Bleach: White Blossoms

The air in Soul Society felt heavy, charged with an unease that rippled through the Gotei 13. Hakuhana Yurei stood atop the Second Division barracks, her piercing green-and-gold eyes scanning the horizon. Even in the stillness of the night, there was a sense that something was coming—a storm poised to shatter the fragile peace.

The faint rustling of leaves and the distant hum of cicadas provided a deceptively serene backdrop. Yet, Yurei's instincts, honed through countless missions as Lieutenant of the Second Division, told her otherwise. She had learned to trust those instincts. They were rarely wrong.

"Lieutenant," a voice called, breaking her concentration.

Yurei turned to see one of the Onmitsukidō operatives bowing respectfully. His face was grim, his voice taut with urgency. "There's been a disturbance in the Rukongai. A report just came in about strange individuals attacking villagers. They match the descriptions of the Bounts."

"The Bounts?" Yurei's voice was calm but carried a razor edge. Her grip on Shirayuri tightened instinctively. The Bounts—vampiric beings that fed on human souls—had long been considered a peripheral threat. Yet, their recent incursions had shown a disturbing boldness.

"Yes," the operative confirmed. "Captain Soi Fon has requested your immediate presence in the command center."

Yurei gave a sharp nod, her silvery-white hair catching the moonlight as she turned. "Understood. Inform her I'm on my way."

The command center was a flurry of activity when Yurei arrived. Maps of the Rukongai were spread across tables, with markers indicating the areas of reported attacks. Captain Soi Fon stood at the center, her sharp eyes darting between the maps and the operatives delivering updates.

"Yurei," Soi Fon acknowledged as her Lieutenant approached. Her tone was brisk, but there was an undertone of trust. "Good. I need you to lead a reconnaissance unit to District 72 of the Rukongai. That's where the last confirmed sighting was reported."

Yurei bowed slightly. "Consider it done, Captain."

"Be cautious," Soi Fon added, her voice lowering slightly. "The Bounts are not to be underestimated. If the reports are true, they've grown bolder—and stronger."

Yurei nodded, though a small yawn escaped her lips. "Finally, something to shake off the monotony. Staying in the Living World for too long has been... stifling." She stretched lightly, her tone laced with nonchalance.

Soi Fon's sharp gaze narrowed. "This isn't a game, Yurei. Focus."

Yurei straightened, a playful glint in her green-and-gold eyes replaced by steely resolve. "Of course, Captain. I'll handle it. Consider it done."

"See that you do," Soi Fon replied, her tone softening slightly but still firm. She gave a curt nod. "And Yurei... don't get careless."

Yurei's lips curved into a faint smile as she turned to leave. "When have I ever been careless?" she quipped over her shoulder, her silvery hair catching the dim light as she strode out, already mentally preparing for what lay ahead.

Later, she lay sprawled lazily atop the tiled roof of a building in Soul Society, her arms folded behind her head as she gazed up at the endless sky. The quiet was fleeting—a delicate, brittle peace. She felt it before she saw them, the faint ripple in the air as two unfamiliar spiritual pressures approached her position. Sitting up, she glanced toward the source, her green-and-gold eyes narrowing slightly as she spotted them, a white-haired man and an orange-haired man.

They matched the descriptions of two Bounts she'd heard whispers about—Kariya Jin, their leader, and Koga Gō.

Kariya's gaze swept over her with calm amusement. "I'm surprised," he said, his voice smooth but carrying an undertone of menace. "It hasn't been long since we arrived, and yet here you are—a Soul Reaper already sniffing around."

Koga glanced briefly at Kariya, his expression stoic. "Forget what I said about this place being quiet. Seems it's going to get loud sooner than expected."

Yurei rose gracefully to her feet, leaping down from the roof with an elegance that was almost otherworldly. As her boots touched the ground, spectral petals swirled softly around her, carried by an unseen breeze.

"It's unlucky, really," she remarked, brushing a strand of silvery hair from her face.

Koga tilted his head slightly, studying her. "What is?"

"That out of everyone you could have encountered," Yurei said, her voice calm but laced with quiet confidence, "the two of you met me."

Kariya's eyes glinted, a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips. "How arrogant."

"Kariya," Koga interjected, stepping forward, his tone steady but laced with eagerness. "Leave her to me. I've been waiting for a chance to test my new powers."

Kariya paused, his smirk deepening. "Fine. Don't make me wait too long, Koga. We still have other plans to carry out."

As Kariya turned to walk away, Yurei's voice cut through the air, soft but sharp as a blade. "Are you sure you want to leave him?" she asked, her tone almost casual. "Because the moment you leave him to fight me alone, he will die. Instantly."

The air grew heavier. Koga's eyes narrowed, his grip on his weapon tightening. Kariya, however, froze mid-step. Slowly, he turned his head to look at her, his expression shifting—not to anger, but to a predatory grin that didn't quite reach his cold eyes.

"Big words," Kariya said, his voice low, almost amused. "You'd better pray you can back them up, little Soul Reaper. Otherwise, you'll find yourself on the ground begging for your life."

Yurei's lips curved into a smirk of her own as she drew her Zanpakutō, the blade glinting in the sunlight. "Pray? That's not my style. But you should start preparing your eulogies now. For him."

Koga stepped forward, reiatsu flaring as the ground beneath him cracked slightly. "Enough talk," he growled, his expression hardening. "Show me what you've got."

Yurei tilted her head, her silvery hair catching the light as her aura began to rise. Spectral white petals floated in the air around her, glowing faintly with reiatsu. She took a step forward, the petals gathering around her blade like a living storm.

"Gladly," Yurei said, her voice carrying a dangerous edge, the confidence in her tone unwavering. Her grip on her Zanpakutō tightened, spectral petals swirling more fiercely around her. "Try to keep up, won't you?"

Koga smirked, his reiatsu spiking as he raised a hand. "Dalk!" he called out, his voice echoing with authority. In response, a towering, human-sized creature of gleaming metal materialized before him. Its sharp, angular form radiated menace, its elongated limbs and reflective surface making it seem otherworldly. The air grew heavy as its presence filled the space, a clear manifestation of Koga's power.

"Bounts, huh?" Yurei murmured, her gaze unwavering as she observed the creature. A faint smile tugged at her lips, one more amused than surprised. "Now I see why you're here. All because of that meddlesome researcher."

At her words, Koga's calm demeanor cracked, his eyes narrowing with irritation. But it was Kariya who responded first, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "You don't know anything," he spat, his expression darkening. "Be silent!"

With a wave of his hand, Kariya activated Messer's ability. The air around him shimmered ominously as a wave of energy coalesced, taking the form of spinning blades hurtling toward Yurei with blinding speed.

Yurei didn't flinch. "All pointless," she said simply, her voice calm yet carrying an icy finality. Her Zanpakutō glimmered, and with a graceful motion, she swept it forward. The spectral petals surrounding her surged outward like a living shield, intercepting the spinning blades mid-air. Each blade was met with an explosion of reiatsu-laced petals, the clash lighting up the battlefield in a dazzling display of power.

Koga's metallic Doll, Dalk, lunged forward, its razor-sharp limbs slicing through the air as it aimed to strike her. Yurei sidestepped effortlessly, her movements so fluid it was as though she were gliding. With a flick of her wrist, her blade dispersed into countless petals that swirled around her like a protective storm.

"You're fast," Koga admitted, his voice tinged with grudging respect. "But let's see how you handle this!"

Dalk's limbs extended rapidly, morphing into chains that snaked toward Yurei, their tips gleaming with deadly intent. Yurei leaped into the air, her movements a seamless blend of precision and grace. The chains followed, relentless in their pursuit.

"Persistent," Yurei remarked, her tone almost teasing. She raised a hand, and the petals around her intensified, forming a barrier of glowing blossoms. As the chains struck, they were met with bursts of explosive energy, fragments of light scattering like fireflies in the night.

Kariya observed the exchange with a faint smirk, his hands clasped behind his back. "Interesting," he mused. "You're more skilled than most of the Soul Reapers we've encountered. But skill alone won't save you."

Yurei's gaze flicked toward him, her heterochromatic eyes gleaming. "You talk too much," she said. "Why don't you step in, instead of hiding behind your subordinate?"

Koga growled, his reiatsu flaring as he launched another attack, the chains from Dalk shifting to form jagged blades. Yurei's petals danced around her, intercepting the attack with effortless precision.

"You should listen to your leader," Yurei said, her voice cutting through the chaos. "He's smarter than you. At least he knows what's coming."

Kariya's smirk widened, but there was no amusement in his eyes. "Don't get cocky, Soul Reaper. You may think you've seen everything, but you've only just begun to understand the power of a Bount."

Yurei landed softly on the ground, her petals settling around her like a halo. "Power? Is that what you call this?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "You're not the first to underestimate me, and I doubt you'll be the last."

Her reiatsu spiked suddenly, the air around her crackling with energy. The petals glowed brighter, their movements more erratic as they swirled around her. For a moment, the battlefield fell silent, the tension palpable.

"Let's end this warm-up," Yurei said, her voice cold and resolute. "Show me what you're truly capable of—or fall here and now."