Birds chirped amiably on this pleasant spring day in Soul Society. Renji stood in an apple orchard, a slight breeze stirring his red hair. The sun was high in the sky, with not a cloud in sight. A babbling brook ran nearby, its noise soothing as its water fed the vibrant plant life. Grassy hills stretched out in every direction.
It hardly seemed like the place where dark, tortured souls would choose to spend their time- but according to the locals, that was what the orchard had become. Just outside Seireitei proper, the orchard lacked walls or guards to protect it. With so many Shinigami congregated within the Seireitei walls or away on missions against Arrancar, the Hollows had become increasingly bold and were moving closer and closer to the city.
The Captain-Commander himself had asked Renji to carry out this task. Although it wasn't likely to be too challenging, the Hollow needed to be discouraged before they began to add onto Soul Society's current troubles.
Renji and a small number of his subordinates couldn't sense anything now, but that might change shortly.
And it did. Renji felt the tainted, loathsome reiatsu of a Hollow and gripped his Zanpuktoh. His subordinates followed suit.
The Hollow materialized a short distance away, roaring its awful roar.
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