The Rukongai's Kusajishi District

*Kashear slows up and sighs in frustration then notices that Byakuya and Hisagi have caught up and continues on his way without another word. Darth follows Kashear at a more sedate pace and falls in-step beside of Byakuya*

How is she? I felt the reiatsu spike but then fade so I'm curious as to her condition.

*She looks at Hisagi*

So I heard you now have a replacement. How's retirement working for you?

"Hmm?"

*the normally stoic man looks to Darth then to Raine. A hint of emotion peeking through*

"She'll be fine in a little while. It seems her condition is worsening as 'she' gains more and more control... Each time Raine loses that much more of herself..."

*He sighed as Hisagi cleared his throat, passively changing the subject*

"Retirement isn't the term I would use Darth-cahn"

*Hisagi offered a weak smile*

"Raine's new VC has been scarse laltely... and with her prior injuries I stood in for her. Who knows where he is amidst all this."

*Just then he let out a hearty laugh*

"Besides, above all else... I'm still a full-time Raine-jousama babysitter"^^

*Byakuya quirked an eyebrow*

"Now I wouldn't say that Hisagi-kun... she's not a child"

*Hisagi lowered his head, a sweatdrop running down his temple*

"I was just... it was a joke..."

*Hisagi was cut off as Byakuya chuckled, a mischevious glint in his eyes*

"I was going to say you're more like an animal tamer..."

"Bya, Byaku-kun!" O_O

"We both know I will forever be the babysitter of our little misgreant family"

*He grins as he looks lovingly down at the little "beasty" in his arms*

*Darth smiles at the two's banter and nods her head in agreement*

I know how you feel, Byakuya-san. Watching over a family of dragons can be quite troublesome at times. They feel like my own kids even though they are thousands of years older than me.

*she gestures towards Kashear*

Barring Kashear of course. He is far older than all of us put together.

*Byakuya nods*

"It must be quite a task..."

*The former 6th Taichou was cut off as he suddenly stood dead in his tracks*

"Byakuya-sama?"

*Byakuya spoke with an air of caution and danger in his voice. He spoke in a low, solemn tone*

"Something's up ahead..."

*He handed Raine to Hisagi and motioned for him to stay back*

"Hisagi, Darth, Kashear... I would suggest we fall back..."

*Darth raises an eyebrow at Byakuya but stops as she feels the spiritual pressure*

Kashear, do you feel that?

Yes... and I do not like it one bit.

*she gasps and backs up rapidly*

Oui I believe that we shouldn't get any closer... that reiatsu... I'd know it anywhere.

*Kashear appears beside of Darth and whispers into her ear before she nods*

Oui... that would be most wise.

*she quietly snaps her fingers and a male with black hair tied back in a que with pure red eyes appears beside of them. He resembles Kashear very closely, in fact they are identical if it weren't for the two scars on the new-comer's face in the form of an "x"*

Glad you could come, Solace.

*the new-comer merely nods to Kashear*

*Hisagi suddenly jumps infront of the group, his reflexes qued by an ambush from down the corridor*

"Get back!"

*He screams to the other's as he throws Raine over his right shoulder and raises his left arm*

"Bakudou 81, Danku... Splitting Void!"

*Hisagi creates an energy barrier in the form of a rectangular wall, sealing of the corridor from the enemy's onslaught. The dust around the group begins to settle.*

"What the hell was that?"

*Hisagi asked as he looked further down the hallway and watched the smoke ease away from the scorched stone walls. The nergy burn marks strong enough to carve deep into the stone...*

"It can't be..."

*Byakuya walked ahead and placed his hand on the scarred walls, his eyes narrow. "Damn them... I always knew that one day they would go too far..."*

"Nani? What can't be?"

*Hisagi returned Raine to a more refined position in his arms and made sure she was alright*

"Thank goodness..."

*Byakuya let out a stoic sigh*

"We need to keep moving, whatever is going on down there Yuroichi won't be able to handle alone."

*A gust of maleficient reiatsu began to permeate the tunnel. It was immediately recognized as Kashear's mother's... Raine began to stir*

"Everyone proceed with caution..."

*Just then Raine's eyes flew open, her eyes wild as her pupils dilated and became draconic slits. She snarled as her body writhed and she took on her more feral humanoid form...*

"What's happening?"

*Hisagi lost his hold of her, and nearly lost his arm... as his beloved Taicho bit him with her razor sharp fangs to free herself. Raine set off down the hallway with great speed as Hisagi fell to his knees, cradling his blood soaked arm*

"Damnit!"

*He quickly tore apart the last of his top and created a tourniquet*

"We have to go after her! In this state there's no telling what she might do!"

*Byakuya raised a sardonic brow*

"What is 'this state' you speak of?"

*Hisagi rose to his feet, wobbling a bit*

"It's the stage between her Arrancar form and her resurrection... her mind and body are no longer in sync... they're torn between her conscious and subconscious thoughts and urges."

"So you're saying she's basically a mindless machine of mass destruction at the moment?"

*Hisagi nodded sheepishly*

"Hai..."

"Well what set her off, What encourages this state? And how do we stop it?"

"My guess would be the monster's reiatsu as this state is brought on by her primal hollow urges to eliminate all those who challenge and oppose her... to put it simply."

*Hisagi sighs and looks at Byakuya worriedly*

"To stop it... I wouldn't know how to reign her back in. She'd surely kill us all as we would be obstacles in her way. The only sure way to calm this state is..."

*He pauses and looks to the group, pained*

"She has to defeat the threat..."

*Kashear's and Darth's eyes go wide at Hisagi's explanation as Solace remains as stoic and quite as he originally was. Kashear then begins to laugh uncontrollably*

She is actually going to challenge my mother!? Ha!! This I gotta see.

*Kashear sticks his hands in his pockets and follows Raine at a more sedate pace. Darth walks up to Solace and whispers in his ear as Solace follows Kashear*

Monsieurs.. we have to stop Raine.

*The foreign reiatsu flares again and two thunderous roars are heard*

--Scene Change--

*A black dragon lies in a deep slumber in the depths of the building, practically dead to the world. Then two eyes of the purest color of purple blearily open as the dragon comes to*

Where am I? How did I get here?

*memories of an ancient past come flooding into the dragon's subconcious. An island the size of a continent advanced far beyond its years sinking into the sea, a plague ravaging the land, an attack and seige on the land of the dead (*). The great and magnificent beast then flares its reiatsu and pulls at the chains restraining it. The chains break and the dragon lets lose a mighty roar*

I am Kuroryuken... The Destroyer of Worlds! And Prisoner no more!

*she then spreads her great wings and lets lose another defeaning roar*

{(*) Basically Soul Society.}