Bleach 1. A mysterious man

Chapter I: A mysterious man.

Matsumoto Rangiku was sitting on a bench in the park in Karakura town. It was a nice unclouded evening. Her captain was out for some business and Orihime was already asleep. That's why she decided to take a walk in the real world…for the first time. This arancar encounter was all so sudden. She was worried…and she was thinking about him again.

"Gin. What are you planning to do!" She was asking the same question again and again as if this could help to understand this man's true motives.

"Yare, yare!"

She didn't notice that another person was sitting on the bench next to her.

"Such beautiful girls should not cry"

He was young…maybe of the same age as Renji or Shuuhei. But his hair was white. Pure white, as he was a very old man. She knew, being a shinigami, that appearances can not always be right. She was somewhat 100 years old, however she looked like a teenager in the real world.

And he was wearing all black. A wide black raincoat. His long hair were bind with a black hairband as if he was some XVIII century's Lovelace. His whole appearance was old-fashioned. But still, he looked attractive…very attractive.

"Huh!" The only thing Matsumoto could say

"Beautiful girls like you should not suffer…especially because of the likes of him!"

"Huuuh!" Matsumoto's eyes widened.

"How come he knows Gin. I don't even know him, moreover, I have never even seen him before. He is not a shinigami…come to think of it, I can't even sense any reiatsu from him…as if he is a normal human soul…so how come! Maybe it's just a bluff? Just wait a minute…I'm not in a gigai. So how can he even see me?"

"Thinking about past over and over makes you lose the track of the reality. And it's quite a price even for the shinigami, who live kinda longer than mere humans." He was smiling, still he wasn't looking in her direction sitting on the edge of the bench half-turned away from her.

"Look around. It is beautiful isn't it?" With these words he raised his hand to the sky and pointed at something.

Matsumoto looked up, following his hand just to see myriads of shining stars and a full moon.

And then a flashback!

She remembered her childhood in rukongai. Even before she met Gin, before her exile.

- What a cute little girl we have here. What's your name?

- Matsumoto…Rangiku, sir.

…

- Rangiku-chan, do you know that you are special?

- Mmmm?

- Aren't you hungry?

- I don't know, sir

…

- It means that you have it too…this power.

"It was him there. It was this man" She was sure it was him back then. The same white hair...the same look…and the same age! He was wearing a shinigami robe and carried a soul slayer. But she's never seen him after that…. Come to think of it…she has never recalled this incident ever before, like if it never happened or rather…somehow erased from her memory.

A young woman with a kid passed by. Mysterious man stroke the child's hair and smiled to the woman.

- You have a beautiful son, lady

- Oh, thank you, - she smiled back as they went away.

It was becoming more and more suspicious.

"Normal people can see him, and he obviously can see me. So he must be in gigai after all."

Right after that a medium-sized hollow appeared nearby, some feet above the surface of the pond. He quickly looked around and noticed the kid. The hollow looked hungry and rushed to the boy without even paying attention to the shinigami nearby. Matsumoto has only unsheathed her soul slayer, but the hollow was already defeated in a blink of an eye …shred to pieces, that were starting to dissolve in air. She didn't notice how it happened…as if some shadow materialized and cut him. She didn't notice any change in man's reiatsu either. It was the same as a minute ago – like a normal human would have. Still, Matsumoto knew it was his doing. She couldn't feel anyone in the area with reiatsu, stronger than a normal soul could have.

"This is impossible…simply impossible. To fight without leaving his gigai. Moreover,..how did he…"

The man was smiling… And his smile seemed somehow familiar.

"Ano…is it possible for me to know you…somehow?" Matsumoto asked still unable to think rationally.

"Well, maybe…or maybe not" The man looked at his pocket watch.

"Yare, yare… looks like it's time for me to go now. So much to do, and so little time! However, Matsumoto-san, I think we'll meet again very, very soon. So, excuse me until then."

With these words the man disappeared. It wasn't a flash step, or an invisibility or mind-trick technique. He simply disappeared in the air. Matsumoto was still shocked to think over it. She didn't even pay attention to the fact that the man knew her name. She just stood up from the bench and headed to Inoue's house. The rest of the evening she was thinking about this encounter, trying to remember what really happened back then…in rukongai, in her past. But it didn't help a bit. All she could remember is that the shinigami from her past looked very similar to the man she met in the park. Without noticing it, she was rubbing her necklace. And then she fell asleep...

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

OK, I know, this chapter is a bit crappy and has no sense. The next chapter will reveal the mysteries.

P.S. Oh and it was my first fanfic ever, so please, R&R. Tell me if you are interested in the whole concept of shifting the main storyline from Ichigo and Rukia to Matsumoto and… (because, you know, I like her so much!)

P.P.S. Me suck at grammar. English not a native talk. So please correct my grammar if you find some disgraceful mistakes


	2. A message from hell

Chapter 2 is up. It explains the mysteries from the first chapter, making the story a less crappy. Please R&R. Tell me if you like the storyline. It's my first fanfic after all.

Oh and _italics _usually means character's thoughts. I think you've already guessed.

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

**Chapter 2: A message from hell**

Matsumoto woke up and opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was her captain in the corner of the room. He was sitting there, looking at her with one of his ice-cold looks.

"Oy, taichou, what are you doing in my room this early in the morning?" Matsumoto looked at the alarm clock. It was 7AM.

"Sheesh! Like if it was your room anyway. You care to read this message for me?" With these words he pointed at the hell butterfly, sitting on the edge of the table. "It is sitting here for about 20 minutes, you know."

Matsumoto held out her hand and the butterfly sat on her index finger.

"_To captains of 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th and 13th divisions. You and your vice-captains are to attend an emergency Gotei 13 meeting in the real world on the roof of Karakura medical research facility at 9AM. Signed 1st division captain Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni. End of message."_

"An emergency meeting in the real world!" Matsumoto mumbled to herself.

"Care to give me the details."

"An emergency Gotei 13 meeting will be held on top of Karakura medical research facility. Have you ever heard about Gotei 13 meetings in the real world, taichou?" Matsumoto looked puzzled.

"No, never heard of it! But whatever the case is, this must be something really important," he said in his official voice.

"Will it be about the situation with arancar and Aizen?" Matsumoto asked.

"The hell I know! But it looks like it will be after all"

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

They arrived upon the place at 8:50. Everyone was already there. Ukitake Juushiro and Kyouraku Shunsui both had very serious faces. The rest of the captains looked quite puzzled over the fact that the meeting took place in the real world. Matsumoto also noticed another guests. Among them was Urahara Kisuke, former 12th squad captain. That explained the fact that Kurotsuchi Mayuri was not invited to the meeting. Somehow Matsumoto knew that this whole meeting was his doing after all. The other guests were Shihouin Yoruichi, Kuchiki Rukia, Madarame Ikkaku and Kurosaki Ichigo.

"_So the reason for this meeting is Aizen after all." _

Precisely at 9:00 Yamomoto soutaichou arrived. He looked round the participants and glanced franticly at Urahara. Matsumoto understood that former 12th division captain was still not forgiven for his actions.

"So, I can see, everyone is here. Let's start the meeting." Yamomoto began his introductive speech. The voices calmed down and the old captain continued. "As you know it is very unusual for Gotei 13 to have a meeting in the real world. So you better explain the reasons for this, former 12th squad captain, Urahara Kisuke!" Captains started to whisper about the latest statement.

"_So that was him after all," _Matsumoto thought to herself

"Your request wouldn't be complied if not supported by three respected Gotei 13 captains, namely Soi Fong, Ukitake Juushiro and Kyouraku Shunsui.". Yoruichi nodded and smiled to Urahara. He smiled in return.

"Hai, Hai, Yamomoto taichou" Urahara started with his usual carefree manner…just to recieve a furious glance from the old captain again. "But I'm not the one, who wanted to speak to you, it is this man. Please, listen to him…" With these words a figure dressed in black appeared behind Urahara. He moved aside, allowing the man to speak. Captains started to whisper again.

"_It is him…again."_ Matsumoto recognized the man from the park. He was wearing the same black raincoat. _"Just what the hell is going on!"_

The man looked round the shinigami, who were still whispering to each other. He smiled to Matsumoto personally. And after the whispers calmed down, he started to speak.

"Gentlemen, allow me to properly introduce myself first." With these words he rolled up a sleeve of his coat and shirt and touched a tattoo on his hand. The tattoo inflamed and with the other hand he transferred an enlarged image of the tattoo in the air before the shinigami. Many of them were surprised. Matsumoto has never seen or heard about something like that before. She looked at her captain. He was surprised either. The only ones who remained calm were Kuchiki Byakuya, because he was always like this and Yamomoto soutaichou. He was rather angry than surprised.

"I am the Messenger of Hell," the man said rather slowly and distinctly. The flaming image in the air changed into the sign of hell surrounded by some sort of seal with letters Matsumoto didn't recognize. "Jigoku Special Operations bureau director Murakami Shinji. Pleased to meet you". The man finished his greeting and made a slight bow. The image disappeared and the tattoo on his hand went out. The man rolled down the sleeves of his shirt and raincoat.

Now it was not just whispers. The captains were speaking loudly to each other. The greeting was rather vivid, Matsumoto thought. She was astonished just like the others

"Silence!" The old captain said rather loud and angrily. It was _definitely_ not like him. "What does the Hell want from us?" He proceeded straight to the point.

"I speak here on behalf of the Hell Princes Council. My words are the words of the Princes".

"_Now that's interesting!_" Matsumoto thought. "_So Hell has its own hierarchy. And I thought there was nothing there at all except for the impure souls, who are sent there_".

"We are here because of the recent…incidents involving a certain renegade death god captain"

"This is our internal problem. It is not of your concern!" The old man replied. There was a bit of anger in his voice again. "_He has a point_", Matsumoto thought. Why would Hell be interested in shinigami affairs. Unless it is something really big, and as Matsumoto knew, it _was_ rather big.

"Not until his true motives were discovered! It has recently come to the Council's attention, that the goal of Aizen Sousuke is an attempt to resurrect the Ouken to occupy the Hongoku ("True Heaven"). The Princes will not tolerate this. We will not allow someone to play God, whether he is a shinigami or not!"

"Of course you won't!" Yamomoto interrupted harshly. It was _definitely_ unlike him. "So you will remain the only ones having the primordial power! Is that correct, messenger?"

"…to solve this affair the Council decided to send the Covert Operations bureau director to the real world to group with the shinigami there." Murakami continued simply ignoring Yamomoto's question.

"Gotei 13 will not permit the presence of Hell operatives in our operation!" Captain-General protested.

"I think you don't understand the situation here, Yamomoto soutaichou," the man replied. It looked like he was becoming angry himself. Still Matsumoto could not feel anything – no traces of his reiatsu.

"It is not a simple request!" With these words he waved his hand in air and some sort of scroll made of flame appeared in front of him. The scroll opened and displayed a certain document, written in an unknown language and signed with the seal of Hell. "It is an _order_!"

The last words made everyone freeze. No one even tried to whisper anymore. All the captains looked at Yamomoto soutaichou almost simultaneously. The old captain examined the text as if he could actually read it and said "So be it. Note that Gotei 13 will not take the responsibility for your actions. The group responsible for the operations in the real world is led by 10th division captain Hitsugaya Toushiro. You can learn the details from him. As for now, the meeting is over."

Matsumoto could not believe in what she just heard. From her point of view it looked like some kind of an old conspiracy between The Hell and The Soul Society, the one so old, that no one, except for the eldest shinigami or the royal families knew the details. The only ones who seemed to know what the hell was going on were Yamomoto soutaichou, Kuchiki Byakuya and Urahara Kisuke after all. But it looked like they were not going to explain the situation. At least not now.

Visitors from Soul Society started to return back.

"Gentlemen, while you are here, I want the group responsible for the operations in the real world stay for another couple of minutes" the man in black said to everyone, noticing that Rukia, ichigo and Ikkaku were about to leave as well.

Matsumoto overheard a piece of conversation between Yamomoto and his vice-captain. "To hell with them!" Said the old captain not even noticing how tautological it really sounded. "They mess with our business again. When will this end!" His vice-captain only nodded.

Ukitake Juushiro and Kyouraku Shunsui nodded to Urahara before they left.

Ichigo looked pissed-off as usual. He looked as if he wanted to say _"I just don't like these morons who appear out-of-nowhere and start to act all high-and-mighty!"_

Kuchiki Byakuya had a short conversation with his vice-captain before he left.

After a couple of minutes the only ones who remained on the roof were Matsumoto's captain, Ichigo, Rukia, Ikkaku, Renji and Urahara. Yoruichi has departed too, however, she didn't go to The Soul Society.

The man in black looked round the rest of them and smiled to Matsumoto again.

"_Hell, I'll have to do something about this," _she thought.

"Sheesh! Coundn't they assemble a stronger party after all!" He muttered. Urahara gave him an offended look behind his fan. "Hey, I don't mean you, Kisuke!"

"My, thank you," answered Urahara with his usual carefree manner.

Before someone could protest against his statement, he continued. "Gentlemen, I'm not really that bad, as this old geezer tried to show you." Ichigo and Renji grinned at this expression of his.

"I'll do my best not to disturb your activities. Maybe I even can prove useful if something harsh is to happen. So, please continue your work and don't mind me"

He took out his pocket watch and looked at the time. "Yare, Yare, so much to do and so little time. I must excuse myself for now, I have certain things to do. Are you going, Kisuke?"

"Sure thing Shinji-san! I must excuse myself too, gentlemen. Oh, well, and you are dismissed!" Urahara answered in the same lazy manner.

With these words the messenger simply disappeared in the air and Urahara used flash-step to get away from the meeting place.

Seeing this for the second time, Matsumoto could understand the surprised looks of the others.

"What the hell, this geezer disappeared or what?" "Shut up, how am I supposed to know!" Renji and Ichigo started one of their usual quarrel-for-nothing. "Both of you just shut up!" Rukia gave them both kick in the head.

"_Now that's interesting,"_ Matsumoto thought. _"He addressed Urahara by his forename. It looks that they know each other quite well. However it is Urahara, so it may be any how after all. So if I need to get information about this man, I'll just have to go and ask this greedy merchant. But he is some nasty little sort. Good that I have my own….eeh…ways of getting the information," _she looked at her boobs and smiled to herself.

"Oy, Matsumoto, you look worried, are you alright?" Her captain asked.

"Yep, sorry, taichou. I'm just thinking about something." She didn't want to tell anyone about the encounter in the park that night…not until she cleared up a question with the man from her past and this certain Murakami Shinji.

They started to leave the place. "I'll be at Inoue's house, taichou…after I do some shopping."

"Suit yourself!" Hitsugaya answered in his usual manner.

Matsumoto decided to go directly to Urahara's shop.

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

She opened the front door of the shop. It was a mess inside. Urahara was running here and there barefoot as if trying to find something.

A bottle flew across the room and hit his head.

"Ooouch!"

"How dare you treat me with _this_, you moron!. And you call this sake! I haven't tasted a shit like this for some frickin' centuries! You better treat me to something special or I'll send your lousy ass straight to hell!"

"Hai-hai, Shinji-san…oh, Matsumoto-san, I didn't notice you were here!"

The figure in black appeared from the room to the right. "Oy, Rangiku-san, care to join our little sake party here?"

"Eeeh…I better not," Matsumoto refused an invitation to the party for the first time! She thought it can be a trouble, if she agreed. And she didn't want to ask her questions in front of the man in black whoever he really was.

"Oh, why so?" Both men looked rather disappointed.

Another bottle hit Urahara's head.

"Hey Kisuke, stop fooling around and bring your ass here. You'll have enough time to stare at her boobs later!" An angry voice of Yoruichi was heard from the room to the right.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion. I'll be going now," Matsumoto tried to sound not so silly, but she obviously failed.

"OK, then…see you around I guess," Urahara answered, closing the door.

The man in black just smiled to her again.

Just before she left she overheard a piece of conversation from inside the shop.

"_She was worried, wasn't she, Shinji-san"_

"_I guess"_

"_Somehow I feel it is because of you"_

"_Well, maybe or maybe not. So where is your damn sake anyway!"_

Matsumoto decided to return to Inoue's house after all.


End file.

Bleach, Adventure