Summary: Friendships forged in blood are the hardest ones to break...
Disclaimer: I own everything that doesn't already belong to somebody else.
Rating: T/PG
Warning: Cussing, Violence, Immoral and Illegal Acts, Character Deaths
Notes: Somewhat AU - more like PU (Parallel Universe). Starts out during Renji's and Rukia's time together in Rukongai and follows the general pattern of the original Bleach storyline (kind of). I plan on keeping to the T/PG rating, so that means I'm not writing smut this time.
Spoiler warnings: Although I'm taking some elements from the original Bleach story line, you're probably safe if you're to the end of the Soul Society arc. I always recommend being up-to-date with the manga since I'm not always sure of what things I'll throw in for fun, but I think if you're at least up-to-date with the anime (sans Bounto Arc), you'll be fine.

Chi Chikai
Your Useless Prologue

Inuzuri. The seventy-eighth district. One of the most violent districts in the entire Rukongai. It wasn't a place for pacifists or optimists – there was no bright side and there would be no peace. You fought to live, you stole to eat, and sleep was a luxury. It was no place for children, and yet children seemed to survive. In ragtag bands, these ruffians fought back to back just to get by. They were the rats of the district and very few people liked them at all.

Mainly because they were all thieves.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU BRATS!!"

The brats in question, of course, weren't going to do anything of the sort. The old man paused for a breath as the three boys ran around a corner. Suddenly, the man was on the ground, knocked over by a little girl. She jumped on his head, smashing it into the ground, before she ran off after the boys.

Scenes like this were fairly common, and the other residents paid no attention to it. Nothing would be accomplished if they went after the thieves. The boys would most likely get away anyway, and they would only waste their time. Besides, there was a very good chance all of those thieves would be killed within the next week.

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