High above the town, on top of a water tower, two figures stood watching the streets.
One was a man with a green and white bucket hat and a wooden cane.
This was Kisuke Urahara.
Beside him was a sleek black cat with golden eyes.
This was Yoruichi Shihouin.
Urahara's face was very serious. He held his hat so the wind wouldn't blow it away.
"Do you feel that, Yoruichi?"
He asked.
The cat nodded.
"It is impossible not to feel it. One presence feels hotter than the center of the sun. It is like a fire that could burn the whole world. The other... it is colder than the deepest abyss. It feels like a void where nothing can live."
"They are just teenagers,"
Urahara whispered, looking through a telescope.
"They are playing a game. They are competing to see who can kill more Hollows. I have never seen such power in my life. Not from a Shinigami, and not from a Quincy."
Yoruichi stretched her cat body.
"They are interesting. They don't look like they are from this world. I'm going to get a closer look."
With a quick jump, the black cat disappeared into the shadows.
She wanted to spy on them up close.
Down on the street, Axel and Olivia were walking behind Masaki. They knew the cat was following them.
Axel's God Fire gave him perfect senses, and Olivia's Void felt every movement in the air.
"The cat is cute,"
Olivia whispered, her eyes staying on Masaki.
"Yeah,"
Axel grinned.
"Let her watch. It's more fun when there is an audience."
The rain began to fall heavily now.
The sky was dark and grey. Masaki walked toward the river, holding her umbrella.
She saw her young son, Ichigo, standing near the water. He was looking at a girl who seemed to be falling into the river.
But it was a trap. The girl was a lure, a part of the monster called Grand Fisher.
Masaki realized the danger immediately. She was a powerful Quincy. She dropped her grocery bags and ran toward Ichigo.
Her body began to glow with blue light. She was ready to use her power to destroy the monster and protect her son.
Suddenly, a dark light moved through the sky far away. It was the
"Auswählen."
It was a power used by the King of the Quincies to take back his strength.
Masaki's blue glow suddenly flickered and died. She gasped, her eyes wide with fear.
Her protection was gone. She was now just a normal human woman standing in front of a giant, hungry monster.
Grand Fisher laughed, a horrible, wet sound. He swung his giant claws at the defenseless mother.
"Time to eat!"
The monster roared.
"Now,"
Axel said.
In a flash of golden light, Axel appeared between Masaki and the monster.
He reached into the air, and a massive, glowing sword appeared in his hands.
This was the Claymore of the Great Sun. It was a Sacred Gear made by his parents. It didn't just burn; it shone like a star.
CLANG!
The monster's claws hit the sword and immediately turned to ash.
"Who are you?!"
Grand Fisher screamed, backing away from the heat.
"I'm the guy who's going to turn you into charcoal,"
Axel said.
He swung the claymore, and a wave of pure solar fire hit the monster, melting its skin.
At the same time, Olivia appeared behind the monster.
She didn't want it to run away. She held a long, beautiful staff that turned into a giant, curved blade.
This was the Scythe of the Great Moon. It was silver and purple, and it felt like the cold silence of space.
"There is no escape,"
Olivia said. Her voice was calm but scary.
She swung the scythe. It didn't cut the monster's body; it cut the monster's soul. Where the blade touched, the monster turned into a grey, frozen statue.
Axel then pointed his Claymore forward.
"Final strike!"
A beam of golden fire shot from the sword, hitting the frozen monster.
There was a bright flash of light that lit up the entire riverbank. When the light faded, Grand Fisher was gone. There was nothing left—no ash, no soul, nothing.
The rain continued to fall, but Axel and Olivia stood perfectly dry. Their power kept the water away.
Masaki sat on the ground, hugging a confused Ichigo. She looked up at the two teenagers.
She saw the glowing weapons and the royal clothes they wore. She could feel that they weren't enemies.
They had saved her and her son's life.
"Who... who are you kids?"
Masaki asked, her voice shaking.
Axel vanished his giant sword and gave her a bright, wild smile. He reached out a hand to help her up.
"Just some neighbors from out of town,"
Axel said.
"We heard you were making a big dinner. It would be a shame if you missed it."
Olivia tucked her scythe away. She looked at the black cat hiding in the bushes nearby and then back at Masaki.
"You are safe now. The monster is gone forever."
From the shadows, Yoruichi watched with wide eyes.
She had seen many powerful beings, but these two were different.
Urahara, watching from the tower, lowered his hat.
"Well, Yoruichi... I think the world just got a lot more interesting."