Turn Back the Pendulum 1: The Breaking Point

Eight Years ago...in Soul Society

A large full moon dominated the skies of the Seireitei. The sound of clashing metal pierced the night sky and the wails of Hollows could also be heard in various parts of the city.

Drip...

Nyan Kanagaki, Captain of the Second Division skid back and slammed into one of the Seireitei buildings. A gash was in her shoulder and blood soaked her haori. "You...traitor..!" she huffed, sweating from every pore on her face.

"How can I be a traitor if I'm not even affiliated with you?" a voice said as a man stepped out of the shadows.

"Tch..." Nyan spat, spitting blood onto the ground next to her. "I ought to kill you right here!"

"Try it...it will be your last moment as a captain, that much I can promise." the man replied.

"Why are you doing this?" she snapped. "I thought we were your allies!"

"It's sad...because I thought so too. Turns out, you're all scum." he retorted. "Where's Mashū?"

"What do you mean? He went on a mission with Captain Hiromasa. You know this." she replied, confused.

The man clenched his teeth and flashed to her location, grabbing her by the collar of her haori and thrusting her into the sky. He was right behind her and pointed towards the horizon, where a light glowed in the distance. "That has been there for three days. An explosion most likely. Both the Captain-Commander and Mashū's reiatsu vanished there." he explained, clearly upset.

"You're lying." she snarled, "How could you possibly know that?"

"Because I was near there three days ago when the explosion occurred." he said.

At this she showed signs of shock. "S-so..what? Even if what you say is true, and I'm not saying it is, how could you do this to us? Is it our fault that he died in a mission that he willingly-"

"Shut up!" the man screamed, cutting her off. "He didn't go willingly! He was sick again and was on orders from the Fourth Division's captain to stay in their barracks until he got his lungs under control! You're beloved Captain-Commander ordered him on that mission despite these orders, because in his mind, the sick don't need to rest if they have captain-class reiatsu." he roared.

"That's the duty of a soldier-" she began, but was cut across the chest diagonally, spewing blood everywhere.

The man had drawn his blade and had a furious look on his face, "He wasn't one of your freakin soldiers! He was a Human turned Shinigami. He has no responsibility to any of you, just like me." he snarled.

She weakly spit out blood and began to close her eyes as consciousness slipped from her. "You...bas-" she began again, but for some reason chose not to finish her sentence. "Fine...have it your way. Reveal your true colors...Nekokaburi!" she declared, releasing her Zanpakutō. "I'll just kill you and get this over with."

The man narrowed his eyes and then vanished.

Nyan's eyes widened, "Was that...Sonído?!" she wondered, turning to where he now was...albeit a little too late.

With one jab, his sword was now firmly planted in her lung and blood was erupting from the wound, "Surprised? Seems all of my Hollow training has held some fruitful results. Sonído isn't the only trick up my sleeve. Not that you'll be able to see them all."

She looked back at him with half closed eyes, blood running down her chin, "Y-you think this will kill me? A Shinigami can survive a punctured lung.." though, even as she said this, she winced in pain.

"I know this..." he replied. "That's why you'll see one more thing before your death."

She never got the chance to react. His hand suddenly appeared, crashing through her chest in the exact location her heart was in. Her eyes glazed over as he released her and she fell into the Seireitei below. The man's eyes glistened with tears, "Sorry for that...but my family will always come first. Way before this organization. Soul Society has become corrupt. It's time for me to leave." he thought, as the moonlight briefly illuminated him, revealing Raian Getsueikirite.

A Garganta opened behind him and in an instant, he was gone.