Hell Chapter: Prologue

A/N: This prologue chapter is based off of Bleach episode 299, which is a tie-in prequel to the fourth movie, which is what this entire fic is based on. Hope you enjoy^^ Review please.

Zakuro groaned as she set her end of the box down on the ground in front of Kisuke Urahara's shop. Rukia set her end down a second later. Kisuke stepped out and greeted the two young Soul Reapers.

"Thank you girls, it's much appreciated." he said, smiling.

Zakuro shot him a glare. "You do realize I have like two tests tomorrow." she huffed. "If I want to keep my class ranking, I really need to study. And being your errand girl is the last thing I need to be doing."

"On top of the fact it's your night for patrol around Karakura Town." Rukia added, folding her across her chest.

Kisuke tipped his hat and sighed, "Are you sure you want to go out tonight, Zakuro?" he asked. "With all the Soul Reaper attacks that happened lately, you sure you wanna risk it?"

Zakuro closed her eyes and sighed. "Since I'm already out on the town anyway transporting your merchandise, might as well."

Kisuke's two helpers, Jinta and Ururu, came out and took the box inside.

"And I thank you for your help." Kisuke said, smiling at Zakuro and Rukia.

Tessai stepped in between the three and chuckled. "Boss we're ready to go."

"Where are you guys going?" Rukia asked.

Tessai looked down at her, "We're gonna close up shop and take a much needed vacation together."

"Since we sold out of everything on the shelves, we decided a vacation would be a good idea." Kisuke added. "But now that we do have merchandise, back to work everyone." he giggled.

Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu all shot him a death glare and Kisuke quickly changed his mind again. The two kids dragged the shopkeeper inside while Tessai closed up.

"See ya." Tessai said, locking the doors.

Zakuro turned her back and sighed. Rukia unsheathed her Zanpakutō and opened the Senkaimon.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay and patrol with you?" Rukia asked, turning to her friend.

Zakuro nodded. "C'mon, I can handle it." she flashed her eighth division lieutenants badge and smiled. "I'll be fine Rukia."

Rukia returned her friends smile and walked through the Senkaimon, the gates closing behind her and vanishing.

Kisuke opened the shop doors, halting Zakuro. "Hold on a minute there Zak." he called. "I've checked out all the places where the Soul Reapers were last seen. And from what I could gather, it looks like they were consumed."

"So that means we're talking about Hollows." Zakuro pondered.

"Maybe not." Kisuke corrected. "The energy was different, it was something completely different from a Hollow. So, be careful out there."

Zakuro nodded. "Remember, I'm now co-lieutenant of the eighth division, I can handle it." she smiled and flash stepped away.

The moon was full in the sky as Zakuro patrolled her town. Her guard was up as she carefully scanned the area around her. She kept one hand on her Zanpakutō hilt at all times. As she was about to call it a night, she sensed a surge in Spiritual Pressure and ran towards the source.

She came upon a masked and cloaked figure fighting against Zennosuke Kurumadani, the Soul Reaper who replaced Rukia.

"Great." she thought, unsheathing her Zanpakutō. She gripped the hilt and twirled it once around her arm, "Unsheathe your scales, Mūndoragon!" she called, and in a glowing light her sword was replaced with a shimmering scythe.

Using her flash step, Zakuro appeared in front of the cloaked figure. "Walls of iron sand, a priestly pagoda, glowing ironclad fireflies. Standing upright, silent to the end. Bakudō #75. Gochūtekkan." she chanted, moving out of the way.

"There we go, that was easy." Zakuro smiled.

Zennosuke looked at the female Soul Reaper who saved him. "Thanks a million lil lady."

Zakuro scoffed. "Lil lady? I'll have you know I'm the co-lieutenant of the eight division." she corrected, flashing the badge she wore on her left arm. Once she got a better look, her eyes went puzzled, "I'm sorry, who are you again?"

Zennosuke fell on his face and wept.

The figure chuckled from the prison of the pillars and they were suddenly destroyed and a pile of sand was around the cloaked figure. "Sorry, that's not gonna work on me."

Zakuro gasped, "Kisuke was right, this guy's Spiritual Pressure is different from the Hollows." she thought. "Maybe I should've taken Rukia up on her offer to help me out tonight."

"It's you." the figure gasped.

"You know me?" Zakuro asked.

The cloaked figure lunged towards the young Soul Reaper, who dodged the attack. Zakuro flipped over the figure and held her palm out, "Hadō #33. Sōkatsui." she yelled, firing the blue fire.

"Oh yes, there is no mistaking it now." the figure laughed. "I figured if I went on a rampage, I'd run into you."

"Just who is this guy?" Zakuro thought, gritting her teeth. "Who the hell are you?"

"You really don't remember me?" the figure asked. "Look around you!"

Sounds of chirping came from both sides of Zakuro and she was met with a dozen pairs of glowing eyes. Once she looked around, she gasped. "It can't be." Zakuro gasped.

{Flashback}

A hollow resembling a frog and retractable bat wings on his back spat out exploding leeches and a few landed on Zakuro's legs, detonating on impact, causing the young, and new, Substitute Soul Reaper, to trip over her feet.

She gritted her teeth and held her jagged, black scythe. "Come and get me if you can." Zakuro taunted. She spun on her heels and ran, with the hollow following her.

Once she came to an open space, Zakuro held her scythe ready as the frog hollow, known as Shrieker, cornered her.

"Young Soul Reaper, you will die here." he taunted, stepping closer.

Zakuro put all of her strength into her skills and succeeded in slicing through Shreiker's mask, destroying him.

Once the soul was purified of the hollow, two large gates appeared a few feet behind him and a large blade impaled him through the hole in his lower abdominal area. The gates closed and suddenly vanished.

"The Hell Gates." Rukia muttered, walking up to Zakuro.

"He went to Hell?" Zakuro questioned.

Rukia nodded and patted her shoulder. Zakuro shook her head and sighed.

{End Flashback}

"Shrieker." Zakuro gasped.

"That's right." Shrieker said.

"But I destroyed you. You were pulled into Hell." Zakuro muttered, stepping back. She remembered when he was dragged through the gates and the memory sent shivers down her spine. "How did you escape from Hell?" she yelled, narrowing her eyes.

"Wouldn't you like to know." Shrieker taunted. "But I'm not gonna tell you. Destroy her!"

The little frogs jumped and released the leeches from their bodies.

"Not that old trick again." Zakuro smirked, using her flash step to doge. She reappeared on a nearby tree.

"Oh, I don't remember you being that good the last time we met." Shrieker noted.

Zakuro flipped her ponytail back. "Well, that was a long time ago, when I was using Rukia's powers that she lent me." she reminded. "Now, I'm using my own powers, and I'm a whole hell of a lot stronger than I was then." she smirked and held her Zanpakutō in front of her.

Zennosuke charged in to aid Zakuro, only to be caught off guard by the exploding leeches, and Zakuro ended up saving him, placing him in a nearby building.

"Don't get involved, it's me he's after." Zakuro informed. "Let me handle him." she flash stepped away and landed on another rooftop a few blocks away.

The leeches surrounded Zakuro on all sides. She quickly dodged them, only to be face to face with Shrieker himself.

"I've been waiting a long time for this." Shrieker chuckled, slamming his fist right into Zakuro, who blocked it with her scythe.

The force alone pushed her back a ways and she shook off the recoil. When she stood tall, Shrieker struck her from behind.

Zakuro quickly executed her flash step to get away. "How is this possible, his speed and strength is at a whole new level than it was before." her eyes widened in shock.

Shrieker flew past her and cut off her path, forcing Zakuro to come to a quick halt. "I'm going to make this messy and painful." he chuckled darkly.

Zakuro blocked the punches he was throwing, putting just a few inches of space between them. "Okay, time to take this to the next level." she muttered, swinging her scythe behind her and holding it out in front of her. "This is a new little technique I picked up in the Soul Society." she smiled and gripped the pole of her scythe with both hands. "Bankai!" she yelled, and her light blue spirit energy surrounded her.

In a flash of pale blue light, Zakuro's Soul Reaper kimono was changed from its traditional form to a black strapless dress with a medium length train, black frilly sleeves that were dis-attached, a white skirt, white knee-length socks and tan sandals, and silver shoulder pads. "Tsuin Mūndoragon." she swung her double-bladed scythe.

"Ohh, nice outfit." Shrieker chuckled. "But it still won't make a difference."

"We'll see." Zakuro contradicted, narrowing her eyes.

Shrieker lunged forward and Zakuro blocked his punch with her blade. She got the upper hand and chipped a part of his mask.

"Now, you're mine!" she yelled, holding Tsuin Mūndoragon high above her head and aiming to slice through Shrieker's mask.

He threw his hands up to block Zakuro's attack, and that's when she noticed the chains from his wrists. "Chains?" she questioned.

Shrieker chuckled. "Yes, chains that can't be severed by the lights of you." he repeated. He then threw his foot out and kicked Zakuro in the stomach. As she doubled over, he used his elbows and sent her plummeting to a building rooftop.

Zakuro braced herself as she landed, surrounded on all sides by Shrieker's leeches.

"Now, you're finished!" Shrieker predicted.

Zakuro held her weapon horizontally across her lap, a smile on her face. "Not just yet." she contradicted. "I still have this kick-ass move. An attack my brother, cousin, and myself all share." Tsuin Mūndoragon began to glow pale blue and the energy pulsated. "Getsuga Tenshō!" she screamed, twirling her double edged scythe around her body, destroying the surrounding leeches.

She jumped up as all the exploding bugs were destroyed. "There, that takes care of them." she breathed.

"Not quite." Shrieker spoke.

More leeches appeared in the air, and Zakuro was completely caught off guard. "Shit." she cursed.

A few leeches managed to attach themselves on the bare skin of her arms and legs, and a few seconds later, they all detonated. The blast was enough to send Zakuro down to the ground where she landed on her hands and knees.

"I didn't even sense those leech bombs, how did they get that close?" she pondered, lifting her body up off the ground. She gripped the midsection of her Zanpakutō tightly.

Shrieker flew behind her and chuckled. "What's the matter? Tired of running away? Or just tired?" he cocked his head to the side and chuckled again.

Zakuro gritted her teeth and rested on her knees, her eyes hard. Then, Zennosuke came into the fight, activating his Zanpakutō, Tsuchinamazu. It created a small mountain of earth that encased Shrieker.

Zennosuke rushed to Zakuro's side, "You alright Lieutenant?" he asked.

Zakuro smiled. "At least you remembered that much." she chuckled. "Yeah, I'm fine. But what was that you just did?" she asked.

"I bought time for us to get away." Zennosuke answered.

"That was an escape technique?" Zakuro questioned, sweat dropping.

Shrieker busted from the earth prison and fired another set of leeches, a few of each making contact with the two Soul Reapers and detonating, further injuring them.

Zakuro shook off the explosion and gasped, "He has leeches inside his body as well?" her eyes widened. "That's why I couldn't sense them before. Just how much more powerful is he?"

"That's right." Shrieker praised. "My body is basically one giant bomb."

"Get out of here, Lieutenant." Zennosuke mumbled, laying on the ground.

"No, this is my fight." Zakuro rebuked, getting back to her feet. "I won't give up. There's no way I'm letting him push me around in my own town!"

Zakuro's Spiritual Energy rose up around her as she charged forward, swinging her double bladed weapon.

"You just won't learn." Shrieker noted, blocking his opponent's strike. He punched Zakuro in the chest and kicked her stomach, then let her fall on the ground.

Shrieker then gripped her throat and pinned her to the building wall behind her.

Zakuro grunted because of the pain and she struggled to breath. "Just, what are you?" she asked. She again noticed the chains hanging from Shrieker's wrists.

"Do you know where this chain comes from, Lieutenant?" Shrieker asked, using a sarcastic tone when referring to Zakuro's ranking. "This is chain from Hell. And I am a Sinner of Hell."

Zakuro gasped. "No, from what I heard a Sinner can't escape from Hell." she choked out.

Shrieker added more pressure to his grip on Zakuro, "Wrong, I did. And all so I could get my revenge on you." he pulled her back only to slam her into the wall again.

Zakuro struggled a little and managed to kick Shrieker and undo a few claps holding his robe closed. Shrieker quickly dropped Zakuro to re-claps the buttons.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

One of the chains on Shrieker's wrist lengthened and he wrapped it around Zakuro's neck, tossing her across the area and sent her flying into the chain length fence. Zakuro grunted and coughed, her hands gripping the chain, trying desperately to remove it.

"Now I will get my revenged on you." Shrieker claimed, tossing Zakuro in the air and letting her fall.

She landed with a grunt and struggled to get on her hands a knees. Just as Shrieker was about to move in to finish Zakuro, he was pushed back by the end of a blade, and that put a few feet of space between him and his target.

"Zakuro, you alright?" asked a concerned voice.

Zakuro opened her eyes and saw her boyfriend, Sixth Division lieutenant Renji Abarai, standing in front her, his Zanpakutō, Zabimaru, unsealed. "Renji." she gasped.

Another Soul Reaper, wielding two huge, black, heavily curved Chinese scimitars with silver edges, wearing a pink kimono draped over his uniform and a sakkat, appeared behind Zakuro. "Now, this is an unexpected sight." he muttered, in a carefree tone.

Zakuro looked over her shoulder and gasped, "Captain Kyōraku." she muttered.

Shunsui Kyōraku, captain of the Eighth Division of the Soul Society, tipped his hat and smiled down at his young lieutenant. "Zakuro, it's good to see ya. Although, I wish it were under different circumstances."

"What are you guys doing here?" Zakuro asked, looking from her captain to her boyfriend.

"We received a report from Squad Twelve about an unusual Spiritual Pressure appearing here in the World of the Living." Renji answered.

"And shortly after it was detected, you Spiritual Pressure appeared." Shunsui added.

"So the Head Captain decided to send my captain and boyfriend to further look into the matter." Zakuro concluded, chuckling lightly. "Nice one, old man Yama."

"So, just who is this guy?" Renji asked, looking from Shrieker to Zakuro.

"You wouldn't believe me, even if I told you." Zakuro replied, struggling to lift herself up. When she moved her legs, she gasped in pain and held herself up by her hands.

"You alright dear?" Shunsui asked, kneeling down next to his injured lieutenant.

Zakuro winced, "Damn, one of those leech bombs must've gotten me." she regained his composure and sighed. "As for Mr. Cloak and Dagger there, he says he's a Sinner from Hell."

"A Sinner?" Shunsui repeated.

"Get outta here, there's no way." Renji reminded.

Shrieker shook off the attack and grunted. "Why you pathetic, insolent, bastards!" he berated. "I'll teach you not to interfere with my killings!" Shrieker charged forward.

"Hang on tight, Zakuro." Shunsui warned, placing his arms around Zakuro's back.

In a flash, all three Soul Reapers were in the air. Zakuro had her arms laced around Shunsui's neck while both he and Renji stood tall with their Shikais activated. Shrieker fired more leech bombs and the first round missed the trio entirely. Shunsui landed on the rooftop of the next building while Renji got Shrieker's attention.

"So tell me Zakuro, just who is he?" Shunsui asked, sealing his Zanpakutō and sheathing the two blades.

"His name is Shrieker and he was once a Hollow. And he's also a blast from my past." Zakuro answered. "He was the first Hollow that I destroyed, back when I was taking Rukia's place after she gave her powers to Ichigo, myself, and Momo. In his living life, he was a serial killer, and that's why he was sent to Hell once I broke his mask as a Hollow."

"And yet, here he is, fighting you." Shunsui pointed out. "Very interesting."

Zakuro reached out her hand and her double bladed scythe returned to her, and she placed it on her lap. She and Captain Kyōraku watched as Renji faced off against Shrieker.

"Your aim is a little off." Renji taunted as Shrieker fired more leech bombs.

"Renji, be careful!" Zakuro called out. "Those leeches explode!"

The Soul Reaper lieutenant dodged another round of leeches, only to be punched by Shrieker and be sent flying into the wall. A dozen leeches surrounded him and blew apart the wall around him.

"Renji!" Zakuro called out, her eyes widened in fear.

Once the smoke cleared, Renji was surrounded by his Bankai, Hihiō Zabimaru. "Time to end this." Renji said, gripping the hilt of his sword. "Hikōtsu Taihō!"

The snake skull let out a shriek as a blast of red, spirit energy was released from it's mouth. Shrieker tried blocking it, but the blast was just a bit too intense.

Zakuro gripped her Bankai blade. "I only have enough spirit energy for one more blast." she muttered, standing up.

In a flash she appeared behind Shrieker, her blade radiating with spirit energy. "It's over Shrieker!" Zakuro yelled. "Getsuga Tenshō!" she yelled, striking Shrieker's back.

The blast was powerful enough to send him hurtling towards the ground. Shunsui and Renji both appeared on either side of Zakuro and watched as a rift opened in the ground.

"Oh this isn't over yet." Shrieker said, as he slowly fell into the rift. "This is not the end of me. I'll just keep on returning, from the depths of Hell." he taunted. "And I will take you with me." his rant was cut off by the rift closing.

"Speaking of Hell, what the hell was that about?" Renji asked.

"All I know is that we need to inform old man Yama about this." Shunsui noted, pulling the tip of his hat down over his eyes.

Zakuro sealed her Zanpakutō and sheathed it. "Yeah, and I'll just…" she began to say, but was cut off when her eyes closed and she fell forward, heading straight for the ground below.

Renji used his flash step and caught Zakuro, cradling her against him.

"Nice save, Lieutenant Abarai." Shunsui complemented.

"Before we return to the Soul Society, we need to Zak home so she can rest and recover." Renji voted, looking down at his girlfriend. "She needs it."

"Right, the report can wait." Shunsui agreed. "My subordinates always come first, especially the cute ones." he chuckled.

Renji unlatched the window of Zakuro's room and slipped inside, finding her body laying perfectly still underneath the bed covers. Slowly, he laid Zakuro's soul over her body and the two become one, and her brown eyes fluttered open.

"Renji?" she questioned, sitting up. She winced at her residual pain.

"Easy there babe, you're still pretty injured from the fight." Renji reminded, placing his hands on her shoulders.

Zakuro chuckled and ran her hand over her hair, that was now in pigtails, and not the usual ponytail. "So that really did just happen." she muttered. "A hollow from my past tried to kill me."

Renji nodded, "But it's gone now." he informed. "And it's not gonna hurt you again." he placed his hand under Zakuro's chin, tilting her face to meet his. "I won't let it."

Zakuro smiled and threw her arms around his neck, sighing. "Thanks for saving me." she said.

Renji rubbed her back and smiled. "I told you that I'll always be there for you." he pulled away and pecked her lips. "And I wish I could stay longer, but I have to report back to the Soul Society."

Zakuro sighed. "I understand." she replied. She laid back down and turned on her side, the front of her body facing the wall.

Renji laid down in front of her, caressing her cheek. "I love you." he whispered.

Zakuro took his hand and intertwined their fingers. "I love you too." she replied.

Renji leaned forward and kissed her, cupping her face and gently caressing it. Zakuro closed her eyes and moved her body closer, her arms lacing around his neck. Her body turned slightly so that Renji was leaning over her, their lips still connected in a passionate kiss.

Renji pulled away and looked into his girlfriend's eyes. "I really wish I could stay." he whispered.

Zakuro smiled and turned her face into his hand. "I know, and I really want you to, but…you have your duties to the Soul Society." she sighed.

Renji smiled and brushed his nose against Zakuro's. "I'll be back soon, and then we can be together." he promised. "Until then," he pecked her forehead. "get some rest."

Zakuro closed her eyes and smiled. "Give my best to the rest of the Captains and Lieutenants, and my goodbye to Captain Kyōraku." she asked, opening her eyes again.

"Will do." Renji replied, kissing her lips.

Zakuro laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes, a smile across her lips. "I love you Renji."

"I love you too, Zakuro." Renji replied, kissing her forehead once more and pulling the blankets up to her chest. He slipped out of the window and took one more look at his girlfriend, sleeping peacefully. "Sweet dreams love." he whispered, latching the window.

An emergency Captain's meeting was held in the Squad One barracks and all but two captains were present.

"This emergency Captain's meeting is now called to order." announced Head Captain Yamamoto.

"But Captains Zaraki and Kurotsuchi have not yet arrived." informed Fourth Division Captain, Retsu Unohana.

"You can inform them after the fact." said Yamamoto. "The reason for the meeting is this, just a short while ago we received the news that a Sinner has been spotted in the World of the Living."

All the captains gasped.

"Impossible." muttered Tenth Division Captain, Tōshirō Hitsugaya.

"When you say 'Sinner', you're referring to the beings that reside in Hell, correct?" quested Seventh Division Captain, Sajin Komamura.

Thirteenth Division Captain, Jūshirō Ukitake, further explained exactly what a Sinner was, which was a Soul that had performed unforgivable acts in its lives, and could not enter the Soul Society, so it is instead sent to Hell. "And for their crimes, these Sinners are bound in chains, for all eternity." Jūshirō said.

"This is the first time in the history of the Soul Society that a Sinner has escaped from Hell and made it's way back to the World of the Living." Yamamoto informed.

"That can only mean that something has gone wrong down there, in Hell." Tōshirō pointed out.

"I doubt that." rebuked Captain Unohana. "The Kushanāda would never allow that."

"But even so, I have heard that powerful beings reside deep in the bowels of Hell." Jūshirō informed.

"Still, if those things have found a way to stroll in and out of the World of the Living, we have a big problem on our hands." Shunsui added.

A minute of silence passed before the Head Captain spoke again. "The situation is grim." he informed. "So, I propose to send Lieutenant Renji Abarai and Rukia Kuchiki to the World of the Living." he added. "And if necessary, I will provide them with a way to infiltrate Hell and safely return."

Shunsui exchanged a look with Jūshirō and nodded. "So then, will we be asking Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki, Seventh Division Lieutenant, Momo Kurosaki, and my Lieutenant, Zakuro Kurosaki for their help?" he asked. "Since it was my Zakuro that fought against this Sinner, and she did put up one hell of a fight."

"No." answered the Head Captain. His answer shocked the other Captains. "I want both Captains Kuchiki and Ukitake to give Lieutenant Abarai and Rukia Kuchiki direct orders not to involve the Substitute Soul Reaper, nor the Co-Lieutenants of divisions seven and eight. Not under any circumstances." with that final word, the meeting was adjourned and the remaining Captains left.

Captains Komamura and Kyōraku walked out together, discussing the matters of their Co-Lieutenants.

"I guess I can understand not involving Ichigo," Sajin said. "but not to involve Momo and Zakuro as well? It's very odd."

"Indeed, especially since Zakuro already fought with the Sinner spotted in the World of the Living." Shunsui agreed. "I mean, she's a smart girl, she's bound to know something's going on. And, let's face it, she can read Renji like a book, she'll be able to tell if he's keeping something from her."

"And Momo has her own ways of finding information." Sajin inputted. "She's a real fighter, that one."

"Yep, perfect for your squad." Shunsui said, smiling. "And Zakuro is just the type of gal I like to hang around."

Sajin rolled his eyes and shook his snout. "All of that aside, I'm interested to see how this plays out."

"You and me both." Shunsui agreed.

To be continued…