Prologue (614 words)

About 16 years ago...

Disaster had befallen the Soul Society. For some inexplicable reason, the spiritual barrier between the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo was destroyed. Hollows of all shapes and sizes poured into the Soul Society and the Seiretei and wreaked havoc. Cero explosions lit the dark sky up in the bloodiest shades of red, and blood-curdling cries rent the air whenever a soul reaper was devoured by a hollow. For every hollow that was killed, half a dozen fresh hollows appeared from Hueco Mundo. Fire was ubiquitous in the Seiretei, as were armed soul reapers.

“Go, now!” cried a seated officer, commanding a team of his subordinates to attack a particularly large hollow. With a fearsome roar, the hollow impaled every last one of those soul reapers with its talons.

A slit-like opening appeared in the sky, and a dozen or more large hollows entered the Seiretei through it.

The soul reapers began doubting if they could resist the hollows; let alone defeat them.

Elsewhere, a lieutenant was taking on five large hollows singlehandedly, barking out commands to his subordinates. He dodged a cero attack and flashstepped behind a hollow and slew it. Four cero attacks from the remaining hollows were directed toward him. He dodged them and slew those hollows, too. Just when he was beginning to get too comfortable, the sky split open again and a Gillian emerged. The lieutenant stared in disbelief and called for urgent reinforcements. Four seated officers arrived soon after to assist him in fighting the Menos.

Menos started appearing everywhere else, too, and soon there was a total of around nine Gillian in the Seiretei.

“This has to end.” Head Captain Yamamoto said to his lieutenant. “Now it’s time for the Captains to fight.”

Just then, a cero attack destroyed an entire wall of the Head Captain’s office.

Amid this apocalyptic war, a young woman was making her way toward the barracks, her head covered in a shawl. She seemed to carry an air of melancholy, which made sense, considering the dark times the Soul Society was going through.

Silently she made her way up to Squad 5’s barracks, and silently still, toward the Captain’s chamber. Upon reaching it, she knocked as quietly as she could.

She didn’t have to wait too long before the door slid open and she was allowed inside.

“What a surprise, Masaki.” Sosuke Aizen said pleasantly.

The woman removed the shawl from over her head to reveal her golden hair and tearful eyes.

“Oh, Sosuke, how unfortunate these times are!” she cried, flinging herself onto Aizen, who wrapped his arms comfortingly around her.

“Calm down, Masaki,” Aizen said.

He guided her to his bed and made her sit down.

“What’s the matter?” he asked softly, wiping the tears away from her eyes.

“Oh, Sosuke,” Masaki said, fresh tears cascading down her cheeks. “I’m pregnant with your child.”

Aizen looked mildly taken aback, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled. “That’s wonderful, Masaki,” he said; “But for the sake of the child, you must return to the World of the Living. Isshin and you can take care of him or her.”

“Sosuke,” she began, but stopped when a messenger entered the room and bowed down before Aizen.

“The Head Captain has given orders that all captains are to go to battle.” he said.

“Very well,” Aizen said, standing up, patting Masaki on the head and flashing her a warm smile. “I have to go now.” he said to her. “Take care.”

He stopped as he was about to exit his chamber, and looked at Masaki. “Don’t tell the child that I’m their father.” he said.

Masaki nodded wordlessly.

Aizen left.