Winter (Dragon Age x Bleach Crossover)

Investigate

Endless night shrouded Hueco Mundo when a single young man exited the senkaimon. His slightly longer, spiky white hair rustled gently in the wind as the senkaimon door closed and disappeared behind him. Sharp turquoise eyes scanned the expansive dunes for life. He sensed a few small Hollows off to his right but they were too scared to come outright.

"That's where I need to go," he muttered when he spotted what he was looking for in the distance. The infamous palace beneath the crescent moon laid in ruins from the winter war three years ago. He still remembers that war as if it were yesterday. The war that made him almost lose his lieutenant and murder his best friend in cold blood. Aizen has been captured and is paying for his crimes. But after all that death and destruction, executing him slowly and painfully will still be far too merciful.

Many things have changed in the past three years. The missing Captain positions were quickly filled by their respective predessesors. A corteous  invitation from Head Captain Yamamoto, the captain scoffed at the idea. Even though the new Captains have been pardoned for their past crimes, he still hates the idea of a certain blonde visorde being around the only other person he cared about.

With the loss of his arm, Head Captain Yamamoto recently stepped down to give reign to a younger, more open-minded Captain. He believed his successor will steer Soul Society in a more understanding direction, instead of his own steadfast traditional ways. Captain Shunsui Kyoraku accepted his new title reluctantly but being one of Yamamoto's original two students, the old drunkard knew he would make his master proud.

The new Head Captain and Gotei Thirteen have made it their mission to hunt down all the remaining Arrancars and Vasto Lordes in Hueco Mundo. It has been going quite well. But lately, several reports have been coming in about unusual spikes of energy from the palace ruins. None was sent to investigate... Until now.

"Cap~tain," The voluptuous Matsumoto almost sang as she ran up the white dune beside her young superior. Seven officers and a handful of unseated members of squad ten joined her beside their Captain.

"You're late," the young Captain huffed and threw the edge of his dark green scarf over his shoulder.

"Awww! Captain, do you know how exhausting it is to run after all that paperwork?" she whined playfully.

"Maybe if you do more actual work instead of drinking, you won't be so out of shape," one slender eyebrow twitched with annoyance as he adjusted the new chain that held Hyourinmaru in place.

She gasped loudly, "Are you calling me fa-?!"

"Captain Hitsugaya!" A small, dark haired figure landed out of her flash step with several more officers.

"Rukia Kuchiki," Hitsugaya greeted, welcoming the interruption.

"Captain Ukitake sends his apologies. He won't be joining us today," she informed him with a sad smile. "He's been feeling under the weather for the past week."

"It's quite alright. I believe congratulations are in order for your official promotion," he nodded towards her Lieutenant's badge as he eyed several of her officers with a stern look. They looked a little nervous under his gaze and stood a little straighter behind their Lieutenant.

"Thank you, sir," she bowed as her smile grew wider. "This is my first official mission as Lieutenant."

"I am sure you will lead your men well. Now, to business," Hitsugaya stepped forward. He eyed the ruins one more time before turning fully to the group gathered. "Everyone here has been briefed about the strange occurrences at the ruins of Las Noches. We are here to seek out the source and investigate. If it is an immediate danger to Soul Society or the world of the Living, we must not hesitate to eliminate it. Be alert and hide your spirit energy as much as possible."