest. Kenshi fell to his knees, his vision fading. "Well Tosen? When did you decide to betray...your friends...and comrades? When...did you...turn your back...to what is...right...To...sen..."
Kenshi collapsed. The last thing he heard was Tosen, "I'm sorry, but this is to bring peace to all the worlds."
Sosuke Aizen emerged from the woods with a grin on his face. "Good work." he said to his two followers.
"Forgive me Aizen." Tosen said. "I allowed myself to be injured."
"Do not worry about it Tosen. I actually expected the two of you to receive some injuries. After all, there was a captain and one of those four present." Aizen said. "Though I'm a little surprised that Captain Muguruma went down without much of a fight. But as expected, the ex-shinobi was quite impressive. I'm curious to see if someone from a different world, like him, will differ in anyway from the others. Now let's get started."
Eight Division Training Dojo
Ten Minutes Later
"Emergency summons! Emergency summons! All Captains are to immediately assemble in the First Division Headquarters!"
Naruto and Sasuke stopped their sparring match as heard the announcement.
"Must be something big." Naruto said. "Maybe Squad 9 found out what happened with those disappearing souls."
"Maybe. But something must have gone wrong if they're calling an emergency meeting."
Naruto opened his mouth but before he could say anything. "Emergency within Squad 9! We have lost all traces of reiatsu from both Captain Kensei Muguruma and Lieutenant Mashiro Kuna! This is an emergency!"
Both of their expressions changed to one of horror. Kenshi was out there with them. And if both his captain and lieutenant were gone...
"C'mon! Let's go check out that meeting." Naruto said as he took off for the First Division Headquarters with Sasuke close behind.
First, I have to ask this, who saw this coming? Did anyone actually see this happening before they read this chapter? Secondly, I wanna make this clear because I don't want half a dozen reviews saying "I thought you said they weren't gonna be vizards." I only said that Naruto wasn't gonna be a vizard. I never said anything about the others.
I have some questions I wanna you, my viewers. You see, I have a couple of different paths I can take this story. But I'm not sure which one to take.
First, if I have pairings, what should they be and not just between Team 7, but among the main characters of Bleach? Note: No Naruto/Rangiku or Naruto/Soifon. Both have been done too many times for my liking. And as you can tell I won't be able to do Sasuke/Sakura or Naruto/Sakura, though Kenshi/Sakura is possible. Nor do I wish to do yaoi/yuri pairings or harems. I got nothing against them, but there's only one same-sex pairing in Bleach fanfiction that I happen to like, Tatsuki/Orihime (I may actually have that in this story but I'm not sure.). The rest just seem too far out there to me. Other than that, any Bleach character is okay. Including the human characters, as if I do have pairings, as the pairings likely won't really start until close to or after the beginning of the main Bleach storyline. And obviously, Sakura and Kenshi are limited to vizards or human characters. Then again, I may not have pairings. Just have to see how things go.
Next Chapter: Hollowed Souls, Soulless Men.