Chapter 6: The Strangers

"Damnit all!" The captain of the 10th division was beside himself. "Where the hell did they disappear to?"

He watched as his lieutenant landed on the spot near the fallen guard, and quickly drew up another circle. Moving as fast as possible, the circle glowing bright purple. After a few minutes it became apparent that there was no trace left. Nothing to give them a clue to the whereabouts of the Hollows.

They needed the technology of the 12th division for information, but they were stranded. If they opened the senkaimon and returned to Soul Society there was no guarantee the Hollow's wouldn't take advantage to attack.

Two Hollows had managed to break out of captain and vice-captain level 60 biding spells. As if that wasn't enough, to add inslult to injury, both hollows had disappeared completely, leaving no trace riatsu to be found.

"I'm sorry Hitsugaya Taicho," Rangiku looked tired as she slumped to the ground.

…

The strange atmospheric pressure finally let up. Elsa stooped to help Anna to her feet. Next to her Kristoff groaned. Grand Pabbie sat down hard trying to catch his breath.

"Is everyone okay?" Elsa asked.

It was hard watching those she loved affected by what had just happened. A man, a soldier, a citizen of her kingdom had been ripped in half, and she had been powerless to stop it. What kind of a queen was she if she couldn't protect those she cared about.

The doors at the far end burst open as the captain of her guards staggered inside, also affected by the strange pressure. "Queen Elsa, are you alright?" Captain Sandvik took in the scene, the princess leaning heavily on her sister, Lord Kristoff on the ground looking stricken, and the wise troll who also looked worse for wear.

Elsa took a deep breath willing to be a source of strength in a trying time. "Yes, we are alright." Her eyes darted back to the balcony, out beyond. "Please, we need to send a group to-" her voice broke, she started over. "To go cover the body."

"What body?"

Captain Sandvik had been posted outside of the room but had not seen any of the events that had happened.

Elsa hardened her resolve, she had to explain the situation. "The pressure, did you feel that, just now?" She waited until he nodded. "There was a soldier riding to the palace when that pressure began. He was thrown from his horse." The queen struggled to explain the events she now was unsure of. "He- something... he was up in the air, and then- and then, he was torn. In half. He was murdered by something. We must get out there, now, to identify who it was, and cover the body so that if he has family they will not be damaged by what they see."

The captain could hardly believe what she was telling him, he looked indecisive until Elsa, strode out of the room, leaving him with no choice but to follow her.

"Elsa! Elsa, wait!" Anna ran after.

Elsa acquiesced, and both young women strode to the secondary stairway to exit the palace. "Sir Slavik please-" There was no need to finish her request at that moment Castellan Andersen appeared.

"Your grace," he bowed.

"Castellan please see to the guests. Make sure everyone is comfortable, above all else do not let them leave." The man bowed and left to do his queen's bidding.

Turning to captain Slavik, Elsa continued. "Sir, please bring five of your most trusted men to the square across the bridge immediately. Bring a wagon, and sheets. I expect to see you within fifteen minutes."

"Your grace," he said bowing. "Where are you going?"

"I need to be sure we won't be attacked again." Elsa turned with Anna in tow and strode out into the night. Leaving the captain to carry out her bidding.

"Elsa," Anna sounded weak her voice pleading. "Elsa please…"

The queen stopped when her sister sank to her knees. The pristine white gown was now torn and dirty. Anna was shaking, eyes wide.

"Anna," Concern etched the features of the queen's face. "Are you okay?"

The red haired princess could only shake her head. "Something bad, very bad."

Moments ticked by, then as gently as she could Elsa picked up her sister, who did not protest. Together they made their way to the remains of the poor guard who had given his life. Elsa could only wonder if it had been in vain to warn them. Her skin prickled, her mind raced going through all options of how to protect Anna should the need arise. This had been a bad idea to bring her out here.

When her sister froze, Elsa thinking she should protect her from what lay ahead whispered, "You don't have to look."

Anna shook her head, her eyes fixed fifteen feet above staring at- nothing.

A shiver of fear ran through Elsa. "What is it?" She shifted her position to ensure she would be able to throw an attack in the exact direction her sister was facing, and a shield to protect her if push came to shove.

"There's someone up there," she whispered.

Several ideas ran through Elsa's mind, but in the end reason won out. Anna never pretended about things that were not true. "How many, do they mean to attack?"

"I don't think they're here to attack, but I-"

"What?" Elsa figured they mustn't be in imminent danger if Anna had time to make a face like that.

"I think they're samurai!" She said this bright, loud, as if they hadn't just gone through a heinous attack. Elsa imagined this must have been the expression her sister made when she met Kristoff's family, at least the way Olaf told the story, they're trolls!

Now the queen was starting to feel a tad bit of concern, "Samurai? In the air? Anna, are you okay?" It almost sounded like an angry tea kettle hissing from all the fast low whispering.

Elsa watched in near disbelief as Anna started fidgeting, taking a few steps back. Her sisters head dipped lower until it was staring a little under eye level but it would dart up. Two targets, different heights is all she could process. She startled when Anna started speaking in a loud clear voice with conviction.

"Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Ann-desu." Her sister finished with a small bow.

The one word Elsa caught was Anna. "When did you learn to speak Japanese?" she whisper shouted.

Anna shot her back a look of hurt, "You're kidding me right? I spent my life in the library when you-"

Anna didn't miss, Elsa's pained look, instead she finished, deflated, with less fire. "When they made you shut me out."

They both shared a look, and then something drew Anna's attention. The whole situation was unsettling for Elsa who watched as her sister became more agitated shaking her head no, then waving her hands frantically until she burst out with "I don't know, any more." And did she mutter shit under her breath.

"Have you asked if they speak English?" Elsa suggested, it was spoken in all the neighboring countries.

"Japan isn't well known for being an English speaking country." Anna replied.

Yes, well what other option do we have. "You said they were samurai, perhaps they've also studied language, I don't know."

Anna huffed, preparing herself, "Eigo wa wakarimasu ka?" Came out in what Elsa could only describe as a pitiful hopeful question to which she suddenly responded happily with a "Hai!"

The strange conversation would have to wait as Elsa heard the wagon approaching, she cut off her sister. "Anna, the guards are coming. Please don't communicate with the strangers until we have taken care of our fallen soldier."

The queen strode away from her sister leaving her on the bridge with people she could not see. The thought of which should really have her terrified, but duty called.

The men had just laid white sheets over the two locations. Elsa's heart constricted painfully in her chest. "Captain Slavik, please-" she wasn't sure how to word it without sounding insensitive and gruesome. "Please, sir, could we join him…"

The captain also uneasy with the idea of how to word bringing the parts of a fallen comrade together nodded his head solemnly, and saw to the matter himself.

"Is there anything you can do for him, Elsa?" Anna gently touched her arm.

Shaking her head slowly, tears dripping from her eyes. Who could have done this, what did this?

"We need to get him to Dr. Johansen, so his family can be contacted." Anna said gently handing her handkerchief to her sister.

"Thank you" she whispered. Bright light flashing as the man was encased in an ice casket.

There was a collective sigh of relief from Captain Slavik's men. No one had been looking forward to lifting separate pieces of their fallen comrade the men broke into two groups and each worked together to life the casket into the wagon. When they left, Elsa obliterated the gore by freezing it into fine crystals and then blasting them far out into the bay.

When it was finished she turned to Anna, "Tell the samurai to follow us to the palace. We need to discuss this threat, they must know something about it or they wouldn't be here."

"Um Elsa," Anna grabbed her hand turning the queen in the direction opposite the square forgetting that her sister couldn't see.

Two strangers were walking toward them. One was a tall voluptuous woman in a fitted black floor length gown in the same style of the kingdom, the bodice had intricate lily looking flowers stitched in pink and the sweetheart neckline further accentuated the figure that both the queen and the princess simply did not posses. The give away that she was foreign came in the form of the sword, katana Anna provided, hanging at her side, and the short blunt cut of her hair.

The second figure was shorter of stature, but no less dashing it was also clear that this was the person in charge. There was badge on his double breasted jacket that mirrored the design on the woman's dress. His neck tie was a deep blue turquoise that was matched the color of his eyes. Eyes, Elsa realized, that held a cold intensity, she wasn't one to be bothered by any manifestation of cold. The young man had hair the color of frost on clear winter mornings.

"I thought you said they were samurai?" She spoke quietly to Anna.

The young woman stared at them, and her sister. "They are...were- you can see them!" She gasped.

"Of course I can see them!" She hissed, now was not the time to be questioning the unknown.

Both women straightened as the young boy, Elsa didn't feel comfortable calling him a boy, there was something in his eyes that spoke of a great age, approached them and stopped a few feet from her. With a low bow he spoke in a low yet soulful voice. "Your majesty, we have much to discuss. Let us do it not out here in the open. It would be bad for all involved if the Hollow's were to reappear."

The young queen was blown away by the commanding timbre of his voice but that didn't stop her from saying, "Be that as it may, you forget yourself, may we have the courtesy of knowing who we are treating with?"

"But of course."

The queen didn't miss the look of annoyance on the young stranger's face.

"I am Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of the tenth division in the Gotei 13, of Soul Society." Indicating for his lieutenant to step forward he continued, "This is Rangiku Matsumoto, my vice captain."

a/n: omigosh I am so sorry I have not posted this yet. I'm pretty sure I reached a poor conclusion. Be that as it may, I'm really trying not to give up on this.