A/N: First off, a disclaimer as always. I don't own Bleach. This story is based largely on my own characters, but I don't own any I might use or the universe they live in.

Secondly, hello. This fic is not Bleach canon, some timings or whatever will undoubtedly not fit. It does contain some elements of the real Bleach plot, for example Aizen's betrayal happened in this timeline etc. You'll find out as you go along. Also, I use Japanese honorifics instead of English titles, for example 'taicho' instead of 'captain', as well as certain Japanese words. Look them up if you don't understand them.

And now… on with the story.

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'What's up?' Fudo Yamaguchi greeted.

'Who are you?' Momo Hinamori asked curiously, before her eyes widened in shock as she took in his clothing. 'Oh…'

'New Squad 5 Captain, Fudo Yamaguchi,' Fudo introduced.

'Squad 5 Lieutenant… Momo…'

'Hinamori-san. I've heard all about you.'

Momo fiddled briefly with her hairnet. 'Really?'

'Mm. A brilliant Kido master, I hear.'

'Well…' She blushed under the approving gaze of the attractive young (or so he appeared) captain.

'I think we're going to work very well together,' he told her, offering his hand.

'You don't want a new lieutenant?'

'Of course not, Hinamori-san. Why would I, when I have such an excellent candidate already filling the position?'

'Erm…'

Fudo grinned, placing a hand gently on her shoulder, just above her vice-captain's armband. 'Come on, I want to meet the rest of my new division.'

'Ye… Yes, Yamaguchi-taicho!'

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'How's it going, Shin-chan?'

'Don't call me that,' the leader of the Vizards groaned. 'But fine, thanks.'

Yoshifumi Nakajima grinned. 'What's Hiyori-chan doing?'

'Trying to upgrade her Hiyori Crappy Walker, I think.'

'Hiyori SUPER Walker!'

'Heh.'

The newest addition to the Vizards flash-stepped away from his unofficial superior, reappearing for a split second to kick Hiyori in the head before heading to Hachigen's side. 'How's the barrier holding?' he inquired, grinning as Hiyori screamed insults after him.

'Perfectly… of course,' Hacchi replied. 'Why?'

'Nothing. I just… thought somebody might have come after me by now.'

Hacchi hummed absently. 'Why?'

'No reason.'

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'So!' Fudo spluttered. 'Tell me about yourselves!'

The newest addition to the ranks of the Gotei 13's Captains was having a welcome party rather reminiscent of former captain Amagai's. Naturally, just like Amagai, he was completely drunk. Totally ratted out of his skull.

'Erm… well… we don't really have any Seats at the moment,' Hinamori explained. 'It's all been a bit disarrayed since…'

'S'okay. Course, with no captain and yourself in… no fit state to lead all this lot… musta been tough. 'S been 'ard on the rest of… mm… Captains too.'

'People even got transferred to other divisions,' Momo told him sadly.

Fudo scanned the room drunkenly. He recognised a few faces from around Seireitei, but didn't know anyone personally. 'Might bring in a couple of me old mates from Squad 9,' he slurred. 'Could do with some new seated offizers?'

Momo nodded, not sure what to make of this kind-hearted man who clearly couldn't hold his drink at all. He might even be more of a lightweight than Captain Amagai, whose skills, or lack thereof, in the drinking department were legendary.

'Whoosh,' Fudo muttered before collapsing face-first into a bowl of mushy rice and sake (he was extraordinarily uncoordinated in his present state, and eating rice with chopsticks was no easy task even when sober).

Momo sighed. 'I hope you're as nice as Captain Aizen,' she told Fudo quietly. 'Or… the man I thought Captain Aizen was.' A single tear blossomed in the corner of her eye; she blinked it away and straightened up, back to the businesslike self she'd had to be in Aizen's absence. 'You two! Take Yamaguchi-taicho to Squad Four, please!'

As two burly-looking shinigami lifted Fudo away, Momo caught a glimpse of his happy, rice-covered face. 'Yes,' she murmured. 'I think we'll work well together.'

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'Kenseiiiiii!' Mashiro pouted, only to be met with a bash in the face from Kensei's Hollow mask.

'How,' he groaned, 'can you be so irritating with a single word?!'

'Where's Berry-tan?' she asked loudly, brushing her former Captain's mask away casually.

'Ichigo? How am I supposed to know?'

'Mmmmmmmmmmmehmanum.'

'Why do you want to know anyway?'

'Miss him.'

Yoshifumi flash-stepped into the vicinity, snatching Kensei's Shikai-form Zanpakuto from his hand before he could kill Mashiro. 'S'up?'

Kensei growled viciously while Mashiro laughed at his expression. 'Berry-tan!' she yelped happily.

'He's in Hueco Mundo again,' Yoshifumi told her.

'How do you know?'

Yoshifumi gave a toothy grin, almost reminiscent of Shinji and Nnoitra. 'I still have some shinigami connections. My old lieutenant, for one, though he doesn't know it yet.'

'Oh, yeah. What was his name again? Fupo?'

'Fudo. He's Squad 5 now, transferred straight from 9.'

Kensei did a double-take. 'You were Squad 9's captain?'

'Mm. Same as you. Took over from Kaname a while after he left.'

'Bastard,' Kensei hissed.

'Hm?'

'Kaname.'

'Oh, good.'

Mashiro somehow managed to flash-step into an upside down position with her head between Kensei and Yoshifumi's faces. 'Why's Berry-tan in Hollow World?'

Kensei slapped her away with an audible crack.

'Oh, you know. Espada to kill,' Yoshifumi guessed.

'Could have taken us with him,' Kensei grumbled. 'I could do with a bit of exercise.'

There was silence for a few moments.

'Combat training?' Yoshifumi suggested.

Kensei grinned. 'Deal.'

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Hoshi Sakamoto knelt at the grave of her husband, a small flower in her hand. 'Sorry I haven't been for a while,' she said. 'Komet's been giving me trouble, you know. Says I should forget about you. But we both know you're still around, even if you won't come and see me.'

She smiled wryly. 'Why am I even speaking to your grave? I know exactly where you are, and… it's not here. I mean, really. You're a shinigami captain… oh - former, stuck in an untraceable gigai with the rest of the Vizards. Sorry. But really, Yoshifumi. You could at least come and visit once in a while.'

Something twitched in her pocket; she groaned but reached in and pulled out a small diamond. 'Zeige Dich, Komet.'

As her Doll emerged, black and shimmering with the light of a thousand stars in its eyes, she made a face towards the grave.

'You lazy bastard!' Komet yelled.

'Keep it down…'

'She comes here EVERY WEEK even though she knows you're not here, and you can't even come to see her ONCE?! In all the three centuries we've been here?!'

'Komet…'

'You're THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY TWO YEARS OLD, AND YOU'VE BEEN DEAD FOR THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY OF THEM! YOU'VE NOT VISITED ONCE!'

Hoshi rolled her eyes towards her husband's headstone. 'She's always like this nowadays,' she informed the stone exasperatedly. 'C'mon, back you come.'

'I HATE YOU ANYWAY, I DON'T CARE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE ME, BUT HER?! YOU LAZY, STUPID DI -' Komet cut off mid-word as she shrunk back into her glittering diamond form.

'Don't worry about her. She's just a bit argumentative by nature.'

Hoshi stored her sealed Doll in her pocket, carefully placing the flower in her other hand at the bottom of the headstone. Quickly peeling some moss from the stone, she got to her feet and left.

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Akiyama Ishii gripped the Hollow's mask tightly. 'Sorry about this,' he hissed. 'Just a bit hungry.'

The Hollow screamed as its mask shattered, revealing part of its face below. Akiyama hoisted the pseudo-Arrancar towards his own face. Neatly pulling back the part of his mask fragment that covered his left jaw, the newly appointed Quinto Espada took a gigantic bite out of the hapless creature.

'Mm…' Akiyama growled around a mouthful of pseudo-Arrancar. 'That's good.'

A small Hollow darted past; the Espada instinctively incinerated it with a Bala blast. 'Oh. Ah, well, shame to waste it.'

Still guzzling the body of his kill, Akiyama picked up the small, somewhat charred Hollow and shoved it in his mouth around his first meal. 'Crunchy!'

'You are disgusting,' a soft voice chided.

'Aizen-sama,' Akiyama muttered, swallowing his mouthful loudly.

'Yes. I have a mission for you.'

'That was blunt.'

'I have never had any intentions of concealing my real wishes,' Aizen joked.

'You just… made a…'

'I have the occasional attack of levity.'

The first Japanese Espada shook himself and took a large bite from his meal, chewing rapidly. 'So, the mission?'

'I need a watcher in the real world. The Vizards are proving troublesome.'

'In what way?' Akiyama had heard nothing of any pressing problems.

'They've a new recruit.'

'How? They don't have the Hogyoku to create any more.'

'I don't know. It must be a unique natural case, like Kurosaki.'

Akiyama grunted. 'How does one new Vizard make them any more problematic?'

'It doesn't… but just in case. You are our only native Japanese speaker; you will be able to watch them far better. And…' Aizen leaned in close, 'your Zanpakuto is much better than those Spanish-speaking transformers.'

Akiyama almost chuckled. He dropped the remains of the hapless Hollow and opened a Garganta. 'I just watch them?'

'And… deal with any problems that need dealing with.'

'Understood.'

Akiyama stepped into the Garganta and vanished.

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END CHAPTER ONE

A/N: This chapter was just an introduction of (some of) my original characters. Fear not, there will be a proper plot!

I'd really appreciate you taking about ten seconds to press that lovely ol' review button down there! Constructive criticism's always appreciated.