Many unfortunate souls find themselves out of luck, or perhaps they never had any to begin with. When you die in the World of the Living, you are given a second chance in the Soul Society, but when you are born into the Soul Society, then that is the only chance you have. Many are blessed by being born into great families, some nobles, some wealthy, and some with the prestige to never know pain and suffering. Then there are those that are less fortunate, those that are born, and then thrown away, abandoned, or perhaps just forgotten. These lost souls grow up in the darkness, never knowing love, and never knowing what it means to truly live. This is the story of Zarin Morozov and his dark past.

[4]

The Zaraki District of Rukongai was well known for its high crime rate, and the inhabitants here would rather stab you than shake your hand. District 80 was a crime-infested wasteland, and the Shinigami assigned to patrol this area weren't any better. They were corrupt and enjoyed watching the suffering of the poor and less fortunate. It was difficult to leave. The souls here would be chased out of other Districts, accused of being beggars or thieves, and told to never come back. If you wanted to leave Zaraki, then the only way was to die, and become reincarnated as a new soul in the World of the Living. No one wants to die though, and that's especially true for Zarin Morozov, someone unfortunate enough to have been born in this forsaken District.

Zarin was just a kid, but he had no family he could call on for help, and no friends willing to offer a helping hand. He had more Reiryoku than the average soul born in Rukongai, so he had it worse than most. Hunger-stricken, and without the food to satiate the constant pain in his stomach. It took him a long time to understand what this feeling was, as he had never experienced hunger before.

One day he just couldn't handle the pain anymore and went into the forest to hopefully die. Many Hollows were known to be found in this forest, but he was so unlucky that he didn't find even one. He took a handful of berries from a nearby bush, hoping they were poisonous, but once again he had little to no luck. He waited a few minutes and came to the realization that the pain in his stomach was starting to subside, and a new feeling of strength washed over him. Hunger, it was hunger that he had been feeling. He had heard stories from some of the drunks in Zaraki, but never believed them. He stuffed his pockets with the berries and got out of the forest before his luck turned to more misfortune.

Berries were not enough to satiate Zarin for long, and he didn't want to risk going into the forest more than necessary. He knew that he would have to resort to different methods if he wanted to survive, lest he wither away from starvation like so many he had seen before. So Zarin resorted to stealing, and he discovered that he was rather good at it. He would sneak into the other nearby Districts under the cover of night, sneak into vendor's carts, their shops, and even their homes just to grab a meal. Unfortunately, this streak of luck did not last, and once again he was stricken with the misfortune that always haunted him.

One day, while Zarin was breaking into a merchant's shop, he was caught by a patrolling Shinigami. He expected to just be slapped on the wrist, and maybe reprimanded for it by having to apologize to the owner, but the Shinigami had other plans. He dragged the boy to a nearby alley and beat him within an inch of his life. "That'll teach you, thief! Just lay there and die." He laughed and walked away, leaving Zarin in a growing pool of his own blood. Zarin should have known better than to think a Shinigami would help him. They were just assholes that only cared for themselves. He coughed up blood, smiling as he looked at the stars in the sky above. At least he wouldn't have to suffer anymore. His eyes slowly closed as he succumbed to the darkness.

When Zarin opened his eyes, he was surprised to find that he was no longer in the alley and was even more surprised to see a roof above his head rather than the open sky. He tried to move but was quickly pushed down by a woman completely unfamiliar to him. "Don't move! You'll reopen your wounds. Let them heal first. Please." She smiled down at him and offered him a glass of water. "Thirsty?" Zarin nodded, which was a mistake as pain shot through him. "Oh! I'm sorry. Here, hun." She slowly poured the water in his mouth so he could drink without choking on it.

Zarin swallowed the water and simply stared at her. "Why did you save me?" He struggled to get the words out, his voice sounded raspy and strained. He didn't know this woman, and no one this far out in Rukongai helped someone they didn't even know.

The woman just smiled at him again. It was a warm smile, something and a feeling washed over Zarin that he had never felt before. "Well, if I'm being honest…" She looked down, blushing slightly. "You remind me of my kid brother from when I was alive." She looked Zarin over, at his stark black hair that curled down to his shoulders, his icy blue eyes that could freeze hell over, and his pale complexion under the dirt and grime coating his skin.

Zarin laughed at her response, but immediately regretted it as more pain wracked his body. He had never met someone so innocent and pure and was wondering why she was even in this District. She was beautiful enough that she could be easily adopted into a noble family! Either way he had been saved, and perhaps he had finally found someone that he could trust. They stayed together for years in that rundown little shack and supported each other through thick and thin.

Both had higher than normal Reiryoku, and so they were always trying to find enough food to support them both. Zarin was secretly making sure she always had more food. When she was still hungry, he would often give her his portion, saying that he wasn't hungry that day. Sure, she tried to argue a few times, but gave up after he kept refusing to eat until she was full. This just made her search harder and farther for more food. She wanted to take care of him and wanted to repay his kindness.

Then one day the countless hungry nights finally caught up to Zarin, and he was bedridden with sickness. He couldn't go with her to look for food like they usually did, so she went alone. She decided that she was going to try and help Zarin and went into the forest to search for the proper herbs. She knew a thing or two about that kind of thing, but unfortunately, she would never return that night.

Zarin, fatigued by hunger, and wondering where his friend was, struggled to push himself out of bed, and made his way into town. He barely made it and had collapsed a few times from exhaustion. That's when he overheard a group of Shinigami gossiping. One of them was telling the story of how he had watched a Hollow rip apart some girl in the forest and gave all sorts of details on how he didn't do anything to help. It didn't take Zarin long to connect the dots. Then he remembered. This was the same Shinigami that had nearly killed him. He tightened his fist in anger, memorizing the face of that bastard.

Over the next few weeks Zarin would prepare to enact his revenge. He stole a fancy knife from some butcher shop and had trained with it on a tree until he felt comfortable wielding it. He followed the Shinigami every night, memorizing his patrol route. Then it was time to finally put his plans into motion. Zarin embarked under the cover of night, dressed from head to toe in all black, and the knife held firmly in his hand.

He followed the Shinigami until he saw the perfect opportunity and snuck up behind them as they were taking a leak in an alley. Zarin grinned, knowing this revenge would be all the sweeter due to that irony. It's too bad he couldn't see the look on the guy's face as he slit his throat with the knife. The Shinigami grabbed at his throat, trying to stop the bleeding, but Zarin was faster. He grabbed the Shinigami's Zanpakuto, pulling it from it's sheathe, and ran the man through with his own sword. The Shinigami was dead within the minute. Zarin just stood over him, looking at the blood pooling around his feet. The Shinigami were a scourge that needed to be cleansed.

Zarin had kept the Zanpakuto of the Shinigami. When he examined it back at the shack, he noticed that the blade was shorter than some he had seen, and identified it as a Tantō, a short sword that could almost be called a dagger. He liked it and compared it to the knife he has used to kill the Shinigami with. The blades were almost the same length. He smiled, and trained until he became proficient enough in wielding it. The next few years of his life were spent assassinating any Shinigami that tried to enter the Zaraki District, but one day he was approached by a Shinigami he was not sure he would be able to defeat.

This man was wearing the Shihakusho of a Shinigami, but he also wore the white Haori of a Captain. There was something different about him though, and Zarin couldn't quite place what it was. He was different than the other Shinigami he had faced up until now. The Captain nodded at the Zanpakuto in Zarin's hands. "Are you responsible for the deaths of my Division Members in this area?" His voice was stern, but the question was surprisingly sincere.

Zarin gulped, raising the blade at the Shinigami Captain. "Y-yes. They were evil and deserved what they got." His body was shaking with fear, but his eyes remained fixed on the Captain, unwavering in their conviction.

The Captain just laughed and offered Zarin their hand to shake. "Then I must thank you, young man. I purposely assigned those men to this District because they were less than ideal to have in other areas of Rukongai. I cannot thank you enough for getting rid of them for me. The paperwork was a bit annoying, but I think it was worth it in the end."

Zarin was shocked. He had expected the Captain to be furious, but this was not what he thought was going to happen. He had always known that the disappearances wouldn't go unnoticed, and he knew that one day they would send someone to stop him once and for all. He just figured that when it happened it would simply be his time to go. He looked at the outstretched hand, unsure of whether he should take it or not. This could be a trap, or maybe this Shinigami was being genuine. Zarin lowered the Zanpakuto to his side, and hesitantly took the Captain's hand.

The Captain smiled and shook Zarin's hand with surprising enthusiasm. "I am Captain Ikkou Shihōin of the 2nd Division, Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō, and if things go well, I hope to be your new benefactor. What do you say? Are you interested in being a Shinigami?"

This turn of events was still shocking to Zarin. He had only ever experienced bad luck, so why was this happening to him now? He let go of the Captain's hand and looked up at him. "I have done nothing but kill Shinigami with this blade. I have never cut down a single Hollow. I don't think I would make a very good Shinigami…" He hung his head in shame but knew that it was the truth. He was a killer and a thief. He couldn't even protect the one person he had cared about more than anything.

Captain Shihōin placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, reassuring the boy. "You are lost, I know. You do not know what your purpose is in life, but there is more to being a Shinigami than hunting Hollows. The Onmitsukidō could use someone like you. I will fund your way through the academy, and when you graduate, if you so wish it, I would love to have you as one of my Seated Officers."

Zarin shot the Captain a look, one of surprise, and disbelief. "W-why? Why go this far for someone like me? I don't even deserve to be saved." Tears began to well up in his eyes, overflowing down his cheeks, and splashing onto the floor below. "I'm just a criminal."

"Yes, you're right. You have committed many crimes, and by every right I should have you executed, but I'm not so foolish as to see someone with such talent just waste it on something as petty as revenge. Join me. Become an extension of my blade, become my hunter, and become someone that I can rely on." He offered Zarin his hand, refusing to take no for an answer.

The boy simply nodded, knowing that this was right. He could do more as a Shinigami, and perhaps he would find someone worth protecting again. If he was even capable of love. He took the Captain's hand and took his first step towards becoming the very thing he had grown to hate and despise. Perhaps they weren't all so bad, but that was for him to find out on his own. Only time would tell whether he would come to regret accepting that offer.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

The story of the boy that lost it all, only to gain something new. This is just how his story began, but it is not where it starts. His path is still uncertain, and one wrong step could send him over the edge into the darkness. What lies in store for him is yet to be determined, as time is ever in flux, and destiny is never guaranteed. Will he become the hero this world needs, or will he become an even greater threat than the one that threatens them now? There is only one person who can set him on the right path. Only one person who can perhaps save him. Her name is Katheryn Hyde, and the story of their fateful meeting is next.