Hello, my dear readers. For those of you who don't know me, I am destiny's-dawn666. This is my second story, so I hope I don't let you all down. :]

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The Bleach universe (Manga, Anime, etc.) all go to Tite Kubo. The song lyrics go out to my fave band of all time: Linkin Park!

Prologue

"A true revolution of values

Will lay hand on the world order

And say of war:

This way of settling differences is not just,

This business of burning human beings with napalm,

Filling our nation's homes with orphans and widows…

Of injecting poisonous drugs of hate

Into the brains of peoples normally humane…

Sending them home from dark and bloodied battlefields

Physically handicapped and psychologically deranged

Cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love..."

-'Wisdom, Justice and Love' Linkin Park

Flames rose and smoke filled the hot and heavy air above; innocent blood spilt violently, dying the ground below a dark, sinister red. All around him, people were screaming out their pain, clawing at the marks that appeared to be carved into their very skin. They were beyond hope, he knew; no healing kido could rid them of the agonizing wounds. He hated to be so helpless, but nothing could be done. He had to get to safety and think of a plan to find his friend.

Holding the small blanket-wrapped bundle that was his precious cargo to his chest, he sighed and executed a Shunpo. When he opened his eyes again, he must have been miles from the mass of burning bodies, dilapidated dwellings, and piercing screams that was once the proud settlement of the Kawagari family. He looked to a thicket of wild grass and stepped down on it, so as to create a crude nest and then lay the bundle gently in the center of it. As he was about to pull away, a tiny, dark-skinned hand emerged from the blanket to grab at the sleeve of his robe. He looked from the slats in his helmet to see small, tearful silvery eyes looking up at him desperately. In any other moment, he would have let that look melt his heart, but he hadn't the time; his help was needed elsewhere.

The child- who physically could not have been older than five- started crying, saying things he couldn't understand; it must've been the Kawagari's official language. He assumed that she was begging him not to leave her all alone. He took the child's arm gently and pried it from his sleeve. At this, she began to cry harder; his heart melted, and he let his hand rub up and down soothingly on her back.

"Please don't cry, itoshī hito." he said softly. The child looked up at him.

"…Stay…" she said. So she could understand him.

"I cannot." he replied. She shot him a puzzled look. "I still have to find out who did this, and find my friend."

"Then I…follow…" she said.

"No." he said firmly. She backed away as if a snake had just snapped at her. "It is too dangerous. The child looked like she was about to burst into tears again. He turned away. "Stay here." That was the last he saw of that Kawagari child.

I know it's not much of a start, but I hope you all enjoyed this. Hopefully I will have more up soon. I look forward to your reviews. Until then, I bid you adieu.

Oh and itoshī hito means 'sweet one' in Japanese, for those who were wondering.