Yo everybody! I'm back!

Once again, I've been pulled back into A New Life. Back, and starting up at the good stuff. I'll save the rest I have to say for after the chapter.

Chapter Two: Turn Back the Pendulum

Nine years had passed since Team Seven had first arrived in this new world and their lives had changed. They had taken it fairly well, all things considering. It had taken them only two years to graduate from the Academy, though it had seemed longer due the endless feuding between Naruto and Byakuya Kuchiki. The Kuchiki heir was arrogant and hotheaded while Naruto was…well Naruto. It had started with just the hurling of insults between the two, but quickly escalated after Byakuya 'accidently' broke Naruto nose during a Zanjutsu class. A week later, Byakuya woke up in the morning with his hair the same shade as Sakura's. Needless to say, the two hated each other ever since.

Two years after they entered the Academy, they graduated and they were each assigned to one of the Squads of that make up the 13 Court Guard Squads. Sakura joined Squad Twelve and the Research and Development Institute as a low seated officer before her talent and ability, as well as her knowledge of techniques from their world, created a number of breakthroughs, leading to her promotion to the Division's Fourth Seat.

Naruto and Sasuke were assigned to the Eighth and Thirteen Divisions respectively. There were rumors that it had come from the Captain-General Yamamoto himself, asking Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake to watch over their training and development. Like the rest of them, they had started out as low ranked officers before proving their worth and strength in combat missions against hollows. Naruto was now the Fifth Seat of Squad Eight while Sasuke was the Fourth Seat of Squad Thirteen.

A smile spread under Kakashi's mask as his students… former students, each held up a bell, grins on their own faces. It was good to have them back, at least some of them anyway. They were still missing one other teammate…

They were incomplete, and deep down, Kakashi could only wonder if they would ever be whole again.

"Done," Kenshi said to himself, pulling the page from the typewriter and adding it to the other pages.

Kenshi had been assigned to the Ninth Division, initially as a junior officer, like his former teammates, but over the years, he had risen up in the ranks, replacing the previous Sixth Seat, Todo Gizaeimon, after he fell in combat. Like the other top ranked officers of the Squad, he wore the white coat, emblazoned with the words, 'Muguruma's Ninth Division' over his sleeveless kosode.

One of the special duties of Ninth Division was publishing the Seireitei Communication Monthly magazine. At first, he had worked various jobs for the magazine, proofreading articles and helping with the printing and distribution mostly, until nearly three years ago, when he had presented his Captain with the first draft of a serialized novel he wished to write for the magazine. It was their story, albeit with their names and appearances changed to avoid any claims that he was writing himself and his friends into the story. Captain Muguruma said it had potential and was considering publishing it, when Lieutenant Kuna, the bane of his existence, stumbled upon his first draft. The following month, the first chapter of Team Seven was released, ending most of Mashiro's complaining. Surprisingly, it was much better received than he had expected, especially among younger soul reapers.

Suddenly, Kenshi slapped the hand that was creeping across his desk, inching towards his newly finished draft. He sighed. "That's for the Captain's eyes only, Lieutenant Kuna. You'll have to wait like everyone else."

"Aw... Come on Hawkie, you big meanie!" Mashiro whined, poking her head from up the side of the desk. "I wanna read the next chapter! I've been waiting six months!"

Kenshi pulled out a large envelope from a drawer in his desk, and as the Lieutenant continued to throw her tantrums, he carefully placed the pages into the envelope and sealed it. "Here," he said, handing it to her. "You can deliver it to the Captain."

Mashiro's eyes lit up. She grabbed the envelope and took off, heading in the opposite direction of the Captain's office. Kenshi whistled as he pulled out the envelope with his true draft inside. He stood up and headed for Captain Muguruma's office, ignoring the loud, sudden shriek that filled the air.

Mashiro had opened the envelope.

The door to Captain Muguruma's officer was open; the Captain was at his desk, reading some documents. Kenshi cleared his throat and the Captain looked up at him. "I've finished the first draft sir."

"Just put in on my desk. I'll get to it in a moment," the gray haired captain replied.

Kenshi merely nodded and placed the envelope on the desk. "You know, it was an interesting twist, turning one of the heroes into a villain," Captain Muguruma commented as Kenshi turned to walk away.

"You should see some of the letters I've gotten since I ended the first book six months ago," he replied.

"We're heading out tomorrow," the captain said. "The Captain-General has ordered the Ninth Division to investigate the mysterious soul disappearances in the Rukongai. I want all of my best officers ready to move out tomorrow morning."

Kenshi nodded. "Yes sir."

Naruto roared, charging forward at his opponent, his twin katanas coming down. His opponent's blade shot out, blocking the swords moments before a knee struck Naruto's gut. He staggered back, managing to dodge an attack from his opponent before swing his katanas, one after another. His opponent side-stepped the first sword and parried the second with his sword, knocking the weapon from Naruto's left hand. Gripping his sword with both hands, Naruto attacked as his enemy did same.

Clapping filled the air. "Quite impressive as always," Kenshi said as he and Sakura watched on. "And again, another draw."

Naruto stood frozen, his katana less than an inch from Sasuke's face while Sasuke's sword was resting an inch from Naruto's neck. The two sparring partners stepped back, pulling their swords away and sheathing them.

"So what does that make it now? 10-10-80 now?" Sakura asked, trying to remember the exact number of matches the two had and their outcomes.

"10-10-81," Sasuke answered.

"What do you wanna bet that in a hundred years it will be 30-30-400?" Kenshi commented. "You two are too evenly matched. The only time you two ever beat the other, is more by luck than anything else. I keep on wondering why they keep on doing it."

"Because their egos won't let them admit that there's a possibility that the other could be stronger," Sakura replied. "It's one of those male 'who's bigger' thing."

Both teens paled. "It's nothing like that!" Naruto shouted in his defense.

"Then what is it like?"

Naruto hesitated, searching for the right words; unfortunately, it all came out exactly like what Sakura said. He glanced over at Sasuke, who seemed to be struggling to come up with a response as well.

Sakura began to laugh. "I take it I'm right."

"…"

"…"

She laughed harder and Kenshi joined in as well. Eventually the two stopped, but not before bruising Naruto's and Sasuke's pride. "Alright, joking aside, I have something," Kenshi said, pulling a large brown envelope from his sleeve. "The newest chapter of the Team Seven, two weeks before its release. I figured you'd guys would want to take a look at it before the final draft is done."

He threw it at Sakura, who caught it with ease. "I'm going to be out for the next day or two, so take your time," he added.

"A mission?" Sakura asked, tucking the envelope under her arm.

"Yeah. The Old Man has ordered the Ninth to begin investigating the soul disappearances in the Rukongai. So we're leaving first thing in the morning. That means I'm gonna have to leave early tonight in order to get some sleep before we go."

Naruto grinned. "Then let's get this party started."

The Rukongai
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. Kenshi, Tosen, Eishima and Kasaki were holding him back and trying to calm him down.

"Please calm down Captain," Tosen said in his usual calm voice.

"Calm down. She's not worth it Captain," Kenshi added. "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!" Mashiro replied in her sing-songish voice. "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 any more annoying, and then she does this," Kenshi said, earning chuckles from Kensei and the other officers.

"That's not very nice Hawkie!" Mashiro shouted before she threw a rock at him.

Kenshi 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 its body. A long thick neck with a lizard-like mask on its face.

"A hollow...It's huge!" Eishima said in shock.

Kensei calmly 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.

Kenshi stabbed the hollow in the base of its neck while Eishima and Kasaki sliced at its front legs. The hollow roared in pain before bring its head down upon Kenshi. He 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. Its head and the top of its neck started to slide off the rest of its neck. A split second later, it exploded. Kenshi appeared next to the captain. "That took care of that," Kenshi 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 answered.

Kensei heard the sounds of crying and turned towards its 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," Kenshi commented 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 replied.

"Shuhei huh? That's a strong name! Quit crying!"

Unsurprisingly, Shuhei didn't stop crying. Kenshi sighed as he tied his headband to his right arm. "You are 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 the top of a soul reaper uniform. "Soul reaper robes! Ten pairs of 'em!"

The eyes of the other soul reapers widened. "Did you say ten pairs?" Kenshi asked he stared at the kimono.

"Yeah. Ten of 'em." Mashiro began pulling out more uniforms. "But what's the big deal if there's ten of 'em?"

Kensei 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, eyes focused on the pile of clothes. "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?" Kenshi added.

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?" Kenshi asked.

"We're going to start 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 ranted.

"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 replied, 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 Heizo Kasaki, Thirdth 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, scratching his chin. "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."

The vein twitched on the side of Hiyori's face again. "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."

Her young assistant bowed his head. "Yes ma'am."

Campsite South Rukongai Thirty-First District
A Short While Later

"You're late Kasaki," Tosen said as his fellow officer arrived at the tent they were standing in front of.

"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 alongside the others, watching into the darkness for anything.

Inside the tent, Kensei, Mashiro and Kenshi 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," Kenshi said as he tried 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," Kenshi 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. Kenshi 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!" Kenshi 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 Third Seat of Squad 5, Gin Ichimaru. "Why Tosen? Why did you betray us?"

Tosen turned to him. "Cry..."

But before he could 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, racing at Kenshi.

"Reflect, Tsuin Yaiba!" Kenshi shouted, running his left hand over the blade of his sword.

He pulled up his sword but Shinso pierced through the blade, its tip stopping just an inch out of the Kenshi's zanpaku-to. But there was not so much as a scratch on the blade. Gin's eyes opened in surprise and confusion. Kenshi flicked his wrist, revealing the twin blades of his shikai that held Shinso in place, before pulling the weapon from Gin's hand, following with a flash-step, appearing behind the boy. Gin barely managed to turn in time and raise his arms in defense. The blades cut into his left forearm, leaving a nasty gash. At that instant, Tosen flash stepped behind Kenshi and attacked. But he managed to catch the blade, cutting his left hand deeply but otherwise, blocked Tosen's 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 flash-step and recover his weapon, using it 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, darkness consuming him.

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 several high ranked officers present," Aizen said. "Though I'm a little surprised that Captain Muguruma went down without much of a fight. No matter, 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."

Sasuke shrugged. "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.

And done. As you see, I've given Kenshi a new zanpaku-to. I've done the same for Sakura as well, but both Naruto and Sasuke have the same as in the original. Now, this story is going to be shorter than its original, due to the fact that I'm cutting out the chapters between the first chapter and the events of the TBTP. But there will be a few more surprises that original didn't have.