The start of something new, yet inherently old - Introduction

Far off, caressing the edges of space and staring into the abyss at the end of time, there sits an island. Upon this island, live a meager few who spend their time rushing through time and jumping between the borders of the various universes - both in and out of existence. These men and women, are known as the �Time Police� - those who would risk all that they have to cross the borders of reality and save the worlds which are slowly being grasped, and destroyed by an unfathomable darkness.

Throughout history as we know it, sentient creatures have dreamed of worlds beyond their own - dreamed of experiences not of their own. Magnificent visions and experiences of lives conveniently different from their own. Seen as a way to escape the bonds held onto them by their own existence, these beings dreamed hard and for as long as they could - even going so far as to designate time each night to escaping to these strikingly different locales. These sentient creatures devoted themselves to sleep, and peeked through the veil of reality to gaze upon the presences of those within entirely different worlds than their own.

These beings, whose dreams were so powerful that they could tear holes into reality for their minds to traverse were the original creators of the �Time Police�. Now, trillions of years from its inception, the Time Station - the island belonging to these policers - is beginning to fall to the darkness to which they have sworn to protect others from. In a last ditch effort, the final Dreamer has ordered a handful of members to traverse the boundaries of time and space and gain power from these worlds that they had sworn to protect.

Originally, when a member of the Time Police was given a world to protect, they would enter that place in a way most befitting of its setting. Should a robot enter a western-era world, they would gain human form and their clothing, weapons and abilities would also change slightly in order for them to better fit in with those that they would live with until the world�s end before returning to the Time Station as they had left it. However, now that the Time Station itself is in danger, the final Dreamer has ordered all remaining members of the Time Police to abandon their former duties and solely seek power in these worlds also on the verge of falling to darkness. Lifting the ban on returning with powers not of their own, any member of the Time Police is now able to enter a given world and return with as many powers as its respective Dreamer is willing to give.

Now set on finally confronting the darkness they�d been struggling against for millennia; Gill, Matt, Let, Poal, and Thomas ready themselves for their coming adventures and the various perils that they�re bound to meet.

Begin Act 1 - The Dreamer's World of 'Bleach'

------------

Acts
1 - Bleach
2 - ???

------------


Let's Story
A1P2L1
A1P2L2
A1P3L3
A1P3L4
A1P3L5
A1P3L6
A1P4

Thomas' Story
A1P2T1
A1P3T2
A1P4
A1P4T3

Matt's Story
A1P4

Poal's Story
A1P3P1
A1P4

Gill's Story
A1P3G1
A1P4

Accumulated Powers

Let


Thomas


Matt


Poal


Gill

Act 1 Part 1

Gill, Matt, Let, Poal and Thomas all made their way towards the station�s assembly hall. There wasn�t exactly a hurry, since the meeting wouldn�t start without them regardless of when they arrived. For the time being, excluding the Dreamer and their commanding officer, the five of them were the only members of the Time Police left at home base. The loss of a recent world had seen the death of the majority of their numbers, while the rest were sent off to bolster the ranks of other worlds on the verge of destruction. What was left, was an elite squad consisting of the very bottom of the barrel.

On one hand, out of the five there stood Poal - a rather talented marksman with two additional arms sprouting from his back and hanging over the shoulders of the originals. There was also Gill, the only female of the group and the least talkative of the bunch - a drawback of her mimicry powers that she�d been trying to prevail over since she�d joined the organization. However, though two of the members could have possibly been part of a true, �elite� squad, the other three threw off that balance.

Thomas - a relic of olden times. A flaming skeleton within an Earth made astronaut suit - a real wild card with multiple personalities and an awful sense of humor revolving around his disposition as a flaming skeleton. Matt also followed suit as a �wild card� by having his own deck of cards decide his actions and personality. When the cards have been taken from him he becomes rather sensible, although he does persistently ask and search for the stolen items. Finally, the newest member of the Time Police was Let - a young boy appearing to be around eleven or twelve, though possessing a much higher intellect. The boy was being mentored by another member of the force with a genius level of intellect, however, that man was lost in the destruction of the world only a few days prior.

As the group entered the assembly hall, they were met by their superior officer�s disapproving glare. The man stood nearly a foot taller than Poal - the tallest of this ragtag group of five. The superior�s glare moved one by one to each of the five in attendance, his gaze lingering on the skeleton with whom he�d had many altercations in the past.

�I suppose you�re all in attendance then.� The man�s voice was deep and harsh, each word a powerful boom which rung out and lingered all through the room. �The Dreamer, alongside the rest of the members of the Time Police are all busy with protecting a great number of other worlds, so it rests on your collective shoulders to carry the rest of the weight.� The man pulled off his shirt slowly, revealing a plain white tank top and muscles which bulged beneath his caramel skin. �The Dreamer has instructed me to let you all know that you will make up an elite squad of Power-ers.�

The group shifted slowly, an air of unease swept across the room as the words crept from their superior�s mouth.

�Sir,� Poal began, lifting his hand into the air as he straightened his back. �You don�t really mean for us to be Power-ers, do you? Isn�t that against our� isn�t it against everything that we stand for? I�m sure you haven�t forgotten what happened the last time someone became a Power-er��

The leading officer traced his fingers across the various scars and divots in his skin. �No, I haven�t forgotten. However, the Dreamer has deemed it necessary. Given that this,� the man gestured out towards the five in front of him, �elite group is only just starting out, I will continue to be your overseer and ensure that your gained abilities do not run rampant. Of course, though one rule has been lifted from you that does not mean that all of them will follow suit.� The man stepped towards the group, firmly placing his hands on Poal and Let�s shoulders.

�Then we still have to wear those silly getups eh?� Thomas pulled his skull free from the suit and began to scratch at the top of his spine with the exposed tips of his finger bones. The flames within his eye sockets slowly puttered out and the jaw ceased to move with the words that he spoke.

�It wouldn�t exactly be inviting in any world to see a walking, talking pile of muk now, would it?� The commanding officer�s eyes sparked with passion, daring the skeleton to return the insult. �You should feel lucky after all. Ever since your last folly, you�ve been grounded here on home base as punishment. It should come as a relief to you that you�re being allowed to leave at all.�

The skeleton placed its skull back on its shoulders and then rolled it around, the fire reigniting as it came into the proper position. Thomas turned to the side and waved away the words of the elder officer. �Whatever you say. Sometimes, I wish I�d never crashed into this damned place.�

�Then you�d still be stuck out there floating freely, alone, with only the exploding stars to keep you company in the dead of night.�

�You can�t really tell day from night in space. It�s just, impossible. Really. Although it is comforting in some ways. I never had a bone to pick with anyone.�

The commanding officer shook his head in disapproval and muttered something to himself before inhaling deeply.

�Oh come on Jacky, that wasn�t even a joke. It just slipped out.�

Jacky - the commanding officer - turned his back and walked towards a table that was set up a short ways behind him. The man picked up five boxes and brought them over towards the group, handing one out to each person.

�These are your new badges. They have some additional perks that set them apart from the regulars. For one, they�re exempt from the rules regarding Power-ers. These badges will store any and all powers which you collect while inside a world, as well as letting your mind enter into them to train up any powers that you�ve gained. These badges will also allow you to use the powers you�ve gained from one world in another, regardless of implications or the possibility of it occurring in that reality. Meaning, should you find yourself in possession of let�s say, powers that make use of your blood and you�re in a world where nobody has blood, then your powers will still activate regardless of that limitation.�

�And they also act in the same ways as the regular badges right? You�ve tested these?� Poal stared into the eyes of Jacky as he leaned forward. �Are you sure that they actually work as intended?�

Jacky diverted his gaze, breaking the link between their eyes. �Yes. They�ve been� thoroughly tested.�

�How?� Poal put his hand on the man�s chest and clenched at his shirt.

Jacky placed his hand over Poal�s squeezing tightly as he bit down onto his own lip. �Let it rest. Just know that these devices will work.� Jacky released his grip on the man�s hand, in turn causing him to release his superior�s shirt from within the clenched fist. �Should you find yourself in a place where you otherwise wouldn�t be able to survive, these will act as a preserver and regulate your vitals. Should you find yourself on death�s door, these will retrieve you from that instance and return you to the Room Of Doors.�

Jacky walked past the closely huddled group of five and made his way through the door. Slowly, the other policers fell in behind him as they made their way to the edge of the city. There, at the edge of all existence stood a door. The void that was nonexistence stared back at them all as the superior officer placed his hand on the door�s knob.

�The Dreamer�s world of Bleach.�

The door began to glow as Jacky�s words rang out. Slowly, the man turned the knob and pulled the door ajar, opening it wide enough for all to see the solitary door laying in wait within. Quickly and quietly, the five Power-ers made their way into the room, causing it to compress down and expand simultaneously as it made enough space for them all to enter.

�From here on, you all will be alone. Remember, your goal here is not to protect, but to progress. However, you still must adhere by the law of the policers. No matter what happens in there, you fight for the good of all first and foremost. No matter how rough things may seem, no matter how disgusted you may become, you must not destroy someone not influenced by the darkness. Men�s hearts may become corrupted, but there shall always be redemption in wait for them. Only when they become shadows of the greater evil are they unable to be saved. Become stronger.�

Jacky looked each one of the five over once more and then closed the door slowly. The knob returned to its original position and the man pressed his hand and head against it, a single tear rolling down his face as he stared at his own badge, strikingly similar to the ones that he�d given to the others just moments ago albeit much more heavily worn and with various symbols upon it not present in the others.

�Be safe, my love.�

Act 1 Part 2 - Let 1

“Oi! I think he’s comin’ back awake!”

Let’s eyes opened slowly as he awoke to an entirely new world. This was his first time outside of the time station since he’d joined the ranks of the officers. The sun shone high up above the child as he stared into it, his eyes burning for some reason as he tried to grasp the nature of the orb of light hovering above him.

“What is that?” The boy whispered, words only just barely escaping from his chapped lips.

“That, is the sun.” A man in a striped hat and black coat knelt down beside the boy and stared up at the glowing orb from behind his tinted glasses. “Great big ball of light that keeps all of us here in the world of the living happy and warm. Oh, and yes, welcome by the way.”

“Welcome?” Let sat up and looked around himself. The boy had heard many stories from his mentor about these various dream worlds, but he’d thought they’d only be like mirages. The detail that was present in this world was astonishing, far much more alive than anything he could have ever imagined. The more that Let stared at his surroundings, trying to take everything in the more that he felt this world was not just a dream, but very much a true reality of its own. “Where am I?”

“This is the world of the living. And you,” the man pressed the tip of his cane up beneath the child’s chin, turning his head and lifting it up so that their eyes met, “you are not of this world.”

Let took a deep breath and pressed his lips tighter together. From what little his mentor had been able to teach him, this situation was growing grim. Of all the things that a policer could do upon entering a new world, being found out for what they truly were was the worst possibility.

The man laughed lightly as he withdrew his cane and then used it to prop himself up off of the ground. “Don’t worry, this is a safe place. Whether you’re from the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, the living world or somewhere else entirely, this shall be your haven. My doors are open to you, no matter the question. Of course, a fee will be involved representative of your request.”

Let looked up to the small building behind the man. A rather large man, reminding the boy of Officer Jacky stood stalwart at the front door. On the other side of the door, a young girl and boy were seen bickering and fighting amongst themselves as they fought over a plank of wood engraved with strange lettering.

“Urahara… shop…” Let pressed his fingers to his lips tentatively, surprised that his voice was the one speaking the words which he’d never before seen. “How is it that I know this language?”

“Beats me.” The man walked away and pushed open the door to the shop, looking over his shoulder at the young boy still laying in the dirt. “I’m sure there’s a great many things that we can both learn should you choose to come inside. But, that is your choice. My name’s Kisuke Urahara. If you want to know more, I’d ask you to be polite and come inside so you may introduce yourself as well. That is, whenever you’re done rolling around in the dirt.”

Let stared quietly at the man. The boy couldn’t tell if their eyes were meeting, but he could feel that Kisuke was analyzing every bit of his being as he stood in that doorway. Several seconds passed and then Urahara disappeared into the unlit entryway, followed closely by the dark-skinned man and the two children. Soon, Let was left alone.

The boy pulled his officer’s badge from his pocket and looked at it, noting that it had changed both its shape and color. What had once been a golden plaque with raised, incandescent, white lettering stating his name and rank had been transformed into a simple half-skull atop two crossed lines which all rested upon a shield-like structure roughly the same size of the boy’s palm. Flipping it over, revealed a faintly glowing light radiating from the word ‘return’.

Let placed the badge back into his pocket and looked around him once more, wondering where the other four members of the group had run off to. It wasn’t uncommon for large parties to enter dreams like this and be separated, but the boy was sure that at least one of the others would have managed to stick next to him. It was his first time after all.

Let rose to his feet and let out a sigh as he brushed himself off. This world was interesting - different from all that he’d grown up knowing on the station in almost every way. The source of light here was located some ways off, but seemed to serve the same purpose as ‘The Blinding’ of the Dreamer’s palace. He wondered if that sun also served the secondary purpose of ‘The Blinding’... was there someone out there watching over him even now? The boy shook his head. He couldn’t let his thoughts get the better of him. His goal was to gain power and knowledge in order to defeat the darkness. And for that, he’d have to become better acquainted with this foreign world which he’d fallen into. Cautiously, the boy walked up to the shop’s door and pressed it open, peeking his head inside.

“I see you’ve finally joined us. Tessai is preparing tea at the moment. If you don’t mind, is it possible that we could play a game of Shogi while we pry at the secrets of one another’s minds?”

Kisuke was already seated atop a cushion placed on the ground. The pieces had all been set up in advance, and it seemed that the man had intended this from the beginning - the devilish grin spread across his face didn’t betray that fact either.

“I’m not familiar with the game.”

“Not to worry my boy.” Urahara tapped his cane against the cushion placed directly across from him. “Take a seat, I’ll teach you the basics and then we’ll go at it for real.”

Let swallowed as he sat carefully onto the cushion that had been prepared for him. He grasped most things quite quickly, so learning the rules of this game shouldn’t have posed much of a challenge for him. However, what was truly putting him on edge was the man with whom he’d be playing. Even with having only just met Kisuke, the boy could tell that there were some ulterior motives at play. Of course, he couldn’t exactly be one to talk given his duty. But in this moment, it was also his duty to ensure that whatever this man’s plans were didn’t come to fruition. He had to win this game and let loose what little information he could about his true identity.

“Now, let us begin.”

Act 1 Part 2 - Let 2

Let stared at the game board, dumbstruck. The game had seemed so simple at first, the boy was positive that he’d be able to win handily. The outcome that was, however, proved the opposite. It was completely one-sided. Somehow, Kisuke had managed to play both aggressively and defensively at the same time - losing only four pieces in total while taking Let’s entire side of the field.

“Well, that was both fun and informative. You really shouldn't let loose so many important things about yourself officer.”

Let grit his teeth, not moving his eyes away from the game board as he tried to recreate all the different moves that they'd taken and played out each instance differently in his mind.

“It's no use Let.” The mysterious shop owner rose from his seat with a wide grin on his face. “No matter what moves you had taken, the outcome would have been the same.”

The boy began to tear up as the realization that he’d failed in his mission slowly sank in. Kisuke hovered over the boy, his eyes peering out from behind a pair of spectacles which at this point, seemed to have somehow grown to be too big for his face. The shop owner removed the glasses and handed them to the man known as Tessai who was waiting by his side.

“Make sure you get those analyzed.” Urahara looked behind him as the man rolled the spectacles up in a cloth and disappeared into a back room. “Glasses are just so uncomfortable, but they may prove to be of some use in the future.” Kisuke turned back to face Let, whose face was now covered in tears as he sat quietly on the floor. “Well, what are you waiting around for?”

Let sniffed, pulling a large amount of snot as well as many boogers back up into his nose as he wiped his face. The boy looked up into the shaded eyes of the man who’d just so handily beaten him. “W-what?”

“The reason you came here is to gain some of our worlds’ powers, is it not? So then, what are you waiting for? If you’re serious about it, then get up and come with me.”

Let’s eyes widened as the tears dried against his cheeks. “You’re really going to give me some of your power?”

“Well, it won’t be anything as easy as that. But if what you came for is some of this world’s power, then I’m sure we can figure something out.” The man smiled lightly, his front teeth showing from behind his thin lips. “We’ll start out with some training, just to see what you’re regularly capable of before diving fully in. As you are now, your reiatsu is you’re only just slightly more capable than your average bodybuilder in terms of raw power.” The man began to rub his chin as he thought. “I’d like to train you physically first more so than anything, since once you return to your own world there’s no telling how our powers will work there, so as long as we strengthen your base to a higher level you should retain some fraction of your powers here regardless.”

“So you want me to…”

“For now, it’ll just be some basic strength and speed training. After that is when we’ll get into the really good stuff as well as the true reason for which you came here. Of course, none of this will be done without compensation however. In order for me to train you, I’ll need you to stay and help out around this place until you go back home. I assume that’s more than alright with you?”

Let quickly rose up, taking a seat on his knees and planting his head against the floor. “Please! Please teach me!” Nothing he’d done up to this point had prepared him for any of this. Kisuke was clearly much more intelligent than the air that he put off, which caused Let to harbor a sort of respect for him almost immediately. After hearing that Urahara was willing to train him and fulfill his mission, almost all of the boy’s worries washed away and was replaced with a nervous sort of excitement.

“Calm down kid, we’ll have plenty of time. We’ll take as long as is necessary to hone your powers up to a formidable level. Given your status, I’m sure that the upper limits of what you’ll be capable of will be… interesting, to say the least. For now, you should rest though. We’ll start early tomorrow morning. I need time to prepare a proper uniform for you before we get started after all.”

Let’s energy slowly subsided as the rest of his team shot to the front of his mind. “Sir, if you don’t mind me asking,” Let slowly rose to his feet, still standing almost two feet shorter than Kisuke, “I know I told you that I came here with four others, but when I arrived they were nowhere to be found. I’m afraid that something bad has happened to them but-”

“I wouldn’t worry too much. At the same time that your reiatsu appeared in this world, so too did two others. If half of you came, I’m sure the other two appeared somewhere as well. Though, they just may not have appeared in the same world as you. In this world, there are actually three planes which one can exist in or travel to; The Soul Society, the world of the living, and Hueco Mundo. If one of your friends fell into the Soul Society, their training may be expedited. However, if they fell into Hueco Mundo… there’s no telling what might happen given some… prior information… regardless, if these people are all similar to yourself albeit with more training, they should be able to handle themselves. The other two who fell into the world of the living are on a much higher level than yourself when it comes to their spiritual pressure, most likely due to being familiar with their jobs.”

Let let out a sigh of relief. If this man said that they’d be able to handle themselves, then it was fine. “Thank you.”

Kisuke nodded his head. “It’s getting dark out. Why don’t you go upstairs? I’m sure Ururu has prepared a bed for you by now. Get some rest if you can.”

The man turned his back on the young officer of time and disappeared into the darkness of the hallway behind him, following in the footsteps of Tessai. Let looked around the room, forgetting for a moment that this was actually still just a little shop that that man ran. The boy looked down to the Shogi pieces and then slowly made his way down the same hallway that the two others had taken before him, tightly squeezing the badge in his pocket as he wondered into which of the other two worlds the other two officers had fallen.

Act 1 Part 2 Thomas 1

“H-h-hollow!” a young woman screamed out from within the purely white room.

“Why are you screaming? It’s my job to make the skeleton jokes lady. My thing. Not yours. Capiche?” Thomas scratched the top of his skull as he sat up, only just having awoken in the new world. “What is this place anyways? The air feels really heavy around here.”


The woman who was cowering in the corner away from him was clad in a black cloak atop white robes and held a sword at her waist. The woman’s hair was done up into pigtails which dropped down from the top of her head to her shoulders, almost taking on the appearance of horns.

“Hollow! Someone! Help me! I’m not ready to die yet!”

“Listen lady! Just because I’m a skeleton doesn’t mean I’m completely hollow. I still have feelings y’know, and you’re just being a little bit rude. I’m afraid I’ma have to leave now.” Tom held out his hand and blew away the wall of the building, revealing an entire world of white column-like structures of various sizes. “What the psyduck is this now? Why can’t I feel the energies of anyone else? Don’t tell me they got lost on their way here. Dammit, here I thought they were supposed to be some sort of elites.”
“Don’t run away from me!” The woman, who had apparently built up what little courage she had, leapt at the skeleton and slammed her sword against his head. The blade bounced cleanly off of Tom’s skull and shook the woman’s entire body with the reverberations, causing the flat of the blade to hit her in the face as she struggled to control it.

Thomas turned around slowly, staring at the woman with his head cocked. “Now what’d you go and do that for? I’m just tryna find out where I am lady. Give me a psyduckin’ break.” Thomas turned back around, bent his legs, and leapt from the hole he’d blown in the building. “Sorry, I just really don’t have time to mess around with you right now.”

Soon after the skeletal man had jumped, an alarm began to sound which caused a great many number more men and women dressed in a similar fashion as the girl before to appear all around him. “I wasn’t expecting a welcoming committee, but if that’s how you do it around here that’s fine.”

“Eliminate the hollow!”

“Shouldn’t we wait for one of the Lieutenants to arrive?”

“Hell no! Just finish this thing off and you’ll be in prime position for a promotion. Besides, it’s just one measly hollow.”

Tom looked at all the faces around him, their swords drawn as they circled around him, slowly closing the distance as they did so. “Listen guys, I don’t know what you’re talking about but your stepping on my turf is starting to get a little bit more than annoying.”

“This hollow can talk? What’s going on here?”

“Don’t worry about it, just kill it already!”

All at once, the nine people who’d been circling around Thomas closed the gap, swords all drawn above their heads as they readied to deliver justice to the inhuman being.

“I’d roll my eyes, but, y’know. I don’t have any.” Tom looked at all the swords as they converged into a single point, letting the joke land dryly as he grew weary of these people. “I haven’t had these many flies hovering around me since my body first decomposed.”

The swords landed simultaneously on the skeleton, and as before simply bounced off the yellowed skull. Thomas pulled his head from his shoulders and began to roll it around in his hands as he felt for any damage.

“Nope. Nada. Thanks for playing though, please, try again if you must. It won’t do any good. I’ve had more than my fair share of milk over the years.” The skeleton stuck his fingers into his own skull’s eye sockets and then slowly walked through the air towards one of the men who’d attacked him. “Pins are all lined up. He takes his time, says a few words under his breath. Perhaps a prayer to his late mother. Perfect form, coming off of a four strike run, can he keep it going.” The skull flew through the air at lightning speed, slamming into the face of the first man before bouncing off and hitting every one of the people who’d once surrounded him before returning to his skeletal fingers. “Strike! He is on fire today ladies and gentlemen. He is on the path for a perfect game today.”

Suddenly, a boy appeared before Thomas in a white cloak which was more open and flowing than the black ones of those before. “I suppose you’re the one causing all the ruckus here then. It’s time for you to depart, hollow.”

Thomas sighed deeply. “Kid, I know you’re probably just trying to have fun with your make-believe game, but this isn’t the place for you. And for the last psyducking time, I’m not this hollow thing- well, I am a hollow thing, just not… I’m a skeleton and I’m hollow but not in the way that you guys are trying to say.”

“Enough talk!” The boy slid his sword through the bone-tight black jumpsuit that Tom had been transformed into wearing after having entered the world. With another swipe of the blade, the boy had cut off both of the skeleton’s arms and was dropping his sword down towards the officer’s skull before the skeletal appendages rose back up to stop the blade.

“Look, kid, you’re stronger than those others I’ll give you that, but you really don’t want to mess with me right now. I’ve got a mission of my own, and I’d rather not get detention again for psyducking it up.”

The boy’s eyes widened as he jumped backwards. “So, you’ve got some more powers than the average hollow. Interesting, but not enough to defeat me. Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens. Hyōrinmaru!” With a flash of light, the blade extended and a chain grew from its hilt. Water and ice fell from the tip of the blade and formed a puddle surrounding the boy. “I am Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Captain of Tenth Division. I shall be the final thing you see before passing from this world.”

Thomas began to applaud the boy. “Magnificent. Marvelous. A wonder powerful for a child. Hitsugaya, was it? Amazing. I suppose I’ll introduce myself then too. I am Major Thomas Berk of the United States spacecraft known as Nova. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The skeleton shoved his hand through the thin cloth of his clothes and felt around inside of his own body before pulling out the badge denoting his position as an officer of the time police. “Of course, that’s not all that I am either. But, that part’s a secret.” In the blink of an eye, the skeleton had slammed the badge against the crystal in the center of its forehead, causing another version of himself to fly out the back of the skeletal body clad in clothes similar to those that he’d been fighting. “Now here’s where things will get interesting.”

Act 1 Part 3 Let 3

“Wake up young Mr. Officer. Your training will begin today.”

The burlish man known as Tessai hovered over Let with a tray in his hands from which steam was wafting. The aroma coming from the items upon it streamed into his nose and sent a rush through his body. He’d never smelled anything like it before. Let shot upright almost immediately after being woken up, staring at the man with his eyes following the tray as he sat it next to the futon which had been rolled out for the policer.

“What is it?” Let asked, his eyes widening as they scanned over the array of foods that he’d just been given.

“Nothing much. Sausages, bacon, eggs, pancakes with strawberries and honey, sourdough and rye toasts and a cup of yerba mate with blueberries.” The man waited patiently, his eyes hidden behind clouded glasses but still very clearly staring at the boy awaiting feedback.

“It’s all for me?”

Tessai nodded. “Until you learn to use your powers, you’ll need as much energy as possible. This training will not be easy for you. So please, enjoy.”

Let’s lips split into a smile, a small line of drool running from one of the corners of his mouth as he picked up his fork and knife. “Don’t mind if I do then.”

Every bite that the boy took was an entirely new sensation. Never having had the need to eat due to being in the time station - tasting anything in general for the first time was sure to have an impactful and lasting impression on the child. After cautiously taking a single bite from every part of the tray, Let hurriedly scarfed down everything that was left until not even a single crumb remained - even going so far as to lick the greasy residue from the plates that had the bacon and sausage on them.

The boy leaned back and sighed, giving in to a completely foreign feeling of contentedness. “That was amazing. I can’t believe there was anything like that in this world.”

Tessai stopped fidgeting and let out a sigh of relief before turning bright red. The man leaned over and picked up the tray, smiling as he took it to the kitchen to be washed. Soon after, Urahara made his way into the room with a smile on his face.

“Well well, I see you’ve made full use of Tessai’s hospitality. I hope you enjoyed the meal.”

Let’s smiled wavered as Urahara entered the room, still unsure of the man’s true intent. “Yes, it was very good. I’ve never eaten food before so this was a very informative experience.”

“Good. Then what do you say we head on down to the training room and begin? I’ve actually already got someone down there right now, but I think he’ll be able to wait a little while for me to get you acquainted.”

“You’ve already got someone down there? You mean, you’re training someone else?”

Urahara nodded. “Before you get any ideas, it’s not one of your friends. This one’s power doesn’t even come close yet. Even you, without training are on a higher level than him. For now, all he can do is dodge attacks. He lacks the will to fight back as at the moment, his Zanpakuto is completely shattered due to a recent encounter of his.”

“Zanpakuto?”

“It’s the weapon we Soul Reapers use to channel our powers in simple terms. In much more complex terms… well, I’m sure you’ll figure that out on your own eventually. For the moment, we just need to focus on getting you stronger. Seeing as its your first time in a world outside of your own, getting used to the powers available to you might take a little more time than those who actually reside here or your friends who are… apparently… much more skilled than yourself.” Kisuke stopped just outside of the door to the training area and looked up at the ceiling. “You see? Even now, those other two powers which you came with are beginning to utilize the abilities granted to them by this world to some extent.”

Let looked up at the ceiling. Straining all of his senses, he could only just barely feel the spark of something which reminded him of Gill. In the back of his mind, an image flashed of the woman holding something resembling a bow and firing a massive arrow at a masked being whose body seemed to be made completely of some black substance.

“W-what is that?”

Kisuke’s brow raised as he looked back at the boy. “So, you saw as well? It seems you may not need quite as much training as I’d initially envisioned. Perhaps it’s due in some part to your position outside of this world. Regardless, that girl has taken on the path of the Quincy and is exterminating hollows on her own now. Quincies don't have the most refined list of abilities, but it’ll get the job done nonetheless. After you start training, I’m sure her as well as your other friend will be able to sense you. You won’t be separated from them at least for much longer I’m sure.”

"What about the other two that I came with? Do you feel anything relating to them?"

Kisuke shook his head. "No, no power relative to the ones you and your friends have been portraying have come along since your arrival. If one landed in Hueco Mundo, I'm sure they'd stir up a number of the hollows there but there's no real telling what would happen to them. However, if they landed in the Soul Society... I'd say there's a fifty-fifty chance either way regardless of where they fell."

Let swallowed hard. "So you think they might be..."

"Best not to worry about it too much. For the time being, we need to get you onto a similar level as those other two. Which will unfortunately take some training seeing as you're a rookie. Perhaps my other student could be a sparring partner for you once he awakens the true powers inside of himself. Though you'll likely be waiting a few days. He's only just started the second phase of his training after all." Kisuke pressed his hand against the door, the playful smile disappearing from his lips as he sterned his face. Slowly, the door creaked open to reveal a large desert-like expanse. "These are the training grounds. More or less an entire world of your own in which to hone your abilities. The light will never fade, and anything that is broken will mend itself. Meaning, if you find that your power is too hard to control you should just let loose while you have the chance. Should you for some reason go on a rampage and need to be stopped, well... this room has also been prepared for that."

Act 1 Part 3 Let 4

As the two entered the room, they were met with a constant slew of obscenities which began from the second they walked through the door all the way up until the time they'd reached the edge of the pit from which they were originating. “Damn you Kisuke! When I get my powers back and get out of here, I'm going to kick your ass!”

Let and Urahara both knelt down at the pit’s edge and looked in on the blond haired teen who was shackled with some sort of ethereal bindings. The teen tried over and over to rush up the side of the pit, but each time he fell just a little more short of reaching the top. All the while, the chain which seemed to be connected to and dangled from his chest slowly withered away.

Let looked over at Urahara who shook his head in response. “Ichigo!” The shopkeeper shouted. “No need to worry anymore. I've got a student now so I'm going to be training him for a while. Take your time down there, relax and figure out what you need to do to get your powers back. We can wait forever, but I doubt Rukia or your chain can, so just keep that in mind will you?”

The teen screamed out as loud as he could and began running back up the side of the pit as Urahara ushered Let away. Another slew of obscenities resounded from Ichigo’s mouth as the police officer and the shopkeeper stared at the hole from the corners of their eyes. At the same time, Tessai made his way towards the hole with another tray of food similar to what he’d given Let earlier. The man dropped the tray into the hole and then put up a vibrant orange box over the top which seemed to have been created out of nothing.

“Now Let, I know you’re quite a smart boy, but as for your actual powers I’m at a loss. See, there’s a number of different types of people in this world. For the world of the living, there are Shinigami like myself who have been exiled here from the Soul Society or who are simply on duty. For the world of the living there are also what are known as Quincy, a sort of antithesis to the Soul Reapers of this world. The Soul Society is made up exclusively of Soul Reapers or Shinigami, the terms can be used interchangeably of course. And then in Hueco Mundo there are the hollows. Now, whose powers should I explain first?”

“Well, what do you think would be most relatable to myself?”

“That’s a good question, and one that I’d actually been thinking about ever since our shogi match. See, most people can only be classified into one of the three categories, but there are a number of variables which can create a number of different possibilities. Due to you and your friends’ circumstances, it’s not quite certain exactly what your powers are or should be. Should you learn to become a Soul Reaper? A Quincy? Or for some reason are you more akin to a hollow and we simply haven’t had enough time to know yet? It’s uncertain. Your friends above have taken up the Quincy path, but your other two friends I’m not so sure about. They could both be in Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, or one could have gone to each. There’s no way of knowing until you go there yourself, and because of that it’s uncertain.”

Let licked his lips and then looked himself over before thinking about the other officers which he’d come with. “Is there a possibility that we could all come to have the powers of all three? Seeing as we’re not of this world, do you think that we have to classify as one of the three?”

Urahara stared at the boy in silence for several seconds and then sighed. “I’m sorry if I mis-communicated something to you. I never said you had to be one of the three, only that those are the three most common circumstances. Of course there are those who have broken the boundaries or the oaths taken on with one thing or the other and dabbled in the powers of another classification… it’s just, extremely rare to represent more than one in any given lifetime, not to mention that it would be extremely controversial to be a combination of any of those three. There are numerous sub-categories of people who have taken on various circumstances from or before birth which grant them differing powers than any of the other three alone, but it’s best not to think of those for now. At this moment, you should focus on one and master it, then perhaps if you show proper aptitude we could move on to something else later. Though, I’d really rather not mess with things such as that any longer.”

“Things such as…”

“Never mind that. For now, we’ll just worry about the powers and training of a Shinigami. For this, I’ll need you to press the skull on your badge against either your chest or your head.”

Let pulled the pentagonal badge from his pants pocket. The device was once simply a large-ish name tag given to the officers by their superior, but just as he’d said, upon coming to this world it was changed to more fit with the atmosphere. The boy looked at the skull and then back at Urahara who nodded encouragingly. Let pursed his lips and then slowly pressed the device against his chest, forcing another version of himself through the back of his body.

“I figured it would function the same.” Kisuke walked up to the fallen body of Let and lifted it up, moving it out of the way. “What you see yourself as now, is a Shinigami. The robes and sword which you were given alongside this form are indicative enough of that. Shinigamis usually take on the form of a humanized spirits, meaning we have no physical body and instead inhabit a synthetic body known as a Gigai. However, for humans to take on form as a Soul Reaper, their bodies and souls are forcibly torn apart from each other. This means that your physical body is now but a shell, and your true powers which had once laid dormant can now begin to surface as your soul is free from the pressure that a body put your Reiatsu under.”

Let pulled the short sword from his waist and examined it. “Isn’t this sword, really, really generic looking? Like some sort of cheap knockoff that you’d buy at a novelty store?”

Kisuke laughed slightly. “Yes, all Soul Reapers begin with a very basic Zanpakuto. The swords which we wield are very much like ourselves in different regards. A Zanpakuto grows with its wielder, only developing when we do ourselves. A Zanpakuto without a wielder is simply a sword, easily broken and discarded. Most shinigami imprint upon their weapon for dozens of years at a time before they ever see a change in the weapon. However, I am an entrepreneur of training. I know of a great many ways to expedite this process, and allow you to achieve levels rivaling seated members in mere weeks. Although, there is a catch of course. This being that you’ll only be able to reach the power level of a seated member. To truly become powerful, you will need to learn more about your Zanpakuto from the source.”

“The source?”

“Yes. All Lieutenants and Captains within the Gotei Thirteen have achieved at least one form of release. This is done by entering your sword’s inner world and conversing with the spirit of your Zanpakuto, thereby learning its name, goals, aspirations along with any other qualities that would allow you to better utilize it such as finding out your collective weaknesses so that you might train around them.”

“So then if enough time were to pass, our swords would become the perfect compliments to ourselves?”

Kisuke nodded. “Your Zanpakuto will learn about you from your time together and will grow to better suit you. In some cases, your weapon will become more like you on the surface, or it might take on a personality which you’ve tried to bury deep within you. In other, much rarer cases, a Zanpakuto will become the polar opposite of its shinigami, making it into everything that the Soul Reaper is not. That doesn’t happen often, if ever though.”

Let stared at the blade in his hands, wondering what kind of weapon it could eventually become. “Then for now, how are we going to train? I’m anxious to learn more.”

Urahara noted the sparkle in the boy’s eye. “You’ve a great desire for intelligence. I like that about you kid. For now, we’ll just be practicing basic sword fighting. Later today, I’ll teach you a few basic Kido. We’ll work from the ground up and see just how far we can get you before Ichigo joins us.”

“You mean that blond haired boy? But I couldn’t sense a thing from him.”

“True, but he did once hold a power that was comparable to that of a royal family’s. Once he regains that, he won’t be someone to easily mess with… however, he may end up being the perfect sparring partner for you, depending on how far ahead you leap in the time until then.”

Let’s eyes stared off into the distance, resting on Tessai and the barrier that he’d erected. The man blushed before walking away, apparently having noticed Let’s gaze. Let looked back down at himself and the weapon he’d been gripping tighter with every passing second. His arms were shaking and his feet felt like they were going to run out from beneath him. The boy could feel the power welling up deep inside of him, just waiting to be let out.

“I want to see just how far this can take me,” the boy whispered to himself before gritting his teeth and placing both hands on the sword. “Let’s start.”

Act 1 Part 3 Let 5

“I like your enthusiasm kid.” Kisuke chuckled as he leveled his cane at the child. “For the first part of your training, I want you to match my speed. As your reiatsu is now, you should be considerably faster than in your human body, however, there is definitely room for improvement. Take this, for instance.”

The man tapped his cane against the ground and then appeared immediately behind Let. Four seconds passed before the boy realized what had happened. Let stumbled forward, falling into his sword as he used it to pivot around and face his new teacher. His eyes were wide as he slowly came to realize Kisuke had moved seconds before Let had ever heard the tapping of the man’s cane. The speed that Urahara possessed was so immense that it apparently caused sound waves to distort and warp away as he moved through them.

“In this human body, I’m still much slower than I would usually be. However, I think it’ll be more than enough for you at the moment. Try and keep up, would you?” Let swallowed hard as he stumbled forward, noticing a little bit quicker this time that Kisuke had already moved by the time the words had flown from his mouth. “You may swing your sword by the way, I really doubt you’d be able to capture me with your hand as you are now. If you can so much as knick a part of my clothing or body, I’ll count it as your victory and we may move on to something else.”

Let leaned forward and swung his sword around him in a wide arc, hoping to connect with anything as he was still unable to perceive the man’s motions. For several hours this game went on, with Kisuke appearing for several seconds before moving out of the boy’s range once more. Let slowly grew more and more weary as the weapon grew heavy in his hands, exhausted from swinging it about so haphazardly.

“You’ll never hit anything if you just waste your energy like that. Don’t just rely on your ears or eyes kid. Use your head, focus in on my spiritual pressure. No matter how minute it is, you should be able to feel even the smallest of bugs reiatsu if you focus hard enough. Fighting is about utilizing your body to the fullest extent. Make use of all six of your senses, combine them together to not only follow your opponent, but to predict their movements. Visualize where the pressure they exert is going to go next and aim for that spot. Never live in the moment, always look forward towards the future. As soon as the present is, it has already passed. Fighting in the now is too slow and will only see you injured or killed in a real battle.”

Let squeezed hard on the hilt of his sword, slowly returning it to its sheath as he focused as hard as he could. When he first met Urahara, the boy could sense that something was coming from the man but he just couldn’t pinpoint what it was. However, after sensing the energies from his friends and himself he had slowly grown more aware of the overwhelming amount of energy pouring out from his new teacher. It had a unique feel to it, unlike what he felt from Tessai or the other officers.

Let closed his eyes and honed in on the energy which seemed to be coming at him in bursts from nearly all directions at once. Every so often, the energy would stop. At those times, Let threw his eyes open and could see Kisuke in those areas where the energy had settled. For a few seconds afterwards, he could still sense the pressure coming off of the man even after he’d begun to move again. But of course, as his speed increased, Let slowly lost his view on the man altogether once more, only able to see a blur of energy surrounding him.

The officer pulled his sword from its scabbard and gripped it tightly between his two hands as he strained his mind, trying as hard as he could to hone in on the energies of his master. Kisuke seemed to have notice that Let was getting more acclimated to sensing his energies, seeing as how the stops in movement seemed to have slowed down into non-existence. The blur of energy continued to grow more and more concentrated around the boy as Urahara increased his speed even further and ceased to stop altogether.

In an instant, Let threw out his arm, sword and body extended to a point directly in front of him. Kisuke stood with his hand on his hat as he tenderly pulled a piece of cloth free from the tip of the blade from where it had caught him. Urahara smiled as he turned to face Let. “Very good. I suppose you’re ready to move on then, and only after five hours of training. Not too bad I’d say.”

Let smiled, happy at finally having nailed down the first of the Shinigami’s abilities. “So what’s next?” His voice and movements full of vim and vigor as he walked up to his master.

“Now, you sleep.”

“What?”

Before Let could comprehend what had happened, Urahara was there leaned over him, pressing his fingers against the boy’s forehead as he whispered a string of incomprehensible words beneath his breath. “Find your strength Let. Your growth, as well as your powers will soon exceed anything yet found in this world due to your position. Before we continue, you must find the tools which will help you to unlock those things. Find your Zanpakuto and learn to control it.”

The world around the officer went dark as he was plunged into a deep sleep. For the first time, the boy dreamed - a concept and action which was once limited to the Dreamers. “But, the vows.” The boy whispered, beneath his breath as he drifted further into the darkness of rest. “The teachings must be upheld.”

“The teachings, ha.” A voice echoed from deep within the darkness in which the boy sank. “All rules are made to be broken, only truly invoked so as to impede the progress of those who might overcome their creators.”

Let drifted in silence, pondering the words of the darkness. “What do you mean? Who or what are you? Why is it that you know of the Dreamers?”

The darkness grew deeper, dragging the boy ever further in. “Why don’t you quit resisting my call and find out for yourself? After all, Dreamers only desire to learn and protect. There is no harm in the dark if your intentions are pure my child.”

Act 1 Part 3 Poal 1 Gill 1

“Psyduck! What’s going on in this world? Has the darkness already gotten hold of it?” Poal spun around, firing a volley of arrows with his dual-bows. The massive pointed noses of the towering hollows were slowly worn down by the numerous arrows being fired at them, but the monsters quickly retaliated with massive, red, energy blasts of their own which the man was just barely able to dodge out of the way of.

“I don’t think so,” Gill began, firing a massive arrow at one of the hollows which was slowly closing the distance between them. “If the darkness had already touched this place, these creatures would be much more powerful. That doctor told us when we appeared that Quincy aren’t the strongest, but we aren’t the weakest either. Our powers are perfectly suited to the destruction of darkness so it might put some hindrance on my judgement but…”

“Psyduck!” Poal dodged around another energy blast as he continued to fire off arrows at an ever increasing pace. “Where’s Uryu when you really need him? And what about all those Soul Reapers? They just magically decide to up and disappear when the number of hollows makes a drastic incline? Something’s seriously up right now, and I don’t like it.”

“Whatever it is, we need to take care of these monsters first.”

Poal grunted, acknowledging the woman as he slammed his fists together into a single point in the center of his chest. “Allmächtiger Kreuzpfeil!” The two bows combined together as a large amount of energy began to gather in the center of his fists. The man’s entire body started to glow as he slowly spun around, firing a beam of purely white light in the shape of a five pointed star which cleanly tore through and dissipated all of the hollows which it touched.

“That was a bit unnecessary, don’t you think?” Uryu called out to the spinning man from atop a building a short distance away. “Impressive, obviously, but entirely unseemly and over the top.”

Gill blushed, “I- I told him not to use that attack unless truly necessary… I think that this was-”

Uryu sighed as he leapt from the building. “If you’d only just waited a few more seconds, we could have taken them all out together and saved the flashy light show.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t see you anywhere and I wasn’t exactly wanting to get hit by one of those red orbs.”

“Ceros, and yes, I wouldn’t say they’re exactly good for your health but I assumed you’d be able to handle yourselves, hence why I let you come with me to check on Ichigo.”

“Speaking of your friend, how was he?” Poal huffed as the final traces of the massive energy dissipated from his body.

Uryu shook his head. “Urahara wouldn’t answer me, but I did feel something else inside.”

“Something… else?” Gill narrowed her eyes as she looked down at the small building below them. She focused for a second and caught a glimpse of the power that Uryu had been talking about. “Is that…”

Poal’s lips slowly curved into a smile. “Thank the Dreamer he’s alright. Wouldn’t be good to go losing a kid on his first outing.”

“So that’s your friend then,” Uryu asked, his eyebrows raised.

Gill nodded. “One of them at least. The other two should be much more powerful than him, so if they’re around we’d likely be able to sense them. Which can only mean that they’re in the other worlds.”

Poal rubbed his hands against his forehead. “Hey, Gill. You don’t think one of those two would have anything to do with what’s going on here, do you?”

Gill looked down at the badge pinned to her chest for a moment and then sighed. “If I had to guess, I’d go ahead and assume that both of them have at least some part to play in it. Which one’s the bigger culprit though is hard to say.”

Poal slammed one of his fists into its corresponding palm. “Damn that skeleton. I knew we shouldn’t have lifted his probation.”

“He’s a powerful asset Poal. For now, we just need to figure out how to get to them.”

Uryu looked between the two officers, a puzzled look plastered across his face as he took a deep breath. “Well, I know it’s not going to be easy getting into either one. Heuco Mundo would be the easier option for the moment, since you’d just have to leap into the holes that the menos create.” The teenager shook his head as he gripped the cross dangling from his wrist. “But even with the three of us, there’s no way we’d stand a chance in that place. However, for the Soul Society… I believe that shopkeeper is already thinking something up for that.”

Poal stole Uryu’s previous expression and placed it on his own face as he stared at the man. “What do you mean? He has some reason to go to that Soul Society all of the sudden?”

Uryu nodded. “Well, not him exactly, but my friend who he’s helping to toughen up. The two soul reapers who came just a couple of days before you all arrived completely destroyed Ichigo and relieved him of his powers. At the same time, they took with them our friend Rukia… I’m sure once Ichigo gets hold of new powers he’ll likely want to go after her, and that shopkeeper already knows that.”

“So what you’re saying is, as soon as your friend gets some new powers he’s going to chase after this other friend of yours who just so happens to be in the Soul Society?”

Uryu nodded again. “He’s really irritating, that guy. But I can’t blame him. A number of things occurred recently that had Rukia not been here to help Ichigo with, could have taken a turn for the worse. A lot of us owe a great deal to her… it’d just be irresponsible not to chase after her now.”

“Well then,” Poal looked over to Gill who met his gaze with a nod of approval, “I suppose when that day comes, you can count us in. We do need to regroup with our teammates after all.”

“In that case, we should all go prepare for the date. I’ll round up Chad and Orihime and make sure we can all get as ready as possible. I assume, that you two will be fine on your own?” The two officers nodded their heads in unison. “Well then, I suggest we all meet back here in about three days just to ensure that we’re really set on doing this. Other than that, I’ll leave you two to your own devices. Just, try not to destroy anything except for the hollows, alright Poal?”

The man stifled a laugh as he smiled wide. “It’d be going against the teachings to do otherwise.”

Uryu smirked and then slowly started to walk away. Muttering under his breath as he shook his head. “How did I ever meet such insane people. Dreamers? Time Police? Completely ridiculous. Regardless, I’m sure they’ll at least be of some use when the time comes.”

Act 1 Part 3 Let 6

Let’s eyes slowly peeled open, the light of the training room assaulted him as he escaped from the endless dark abyss which he’d been thrown into. The boy shook his head and then stared down at his sword, gripping it tightly. Just as he began to rise to his feet, the massive shockwave of a far off energy blast sent him tumbling backwards over himself only to be caught by Tessai who was huddle behind a boulder along with the two children which called this place their home.

“W-what’s going on? What’s with this energy?”

“It’s Ichigo. He’s truly awakened his Soul Reaper powers now, and is fighting against Urahara.”

“So then this massive pressure is-”

The red haired boy jumped over Let, kicking the boy in the face as he leapt over the boulder behind which they’d been huddled. “He did it! I can’t believe it, Ichigo actually managed to knock Kisuke’s hat off!” The child ran all the way over to the place where the black-ish red energy was still dissipating.

Kisuke’s eyes were wide and his mouth open as he stared at the massive sword in Ichigo’s hands. “Well, you really did it, huh? Guess that ends your training with me.”

The man named Ichigo fell to his knees, the massive blade in his hand stuck out from the ground like a tree as he struggled to regain his breath. “No, I need to get stronger.”

“Of course,” Kisuke said, picking his hat up and placing back on his head before sliding his sword back into the cane shaped sheath. “I said your training was over with me, but you’re still nowhere near strong enough to take on the captains or lieutenants.” Urahara looked over to the boulder where Tessai, Let and the little girl who lived in the building were all still huddled. With a smile, he started off in their direction. “I’ve got a new sparring partner for you Ichigo. Someone who I believe will be a good fit for you. He’s only just awakened his powers as well, but your levels are roughly the same. If the two of you fight it out for a while, I’m sure you’ll only continue to grow stronger.”

Let stood up, realizing that Kisuke was talking about him. The boy stared at Ichigo, feeling the depth of the powers that he’d just come in to. The weapon he held in his hands seemed to be made of a massive amount of reiatsu, much more than the sword in his own hands. This Ichigo seemed to be immediately stronger than Let, but the smile on Urahara’s face as he motioned the boy over said otherwise.

“Let,” Kisuke walked around the boy and placed his hand on the child’s shoulder, “release your Zanpakuto. Show me what powers you’ve gained.”

Without hesitation, the officer nodded. “Covet its coming. Zetsumetsu muka taiyōnokobushi!” In an instant, a dark mist burst forth from the sword in Let’s hand, consuming all three shinigami.

The mist hung heavily around, choking Ichigo as he struggled to breathe through the smog. As the smoke cleared, the boy’s silhouette was first cut by his shadow before it twisted and converged around his feet. The sword had disappeared entirely and was replaced with a shoulder length gauntlet as black as pitch with a long sharpened blade attached to the backside of his right hand. Several smaller blades poked up all along the gauntlet in a line, but the main offense of the weapon was clearly the blade protruding from the hand as well as the elongated, sharpened fingers of the gauntlet itself.

“What is that? I thought soul reapers were supposed to use swords?” Ichigo flung his hand through the air in front of him, clearing away the last bit of darkness that hung about.

“Initially, yes. All soul reapers are given swords when they start out, however, the weapon evolves to better suit their needs as shinigami as well as their personality. A soul reaper who mainly uses kido might find their release turning into a staff or book rather than a sword. There are also Zanpakuto which when released, will focus around the legs to increase speed or change into armor or even a shield.”

“Well that seems less than fair.”

“It’s the world we live in. You’re cute, but you should really grow up a bit Ichigo. You can’t keep thinking that way if you want to save Rukia. For now, you and Let will be sparring partners for the better part of the next week. Yoruichi has already gathered Chad and Orihime for training, so you’d best do your part too.”

Ichigo sighed and then held out his sword in one hand, pointing it directly at the boy ahead of him. “Let’s get on with this thing then. Don’t think I’ll take it easy on you just cuz you’re a kid. I don’t know why you’re going to the soul society, but regardless of what your reasons are, we’re both going to need to grow stronger before then.”

Let simply nodded in agreement and raised his right arm, ready to catch whatever blow Ichigo threw at him.

Act 1 Part 3 Thomas 2

“Captain Kurotsuchi,” the man slowly entered the expansive room, his captain cape flowing behind him and slightly obscuring the other two captain class individuals following behind him. “I hope you don’t mind my sudden and unannounced interruption, but I’d like to have a few words with that… man, before you put him through too many tests.”

“Captain Aizen,” the man called back without even turning around, his voice falling flat as the words rolled off his tongue. “May I ask why? This specimen is quite remarkable. I’ve quickly run through every result-yielding test I’ve ever done, but when done to this man I receive nothing. It’s fascinating to say the least.” The captain turned around, his eyes rolling around wildly as they looked in all directions. “The gemstone in his skull appears to some magnificent and untold abilities. I’ve been observing it ever since he was stationed in my squad, but even with all my efforts I haven’t found a single thing. A number of my usual tactics don’t even work given that he’s made almost completely of bones to begin with and I-”

“Captain,” Aizen stepped forward, a soft smile on his face. “If you’ve yet to yield any results, then I’d like to speak with him while you take some time to brainstorm how to better tackle his abilities.”

Kurotsuchi’s eyes continued to dart in all directions before locking on to Aizen. “Hmm. I suppose it won’t hurt, just don’t take too long alright? I don’t think I’ve ever been so interested in a person as this. Even his reishi is mindbogglingly immense. I’ve had him connected to these pumps for nearly two weeks now, continuously sucking away his energies but I’ve not even made a dent in his power.”

The captain of the R&D division pressed a button on the display panel in front of him, releasing the numerous restraints and tubes which were suctioned against he bones of the man ahead of them all who was slouched in an over-sized armchair.

“Are we done already?” Thomas croaked out, resetting his jaw as he yawned. “And here I was, thinking you were nearly on the verge of discovery Mayuri.”

“Lieutenant, I thought we’d properly taught you the etiquette of the Soul Society.”

Thomas looked around the room at the various captain class individuals present. “Wow, is this my fan club? Guess I am becoming pretty popular, huh? Perhaps I shouldn’t be seen hanging around with such a pervert as yourself, eh May-ur-i? It might hurt my image if they think I’m close with someone like you.”

The captain scowled as he picked up the woman’s body laying limp next to him. “Seems I need to make a few adjustments before your next lesson then.” Mayuri tossed the woman into the seat where Thomas had just been sitting before pressing the button once more, restraining her and connecting all the same tubes to her own body. “I’m interested to see what a power of your level will do to a more normal person. In the meantime, get out of my sight. I’ve no use for you if you’re going to act like a child.”

“Oh, come now. Is daddy upset?” Thomas chattered as his bones rattled against each other. “Anyways, to what pleasure do I owe this visit of so many captains?”

Aizen smiled as he awaited Kurotsuchi’s anger at the skeletal man’s veiled jab at him. When nothing came, the captain motioned towards the door. “I’d rather we talked in a more private place if you don’t mind. The things I’d like to discuss with you…” he paused, knowing that the entire room was surely filled with cameras and microphones, “are better left to more private accommodations. Captain Kurotsuchi, I appreciate your understanding.”

The other captain ignored Aizen’s words as he continued to pump the week’s worth of collected energy into the woman’s body who he’d strapped down. Aizen smiled as he looked at the other two captains who’d come with him and then headed out the door.

“So, you’re the one from the other day, huh?” The white-haired captain who’d accompanied Aizen whispered into the ear of Thomas. “It’s my first time seeing you up close like this. Before, I’d only seen your face on the warning letter sent out to all captains and lieutenants shortly after your arrival. You really know how to make an entrance.”

Thomas looked over at the man and gave him a silent thumbs up. “And you are?”

“Captain Ichimaru. But you may call me Gin.”

“I see. Well, Gin, I can only say that I hope they got my good side. Some people say that I can be a little intimidating on first glance.”

“I can see why.” The man’s eyes opened slightly as he looked over the skeletal structure and then rested on the stone embedded in Thomas’ skull. “I’m just relieved everything worked out between you and the head captain. It’s not often that the old man pulls out his own bankai like that. You should feel honored that he saw your powers to be at such a level.”

Thomas stared straight ahead, meeting Aizen’s gaze as he looked behind himself. “I’m sure that these pleasantries aren’t what you brought me out here for. I know the power I wield is more or less unheard of around here, so tell me what it is you want. Surely you don’t intend to get rid of me.” Thomas slowly placed his hand on his Zanpakuto.

“Not at all Thomas.” Aizen turned and smiled as he placed his hand over top of the Lieutenant’s. “What we have for you, is a proposition. See, that stone in your skull is eerily similar to something that we’ve painstakingly created for our own greater purposes. If Captain Kurotsuchi was unable to remove it from your body, then it seems we’ve no choice but to accept you into our ranks if we hope to utilize your powers.”

The skeleton removed his hand from the sword at his waist and began to scrape his finger bones against his jaw. “What is it that you had in mind and why should I care?”

“Your friends, they are coming.”

“My… friends?” Thomas stared at Aizen, if he’d had a brow it would have surely been furrowed.

“The ones whose powers are similar to yours, those people who appeared from another world on the same day and at the same time as yourself. Surely you don’t think all of us just overlooked that occurrence. In the world of the living there are three who will soon be coming to this world, and the three of us Captains are in contact with another. If we all joined together, we could accomplish all of our goals no matter how far reaching they may be.”

Thomas fell quiet for a moment as he contemplated the offer. “So you just want me for my friends and the power which we all hold? Tell me then, what is it that is your goal?”

Aizen smiled, his finger pressing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “What I desire is…”

Act 1 Part 4

Nine people and a black cat stood in front of the gate that Kisuke had been erecting over the past week. Tessai and the shopkeeper walked up to the sides of the monument and smiled brightly at each and every one of the others who were readying themselves to enter the Soul Society.

“It’s been such a short amount of time, and yet you’ve all grown so much since we last met. Let, I’m happy you’re finally able to be reunited with your friends as well. Hopefully you’ll find what you’re looking for in the Soul Society as well.” The boy smiled and nodded, his shinigami coat hung baggy on his small body. “And for the rest of you… Ichigo, Uryu, Chad, Orihime… I hope you’re all ready for what’s to come. The seiretei is an unforgiving place for those without the power necessary to survive in it. If you’d tried to enter a week ago, you would have all been crushed in an instant not unlike Ichigo.”

The blond haired soul reaper gripped his sword, clearly angered by the shopkeeper’s jab at him. “Just because we need you to open this gate doesn’t mean I won’t take a few hairs off your head beforehand. Training with Let this past week has exponentially increased my powers. I can’t believe just how quickly we were both able to progress.”

Urahara stared blankly at Ichigo from the shadow of his tilted hat. His mouth split into a smile, but his eyes narrowed. “Yes, it was a great idea on my part. Thank you. Let is something special, and I suppose that by association you are as well.”

Ichigo scratched his head, a small smile appearing briefly on his normally stern face as he recalled the unending sparring match. Tessai yawned as he recalled the untold hours spent awake the past two weeks keeping Ichigo both under control during his initial training, and conscious during the following battles with Let.

“Enough wasting time, let’s get on with it. I can’t bear to have those soul reapers stay ahead for one more minute.” Uryu pressed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he stepped towards the doorway.

Urahara nodded and looked at Tessai who was standing in the same spot opposite the shopkeeper. “Well then, let’s go on, shall we? This gate will only hold for four minutes, so be sure to move quickly or you’ll be lost between the worlds for the rest of time.”

In an instant, the archway was filled with a brilliant white light. The eight people standing in front of it all leapt in at once, just barely clearing the perimeter of the portal as they disappeared into the next world. Kisuke’s smile quickly left his face as he removed his hat, patting down the top of his hair.

Tessai walked over to the shopkeeper and swallowed. “Will they be alright, you think?”

Kisuke looked into the portal and pressed his fingers against it. As soon as his fingertip touched the ethereal gate, a shock shot through his body that made him take a step back. “I don’t know, honestly. The amount of growth that Ichigo has undergone in this short time is worrying to say the least. I’m sure they’ll have no problem pushing past most of the seiretei… but with powers like that… I’m afraid of what a captain class individual might do if they were to get their hands on them.”

“I wonder… there’s not many seated members who still remember that time, are there?”

Kisuke shook his head. “Surely not, which is one reason why I’m so uncertain. There’s no telling what kind of people are in charge now after having been away for so long… there’s no telling what action they’ll take when they find themselves backed into a corner by any of those people we just sent over… especially Ichigo and Let. Their powers and growth have both been somewhat similar over this past week. The cap for what they’re capable of… we’ve yet to really see it. I’m not even sure if they’ve got maximum potentials. Perhaps they’ll just continue to grow at an alarming rate until the head captain has no choice but to intervene himself.”

“You can’t be serious? Surely he hasn’t grown that powerful.”

“Tessai, you’ve been with them this whole time that they’ve been training. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed the exponential difference between them now and when they first arrived at our doorstep.”

“Well,” the man began, running his fingers along his mustache as his forehead began to bead with sweat, “to be honest, I hadn’t been feeling their reiatsu in that way for several days. I’ve just been focusing on keeping them both alive and conscious as best as I could so I’ve been too exhausted to…”

“Don’t worry about it, I know. We’ve both had our hands full. But now, all we can do is wait. Speculation and worry will only cause our lifespan to shorten.”

Tessai sighed, acknowledging his friend’s wisdom. “I wonder what they’re going through right now? It’s been nearly four minutes already. Hopefully they’ve made it to the exit by now.”

Kisuke smiled. “I’m sure they’ll be fine. For now, why don’t you make us some tea and we’ll play a game of shogi?”

Just as Urahara turned his back to the gateway, the white light dissipated as the portal was torn in two by a darkness which ripped the very fabric of space apart. Like a mouth opening, the dark portal which had taken place over the first slowly crept wider.

“Three cards, left up to chance. Ace of clubs, a face and the joker.” A lanky leg appeared from within the darkness, resting lightly on the ground outside as the voice trailed softly behind it. Two of the cards floated out from the hole behind the man and fell in front of Kisuke and Tessai. “The king of Kido…” the voice paused as the hole grew even larger, “fascinating. The king of kido and the wild card of the seiretei. What a pair to have, indeed. It’s a shame that it was I who was sent to greet you, else you might have found a more useful role.” The man emerged fully, an outfit of pure white and a twisted, bone-like mask covering both of his eyes. A hole had formed in the place where his heart had once been, allowing Tessai and Urahara to see straight through his chest.

"Who are you?" Kisuke quickly drew his sword and leveled it at the mysterious man, awakening the blade without even uttering its name.

"I am... Espada numero uno. Or you may call me by my given name, Matt."

Act 1 Part 4 Thomas 3

�My Captains!�

A blond haired shinigami in the uniform of a lieutenant rushed forward, kneeling down instantly in front of his own division�s captain who was surrounded by two other officers of captain level, and the skeletal newcomer of the same rank as himself.

Gin smiled, holding his hand out towards the lieutenant. �Yes, Izuru. Go ahead.�

The lieutenant�s eyes rested on Thomas, whose hollowed eyes seemed to be boring holes through his own. The man seemed to be completely out of place around the other captains, even putting off a completely different aura than they did. Kira shook his head vigorously and then swallowed before nodding.

�There�s been reports of Ryoka to the South. It seems they suddenly appeared and are preparing to take on the gatekeeper as we speak. There seems to be ten in total, though we�re uncertain of their power as of this moment. The likelihood of them overwhelming the gatekeeper is likely however��

�I see.� Gin�s smiled widened as he began to walk forward. �Thomas, I know you�re not part of my squad, but would you like to come along with me and my Lieutenant to see these Ryoka for ourselves?�

The skeleton looked off to the South, feeling for the energies of these invaders. Images of Let, Poal and Gill all appeared in his head at once. �I suppose we could. It seems I may know at least three of them.�

�Well, that still leaves seven others who we�ve no idea of, doesn�t it?�

Thomas nodded, his jaw opening slightly as his image of Let became more and more solid within his mind. There was another nearby the kid whose powers were on a similar level, putting them both far beyond the majority of the Lieutenants in this world and even some of the captains. �I�m looking forward to finally seeing what the kids can do.�

�I�m sorry?� Gin turned his head slightly towards Thomas, his smile slowly fading as he saw the skeletal man gripping his sword, causing it to let out high-pitched wail as he poured his strength into it. �I�m not sure that your powers will be necessary for this small of an ordeal.� The captain slowly moved his hand towards his own sword, sweat beginning to bead at his forehead as he looked down at the skeletal Lieutenant�s weapon.

�It may not be necessary, but I�m going to indulge myself regardless.�

�Thomas, I wouldn�t recommend that� these Ryoka, they�re-�

�And what are you going to do? Stop me?� The skeleton�s bones began to rattle his teeth chattered together, imitating laughter. �The head captain couldn�t even touch me, so what do you expect to do? This world doesn�t pose any threat to me. I could tear apart the fabric of your reality at any given second.�

Gin stopped walking and quickly drew his sword, pointing it at the skeleton as the sweat poured down his face. �Don�t underestimate the soul society, outsider. Just because you were given a pardon doesn�t mean anything. The head captain could have killed you at any moment, and the same goes for many of us captains.�

�Don�t make me laugh. Even if you had an eternity to prepare, you could never completely fathom my power. Not even I know what I�m truly capable of. Your head captain pardoned me for fear of what I might do had he not. This, Soul Society in which you all reside could barely hold up to that captain�s powers for five minutes, yet here I walk, completely unscathed despite his best efforts. None of you captains have what it takes to defeat me. Back down, or be cut down, my captain.�

Ichimaru opened his eyes wide, his whole body shaking as Thomas� overwhelming reiatsu washed over him. The Captain sheathed his sword and quickly turned away, placing his hand over his mouth as he fell to his knee and began to vomit at the rapidly increasing pressure of the Lieutenant.

�That�s what I thought. Now, if you don�t mind.�

As Thomas walked away, yet another Captain appeared in his path, yet the skeletal man ignored him despite his pressure being even more oppressive than his own at the moment.

�Where do you think you�re goin�?� The Captain�s sword was unsheathed, and unleashed, as it always was. The little girl sitting on his shoulder picked her nose and flung it in the direction of Ichimaru as her Captain�s reiatsu continued to rise, keeping pace with Thomas�. �You know those Ryoka, don�t you?�

�I do.�

�Are any of them strong?�

�I�m sure.�

�And I assume that�s where you�re going now?�

�Yes.�

�If they�re strong enough for you, then I want a piece of them too.�

�Captain Kenpachi, if you continue to raise your spiritual pressure in that way I�ll have to take it as a threat.�

The Captain smiled, the scar on his cheek from their battle the previous day split open and began to stream with blood which immediately evaporated. �Don�t you worry, I�ve no intention of fighting you again yet. But these Ryoka, if you�re moving in on them, then they�re sure to be interesting enough for me too.�

Thomas sighed as he neared the wall which the Ryoka were supposed to be coming in through. �I don�t suppose either of you possess the ability to sense spiritual pressure then, do you?�

The Captain�s eyebrow raised as he looked down at the lieutenant who he towered over. �What do you mean?�

�If you could, then you�d know just how much you have to look forward to. On the other side of this wall, there�s-�

A burst of black energy pushed through the cracks in the sekki seki wall, filled with power which was spiking into regions far above either of the two shinigami�s current power. The Captain�s smile widened further as the hair on his arms began to stand on end.

�I see what you mean. Are they all like this then?�

Thomas shook his head. �No, only two of them from what I can tell.�

�Well then,� the Captain smiled as he pulled the patch from his eye, causing his own power to spike tremendously. A commotion rose from outside the door as the Captain�s reiatsu seeped through the same cracks as the black blast from before. �Look�s like I�ll get to take one and you�ll get the other.�