Soul Society

Rukia Kuchiki hurried along the corridor, her straw sandals slapping against the wooden floor. She passed by many other lower ranked shinigami, most of them who bowed to her. The shinigamis were all tensed up and there were whispers among them. Something was wrong in Soul Society and it was not something good.

Rukia hardly noticed the tensed state around her. She herself was all tensed up, hardly able to walk straight. The alarm had sounded and the vice captains were to meet up with the captains at the great hall. She was worried. What could have possibly caused such great alarm in Soul Society?

"Rukia."

She spun around and saw Renji Abarai walking up to her. They began to walk in the same brisk state.

"Do you know why there's an emergency?"

"Beats me. It seems like a big thing though. I heard that someone's hurt or something like that."

"I don't like the sound of that. Let's hurry."

They reached the great hall, where they usually held the meetings. The General Captain, Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai sat on his chair, his face stony. The rest of the captains and vice captains were standing at either side of the great hall. Renji took his place opposite the 6th Division Captain, Byakuya Kuchiki.

"Sir," Kenpachi Zaraki, the 11th Division Captain spoke up. "What is so urgent a matter that the alarms are sounded?"

"Patience, Kenpachi." The old man sighed. "We have a crisis on our hands now. And it would be unwise to lose patience now."

Tōshirō Hitsugaya, the 10th Division Captain snorted. "We don't have time to be patient, sir."

"I agree with Captain Hitsugaya." Rangiku Masumoto, the 10th Division vice captain added. "We need to dispatch our armies to counter this threat."

"Whatever it is." Renji quipped.

"Rukia Kikuchi." The General Captain said, turning to her. "I have an assignment for you."

"Sir," Rukia said. "I'm not trying to be rude but can you please state the matter of urgency?"

"Alright, you impatient ones." The old man sighed again. "One of our captains has been terribly injured."

"Who is it?"

"Captain of the 8th Division, Shunsui Kyōraku." The General Captain replied. "He was ambushed in one of the back alleys of Soul Society."

The captains recoiled in shock. It was not possible to enter Soul Society so easily. And the fact that this assailant might have injured a powerful captain like Shunsui. The thought was not comforting.

"I think that this is an inside job. Someone in Soul Society grievously hurt Captain Kyōraku. I fear that there will be more. Everyone must be on the lookout. No one should be excused. No one is guilty until proven so. No one should be above suspicion."

"Does that mean all of us are suspects in this case?" Momo Hinamori, vice captain of the 5th Division. She had been quieter lately after finally realizing her captain was no longer who he was.

"In a way, yes."

"Do we have any idea who did it?" Byakura Kikuchi asked quietly.

"No. And that is our problem."

"Well, that's just not fair for us." Rukia said.

"Rukia Kikuchi. That is why I need you to do the assignment." The General Captain said.

"Anything, sir." Rukia said, bowing."

"I need you to go find a person. He may well be the only one who can help us now." He looked at her intently. "He may be the one who can help us solve this case."

"Sir, you're not going to ask the substitute shinigami to come help us, are you?" Yachiru Kusajishi said from behind Kenpachi's back. The General Captain turned to look at her.

"No. But Rukia may ask for Ichigo Kurosaki's help. Heaven knows that we'll need all the warriors we have to overcome this matter."

The captains gave a halfhearted agreement.

"Rukia Kikuchi."

"Yes sir."

"Go to the mortal realm and bring back a person."

"Who, sir?"

"A boy named…Shinichi Kudo."