Disclaimer: Kubo Tite-sensei owns Bleach. I receive no monetary benefit from this work.

--

It happened insanely fast.

One minute, her reiatsu was there; the next, it was blocked by something stronger, and then gone.

Nakamura Mizuki pulled out her cell phone. Her best friend, Suzuki Sakura, always had her phone turned on and almost always picked up.

"Hi! You've reached Suzuki Sakura. I'm very sorry I've missed your call, but if you-" Mizuki snapped her phone shut. Sakura's phone never went straight to voicemail. Ever.

She dialed Sakura's friend, who was two years older than they, and closer to Sakura than a real sister.

Tanaka Akemi picked up on the first ring.

"Nakamura-kohai! Did you notice Sakura's reiatsu disappear?!" The older girl's voice was frantic.

"That's what I was calling about." Mizuki's voice was calm. "Did you notice that it was overshadowed by something much, much bigger?"

"Yeah, I did..."

"Well, then. Meet me in front of Urahara Shoten in five minutes. I think he may know what's happened to Sakura-chan."

"Urahara Shoten?"

"Yeah. Kurosaki told that if something weird like this ever happens, we need to go down there."

"Okay."

Ten minutes later, they stood in the door of Urahara Shoten, angry and demanding answers.

"Why don't you ladies come inside?" the blonde man asked.

"Please, just tell us if you noticed anything creepy around ten minutes ago!" Akemi cried in desparation.

The man's face darkened. "Why don't you ladies come inside?" he said again, his tone darker.

Once inside, he turned to them.

"I think it's time I told you girls what's really been going on here. Nakamura-chan, are you familiar with a guy in your year called Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"What does Sakura-chan disappearing have to do with Kurosaki?!" she demanded.

Urahara turned around. "It's not necessarily Kurosaki, but someone who Kurosaki's somewhat... familiar with... someone called Aizen Sousuke."